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One pot peach chicken

I wanted to try this sweet and savoury combination of peaches and chicken. It turned out delicious. It really tastes better than it sounds, or that was the general consensus in the house. I had no doubts 🙂 It really has such an incredible flavor combination with the fresh peaches, (I actually used nectarines) fresh basil and the reduced balsamic vinegar. I wasn’t sure about the tomatoes but they really gave more dimension to the flavor of the sauce.

prep time 10 min cook time 25 min

ingredients for 2

  • 250 g chicken breasts
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium ripe peaches or nectarines
  • 8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • salt and pepper
  • 50 ml balsamic vinegar
  • 10 fresh basil leaves
  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced onion, sauté for a few minutes and push to the side.
  2. Add chicken breasts, cut into bite size bits or a bit bigger, season with salt and pepper and cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side.
  3. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
  4. Add balsamic vinegar and cook about 1 minute, then add peaches cut into thin wedges and tomatoes and toss. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  5. Return chicken pieces to skillet nestling between peaches and tomatoes. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer until chicken has cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.
  6. Top with fresh basil, torn or thinly sliced.
  7. Serve with basmati rice or couscous.

BUON APPETITO!

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Fluffy lemon ricotta bundt cake

Moist and fluffy lemon ricotta bundt cake is perfect for a dessert or even for a Sunday brunch or why not, for a sweet breakfast. The ricotta makes it super moist and airy. For a fancier version you can drizzle lemon glaze on top instead of sprinkling powdered sugar. Up to you.

prep time 15 min     cook time 50 min + 15 min cooling time
ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 220 g sugar
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 100 g sunflower or peanut oil
  • 250 g ricotta
  • 80 g potato starch/corn starch
  • 260 g flour
  • 16 g baking powder
  • powdered sugar to sprinkle on top

1.  Preheat oven to 180 C. Oil and flour a 24-26cm bundt cake pan.

2. In a large bowl cream together the eggs and sugar until well combined.

2. Add zest and juice of lemon, beat some more, add the oil and then ricotta and beat until light and fluffy.

3. Keep beating and add potato starch and then in a few batches the flour where you have mixed the baking powder.

4. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 min before turning out onto a wire rack.

5. When the bundt cake is completely cooled, sprinkle the powdered sugar (or drizzle the lemon glaze) on top.

BUON APPETITO!

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Ham, cheese and potato pie

Want to try this easy ham and potato pie recipe? You need only a few ingredients and about an hour. You can serve it as is or add a green salad for a more complete meal.

prep time 15 min     cook time 5 min + 50 min
ingredients
  • 370g ready rolled puff pastry
  • 100g ham, diced
  • 3+1 medium size potatoes
  • 200g mozzarella (or provola), diced
  • sprig of rosemary
  • salt and pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C

2. Peel and dice 3 potatoes. Fry them with a sprig of rosemary in a pan with a little bit of oil for about 5-6 min. Season with just a dash of salt. Don’t worry if the potatoes are not cooked through, they will cook in the oven.

3. Unroll the puff pastry with its baking parchment onto a baking tray. A spring pan will work too. Layer the potatoes, then ham and mozzarella.

4. Slice the last potato into thin slices with a mandolin or a knife. Layer the slices  on top of the pie slightly overlapping them. Sprinkle some salt and pepper, a few fresh rosemary needles and a little bit of oil on top.

5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden.

BUON APPETITO!

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Fusilli with fresh salmon

Salmon and pasta are a match made in heaven. It’s all about simplicity and freshness. With fresh dill, sweet cherry tomatoes, zucchini, lemon zest, olive oil and fresh salmon, you practically have summer on a plate. I went with fusilli for this recipe but you can use any kind of pasta you like: spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, pappardelle or other tube-type pastas. If you want it even healthier, sub with whole wheat pasta instead.

prep time 10 min     cook time 10 min
ingredients for 3
  • 180g fresh salmon, cut into cubes
  • 270g fusilli pasta
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 150g cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 small zucchini cut into sticks
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • handful of fresh dill, chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions or until al dente.

    2. Meanwhile cut and slice the vegetables..
    3. Heat some oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-heat. Start by cooking the onion for 2 minutes, add zucchini and after a few minutes the salmon cubes. Season with salt and pepper.  Add tomatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes until salmon is cooked.
    4. Drain the pasta reserving a few tablespoons of the cooking water and add to the pan with the cooking liquid. Gently toss to combine.
    5. Divide onto plates and top with fresh dill and lemon zest. Enjoy with a glass of chilled white wine.

BUON APPETITO!

