Category Archives: Appetisers

Caprese Flatbread Wraps (piadine alla caprese)

April 17, 2015Appetisers, Bread & BunsBread, Caprese salad, High in fibre, Insalata caprese, Integrale, Italian cooking, Italian recipe, Piadina RomagnolaSerena @ foodfulife

Today we are going to prepare a delicious Caprese salad in “pockets”, a fresh and light meal for a healthy lunch on the go, that can also be served as a tasty appetiser. These Caprese Piadinas are perfect for this season and they are so quick and easy to make!

Caprese flatbread wraps

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 spelt Piadinas ( Whole grain Italian flatbreads)

2 fresh mozzarella cheeses

12 ripe Piccadilly or cherry tomatoes

a handful of fresh basil leaves

extra virgin olive oil to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Method.

1. Drain and squeeze the mozzarellas well.

2. Wash and dry the tomatoes and the basil leaves, then cut the tomatoes into halves.

3. Fold and then fill each Piadina with 6 pieces of tomatoes, some slices of the mozzarella and some basil leaves.

4. Season with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and serve.

Tip. You can add some crushed garlic, a few drops of balsamic vinegar and/ or a pinch of dried oregano for more flavour.

Piadina alla caprese.

Ingredienti

Per 4 persone

4 piadine sfogliate grandi (andate alla ricetta della piadine di farro)

2 mozzarelle freschissime

12 pomodori maturi (piccadilly o ciliegino)

una manciata di foglie di basilico fresco

olio extra vergine di oliva q.b.

sale e pepe q.b.

Preparazione.

1. Scolate e strizzate bene le mozzarelle.

2. Lavate e asciugate i pomodori, poi tagliarli a metà. Mondate e lavate anche le foglie di basilico.

3. Piegate e riempire ogni Piadina con 6 pezzi di pomodori, qualche fetta di mozzarella e qualche foglia di basilico.

4. Condire con abbondante olio extra vergine di oliva, sale, pepe e servite.

Nota.

Potete aggiungere agli ingredienti anche un po’ d’ aglio crudo (tritato molto finemente), qualche goccia di aceto balsamico e / o un pizzico di origano per dare sapore.

Traditional Recipe: Baked Peppers Au Gratin

August 22, 2014Appetisers, Budget-friendly Recipes, Dairy-free, Side Dishes, Traditional Recipes, VegetarianBudget-friendly, Dairy-free, Food, Low carb, Peppers, Recipe, Vegetables, VegetarianSerena @ foodfulife

A great dish to serve if you have a large number of guests to feed, because it is so easy to prepare and cook. Baked Peppers Au Gratin are a wonderful appetiser and side, served with meat or seafood, but you can have them as a vegetarian meal, with a nice salad. You can prepare a gluten-free version of this Italian traditional dish using instant polenta, instead of bread crumbs. You can also make a vegan version without the cheese.

Serve Peppers Au Gratin hot or cold, they are delicious either way! But in the summer I prefer this dish cold, straight from the fridge, because the peppers need some time to absorb all the different flavours.

This is the right season to eat fresh bell peppers and there are plenty of choices when it comes to great traditional recipes with this wonderful ingredient.
Here are some other recipes using bell peppers that I have published recently on Foodfulife:

La peperonata

Roasted Bell Peppers with Garlic Vinaigrette

Baked Peppers Au Gratin.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

6 servings

Easy

Ingredients

3 large bell peppers (red and yellow)

6 tablespoons breadcrumbs

80 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, finally chopped

1/2 a tablespoon of dried oregano

2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed and finally chopped

salt and pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil

Method.

1. In a small bowl, mix the herbs with the breadcrumbs, the grated cheese, the garlic and season with some salt and pepper.

2. Wash and dry the bell peppers.

3. Using a knife, cut the peppers in half and remove the stem, the seeds and the white parts.

4. Place the peppers onto an oven tray, previously greased with a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. With a spoon, spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly onto the peppers.

5. Bake in the oven at 200°C (392° F) , until the peppers are tender and the breadcrumb mixture becomes very crunchy.

Peperoni Gratinati Al Forno.

