Italian Classic: Raffa's Focaccia al Pomodoro

Springweather is the perfect weather and timing to go to the park.
Sun, grass, good company, wine - preferably including an opener and glasses - and some food = equal to a perfect afternoon or evening. :)

But the park has some limits in what kind of food you can bring and you could consult books, magazines, sites etc that are dedicated to what you can bring, but you can also slowly start consulting this blog, or the cooking club members for some tips.
Chef Raffaela brought a really yum homemade focaccia last time we went to the park. She claims it's easy to make, I still have to experience this (which I will soon) - but most of all it's easy to take to the park and eat it there, with your hands. No forks, knives or plates needed! Genious. Especially if you have plans afterwards: you eat the whole thing, and throw out whatever you wrapped it in and basta, you're good to go wherever you want... me like! Because usually after a pic nic, the night has just begun!

Ingredients:

• 500gr white flour
• 1 pack of dried yeast - a cube is fine too
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 225ml semi-warm water - circa 40 degrees Celcius
• 200gr tomato passata
• 150gr mozzarella 
• 70gr green olives
• 70gr black olives
• salt

How to make it:

Heat the oven at 200 degrees Celcius.

Put the flour in a big bowl and mix it with the yeast. Make a little hole in the middle of the flour and put the sugar, salt and olio in it. Mix it all with the help of a fork, adding the water bits by bits at a time.

Work the dough on a slightly floured work basis for at least 10 minutes with your fists.

Once you are done, put the dough in a floured container, cover it with a humid kitchen towel, on a cool and humid place for the dough to rise twice its size. This needs at least 2 hours! 

Take the dough out and separate it in two equal pieces and start making two pizza shapes. 

Use a round pizza plate - grease it with some oil to avoid sticking - and add on of the pizza shapes.

Now you are ready for the topping: spread the passata on top of the dough, then put on equally the mozzarella, olives and salt. You can also add some herbs if you like. 

Put the focaccia in the middle of the oven for circa 15-20 minutes.

Outcome: Impressive home made focaccia.... because really it seems easier than it is! Enjoy the park!!!

A tip from Chef Raffaella: to make the dough rise better, you can also place the dough in the oven that has been heated until 50 degrees Celcius. Turn it off and add the dough covered with a kitchen towel. 

Focaccia al Pomodoro

Baci 

Chef Raffaella

Italian Classic: Bucatini all'Amatriciana

When I was in Florence graduating, I brought back some good Fiorentine produce such as ham, wine, balsamic vinegar and some... guancia di maiale! Which means pig cheek! I see you thinking... EEEWWWWW.... but let me try to convince you otherwise: it is definitely not EW, it is YUM!

Bucatini all'Amatriciana is a pasta dish that was made originally by the poor, using leftovers of the pig, old ripened tomatoes and some pasta. Back in the days when people only had resources over one whole pig, and not a plastically wrapped part of it, people used up the whole animal before buying another one. Now that's a different story these days eh?! I mean, if a piece of meat goes bad in your fridge just because you didn't have time to eat it, you throw it away, learn your lesson and next time place it in the freezer until you can eat it...
Anyways, back then, first up were all the good and juicy filets, then the ribs etc etc... until you get to the intestins and other nasty parts of it, which are used in this stew soup that will probably never come up on this blog as I am already repelled by the idea of it *shivers*.

But a pig's cheek is still ok. Combined with big bucatini pasta (big spaghetti's with a hole in it - you could also call them huge macaroni's). MMMM.... Viva Italia and their pasta!

Ingredients: serves 4

• 500gr bucatini pasta
• 200gr guanciale or pancetta if you don't have guanciale - chopped in little cubes
• a glass of cooking white wine
• 2 cans of good quality tomato cubes
• peperoncino
• pecorino

How to make it:

Boil a big pan of water with a fist of salt. Once it's boiling, cook the pasta according to the pack.

Heat up a skillet and bake the guanciale or pancetta until it has released all of its fat, add the white wine and cook until it has slightly evaporated. At this point you add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and peperoncino and simmer until the sauce has reduced a bit. 

