Recipe blog by Italian food lover Matthew Luca.
Join me on a Journey to discover the very best of Italian food and flavours with my new blog. Matthew takes inspiration from Italian food and Mediterranean flavours and is based in the Republic of Ireland.
email: chefmatthewluca@gmail.com
I know its bad to promote fried food but Sicilians love it and pretty much try and deep fry anything. This alternative Gnocchi recipe is great as a snack or side dish. I have added Harissa to flavour the gnocchi and I think it makes the dish.
In a deep fryer at 180c cook the gnocchi until golden and floating on the surface of the oil. When cooked transfer to a large mixing bowl, add the harissa, bit of salt and pepper and a dash of balsamic, add 2 tbsp. of the hot oil and then give a good shake. The result is phenomenal. I have also made a dip using some mayonnaise and a sprinkle of harissa.
A Salmon dish born out of the Mediterranean Sea perfect for al fresco dining. This succulent baked salmon is perfect for those sunny days and BBQ's as its wrapped and cooked in aluminium foil. Best enjoyed with a cool glass of Italian Sauvignon by So Prosecco
Ingredients (serves 4)
4 Salmon fillets
2 tbsp. capers
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp. paprika
4 cloves garlic
4 lemon wedges
200g cherry tomatoes
4 tbsp. Olive oil
salt & pepper for seasoning
Aluminium/Kitchen foil for wrapping
Method
pre heat oven to 200c. Place salmon filets on individual sheets of foil, sprinkle over the capers, paprika, chilli flakes and add a lemon wedge on each salmon along with a clove of garlic and a few cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Wrap each fillet like a parcel ensuring its packed very loose as the steam from the salmon is important to cook the fish. Fold over the ends of the foil to ensure a tight seal. bake in hot oven for 10-15 minutes.
To serve, you can either serve in the foil parcels or on the plate. best served with a side of fresh salad leafs with tomato and a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice.
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Fried Calamari rings are a must for any Italian feast but this version goes one better as it's gluten free so that everybody can enjoy it.
Ingredients
2 squid tubes or cut calamari rings 500g
200g Rice flour
70ml Sparkling water
Coarse sea salt & pepper for seasoning
1 tsp Balsamic vinegar
1 lemon cut into wedges
Method
Cut the squid tubes into rings or use pre-cut calamari rings, pat dry between a few sheets of kitchen paper.
In a mixing bowl add the flour, pinch of salt and pepper add the sparkling water a little at a time until silky and a thick enough to coat the squid rings.
In a deep fat fryer set to 180c, add the calamari and cook for around 2 minutes until crisp and floating on the surface of the oil. remove the calamari from the oil when cooked and place on kitchen paper to drain of excess oil. season with a generous helping of sea salt and balsamic vinegar. serve immediately with a wedge of lemon.
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Wondering what to do with left over egg whites? who can refuse a good pavlova anyway.
Oodles of cream and crisp but gooey meringue, soo tasty.
Ingredients
6 egg whites
300g Caster sugar
1/4 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp vanilla essence
200ml double cream (whipped)
200g chopped strawberries
100g raspberries
50g blueberries
Method
Using a food mixer with balloon whisk or bowl and electric whisk, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, add the sugar, vanilla essence and white wine vinegar and whisk for a further 5 minutes until smooth and very firm.
Preheat oven to 130c. On a large baking tray lined with greaseproof/baking parchment, place the soft meringue on the middle, spread to form a round and make a well in the middle so that when cooked the cream can sit inside.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour, 30 minutes until firm but slightly soft in the middle. transfer carefully to a cooling rack.
When the meringue is completely cool spread the whipped cream around the middle of the pavlova, garnish with the fresh fruit.
Chefs tip; put a little of the soft meringue mix into a piping bag and make little nests, they take around 40 minutes to cook. why not try some spun sugar for decoration.
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If you give an Italian a carbonara with cream then it's vito for you.
People often have a fear when using eggs in cooking although they really shouldn't, its authentic Italian cooking at its best.
Ingredients
6 Egg Yolks (keep the whites as you can use this for other amazing recipes like my Pavlova)
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
250g Spaghetti
200g bacon lardons or pancetta
sprig of rosemary
1 onion (finely diced)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed, using garlic press or finely chopped)
1 tbsp. olive oil
bunch of parsley (chopped)
Parmesan to garnish
Black pepper
1 tbsp. salt
Method
In large pot of boiling water, add the salt and spaghetti and cook for around 10 minutes until tender but aldente.
In a frying pan add the olive oil, pancetta or bacon lardons, rosemary, onion, garlic and fry until bacon is browned and crisp, then turn heat down to lowest setting.
In a mixing bowl add the egg yolks, 2 tbsp. parmesan and whisk until combined and silky.
when the spaghetti is cooked, using pair of kitchen tongs lift the pasta out of the hot water and into the frying pan with the bacon etc as this keeps a little hot water within the pasta to ensure a glossy finish to the sauce, immediately pour over the egg yolks, mix in to the spaghetti to ensure an even coat as this gives carbonara its creaminess. (if the pan is too hot the eggs will scramble).
Garnish with fresh parsley, parmesan and good grind of black pepper.
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I absolutely love capunata, a traditional Sicilian aubergine stew. Often served with fish or simply as a delightful vegetarian dish. This version is a little more refined than the one I grew up enjoying but tastes stunning.
Ingredients (serves 4)
2 aubergines (one finely diced and one skin off and roughly chopped)
200ml double cream
200ml water
2 vine tomatoes (finely diced with seeds removed)
1 red onion (finely diced)
8-10 green olives
1 tbsp. capers
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic (2 cut to razor thin slices)
4 tbsp. Olive Oil
few basil leafs, chopped.
salt & pepper for seasoning
Method
To make the puree, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a sauce pan, add the roughly chopped aubergine, season with a little salt and pepper, toss in a clove of garlic and fry for around 5 minutes until golden, add the cream and water and continue cooking until the aubergine is soft and cream becoming thick. Transfer the aubergine to a food processor and blend until smooth, pass through a fine sieve, pressing all the thick pulp aubergine through the sieve. return the puree back to a saucepan and heat until thick then set aside for serving.
For the Caponata, in a large frying pan on a high heat, add 2 tbsp. of olive oil, the aubergine, sliced garlic, onions, capers and fry until the aubergine have browned in colour. Toss in the tomatoes, white wine vinegar, olives, chopped basil leafs, season with a little salt and pepper and cook for a further 2 minutes.
To serve; Place some aubergine puree on the base of the plate or dish, then spoon over some beautiful caponata. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.
Chefs tip; Using a piping bag, pipe the aubergine puree in the bottom of a tall dish or if thick enough pipe stiff peaks on the plate.
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Just a few simple ingredients cooked to perfection. This Salmon dish is a must try for seafood lovers.
Ingredients (serves 4)
Half side of salmon, (pin boned and descaled, skin removed)
250g cherry tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
60ml water
500ml olive oil
80g Butter
salt & pepper for seasoning
Few Dill sprigs
Method
Place tomatoes, garlic in an oven tray, drizzle over a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes. When ready transfer the ingredients to a food processor, add the water and blend until smooth. Pass the tomato sauce through a fine sieve into a saucepan, add the butter and cook on a moderate heat, whisking continuously until smooth and glossy. (do not allow sauce to boil).
In a Sautee pan, add the remainder of the oil until half way up the side, put on a medium heat being careful not to overheat or overfill the pan. (you want to ensure the salmon fillets are just covered by the oil. Cut salmon onto 4 equal portions, Pat dry the salmon fillets and season, then cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes, when ready transfer onto some kitchen paper to drain off excess oil.
To serve; Sauce the plate with the tomato emulsion and place the salmon in the middle, garnish with a fresh cherry tomato and dill sprig.
Chefs tip: Deep fry the fish skin separately until crispy, season with salt & balsamic vinegar.
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A simple approach to salad deconstructed and it looks beautiful.
Ingredients (serves 4)
8 Asparagus (peeled and trimmed at the base)
4 Vine tomatoes (finely sliced but kept whole)
1/4 Cucumber (finely sliced)
Balsamic glaze
Salad leafs
Bunch of fresh Basil
Sprig of fresh oregano
Salt & pepper to season
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
25g butter
Parmesan cheese
Method
One at a time, Slice each tomato finely then gently form the tomato into a strait line, then carefully move the ends towards each other to form a circle.
In a frying pan on a medium heat, add the butter, asparagus, a pinch of pepper and Sautee for a couple of minutes until cooked but firm.