Tempo di preparazione: 10 minuti

Tempo di cottura: 40 minuti

6 persone

Facile

Ingredienti

3 peperoni grandi (rosso e giallo)

6 cucchiai di pangrattato

80 g di Parmigiano Reggiano, grattugiato fresco

1 cucchiaio di prezzemolo fresco, tritato finemente

1/2 cucchiaio di origano secco

2-3 spicchi d’aglio, schiacciato e tritato finemente

sale e pepe

olio extra vergine di oliva

Preparazione.

1. In una terrina, mescolate il pan grattato con l’aglio, l’origano, il prezzemolo, il parmigiano e un pò di sale e pepe.

2. Lavate e asciugate bene i peperoni.

3. Con un coltello, tagliate e rimuovete la calotta superiore del peperone. Tagliate a metà gli ortaggi e rimuovete la parte interna, con i filamenti e i semi.

4. Disponete i peperoni sopra una teglia, unta con un filo d’olio. Riempite i peperoni con il composto di pangrattato e sapori, ma senza esagerare.

5. Condite con un po’ d’olio e infornate a 200° C. Quando i peperoni saranno morbidi e il ripieno croccante spegnete il fuoco.

Barley And Shrimp Salad In Red Cabbage Leaves

August 13, 2014Appetisers, Dairy-free, High-fibre Food, Low-fat Recipes, Pescetarian, Seafood, Side DishesAppetizer, Grains, Light meal, Low-cal, Pearled barley, Pescetarian, Salad, Shrimps, Side dishSerena @ foodfulife

Barley is a cereal that has been used in dishes for thousands of years. It’s a wonderful and versatile ingredient: it can be used in salads and soups or cooked like a risotto. Today we are going to make a light barley salad with lots of fresh vegetables and shrimps! This colourful salad could be a great side dish for a barbecue or a buffet, but could also be served on its own as a light meal.

Tips.

1. Pearl barley does not need soaking before cooking, it is simply boiled like rice.

2. Wash the barley under running water for a few minutes before cooking it, to remove its natural bitter taste.

3. For this recipe I am using a red Tropea’s onion, a delicious onion variety, available in Italy. If you don’t find it, you can use shallots instead. Shallots and Tropea’s onions are perfect for this recipe because they are naturally sweet and have a pleasant delicate flavour.

Barley and shrimp salad in red cabbage leaves.

5 – 6 red cabbage leaves (medium size)

90 g pearl barley

250 g frozen shrimps

1/2 sweet red Tropea’s onion (or shallots)

1/2 celery stalk, finely chopped

7-8 cherry tomatoes

1 large avocado

the juice of half a lemon

2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

vegetable broth

Method.

1. Cook the pearl barley in vegetable broth (I used an organic stock), for 40 minutes (the cooking time will vary depending on the variety of barley).

2. Boil some water in a sauce pan, then turn off the heat and poach the shrimps for 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Wash and dry the cabbage leaves. Peel and slice the onion and avocado, then set aside. Wash, dry and cut the celery and tomatoes.

4. Mix all the vegetables (including the chopped parsley) with the cooked barley and shrimps. Serve the salad in cabbage leaves and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Cestini di insalata d’orzo e gamberetti.

5-6 foglie di cavolo rosso

250 g gamberetti surgelati

1/2 cipolla rossa di Tropea (oppure lo scalogno)

1/2 gambo di sedano

7-8 pomodorini ciliegia

1 avocado grande

il succo di mezzo limone

2 cucchiai di prezzemolo fresco, tritato finemente

sale e pepe q. b.

brodo vegetale (uso del brodo fatto con del dado biologico)

Preparazione.

1. Fate cuocere l’orzo perlato nel brodo per 40 minuti (il tempo di cottura può variare a seconda della qualità di orzo).

2. Fate bollire una pentola piena d’acqua, poi spegnete il fuoco e immergetevi i gamberetti per 3-4 minuti. Scolate e mettete da parte.

3. Lavate e asciugate le foglie di cavolo. Pelate e tagliate le cipolle e l’avocado. Lavate, asciugate e tagliate a cubetti il sedano e i pomodorini.

