Tag: Italian

COFFEE & ROASTED ALMOND BISCOTTI…a handsome combination!

“I am not a glutton, I am an explorer of food”
Erma Bombeck
Coffee & Roasted Almonds…a handsome combination
I have my biscotti moments…at times, I will suddenly alight & set off to make a biscotti with a ‘flavour of the moment‘ off the top of my head. This particular moments’ flavour turned out to be coffee & roasted almonds.
A delicious, crisp biscotti!
I made these some time ago, & am tempted to set off & bake some now…only problem being that I’ve cut a nerve in the palm of my right hand & am incapacitated as far as baking/cooking goes. Which leaves me with very little to do; torturous, but my own fault. Was careless & got a shard of broken ceramic do the damage…:0(
Biscotti date to Ancient times. The term literally means “twice baked.” These hard biscuits fueled armies and fed travelers. Flavor variations and culinary techniques evolved according to time and place. German zweiback, Jewish mandelbrot, British ship’s biscuit, and American hardtack are similar in purpose and method.

Ingredients:
Granulated sugar – 2/3 cup
Olive Oil – ¼ cup (or canola oil; I used olive)
Eggs – 2
Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Salt -1/8 tsp
Flour – 1 1/4 cups
Whole wheat flour – 1/2 cup
Instant Coffee Powder – 2 tbsps
Almonds– 1 cup/roasted & roughly chopped

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 150 degrees C.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat sheets.
  • Sift the flours + salt + baking powder.
  • Beat the olive oil with the sugar.
  • Add the vanilla extract + eggs + coffee & beat well.
  • Stir in the flour mix; & gently turn the almonds into the dough. Mix in.
  • Transfer the dough to your parchment lined baking sheet and form into 2 logs, about 12” X 3 ½”. The dough is sticky, so you may have to dampen your hands to form the log.
  • Bake for 35 minutes, or until firm to the touch & light golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the log gently to a cutting board and cut diagonally into 2 cm slices with a sharp serrated knife.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 135 degrees C. Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes, turn slices over, and bake for another 8 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.
  • Makes about 20 – 24 biscotti
  • Note: Roast the almonds at 180 degrees for about 10 minutes, till the skin begins to crack open. Allow to cool, & then chop. Roasting brings out the sweetness & flavour in almonds. Can be done in advance.

This is a healthier version of the biscotti which I normally make. Have substituted some of the plain flour for whole-wheat flour & was quite pleased to see the kids enjoy them as much as we did. It’s always a good idea to gradually substitute plain flour with a portion of whole-wheat flour to increase the nutritive value…these are good, healthy cookies with no butter. Made with olive oil & full of nuts, they’re headed for Ivy @ Kopiaste & Ben @ What’s Cooking US for an event we can’t do without…Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets? (an event co-hosted by 2 of my fave bloggers). The call is to make something that you consider Diet Food for its nutritious value (high in vitamins and other nutrients and low in calories). I think we all need a little nibble at tea & this quite fits the bill!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

PEST of a PESTO… but then onto PASTA! ‘PUTTING UP’!!

“How could such sweet and wholesome hours
Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers?”
Andrew Marvel

Basil Almond Pesto…

Snip,snip,snip…all I could hear out in the garden was snip, snip, snip. Sunday morning, me lazing in the study with my cuppa cold milk…one day I like to steer clear of the kitchen in the morning. The snipping didn’t seem to end & I got suspicious. Stepped out to find the gardener trimming away my beloved basil bushes to pretty shapes…I almost passed out! There, lying all around, were bunches of my precious basil! He felt it had overgrown too much & decided it was time to clean it up; for him it was just another part of the overgrown hedge!Leaves galore…

Grrrrrrrrrr…& that’s how Sunday morning began. I made him bag the leaves & then got them in & set to work. In temperatures as high as we have here, leaves wilt in next to no time. The only good thing was that I was coerced into doing something I had been procrastinating about for far too long…I had finished my last jar a while ago.
Convenience reigns supreme; if the pesto is on hand,
then can pasta be far behind?
Ingredients:

Sweet basil – 2 cups approximately
Almonds – 1/2 cup , with skins
Garlic – 4-5 cloves
Olive oil – 1/2 cup
Freshly ground pepper

Leafing through pesto…

Method:
  • Grind the almonds with skins in the food processor in short pulses.
  • Add the garlic, pulse. Add the basil leaves & pulse again till they are all shredded well.
  • Now continue to pulse while slowly pouring in the olive oil till it comes together. Add some freshly ground pepper, mix well & bottle. Refrigerate. Makes 2 small jars.

And then came the pasta in a pesto cream sauce…
Ingredients:

Fussili – 250 gms
Garlic – 3 cloves
Cream – 200ml
Cheese – 50 gms / grated
Pesto – 2 heaped tbsps
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Method:
  • Boil the pasta until al dente.
  • Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a pan. Ad the garlic & saute for a minute or so. Add the cream + cheese & simmer till it comes to a boil & the cheese melts.
  • Add the pesto + salt + pepper to taste.
  • Once the pasta is done, add to the pesto cream sauce & mix through. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan shavings.
  • I served this with a tomato-cottage cheese-basil salad, grilled chicken & oven roasted garlic potatoes.

The chicken was marinated in a lovely flavoursome marinade I got off from Amy @ Familia Bencomo…’Marinata Diavola‘; I didn’t have the rosemary but made it nevertheless. Fabulous fabulous results! Do head over to her place & check out the original HERE!!

My jar of pesto, virtually, is on it’s way to PUTTING UP, an interesting blogevent hosted jointly by Pixie @ You Say Tomahto, I Say Tomayto, & Rosie @ Rosie Bakes a Peace of Cake. They are 2 of my favourite UK bloggers & are very busy in their spot of the globe! Rosie was one of the first bloggers I got to know when I began blogging, & she’s gone from strength to strength since! The focus of this event are the Jams & Preserves. I checked with Pixie, & she confirmed that pesto qualifies. Thanks Arundhati for your suggestion…I’m on my way!!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

A TOAST TO ROASTED GARLIC…SPAGHETTI & FOCACCIA…& another award!

“Garlic is a habit and a passion.”
Kim Upton, Chicago Sun-Times
Of Spaghetti & Vegetables… this one’s a combination full-of-flavour!

Bursting with flavour…an incredibly delicious focaccia!

Ever since I read that Casa Bencomo has a huge jar of organic garlic waiting to be used up, my minds hit the garlic trail. Am sure the jar at Amy’s end is history, but my pursuit in never ending…garlic is one of my favourite ingredients. I was at a loose end for a meal one day…rummaged in the fridge & found bell peppers. Had a couple of heads of garlic & spaghetti. The Pasta Bible has place of honour on my bedside these days…a recipe I had read a couple of nights back came to my mind…Spaghettini all’Aglio Arrostio (Spaghettini with Roasted Garlic). The garlic was duly put to roast, & the poor bell peppers tortured to grill again!
Chargrilled Peppers & Roasted Garlic…perfect partners!
Spaghetti all’Aglio Arrostito…with a twist!
I decided to use most of my roasted garlic & chargrilled peppers in the spaghetti & the remainder in a focaccia! Yummy meal that was & have to say that the focaccia was unbelievable; the flavours were heady & fulfilling. Have read that garlic becomes sweet on roasting…couldn’t believe it. Spot on!
Prior preparation:
  • Grill 2 bell peppers, a red & a yellow one till charred. I do it over the flame. Seal them immediately in a ziploc till they cool. Remove the charred skin & wash. Chop fine.
  • Take 2 bulbs of garlic wrapped in foil. Bake in oven at 180 degrees C for 30 minutes. Allow to cool & then gently squeeze the insides into a bowl. Mash well with a fork (mashes very easily & becomes smooth), add about 1/2 cup of olive oil & freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.
  • Both these can be done in advance to save time.

Roasted Garlic & Grilled Peppers Focaccia

Ingredients:

Yeast – 1 tbsp
Sugar – 1 1/2 tsps
Warm water 1 3/4 cups
Flour – 3 cups (+ a little extra if required)
Wholewheat flour – 1 cup
Salt – 1 tsp
Olive oil – 3 tbsps
Roasted garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Mixed Italian herbs – 1tbsp
Roasted chili flakes – 1/2 tsp
Chargrilled red & yellow peppers – 1 heaped tbsp each
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Garlic – 3-4 cloves / sliced
Sea salt – 1 1/2 tsp

Method:

  • In a bowl, stir together yeast, sugar and 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water and proof yeast for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy. Mix in the salt (not sea salt) + roasted garlic paste + herbs + chili flakes.
  • Stir in 3 cups of flour + 1 cup of wheat flour + 1 tbsp of olive oil adding as much more flour as necessary to form a soft and slightly sticky dough. Mix in the bell peppers.
  • Transfer to a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, and let rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until double in size.
  • Knead dough down and press with lightly-oiled hands into 2 well-oiled 8″ round sandwich loaf pans & one slightly smaller one. Let them rise, covered loosely, for 30 minutes.

