Risotto with Porcini and Mascarpone

Classic and delicious!

 
• 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
• 6 cups of beef/chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice (I prefer Vialone Nano for this dish)
• 3/4 cup chopped shallots
• 1 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese
• Olive oil
• Fresh thyme leaves or rosemar
• Balsamic reduction to decorate
• Salt & pepper to taste
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  1. Combine one cup wine and mushrooms; let stand 5 minutes or until soft;
  
  2. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat saute the shallots and garlic for 5 minutes. Add wine with the porcini, and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes);
  
  3. Combine the rice;
  
  4. Add 3 cups of the broth to the rice; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
  
  5. Add one cup of wine, then if needs to cook more the rice 1/2 cup of stock at a time, stirring frequently until each portion of broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 17 minutes total). When the rice is cooked, take out of heat and let rest for five minutes;
  
  6. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, mascarpone, parsley, salt, and pepper; stir gently just until the cheese melts.
  
  Top each serving with 1 tea spoon of mascarpone and parsley leaves, if desired.

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  Frying the shallots and garlic

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  Drinking the left over wine!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  When the rice starts to turn white, be careful with adding to much stock!

  
  

  

  Adding the Mascarpone!

  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Buon Appetito!

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Rosemary and oregano focaccia

Focaccia with Rosemary

·      3 cups 0 Flour (in the USA this would be Bread flour), divided

·      1 cup Warm water

·      ¼ cup Olive oil

·      1 tablespoon Sugar

·      1 tablespoon Fine salt

·      ½ tablespoon Rock salt

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

·      Rosemary, to taste

·      Oregano, to taste

·      Pepper, to taste

 

1.     1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F.

2.     2. 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... 3. Combine the warm water.

3.     4. Sift 1½ cups of 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.

4.     Add the other 1½ cups of flour and kneed the focaccia dough for about 3 minutes, mixing very well.

      5. Add the dough into the bowl and add olive oil.  Using your hands, squeeze the olive oil into the dough for about a minute.  Simply mixing with your hands, do this for about one minute...there will be extra oil a the bottom of the bowl (this will be poured on top of the dough later).

5.     

      6. Make a ball with the dough, and put the dough in a pan with a sheet of baking paper.  Press the dough into the pan with your hands.  Then make dimples in the dough with your fingers.  Add the rest of the olive oil on the top of dough, the oil will pool and fill the small holes.  Sprinkle the dough with the rock salt, the rosemary, the oregano, and the pepper.

6.     

          7. Let the focaccia rise for approximately two hours.

7.     Bake at 350F/180C for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Tiramisu alla Nutella and rum

Ingredients

Cream Layer:

• 16 oz mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 tsp rum extract (2 Tbsp of rum can be used instead)
• 1/3 cup sugar

Cookie Layer:

• 10 oz lady finger cookies (you can use a little more or a little less depending on how tight you pack them)
• 8 oz very strong HOT coffee (or use instant espresso powder mixed with water)
• 3 Tbsp Nutella

Topping:

• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup Nutella (warmed for easy drizzle)

Instructions

For cookies:

• Prepare hot, strong coffee and stir in Nutella until combined. Cool to room temperature

Cream Layer:

• (Use whisk attachment for the cream.)
• In a bowl of an electric mixer, add mascarpone cheese, heavy whipping cream, rum extract and Nutella. Start on low speed to mix the ingredients and gradually increase the speed over a few seconds to medium-high. 
• Slowly pour in the sugar as the mixture thickens while mixing. Do no walk away, this will be ready fast! Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and gradually lower the speed, over a couple of seconds.
• Using a spatula, scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and gently fold the cream mixture to mix. Set aside. 

Tiramisu:

• In an 8x8 high-rimmed dish, start by layering half of the Ladyfingers cookies. Slowly dip each cookie in cooled coffee mixture but don't soak them too much or they will fall apart in your hands.
• Cover the cookie layer with half of mascarpone cream mixture, making sure it's even all over.
• Layer remaining coffee dipped cookies over the cream and cover with remaining mascarpone cream.
• Dust with cocoa powder.
• Warm Nutella in a zip-lock bag. (A few seconds is plenty.) Cut off a little tip on the bag and generously drizzle with warmed Nutella. 
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Mediterranean Barley Salad

 
1 cup barley
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2 cups cherry tomatoes, split in half
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, or mint, optional
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped, optional
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup almonds, chopped and baked
1 pinch kosher salt, or sea salt, to taste

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add a half teaspoon of salt.
Add barley, cover, and allow to simmer over medium low heat for about 40 minutes, or until barley is cooked.

2. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and gently toss with the barley to coat well.

