I made few changes from the original recipe I found on America’s Test kitchen and used what is available in my garden. There are only few vegetables in this gratin: zucchini, trombetta di Albenga squash but you can use yellow zucchini, white onions and cuore di bue tomatoes flavored with garlic and fresh thyme. The vegetables are then covered by a crunchy layer of whole wheat bread, Pecorino cheese and minced shallots.

The dish doesn’t require any particular skill but a little bit of patience in preparing the vegetables. Between the preparation and the baking it takes almost two hours. It’s better not served piping hot, but rather after at least 15 minutes.  I seriously have never been able to wait that long and by the time it would be ready to be served, it’s almost always finished.

The vegetable gratin for excellence

1 lb. zucchini
1 lb. trombetta di Albenga squash or summer squash (yellow)
3-4 ripe tomatoes
2 medium onions
salt
For the aromatic oil:
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. freshly grated white pepper
For the topping:
1 or 2 slices of whole wheat bread, 1 cup when ground
1/2 cup Pecorino cheese
1/8 cup minced shallots
chopped basil leaves (optional)

Slice the zucchini and squash 1/4 inch. thick put them in a colander over a bowl or pan, toss them with 1 tsp. salt and let them rest for 45 minutes. If you use trombetta di Albenga squash instead of summer squash, slice them paper thin.
Slice the tomatoes 1/4 inch thick and place them in a single layer on a tray covered with paper towel, sprinkle them with 1/2 tsp. salt and cover their top with an other paper towel. Let them rest for 30 minutes.
In the meantime slice the onions vertically (pole to pole) so they hold their shape better when cooking.
Heat up 1 Tbsp. olive oil, add the sliced onions, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper. The salt added to the onions before cooking helps to caramelize them easily. Cook the onions at medium heat for 20 minutes until caramelized and golden in color, mixing them quite often with a wooden spoon to avoid sticking and burning.
Heat up the oven to 400°
While the onions are cooking and the other vegetables are slowly loosing their liquid prepare the aromatic oil.
With a fork combine 3 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme a 2 small garlic cloves minced and set aside.
After 45 minutes gently squeeze the zucchini to eliminate as much liquid as possible. Lastly place a little bit of zucchini and squash at the time between two layers of paper towel and press. All these passages are necessary so that the vegetables won’t release their liquid while cooking and come out soggy dish. Add 1/2 of the aromatic oil, about 2 tablespoons with the zucchini and squash and mix until well combined, hands work better than spoon here.
Gently press the tomato slices between the paper towel before removing them.
Grease a baking dish with 1 Tbsp. oil and get ready to assemble the dish. Spread the zucchini-squash mixture, cover it evenly with the caramelized onions and finish by placing the tomato slices one attached to the other in one layer. Brush the tomatoes with the rest of the aromatic oil and put the preparation in the oven.
Bake at 400° for 40-45 minutes.
While the grating is baking prepare the topping.
Finely grind the bread slices in a food processor, add 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese, 1/8 cup minced shallots and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Spread the bread mixture over the tomatoes, turn the oven up to 450° and bake for another 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
Let the dish cool for about 10-15 minutes. Chop few leaves of basil, sprinkle them over the top and serve.

Digestive biscuits are one of the most popular commercially-baked biscuit varieties in the UK. The name Digestive derives from its high content of baking soda as an aid to food digestion. Digestives are not overly sweet and here in Italy are often used in cheesecake preparations. I personally like their taste, but in the last few years I eliminated a lot of store bought products and started to prepare my own. I prefer to know what the ingredients are and where they’re coming from. Thus, I’ve started making my own digestive biscuits too.

I found this recipe in a site that I often visit for its healthy recipes and interesting posts, and thought they would have been ideal for my breakfast. The original recipe Sonia found used whole wheat flour, but she changed it to whole rye flour, which I also prefer. Oat bran adds a depth and a rustic consistency to the biscuits.
Digestives are not exactly the same as the store bought ones but close enough and I should add much healthier. I added a tiny bit more sugar and also a pinch of baking soda to give the biscuits that tingly sensation that is typical for them.

I now enjoy digestives biscuits for breakfast with a cup of espresso coffee while my kid eats them with his milk. I have to count the biscuits before I start eating them otherwise I keep munching until they’re all gone. Its salty-sweet taste is really addictive, but what I like a lot is its simplicity and straight forward flavor.

