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Sagu |
Ingredients
• 150 g tapioca pearls
• 700 – 900 ml water
• 300 ml red wine
• 150 g sugar, approximately
• 3 dried cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 15 pitted dried prunes, optional
Preparation method
1. In a thick bottomed saucepan bring the water to the boil with the “sagu”, the cinnamon and cloves. Reduce the heat and cook over low heat for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost all pearls become clear, almost transparent. Add more water, if necessary.
2. Add the wine, the sugar and cook until all the pearls are clear, almost trasparent. If you like, add prunes cut into small pieces. It takes about 15 minutes. Once cooled, it hardens a bit.
3. Discard the cinnamon and cloves.
4. Pour into a serving bowl or on individual dessert bowls and serve cold. You can serve “sagu” with pastry cream, English cream or eggnog.
5. Store in fridge.
Yield: 6 – 8 servings.
2. Place the butter, oil and grated lemon zest in a large non-stick pan. Remember to save some of the zest to add at the end.
3. Melt the butter and sauté it. Stir well with a wooden spoon and add the lemon juice. Finally add the garlic clove. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in 1.5 liters (7 cups) of water with 1/2 tablespoon coarse salt.
Take a look at the cooking time of the spaghetti on their package. Halfway through cooking, drain spaghetti and place in skillet with lemon sauce.
Spaghetti should be very much al dente, practically still raw, and finish cooking in the pan with the sauce.
5. Add a ladleful of the starch-rich cooking water. Finish cooking the spaghetti in the pan, stirring well. If necessary, add a little more water.
Serve hot with more lemon zest and a little chopped parsley on top
Serves six
- 90g/3.2oz black truffle paste or three or four black truffles
- 1 cup parmigiano cheese, grated or 1 cup taleggio cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream or mascarpone
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
1. On medium heat combine wine with truffle paste and let it cook for three minutes.
2. Add cream and let cook for another three minutes.
3. Combine cheese, salt and pepper and mix vigourosly.
4. Toss pasta and stir it very well. You might need to combine some pasta water in order to make the sauce a bit thiner.
5. Serve with shaved truffles on the top of each plate.
Ingredients for six servings:
- 4 Italian Spicy sausages (out of casing)
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup tomato paste or 2 cups of passata
- 1 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup cognac
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 cup Mascarpone or heavy cream (Optional)
- Crush red pepper flakes (Optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon (Optional)
- Fresh parsley
1. On a big heavy bottom pan, cook the garlic, cinnamon, pepper flakes and sausages on olive oil.
2. Using a wood spoon break the sausages in smal pieces.
3. Combine Cognac and light the pan on fire! Watch your eyebrows, facial hair and anything flammable!
4. When fire is off, combine red wine and cook until all eevaporates.
5. Add the tomato paste and two cups of water and let it cook on low heat until it reduces in half.
6. If adding cream or mascarpone, combine it and turn of heat.
7. Serve with pasta or polenta with fresh parsley on top.
¼ cup olive oil
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
Black pepper
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach
12 ounces spaghetti or bucatini
½ cup finely grated Parmesan
Lemon wedges, for serving
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high.
2. In a wide, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chickpeas, rosemary and Aleppo pepper, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas start to caramelize at their edges and pop, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about half the chickpeas to a bowl. Reserve for garnish.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and garlic to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the Greek Yogurt and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the pasta until a couple minutes short of al dente according to package instructions, about 5 minutes. Do not drain the pasta, but using tongs, transfer the pasta directly from the pot to the sauce. Add 1 cup pasta cooking water and the Parmigiano, and cook over medium-high, stirring vigorously with the tongs, until the sauce is thickened and the noodles are al dente, about 2 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen sauce, if needed.
5. Transfer to bowls, and top with reserved chickpeas, rosemary and black pepper. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges for squeezing on to and lots of fresh cracked black pepper!
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Rosemary focaccia |
Focaccia with potato dough and tomatoes (Pugliese Style) |
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Sage and honey Focaccia |
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Beer and squash focaccia with red onions |
Calzone |
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Panzerotti |
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Stracchino bread |
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Beer bread with sausage and sauerkraut |
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Herbs bread |
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Traditional Pizza |
1/2 cup pancetta , smoked, chopped
1 lb chicken breast in fillets
salt and pepper
Olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice , freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons wine
3 tablespoons butter , softened but not melted
1/2 cup of capers
1L (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbs olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 tbsp butter
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 cups carnaroli or arborio rice
1 cup white wine
1 cup lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons, finely chopped, plus lemon zest to serve
½ cup loosely packed mint leaves, finely chopped
1 cup grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
For the roasted tomatoes:
1 lbs cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup chopped almonds
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
For the tomatoes:
1. On a big baking dish mix the tomatoes, almonds, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Bake for 30 minutes on a 450f (230c).
Making the risotto:
1. Melt a good knob of butter in a large saucepan. Sauté the onions and garlic very gently in the butter for a minute or two.
2. Turn the flame up to medium. Add the rice and let it "toast" for a couple of minutes, then add a glass of wine. Let it to evaporate.
3. Now add a ladleful of broth to the rice. Simmer over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until the broth has been absorbed by the rice. Add another ladleful of broth and repeat for a total of 18 minutes or so. The rice is done when it's still al dente but without any chalkiness in the center.
4. When the rice is almost done, add the lemon juice and let it evaporate—only partially, like me, you like your risotto quite loose.
5. Off heat, add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and, if you like, another knob of butter to the rice. Stir vigorously for 30 seconds or so, until the cheese and butter have melted and the rice has developed a nice, creamy texture.
6. Combine the roasted tomatoes and mint and mix very gently.
7. Serve immediately.
1 big lemon lemon
1 cup (250ml) olive oil , plus extra for greasing
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cup (250g) caster sugar
2 1/2 cups (250g) ground almonds
3/4 cup (100g) fine polenta
SYRUP
1/2 cup (150g) runny honey
1 big lemon
MASCARPONE CREAM
1 cup (250g) mascarpone
2 teaspoons icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla paste
Few Basil or mint leaves
1. Place the whole lemon into a large deep saucepan, cover with cold water and a small heatproof plate
(to keep the lemon submerged). Place the pan on a medium heat, bring to a simmer and cook for 20
minutes, or until the lemon is soft. (You might need to top up with more water, if the water evaporates
too much.)
2. Take the lemon out and set aside to cool down, then cut it into quarters removing seeds. Place the lemon into a blender or food processor, then mix it with the olive oil until smooth.
3. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F. Grease and line a deep 8 inches (20cm) cake tin or small individual cake tins.
4. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl, then whisk in the lemon and oil purée, the ground almonds and polenta. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin(s), spread out evenly and bake for 40 to 45 minutes (20 minutes if you’re making individual cakes), or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, make the lemon syrup: place the honey in a small pan on a medium-low heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the honey has melted. (You may need to add a splash of hot water if it looks too thick.) Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
6. To make the mascarpone cream, beat the mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla together, then gently fold in the yoghurt and set aside.
7. Tip the almonds into a small, dry frying pan and toast until golden. (Keep an eye on them, they burn easy).
8. To assemble the cake, place the sponge in the middle of the plate. Spoon the mascarpone cream on top making peaks and waves, then drizzle over the syrup and garnish with the toasted almonds, lemon zest and basil leaves.
For the chicken: