Quick Pizza crust

3 1/4 cups 00 Flour    

1 cup Warm water

¼ cup Olive oil

1 tablespoon Sugar

1/2 tablespoon Fine salt

1 cube Fresh yeast (or 1 Satchel of dry yeast)


1 - In a big bowl, dissolve the fresh yeast with the sugar.  Simply by moving it around with a fork and mixing a bit, the fresh yeast will turn to liquid.  (If you're using dry yeast, it will dissolve in the water).After the yeast turn liquid ddd the warm water and stir;

2 -   Sift the flour into the bowl. Mix the water into the flour with a strong wooden spoon. Add the salt and mix with the spoon for about 1-2 minutes;

3 -   Kneed the pizza dough for about 3 minutes with olive oil in your hands, mixing very well.  Let it rest for one hour inside the bowl;

4 - Divide the dough in two and make two balls. Put on the top of the baking tray that you will use it, and let it rise for another 30 minutes;

5 - Press the dough into the pan with your hands, making the pizza dough go all around the baking dish. If you are having trouble, just let it rise for another 10 minutes and it will be easier to open the dough;
6 - Before add the toppings, you will have to pre bake the pizza for 10 minutes so the crust gets more crispy. So bake the dough for 10 minutes in 180C / 360 F.

7 - After pre baked you can be creative and add any toppings you like.


Here is a very important recipe to make your pizza even better

Tomato sauce for pizza

This tomato sauce will make a big difference on the taste for your pizza. Making a raw tomato sauce, the tomatoes will cook simultaneously with the dough and the taste and smell of freshness will make your pizza a success.

-1 can san Marzano tomatoes
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1 table spoon oregano
-1 tea spoon salt
-1 pinch of crushed red peppers

1 - Mix all those ingredients on the blender until it gets like a juice texture;

2 - Top your pizza with this tomato sauce and bake your pizza.

Pear ravioli with Parma ham and Gorgonzola sauce

Pear ravioli with Parma ham and Gorgonzola sauce

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You can also substitute the Gorgonzola for other cheeses

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For the dough:

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-400g/4 cups 00 flour

-4 eggs

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Using a fork begging mixing in the egg with the flour. Once egg has been mixed in enough, begin using your hands to work the dough. Continues until reaches a smooth consistency, adding a light dust of flour if necessary. Cover the dough with plastic wrap to protect from drying. For best results, let the dough rest for at least 10 minutes.

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For the pear filling:

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-2 ripe pears, grated with the skin

-1/2 cup of ricotta or gorgonzola dolce

-A pinch of ground nutmeg

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Grate the pears and mix with the ricotta and nutmeg. The consistency needs to be firm.

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​Making the Ravioli:

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1 - Roll the dough on your pasta machine until the number 6 if using a Marcato brand;

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2 - Using a cutter, a glass or a jar, cut the dough in circles;

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3 - Place heaped teaspoons of filling on your pasta sheet. Wet your finger with water and run it around the filling before folding the pasta onto itself so that the little mounds of filling are completely covered by pasta. Push down around the filling so that the pasta is well sealed, taking care not to trap air into the raviolo.

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4 – Place the raviolis in a floured covered wood board;

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5 – Boil them for not more than four minutes and toss with the sauce.

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For the sauce:

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-4 table spoons Gorgonzola dolce

-½ cup parma ham, chopped

-1 cup cream

-1 cup prosecco

-½ cup chopped walnuts

-1 table spoon, butter

-Salt & pepper

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1 - In a big frying pan, brown the ham in butter in low heat;

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2 – Combine the prosecco and stir the pan, turn heat on high and let reduce in half;

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3 – Add the Gorgonzola and let it melt, then combine the cream and walnuts;

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4 – Salt and Pepper and toss the ravioli with the sauce.