With your finely cut cucumber, law a few slices together and trim the ends off to form a rectangle (see picture above).
To plate; add a tablespoon of balsamic glaze on one side of the plate and using a pastry brush, spread to the opposite side. Using a palate knife place the tomato on one side of the balsamic glaze, cucumber in the middle. in a bowl toss the salad in a bit of olive oil and lemon juice and add a little bit of leaf salad on the other side of the glaze. Lay the asparagus beside the glaze on the plate, garnish with oregano leafs, a grating of parmesan. Put a basil leaf in the centre of the tomato. Season the tomato with a little salt & pepper and serve.
Chefs tip: Lightly blow torch the tomato rounds before plating.
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A tasty Italian flatbread recipe, these Piadina's will impress at the dinner table and are quick and easy to make. great with any main course, soup, to use as a sandwich wrap or served simply with some pesto.
Ingredients
190g Strong bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
130ml water
2 tbsp. olive oil
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients to form a dough, knead for a few minutes until smooth and elastic and it bounces back up when pushed down. cut into 4 equal pieces and on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin, roll out to form thin, flat and roundish bread dough.
Using either on a non stick pan or cast Iron Skillet heat the pan with a tiny amount of olive oil, about 1 teaspoon, cook the bread dough on moderate high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side until browned and a little puffy. Best served hot but can also be left to cool and stored in plastic wrapping or freezer bags for up to 7 days. You can also freeze then for around 6 weeks.
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Traditionally a festive treat but very welcome at any time of year. This fantastic recipe will produce a good batch of cookies that can be stored in airtight containers or gift wrapped for special occasions. I sold out of these at a Christmas Market in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan last year and for those that have never had the pleasure of tasting ricotta cookies, they are sweet and not savoury and absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
225g Butter
115g Caster Sugar
250g Ricotta cheese
2 tbsp Vanilla extract
600g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Method
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, butter and sugar with your hands so that its almost crumbly. Add the ricotta and vanilla extract then combine well again to form a dough, Set aside in the fridge for 10 minutes and preheat oven 180c.
On a flat baking tray, cover with grease proof paper/baking parchment. Take out the cookie dough from the fridge and roll into small balls (just a little smaller than a ping pong/table tennis ball) and place on the baking tray leaving enough space between then to grow while cooking. Place in the middle shelf of the oven for 8-10 minutes until risen, firm and slightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before icing.
Topping Ingredients
175g Icing Sugar
4 tbsp. Milk
chocolate sprinkles
Method
combine the milk and icing sugar with a whisk to form a thick but runny glaze. Pick up a ricotta cookie and dip the top into the glaze (face down) and transfer to baking tray or sheet of parchment paper on your table, then add the chocolate sprinkles. if your going to store these cookies or give then as a gift leave the icing to dry out for a couple of hours.
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This one pan creation is perfect for family and friends dining at home and encompasses all the best flavours we have come to love of Italian cuisine. For this dish I have used a Cast Iron Skillet as it's suitable for frying and baking in the oven
Ingredients (serves 4)
4 Chicken breasts
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
200g Plain flour (lightly seasoned)
1 Large white Onion (finely diced)
1 Red pepper (diced)
1 Ball Mozzarella (sliced)
500g Tomato Passata
1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
300ml Chicken stock
6 cloves Garlic (diced)
100ml White Wine
1 Tbsp Capers
Salt & pepper for seasoning
Bunch of Fresh Basil
Few sprigs of fresh Oregano or 1 tsp dried Oregano
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Method
Coat the chicken breasts lightly in seasoned flour, add the olive oil to the pan and put on a high heat. When hot add the chicken breasts and leave to cook on one side for 3 minutes, then turn and cook for a further 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside for later.
Using the same pan add the onion, red pepper and garlic and fry until softened for around 3 minutes. Add the white wine oregano and capers then continue cooking on a high heat for another minute, then add the tomato Passata, tomato puree, season with a little salt and pepper, continue cooking for around 2 minutes, add the chicken stock, stir, return the chicken to the pan and leave to simmer for around 5 minutes (TASTE and season to your liking).
In a preheated oven at 200c, place a slice of mozzarella on each chicken breast and place the pan in the middle shelf for around 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. When ready place the Pan/Skillet on a wooden board, garnish with some basil leafs and little parmesan cheese if you have some, serve from the pan at the table with a side of pasta and pesto.
(Caution, Cast iron Skillets retail allot of each well after cooking so always use appropriate oven gloves or dish cloths when lifting or touching the pan)
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Pasta uncomplicated is a beautiful thing. This simple pasta and meat dish without the need for sauce is a must try for anyone who wants to understand how Italians really like they're pasta.
Ingredients (serves 4)
200f or 4 handfuls of Conchiglioni Pasta
200g Minced beef
50g Bacon Lardons or Pancetta
3 cloves Garlic (skin off)
20g Butter
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 sprigs Rosemary
Salt & Pepper for seasoning
Method
Cook the dried pasta according to the packed instructions, normally by boiling in lightly salted water for 8-10 minutes until aldente in texture. Plunge cooked into cold water and keep aside for later.
In a frying pan on a high heat add the olive oil, beef mince, season with a little salt and pepper and cook for around 2 minutes to start sealing the beef mince, add the garlic cloves, rosemary, pancetta/bacon lardons, a touch of pepper and continue cooking for around 3-5 minutes until the mince is browned and fat sinew is cooked through. Turn the heat down to a moderately low temperature then add the butter and strained pasta to the pan and combine gently until the pasta is heated through. Serve immediately and garnish with fresh oregano or Basil.
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Add the tomatoes and season with the salt and pepper, cook on a moderate high heat for around 5 minutes, taste to ensure your happy with seasoning and remove from the heat.
In a ramekin or shallow oven proof dish add a little of the sauce, then make a small well in the middle, crack in an egg, sprinkle over some of the salami, grate over a little parmesan cheese and bake in the oven for around 10 minutes on 190c until the egg whites have cooked. To serve sprinkle over some chopped basil and a light drizzle of truffle oil.
Chefs alternative tip: try making it using a confit egg yolk as this requires no baking.
If your wondering what you can do with a Zucchini (Courgette) then hopefully this recipe will inspire you just as my imagination did with me. It's the perfect start to any meal and while visually striking its simplicity will surprise you.
Ingredients (serves 4)
250g Mascarpone cheese
100g Spinach (chopped)
4 Zucchini / Courgette
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leafs (picked from stems) plus extra sprigs for decoration
Method
Cut the Zucchini (courgettes) into 3 inch high cylinders, carefully remove the core (middle) with a knife. Cut 12 slices from another zucchini and cut out small circles to fit in the base of the cylinders to seal.
In a mixing bowl add the mascarpone, thyme leafs, garlic, salt & pepper, plus chopped spinach and mix thoroughly. Carefully place the cylinders on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and then fill with the mascarpone & spinach pushing down to ensure its packed with the filling and slightly overfilled on the top. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes on 200c then serve.
I have plated mine with a base of green pesto and scattering of artichoke, tomatoes, olive and thyme sprigs plus a few deep fried zucchini (courgette) slices that created the circles on top.
A world without cannoli is like a world without the earth beneath our feet, it would be impossible.
The first Cannoli I tasted was at the world famous Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken New Jersey ( home of THE CAKE BOSS hit TV show). The owner (Buddy Valastro) really works his magic creating these Italian and now American favourites with various fillings. I'm basing my recipe using some traditional Sicilian methods and my own travel influences as well as taste preferences, I hope you like them. You'll also need (Cannoli forms) these are the thin metal tubes that you use to make the shells, I purchased mine from eBay.
Ingredients
For the Dough (Cannoli Shells)
275g Plain Flour (plus extra for dusting)
2 Eggs
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Salt
50g Butter
10ml White wine vinegar
30ml Amaretto Liqueur
(2 litres of Vegetable or Sunflower oil for frying) Peanut oil is preferred but quite expensive for deep frying.
Method
In a mixing bowl add the flour, salt, cinnamon, cocoa and butter then mix together until you have reached a breadcrumb type texture. Put in the eggs and butter then mix together to form a dry dough. Add the white wine vinegar, knead into the dough then add the amaretto liqueur and contine to work into the dough. At this stage the dough will be quite wet so using some extra plain flour 1 tablespoon at a time, add to the dough until it becomes dry enough to knead without it sticking to your hands.
Knead the dough ball on a lightly floured surface for 4-5 mins until elastic and combined well, shape into a ball then wrap tightly in cling film and leave to firm in the fridge for around 1 hour.