4. Mescolate tutte le verdure (compreso il prezzemolo) con l’orzo e i gamberetti. Servite l’insalata nelle foglie di cavolo e condite con sale, pepe e il succo di limone.

Traditional Recipe: La Peperonata

Peperonata is a delicious traditional Italian dish made with yellow and red bell peppers and a few other ingredients. It’s a dish full of character and flavour! It can be a great side dish and it can be a fantastic appetizer, when served with grilled rustic bread, like a bruschetta. The recipe I am publishing this week is my mother’ s peperonata. My mother made a few adaptations to the traditional recipe to achieve a creamier and very tasty dish. Nothing can beat my mother’ s peperonata! So sweet, flavourful and delicate at the same time; it really melts in the mouth!

While cooking, the onions will melt creating a lovely creamy sauce which works perfectly with the rest of the ingredients. Give it a try, you’ll love it!

Tips. For extra flavour you can use Ketchup instead of tomato paste. The cooking time might vary for the thickness of the peppers.

La Peperonata.

Ingredients

For 4-6 servings

Easy

Preparation and cooking time: 50 minutes

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

4 bell peppers (2 yellow and 2 red)

1 tablespoon of capers (possibly in vinegar)

6 good quality pitted green olives

6 good quality pitted black olives

1/2 a tablespoon tomato paste (or tomato ketchup)

white wine (only if necessary)

a handful of pine nuts (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Method.

1. Cut each pepper into 4 pieces and then slice them horizontally into slices (2 cm thick). Cut also the onions into thick slices.

2. In a large frying pan, sauté the onion and the peppers with a clove of garlic in 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

3. Add the capers, the olives and the pine nuts.

4. Add some tomato paste (or tomato ketchup), then cover and cook for 40 minutes over a low heat (add a little of white wine if it’s too dry). Let simmer until the peppers get really tender.

5. Remove the lid and let most of the juices evaporate. Season with salt and pepper, then serve (you can serve the peperonata hot or cold).

La Peperonata.

Ingredienti

Per 4-6 persone

Facile

Tempo di preparazione e cottura: 50 minuti

3 cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva

2 cipolle tagliate grosse

4 peperoni, due gialli e due rossi

1 cucchiaio di capperi sott’aceto

6 olive verdi

6 olive nere

1/2 cucchiaio di passata di pomodoro (oppure ketchup, per una peperonata più saporita)

vino bianco q. b. (facoltativo)

una manciata di pinoli (facoltativo)

sale e pepe q. b.

Preparazione.

1. Tagliate i peperoni in 4 pezzi e poi a strisce orizzontali. Affettate le cipolle grossolanamente.

2. In una padella grande, fate soffriggere la cipolla, i peperoni e uno spicchio d’aglio tagliato a metà.

3. Aggiungete ai peperoni un cucchiaio abbondante di capperi, 6 olive verdi, 6 olive nere e alcuni pinoli.

4. Aggiungete il concentrato di pomodoro, poi coprite e fate cuocere a fuoco lento per 40 minuti (se occorre aggiungete un po’ di vino bianco).

5. Quasi a fine cottura, levate il coperchio e fate ritirare un po’ il liquido. Aggiungete il pepe, il sale e servite. La peperonata è ottima anche servita fredda.

Traditional Recipe: Fried Sage Leaves

July 6, 2014Appetisers, Budget-friendly Recipes, Side Dishes, Traditional Recipes, VegetarianAromatic herb, Batter, Beer batter, Budget-friendly, Deep-fried, Genoese recipe, Sage, Salvia fritta, Side dish, Traditional recipe, Vegan, VegetarianSerena @ foodfulife

This is another lovely traditional recipe from Genoa; an extremely easy and cheap dish to prepare, especially if you have a sage plant in the garden! Sage is usually a very tough plant, in this cooking process the leaves become very tender and the aroma of this wonderful aromatic herb gets very delicate and pleasant to taste. It is a wonderful starter, but also a great side dish.
You need the kind of sage with big leaves, not all varieties are suitable for this method of preparation.

Fried Sage Leaves.

For 4 people

Ingredients

200 g (7.05 oz) large leaves of sage, washed and dried

100 g (3.5 oz) of plain flour

1 egg white (as a vegan option, make the batter without egg white)

100 ml (3.38 us fl oz) light beer

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

extra virgin olive oil (for frying)

salt

Method.

