Minestrone - Italian Vegetable Soup

This is a really traditional dish of the Italian tradition. Perfect hot on a wintry day or cold on a summer day.
I need to thank my lovely Nanny Tata for giving me her delicious recipe that brings me back to my childhood.

Ingredients

-1 Zucchini or Courgette
-2 Tomatoes
-1 onion
-2 carrots
-2 potatoes
-2 cans of borlotti beans (or fresh)
-1 handful of runner beans.

 In a big size sauce pan mix all the vegetable cut into small pieces.
Add 1-1/2 litre of water, a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
Cook on medium heat for around 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Add the canned beans 10 minutes before the end.

Enjoy! Buon appetito!

Magic Fairy Cake

Recently I stumbled upon this magical recipe of a 3 layers cake using only 1 batter! The bottom layer is like cheesecake, the middle layer a custard and the top layer results spongy.

You will not believe how this cake turns out! Simply stunning! :)

Ingredients:

120g  flour
2 cups of warm milk
4 eggs
150g of sugar
125g melted butter
1 tablespoon of water
3 teaspoons of vanilla

Sugar powder

Bake for 60 mins at 325 F, 163 C. Cool for 15 minutes, then fridge for 2 to 3 hours, sprinkle some sugar powder on top.

Enjoy! Buon Appetito!

Pasta with Cream, Peas and Ham

This is one of my absolute favorite Italian pasta dishes!
The combination of flavors and consistency of the cream in this pasta dish makes it so heavenly delicious! A must try trust me!

 Ingredients:
-1 bag of frozen peas
-1 onion
-Ham already cut into cubes
-Extra virgin olive oil
-Penne pasta
-Heavy cream or double cream
-Brown sugar

In a nice big pan (Wok style is good too) start by 

browning the chopped onion with olive oil 1 teaspoon of sugar (so that the onions will be deliciously caramelized) and salt. 

When golden throw in the peas (even from frozen). Let it cook until the peas will be tender.

Now add the ham and cook until brown.

In the meantime bring water to a boil in another pan and cook the pasta. 

Add the cream to the ham and peas, as well as some salt and pepper. 

Mix pasta into the cream mixture and serve!

Enjoy! Buon Appetito!!

Sunday Chicken Roast

Sunday funday!
The only day of the week when we can relax at home and just lounge in our PJ's a little bit longer. It is also the perfect day of the week when we have more time to make some yummy home cook meal.
Believe it or not this was my first time making a roast chicken! Of course everybody knows that the best side dish to go with roast chicken is roasted potatoes and you can find my recipe for sublime roasted potatoes on my blog!

Ingredients:
-1 whole chicken
-Butter (room temperature)
-1 big onion

-Rosemary
-Extra virgin olive oil
-Garlic
-1 lemon

Begin to loosen up the skin from the meat, gently use your fingers to create like a pocket.
In a bowl mix the butter with salt, pepper, finely chopped garlic and rosemary (you could even add some fresh lemon juice).
Make the butter mix into a ball and insert it in the pocket between the skin and the meat.
Spread the butter well massaging all around the chicken (this step will prevent your chicken from drying out and will keep the meat yummy and juicy).
Use the remaining of the butter mix to spread it all over the outside of the chicken.
Cut the lemon in half and insert both halves inside your chicken.
Now cut the onion in thick slices of 1/2 inch. Oil your pan and place the onion slices at the base. Make sure you position the chicken on top of the onions slices and not in direct contact with the pan. This trick will make your chicken cook evenly since it is resting on the onion slices and the heat can circulate better all around it. You will not believe how delicious and yummy the onions will be!
Place everything in the oven at 175 Celsius for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the juice runs clear.
Enjoy! Buon Appetito!

Pimm's Cocktail

This was my first summer here in the UK 2013!

I got really lucky cause apparently last year they had a miserable summer here, but this year it was simply gorgeous! During this amazing time I had the occasion to experience one of  British summer traditions: Pimm's!

This delicious recipe is a mixed drink with real fruit, cucumber and mint... so yummy and refreshing!

Ingredients:

• Ice cubes
• Pimms, No. 1
• Lemonade
• Handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
• Cucumber, finely chopped
• Slices of orange
• Strawberries

Just mix everything together filling up a jug and enjoy on your summer parties! 

And yeah, this one below it's me enjoying my Pimm's! ;-)

Plokkfiskur (Icelandic Fish Pie)

I have recently visited one of the most fascinating countries in the world... Iceland.

With its myths, legends, fairy tales, delicious food and breathtaking landscapes, Iceland definitely conquered a piece of my heart.

The magical atmosphere that you experience in Iceland is something that words can not explain. During my first day in Reykjavick i went on a mission... to find the best traditional cafe in town. I found Cafè Loki. An amazing cafe just by the famous city church.

I decided to try a very traditional Icelandic dish, The icelandic Fish pie. It was simply to die for!!!

-Ingredients:

1 1/4lbs cod, halibut or haddock

1 1/4lb potatoes, boiled and peeled 

1 white onion

12 oz milk

2 oz butter

3 tbsp flour

salt and pepper 

2 tablespoons chives, freshly snipped to add color, flavor & garnish 

-Directions: 

1. Skin, bone & break up the fish into flakes.

2. Roughly chop potatoes & finely chop onion.

3. Slowly heat milk in a saucepan almost to a boiling point.

4. While the milk is heating, in a medium to large sized non-stick saucepan, melt butter & saute onion over medium-heat until soft. Do not allow it to brown.

5.Sprinkle flour over onion, stir well & cook for 1-2 minutes. 

6.Gradually add warmed milk, stirring continuously. Simmer for 3-4 min, stirring often.

7.Add flaked fish & stir briskly to break up the fish flakes completely. Season liberally w/salt & pepper.

8.Add potatoes & stir gently. Cook over low-heat till heated through.

9. Spoon into 4 bowls & sprinkle each serving with 1/2 tbsp chives. Serve hot w/dark rye bread & butter.

Enjoy! Buon Appetito!