3. Allow the barley to cool, then add the red onion, tomato, pepper, feta cheese, kalamata olives, and fresh parsley or mint, and oregano.

4. Season well with oregano and sea salt or kosher salt, and adjust seasonings to taste.

5. Serve your barley salad either chilled or at room temperature. 

Caramelized Figs Parfaits with walnuts and yogurt

 For the Figs:

- 12 figs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons tawny port, Madeira, or other sweet, fortified wine, optional
- Ice cream, yogurt, or whipped cream, optional

• 
  

  1. 
     Rinse the figs clean and pat them dry. Trim off and discard any excess stem and cut the figs in half lengthwise. Set them aside.

  3. In a medium frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the honey and gently stir it into the butter.

  4. When the mixture is fully combined, set the figs cut-side-down in the honey-butter mixture and cook. Shake the pan now and again to keep the figs from sticking and spoon the honey-butter mixture over the tops of the figs until everything is bubbling and the figs are starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

  5. If using port, remove the figs from the pan, and whisk in the port (or whatever you're using).

  6. Once the wine is whisked in and a smooth sauce forms, let it simmer and bubble for a few minutes to thicken.

  7. Add the figs back in the pan, spoon the sauce over them to heat everything together. 

  8. Serve the figs hot or warm, along with Greek yogurt ice cream or greek yogurt topped with walnuts.

Israeli Chicken with Zaatar, lemon and Potatoes

 

•  6-8 pieces of bone-in, skin on chicken (thighs, breasts, drumsticks)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
•  1/3 cup lemon juice
•  2-3 tablespoons zaatar
•  3 garlic cloves, chopped
•  salt and pepper to taste


•  fresh thyme, optional
  Greek Yogurt
  Three cups of cooked chickpeas
  
  

  Instructions

  1. 1. Position a rack near the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 200C/400ºF.
  
  
  2. 2. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of zaatar, and garlic in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and chickpeas.  Allow the chicken and chickpeas to marinate for 20 minutes or up to 3 hours.
  3. 3. Spread the chicken and potato pieces out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of za'atar. You could even sprinkle some chopped fresh thyme on top of you'd like. 
  4. 4. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and lemon slices or wedges, serve with greek yogurt and your favorite spicy sauce.
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Czech/Slovakian poppy seeds cake

Ingredients

Poppy seed batter:

• 1 cup poppy seeds (130 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (80 ml)
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (215 g)
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder (13 g)
• 1 1/3 cups milk (320 ml)
• butter and sifted breadcrumbs to grease and dust a sheet pan

Lemon icing:

• 1 1/2 cup icing sugar (180 g) sifted
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice (60 ml) freshly pressed

Instructions

• Before you start baking, grease and flour a sheet pan. Pre-heat oven to 340 °F (170 °C).
• In a large mixing bowl, crack an egg, add vegetable oil and granulated sugar. Mix with a hand-held kitchen mixer for 3 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whisk flour, poppy seeds, and baking powder. Add them to the beaten egg. Add milk and mix everything using a mixer on low speed until a semi-liquid batter is created.
• Pour and spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the cake center. The tooth stick needs to come out clean, or with a few crumbs stuck to the tooth stick, then the cake is finished.
• Set the baked cake aside. Meantime, make a smooth lemon icing. To achieve this, mix sifted icing sugar with freshly pressed lemon juice. Drizzle the lemon icing over warm cake and spread it using a tablespoon.
• Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. Slice and serve as a dessert or a coffee cake.

Pierogi

 

Ingredients

FOR FILLING:

• 6 small potatoes, boiled, peeled, and riced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 1 1/4 cups fresh cottage cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• smoked bacon or guanciale, diced, for garnish

FOR DOUGH:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

FOR FILLING:

1. Place riced potatoes into a large bowl
2. Sautee onions in butter until light brown
3. Lightly toss potatoes, with onion, cheese, and seasonings until combined

FOR DOUGH:

1. Place the flour on a clean work surface
2. Add the salt
3. Make a well in the top of the flour and add the egg.
4. Work the egg into the flour
5. Slowly add the water to the flour mixture, mixing it in as you go
6. Knead dough until smooth

TO ASSEMBLE:

1. Brown bacon and reserve
2. Roll the dough out very thin, approx 1/16 inch
3. Cut into round circles using a glass or a cookie cutter
4. Add a spoonful of the filling to the center of each circle, compacting the filling
5. Fold the dough around the filling, sealing the edges, creating a half circle or crescent shape
6. When all of the pierogi are filled, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the pierogi for use a few minutes
7. Serve with butter, bacon and the fat of the bacon.