Pulling another Bunny from a Hat

Linguine Estive con Limone, Ricotta Fresca & Erbe Miste

Summer Linguini with Lemon, Fresh Ricotta and Herbs

Yes indeed, even on the night before I leave on vacation- I put together an admittedly simple, but nevertheless tasty plate of pasta for you all. Well, actually, it was for ME as it was my supper... but I digress! I really pushed myself to the limits this time- but yes- I have managed to really empty my fridge and the last few remnants from it went to make up this meal. Half a carrot, a Spring onion, assorted herbs and 2 scoops of cream cheese! Oh- and my last lemon! That's how little you sometimes need to create a lot of happiness at suppertime!

I know I always make out that my dishes are really quick and easy to make... but people- this dish was really quick and easy to make! It literally took 10 minutes! 7 minutes for the pasta to cook and 3 minutes to transform it into this lemony, minty, nutmeg and lemon-infused, herb and ricotta delight! Sounds like quite a lot, considering so little is in there, doesn't it?

First of all I sliced a little lemon peel very thinly, taking only the yellow peel and avoiding the white pith and then copped it as finely as possible. In a small saucepan, I began to cook the linguini, in boiling, salted water as usual.

Whilst the pasta was on the boil, I diced half of a carrot as finely as I could, sliced the Spring onion thinly and chopped both a handful of mint and parsley as well as a little bunch of tender fresh thyme very finely too. Phew! That was my prep-work out of the way!
After the pasta had boiled for 5 minutes, I added the carrots to it so that they would briefly be blanched in the remaining 2 minutes that the pasta would be cooking.

At the same time, I began to fry the sliced Spring onion, with a little crushed garlic and the 

mixed herbs and zest in just a tablespoonful of olive oil... and within a minute or so, it began to smell pretty wonderful! I cranked-up the heat on the frying pan, drained the pasta, although not too thoroughly and added it to the onion, herbs and zest in the frying pan.

I tossed it and stirred it thoroughly with a pair of tongues, being careful to pick up all of the finely chopped ingredients. I let it continue cooking it for a minute or so, then removed it from the heat, added 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese and seasoned it generously with freshly grated nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper. I made sure to keep it off the heat so the cheese didn't curdle, but much rather created a nice creamy coating on the linguini to counterpoint the lemon and herb, garlic flavor.

A tiny squeeze of lemon, an extra drizzle of olive oil and a few drops of green Tabasco- and a small miracle happened on my dinner plate! And it could happen on yours too if you wanted it to!

Summer Harvest Festival

Verdure Miste Meditteraneo

Mediterranean Vegetable Platter

I almost began to worry that my plan of not getting any new groceries yesterday, as I normally would have, and managing to live off the remaining odds and ends in my fridge until I leave on Wednesday, would prove to be my undoing. Well who knew that I would have such a wonderful weekend of delicious treats?!

Like this incredible and tasty dish of mixed vegetables here, which looks- and indeed WAS, pretty amazing! What you are looking at is a half of a zucchini, a half of a bell pepper, 5-6 cocktail tomatoes- and the rest came out of the standard jars that I always have at home- olives and capers etc. Another favorite of mine are these giant-sized Greek beans, which are not available to buy fresh anyway. And with these few ingredients, I managed to cook up this wonderful combination of goodness! Does that sound good?

This is a really quick, "flash in the pan" of a recipe and would taste great hot or cold now that the weather is finally warming up. I began by sautéeing the peppers in a little olive oil, with a pinch of sugar, for 2-3 minutes, after which I added the zucchini slices. I seasoned with salt, pepper and a hint of cayenne. I also added a little finely chopped garlic and squeeze of lemon juice- together these went to make a great flavor base with the sugared peppers... but there was plenty more yet to come!

Next I added the olives, capers, Spring onions and tomatoes. The onion and the tomatoes were cut into slices to reduce the cooking time. I added a handful of chopped parsley and thyme and another good squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil... and voilá! With a little toss together to get everything evenly mixed- dinner was served!

No-No Cheesecake

Torta di Ricotta "Souffle" con Limone e Carote- senza Uova e senza Grasso

No-Egg, No-Fat, Lemon and Carrot Cheesecake "Souffle"

Sometimes I want to have my cake and eat it- like I did today. BUT- I had no more eggs in the fridge AND I do not know how to bake- as I am sure you are all aware by now! What I did have was some cheese curd and some lemon. So I began to think more along the lines of some creamy, whipped-up affair. Which would have been fine, but it would not have been a cake. And neither is this creation, you might say- and technically speaking you may well be right. But the fact of the matter is that it was neither cake, nor souffle, but was both delicious and different at the same time!


In my last couple of days of clearing out my fridge before I set-off on vacation, I am discovering that it really is possible to make something out of nothing! And something GOOD! Because the most important ingredient of all is there at all times... and that is creativity! So let me share with you what I created today... enjoy!