  • Dimple dough with your fingers in places, drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over and spread over dough; sprinkle with onions, basil, garlic, a few bits of bell pepper and sea salt.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until pale golden.
  • Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

My twist on Spaghetti all’Aglio Arrostito…Spaghetti with Roasted Garlic & Chargrilled Peppers
as adapted from ‘The Pasta Bible’ by Jeni Wright, pg 164

Ingredients:
Spaghetti – 400-500 gms
Roasted garlic paste – all the remaining paste
Chargrilled peppers – of 1 1/2 – 2 peppers / chopped fine
Handful of basil leaves / chopped
Parmesan to serve
Roasted red chili flakes (optional)

Method:

  • Cook & drain pasta.
  • Toss in the roasted garlic paste + chopped grilled peppers + basil leaves.
  • Serve immediately with Parmesan shavings handed separately, focaccia & a salad.

Talking of my dear friend Amy, from Familia Bencomo, ahem, it seems kinda apt to add in this post, that I’ve been given this precious award from the dear girl….blush! It’s the Arte y Pico Award, awarded to bloggers ‘for their creativity, design, interesting material, and who also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language’. I am really really touched; thank you Amy…this means more to me than you can imagine! This is indeed an inspiring award & I’m proud to have got it. I will pass it on to 5 blogs soon.

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

READY,STEADY,COOK…Pasta, Grilled Cottage Cheese & Salad!

“The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a star.”
Anthelme Brillat–Savarin
A Vegetarian challenge…

Wonder how many of you have heard of the BBC daytime show ‘Ready Steady Cook’? I used to watch it often while visiting the UK years ago. Two members of the public, or occasionally sporting or other celebrities, provide two celebrity chefs with a bag of ingredients they have bought, usually to a set budget of £5 The chefs proceed to make several dishes out of the said ingredients (and a generously stocked kitchen containing basic ingredients and spices), in 20 minutes, with the help of the contestants and the programme host (things have changed a bit now, but the show goes on!). Ainsley Harriott was the presenter then…charismatic, larger-than-life & flamboyant. I googled about the show, & was absolutely delighted to find he’s still on this addictive food show, “My aim is to make cooking fun,” he says!
A medley of flavours…Healthy, wholesome & exciting!
These days my philosophy of cooking is vaguely based on ‘Ready Steady Cook’…without the 20 minutes clause of course! There was a time I used to shop with the end product in mind. Of late, I walk into the supermarket or local vendors shop, & pick up whatever catches my fancy. Then proceed back home to make a meal out of it with no specific plan. Makes cooking fun, & pushes my own creativity to different levels. I enjoy this a lot as it breaks the everyday monotony…& I find it encourages the kids to eat as they look forward now to different stuff showing up on the table!
So here’s what I picked up at the bazaar…baby potatoes (which seldom show up), bell peppers, sweetcorn on the cob & cottage cheese. I had some portion of multigrain elbow pasta which I wanted to use up…& then of course plenty of garlic, basil & mint! Here’s what my home show created on the go…
Baby Potato Sweetcorn Salad
Ingredients:
Baby potatoes – 500 gms / boiled, peeled & halved
Sweetcorn – 1 cup ( I used 2 fresh cobs; you can use frozen/canned)
Hung yogurt/Greek yogurt – 1 cup
Cream – 1 tbsp (optional)
Ranch Buttermilk dressing powder- 2 tsps / heaped (optional)
Juice of 1 lime
Fresh mint leaves – 1 handful/ chopped
Red Onion – 1/ finely chopped
Salt Method:
  • Whisk the yogurt + cream + lime juice + salt + buttermilk dressing till smooth.
  • Put the baby potatoes + onion + sweetcorn+ mint in a bowl. Toss well.
  • Pour in the dressing, toss well. Serve either at room temperature immediately or chill until required.

Grilled Cottage-cheese Slices

Ingredients:
Cottage cheese – 500 gms / cut into 8 slices
Oil – 2 tbsp
Oregano or crushed dried mint – 1 tsp
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt or rock salt
Freshly ground pepper
Paprika – 1/2 tsp Method:

  • Whisk the oil with oregano + lime juice + sea salt + paprika + pepper.
  • Marinate the cottage cheese slices in this for at least an hour.
  • Just prior to serving, pick out a slice gently from the marinade & put onto a hot grill pan. Turn once, & pour a little marinade over the second side.

