Spinach and ricotta pancakes

Published by Lucina, on 15 marzo 2011 in English Recipes and Primi. 4 Comments Tags: , , .

spinach and ricotta pancakes

You must have worked out by now that I am a ricotta fan as the last recipe I posted also featured this cheese. The Italian name for this dish is crespelle di ricotta e spinaci. I made it last Tuesday, which was shrove Tuesday ( martedí grasso in Italian), as that’s the  traditional day in England to eat pancakes. The way to eat them here is with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of sugar but I fancied something savoury and more substantial. I know it’s a bit of a faff to make the pancakes but the homemade ones taste so much nicer than the ready made ones. Plus you can make them in advance and stuff them at a later stage. There are many recipes for the batter. I used the one I found in the Silver spoon recipe book or Cucchiaio d’ argento, which is the legendary bible of Italian cooking. It used to be owned by all good Italian housewives in the past. Not so sure that’s the case anymore ( Candi, please comment). It has been translated in English and I confess I have both. But enough chatting and let’s get cooking… Continue reading ‘Spinach and ricotta pancakes’

Le panelle di Carmelita

Published by Candida, on 13 marzo 2011 in Chiacchiere/Chatting, Cucina regionale and Ricette in Italiano. 2 Comments Tags: .

Questa ricetta non ha foto perché la ricetta non è nostra. Carmelita ce l’ha regalata in un commento e mi dispiaceva troppo lasciarla sepolta là. La metto subito, poi la farò e farò sapere com’è venuta ma intanto, visto che Carmelita ha raccontato del cibo di strada di Palermo, vi mando qui a godervi una bellissima passeggiata con il mitico cavoletto, fonte inesauribile di ispirazioni culinarie e no. E lì di foto, panelle e mafaldine comprese, ne troverete di bellissime… Continue reading ‘Le panelle di Carmelita’

Lemon and ricotta cake

Published by Lucina, on 11 marzo 2011 in Dolci and English Recipes. 4 Comments Tags: , , , .

lemon and ricotta cake

And after the uber healthy recipe from Candi, here’s one with somewhat “naughtier” credentials. Not for people who are slimming, I am afraid.  Mind you, you can’t be good ALL of the time, can you? You have to transgress on occasions. Or how boring would life be? Plus, let’s not forget, a balanced diet is a cake in both hands, as I’ve read somewhere! Ha ha. Anyway, I made this lovely cake a few days ago for yet another book group (the Italian ladies one, this time. You will have guessed by now that I LOVE reading as well as cooking) and it went down a treat! It is made with ricotta  and lemons (the zest. Use untreated, unwaxed ones). It is really moist and utterly delicious. I found the recipe years ago in the BBC Good Food magazine. I have baked it many times and it has never failed me. And it’s so simple to make! If there are any girls out there wanting to impress without much of an effort try this one…. Continue reading ‘Lemon and ricotta cake’

Quiche di farina di riso alle coste d’argento

Published by Candida, on 9 marzo 2011 in Ricette in Italiano and Torte salate, pizze. 10 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Chissà se vi può servire questa ricetta di pasta brisée che ho decisamente rimaneggiato. Senza burro e senza glutine. Per commensali celiaci, con il colesterolo alto o semplicemente per variare un po’. O forse avevate quel pacchettino di farina di riso aperto che vi ballava da un po’ in dispensa? Si tratta di una pasta molto friabile e croccantina. A me è piaciuta e quindi la condivido. Il ripieno, che naturalmente si può variare all’infinito, è a base dei gambi delle coste d’argento, solo la parte d’argento delle coste, lasciando poca foglia attaccata. Ho poi usato la feta, formaggio magrissimo per stare in linea con la caratteristica lievemente dietetica della ricetta. Continue reading ‘Quiche di farina di riso alle coste d’argento’

Polpettine d’agnello con sugo di pomodoro

Published by Lucina, on 7 marzo 2011 in English Recipes. 4 Comments Tags: , .

The title of this recipe translated in English would be “mini lamb meatballs in tomato sauce” but I thought the Italian name sounded so much nicer so I used that instead…. Clever, don’t you think? After all this is the tactic posh restaurants use, is it not? Call your dishes with foreign names (usually French) and they immediately sound more sophisticated and expensive. Never mind if people don’t have a clue what they are eating. :-)   Anyway, I hadn’t made meatballs in a very long time and last night I decided I fancied some. Don’t ask me why. I had some organic lamb mince in the fridge I had to use so I thought I would have a go. Making polpette (or meatballs) takes me back to when I was a child and I was watching my grandma cooking. She often made them and yummy they were too. I used to help her to mix all the ingredients and loved every minute of it. Although I have made them with lamb you can use beef mince too. The recipe is enough for 3/4 people. Continue reading ‘Polpettine d’agnello con sugo di pomodoro’

Farinata con cipolle rosse

Published by Candida, on 4 marzo 2011 in Cucina regionale, Ricette in Italiano and Torte salate, pizze. 7 Comments Tags: , .