Digestive biscuits

Ingredients:

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. oat bran
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. whole rye flour
7  Tbsp. lightly salted butter
1/3 cup white natural cane sugar
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. natural vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. milk

Preparation:

In a food processor blend rye flour and oat bran until they resemble course sand. In the meantime melt the butter at low heat until almost all melted. Add the butter, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and milk to the flour mixture and quickly blend them until well combined.
Form a ball using your hands and gently flat it down, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate  for 30 minutes.
Warm up the oven to 350° and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Flour your working surface and with a rolling pin flat the dough until 1/4-inch thick. I used a pastry sheet but you can also roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
Cut the biscuits with a 2-inches cookie cutter and place them on the baking sheet.
Cook them for about 10 minutes or until the sides start getting golden brown.
When ready let the biscuits rest for a couple of minutes and then place them on a wire rack until cool.
Store the biscuits in a tin box so to keep them fragrant. Enjoy!

Healthy breakfast alternatives:

orange lemon cake
mom’s apple cake
yogurt cake
healthy banana bread muffins
rolls with raisins

What took me so long to discover grilled pizza? Years ago I  watched Christopher Kimball on America’s Test Kitchen explaining how to make the perfect grilled pizza. I was amazed by it and decided to give it a try as soon as possible. I wrote down the recipe and instructions, then I filed the recipe away and forgot about it. A  few days ago I found the same recipe online and this time though I made it right away.

It was a pretty intense experience, if you consider that the temperature outside was 35° (95°f) and the BBQ was hot. We did it, though, and the pizzas were so good that we completely forgot the  effort and sweat it took us to prepare them. The recipe called for four large pizzas to cook in a round grill. I happen to have a rectangular one, so I prepared smaller pizzas, and I should say that I prefer the smaller size. I don’t have a lid for my grill so I used the lid of my wok, which is pretty big and worked perfectly.

Grilled pizza is easy to prepare you only need to be well coordinated while cooking; otherwise, it’ll end in disaster. I prepared them together with my husband, as he’s really precise.  First he tried to cook one pizza to be sure that the dough was right.  Seeing that the pizza came out perfect he gave me the go and we made the rest. I strongly suggest that you put a table close to your grill so it will be easier to assemble the pizzas. I didn’t have that option, but since my grill has two separate racks, we used one for cooking and the other one to prepare the pizzas. The topping I used is really simple and flavorful but I already have great ideas that I’m going to try real soon, and I’ll be happy to share with you in if they come out good as I think they will.

Grilled pizza with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella

Ingredients

For the dough:
2 cups bread flour, plus more for work surface
1 cup water at room temperature
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. honey
1 1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. rapid-rise yeast

For the topping:
1 1/2 lbs. medium ripe tomatoes (5 to 6), seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 tsp. sea salt
6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, about 2 cups
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup Pecorino cheese
chopped fresh basil to sprinkle on top

For the red hot pepper garlic oil:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. red hot pepper flakes

Tools you need:
parchment paper
pastry brush
a pair of tongs
a round wooden cutting board
a pizza cutter (optional)

Yields: 8 6-inches round pizzas

Preparation:

Put the dry ingredients and the honey in a food processor fitted with a dough blade. With the machine running, slowly add the water, already combined with the olive oil, and blend until a dough ball forms.
If the dough is too sticky add four, 1 tablespoon flour at a time until the ball takes shape.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, flatten it and cover it with a plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk.
In the meantime, prepare the ingredients for the topping.
Discard the seeds and liquid from the tomatoes, cut them in cubes, salt them with 1/2 tsp. salt and let them drain in a colander for about 30 minutes.
Shred the mozzarella and combine it with the grated Parmesan or Pecorino. Place the cheese in a container and, when the tomatoes are ready, place them in an other.
In a small cup, mix the olive oil, garlic and red pepper. Mix it with a spoon and let the oil get flavorful until ready to use.
When the dough has doubled, divide it into 8 parts and shape it into 8 smooth balls. Cover them lightly with plastic wrap and let the rest for other 15 minutes.
Start preparing the grill (it will take at least 15-20 minutes). When the coal is ready spread it evenly on the bottom of the grill.
Roll the first ball into a 6-inch round. Cover it with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough and stack the rounds, separating them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Place 2, 3 or 4  dough rounds on the grill rack, letting them cook 2-4 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface. Poke the bubbles with a fork or a paring knife. Using the tongs, remove the crusts when the bottoms are done. It will take 2-4 minutes.
Turn the crusts on your work surface and  generously brush the grilled bottom with the hot pepper garlic oil. Spread each crust with 1/8 of the chopped tomato cubes and sprinkle them with the cheeses. Return the pizzas to the grill, uncooked sides down. Cover and let cook until the cheese melts and the crust is done, about 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle some fresh chopped basil leaves on top of the pizza and serve.
I cut it in slices using the pizza cutter and it was the perfect bite size.