I started off by grating half of a regular sized carrot and the zest of half a lemon- these were going to add a little fresh flavor to the cheese curd- as was of course the juice of the whole lemon! Zing! One of my favorite desserts of all-time is key lime pie- and I wanted to make something with a similar fresh flavor. To the lemon juice I added a half teaspoon of Stevia, a half teaspoon of vanilla essence, a half teaspoon of cinnamon and a little honey. Then came the cheese curd- I used 5 tablespoonfuls to make this individual serving. I whisked everything together at the highest setting for 5 minutes and turned on the oven to warm up whilst that was going.


Once the cheese curd was nice and creamy, I added a tablespoon of baking powder and 2 teaspoons of regular flour. I whisked everything well for a further 2-3 minutes at the highest setting and then spooned the mixture into a lightly buttered ramekin.

I set the ramekin into a second, hollower dish, which I filled up to the height of around 1" with water- this was to help the mixture to rise and be fluffy and light, just like a souffle. I placed a sheet of kitchen roll, folded into 4, underneath the ramekin, to help keeping it from vibrating as the water boiled in the oven.


I baked it for 40 minutes at 350°F, with an additional 2-3 minutes under the broiler to give it a little color. Incredibly (and delightfully!), it did not collapse at all after baking, and tasted wonderfully lemony and delicious. Of course it was not quite as fine in texture as a regular cheesecake- but this is not really a cheesecake... and that is fine by me! Because at the same time, this has a lot of flavor and very, very little fat at all. Which made it perfect for me today! And maybe for you too!

Oat of this World!

Fiocchi d'Avena al Forno con Banana, Yogurt, Mirtilli e Cocco
Baked Oatmeal with Banana, Yoghurt, Cranberry & Coconut

It's breakfast time again! And I am thinking of making my usual favorite of oatmeal with coconut and chopped banana... and at the same time thinking, there must be more to life than this! So I decided to "pimp my breakfast" and to "take it to the next level", as our younger folk might say. Well let me tell you... this oven-baked version was indeed out of this world!

The great thing is, that it takes no longer to prepare than regular oatmeal really- and you don't need to be stuck at the stove-top stirring away the whole time. I made one individual serving, but I am sure you could make this on a deep baking tray or in a ceramic dish for the whole family just as well... and it was as easy as this to make...

I mixed together 4 tablespoons of oatmeal, 2 tablespoons of coconut flakes, 1 tablespoon of dried cranberries and 1 tablespoon of light raisins in a bowl and added 1 cup of milk. I sweetened it with a half teaspoon of Stevia and added a half teaspoon of vanilla essence and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon... oh- and that all-important pinch of salt!

Once the milk had been soaked-up by the oatmeal, I added 2 tablepoons of chopped banana and 3 tablepoons of plain yogurt, stirred it well and spooned it into a lightly buttered oven-proof dish. I placed a few slices of banana on top decoratively and then popped it into the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, I drizzled it lightly with honey and returned it to the oven for a further 2-3 minutes under the broiler to give it a crispy, caramel crust... delicious! Inside it was lightly firm but moist and chewy... the banana was hot and creamy and the cranberries and raisins made it fruity and more fun... Now THAT'S what I call breakfast!

Did You Say Pizza Honey?

Miscela di Focacce con Zucchine, Pomodoro, Pancetta, Feta, Miele & Erbe Miste
Focaccia-Mix with Zucchini, Cherry Tomato, Bacon, Feta, Honey and Mixed Herbs

Summer has finally arrived and we finally get to enjoy those lazy evenings and the warmer weather. And unless we are going to spend them standing outside at the grill, we certainly don't want to be copped-up to long in front of a hot stove! No, this is the time for quick, easy and fun meals... or delicious snacks like these!

Focaccia is basically a flat bread, the same dough that is used for making pizza... and the self-same dough that I like to buy pre-made for spontaneous quick snacks like this. But if you feel the need to knead your own and you have that extra 45 minutes to spare... be my guest!

This whole idea is basically about combining flavors- sweet and savory, mild and spicy, in a light, crispy and fun way. Sure, there are lots of flavors combing together here, but I made sure not to stack too much of each thing onto the bread base and have the typical kind of pizza overkill going on... which I am not a fan of! Please- not too much cheese!!!

The first and most simple variation, was simply thinly sliced cherry tomato, feta cheese, bacon and spring onion. To make sure it came out tasting really wonderful, I first baked the base blind, until it was firm, then rubbed it with a clove of garlic, which I crushed a little so that the juices would spread better. Then I spread out the ingredients evenly on top and baked it for 5 minutes at the highest setting. I then took it out again, added a little sea salt and a good drizzle of honey and gave it another minute or so. I let it cool for 3-4 minutes after taking it out of the oven before adding some fresh thyme... I just love the combination of honey and thyme in the Summer- it's so delicious!

Next came the 2 zucchini variations and the most important aspect here was the finely diced bacon, which I fried in a dry frying pan whilst I cut the zucchini into the thinnest slices could manage. After the bacon had begun to fry and give off it's fat and juices, I removed it from the heat and added the zucchini slices and tossed then around together with the bacon, so that they picked up a light glaze from the juices. I allowed it to cool a little before I got going on laying out the toppings- didn't want to burn my fingers!

