Category Archives: RESOURCES

How To Poach An Egg

Poached eggs are truly a special dish with their lovely creamy texture and wonderful delicate flavour. The low-fat cooking method used to prepare these eggs can be a little difficult to get right at first, but after a few tries your poached eggs will be cooked to perfection!

A few things to keep in mind.
1. It is very important to use really fresh eggs.
2. You have to check the consistency of the egg after 3-5 minutes of cooking time in order to get a soft but cooked egg. Remember to keep an eye on the clock because it is quite easy to overcook the egg.
3. If you cook more than one egg at a time use a large pan filled with plenty of water and just drop 4-5 eggs in it (quite quickly) without stirring the water. Just remember to remove each egg with the slotted spoon in the same sequence in which you added them into the water, so that they cook evenly.
4. You can add a few drops of white wine vinegar to the simmering water before cooking the egg…. The vinegar will make the egg white a little firmer and this will help the cooking process, however this step is totally optional. I like the natural softness and flavour of the egg, therefore I tend not to use vinegar.

Poached eggs are great served with salmon, steamed vegetables, beans and toast. You can be really creative with this preparation and add a poached egg to a pizza, a baked potatoes, a creamy soup or a bruschetta!

I hope you enjoy this how-to recipe and have some fun with it! X

How to poach an egg.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time 3-5 minutes

What you need.
1 egg
1 medium pan, filled with water
a slotted spoon
kitchen paper
a tablespoon
a ramekin
a pinch of sea salt
Method.
1. Simmer the water gently over a medium heat and add some sea salt crystals.
2. Carefully crack the egg into a ramekin.

3. Using a tablespoon, make a whirlpool in the water by stirring quite quickly for a few seconds.

4. Drop (with one quick movement) the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Now let the egg poach without stirring.

5. After a few minutes, check the consistency of the egg (it should be soft and with the egg white slightly firmer around the edges). When the egg is ready drain it with a slotted spoon. I usually place the egg and the slotted spoon on a strainer for a minute, in order to allow the excess water to drain completely.

6. Serve your poached eggs straight away.

How To Make Gnocchi (The Easy Way)

In this recipe it’s really really important to use the right kind of potatoes…The best potatoes to use are old floury potatoes, as they contain less water compared to new potatoes and therefore mix well with flour without making a mess. You can also add an egg when you prepare the dough, because the egg helps keep the ingredients together when you cook the gnocchi….Keep in mind that the dough shouldn’t stick to your hands, so if you think the dough is too wet and the potatoes are not floury enough you can add an egg and a little more flour in order to get the right consistency.

I strongly recommend you use a good stainless steel potato masher, like the one with two handles that you can hold and press with both hands. We normally use this kind of potato masher because it makes a really fluffy mashed potato with no effort and you can also use it to make various fruit juices…Therefore, it not only works really well, but is also a versatile gadget to keep in the kitchen.

Potato gnocchi.

4 Servings

Ingredients

1,200 kg potatoes

300 g plain flour

sea salt

Method.

1. Wash and then steam (or boil) the potatoes until tender.

2. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.

3. Dust a working board, make a well with 300 g of flour and place the mashed potatoes in the centre with a pinch of salt. Mix everything and work the mixture until you get a smooth dough.

4. Dust the working board again and cut the dough into 8 small pieces. Roll out each piece to make 8 ropes (approximately 1,5 cm thick), then cut each rope into small equal pieces.

5. Fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil, then add the gnocchi with a tablespoon of sea salt. Cook the gnocchi until they all rise from the bottom of the pan, then drain and serve with the sauce of your choice.

See also the rocket (arugula) pesto and the traditional pesto recipe.

Gnocchi di patate

4 persone

Ingredienti

1.200 kg di patate farinose

300 g di farina 00

sale marino

Preparazione.

1. Lavate bene le patate e fatele cuocere a vapore (oppure fatele bollire) finché saranno tenere (ma non sfatte).

2. Schiacciate tutte le patate con lo schiacciapatate.

3. Infarinate bene il piano di lavoro e impastate delicatamente la farina con le patate, aggiungendo un pizzico di sale fino.

4. Infarinate nuovamente il piano di lavoro e tagliate la pasta in 8 pezzi. Fate rotolare la pasta con il palmo delle mani per create 8 cilindri lunghi e sottili (circa 1,5 cm di spessore). Tagliate ogni cilindro in piccoli pezzi uguali.