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Classic tomato bruschetta

Ah bruschetta, one of the best ways to enjoy the bounty of summer. Pronounced “brusketta”, this classic Italian appetizer is a perfect way to capture the flavors of garden ripened tomatoes, fresh basil and good olive oil. Use any flavorful, ripe tomato for this recipe. The key to good bruschetta are ripe sweet tomatoes which do not need to be blanched or peeled, good rustic bread and good extra virgin olive oil.

There’s usually no exact quantity of oil mentioned in any Italian bruschetta recipe, I checked 🙂 But let’s say 2 dl of good extra virgin olive oil to start with. Then about the bread. You get the best results with a good rustic bread, better yet if it’s from the day before. Baguette or toast are too soft even after grilling them, they just get soggy.

prep time 10 min + 30 min to marinate
ingredients
  • 500g ripe sweet tomatoes
  • 8-10 slices of rustic bread
  • handful of fresh basil
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt
  • clove of garlic (optional)

1. Prepare first the tomatoes. Dice them, I prefer mine relatively big, but you can dice them very small if you like and put them in a bowl. Tear the basil into small pieces and add to the bowl. When chopped, the leaves turn dark, sometimes they even take on a black quality that’s not very pretty. Add salt, remember that tomatoes love salt, and then the oil. Stir well and let marinate at least 30 minutes. Taste.

2. Grill the slices of bread on both sides on the grill or in the oven. If you are in a pinch, you can toast them. Gasp! No oil needed to coat the bread before grilling them.

3. When the bread is ready, you can swipe the top side with a peeled garlic clove and sprinkle some salt and olive oil on it. That’s the simplest way to enjoy  bruschetta. You can also swipe the bread with garlic before adding the tomatoes.

4. Spoon the tomatoes on the grilled bread a few minutes before serving. I prefer letting the tomatoes sit on the bread for at least 10 minutes. I don’t mind if they get soaked a little. I think it’s more flavourful.

Tip: you can substitute rucola for basil

BUON APPETITO!

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Chimichurri

I first tried this fabulous Argentinian sauce many years ago in an Argentinian restaurant in Los Angeles. Mind blowing how this simple green sauce could make such a huge difference. Originally Argentinian but now known world wide chimichurri is not only for grilled meat but also good on roasted meat and vegetables, fish, bruschetta and even on cheese. Many non-authentic versions of this condiment can also be found. Versions which include fresh cilantro…and cumin…and lime or lemon juice. Most likely very delicious, but not considered authentic. And do not use a blender, also not considered authentic. Chimichurri has been a huge hit this summer amongst friends and family. 😉

prep time 10 min
ingredients
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 Tbls red wine vinegar
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2 small red chilies or chill flakes or peperoncino (to your taste)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 level teaspoon coarse salt
  • black pepper to taste

Mix everything in a small bowl or jar. Taste and adjust to your liking. Ready to use right away but naturally tastes better after a couple of hours when the flavours have deepened. You can baste your grilled meat with chimichurri or spoon it over your meat. Excellent with any kind of grilled or barbecued meat, sausages and chorizo as well as on grilled or roasted veggies, bruschetta or even with some hard cheese.

BUON APPETITO!

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Greek stuffed tomatoes

Greek stuffed tomatoes, gemista, are similar to the Italian ones, mainly the Pomodori a riso alla romana, but there are some differences. And as with most recipes, there are variations based on the region and one’s grandmother 🙂 These healthy and juicy gemista are traditionally vegetarian but some use also ground beef or pork. Remember to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil which is key to a Greek ladera dish (prepared with oil).

prep time 20 min + 60 min for marinating    cook time 90 min
ingredients for 4
  • 4 large ripe tomatoes
  • 125g rice (for risotto)
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • handful of fresh dill
  • handful of fresh mint
  • 1 Tbls tomato paste
  • extra vergin olive oil
  • juice of one lemon
  • ground black pepper
  • dahs of ground cumin
  • sweet paprika
  • ground cayenne pepper or peperoncino
  • salt
  • dash of sugar
  • 1-2 potatoes
  • 300 ml water
  • 1 Tbls tomato paste
  • 1-2 Tbls olive oil
  • salt, pepper, dried oregano

1.  Wash and pat dry the tomatoes. Cut off the top part of all the tomatoes and put aside. With a pairing knife help loosen the tomato flesh, scoop it with a spoon and put in a bowl. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish where you have put some olive oil on the bottom. Choose a baking dish where the tomatoes fit snuggly.

2.  Blend the tomato flesh with an immersion blender in a fairly large bowl. Add the minced onion, chopped dill and mint, the lemon juice, tomato paste, the cumin, sweet paprika and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper and add a generous drizzle of olive oil. Mix and add the rice. Let marinate at room temperature for about an hour.