Once the pasta is cooked, sieve it and add it to the sauce while the sauce pan is still on the flame. Add the pecorino at this point and toss it all nicely together for a minute.

Outcome: Delicious and tasty pasta that seems to walk right out of a restaurant.... :)

Bucatini all'Amatriciana

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

Cook to impress: Raffa's Tiramisu

Hey foodies! Sorry for my absence once again but I have been out and about for work with a van called the FIGHTVAN! And what happens in the Fightvan, stays in the Fightvan!!! So no can say, nor reveal any other information on where, how and what we did :) But it was FUUUUNNNN, and... I got a tan.

In the meantime, I gave Chef Cathinka the assignment to post her one person pizza on the blog, yet she has been too busy as well I guess to do so which means we all left you hanging for a couple of days without any recipes. I am truely sorry for that. Thank god we have a new Chef that has sent in something highly postable to make up for it....

I present to you: Chef Raffaela!!! She will get the colour bright pink as she and her sister Sabrina (they come as a unit :) ) are the most pretty, fashionable and amazing ladies out there! So whenever you want to find one of her recipes, just look for the pinkness.
She is introducing herself with a good Italian classic: TIRAMISU!!! Yeah baby... prepare your running shoes for after; you'll need to be working off the whole tray of the yumminess, as you won't be able to stop after one serving!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 60gr Sugar
• 1 pack of vanilla sugar - vanillina
• 200gr of Mascarpone
• 6 espresso cups of coffee
• 28 savoiardi (finger cookies... the long light cookies)
• pure dark cacao

How to make it:

Prepare the coffee and cool it down in a big cup.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. To the egg whites you add the sugar and the vanilla sugar, and then you start beating it up until you get a nice fluffly foam. At this point, you add the mascarpone to the foam and continue beating it in order to get a silky and thick cream (hmm sounds like a poem...).

Now you are ready to start the layering process of the Tiramisu into a rectangular tray.

Spread a first layer of the cream into a rectangular tray, on top of which you gently place the cookies that have been soaked one by one into the coffee. Don't soak them too much or they will crumble into the coffee. On top of the cookies you spread another layer of cream and you finish the layer off by dusting it generously with the dark cacao. 

Create another layer like this and finish it off with lots of cacao again.

Cool in the fridge until you serve.

Chef's tip: the number of cookies depends on the tray you are using, but seen the fact the tray shouldn't be too big, you would need a pack of cookies more or less.

Outcome: HEAVEN

Tiramisu

Baci 

Chef Raffaela

THE HANGOVER CURE nr1 : Risotto Primavera

What do you eat when you have a massive hangover?!
written for and inspired by my amazing blogging friend Andie over at Can you Stay for Dinner!!!


When I was young - ok ok I still am - but I mean, out-of-school young, I was ready to fly out of my homey nest and discover the world. And that brand new world was mighty interesting, especially when the sun went down, the music turned up and the alcohol started flowing....

It's a bit like a music video in my head: a group of girls getting ready for a night out, trying out a million outfits, putting on make-up, gossiping, speculating about how the evening is going to end up, all the while with loud music, dancing and sipping a glass of wine to get into the mood. They go to a cool club where they meet up with all of their friends, they drink some more, get loose, dance all night long, make new friends, meet new boys.......................... lights on.... and lights off!

Until... the next morning! When I wished the lights were still off! From headaches to bad breaths and an occasional visit to the loo, we all know to what disease these symptoms belong to
: a classic hangover! Why does fun always have to go hand in hand with pain?! Not fair!

The cure: WATER, H2O, liquid (non alcoholic - even though they say one drink might actually help you as your body is in rehab from the night before, but don't think it will help in the long run) and foods. Your brain is dehydrated so your body gives you signs to eat greasy and unhealthy foods. It's definitely not yearning for tea and raw vegetables. So in order to give both, the mind and body, what they needed and wanted, I came up with two magic recipes, one of which is RISOTTO! Creamy, thick, full of carbs, tasteful yet healthy compared to the burger you might have craved. The other will remain a tiny secret till the next hangover....(next weekend.... :) )

Ingredients: serves 4

• 1l of chicken broth
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 zucchini cut in little cubes
• 5 espresso cups of risotto rice (one for each and one for the 'guest')
• 2,5 dl white cooking wine
• 2 handfuls of frozen peas
• 100 gr of feta cheese
• a hand of fresh cut parsley

How to make it:

Prepare the broth beforehand as you will need it ready once the rice goes into the pan.