5. Cuocete gli gnocchi in acqua bollente con un cucchiaio di sale grosso. Scolare gli gnocchi non appena salgono in superficie e servite.

Vedi anche pesto di rucola e pesto alla genovese.

Cooked Apple “Pudding” With Chocolate Sauce (Gluten-free, Low-fat)

Today we are going to make an easy cooked apple and walnut “pudding ” served with an aromatic cocoa sauce to celebrate the apple season. This is a refreshing low-fat dessert, easy to make and can be prepared in advance with no problem. In the recipe method I considered an individual portion, but you can make as many as you like, simply doubling the amount of ingredients.

This recipe is gluten-free and relatively low-fat, however you can make it even lighter by cooking the apple in a little bit of water instead of using butter…But with a small amount of butter it will definitely taste better! 🙂

I hope you enjoy it! ❤

Cooked apple “pudding” with cocoa sauce.
Ingredients
For 1 serving
1 apple (I used a fuji apple)
1 tablespoon of naturally dark brown sugar
a pinch of cinnamon
two pieces of lemon zest
3 walnuts
a small knob of butter (optional)
water

For the sauce.
a spoonful of naturally brown sugar
half a tablespoon of cocoa powder (actually a little bit more)
1 egg yolk
100 ml of milk

Method.
1. Wash and peel the apple. Cut the apple into chunks, then sauté the fruit with the walnuts, the lemon zest and a pinch of cinnamon in a little bit of butter (only for a few minutes).

2. Add a tablespoon of sugar with one tablespoon of water and cook over a medium heat until the apple is tender.

3. When the apple is ready remove the lemon zests, increase the heat to evaporate the juice and then let cool.

4. Put the cooked apple and walnuts into a mould and store in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

For the cocoa sauce.
1. In a saucepan, whisk half a tablespoon of cocoa powder with an egg yolk and a tablespoon of sugar.

2. Pour the milk gradually and stir. Simmer (stirring slowly and continuously), until you get a thick sauce.

3. Let cool and serve with the apple “pudding”.

“Tortino” di mela cotta e noci con salsa al cacao

Ingredienti

Per 1 porzione

1 mela (ho usato una mela fuji)

1 cucchiaio abbondante di zucchero integrale di canna

un pizzico di cannella

due pezzetti di scorza di limone

4 gherigli di noce

una noce di burro (facoltativo)

acqua q. b.

Per la salsa

1 cucchiaio abbondante di zucchero integrale di canna

mezzo cucchiaio di cacao (abbondante)

1 tuorlo d’uovo

100 ml di latte

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e pelate la mela. Tagliate la polpa a dadini e fate rosolare per qualche minuto con i gherigli di noce, le bucce di limone, la cannella e una piccola noce di burro.

2. Aggiungete un cucchiaio abbondante di zucchero integrale di canna con un po’ d’acqua. Lasciate cuocere a fuoco medio-basso fino a quando le mele saranno tenere.

3. Quando le mele saranno pronte, levate le bucce di limone e alzate il fuoco per far ritirare il liquido delle mele. Fate raffreddare.

4. Mettete la polpa della mela con le noci in uno stampino e riponete nel frigorifero per 30 minuti.

Preparazione della salsa al cacao.

1. In un pentolino, mescolate con una frusta mezzo cucchiaio di cacao con un tuorlo d’uovo e un cucchiaio di zucchero integrale di canna.

2. Aggiungete gradualmente il latte e mescolate. Quindi cuocete a fuoco lento per qualche minuto (mescolando lentamente e continuativamente), fino ad ottenere una crema densa.

3. Fate raffreddare la crema e servite con il “tortino” di mela e noci.

Vedere anche Torta di mele con farina di farro (senza latticini e con il miele) e Torta di farro con more e mele

Tangerine Custard Pots

A delicately flavoured tangerine custard cream, baked in small pots. This dessert is super easy to make and is a great alternative to plain custard. I added some cardamom seeds in the recipe, however it ‘s totally up to you if you want to add them or not. Cardamom seeds can give a nice spicy kick to the dessert, however you have to add just a hint of really finely ground seeds (not like in the pictures) or you might get a strong bitter flavour.

You can use this tangerine custard as a cake filling if you cook it in a pan on a moderate heat instead of baking it. Have fun with this recipe and be creative with it! 🙂

Tangerine custard pots.