3. Peel and cut the potatoes into rounds (or wedges or cubes), put in a bowl, add 300ml of water and tomato paste. Season with oil, dried oregano, salt and pepper.

4. Pre-heat oven at 190C.

5. Add now a dash of sugar to the tomatoes and also a dash of salt. Fill them with the rice mixture which has by now absorbed most of the liquid in the bowl. Cover tomatoes with the tomato tops.

6. Place the potato slices now on top and around the tomatoes. Pour the liquid in the pan, about half way. Bake at 190C for 45 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for additional 45 minutes. Check to see if some more liquid is needed.

BUON APPETITO!

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Savoury muffins

Make a batch of savoury muffins for a snack or an appetiser. They are also great for a light lunch or dinner with a bowl of salad. They are easy to make and you can use a plethora of vegetables and cheese or a combination of these.

prep time 10 min     cook time 25 min
ingredients for 12 muffins
  • 125 g butter
  • 2 eggs
  • dash of salt
  • 200 g plain yogurt ( or ricotta)
  • 150 g flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 50 g sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 spring onion or a small onion
  • 100 g feta (or blue cheese)
  • 1 Tbls fresh thyme
  • 75 g grated cheese

1. Pre-heat oven at 200C and grease a muffin tin.

2. Melt the butter and let cool. Beat the eggs, salt and the yogurt lightly into the butter.

3. Mix the flour and baking powder and then add this to the batter with a spoon just until combined. Do not beat.

4. Drip the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes and mince them. Dice also the onion, crumble the feta and add all this to the batter.

5. Add the thyme (you can also use dried thyme) and half of the grated cheese.

6. Fill the muffin tin and add the remaining cheese.

7. Bake at 200C for 15-20 min until the muffins have a nice golden crust. Serve lightly cooled.

Tip: try chives, celery, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, leek,  button mushrooms, baby spinach ( I had a few zucchini flowers that I tossed into the mix), different kinds of cheese, bacon, sausage or ham, fresh (or dried) herbs like oregano, basil, lemon thyme, marjoram.

Tip: these freeze well.

BUON APPETITO!

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Stuffed zucchini, bell peppers and eggplants

I love stuffed vegetables either filled with ground beef or ricotta or other vegetables. They are best eaten lightly cooled when the flavours have had time to set.

prep time 15 min     cook time 50 min
ingredients for 4
  • 2 eggplants
  • 2 zucchini
  • 2 bell peppers (red or yellow)
  • 500 g ground beef
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • salt and pepper
  • 200 g mozzarella (provola is ok too)
  • 4-5 Tbls bread crumbs
  • 3-4 Tbls grated Parmigiano
    1. Preheat oven to 180 C
    2. Wash and pat dry eggplants, zucchinis and peppers. Cut them in halves and empty the eggplants and zucchini of their flesh trying not to poke holes to the skin.

3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the vegetables on the tray. Cut the eggplant and zucchini halves just slightly and sprinkle some salt on all the vegetables.

4. Bake for 15 minutes.

5. In the meantime heat oil in a large pan and sauté the onion. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and zucchini flesh to the pan.

6. Cook for another 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool.

7. Add the mozzarella cut into cubes, 2-3 Tbls of bread crumbs and fill the eggplants, zucchini and peppers sprinkling some more breadcrumbs and grated Parmigiano on top.

8. Cook for abut 50 minutes and let them cool on the tray.

9. Serve with crusty bread and a nice glass of wine.

BUON APPETITO!

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Apple loaf cake

Easy peasy soft and moist apple yogurt cake coming up.

prep time 15 min     cook time 55 min
ingredients
  • 250 g flour
  • 250 g plain yogurt
  • 3 small or 2 big apples
  • 160 g sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 130 g melted butter
  • 16 g baking powder
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 Tbls cinnamon
    1. Pre heat oven to 180 C
    2. Grease and lightly flour a loaf pan. (10cm x 30cm)
    3. Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and fluffy. Add the zest, yogurt and  melted butter (cool) and beat for additional 2-3  minutes.
    4. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and stir into the wet batter mixing just until combined.
    5. Peel 2 small apples (or 1,5 if you have big apples), slice them thinly or cut into small cubes and add to the batter.
    6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and add one apple (or the half of the big one) thinly sliced on top of the batter. Sprinkle little bit of sugar and cinnamon on top.
    7. Bake for about 55 minutes at 180C or until the toothpick comes out clean. The yogurt and the apples make the cake very moist. You can garnish the loaf with some confectioner’s sugar.

BUON APPETITO!