Multi-grain Elbow Pasta with a basil-walnut Pesto Dressing

Ingredients:
Elbow pasta – 250gms
Red bell pepper – 1
Yellow bell pepper – 1
Garlic – 2 cloves
Salt to taste
Fresh basil leaves – 5-10 / chopped

For the dressing:
Walnut-basil pesto – 2 tsps (I’ve made my own & keep a jar in the fridge)
Olive Oil – 4 tbsps
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
Roasted red chili flakes

Method:

  • Char grill the bell peppers & garlic cloves & seal in a ziploc until cool.
  • Put the pasta onto boil.
  • Whisk the olive oil + pesto + red chili flakes + lime juice + salt to make the dressing.
  • Drain the cooked pasta & mix into the dressing. Keep aside.
  • Clean & chop the grilled peppers. Chop the grilled garlic cloves with basil leaves. Toss both these into the pasta & mix in well. Adjust seasoning.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftovers can be served chilled as a nice cold salad!

ENJOY!!

This one had a fairytale ending…let’s see what happens when I set out next!!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

LIME YOGURT PANNA COTTA…GUILT-FREE INDULGENCE!

“It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”
Laura Ingalls Wilder

Yogurt Panna Cotta…the healthier Option!

My love for panna cotta knows no bounds. This is one versatile dessert & absolutely sublime. The regular panna cotta is indulgent, creamy & quite the best thing that happened to my list of desserts recently. You can find my previous panna cotta posts here (Coffee) & here (Strawberry). Who can resist a panna cotta…& with a fruity, tangy lime sauce? YUM!!

Nutmeg flavouring the sauce…

This time I made it healthier too…by substituting a part of the cream with yogurt. It’s adapted from a recipe I chanced by while at Baking Bites & was sold on the idea. This recipe is one that can make an appearance more often, without me feeling guilty of so many calories. ( I have to add that DH loves the ‘authentic’ Italian one…he says that’s the real thing! Hmmmph, so much for my healthy attempt…but he lapped this one up nevertheless.)

This is a lovely healthy option of panna cotta…& is on its way to a delightful event…A Tasty Tools Blogging event! Every foodie is passionate about kitchen tools; adding taste to passion is Joelen @ Joelen’s Culinary Adventures. The focus this month is on the kitchen grater and “microplane”. These tools do a fine job grating spices, cheeses, various vegetables, etc.

Microplaner…my dream come true

I love it…the microplaner has taken precedence over all tools in my kitchen & is currently holding 1st place. I used it here for the lime rind, & used the nutmeg grater to grate some fresh nutmeg for the lime sauce ( recipe from All Recipes) ! Great fun for a GRATE event!!

Spice Grater…

Onto the ‘grate‘ recipe then…using my tasty tools!!

For the Yogurt Panna Cotta
Ingredients:

Greek Yogurt – 2 cups (I used hung nonfat curd)
Cream – 1/2 cup (low fat)
Buttermilk – 1/2 cup (or half cup milk with 1 tsp vinegar; left to stand for 10 minutes)
Gelatin – 3 tsp
Water – 2 tbsp
Sugar – 4- 5 tbsp
Lemon extract – 1/2 tsp
Rind of 2 limes
Method:
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt + cream + buttermilk.
  • In a small bowl, combine gelatin and water. Microwave gelatin and water for about 30-45 seconds, until gelatin is melted.
  • Stir in sugar, lemon extract & zest.
  • Whisk gelatin mixture thoroughly into yogurt mix.
  • Divide into 6-8 very lightly greased ramekins and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
  • To unmould, dip ramekins in very hot water for a few seconds and invert on to plates.

