Radicchio and Ricotta Veggieballs

As often happens, the best recipes are born when you match those two or three ingredients that you find in your fridge ... and here's how the radicchio and ricotta veggieballsthey were born! Easy to make,with few ingredients but a lot of flavor! They are even eggless, very light but tasty! If you do not like the radicchio you can replace it with another vegetable you like. These veggieballs are perfect for a light lunch or for a happy hour with friends.

Ingredienti

1/2 Radicchio

170 gr. Ricotta Cheese

3 Slices Wholemeal Bread 

1/2 Onion

1 Clove of Garlic

Red Wine

Wholemeal Flour

Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Cut and wash half a radicchio.
• Chop the onion and cook with a little oil and the clove of garlic. Add a little water to cook it well and then add the radicchio.
• Let cook a bit and then simmer with the red wine (even the white one is okay). Add salt.
• When the radicchio is cooked, blend it with a mixer and then drain in order to make it loose the water in excess.
• Now pour the radicchio in a bowl and add the ricotta.
• In the mixer where there was the radicchio, blend the 3 bread slices and then add to the mixture. 
• Mix well, add salt and shape the veggie balls.
• I've got 18 veggie balls
• Put a little olive oil on the veggie balls and bake at 200° in baking tray with the baking paper.
• Cook for about 20 minutes.

Click here to read this recipe in Italian

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Cougettes with Mint and Tomato Sauce

Cougettes with mint are one of my favorite side dishes. I love cougettes in general, but I'm don't want to eat them only sautéed with onion and parsley, so here I am to share with you this delicious Sardinian recipe , which is also used to make the tripe (which I do not like).

 

Ingredienti

2 Courgettes

2 Tomatoes

1 Clove of Garlic

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Dry Mint

3 spoons of Tomato Sauce

Salt

• First wash the courgettes and cut into sticks not too thick nor too thin. The form must recall the tripe one
• Now  stir fry with them with the garlic (or if you prefer with a little onion).
• Towards half cooked, add the tomatoes cut into small pieces and the dry mint (at least one teaspoon).
•  After a few minutes add also the three tablespoons of sauce and salt and finish the cooking. 

 
 

   

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Aubergines with Ricotta, Dry Tomatoes and Pesto

Are you looking for a quick starter, but good and nice to see? I think this is a perfect solution! Grilled aubergines with a cream made by ricotta and dry tomatoes in oil on pesto sauce.

Ingredients

Aubergines 1

Ricotta 150 gr

Dry Tomatoes in Oil 3

Water (to taste)

Pesto
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Wash the aubergine and cut it. The slices have to be a bit thick in order not to dry during the cooking.
• Put the olive oil in the pan and grill the aubergines.
• When they are cooking, mix the ricotta, the dry tomatoes, a very little bit of olive oil and some water.
• Now fill the aubergines (you can even make rolls if you cut the aubergine vertically).
• Place a bit of pesto on a plate and then put on the aubergines.

 

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Baked Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato

This is one of my favourite side dish of 2014... First try and then trust!

 Ingredients
1 Butternut Squash
1 Sweet Potato
1 Onion
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh Rosemary

• Preheat the oven at 180°.
•  Chop the vegetables and place in a baking tray.
• Add the olive oil and mix it with the vegetables.Add the rosemary.
• When the oven is ready, bake. It will take about 40 minutes.
• Check the vegetables in order not to burn them. 
•  Take out of the oven and add salt. 

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Veggieballs with Sweetcorn, Carrots and Peas

A long time ago, the Findus Co. (Birds Eye in UK) launched on the Italian market a sort of sticks made by vegetables. They were delicious, but they didn't last long, because the Findus decided not to sell them anymore. Fortunately, my mum tried to recreate the recipe at home, and they came out GREATE! But we prefer to cook them in a ball shape, it's easier.

Ingredients

2 Potatoes

Peas (a fistful)

Sweetcorn (a fistful)

2 Carrots

1 Egg

Flour

Breadcrumbs

Salt

Peanut oil

• Boil or steam the carrots, the peas and the potatoes.
• Cut the cook vegetables and mash the potatoes with a fork.
• Add the carrots, salt and peas to the mashed potatoes, and, after draining, also the sweetcorn.
• Now mix with the fork and then cook for 2 minutes in the pan, just to dry the mixture.
• Now put the mixture in a bowl, add the egg and mix it.
• Shape the veggieballs, cover in flour and then in breadcrumbs.
• Fry the veggieballs when the oil is very hot.
• Season with salt.
• Now eat everything!!!