Risotto with shrimps, tomatoes and zucchini

*4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

*1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
*4 Tablespoons Butter (2 Tablespoons Removed To Finish The Dish)

*2 Cups Arborio Rice
*1/3 cup lemon juice

*1 Cup White Wine

*6 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth

*1 Pound Fresh, Small To Medium Shrimp, Shells Removed And Deveined

*3 Small Zucchini, Ends Removed, Cut In Half Lengthwise, Sliced
*10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

*1/2 Cup Fresh, Chopped Parsley

1 - Heat the 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan with the oil;

2 - Add the onions and cook until translucent over medium heat;

      3 - Add the rice and stir until it is well coated with the butter and oil;

4 - Begin to add the wine, and stir continually over medium heat until it is absorbed;

      5 - Start to add 2 cup of hot broth, stirring as it is absorbed;

6 - Continue in this manner, adding ladles full of hot broth, and stirring continuously;

7 - About 10 minutes into the cooking time, add the zucchini and continue cooking for another 7 minutes.

8 - Add the shrimp, tomatoes, and continue to cook until the rice is cooked, but remains slightly firm to the teeth.

9 - Remove from the heat, add the remaining butter, parsley and the lemon juice;
10 – Serve it!

Roasted Mediterranean vegetables sauce for pasta

This is a very healthy, quick and easy option for you to serve with your pasta. You can also roast it using a barbecue or pizza oven.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, in little cubes
1 zucchini, in little cubes
20 cherry tomatoes, in half
1 red pepper, in little cubes
1 cup, squash in little cubes
3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1/2 cup black olives
1/4 cup capers
Olive oil
Balsamic vineagar
Basil or mint
Feta cheese, or ricotta

In a big baking tray, mix all the ingredients (except the cheese). Bake for about 30 minutes in 200C oven.
Toss the pasta and serve it with fresh feta or ricotta.

Greek chicken soup (Avgolemono)

Every country have it's own version of chicken soup. This is the Greek one.

Ingredients:

2 carrots
1 leek
3 garlic cloves
1 whole chicken, cut in pieces
1 cup rice
3 eggs
2 lemons
Pinch of saffron or turmeric 
10 whole black pepper corns
2,5 l of water
Fresh parsley or fresh dill
Salt to taste

1. In a big pot, boil the chicken with the leeks, carrots, garlic, black pepper and black pepper for about 1 hour;

2. Take all the ingredients out of the water;

3. Add the rice and saffron and cook for 20 minutes;

4. While the rice is cooking, pull the chicken and combine with the soup;

5. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs with the lemon. Slowly add one cup at the time the stock and keep mixing it. This process will make your soup thicker. When you already combined three cups of the stock, mix the egg mixture with the soup;

6. Serve the soup with fresh parsley or fresh dill.

Bone broth

This is one of the most basic and useful recipes to learn how to make and always have in your freezer. I learned how to make this stock years ago with French chefs while working at the Sofitel.

Ingredients:

2kg cow or chicken bones from a good butcher
2 carrots, cut in big pieces
2 onions, quartered
1 clove garlic, cut in half
4 sticks celery
2 tbsp chopped ginger
8 black pepper corns
8 pink pepper corns
4 bayleaves
1 fresh rosemary spring
Water to cover

1. The first step is to roast all the ingredients together in 200C for 30 minutes.You can roast for more time if you would like a stronger taste and darker color;

2. After all is roasted, put everything in a big stock pot and fill with water. Cook in low heat for five hours, otherwise you can cook using a pressure cooker for 40 minutes;

3. Strain it while is still hot, this way is easier so is more liquid. When it get cold it can get a gelatine texture;

Demi-Glace, a stronger version of the broth.

4. After straining, you can reduce in low heat for another five hours and create a supre strong sauce that is French recipe called Demi-Glace. With the Demi-Glace you can create a lot of other sauces.

The Seven Deadly Sins Menu

1. Pride

Bolognese Sauce

2. Wrath

Antique Spicy Sausage Ragu

3. Greed

Truffled pasta

4. Lust

Puttanesca

 

5. Envy

Cilantro pesto

6. Gluttony

Amatriciana

7. Sloth

Lemon Sauce

Cooking Classes in California (Pismo beach)

Cooking with Lucas events in Pismo beach! :)

Classes are open to everyone.