1. In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the flour. Then slowly pour in the beer, stirring the mixture with a whisk. Cover with a kitchen towel, then let the batter rest for about 30 minutes.

2. Whip the egg whites until stiff, then stir them gently into the batter, just before frying.

3. Heat the extra virgin olive oil, meanwhile, dip the sage into the batter. Fry a few leaves at a time, in plenty of oil.

4. Drain the leaves and place them on a plate with plenty of paper towels, to absorb the excess oil. Season with salt and serve.

Salvia fritta in pastella.

per 4 persone

Ingredienti

200 g di foglie grosse di salvia, lavate e asciugate

100 g di farina

1 albume (per una dieta vegana, si può fare la pastella senza uovo)

100 ml di birra chiara

1 cucchiaio di olio extra vergine d’oliva (per la pastella)

olio extra vergine d’oliva (per friggere)

sale

Preparazione.

1. In una terrina, unite 1 cucchiaio d’olio, un pizzico di sale alla farina. Versate poi a filo la birra, mescolando con una frusta l’impasto. Ricoprite con un canovaccio e lasciate riposare l’impasto per 30 minuti.

2. Montate l’albume a neve e incorporate delicatamente nella pastella, poco prima di friggere.

3. Fate scaldare l’olio e immergete la salvia nella pastella. Friggete alcune foglie per volta in olio abbondante.

4. Scolate le foglie e appoggiatele su un piatto con abbondante carta assorbente. Salate e servite.

Delicious Summer Veggie Kebabs

June 20, 2014Appetisers, Gluten-free, Low-fat Recipes, Pescetarian, Side DishesAperitif, Appetisers, Fiesta Friday, Gluten-free, Kebabs, Low fat, Low-cal, Pescetrian, Side dishes, VegetablesSerena @ foodfulife

Since the hot weather has finally arrived, it’s time to dust off the barbecue and eat plenty of fresh vegetables and delicious summer fruits! This time of the year we can be really creative with the dishes! Today we are going to prepare some fresh and light summer veggie kebabs and then, we are going to a party! It’s time to participate in Fiesta Friday, a lovely blog event hosted by my friend and talented blogger Angie, from the Novice Gardener, and co-hosted by other wonderful bloggers. This week, Fiesta Friday #21 is co-hosted by Elaine@Foodbod and Julianna@Foodie On Board.

This is a lovely light recipe, fresh and full of mediterranean flavours! It could be served as an aperitif, a side dish or a delicious light meal…You choose!

Enjoy!

Tip. You can remove the the bell pepper skin after grilling the vegetables, if you wish.

I left it because it’s quicker.

Summer Veggie Kebabs.

Ingredients

4 servings

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 small aubergine

2 courgettes

green picked olives

1 small fresh goat’s cheese (150 g)

anchovies

cherries tomatoes

8 wooden skewers

For the dressing

6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 crushed clove of garlic

some dried or fresh origano

2 small fresh chillies, cut into slices

salt and bleck pepper to taste

Method.

1. Wash the vegetables, cut them into thin slices and grill them on an electric grill or on a grill pan, previously greased with a little extra virgin olive oil.

2. Roll the zucchini with the goat’s cheese in the center. Roll the yellow pepper with the anchovies and the red pepper with the olives in the center.

3. In a small bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil and some dried origano with crushed garlic and chillies, salt and pepper.

4. Pierce the stuffed vegetables with the wooden skewers and make 8 kebabs. Serve cold with some garlic-olive oil sauce on the side.

Spiedini saporiti di verdure.

Ingredienti

Per 4 persone

1 peperone rosso

1 peperone giallo

1 melanzana

2 zucchine

olive verdi snocciolate

1 formaggio fresco di capra (150 g)

acciughe sott’olio

pomodorini ciliegia

8 stecchi di legno per gli spiedini

Per il condimento

6 cucchiai di olio extra vergine d’oliva

2 spicchi d’aglio (schiacciati e tagliati finemente)

un mazzetto di origano fresco o un cucchiaio di origano secco

2 peperoncini tagliati a fettine

sale e pepe q. b.