Crush the garlic with a knife to peel it easily. Once peeled, keep it like that and don't chop it up.

Heat the olive oil in a large anti-sticky pan and fry the garlic until they release their perfume. Take the garlic out and fry the zucchini for a couple of minutes.

At this point you add the rice. Stir so that the rice and zucchini mix and fry together. Once the rice get's a 'trasparent' look you add the wine. Stir slowly until the rice has absorbed the wine and releases a creamy white trace when stirring.

Here you start adding the chickenbroth bit by bit. Each time after having added the broth, you stir until the rice has absorbed the broth. This process takes 15-20 minutes - don't worry, it might sound boring but it actually works quite hypnotising!

After 15 minutes, start tasting the rice. It has to be soft while maintaining a bite to it - at least that's how the Italians like their risotto, if you don't, then continue cooking it for a bit.

Add the peas and feta and stir until both are heated up nicely and the cheese has melted into the risotto.

Last but not least, you add the parsley for a fresh herby taste.

Outcome: A happy hangover body filled with carbs, vitamins, calcium and a bit of healthy fats! WIN WIN WIN WIN situation!

Risotto Primavera

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

Cook to impress: Artichokes Souffle'

Easter is almost done... thank god! Too bad the holidays are over but at least it means all comes back to normal and that the city will be full of people again. What was I thinking to spend easter alone?! Ugh... definitely writing a reminder note in my agenda for next year. Thanks to technology I wasn't all alone, as I joined - in a computer shape - my family's easter dinner. And they actually made the traditional Asparagus, Eggs & Salmon dinner I posted the other day.

After several days of eating in big groups you are most likely to have leftovers... I see you nodding! I am also guessing that these leftovers are probably eggs, artichokes, milk, butter... and chocolate! So here I am giving you a recipe that can use up your leftovers. Who would have thought you can also impress big time with leftovers?? Well I certainly didn't, but this one proofs you can: Artichoke Souffle.

Souffles are known to be difficult recipes to make - hence the impressing part. But actually, Chef Stefano taught me that it's not that hard. The real trick is in using the right cups and the duration and heat of the oven. And the crucial secret is to NEVER EVER OPEN UP the oven while the souffle is in there. NEVER!!!!
Here is his recipe...

Ingredients: for 6 servings

• 8 artichokes
• 50gr white flour
• 50gr butter
• 300 cl milk - half fat
• salt and pepper
• 2 eggs
• grated Pecorino cheese
• grated moss walnut
• grated breadcrumbs

How to make it:

Heat up the oven up to 175 degrees Celcius.

Clean the artichokes according to Stefano's tips posted earlier this month.

Cook the artichoke hearts in a big pan of water for about 40 minutes.

While the artichokes are cooking, melt the butter in a medium sized pan, add the sieved flour and stir for 3 minutes. Slowly add the cold milk and cook for another 3 minutes while continuing to stir. Add salt, pepper and the moss walnut to taste. Cool down the mixture - which is actually a Besciamella sauce!

Separate the eggwhites from the egg yolks. Whip up the egg whites into a firm foam. 

First you add the egg yolks to the besciamella sauce, and then you stir in the egg white foam.

Around this time, the artichokes should be more or less done. If they are, take them out of the water and squash them with a fork or chop them up using a kitchen aid. Make sure they don't get to squashy because you want to maintain the bite of the artichoke.  Add the artichokes to the besciamella mixture.

Now you are ready to prepare your souffle cups (one portion cups are best to use - comparable to muffin cups): butter them on the inside and add some grated breadcrumbs in order to prevent sticking. Pour in the mixture for 2/3 of the cup - as they will rise a lot, so you don't want them to be filled up too much.