Summer is finally here and for me it means barbecues with friends and family. With my husband being American we like to alternate and organize  either American or Italian barbecues though sometimes we mix up our traditional meals.

In Italy we usually like to grill sausages, salamelle (thicker but shorter than a sausage) pancetta, capocollo (pork neck chops), pork ribs, hot dogs or kebabs (alternating pieces of sausage, chicken, pancetta and bell peppers). The meat is often accompanied with grilled vegetables and grilled polenta, big salads and while the meat is cooking bruschetta is often chosen as an appetizer. We absolutely don’t put any sauce over the meat but we sometimes marinate it with olive oil and fresh herbs before grilling.
I personally like to grill some sausages, my favorite are with fennel seeds, but I also like chicken flavored with thyme, rosemary and sage.

I like American style barbecue too: potato salad, hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks and  barbecue sauce but dips are what I prefer the most. I think dips are a great invention. I  always like to try new recipes. I found this BLT dip recipe on Taste of Home and after the first time I made it I elected it  my number one dip for barbecues.

The original recipe calls for sour cream but I can’t find it so easily here in Italy. I think that Greek yogurt is a great substitute if not even better.
I like to prepare the dip the night before so the flavors  blend together. I serve it with crackers low salt crackers.

Bacon and tomato dip

Ingredients:

6 thin slices of bacon, 10 if you are in Italy
1 cup ripe tomato cut in cubes
1 cup Greek yogurt, 2% fat is also fine
1 cup mayonnaise with no sugar added
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:

In a nonstick pan cook the bacon until crispy, lay it on a paper towel to absorb the grease and when cold crumble it in bits.
In a bowl combine the mayo, yogurt and the bacon bits. Mix well with wire whisk.
Divide the tomato in two parts, discard the seeds and the liquid, and chop the remaining tomato into cubes. Add them to the dip together with the shredded cheese. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or all night and serve with low salt crackers.

I was cruising  on the  internet when I stumbled upon one of Molly’s recipes for a “Marmalade cake“. I bookmarked it and made it with only some little changes a few days later because I couldn’t wait to try it. I fell in love with this recipe. I had a similar recipe but it was made with butter and also had considerably more  sugar so I never made it. Hers was my dream cake,  it had olive oil instead of butter so it was perfect for dairy intolerant people like myself  and it was not packed with sugar.

The cake came out just like I expected when I read the recipe. I don’t know about you, but when I read a recipe I often “taste” the dish before actually making it. The cake itself doesn’t overwhelm by its looks. It appears as a simple soft cake but as soon as you bite it you’re immediately captured by its citrus-almond texture, softness and the complexity of flavors. I couldn’t stop eating it and the funny thing is that every time I make it for friends or family the result is always the same. They all start with a small slice as they are uncertain by its appearance, but as soon as they taste it they keep asking for more. One evening two friends of mine liked it so much that after the fist few servings they asked me to hand them the knife. They kept cutting pieces of it until they finished it all. They were so embarrassed about it, but I was more than happy because they don’t usually like cakes that much.

Yesterday I decided to to bring my orange-lemon cake to the dinner party organized for the end of the school year. The moms loved it and they all want the recipe.

Orange-lemon cake

Ingredients:

1 medium organic orange
1 organic lemon
6 oz. raw peeled almonds
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. aluminum free baking powder
4 extra large eggs
½ tsp. sea salt
1 ½ cups raw cane sugar, granulated white sugar is also fine
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
powdered sugar for decoration

Preparation:

Wash the lemon and orange well, put them in a pan and cover with water. Don’t worry if the fruit will float it’s perfectly normal.
Cook them over medium-high heat until the water starts boiling, then reduce the heat and let the citrus simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and let them cool.
In the meantime preheat the oven to 325°F. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet, and bake until they look golden brown and smell toasty, about 10 to 15 minutes (15′ in my oven). They really have to be toasted otherwise the cake won’t taste right. Set them aside to cool.
When the almonds are completely cool,  grind them in a food processor using the pulse function until they reach a sandy consistency. Set aside.
Heat up the oven to 350°F, and grease with the olive oil a 9-inch round springform pan.
When the citrus is cool, cut the orange in half and discard the seeds then cut the lemon in 2 parts, scoop out and discard its pulp and seeds.
Cut the orange (peel and pulp) and the lemon rind in big chunks, put them in the food processor and grind them until you almost reach a coarse paste consistency.
Beat the eggs with salt until foamy and light in color then gradually add the sugar. Whisk in the flour mixture.
Add the citrus paste, almonds, and olive oil, and beat at low speed until well combined but don’t overwork the batter.
Pour the cake batter into the springform pan, and bake for 50′ to 1 hour depending on the oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake in its pan and then remove the rind. Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes:
Let sit the cake for few hours before serving. It tastes even better the next day. To keep it soft wrap it with plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature.