 

Farinata con cipolle rosse

Faccio molto spesso la farinata perché insieme a una bella e ricca insalata diventa un pasto completo. Si tratta di una sorta di focaccia interamente di farina di ceci. E’ tipica ligure o toscana (dove si chiama anche cecìna o torta di ceci). Insomma, una ricetta “tirrenica”. Continue reading ‘Farinata con cipolle rosse’

Root vegetables soup

Published by Lucina, on 2 marzo 2011 in English Recipes. 9 Comments Tags: , .

I love a good soup, me! And I often cook one in the course of a normal week. Particularly in winter. There is nothing better, on a cold, wet day (sorry, this is England! ) than a bowl of homemade soup, sprinkled with parmesan ( lots of it ! I AM Italian after all) and  accompanied by some nice bread. And they don’t require any great culinary expertise either. Even a man could cook one, provided he knows how to peel a vegetable ( he he, this is a joke in case it is not clear.. )!  But seriously I  really can’t understand people who buy them ready made as they take no time at all.  I often throw in my pressure cooker whatever vegetables I have available and BINGO! We have soup! The last one I made was particularly nice so I’ve decided to share it with you.

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Svenska Princesstårta

Published by Candida, on 1 marzo 2011 in Dolci and Ricette in Italiano. 15 Comments Tags: , , , .

La torta principessa del NordEcco! Spostiamoci un pochino al Nord dove c’è la mia BAMBINA. Tra un po’ è carnevale e questa torta è tradizione farla per quella festa o per i compleanni. Io l’ho preparata per i compleanni che sommergono la mia famiglia in febbraio. Quando Laura l’ha vista su Skype, ha fatto sgrunt, dalle sue parti sono alte il doppio. Ho allora corretto la pasta (che è sostanzialmente una base un po’ variata del pan di spagna). Se non siete così fortunati da avere una figlia in Svezia che vi manda il foglio di pasta di mandorle per ricoprire il tutto, dovrete farvelo da voi. In fondo metto le istruzioni. Come forse si intravede dalla foto sotto ho avuto un valido aiuto. Chi l’avrebbe mai detto? :)

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Celeriac gratin with chilli and garlic

Published by Lucina, on 27 febbraio 2011 in English Recipes. 4 Comments Tags: , .

Hey Candi, I can’t remember if I told you but I have been getting a weekly delivery of vegetables since August. All kosha stuff (organic and local). Only problem is, because I order the seasonal veggie box, sometimes I get the same vegetables week in, week out.  At the moment there are lots of root vegetables, like for example swedes (which, to enlighten you Italians, look  like big turnips, orange inside. I have never seen them in Italy) which are fast becoming the bane of my life. After all  there’s a limit to how many you can cook in a week (same with cabbages). Consequently they are building up in my cupboard and developing a lovely mould like coating. Anyway  I managed to put one out of its misery and cooked it tonight (mashed, with a little butter and pepper) to accompany the cottage pie I made (bog standard stuff , but nice all the same). But  the recipe I want to share with you right now  is the other vegetable dish I made: namely some gorgeous baked celeriac (= sedano rapa in Italian) au gratin. Continue reading ‘Celeriac gratin with chilli and garlic’

We are on Twitter!!

Published by Lucina, on 26 febbraio 2011 in Chiacchiere/Chatting. 5 Comments

What? We have a Twitter feed? How advanced is that? I confess that it was my son’s idea, who is the world expert on all things Twittery. Personally I had NEVER used it before, nor knew how it worked or what its purpose was , to be honest. In fact I always thought it was a colossal waste of time and a self indulgent activity at that (because the blog isn’t , of course…he he). But apparently it’s a MUST if you want to call yourself technologically savvy. So he ( my son Tom) gave me a crash lesson in how to use it. Bless him! It would seem you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!  Really quite simple this Twitter lark (when you know how, of course). So from now on the plan is to tell people on Twitter when a new blog is available. Question is: will ANY of the followers of this blog use it? Mmmmh…. Not sure about that. Perhaps you should learn how it works too, Candi! And by the way for the people who are already Twitter friendly, click here to access it :http://twitter.com/#!/Ricettemisfatti. See what you can do peeps!