6.25.2018

Cherry tomatoes, Zucchini, Almonds and Tarragon sauce

500g 1,1 pound cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)3 zucchini, chopped
1 cup chopped almonds
60ml 1/4 cup olive oil
60ml 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Tarragon

In a baking dish combine all the ingredients. Mix all very well and bake on convection mode (200C/390F) for about 25 minutes. After baked, if you desire a more saucy texture break the tomatoes using a wood spoon. Mix very well with the pasta and serve with good Parmiggiano on top.
This recipe goes very well with Asiago cheese Ravioli. You can find the recipe in this link. <<<Ravioli with Asiago>>>




Ravioli filled Asiago cheese

For the dough:

3 cups 00 flour (cake flour in USA)
3 organic fresh eggs

For the Asiago filling:

1 cup grated Asiago mezzano
1 cup ricotta
Pinch of lack pepper
Pinch on nutmeg
Pinch of salt

Making the Asiago filling:


Mix with a fork the ricotta and the grated Asiago. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. If the filling is dry, add some milk and olive oil.


Making the Pasta:


Pour the flour into a bowl or table, then the eggs in the middle.
Mix with a fork to thoroughly blend the eggs with the flour. Do not add salt!
Knead the dough with your hands until it is completely smooth and consistent. If the dough is too dry, add some water; if it is too sticky, add some flour. Perfect dough should never stick to your fingers, if the dough stick to your fingers it will stick on the pasta machine, and that will be a disaster!
Continue kneading the dough by hand and break it up into little pieces. 



Set the adjustment knob of the machine to number 0, so that the two smooth rollers are fully open. Feed a piece of dough through the rollers while turning the crank clockwise.

Lightly dust both sides of the pasta sheet with flour and fold it in half. Feed the pasta sheet through the smooth rollers several times, until it is long and regular in shape.
Cut ravioli sheets with a ravioli cutter. Using a brush, brush with egg yolk around each ravioli if the dough is not sticking. Place 1 teaspoon filling in the center, close to expelling the air, sealing the edges properly. Make sure the edges is very well stick together, pinch hard as you would pinch a really bad child.
Boil the Asiago ravioli for about three / four minutes and mix with the sauce you like. I suggest to make the sauce for the Asiago Ravioli with cherry tomatoes, zucchini and almonds.

Click in this link for the recipe! <<<CHERRY TOMATOES, ZUCCHINI AND ALMONDS SAUCE>>>>>

6.23.2018

Cherry tomatoes sauce with almonds, basil and mozzarella


 This is a very different way to make your tomatoes sauce, you will bake it in a oven instead of cooking on stove top. This sauce is very versatile and you can always add pretty much anything you think is good with it.
 I learned to make this one day when I was just talking to a friend in front of my house when I was bringing my dog for a walk. Simple and casual sauce, learned in a very casual way.


500g / 1,10 pound cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 cup chopped almonds
60ml 1/4 cup olive oil
60ml 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Basil
Fresh mozzarella di Bufala

In a baking dish combine all the ingredients, except the cheese. Mix all very well and bake on convection mode (200C/390F) for about 25 minutes. After baked, if you desire a more saucy texture break the tomatoes using a wood spoon. Mix very well with the pasta and serve with the fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves on the top.

You can always modify this recipe adding other ingredients like capers, olives, pine nuts, cilantro. coconut milk, cream, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tuna, mussels, shrimps and whatever you think will taste really good with tomatoes.


6.13.2018

Tiramisu




3/4 cup of sugar
3 Eggs
1/2 pound of Mascarpone
1/4 cup of strong coffee
Amaretto
Chocolate powder
1 package Lady fingers cookies



1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth.

2.  In a separate bowl, whisk the white eggs until peaks. Mix everthing creating the Mascarpone cream.


3. In a small shallow dish, add espresso and amaretto. Dip each ladyfinger into espresso for only 5 seconds. Letting the ladyfingers soak too long will cause them to fall apart. 


4. Arrange half of soaked ladyfingers in bottom of a 7x11 inch dish. Spread half of tiramisu cream mixture over ladyfingers, then half of the tiramisu cream Repeat layers and sprinkle with cocoa.

5. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, until set.