Remove dough from the fridge and cut a slice off around 1/2 inch thick and with a rolling pin roll out the dough until paper thin.
Cut out circles (4-5 inches in diameter) and roll each one around a cannoli form (tip: use a little egg white to stick down the fold of the dough around the form) then set aside on a floured surface.
In a large heavy based pan or fat fryer, fill up to around 4 inches (ensuring their is at least another 3 inch gap to the rim of the pot, if not use a larger pan). heat oil to around 180c or until a piece of bread takes 10 seconds to turn golden brown. then carefully add the cannoli forms into the hot oil (only two at a time in the pan) and fry until golden brown, this will take around 1 min. remove from the oil being careful to ensure all the hot oil has drained out of the form tubes and then set aside on some kitchen towl for 5 minutes until cool.
When the form tubes are cool, slightly bang the forms in an upright position on a work surface then gently remove the cannoli shell away from the metal form. repeat this process until complete.
For the Filling Ingredients
500g Ricotta cheese (Drained)
100g Icing Sugar (plus extra for dusting)
40g chopped glace fruit
1/2 vanilla pod (seeds only)
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp amaretto liqueur
Method
In a large mixing bowl combine the ricotta, sugar, vanilla seeds, orange zest and amaretto with a whisk until smooth and silky. Add the glace fruit and fold in gently. Place filling into piping bags or sandwich bags ready for piping (if using the sandwich bag just snip a 5 cm hole in the corner and push down.
To make the cannoli, pipe some filling into each side of the shell/tube, you can garnish the ends with candied fruit of you like then sprinkle over some icing sugar for decoration.
Bring the taste of Italian summers to your home with this tantalizing Gelato recipe, its not easy to find good quality Gelato in a supermarket and what's great about making it yourself is that you know it has no additives, oils or preservatives. I will add recipes for two more flavours (Strawberry & Tutti Frutti ) plus an Affogato below, you'll be able to make these using the base Vanilla Gelato and then adding the flavours. It's a good idea to make the gelato at least a day before you plan to use it.
Ingredients: (Vanilla based Gelato)
500ml Double cream
500ml Full fat Milk
300g Caster sugar
8 Egg yolks
1 Vanilla pod
Method
In a large mixing bowl pour in the sugar, egg yolks and then whisk until it appears as a runny liquid, set aside.
In a heavy based pan, add the milk, cream and seeds from the vanilla pod and cook on a high heat until small bubbles begin to form around the inside rim of the pan. (just before it begins to boil) then turn off heat (do not let boil).
Add a very small amount of the hot milk to the eggs and sugar and stir gently until combined then add a bit more in stages slowly increasing the amount of hot milk you whisk into the eggs. When finished pour the mixture back into the pan and cook on a medium to high heat stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to stick to the back of a spoon.
Remove from the heat and transfer into a mixing bowl and leave to cool, when cold cover with cling film and place in the fridge until chilled.
Once chilled thoroughly empty the mixture into one or two sealed sandwich bags and double bag them for extra strength, then place in the freezer, every hour or so give the sandwich bag a gentle squeeze to help churn the Gelato until its firm enough to remove from the bags easily. Empty the gelato into a freezer proof plastic container and now you have your own homemade Gelato for whenever you need it. (Video recipe below).
Tutti Frutti Gelato
Add some candied chopped mix fruit and a couple of drops of orange essence to some Vanilla Gelato, mix gently and allow to re-firm in the freezer.
Strawberry Gelato
Simply add some chopped strawberries to the Vanilla gelato and mix thoroughly and allow to re-firm in the freezer.
Affogato
This is an Italian favourite, simply pour an espresso shot over vanilla gelato and serve with a crisp wafer. Mine is also garnished with crushed pistachio. (please only use fresh filtered coffee ), I used my espresso machine as it adds a good crema to the coffee. (Lavazza) :-)
Risotto can be difficult to get right but if you do it's just amazing, so don't be nervous tackling this recipe, the combination of a few simple flavours really makes this stand out in a fresh and vibrant way.