March 9th
- Focaccia with Rosemary
- Pear ravioli stuffed served with parmigiano, walnuts and Parma ham sauce
- Chicken alla Cacciatore 
- Tiramisu 

March 11th
- Herbs bread
- Fresh Pasta 
- Antique recipe of a spicy sausage ragu with a perfume of cinnamon 
- Risotto with Asparagus and Lemon
- Amaretto cheese cake

March 12th
- Cheese bread rolls with garlic and oregano
- Fresh pasta made with spinach
- Authentic Bolognese sauce with Almonds
- Chicken stuffed with pears, rolled with Parma ham served in Asiago cheese sauce
- Panna cota with toffee and chocolate

The price is 100USD per person, but if you sign up for two classes the price is 90USD per class and if you sign up for three classes the cost is just 80USD! Class is hands and very intimate. On each class we will host maximum 10 participants.

Cheese class with wine tasting (Max 15pp USD60)

On this class we will taste five diferent Italian cheeses and talk about them. We will also taste three Italian wines. On the end of the event it will be served a Fresh pasta with four cheeses sauce and for dessert an Italian Cheese cake made with Ricotta cheese. 

Pork loin with Guinness sauce

1kg pork loin
2 pints of Guinness1 cup beef stock
2 onions, Slices
4 carrots, in cubes
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 cup chopped bacon
3 little pieces of dried porcini mushroom (optional);
Chopped rosemary
2 tbsp butter

1. In a big pan brown the pork loin with the butter;
2. Take the meat away and brown all the vegetables, mushrooms with the bacon;
3. Add the meat back, the beer, stock and herbs;
4. Cook in low heat for about 1 hour;
5. Remove the meat and blend all the other ingredients until smooth;
6. Cook the meat again on that sauce for about 30 minutes;
7. Slice the meat and serve it.

Baked fish Italian style

500 grams of Merluzzo (you can use cod, branzino or any fish you like)1 cup, cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/4 cup black olives
1/4 cup capers
1 lemon, sliced
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Fresh oregano


Place the fish in a baking dish;
Combine all the ingredients in a big bowl and mix everything;
Place all the ingredients on the top of the fish;
Bake it for about 30 minutes in 180C in a convection oven.

Parma ham bread

3 1/3 cups flour
1 cube of yeast or 1 tbsp of baking yeast powder1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup pork lard
1 cup water
1/4 cup Parma ham, chopped
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped

In a big bowl mix the yeast and sugar until the yeast transforms in liquid;
Add the water and mix;
Incorporate the flour using a wood spoon;
Add salt, ham and rosemary;
Spread the lard in your hands and kneed the bread for about 3 minutes;
Divide the dough in 8 pieces and make it in rolls;
Bake it on 180C for about 20 minutes on convection oven.

Turmeric Chicken curry

For the chicken curry

• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 lemon grass
• 2 tbsp red Thai curry paste
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1-inch ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
• 1 cup coconut milk
• Juice of half a lime (reserve the other half to serve)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 
  
  For the chicken curry
  2. Using a large pan, melt the coconut oil on medium heat. Add the diced onion, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Remove from the pan and set aside, reserving the coconut oil in the pan.
  3. Add the chicken to the pan and lightly salt. Sauté until the chicken is cooked.
  4. Add the onion back to the pan along with the coconut milk, curry paste, lemon grass, lime juice, and seasonings to the pan (reserving the fresh cilantro) and stir. Simmer and stir for about 5 minutes to allow the flavours to combine and the sauce the thicken.
  5. Season further to taste and top with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with quinoa or rice and enjoy!

Zaatar and lemon chicken

1/4 cup olive oil4 tbsp Zaatar
1 tbsp Sumac
1 lemon, squeezed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can of chickpeas
1 whole chicken, cut in eight pieces
3 potatoes (optional)
1 cup of Greek yogurt
Mint leaves for decoration
Salt & pepper to taste


1. Marinade the chicken with the sumac, zaatar, olive oil, lemon, garlic and salt and pepper. Let the chicken resting for about eight hours in this mixture. 

2. Put the chicken in a deep roasting pan, add the chickpeas and potatoes and bake for about 40 minutes.

3. Mix the Greek yogurt with crushed garlic, olive oil, salt & pepper.

4. Serve the chicken with the yogurt sauce.