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e tagliate le verdure a fette. Fate grigliare tutte le verdure su una bistecchiera (o una piastra elettrica), spennellata con abbondante olio extra vergine d’oliva.

2. Arrotolate gli zucchini con un pezzetto di formaggio di capra e le melanzane con mezzo pomodorino al centro. Arrotolate anche il peperone rosso con le olive e il peperone giallo con le acciughe.

3. A parte, mescolate 6 cucchiai di olio extra vergine d’oliva con l’origano, l’aglio schiacciato, il peperoncino a fettine, il sale e il pepe.

4. Infilzate le verdure con gli stecchi e create gli spiedini alternando i sapori. Servite gli spiedini freddi con l’olio aromatizzato.

Salmon with lime and balsamic vinaigrette

April 1, 2014Appetisers, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Low-fat Recipes, Main Dishes, Pescetarian, SeafoodBalsamic vinegar, Dairy-free, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Low carb, Low fat, Low-cal, Radishes, Recipe, Salmon, Seafood, SteamedSerena @ foodfulife

I must admit, I came across the salmon-balsamic vinegar combination totally by accident. I was trying out a new dish that went horribly wrong, when I dropped some balsamic vinegar on a piece of salmon by mistake…Yes, in my kitchen these kind of things can happen! 🙂

Anyway, I loved it! So I changed the recipe completely and I made a light balsamic vinaigrette as a salmon dressing. I know it is not a new combination, but it was the first time for me.
I love the way in which the balsamic vinegar aroma enhances the natural sweetness of salmon without covering its delicate flavour. The aniseed-tinged wild fennel leaves add a note of distinctive freshness to the recipe. If you can’t find wild fennel, you can use normal fennel leaves, they are probably a little bit easier to get and very similar in taste.

Salmon with lime and balsamic vinaigrette.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For 2 servings

2 salmon steaks

1 lime

a few sprigs of fresh wild fennel, washed

6 radishes, washed

a stalk of celery, washed

for the balsamic vinaigrette

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

a few drops of lime juice

Black pepper and salt to taste

Method

1. Wash and cut a lime into thin slices, then put a few slices on top of the salmon, with a sprig of wild fennel.

2. Steam the salmon steaks for 8-10 minutes.

3. Place the salmon steaks on the plates, garnish with a few radishes and the celery, both finely sliced. Then, add some wild fennel leaves (roughly chopped).

For the vinaigrette.

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, a few drops of lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.

2. Serve with the vinaigrette on the side.

Salmone con lime e aceto balsamico vinaigrette.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredienti

Per due persone

2 tranci di salmone

1 lime intero

6 ravanelli, lavati

un gambo di sedano, lavato

qualche rametto di finocchio selvatico, lavato

Per la vinaigrette di aceto balsamico

2 cucchiai di olio extra vergine d’oliva

2 cucchiai di aceto balsamico

qualche goccia di succo di lime

Pepe e sale q.b.

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e tagliate un lime a fette molto sottili. Mettete le fette di lime sul salmone, con qualche rametto di finocchio selvatico.

2. Fate cuocere a vapore i tranci di salmone per 8-10 minuti.

3. Disponete il salmone sui piatti, guarnite ogni piatto con tre ravanelli tagliati a fette molto sottili e con un gambo di sedano tagliato alla julienne.

Per la vinaigrette.

1. Mescolate 2 cucchiai di olio extravergine d’oliva con 2 cucchiai di aceto balsamico, qualche goccia di succo di lime, sale e pepe.

2. Servite il salmone con il condimento a parte.

Steamed Salmon with Rocket and Oranges.

January 26, 2014Appetisers, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Low-fat Recipes, Pescetarian, SeafoodArugula, B vitamins, Dairy-free, Fish, Food, Fresh, Gluten-free, high protein food, Iron, Low fat, Omega-3 fatty acid, Orange, Recipe, Rocket, Salad, Wild salmonSerena @ foodfulife

This week we are going to prepare a light salad with salmon, oranges and rocket leaves. I love the way in which the buttery texture of salmon and the freshness of oranges work together, I think it’s a perfect match! There isn’t much I can say about it, you just have to try it!!! I added a few rocket leaves because the pungent and slightly bitter flavour of this lovely herb creates a pleasant contrast with the other ingredients, which balance the recipe nicely.