Click here to read the recipe in Italian.
Clicca qui per leggere la ricetta in italiano.

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Carrots with Vinegar and Oregano

Today I'm going to show you a super easy recipe to spice up boiled or steamed carrots :)

Ingredients

4 Carrots

Garlic (one clove)

Vinegar

Salt

• First of all, you have to boil o steam the carrots until they are almost cooked.
• Then, let stir fry the garlic with a little of olive oil.
• When it will become golden, throw it away and add the carrots. 
• Let stir fry for a bit and then add some vinegar (as much as you like) and the oregano.
• Let simmer and when they soften they are ready.
• Season with salt.

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Green Beans Salad

During the summertime I prefer to eat light dishes, with vegetables. This recipe is super easy but very good, my family liked it, indeed. 

  Ingredients 

Green Beans 

Cherry Tomatoes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt 

Pepper

• Boil the green beans. In the meantime, chop the tomatoes into cubes.
• When the green beans are cooked, add the tomatoes.
• Season with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
• If you want, you can add boiled potatoes.

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Baked Peppers with Capers

I love peppers in every way, but this recipe it's one of my favourite ever. My mom learned it from an Italian tv show about cuisine, in which Benedetta Parodi explains very easy and quick recipes.

 

Ingredients

3 Peppers

1 Onion

1 Clove of Garlic

Basil Leaves 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Breadcrumbs

A Handful of Capers

Salt

 

• Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and then into strips.
• Place them in a baking dish.
• Cut the onion and place with the peppers. It's not necessaty to finely chop it.
• Add the chopped garlic and basil, and all the remaining ingredients. 
• Mix it and bake for 30 minutes at 180°.
• Eventually use the grill to form a crispy crust.

 

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Potato Salad

My family loves this salad very much, its delicate taste wins over everyone. Moreover it's super easy to cook!

Ingredients 

Potatoes 1 kg

Greek Yogurt 150 ml

Mayonnaise 2 tablespoons

Mustard 2 teaspoons

Chives

Salt

• Boil the potatoes and let cool when they are cooked.
•  Finely chop the chives.
• Mix the mayo, the mustard, the greek yogurt and the chives. Taste the mixture to verify if it is all right. If you prefer to stay lighter don't put the mayo, it will be very good anyway.
• Now put the dressing on the potatoes and add a little of salt.
• Put in the fridge if you like to eat it cold, like me.

Click here  to read this recipe in Italian on my mum's blog

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Saffron Courgettes - Light but Tasty

I love courgettes in general, but this recipe is really my favorite way to cook them. They are light but super tasty, and the saffron gives them a sprint that you can figure out just by trying them!

Ingredients

5 Courgettes

Breadcrumbs

Parmesan

1/2 Onion

Parsley

Basil

Oregano

Saffron

Olive oil

Salt

The amount of ingredients depends on how much courgettes you decide to cook.

• Cut the courgettes in half lengthwise and empty them digging.
•  Boil in a little salted water to soften them.
•  Stir fry the courgette flesh with the minced onion, all the spices and the saffron dissolved in a little warm water.
•  When cooked, turn off the heat and add a little of breadcrumbs, parmesan and salt.
• Put the mixture inside the blanched courgettes and place them in a baking tray.
• Sprinkle with bread crumbs, parmesan and olive oil.
• Bake in pre-heat oven at 180° until the surface will be golden.

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Carrots Salad

This dish is very easy and it's made by few ingredients. Nevertheless, I really like it, and I have to thank my friend Sofia to let me know this recipe. Very often you use the same ingredients to make a dish but just a little difference changes the flavour of it!

Ingredients

Carrots

Parsley

Garlic

Olive Oil

Vinegar

Salt

• Put the carrots in boiling water for about 25 minutes.
• Drain the carrots and let them cool.
• Chop them and add the chopped garlic, parsley, olive oil, vinegar and salt as much as you like.

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Roasted Savoury Vegetables

Happy Sunday people!