For the lime dessert sauce:

White sugar – 1/2 cup
Cornstarch – 1 tbsp
Salt – 1/8 tsp
Freshly grated nutmeg – 1/4 tsp
Boiling water – 1 cup
Butter – 1tbsp
Zest of 1-2 limes
Juice of 1-2 limes (as tangy as you want it)
Yellow food colour

Method:

  • In large saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg.
  • Gradually stir in boiling water, then simmer over low heat until thick, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon zest, lemon juice & colour, if desired, and cool.
  • Drizzle the cold sauce over the unmoulded panna cotta, garnish with a sprig of fresh mint

…Sit back & indulge without guilt!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

LOAFING AROUND…FOCACCIA with garlic, onion & fresh basil

“A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.”
Aesop
VICTORY LOAF….FOCACCIA!
Come spring & you find breads being baked with renewed fervour. Easter holiday breads are popping up all over the blogosphere…from hot cross buns to sweet braided loaves! I too have abandoned with glee my yeastophobia & jumped into the fray… though not with a sweet bread. I decided to make focaccia the other day. For me this finally symbolises victory over my fear of yeast! I’m ready to conquer the world of breads!! What better time but with the advent of Spring…
Fun with dough… mastering the plait!
This flat bread topped with olive oil, spices and other products is an early prototype of modern pizza. The basic recipe is thought by some to have originated with the Etruscans or Ancient Greeks.
Focaccia, known and loved in Italy and abroad, is a yeasted bread dough, often mixed or spread with oil, herbs, or onion, and ancient way of cooking bread dough quickly, possibly connected with offerings made by the Romans to the gods, liba… Early versions were cooked on the hearth of a hot fire, or on a heated tile or earthenware disk, like the related flatbreads. Many have an inventive range of flavourings, the olive oil, rosemary, garlic or onion of the schiacciata alla fiorentina of Tuscany, or the herbs, sage, rosemary, oregaon, onion, and ciccioli of the foccia genovese of Liguria.

Loafing around…

Focaccia is a versatile bread indeed. Full of flavour & full of options. I used a highly rated ‘Rosemary Garlic Focaccia‘ recipe from Recipezaar; substituted the rosemary with fresh garlic & sliced onions, & added a portion of wholewheat flour too. The whole house smelt divine while the loaves were baking…absolute nirvana! We ate 2 loaves the first day with a chicken casserole, baked garlic potatoes, crumb fried fish & salad. The next day I made sandwiches with the 3rd loaf! I believe you can even top it & make it into a pizza! It’s got a lovely light & fresh crumb & keeps for 2-3 days at cool temperatures.

Redolent…in the rays of the setting sun

I saved some dough & plaited it into a braid… it’s been my dream for many years to plait a loaf of bread! Strange but true!! I used to drift through baking books wondering how such beautiful braided breads were possible. My first attempt wasn’t too bad as I made the plait from my mind; have since found out that I needed 4 strands & not 3 as I used! Until next time then…

The recipe as adapted from Recipezaar…

Ingredients
Yeast – 1 tbsp
Sugar – 1 1/2 tsps
Flour – 4 cups
Wholewheat flour – 1/2 – 1 cup ( I substituted a bit of the flour with this)
Salt – 1 tsp
Olive oil – 3 tbsps
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Onion – 1 sliced
Garlic – 4-5 cloves / sliced
Roasted sesame seeds & poppy seeds
Sea salt – 1 1/2 tsp

Method:

  • In a bowl, stir together yeast, sugar and 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water and proof yeast for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
  • Stir in 3 cups of flour + 1 cup of wheat flour, 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and the salt, adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary to form a soft and slightly sticky dough.
  • Transfer to a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, and let rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until double in size.
  • Knead dough down and press with lightly-oiled hands into 2 well-oiled 8″ round sandwich loaf pans, saving some for a braided bread.
  • Make a braid with the remaining dough, tuck in the ends underneath & let them rise, covered loosely, for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set rack in center of oven.
  • Dimple dough with your fingers in places, drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over and spread over dough; sprinkle with onions, basil, garlic and sea salt. I drizzled oil over the braided loaf & sprinkled sesame & poppy seeds all over it.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until pale golden.
  • Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

A loaf I’m quite proud of…

‘Breadbakingday‘ the monthly event was started by Zorra for passionate and to-be bread bakers, who bake bread and share recipes and experiences on the first day of every month. This month’s ‘Breadbakingday’ is hosted by someone who I’ve been in awe of for LONG…Susan @ Wild Yeast. She says…”As one of the oldest and most universal of foods, bread is associated with celebrations in every part of the world. For this month’s BreadBakingDay, you are invited to share your own spring holiday bread tradition, explore one you’re not yet familiar with, or start a new one. Choose any seasonal holiday or event you’d like to honor with a special bread.”

My new found freedom from yeastophobia is event enough to announce the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I’m gonna celebrate it with this braided loaf & am sending it off to Susan’s. I recommend you check out her blog & marvel at her ease with yeast…especially if you are yeastophobic like I was.

Posted by Deeba @ PAB
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