This dish is a real feel-good booster and is packed with health benefits! Salmon is considered an extremely healthy food due to the high content of protein, omega-3 fatty acid and B 6 and B 12 vitamins; while rocket not only contains plenty of vitamins but is also rich in iron… So, if you often have iron-deficiency problems like me, or you simply like healthy food (same as me, anyway!), you have plenty of reasons to enjoy this dish!

Steamed salmon with rocket, oranges and walnuts.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

for 2 servings

2 salmon steaks (250 g / 8.81 oz)

2 large oranges

50 g (1.76 oz) rocket (arugula), washed and cleaned

30 g (1.05 oz) walnuts, unshelled

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation method

1. Steam the salmon steaks for about 6-8 minutes.

2. With a sharp knife, peel the oranges, completely removing the white part. Then cut them into thin slices.

3. Arrange the rocket leaves on the plate, place the slices of orange on top with the salmon in the middle.

4. Sprinkle the walnuts on the ingredients, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with some salt and plenty of black pepper.

Enjoy your meal!

Steamed salmon with rocket and oranges (front view, close up)

Salmone con arance e rucola (cottura a vapore).

Preparazione: 15 minutes

Ingredienti

per 2 persone

2 filetti di salmone (250 g)

2 arance grosse

50 g rucola, lavata e pulita

30 g di noci, senza guscio

olio extra vergine d’oliva

sale e pepe q b

Preparazione.

1. Cuocete a vapore i due filetti di salmone per 6-8 minuti.

2. Con un coltello molto affilato, sbucciate due arance togliendo completamente anche la parte bianca.

3. Sistemate le foglie di rucola sulla base del piatto, ricoprite con le fette d’arancia e appoggiate al centro il filetto di salmone.

4. Distribuite le noci sopra gli ingredienti, condite con olio extra vergine d’oliva, un po’ di sale e pepe in abbondanza.

Buon appetito!

Smoked aubergine puree with egg sauce and tomatoes.

November 9, 2013Appetisers, Side Dishes, VegetarianAppetisers, Aubergines, Cooking, Crema all'uovo, Egg sauce, Eggplant, Food photography, Iranian, limone, Melanzane, Piccadilly tomatoes, Recipe, Ricetta, SAVOURY RECIPES, Sesame, Sesamo, Vegetarian, VegetarianaSerena @ foodfulife

This week I am posting a recipe elaborated and prepared by Anahita Tcheraghali, an Iranian friend. It’s a revisitation of the traditional Iranian dish “mirzà ghasemì”. The combination of egg sauce (a light hollandaise sauce) and smoked aubergines in this recipe is quite unusual and a little surprising. You might want to add a little more lemon, in my opinion the lemon helps to bring the flavours together. Overall, as I said, quite an uncommon but interesting dish, quick and easy to prepare.

Anahita prepared this dish in the most traditional way, directly on the flame, however as a healthier and safer cooking method, you can use the oven instead.

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 medium size aubergines (eggplants)

300 g (10.58 oz) piccadilly tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

3 egg yolks

250 ml (8.45 fl oz) milk

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon of butter

sesame seeds, a handful

a dash of lemon juice

a pinch of ground nutmeg

salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil to taste

1. Pierce the aubergines and put them to roast on a high heat, directly on the flame (or you can use the oven).

2. Peel the aubergines, add the garlic and salt, then puree the vegetables using a fork.

3. Separately, wash, clean and cut the tomatoes, removing the seeds.

4. Toast the sesame seeds for about ten minutes in a frying pan.

5. In a small thick saucepan, mix the egg yolks with milk, then stir for about ten minutes over a low heat (be careful not to boil the mixture)

6. Turn off the heat. Add the butter (cut into small pieces) with salt and some nutmeg.

Preparation of the dish.

1. Shape a dome with the aubergine puree and make a hole in the centre.

2. Pour the egg sauce onto the puree and onto the plate.

3. Sprinkle the tomatoes (cut into small pieces) and sesame seeds on top.

4. Season with salt, pepper, a dash of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.

Purea di melanzane affumicate con crema all’uovo.