Ingredients

For 2 small terracotta pots

300 ml of milk

4-5 seedless tangerines (organic)

a piece of lemon zest

2 egg yolks

1 spoonful of cornstarch

3 finely ground cardamom seed (just the seeds, not the pods)

2 tablespoons of sugar for the custard and 2 more tablespoons for the syrup

Method.

1. Wash the tangerine really well, then peel the skin off and place the slices on the side.

2. Place the tangerine and the lemon skin in a small pan, add 300 ml of milk, then bring to the boil. Boil for a few minutes, until the tangerine skins release their flavour.

3. In a small bowl, whisk 1 spoonful of cornstarch with two tablespoons of sugar and two egg yolks, until you get a creamy mixture. Gradually pour the boiling milk into the egg mixture (but remove the skins with a strainer) and whisk well.

4. Pour the mixture into two pots and place on a thick oven tray filled with water. Bake at 160° C (320 ° F) until the custard has thickened.

For the decoration.

In a small pan put 2 tablespoons of sugar and then cover with water, then add the tangerine slices and bring to the boil. Continue to cook at a moderate heat until you have a syrup. Decorate the custard pots with the tangerine slices, a hint of finely ground cardamom seeds and then pour some syrup on top.

Terrine di crema cotta al mandarino.

Ingredienti

2 stampini piccoli di terracotta

300 ml di latte

4-5 mandarini non trattati (senza semi e a buccia sottile)

un pezzo di scorza di limone

2 tuorli d’uovo

1 cucchiaio di amido di mais

3 semi di cardamomo, finemente macinati (non il baccello, ma i semi)

2 cucchiai di zucchero, per fare la crema pasticciera

2 cucchiai di zucchero, per fare lo sciroppo.

Preparazione.

1. Lavate bene i mandarini, quindi levate le bucce e mettete gli spicchi da parte.

2. Mettete le scorze dei mandarini e del limone con 300 ml di latte in un pentolino e portate ad ebollizione. Fate bollire per alcuni minuti.

3. Mescolate 1 cucchiaio abbondante di amido di mais con due cucchiai di zucchero e due tuorli d’uovo, fino ad ottenere un composto cremoso. Versate gradualmente il latte bollente nel composto e, contemporaneamente, levate le bucce dei mandarini filtrando con un colino. Mescolate bene.

4. Riempite due stampini piccoli di terracotta con il composto e metteteli in una teglia riempita d’acqua (x cuocere nel forno la crema a bagnomaria). Infornate a 160 ° C e fate cuocere fino a quando la crema si sarà rassodata. Lasciare raffreddare.

Per la decorazione.

Mettete 2 cucchiai di zucchero e ricoprire con un po’ d’acqua, poi aggiungete le fette di mandarino e portate ad ebollizione. Continuate la cottura a fuoco moderato fino a quando si dispone di uno sciroppo. Decorate le crema pasticciera con le fette di mandarino, un pizzico di semi di cardamomo finemente macinate e lo sciroppo.

Quick & Easy : Grapes & Apple Smoothie

A perfect seasonal breakfast smoothie, packed with antioxidants! Enjoy!

Grapes & apple smoothie

Ingredients

2 smoothies

200 g sweet black grapes

4 tablespoons greek yogurt

1 golden delicious apple

grated lemon zest

6 ice cubes

Method.

Wash, clean and peel the apple. Wash the grapes and place all the ingredients in a blender.
Blend until smooth and serve in two large glasses.

You can add some honey or agave syrup if you want a sweeter smoothie.

Smoothie con uva e mela.

ingredienti

per 2 smoothie

200 g di uva nera dolce

4 cucchiai di yogurt greco

1 mela golden

la scorza grattugiata di limone

6 cubetti di ghiaccio

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e sbucciate la mela, togliendo le parti indesiderate. Lavate l’uva e mettete tutti gli ingredienti nel frullatore.

2. Frullate bene fino ad ottenere un composto cremoso e servire in due bicchieri.

Potete aggiungere un po’ di miele, o sciroppo d’agave, per rendere più dolce lo smoothie.

Genoese Sage Focaccia! (more a tutorial than a recipe)

This focaccia alla salvia, a typical Genoese focaccia, is very aromatic, wonderful served with cheese, soups and cold cuts. To make this focaccia you follow the focaccia recipe method and then you add the fresh sage at the end. You have to chop the sage really finely, in order to blend it nicely with the dough. The focaccia dough also needs to rise for several hours, so we are going to make a starter that you can make in advance, in order to make the preparation method a little more manageable.

The longer the dough rises, the better the focaccia will become, so don’t rush it! This is why in the traditional method we repeat the leavening process a few times…However you can shorten the process by skipping the second leavening (step 3) and mixing all the flour together straight away, if you don’t have much time.

I suggest you make the focaccia during the weekends (or in your spare time), as it needs to be looked after during the preparation method…It is a long process but it’s worth it!!!

Note. To make the starter there are two options: you can use normal yeast or you can use sourdough.

All you need (for the entire method).
250-300 g plain flour (depending if you use sourdough or yeast)
250 g durum wheat semolina flour
12 g yeast (or 50 g of sourdough)
a big bunch of fresh sage, very finally chopped
fine sea salt
lots of extra virgin olive oil
water
a little sugar
baking sheet
a baking tray (24 cm x 28 cm)
a bowl
cling film

Note. I am going to divide the ingredients and the preparation method into 4 main steps.

HOW TO MAKE SAGE FOCACCIA.

Step 1. Make the starter

For the starter with yeast

Ingredients

100 g plain flour

12 g yeast

water

a little sugar

Method with yeast.

Mix the yeast with a few spoons of warm water, a little flour and a little sugar. When it forms some bubbles add the rest of the flour, more water and work it until you get a small dough (keep it quite moist). Put the dough into a small bowl, then cover it with cling film and let rise overnight at room temperature.

For the starter with sourdough (natural yeast).

Ingredients

50 g plain flour

50 g sourdough

water

a little sugar

Method with sourdough.

Mix the flour, a pinch of sugar and the sourdough with some water, until you get a soft and moist dough. Place in a small bowl, then cover it with cling film and let rise overnight.

Step 2. The first leavening.

Ingredients

the starter we prepared earlier (with yeast or sourdough)

100 g of plain flour

100 g of durum wheat semolina flour

water

a little sugar (to help the leavening process)

Method.

In the morning, mix the starter with 100 g of plain flour, 100 g of durum wheat semolina flour and a little sugar, then add enough water to make a soft dough. Work well, then place the dough in a bowl, cover it with a cling film and let rise until it doubles in volume.

Step 3. The second leavening.

Ingredients

the dough we prepared earlier

100 g plain flour

100 g durum wheat semolina four

water

a little sugar

Method.

Take the dough and add the flour with a little sugar, then mix with enough water and work well. Cover with cling film and let rise until it doubles in volume.

Step 4. Adding all the ingredients and baking.

Ingredients

the dough we prepared earlier

50 g of durum wheat semolina flour

a big bunch of fresh sage, very finely chopped

fine sea salt

50 ml extra virgin olive oil (and you’ll need some more to drizzle before baking)

100 ml of water

Method.

1. This is the final step! Take the dough and mix it with 50 g durum wheat semolina flour, finally chopped fresh sage leaves, some fine sea salt (but we are going to add more later) and mix just enough to blend the ingredients. Add 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil, previously mixed with 100 ml of water. Mix everything (just enough, don’t overwork it or you’ll lose the leavening strength of the dough).

2. Take a baking tray, line with baking paper, drizzle with olive oil and place the dough so that it covers the tray. Let rise for about an hour.

3. Once it has risen, press the dough with the tip of your fingers in order to create wells. Drizzle with more olive oil mixed with water, season with plenty of salt and bake at 200° C (392 °F) for 30-35 minutes.

Spaghetti With Raw Tomato ‘Sauce’ (Vegan/Dairy-free)

This wonderful ‘sauce’ is so easy to make, can be prepared in advance and is a delicious refreshing summer recipe! My mum makes this sauce using a smaller quantity of tomatoes (without draining the juice from the tomatoes) and lots of Parmesan cheese, but I personally prefer a healthier version of the recipe with lots of tomatoes and no cheese.

This raw tomato sauce contains anti-oxidants, lots of fibre and is low-fat….you’ll love it!!
You could also have this sauce on a bruschetta or serve it with meat, if you prefer.

Spaghetti with raw tomato sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

320 g spaghetti

350 g tomatoes

2 garlic gloves

a big bunch of fresh basil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Method.

1. Wash the tomatoes and basil, then dry them using a kitchen towel.

2. Crush two garlic cloves (use a knife or a garlic press).

3. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces and let them drain for about 10-15 minutes.

4. Then mix the tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Place the sauce in the fridge for at least half an hour.