Cook the one portion souffles for 40 minutes on 175 degrees. If you are using a bigger cup than add cooking time - circa 10 to 20 minutes depending on the size.

REMEMBER: NEVER TO OPEN UP THE OVEN WHILE COOKING!

When it's done, take it out of the oven and take the souffle out of the cup by turning them upside down on a plate. Turn them again so that the golden brown top is heading up.

Serve the souffle with a fondue of pecorino (heating up milk and pecorino cheese into a creamy mixture) or a sheep's cheese that has been slightly warmed up.

Outcome: WOW! You will be serving a starter that will blow away your guest's minds! Do you have a good recipe that always impresses you guests? Please share!

Artichoke Souffle

Con Piacere

Chef Stefano

Spezzatino Allo Yoghurt

Back to normal life... means back to cooking! Even though the sun is still out and my inner dutchie wants to enjoy every ray of sun out there, my brain tells me to stay home at least one night a week in order to get some zzz and cooking done. Afterall, this cookingclub must exist for a reason and should not be seasonal...

So in order to keep everyone happy (my brain and my conscience.. and Katia) I invited her to come over and enjoy a home cooked meal at my place.
Decided to make a new Italian recipe, not very summery but not too heavy either: spezzatino allo yoghurt. It was good!

Ingredients:

• 300 gr of Bocconcini di Vitello (veal meat cubes)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• flour
• one shallot chopped
• 100 gr of carrots thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon of herbs provencale (basel, thyme, rosemary)
• 125 gr yoghurt (full or low fat)
• tad of milk
• 1 tablespoon flour

How to make it:

Cut the veal in medium sized cubes, salt and pepper them and then cover them with some flour.

Heat up the oil in a deep frying pan. Add the veal and fry until golden brown.

Add the onion and carrots to the meat. Toss for a couple of minutes until the carrots get softer.

Add some salt, pepper and herbs to taste.

In the mean time mix the yoghurt, milk and flour to a creamy mixture and add it to the meat and carrots.

Heat and stir until the sauce becomes creamy. 

The whole takes 10-15 minutes!

If you want to have it with rice: start boiling the water at the start and add the rice when you add the carrots to the meat. That way it's all done at the same time.

Outcome: in combination with some rice you have a perfect weekday meal. Nothing extraordinary but still better than a take-out! you could also make this with beef or chicken.... up to you!

Spezzatino allo Yoghurt

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

For you: Chicken Parmigiana

No time nor power for actual words. Sometimes you just want to cook to get things of your mind.
What do you cook to forget?
Made this recipe with you in mind....

Ingredients: for two servings

• 1 eggplant
• 2 plum tomatoes peeled and chopped
• concentrated tomato puree
• 1 shallot chopped
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt, pepper
• fresh basel
• 1 mozzarella
• 2 large tablespoons of parmigiano

How to make it:

Heat oven at 170°C.

Slice the eggplant in 1cm slices, salt them and let them 'tear' for a couple of minutes (how appropriate).

While they are tearing, prepare your tomato sauce by frying up the shallot in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped and peeled tomatoes and let simmer until they get soft. Add the concentrated tomato puree, salt, pepper and basel to taste. If needed add a splash of water to make it more liquid - this depends on the tomatoes you are using. - I'd also suggest to add some tabasco or chili flakes to give it some umpf!

In the meantime wash and dry the eggplant.

Bake the chicken in one heated tablespoon of olive oil. When it's done, place the chicken in an oven tray.

After the chicken, use the same pan to fry the eggplant with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Once these are done, place them on top of the chicken. Sprinkle some salt over the chicken and eggplant.

At this point you put the tomato sauce on top of the eggplant.

To finish off in style, place the mozzarella (shredded in pieces) on top, and sprinkle the parmigiano on the whole thing.

Place 10-15 minutes in the oven until the cheese get golden brown.

Outcome: you would have liked it!