First of all, I sprinkled the dough bases very lightly with feta cheese, then laid out the zucchini slices evenly on top. The cheese melts and helps keep the zucchini stuck down... isn't that clever? :-) Once the zucchini was down, I sprinkled the finely diced bacon on top, along with the Spring onion and and a little salt and pepper. I baked again at the very highest setting for 6-7 minutes, then fetched it out briefly so that I could ad the honey. Then back again for 1-2 minutes under the broiler to get wonderfully crispy and brown! I added thyme to both, but made one with some very fine parsley leaves and a squeeze of lemon. Along with the honey, all three of these snacks was really delicious and a nice change from the typical tomato sauce and cheese pizzas... and just perfect for the Summer! Buon apetito!

Fruitopia

Crema al Limone con Mirtilli e Yogurt

Lemon Cream with Blueberries and Yogurt

This was my "almost-healthy" after-dinner treat this evening- and a very simple and yet delicious affair it is too! The lemon cream was my take on a traditional lemon curd, but I omitted the butter and replaced it instead with a little coconut milk to add that touch or richness to smooth out the tanginess of the lemon.

I love trying out combinations that taste wonderful but are healthier options than the regular ice-cream or other other rich and heavy desserts. i can be done and it is a good thing indeed when you do find a way to have some great guilt-free treats every now and then!

For the lemon cream, which was a little tricky because I made such a small amount, I used 2 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of corn starch, 1 teaspoon of Stevia, 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and a half cup of water... as well as the juice and zests of 2 lemons! Yes- this is going to be a zap-pow-zinger of a dessert!

I heated up the water and added the lemon juice and zest, the stevia and coconut milk and brought it to the boil- then reduced the temperature to a gentle simmer and added the cornstarch, whisking briskly the whole time to avoid any lumps. Once it had begun to thicken, I removed it from the heat and continued whisking until it started to cool a little more.

Working very quickly, I added the egg yolks and beat, beat, beat the mixture until it became smooth and rich and creamy. This is not a dish for lazy kitchen workers! You need to work this thing to get it to work for you! Let the cream cool a little and then chill it properly in the fridge before serving.

I spooned the lemon cream into my glass first and then layed out a layer of blueberries on top, which I then covered with a thick, but lower fat, Greek styled yogurt... and then covered that as well in in blueberries. After at least a half hour of refrigeration, this wonderfully fruity and delicious dessert was ready to be served and enjoyed! It really was that simple!

Chop-Chop Couscous!

Coucous al Insalata con Germogli di Ravanello e Feta

Couscous Salad with Radish Sprouts & Feta Cheese

Time for a satisfying salad dish again, something yummy, healthy, light and delicious... but also something that will not have you feeling hungry again within the hour. This was another part of my endeavor to use up most of what I have in my fridge before vacation- it's as simple as that and is a situation I am sure you are all familiar with.

Oh I may succumb to temptation tomorrow and get something at the indoor market- but for this evening, it was cucumber, snow peas, Spring onion, parsley, mint, cherry tomatoes. Feta cheese and radish sprouts that I had in the fridge and had to get rid of! Well... in case you are interested... this is how I did it!

I poured boiling water over the couscous, in the usual manner, covering it completely and just a little more, then stirred it, added the juice of half a lemon and let it stand for 10 minutes. More than plenty of time to get all the rest of the ingredients all chopped up and ready to go!

The parsley and mint were the next ingredients to be added to the couscous- I added them after 3-4 minutes, once the couscous had almost doubled in size and also cooled down considerably. Next came finely sliced Spring onion, cucumber and snow peas. I cut the cucumber in hlf length-ways, then into quarters, cut away the seeds in the middle and then cut across the strips and cucumber into bite-sized pieces. The snow peas I chopped finely too, into short pieces. I mixed this all in with the couscous and seasoned with salt, pepper, a little green tabasco and some sesame oil.

The feta cheese was crumbled and marinated in sesame oil, honey and lemon juice- 5 minutes was enough time for all of these nice flavors to infuse the cheese. In the meantime, I spooned the couscous into a small, deep dish, to bring it into shape. I made sure to lay the tomatoes out evenly at the bottom of the dish, so that it would look more decorative later, then spooned the rest of the couscous mix on top until the dish was full. I placed my serving plate, upside-down, onto the deep dish and inverted it, making sure to keep it positioned neatly in the middle... removed the dish and ta-da! Supper was almost ready!

I topped it with the lemon-honey feta and sprinkled radish sprouts around the outside, to give a light, peppery freshness to the dish. I drizzled the sprouts with sesame oil and a little honey, seasoned simply with a little salt, and served it up with a slice of lemon to add an extra squeeze of fresh juice before digging-in! A lovely combination of flavors and a great, simple meal! Wonderful on a hot Summer evening... Enjoy!