5. Cook the pasta al dente, following the instructions on the packaging, then drain.

6. Mix the pasta with the sauce and serve chilled.

Spaghetti con “salsa” di pomodoro crudo.

Ingredienti

Per 4 persone

320 g di spaghetti

350 g di pomodori

2 spicchi d’aglio

un mazzetto grosso di basilico

2 cucchiai di aceto balsamico

olio extravergine d’oliva

sale e pepe

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e asciugate i pomodori e il basilico.

2. Utilizzando un coltello, pressate e molto tagliate finemente due spicchi d’aglio.

3. Prendete i pomodori e tagliateli in pezzetti piccoli con il coltello, poi lasciate scolare per 10-15 minuti.

4. Mescolate i pomodori con 4 cucchiai d’ olio d’oliva, 2 cucchiai di aceto balsamico, il sale e il pepe. Mescolate ancora e mettete nel frigorifero almeno per 30 minuti.

5. Cuocete la pasta al dente e scolate.

6. Condite la pasta con il sugo e servite come piatto freddo.

Quick and Easy: Plum And Apple Smoothie

Lovely and sweet breakfast smoothie, high in fibre and full of energy!

Plum and apple breakfast smoothie.

Ingredients

2 smoothies

4 large plums

1 golden delicious apple

2 tablespoons rolled oats

1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup (optional)

2 tablespoons vegetable milk (almond, soy or rice milk)

2 ice cubes

Method.

1. Wash the fruit, then peel the apple and cut the fruit into large chunks.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of rolled oats, 1 tablespoon of honey (or agave syrup), two tablespoons of vegetable milk of your choice and two ice cubes. Blend everything until smooth.

3. Serve in two large glasses.

Breakfast smoothie con prugne e mele.

Ingredienti

2 smoothies

4 prugne rosse grosse

1 mela golden

2 cucchiai di fiocchi d’avena integrali

1 cucchiaio di miele o sciroppo d’agave (facoltativo)

2 cucchiai di latte vegetale (latte di mandorla, di soia, oppure di riso)

2 cubetti di ghiaccio

Preparazione.

1. Lavate bene la frutta e sbucciate la mela. Tagliate grossolanamente la frutta a pezzi e mettetela in un frullatore.

2. Aggiungete i fiocchi d’avena, il miele (o lo sciroppo d’agave), due cucchiai di latte vegetale e due cubetti di ghiaccio. Frullate fino ad ottenere un composto denso e cremoso.

3. Versate in due bicchieri grandi e servite.

Rice Salad With Buffalo Mozzarella and Olives

A delicious variation of the classic recipe Insalata di riso, enriched with colourful seasonal ingredients. Quick and easy to prepare, this wonderful dish could be a great starter for a dinner party or a light summer meal.
In the recipe method I used a round pastry cutter to shape the rice with the ingredients, but you can mix all the ingredients if you prefer.

Rice salad with buffalo mozzarella and olives.

4 servings

Ingredients

200g arborio rice (you can use a parboiled rice)

4 ripe plum tomatoes

4 buffalo mozzarella

120 g of pitted black and green olives

a bunch of fresh basil

extra virgin olive to taste

salt and pepper

Method.

1. Cook the rice following the preparation method illustrated on the packaging. Then drain the rice and season with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil.

2. Wash the basil and remove the stems. Roughly chop the basil leaves and slice the olives.

3. Drain the buffalo mozzarella well and then cut it into small pieces.

4. Place the rice on the dish and then cover it with the olives, the mozzarella and the basil. Season with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and serve.

Insalata di riso con mozzarella di bufala e olive.

Per 4 persone

Ingredienti

200 g di riso arborio

4 pomodori perini maturi

4 mozzarelle di bufala

120 g di olive nere e verdi snocciolate

un mazzetto di basilico fresco

olio extra vergine di oliva q. b.

sale e pepe

Preparazione.

1. Cuocete il riso seguendo il metodo di preparazione e il tempo di cottura indicato sulla confezione. A cottura terminata, scolate il riso e conditelo con un po’ d’olio extra vergine d’oliva.

2. Lavate il basilico e rimuovete i gambi. Tagliate le foglie di basilico e le olive.

3. Scolate bene le mozzarelle di bufala e poi tagliatele a cubetti.

4. Sistemate il riso nel piatto e ricopritelo con le olive, i cubetti di mozzarella e il basilico.

Condite ancora con olio extra vergine d’oliva, sale, pepe e servite.