Chicken Parmigiana

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

Quick Refreshing Side Dish

I'm feeling hot hot hot....
Summer is on the way, and besides stowing away my thick winter coats and woollen sweaters and taking out the summery flower dresses, I am also slowly exchanging my winter diet for a more appropriate and light summery diet, rich with vegetables, fruits and fresh herbs containing heaps of colour and flavour.
Nothing to do about it: summer is the best!

Yesterday I was looking for a side dish to accompany my Fennel&Pea Quiche,  and came up with this minty tomato chickpea dish made of ingredients that were all at hand.

Ingredients:

• one can of chickpeas
• 4 firm and juicy tomatoes cut up in chunks
• a handful of chopped mint
• splash of lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil Extra Vergine

How to make it:

Easy: mix all the ingredients in a bowl and you're done!

Outcome:

It was a surprising mix of flavours - mint is a perfect substitution for basel once in a while.

It goes well with grilled meats - seen the season I'd suggest a nice lambfilet, or even a chickenleg- but fish works as well. You can literally go into any direction with this side dish; add some mozzarella or feta cheese with a slice of fresh bread for a complete and nutritious lunch or dinner.

Minty Tomato Chickpea Side Dish

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

Just an Ordinary Tuesday Lunch: Broccoli Pesto Orecchiette

I have lunch at the office with the 'in the office luncher crew'! Yes we consider ourselves a crew against those who eat out. And basically we vow that we always eat better, nicer and waaaaay cheaper than the rest of our colleagues.... maybe we should make tshirts to represent ourselves!

Anyways as 'brava ragazza' (= good girl) living and adapting herself in Italy, it means adopting Italian cuisine and eating habits too. Not to unpleasant to do, but quite hard to accomplish as Italian food may seem easy, it actually is quite hard to make because they have like a million gazzillion rules and idiotic guidelines. Pasta and meat together on one plate is for example a BIG FAT NO NO!!!! :(
Pasta and vegetables are a good and allowed combo, so here we go....

Ingredients:

• 250 gr Orecchiette 
• 200 gr Broccoli
• 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 clove Garlic
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons pinenuts
• 4 tablespoons Pecorino Cheese grated

How to make it:

Cook the broccoli.

Bring a pan of water with a fist of salt to a boil.

To make the pesto: put broccoli, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, pinenuts, pecorino cheese in a blender and BLEND until smooth. Taste and add whatever ingredient you feel is missing.

Cook the pasta according the package. Drain.

Mix with pesto.

Sprinkle some fresh Pecorino over you dish and voila: real southern Italian Orecchiette.

Broccoli Pesto Orecchiette

Outcome: My eating-out lunching colleagues were jealous! 

What do you like to have for lunch???

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

First Gelato of the Season: Gelato Biscotto

No recipes for you.... but had something so extremely good this afternoon after lunch with my colleagues at Adverteam that it had to be shared!
I live in Milan right.... so what is Italy famous for??? Except for pasta and pizza.... GELATO!!!

Today's flavour: BISCOTTO aka COOKIES!!!
Dana over at My Little Celebration would have enjoyed this one for shizzle!

Gelato Biscotto

Ciao for now

Chef Steph

Pasta alla Jules

Yesterday was my dearest friend Julia's birthday! It's not everyday a woman turns 25 again... so that calls for a little celebration.  Seen the fact that she lives in Amsterdam and I live in Milan, the actual present has to wait until we see each other, but in the meantime I am dedicating one of her bestest recipes for today's post.
(Also secretely hoping you guys will love it, and then she will feel OBLIGED - yes you know you are - to post some of her recipes; fish&mozza...lemon pangasius...tuna/cottagecheese sandwich...and many more...)

This recipe is a super duper simple and cheap recipe and is  also the perfect 'storage cupboard' recipe! Here we go..

Ingredients: 4 servings

• 500 gr of pasta - any kind will do - I used whole weat spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• one shallot - chopped up
• one garlic - chopped up
• 750 ml tomato sugo
• 2 cans of tuna (water)
• 2 tablespoons of dried or fresh rosemary
• salt, pepper to taste
• 100gr parmiggiano or pecorino

How to make it:

Bring a big pan of water to a boil and add a fist and a half of salt.

In the meantime heat up the olive oil and bake the shallot and garlic until they become 'trasparent'. Afterwhich you add the sugo and tuna. Stir until the tuna is evenly divided in the sauce. Add the rosemary, salt and pepper.

Pour the spaghetti in the boiling water and cook according to what the pack says.

When the pasta is done - so should be your sauce, nicely boiled down to a thick tomato sauce.

Drain the pasta and divide onto 4 plates - serving the sauce on top.

Add the cheese and top of that, and voila.... Dinner is readyyyyyyy!!!

Outcome: A good and healthy dinner in arms-reach at any time!

Pasta alla Jules

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

Njokkie..... aka Gnocchi!

A special recipe for my brother's sweet girlfriend Cath!!
On her first time meeting me, and meeting Milan for that matter... I took them to this little lunch place near my office at the time - right in the city center (Turati).
September friday afternoons with massive amounts of sun are just another excuse for Italians to have super long lunch breaks with a good meal and glass of wine. And we all want to integrate into the culture as much as we can... don't we? So that day I suggested them to have Gnocchi Sorrentina: basically they are boiled potato balls with a creamy and gewy tomato sauce and cheeeeeeeese! And Cath loooooved it!

Hereby the recipe with a Chef's Steph's touch....

Ingredients - for 4 servings

• a pack of fresh gnocchi (500-700 gr)
• 750 ml tomato sugo with basil
• one shallot 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 3 fresh peppers (red and yellow - whichever you prefer)
• 2 handfulls of fresh basil
• 125 gr mozzarella chopped up in little pieces
• 100 gr parmiggiano or pecorino
• salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:
First you have to grill the peppers - by placing them in the oven, grilling them until their skin burns off. This usually takes up to 30 mins, depending on your oven. Once they're done, take them out and wait for them to cool, as peeling them while still hot is a guarantee for burned fingers! Peel them and chop them up in cubes.
While the peppers are cooling down bring water to a boil with a fist of salt.
Heat up the oil in a pan and add the cut up shallot. Simmer for a minute until the shallot smells nicely.
Add the peppers and stir for a minute - after which you add the sugo, salt and pepper.
Once the water is boiling, put in the gnocchi. Cooking them, takes literally a couple of minutes. They are ready when they come floating up in the water. Immediately take them out of the water because overcooked gnocchi are not good at all! They become all mushy, instead you want them soft but with a firm bite.
At this point you add the mozzarella and parmiggiano to the sauce and stir until it melts in the sauce.
Last but not least - add the fresh basil.
Mix the gnocchi with the sauce and serve garnished with a leaf of basil.

Outcome: Italy's colours at it's best!!!

Gnocchi Sorrentina

Buon Appetito

Chef Steph

Classic: Vitello Arrosto

On a friday night, after a long week of working I prepared this romantic dinner for my man as we had a little something to celebrate. Never having made a vitello arrosto before, I consulted my dear friend Ste asking how to prepare it easy, yummy and especially fast!!  He suggested slow cooking it in red wine... here we go!

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 500gr Vitello arrosto
• 2 tbsp olive oil (NOT extra vergine - for cooking you need regular pressed oil)
• 1 clove garlic
• salt
• pepper
• red cooking wine or use a nice chianti like I did

What to do:
Take a large and rather deep antiburning pan (how do you call these again?!), put on a big flame adding the 2 tbsp of olive oil and the clove of garlic chopped into small pieces. As the garlic is getting brownish, add the meat. Bake it golden brown on all sides for approximately 10 mins.
Then lower the flame and add the red wine untill half way of the vitello arrosto. Slow cook for 40-45 mins.It is done when you push it gently and it bounces back on its place.


Cut the meat into 1cm slices....
Add some (now yes..) Extra Vergine Olive oil of good quality...
Serve with a fresh green salad or grilled veggies and a tasteful red wine such as Barbera d'Asti - full of flavour and slightly dry

BUON APPETITO!

Chef Steph