I’ve always liked the snack ideas most and turkey roll-ups became my favorites. Hard to say why maybe because they’re so different from typical Italian snacks. The recipe I liked has cilantro mayonnaise and seeing that I don’t find cilantro very often in my store I changed the recipe and substituted the cilantro with paprika and garlic powder.

I used to bring my two rolls at work and eat them in the morning. My colleagues were all jealous and I don’t blame them, because they really looked scrumptious. My parents fell in love with them too and often serve them as an appetizer, especially in the summer.

Turkey roll-ups with paprika and garlic sauce

Ingredients:

4 slices deli turkey
4 medium lettuce leaves
4 Tbsp. mayonnaise*
1/4 heaping tsp. paprika
1/8 scant tsp. not salted garlic powder

To enrich the filling you can either add:
slices of tomatoes
bell pepper strips
cucumbers or other vegetables of your choice

Preparation:

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, paprika and garlic powder. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so that the flavors will blend together. This sauce can be kept in the fridge for few days if you have leftovers.
Spread each slice of  turkey with 1 Tablespoon mayo mixture, top it with a lettuce leave.
Roll them up and serve.

Notes:

* If you want a lighter snack substitute half of the mayo with Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Fava beans also known as broad beans, Windsor beans or English beans just to name a few are one of the first spring legumes to appear on our tables. They have been a beloved food for centuries in Northern Africa, Asia and Europe. During the Roman empire favas were eaten by the plebeians and consumed in different ways. They were dried then grounded into flour, and used to make puls a grain mush, the ancestor of polenta prepared mainly with farro flour. They were also eaten raw which is still common or cooked together with lard.

In the last few years there has been a growth of new recipes and a re-elaboration of classic ones using this legume.  The recipe I prepared is a re-elaboration of one of the classics, “Fave e pecorino” (Pecorino cheese with fresh fava beans), typical from the Lazio region. Fava beans are eaten raw, when they’re still small and soft, accompanied by slices of Pecorino cheese.

The spread I prepared here has only fresh fava beans, few mint leaves, olive oil salt and pepper. It’s then spread on toasted slices of bread and topped with a sliced of aged Pecorino.

To prepare the spread it takes a little bit of time because the fava beans have to be shelled, briefly cooked and lastly peeled. When I made this dish time passed quickly, because my kid helped me through the whole process and we spent some nice quality time together.

Crostini with fava bean spread

Ingredients:

about 2-1/2 lbs. fresh unshelled fava beans, 1 lb. shelled fava beans
4-5 fresh mint leaves
1-1 /2 to 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
aged Pecorino cheese to slice
1  French baguette or ciabatta for the crostini

Preparation:

Shell the fava beans. Warm up a pan of slightly salted water and when it’s hot add the fava beans and cook them for 5 minutes.
When fava beans are ready, strain and rinse them under cold running water then peel them. It will take a little bit.
Blend all the ingredients except for the Pecorino. I used a hand blender but you can use a food processor as well.
Put the spread in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it stand in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
In the mean time slice the bread and toast it in a preheated oven at 350° until golden brown abot 5 minutes.
Spread the slices of bread with the fava bean spread and top them with a thin slice of Pecorino cheese. You can also sprinkle the crostini with more pepper if you like. Serve.

Quinoa is actually a pseudo-cereal, closely related to species like spinach and beets. It has been cultivated in the Andean highlands for nearly 6000 years. Considered sacred by the Incas it was called, chisaya mama, the mother of all grains. Nowadays the majority of quinoa is still imported from South America where it grows in poor soil, arid climates and high altitudes. There are over 100 species of quinoa, but only three main varieties are cultivated: the white or sweet variety, the red and black quinoa.

Quinoa is highly appreciated by vegetarians and vegans for its high content of proteins. It’s actually a complete protein, meaning that one can obtain all 9 essential amino acids from the grain. It’s also a good source of dietary fiber phosphorus and is high in iron and magnesium. Quinoa has more calcium than milk and its fat, mostly polyunsaturated, provides the essential fatty acids our body needs. Being gluten-free it’s an alternative for people with celiac disease.

