Tag Archives: Recipe

Cooking Method: Pizza Margherita

Plain but full of flavour, Pizza Margherita is one of the most appreciated pizzas in Italy! We use only fresh and the best quality ingredients, in order to get the right combination of flavours. It’s so simple but really delicious!

I often prepare this pizza with a sourdough starter and make a dough using mainly spelt flour, because I love it’s nutty flavour and crunchy texture. Here is my favourite sourdough recipe for the pizza base and the normal yeast version.

Pizza Margherita

Preparation time: 5 minutes + the time to make the dough

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients

For two large pizzas

2 pizza bases (use the dough you prefer)

Two good quality mozzarellas (if you want more flavour you can use buffalo mozzarella)

200 g good quality tomato sauce (sweet and not acidic)

2 tablespoons of chopped marjoram (fresh or dried)

Extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste ( I mix them with the tomato sauce and herbs)

Method.

1. Preheat the oven at the highest temperature and with the fan running (to dry out the excess water from the cheese). Place the pizza stone in the oven (the pizza stone has to heat up gradually, because otherwise it will break).

2. Once the pizza stone is hot, remove it from the oven and dust with some dried (quick cooking) polenta (the polenta will make the pizza crust crunchier).

3. Roll out the pizza dough on the stone, top with the ingredients and place to cook in the oven, with the fan running, for 30-40 minutes (depending on the temperature you are using).

Notes.

1. Use the best quality tomato sauce you can get ; if the tomato sauce is too acidic, you can add some sugar and make it sweeter.

2. Mozzarella is usually preserved in water, so you have to rinse it really well and squeeze it with your hands when you use it.

3. You can use different herbs to personalise your pizza; we often use oregano, basil or marjoram.

Cranberry And White Chocolate Pandolce

Pandolce is a wonderful Genoese Christmas cake, traditionally made with raisins, candied fruits and pine nuts; so simple but rich in flavours, because we use only the best quality ingredients.

For this Christmas I prepared (as usual) my own version, giving a foodfulife twist to the traditional recipe! I made a Pandolce packed with delicious cranberries, white chocolate and hazelnuts. This dessert is sweet bread (actually more like a cookie dough), perfect if you want to surprise your guests with something truly special for Christmas!

Believe me, it doesn’t get any better than this!

If you prefer something a little less rich but still delicious, you can try my Chocolate and hazelnut Pandolce, made with dark chocolate and with less sugar and a little less butter.

Cranberry and white chocolate Pandolce.

Preparation time: 15 minutes + the resting time

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

For 8-10 servings

220 g Manitoba flour (that you can replace with whole spelt flour, or any strong flour)

100 g unbleached all purpose flour

80 g soft butter

60 g milk

1 egg

1 and a half tablespoons of honey

70 g brown sugar

grated zest of 1 organic lemon

2 tablespoons rum

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

a few drops of vanilla essence

150 g shelled and roasted hazelnuts (whole)

100 g white chocolate, cut into pieces and frozen (that you can replace with dark chocolate)

100 g dried cranberries

icing sugar to taste

tip. Freeze the white chocolate before making the cake, otherwise it will melt too much during the cooking time.

Method.

1. Mix the softened butter with the brown sugar and the egg, then add the honey and 60 g of milk. Add two tablespoons of rum, two drops of vanilla essence, then stir until the mixture is soft and creamy.

2. Separately, mix the two flours with the baking soda and the baking powder; then add the hazelnuts, the zest of a lemon, the white chocolate and the cranberries. Combine these ingredients with the creamy mixture.

3. Knead well, adding a little bit of flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

4. Line the base of an oven tray with baking paper, then place and shape the Pandolce on the tray.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 ° C/388°F (with the fan running) for 50 minutes.

Note. The oven door must remain slightly open during the entire cooking time to release the steam (you can do that by placing a metal object, like a padlock, between the door and the oven, in order to live a 1-2 cm gap).

6. Let the Pandolce cool completely, then dust with plenty of icing sugar.

Pandolce con mirtilli rossi e cioccolato bianco.

Preparazione: 15 minuti + il riposo

Cottura: 50 minuti

Ingredienti

Per 8-10 servings

220 g di manitoba (che potete sostituire con farina integrale di farro)

100 g di farina 00

80 g di burro morbido

60 g di latte

1 uovo

1 cucchiaio e mezzo di miele

70 g di zucchero di canna

la scorza grattugiata di un limone, non trattato

2 cucchiai di rum

1 cucchiaino di lievito per dolci

1 cucchiaino di bicarbonato

qualche goccia di essenza di vaniglia

150 g di nocciole tostate intere, senza buccia

100 g di cioccolato bianco, rotto in pezzi e surgelato (che potete sostituire con il cioccolato fondente)

100 g di mirtilli rossi essiccati (cranberries)

zucchero a velo q. b.

Nota.

Congelate il cioccolato bianco per evitare che si sciolga troppo durante la cottura.

Preparazione.

1. Amalgamate bene il burro con lo zucchero e l’uovo. Aggiungete 60 g di latte, il rum, l’essenza di vaniglia e un cucchiaio e mezzo di miele, poi mescolate fino ad ottenere un impasto cremoso.

2. Separatamente, mischiate le farine e poi aggiungete le nocciole, i mirtilli rossi, il cioccolato bianco (surgelato), la scorza di un limone, il bicarbonato e il lievito. Mescolate tutti gli ingredienti insieme, unendo l’impasto asciutto a quello cremoso.

3. Amalgamate bene, aggiungendo un po’ di farina per evitare che l’impasto si appiccichi alle mani, poi lasciate riposare nel frigorifero per 15 minuti.

4. Ricoprite la teglia con la carta da forno, poi mettete l’impasto sulla teglia e date la forma al Pandolce.

5. Infornate quindi a 170°C per 50 minuti (con la ventola in funzione).

Nota. La porta del forno deve restare socchiusa (con una fessura di 1 o 2 cm), in modo da far uscire il vapore (potete posizionare un oggetto di metallo, ad esempio un lucchetto, tra la porta e il forno).

6. Fate raffreddare completamente, poi decorate il Pandolce con abbondante zucchero a velo.

Coming soon…

A very special Christmas cake with lots of cranberries!

Best Christmas treats!

Here are some ideas for your Christmas Party! I hope you like my choices! 🙂

Click on the links or the pictures for the recipes.

Pandolce al cioccolato con le nocciole ( a wonderful traditional Christmas cake made with lots of hazelnuts and chocolate)

Baci di dama (Absolutely gorgeous! Hazelnuts and chocolate joined together for pure pleasure!)

Bavarian cream with chocolate -caramel sauce (an incredibly soft vanilla dessert, served with a delicious sauce)

Shortbread biscuits with black pepper and fennel seeds (So sweet and spicy, these cookies melt in the mouth and can be very addictive!!! )

Dark chocolate and marrons glacés Tart (Decadent and delicious!)

Torta Paradiso with Crema Pasticciera (This is a gorgeous sponge cake that can be served with any filling you wish… I would serve it with this delicious Italian custard cream)

Torta della Nonna (An amazing cake, made with a shortbread crust and top layer, filled with a thick custard and topped with lots of pine nuts! Truly special!)

French meringues (I know this is a recent post, but I think meringues are a perfect Christmas treat!)

How To Make (Almost) Perfect Meringues

The basics.
A meringue is basically made with two ingredients: sugar and egg whites.
In Italian cuisine we often use three types of meringue: the classic, the French or Italian meringue.
While the classic and French meringues are both baked, the Italian meringue is usually pasteurised (“cooked” at a very low temperature) by adding hot sugar syrup during the preparation process and it is generally used in creamy desserts or cake decorations/ fillings.

Classic or French meringue?
The main difference between French and classic meringues is in the preparation methods. In fact, both these meringues are made with the same ingredients and cooking methods, but they differ in the way in which the sugar is added to the recipe and (slightly) in their final consistency. In the classic meringue the sugar is added at the end of the process, incorporating the sugar with a spatula when the egg whites are firmly whipped; while in the French meringue the sugar is added gradually during the whipping process.

In this article we will see the preparation process for the French meringue, which is quite light and crispy.

…And yes, it’s hard to get it right, but not impossible!

Basic French meringue recipe.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 3 hours

Ingredients

For 25 meringues (two oven trays)

100 g egg whites

200 g granulated sugar (use icing sugar for a finer grain)

Method.

1. Using an electric beater, beat the egg whites with 1/3 of sugar (about 66 g) starting with a medium-low power.

2. Once the egg whites have doubled in volume, add another 1/3 of sugar and beat at a medium-high power.

3. When the egg whites are almost stiff, add the rest of the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is thick and glossy.

4. Line the base of an oven tray with baking paper, then, using a piping bag, make the meringues (5 cm wide x 3 cm thick).

5. Bake at 85-100° C ( 185- 212°F) for 3 hours (the cooking time depends also on the oven you use). Let cool completely on wire rack and then place in a airtight container.

A few things to keep in mind…

About the ingredients.

1. As a basic rule, the weight of the sugar must be double compared to that of the egg whites.

2. You can add something a little acidic, like lemon juice, to help the whipping process. The doses: use 1/2 a teaspoon of lemon juice for 100 g of egg whites.

3. It is possible to add a little cornstarch in order to better maintain the shape of the meringues during the cooking process.