I really love vegetables, and I am always looking for new ways to cook them. This recipe is very very easy but it's really savoury, I promise! This version is made with vegetables only, but it's a very good even with the addition of chicken. Perfect as a side dish of the Sunday lunch!

 

Ingredients

4-5 Potatoes

2 Courgettes 

1 Pepper

1 Aubergine

1 Onion

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt

1) Preheat the oven at 180°/200°.

2) Chop the vegetables and place in a baking tray.

3) Add the olive oil and mix it with the vegetables.

4) When the oven is ready, bake. It will take about an hour.

5) Check the vegetables in order not to burn them. 

6) Take out of the oven and add salt. If you want you can add the spice you like the most, for example, I like to add black pepper.

Done! Hope you like it!

                                                                                                                                        

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Middle Eastern Recipe: Falafel

My mother and I really LOVE to cook other countries' recipes, so this is what has come out in a rainy Sunday morning... Falafel! I think I don't have enough words to tell you how much I loved them.. Simply delicious!

Ingredients

Chickpeas  400 gr. (1 can)

Onion   1

Garlic   2 cloves

Fresh minced Parsley   1 teaspoon  

Cumin   2 teaspoons

Coriander   1 teaspoon

Salt

Pepper

Flour

Sunflower seed oil 

1) Drain the chickpeas, dry them with a dish-rag and take out the peel. It is a little long, you need to be patient but it worth it, I promise.

2) Put in the mixer the dry chickpeas, the onion, the garlic and the spices. Mix it and let rest for 1 hour.

3) If the mixture is too soft, add 1/2 spoon of flour. Now shape the veggieballs pushing a little in the centre, as I show you in the picture.

4) When the oil is hot enough, fry them until they will be golden/brown.

We really love them, hope you too!

If you want to read this recipe in Italian click here! 

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Easy Peasy Emmer Salad

Ok, this time has been difficult to translate "farro" in English, but I've read many articles about that and it would be translated "emmer", at least in regard of the quality I'm going to talk about. In Italian is "farro perlato", precisely: like this one.

Anyway, this recipe is very easy and particularly suitable for the summer season. It's even quite light.

 Ingredients

Emmer - 200gr

Cherry tomaotes - about 15

Basil - 10 leaves

Garlic - 2 cloves

Extra virgin olive oil

3/4 servings

1) Cook the emmer. In my package there was written to cook it in boiled salted water for 10 minutes and I've cooked it for 13 minutes and it was still a little hard, so my advice is to cook it for about 15 minutes. By the way, try it before drain, in this way you will be sure it is ready.

2) Wash the emmer under fresh water in order to remove the starch in excess. Doing so, the emmer won't be pasty.

3) Now take the cherry tomatoes, wash them and cut into 4 parts. Put them in the emmer with basil leaves, garlic and the extra virgin olive oil. If you love garlic, add the garlic powder.

4) If it is needed, add salt.

Mission accomplished! That's a perfect dish when you don't feel like cook but you want to eat a savoury and light dish.

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Tomato Soup, Delicious and Healthy!

Good afternoon people, this is my last recipe of 2013 and I hope you like it!

Given that it's winter, I've thought about my favourite soup, the tomato soup! It's perfect to combat the cold and to start the diet after days and days of binges!

Ingredients

800 gr Peeled plum tomatoes  

1 Potato

1 Carrot

500 ml Water

1 Celery's stem

1 Onion

1 Clove of garlic

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Black Pepper

Oregano

1) Put a little bit of olive oil in a pot with the clove of garlic cut in half, and let cook until it will become golden.

2) Now take out the garlic and add the chopped carrot, onion and celery and let cook for 10 minutes over low heat. Add water if it is needed.

3) Add the peeled plum tomatoes and 500 ml of water, black pepper (as much as you like), salt and let boil. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes

4) Now add the chopped potato and let cook for 30 minutes.

5) At the end, add salt if it is necessary and whip with the blender.

This is it! Hope you like it!

Happy New Year!!!

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Italian Mashed Potatoes, alias Puré

Buongiorno people!
Today I'm going to show you a perfect side dish to join the meat roll with eggs and ham, my last recipe!