2 melanzane di media grandezza lunghe o tonde

300 g di pomodorini piccadilly o datterini

3 tuorli d’uovo

250 ml di latte

1 spicchio d’aglio

1 cucchiaio da tavola di burro

una manciata di semi di sesamo

un pizzico di noce montata

un po’ di succo di limone

olio extra vergine di oliva, sale e pepe q b

1. Forate le melanzane e mettetele ad abbrustolire su fiamma viva (oppure potete usare il forno).

2. Spellate le melanzane, aggiungete una testa d’aglio (a cui è stata tolta l’anima) ,un po’ di sale e riducetele in purea.

3. A parte, lavate, pulite e tagliate i pomodorini a dadini.

4.Tostate i semi di sesamo per una decina di minuti in una padella.

5. In un pentolino, mischiate i tuorli con il latte. Fate pastorizzare la crema a fuoco basso per una decina di minuti, senza portare a bollore.

6. Spegnete la fiamma. Aggiungere il burro a tocchetti con della noce moscata e un pizzico di sale.

Preparazione del piatto.

1. Formate una cupola con la purea di melanzane e create un buco al centro.

2. Versate la crema all’uovo prima sulla purea e poi sulla base del piatto.

3. Cospargete i pomodorini e i semi di sesamo sulla crema.

4. Condite con olio, sale, pepe e una spruzzatina di limone.

Pinzimonio (vegetable crudites) with yogurt and mustard sauce.

August 2, 2013Appetisers, Gluten-free, Low-fat Recipes, Raw / Mainly Raw, Side Dishes, VegetarianAppetisers, Crudités, Dips, Family, Gluten-free, Health, Light, Low fat, Low-fat recipes, Mustard, Pinzimonio, Radicchio, Radish, Recipe, Side dishes, Vegetable, Vegetarian, YogurtSerena @ foodfulife

This week we are going to prepare a lovely platter of Italian-style vegetable crudites (Pinzimonio) with a nice creamy sauce. Light and healthy, this colorful platter consists of a mixture of crunchy vegetables, usually cut into sticks and served with a dressing on the side. For this recipe I prepared a slightly chilled dipping sauce, made with yogurt and mustard.

Ingredients

4-6 servings

1 large tomato

3 medium carrots

1 yellow pepper

1 red pepper

1/2 fennel

1 bunch of red radicchio leaves

1 bunch of radishes

3 stalks of celery

for the sauce

1 low-fat greek yogurt ( 170 g, 5.99 oz, unsweetened)

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons strong mustard

a pinch of honey

salt and paprika to taste

Method.

1. Wash and prepare all the vegetable, then cut them into sticks ( except the radicchio leaves and radishes). Put all the vegetable to soak in cold water for a few minutes and drain.

2. Separately, prepare a sauce combining the yogurt with mustard and the honey.

3. Add vinegar, olive oil, salt and paprika to the mixture.

4. Put the sauce to cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

5. Serve the vegetables on a large dish (or two) with the sauce in the centre.

Pinzimonio di verdure con salsa di yogurt e senape.

1 pomodoro grande

3 carote medie

1 peperone giallo

1 peperone rosso

1/2 finocchio

1 mazzetto di radicchio rosso

1 mazzetto di ravanelli

3 coste di sedano

per la salsa

1 yogurt greco magro (170 g, non zuccherato)

1 cucchiai di aceto di mele

1 cucchiaio di olio extravergine di oliva

2 cucchiai di senape

pochissimo miele

sale e paprica q b

Preparazione.

1. Lavate, mondate e tagliate le verdure a bastoncino, tranne il radicchio e i ravanelli. Immergete le verdure in acqua molto fredda per qualche minuto.

2. A parte, preparate una salsa unendo lo yogurt alla senape e al miele.

3. Aggiungete l’olio, l’aceto di mele, il sale e la paprica.

4. Mettete la salsa a raffreddare in frigorifero per 30 minuti.

5. Servite le verdure in un piatto grande da portata (o due) , con la salsa al centro.