4. Don’t add any salt because it won’t help the whipping process. Some recipes might suggest the opposite, but it is not correct.

About the preparation method.

1. Separate the egg whites from the yolks well, even small traces of egg yolk will compromise the end result.

2. The equipment used during the whipping process should have been properly cleaned, dried and possibly quite cold. All these elements will help you to achieve the perfect meringue!

About the cooking method.

1. Cook the meringues at a very low temperature to avoid any changes in colour or cracks on the surface (basically the meringues have to dry out slowly in the oven). Best cooking temperature: 85 -100 ° C ( 185- 212°F).

2. If you want to dry the meringues completely, to preserve them for longer, you can leave them in the oven (turned off) for a few hours, after the cooking process.

Ricetta base per la meringa francese.

Tempo di preparazione: 10 minuti

Tempo di cottura: 3 ore

Ingredienti

Per 25 meringhe (per 2 teglie rettangolari)

100 g di albumi

200 g di zucchero semolato (potete usare zucchero a velo per una meringa con grana più fine)

Preparazione.

1. Con uno sbattitore elettrico (utilizzando una potenza medio-bassa), incominciate a montare gli albumi con 1/3 di zucchero (circa 66 g).

2. Quando gli albumi saranno raddoppiati di volume, aggiungete ancora 1/3 di zucchero e aumentate la potenza.

3. Ad albumi quasi montati a neve, aggiungere il resto dello zucchero e continuare a montare fino ad ottenere un composto denso e lucido.

4. Ricoprite la base di una teglia con carta da forno, poi, utilizzando un sac à poche, date la forma alle meringhe (5 cm di larghezza x 3 cm di altezza).

5. Infornare a 85-100 ° C per 3 ore (il tempo di cottura però dipende dal forno utilizzato). Fate raffreddare bene, poi conservate le meringhe in un contenitore a chiusura ermetica.

Note.

Per gli ingredienti.

1. Come regola generale, il peso dello zucchero deve essere il doppio di quello degli albumi.

2. Si può utilizzare del succo di limone per far montare meglio gli albumi. Dosi consigliate: 1/2 cucchiaino di succo di limone per 100 g di albumi.

3. Aggiungendo un po ‘ di amido di mais le meringhe manterranno meglio la forma durante la cottura.

4. Il sale non aiuta a montare meglio gli albumi, se potete non utilizzatelo.

Per la preparazione.

1. Separate bene gli albumi dai i tuorli, perché piccole tracce di tuorlo possono compromettere il risultato finale.

2. L’ attrezzatura deve essere pulita, asciugata e possibilmente fredda.

Per la cottura.

1. Le meringhe devono cuocere a temperatura molto bassa per evitare un cambiamento di colore o la formazione di piccole crepe sulla superficie. La temperatura di cottura più indicata è tra 85-100 ° C.

2. Le meringhe si conservano a lungo quando sono molto asciutte. A cottura terminata, potete lasciare le meringhe nel forno per qualche ora per farle asciugare completamente.

Coming soon…

Whisk on the table with backlight

Coming soon…

A black and white still life inspired by the new recipe…

Chickpea Flour Bread With Pumpkin Seeds

This is a delicious bread, made partially with chickpea flour, which is a rich source of vegetable protein and has a low carbohydrate content. I’ve developed this recipe in order to create a delicious bread to be served with a light onion soup, a tasty combination for a balanced meal that will warm you up nicely during the festive season.

As usual, I’ve included you all the directions you need to make the recipe using normal yeast or sourdough. If you use sourdough you can prepare the sourdough starter the night before and let it rise overnight. Then in the morning (or afternoon) you can follow the recipe as written below.

Chickpea flour bread (quickest method with normal yeast)

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Preparation time: 20 minutes + the rising time

Ingredients

2 small breads (4 servings)

150 g chickpea flour

150 g whole spelt flour

300 g plain flour

18 g yeast

a little brown sugar

10 g salt

water

For garnish

a handful of shelled pumpkin seeds

Method (with yeast).

1. Make the yeast starter. Mix the yeast with a little bit of warm water, then add two tablespoons of flour and a pinch of brown sugar. Make a small dough, then let double in volume.

2. Separately, mix the rest of the flour with 10 g of salt and enough water to make the bread dough. Add the yeast starter and knead well.

3. Slash an X cut on the surface and then let the dough rise until it has doubled in volume (at least 2 hours).

4. Divide the dough into two equal parts, then shape two breads. Slash an X cut on both breads and garnish with the pumpkin seeds (possibly, let rise for another 30 minutes).

5. Line the base of an oven tray with baking paper, then grease with a little extra virgin olive oil and dust with flour. Bake at 200 ° C (392° F) for 25-30 minutes.