Ingredients

Potatoes

Butter

Parmesan

Milk

Salt

To me, it's impossible to give you an idea of the doses of this recipe, because they depends on you. Anyway, you have to boil at least 4 or 5 potatoes to have enough "puré". Then, you have to mash the potatoes and place the mixture in a pan with butter (not so much, but, again, it depends on you, on your taste ect) and slowly add the milk keeping on turn the potatoes with a spoon, up to reach the right texture. At last, add the parmesan and season with salt, and the "puré" is ready!

                                                                                                                                        

P.s. Click here to read the recipe in Italian

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Cauliflower with olives

Hello there!

Today's recipe is about cauliflower. I think this vegetables it's a little bit unpopular in Italy, but this is just my opinion. Anyway, I hadn't ever tasted the cauliflower until I met my boyfriend, whose mum cooked this veggie with an Italian very good recipe.

Ingredients

Cauliflower

Onions

Olives

Olive Oil

Salt

 As usual, this recipe is very easy.

1) Put the chopped onions in a pan with the extra virgin olive oil, and let cook for few minutes.

2) Add the chopped cauliflower when the onions become golden.

3) Halfway, add as much green olives as you want and let cook until the cauliflower is ready.

4) During the cooking, add some water if it is needed.

It's very easy, isn't it? But it's even tasty, I promise!

                                                                                                                                        

P.s. Click here to read this recipe in Italian.

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Veggie pie

Hi there, and good November to you!

Today I'm going to show you my favourite recipe of veggie pies... I adore this recipe, and you can cook it with chards, with spinach, with escarole or lettuce! So, let's see the ingredients!

Chards

Lettuce

Onion

Garlic

Cheese

Eggs

Parmesan

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Puff Pastry 

Salt

If you want, you can use chards, spinach, lettuce and escarole all together, but my favourite version is the one written above, just with chards and lettuce! By the way, let's star with the recipe. 

1) After washing the vegetables, cook them with a little bit of garlic, finely chopped onion and olive oil. If you want to speed up the process you can use a pressure cooker, otherwise a normal pan is okay as well. 

2) When the vegetables are cooked, let them cool. 

3) Then, when they are cool enough, add parmesan, cheese (you can use cheese slices, cheddar, or any cheese you prefer), a little bit of salt, and the eggs. Obviously, the amount of eggs depends on the amount of vegetables you are cooking. Anyway, you have to use at least two.

4) Now, take a pan a put the puff pastry. If you want, put the baking parchment paper first.

5) Put the mixture on the puff pastry, and sprinkle a little bit of parmesan and bread crumbs.

6) Bake at 220 degrees for about 20 minutes

7) Enjoy your meal!!!!

                                                                                                                                     Federica

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Peas with bacon

Hello there!

Today we are going to talk about peas. I love how they taste, and this recipe intesifies theri flavour!
When I've been to UK, in pubs and restaurants I've always ate bolied peas, without anything on, just peas! Well, I don't like them very much cooked in that way...  I really prefer my recipe ;)

Ingredients

Onions

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Frozen peas

Bacon

Salt

Let stir fry a little bit of the onion with the olive oil. When it's getting gold, add the bacon. After few minutes add the peas e let cook for a while. Now it's ready! This recipe is a perfect side dish with meat or fish.

See you soon!  

Federica

Click here  to read this recipe in Italian.

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Courgettes pie - Zucchini pie

Good morning everybody!

We are going to talk about courgettes! If you are tired of cooking courgettes always in the same way, maybe you can find this recipe interesting!

Ingredients

1 kg of courgettes
½ onion
1 clove of garlic
Parsley
Basil 

2 eggs
3-4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
Cheese slices
bread crumbs
Extra virgin olive oil 

Salt

1) Finely chop the onion and the garlic. Stir-fry them with the extra virgin olive oil.
2) Add the courgettes cut into cubes and brown well.
3) Put the lid on and cook until they become soft (it will take 15-20 minutes). Halfway through cooking add the chopped parsley, basil and salt.
3) When everything is cooked, let cool down.
4) The add the eggs, parmesan cheese and the cheese slices into small pieces.
5) Now take a pan, put the baking paper and place the mixture. Finally, add the parmesan and the bread crumps over it.

6) Bake at 180 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until the surface is golden.

And now it's ready!

 Hope you like it!

Federica 

P.s. Click here to read this recipe in Italian.

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