A detail can change your day, when you manager to spot it. I just love the way in which the red colour bleeds into the bright green.
Do you have a favourite color combination when it comes to photography? Which one?
Do you notice colours when you photograph?
Which subject works best in colours?
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.
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.
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.
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.
This recipe is so easy to make and so versatile! It can be served as a main meal with various vegetables, rice and lots of homemade sauces. You can be creative and modify the ingredients as you wish, for example using some cooked asparagus instead of rocket or simply a lot of parsley to flavour the dish. You can use some leftovers, if you have potatoes, vegetables or fish that blend well with the other ingredients…. Anyway, have some fun with it!
In this recipe I used frozen salmon fillets ; I defrosted the fish and drained it well before I started with the recipe method. I also used rocket leaves because they are very aromatic and they really go well with salmon. Rocket is usually eaten raw, but is also wonderful cooked! Try it! 😉
Salmon & Rocket Patties (oven baked).
for about 8-10 patties
Ingredients
2 salmon fillets, 200 g (skinless and boneless)
2 large floury potatoes
2 eggs
1 onion (or 2 spring onions), finely chopped
60 g fresh rocket leaves
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
Method.
1. Steam (or boil) the potatoes until tender, then mash them well.
2. In a frying pan, sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, until tender.
3. Break the salmon flesh into small pieces. Place the salmon in a bowl and then add the onion, the chopped herbs, the mashed potatoes, 4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese and some salt and pepper.
4. Beat 2 eggs then add them to the mixture and stir everything well.
5. Shape some patties and roll them in a plate full of breadcrumbs, until evenly coated.
6. Place in the oven at 160° C for about 20-25 minutes with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (or you can fry them, if you prefer).
Serve with vegetables and a sauce of your choice. Enjoy!
Crocchette di rucola e salmone (cotte al forno)
per circa 8-10 crocchette
Ingredienti
2 filetti di salmone, 200 g (senza pelle e senza osso)
2 patate grosse farinose
2 uova
1 cipolla (o 2 cipollotti), tritata finemente
60 g di foglie di rucola fresca, tritate
1 cucchiaio di prezzemolo fresco foglie, tritato finemente
4 cucchiai di parmigiano grattugiato (facoltativo)
pangrattato q. b.
olio extra vergine di oliva
sale e pepe
Preparazione.
1. Fate cuocere le patate a vapore (o fate bollire) fin quando sono tenere, poi schiacciatele con lo schiaccia patate.
2. Fate soffriggere la cipolla con 1 cucchiaio di olio extravergine d’ oliva per qualche minuto.
3. Rompete la polpa di salmone a pezzetti con le mani. Mettete il salmone in una ciotola e poi aggiungere la cipolla, le erbe tritate, le patate schiacciate, 4 cucchiai di parmigiano grattugiato, sale e pepe.
4. Sbattete 2 uova e aggiungetele al composto. Mescolate bene il tutto.
5. Formate delle polpette grosse e schiacciate, poi passatele in un piatto con abbondante pangrattato, fino a ricoprirle uniformemente.
6. Cuocete in forno a 160 ° C per circa 20-25 minuti con abbondante olio extra vergine d’oliva (oppure potete friggerle, se preferite).
Servite con verdure e salse a piacere.
Pasta al pomodoro is cheap, easy to make and absolutely delicious! There are several variations of this dish, made using different ingredients to personalise and flavour the sauce, but I personally prefer one of the simplest version made with fresh tomatoes.
Today I am going to show you the recipe I usually prepare at home. Basically, to make this delicious tomato sauce you’ll need just four ingredients: cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh parsley and, of course, extra virgin olive oil. Try to use only the best quality ingredients in this recipe, it will be a little more expensive but I can assure you that it will make a huge difference in the end.
Tip. You can replace the garlic with a small chopped onion and the parsley with a handful of fresh basil leaves, for a more delicate flavour.
Pasta al pomodoro fresco.
Ingredients
For 4 servings
Easy
350 g thick spaghetti (but you can use any pasta you like)
500 g fresh and ripe cherry tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
a bunch of fresh parsley
5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
grated Parmesan cheese to taste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Method.
1. Wash and dry the tomatoes, then cut them into small pieces. Leave in a strainer to drain.
2. Wash the parsley, remove the stem, then finely chop the leaves.
3. Cook the pasta al dente, following the instructions on the packaging, then drain and set aside.
4. Sauté the garlic with 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil for a minute or two. At soon at the garlic softens add the chopped tomatoes. Let shimmer for about 10 minutes, then add the chopped parsley with some salt and pepper.
5. Add the pasta to the sauce, sauté for only a couple of minutes and serve with plenty of grated parmesan (but it’s optional) on top.
Pasta al pomodoro fresco.
Ingredienti
Per 4 persone
Facile
350 g di spaghetti grossi
500 g di pomodorini ciliegia maturi
3 spicchi d’aglio tritati grossolanamente
un mazzetto di prezzemolo fresco
5 cucchiai di olio extravergine d’oliva
parmigiano grattugiato q. b. (facoltativo)
sale e pepe
Preparazione.
1. Lavate e asciugate i pomodori, poi tagliateli a pezzetti. Lasciate i pezzetti di pomodoro in un colino per far scolare l’acqua in eccesso.