Ingredients (serves 4)
250g Risotto rice
1 red onion (finely diced)
3 cloves garlic (skin off)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
150ml white wine
100g frozen peas
1 bunch fresh mint (half of bunch chopped)
1 litre chicken stock (plus a kettle full of boiling water on standby)
75g parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra for drizzling) (optional: truffle infused oil for drizzling)
Salt & Pepper
Method
It a large heavy base pan on a high heat, add the olive oil, garlic and onions, stir and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and oregano and cook for a further 1 minute.
Add the risotto rice and stir until the liquid in the pan has been absorbed, when the rice begins to stick to the bottom of the pan pour in the stock, season with salt & pepper, stir and leave to cook for around 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally, when the stock is three quarters absorbed in to the risotto rice remove from the heat and taste the rice to see if its cooked (at this stage it should be quite grainy, we're looking for aldente ) so put back on the heat and add around 100ml of boiling water at occasional intervals stirring continuously until the rice becomes cooked correctly but the risotto remains loose (not dry) this should take around 3-4 minutes.
When your happy with the texture of the rice add in the peas, chopped mint, stir for around 1 minute. add the parmesan and stir, then your ready to plate. Serve with some fresh mint leafs and a drizzle of oilive oil.
This dish screams Sicilian, The freshly caught Cod (Merluzzo) served with Aubergine stew (Caponata) and the aroma when making it is sensational. For me the cod must be fresh to ensure it remains the champion of this wonderful plate of food.
Ingredients
1 large side of whole cod (must be fresh, pin-boned and de-scaled) cut into 4 fillets
4 sheets of Prosciutto ham or Parma ham
2 Large Aubergines (diced)
2 cloves Garlic (chopped)
1 red onion (chopped)
Handful of Green olives (pitted)
Handful of Black olives (pitted)
4 large tomatoes (diced)
2 tablespoon of capers
20ml White wine vinegar
Bunch of fresh Parley
Bunch of fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Salt & pepper
100ml Olive oil
Method
Pre-heat oven to 200c, Season the cod fillets with salt & pepper, wrap each one in prosciutto. With a frying pan on a high heat and a drizzle of olive oil, cook the fillets on each side for 1 minute until seared, remove pan from the heat and transfer into the pre-heated oven for around 8 minutes.
In a large pan on a high heat with a good glug of olive oil add the Aubergines, onion and garlic then continue cooking and stirring until the aubergine has browned a little. When the pan starts to become a little dry pour in the white wine vinegar and deglaze for around 1 minute. then put in the tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano and parsley. Season with a little salt & pepper and keep cooking and stirring for a couple of minutes then set aside and season to taste if required.
Put a generous portion of the Caponata in the centre of a plate and then remove the fish from the oven (if a dinner knife goes through the cod without resistance then its cooked) and place on top, Garnish with some fresh parsley and serve. I added a ring of balsamic glaze on the plate for an optional taste enhancement.
A great accompaniment to an espresso or cup of tea. They can also be a quirky alternative to meringue in desserts. This recipe is for a bigger batch so you can store some away for when Nona comes for tea.
Ingredients
Icing Sugar for dusting
1 Vanilla Pod
8 Egg whites
700g Caster Sugar
600g ground almonds
50ml Amaretto Liqueur
Method
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until firm, scrape seeds from the vanilla pod and place in the bowl. Slowly mix in the almonds, sugar and liqueur until combined.
On a non-stick baking tray (lightly greased) or on greaseproof paper place 1 teaspoon of the mix and repeat the process leaving about 1 inch between them.
In a preheated oven 180c cook on the middle shelf for around 10-15 minutes until lightly golden.
when taking out of the oven allow to rest for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack, Then add a generous dusting of icing sugar.
It would be a personal dishonour if I did not write about this classic salad that pretty much sums up Italian cuisine. Its simple, just a few flavours without any fuss and that's what the secret is SHHHUUSH....
Ingredients
Cherry tomatoes on the vine
Mini Mozzarella balls
Balsamic Glaze
Green Pesto
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Handful of fresh basil leafs
Method
Place the vine tomatoes into an oven proof dish and drizzle over a little olive oil along with some salt & pepper to season. Put on a high heat 250c for 5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften.
The marriage, spread a little green pesto on the plate and place tomatoes on top, scatter around some of the mozzarella. lightly sprinkle with salt, drizzle over some balsamic glaze, then olive oil, scatter fresh basil and then crack over some black pepper. for a zingy finish why not try some lemon zest grated over the top.