Since I started to use it I often eat it instead of long grain rice, couscous or millet. I tried preparing it in many different ways, the quicker the better. I often stir fry the vegetables I have on hand, while the quinoa is cooking, then I add the cooked quinoa and the dish is done. Its nutty, wild flavor and almost crunchy texture makes a more assertive dish than when I use rice or millet.
Quinoa also makes good salads that can be prepared few hours in advance. One than I prepare often is: cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, chopped fresh basil and olive oil. These are only examples but you can use your fantasy and create many different and appetizing combination.

This recipe is really delicate in every sense, and to maintain his light and fluffy texture I decided to blend the leeks. I used white quinoa and I immediately put into use the first leeks of the season as soon as I came back from the organic farmer.

Quinoa Basic preparation:

Wash quinoa under cold running water, until the water runs out clear and all the impurities are eliminated.
The most common cooking method is to use 2 measures of water and 1 of quinoa.
For this recipe:
Bring 1-1/2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil then add 3/4 cup of quinoa. Cover and cook at a low simmer for 15–18 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. If some water remains just drain it and continue with your preparation.

Quinoa with cream of leeks

Ingredients:

cooked quinoa (see basic preparation above)
2 tsp. + 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, about 2 leeks
3 cups water
2 tsp. whole wheat flour or rice flour for a gluten free dish
sea salt to taste
[gluten free] nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

Serves: 2 persons

In a nonstick pan, heat up 1 tsp. olive oil then add the leeks and mix for few minutes until the leeks start to sizzle. Add all the water and cook at low medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the leeks are soft and tender.
Drain the leeks and save the water. Purée the leeks with a hand blender and set aside.
In a non-stick skillet add 1 Tbsp. of oil and 2 tsp. flour and mix quickly until well combined and creamy.
Slowly add the water from the leeks and mix constantly until it reaches a creamy and light consistency, about 2-3 minutes. If it gets too thick you can add a little bit of warm water.
Add the pureed leeks to the sauce and combine well.
Place the quinoa in each plate and top it with the cream of leek. I sprinkled the cream with nutritional yeast to give an extra layer.

I made this salad for the first time last Easter and is served as an appetizer. It was more successful than I expected. Some of my guests didn’t even know what puntarelle chicory was and they were a little bit intimidated at first. A few years ago I didn’t know much about puntarelle either only that it was a famous vegetable widely used in the Roman cuisine. It was difficult to find it here in the North, but luckily now they are available in our stores starting in December through April.

Puntarelle is a variety of chicory, with serrated leaves, attached to the base of the plant that surrounds the shoots growing inside the plant during the winter. Its flavor is similar to chicory and endive with bitter and peppery-like taste. The shoots are crunchy and can be eaten raw or cooked. When cooked have a mellower flavor and can be used to make wonderful pasta dishes. There are also other ways to eat them cooked, for example, my mom boils them and simply eats them with hard boiled eggs seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. When eaten raw they have a stronger and bitter taste and thus they’re often accompanied with anchovies in salads that mitigate the bitterness and compliment the flavor.

I should call this Easter salad because it gathers contemporary and traditional Easter ingredients. It’s a tribute to the spring: puntarelle, oranges, avocado and the ever present eggs. Eggs have always been a vital and positive symbol, an emblem of new life and a metaphor for the rebirth of nature and body. In all the continents as well as in the most antique traditions, eggs seem to have similar meanings and were eaten to celebrate the arrival of the spring. This tradition hasn’t changed in centuries, so lets celebrate!

Puntarelle with eggs, oranges and avocado salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. puntarelle chicory
4 oranges
3 eggs
1 avocado
3.5 oz. black olives
the juice of one lemon
5-6 chives chopped
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Discard the outer and thicker leaves of the puntarelle. Cut the shoots in four part and place them in cold water together with the thinner and smaller leaves. Leaving them in cold water makes them crunchier as well as curly and less bitter.
Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, cool them under cold running water. Shell them and cut them in round slices.
Peal the oranges with a knife and eliminate the rind (zest, the orange part plus albedo, the white part). Slice the oranges in thin round slices and place them on the bottom of a serving plate.
Cut the avocado in two and eliminate the seed. Cut the avocado in cubes and sprinkle them with the lemon juice so they won’t get dark.
Drain the puntarelle and pat them dry. Place them in the middle of the plate and decoratively add also the egg slices, the olives and the avocado cubes.
In a small bowl whisk the oil together with balsamic vinegar, chives, salt and pepper. Drizzle the condiment over the salad and serve. Buon appetito!

Notes:
Recipe adapted from Sale & Pepe Magazine (April 2002).