Chickpea flour bread with sourdough

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Preparation time: 20 minutes + the rising time

2 small breads (4 servings)

150 g chickpea flour

50 g whole spelt flour

270 g plain flour

10 g salt

water

For garnish

a handful of shelled pumpkin seeds

For the starter (to be prepared the night before).

50 g sourdough (I used a semi-solid sourdough made with plain organic flour)

100 g of whole spelt flour

a little of brown sugar

a little bit of water

Make the starter.

Mix 100 g of whole spelt flour with 50 g of sourdough and a little water, then cover with some cling film and let stand overnight.

Method (with sourdough).

1. In a large bowl, mix the rest of the flour with 10 g of salt and enough water to make a soft dough.

2. Combine the dough with the sourdough starter and then add some flour, but only if necessary (the dough shouldn’t be too sticky or dry).

3. Slash a big X on the surface of the dough, cover with a cloth and let stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume (3 to 6 hours, depending on the sourdough strength).

4. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape the breads, then slash an X on the surface and let rise once more.

5. Garnish the breads with the pumpkin seeds and bake at 200 ° C (392° F) for 25-30 minutes.

See also the Farinata recipe (a delicious focaccia made with chickpea flour)

Pane con farina di ceci (preparazione con lievito di birra)

Tempo di cottura: 25-30 minuti

Tempo di preparazione: 20 minuti + il tempo di lievitazione

Ingredienti

Per 2 panini grossi (per 4 persone)

150 g di farina di ceci

150 g di farina di farro integrale

300 g di farina 00

18 g di lievito di birra

pochissimo zucchero di canna

10 g di sale

acqua q. b.

Per guarnire

una manciata di semi di zucca (senza buccia)

Preparazione dell’impasto con lievito di birra.

1. Sciogliete il lievito di birra in poca acqua tiepida, poi aggiungete due cucchiai di farina e un pizzico di zucchero di canna ; quindi mescolate fino a creare un panetto morbido e lasciate raddoppiare di volume.

2. A parte, mischiate le farine con il sale e aggiungete gradualmente l’acqua, fino ad ottenere un impasto uniforme. Incorporate il panetto di lievito e lavorate bene.

3. Fate un taglio a croce sulla superficie e poi fate lievitare l’impasto per 2 ore.

4. Dividete l’impasto in due parti uguali, date la forma a due panini (vedi le foto) e decorate con i semi di zucca (sarebbe meglio far lievitare per altri 30 minuti).

5. Ricoprite la teglia con carta da forno, ungete con poco olio d’oliva e infornate il pane a 200° C per 25-30 minuti.

Pane con farina di ceci (preparazione con lievito madre)

Tempo di cottura: 25-30 minuti

Tempo di preparazione: 20 minuti + il tempo di lievitazione

Ingredienti

Per due panini grandi ( 4 persone)

150 g di farina di ceci

50 g di farina di farro integrale

275 g di farina 00

10 g di sale

acqua q. b.

Per guarnire

una manciata di semi di zucca (senza buccia)

Per il panetto di lievito (da preparare la sera prima).

50 g di lievito madre (uso un lievito semisolido con base di farina biologica 00)

100 g di farina di farro integrale

pochissimo zucchero di canna

acqua q. b.

Preparazione del panetto di lievito.

Mescolate 100 g di farina di farro con 50 g di lievito madre e poca acqua; quindi ricoprite con una pellicola e lasciate riposare per tutta la notte.

Preparazione dell’impasto con lievito madre.

1. In una ciotola grande, mischiate le farine con il sale e l’acqua necessaria per ottenere un impasto liscio e morbido.

2. Unite il lievitino al resto dell’impasto, aggiungendo un po’ di farina se necessario (l’impasto non deve risultare troppo umido).

3. Fate un taglio a croce sulla superficie, poi ricoprite con un panno e lasciate lievitare l’impasto fino a quando sarà raddoppiato di volume (generalmente dalle 3 alle 6 ore, ma dipende dal lievito madre).

4. Dividete l’impasto in due, date la forma a due panini (vedi le foto) e poi fate lievitare ancora.

5. Guarnite il pane con i semi di zucca e infornate a 200°C per 25-30 minuti.

Vedere anche la ricetta della Farinata

Light And Tasty Onion Soup With Chickpea Bread

This week we are going to prepare a delicious and easy to make onion soup, served with a wonderful chickpea bread, especially made for this recipe. A meal so light and tasty that it could easily be considered comforting as well as healthy!

This soup is really well complemented by the chickpea bread (see the recipe), which is a good source of proteins and keeps the meal light and nicely balanced! The perfect winter dish to enjoy by the fire!

Enjoy!