2. Lavate il prezzemolo, tagliate i gambi e tritate finemente le foglie.
3. Preparate gli spaghetti molto al dente, poi scolate e mettete da parte.
4. Fate rosolare l’aglio in una padella grande, con 5 cucchiai di olio extra vergine di oliva, per un minuto o due. Quando l’aglio sarà ammorbidito, aggiungere i pomodori tritati. Fate cuocere per circa 10 minuti, quindi aggiungete il prezzemolo tritato con il sale e il pepe.
5. Mescolate la pasta al condimento, poi fate rosolare per un paio di minuti e servire con abbondante parmigiano grattugiato.
I have to admit that since I stopped eating meat there are some traditional dishes that I really miss…Bolognese sauce is one of them! There is a very tasty vegetarian alternative though, which is as good as the original Bolognese sauce with all the flavour of an old fashioned classic! This amazing sauce is called sugo finto ( fake sauce), an old traditional recipe made using minced vegetables instead of meat. This sauce can easily replace the Bolognese sauce in many recipes such as cannelloni, lasagne or any other dish which requires a similar sauce.
The sugo finto is delicious and it has been on my family menu for generations! In fact, my mother remembers my grandfather’s aunty preparing the sauce for meatless family meals on Fridays.
The sugo finto is a must for vegetarians who love tasty traditional recipes!!!!
Try it and let me know what you think…
Vegetarian Bolognese sauce (sugo finto)
Ingredients
1 can of tomato passata (best quality)
1/2 an onion (medium size)
1 clove of garlic
1 carrot
2 stalks of celery
1 big bunch of fresh aromatic herbs (marjoram, thyme, rosemary, 2 bay leaves, oregano)
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons of tomato paste
1/2 a organic stock cube
a large glass of water
Method.
1. Finely chop the rosemary.
2. Cut the celery, carrot and garlic in small pieces, then place the vegetables with the herbs (without the bay leaves) in the mixer and blend for a few minutes. Now add the onion and blend once more.
3. Fry the vegetables with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add two bay leaves.
4. Add 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, then add the passata and stir.
5. During the cooking time add a large glass of water and mix well.
6. Cook and stir until you get a Bolognese sauce consistency.
Tip. The cooking time may vary between 30 or 50 minutes, depending on whether you want a slightly milder sauce or dense sauce with a stronger flavour.
Ragù vegetariano (sugo finto)
Ingredienti
400 g di passata di pomodoro (di ottima qualità)
1/2 cipolla di media grandezza
1 spicchio d’aglio
1 carota
2 gambi di sedano
1 mazzetto bello grosso di erbe aromatiche fresche (maggiorana, timo, rosmarino, 2 foglie di alloro, origano)
4 cucchiai di olio extravergine d’oliva
4 cucchiai di concentrato di pomodoro
1/2 dado biologico di buona qualità
un bicchiere d’acqua
Preparazione.
1. Tritate finemente il rosmarino.
2. Tagliare il sedano, la carota e l’aglio a pezzetti. Mettete quindi le verdure con le erbe (senza l’alloro) nel mixer e sminuzzate per qualche minuto. Aggiungete anche la cipolla e continuate a sminuzzare fino ad ottenere un tritato abbastanza fine.
3. Fate soffriggere le verdure sminuzzate con 4 cucchiai d’olio, per una decina di minuti. Aggiungete anche due foglie intere di alloro.
4. Aggiungete 4 cucchiai di concentrato di pomodoro, poi unite la passata al concentrato e mescolate bene.
5. Durante la cottura annaffiate con un bicchiere d’acqua e mescolate di tanto in tanto.
6. Fate ritirare il liquido in eccesso e lasciate cuocere fino ad ottenere un sugo con la consistenza del ragù.
Nota. Il tempo di cottura può variare da 30 a 50 minuti, a seconda se desiderate un sugo più delicato oppure più denso e dal sapore un po’ più deciso.
A lovely and easy spring recipe, inspired by our trofie al pesto, a traditional Genoese pasta served with boiled green beans and potatoes, seasoned with plenty of fresh pesto….Really delicious!!!
For this recipe I am using salmon instead of pasta and then I added more vegetables with some lemon juice to lighten up the dish, as salmon is quite an oily fish.
This is definitely a very healthy dish, packed with fibre and wonderful nutrients like vitamin K, C, vitamins B, manganese and omega-3 fatty acids (just to name a few).
Salmon with pesto, potatoes and green beans.
4 salmon fillets (about 100 g each)
130 g of fresh pesto (see the pesto recipe)
300 g green beans, washed and cleaned
300 g potatoes, washed and peeled
a few drops of lemon juice
a few tablespoons of water
Method.
1. Steam the green beans with the potatoes (cut into pieces) for 15 minutes.
2. Remove the vegetables and steam the salmon for about 7 minutes.
3. Serve and season with plenty of pesto, previously diluted with a little bit of warm water, mixed with a few drops of lemon.
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Salmone con pesto patate e fagiolini.
4 tranci di salmone (circa100 g ciascuno)
130 g di pesto fresco (vedi la ricetta del pesto alla genovese)
300 g fagiolini
300 g patate
qualche goccia di limone
qualche cucchiaio d’acqua
Preparazione.
1. Fate cuocere a vapore i fagiolini e le patate per 15 minuti.
2. Togliete le verdure e mettete a cuocere il salmone per circa 7 minuti.
3. Servite e condite con del pesto allungato con un po’ d’acqua tiepida e qualche goccia di limone.
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