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Zucchini pie

To make savoury pies you can use puff pastry or traditional pie dough, either home made or store bought. Today I paired zucchini with speck, but you can use a plethora of ingredients.

prep time 10 min     cook time 35-45 min
ingredients
  • 350g puff pastry
  • 500g zucchini, sliced or rounds
  • 100g speck (pancetta or bacon is fine), diced or in strips
  • 2 eggs
  • 100 ml milk (or heavy cream)
  • 30 grated Parmigiano
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1.  Preheat the oven to 180 C.

2.  Cook the zucchini in a pan with the oil for 5-6 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the speck.

3. Mix the eggs vigorously, add the milk and cheese and a dash of salt and pepper.

4. Roll out the puff pastry into a baking dish, previously covered with parchment paper, prick it with the prongs of a fork and add the zucchini filling.

5. Pour the egg mix on top and place in the oven until golden.

6. Check the time on your oven. Mine always requires more time than the recipes suggest.

Tip: you can replace the egg and milk mixture with 250g of ricotta.

BUON APPETITO!

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Baked Crispy Chicken Wings

These easy crispy chicken wings go well with fries, veggies or a salad but they are even more fabulous as an appetizer .

prep time 10 min     cook time 45 min
ingredients for 4
  • 1 kg chicken wings
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 eggs
  • bread crumbs
  • salt and pepper
  • flat leaf parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C.

2. Sprinkle salt on the wings.

3. Whisk the eggs, add a little salt and pepper, then the zest of the lemon and the juice of half the lemon.

4. Chop parsley and add it to the bread crumbs.

5. Dip the wings in the egg mixture, then coat them in breadcrumbs and place in an ovenproof dish previously covered with parchment paper.

6. Cook for about 45 min or until the wings are cooked through, flipping them once halfway through.

You can serve them with a sauce of your choice but at my house no sauce is needed. They are gone in a blink of an eye!

BUON APPETITO!

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Baked pasta with artichokes and zucchini

Baked pasta is one of the easiest dishes to make and you can use almost anything to mix into it. I was making it with artichokes but added two leftover zucchinis. I also used two different kinds of pasta.

prep time 15 min     cook time 25-35 min
ingredients for 6
  • 500g pasta, I mixed rigatoni and fusilloni
  • 5-6 artichokes, cleaned and chopped
  • 2 zucchini, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 500g besciamella
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt
  • breadcrumbs
  • grated Parmigiano

1. Preheat oven at 200 C.

2. If making your own besciamella, here is the recipe. If using store bought besciamella, skip this step.

3. Cook the pasta according to the instructions in the package but leave it al dente.

4. Clean and then chop or slice the artichokes. You can read about cleaning them here. Then cook them in a pan with the oil for about 10 minutes. Add the sliced zucchini, season with salt and cook for additional 2-3 minutes.

5. After the artichoke mixture has cooled for a few minutes, stir in the besciamella sauce. Then add the cooked pasta and pour into a greased oven proof dish.

6. Sprinkle generous amount of grated Parmigiano and some breadcrumbs on top.

7. Cook for about 30 minutes until the top is golden and crispy.

BUON APPETITO!

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Pork chops in the oven

These are the best and most succulent pork chops I’ve ever tasted. I have tried pork chops numerous times, made by me or others, and I’ve found them almost always too dry. With this easy recipe your pork chops will never be dry again.

prep time  5 min     cook time  5 min + 25-30 min in the oven
ingreients for 3-4
  • 4 thick pork chops
  • flour to coat the chops
  • knob of butter
  • lug of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary (or dry), needles chopped
  • half a glass of white wine
  • salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Pat dry the pork chops, rub salt and pepper on them and let rest for 15min.

2. Heat a large pan, preferably one that goes also in the oven, add a knob of butter and a few Tbsp of oil. When hot add garlic and rosemary and flour coated pork chops. My pan wasn’t big enough to hold them all without crowding the pan, so I seared them two at a time.

3. Cook 2 minutes on both sides, add the wine and baste the chops with the wine and oil mixture. Remove from the pan to an oven proof pan. My cooking pan does not go in the oven. Repeat with the remaining 2 chops and then place them also in the oven pan pouring all the liquid on top.

4. Cover the pan with aluminium foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.

5. Serve hot with oven potatoes or a salad.

BUON APPETITO!

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Zucchini parmesan

This is a light version of zucchini parmesan, no frying or grilling and no tomato sauce. Maybe we should call it zucchini casserole. In any case it is very easy to make with just 4 main ingredients.

prep time  10 min     cook time 35-40 min
ingredients
  • 500g (3 medium) zucchini
  • 300g mozzarella or scamorza cheese, diced or coarsely grated
  • 100g ham, shredded or thinly sliced
  • 3-4 Tbsp grated Parmigiano
  • salt
  • bread crumbs
  • parsley, minced
  • extra virgin olive oil

1. Slice thinly the zucchini with a mandolin or a knife.

2. Mix the parsley, a little bit of salt and the grated Parmigiano into the breadcrumbs. Coat the zucchini slices on both sides with the breadcrumb mixture.

3. Put some oil in a baking dish and start with the zucchini slices then add ham and mozzarella. Make two more layers. Sprinkle a little bit of the remaining breadcrumbs and some Parmigiano on top.

4. Cover the pan with aluminium foil and cook at 180C for 25 minutes. Take the foil off and keep cooking for another 10-15 minutes until golden.

BUON APPETITO!

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Nectarine cake

Hot summer days are perfect for enjoying this fresh nectarine cake. You can make it with nectarines like I did or use fresh peaches. Easy to make and the yogurt makes it moist. Super simple ingredients, super easy to make.

prep time 20 min     cook time 45-55 min
ingredients
  • 5 nectarines or yellow peaches
  • 200g flour
  • 150g plain yogurt
  • 2 eggs
  • 150g sugar + 2 Tbls on top
  • 50 ml vegetable oil
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or seeds from half a pod
  • 16g or 1 1/2 Tbsp of baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease and flour a springform pan. Mine is 24cm.

2. Start by dicing 3 nectarines and slicing 2. Measure all your ingredients into bowls.

3. Beat the eggs with sugar, vanilla and lemon zest for a few minutes to obtain a frothy and light batter.

4. Add the oil and then the yogurt (I only had strawberry so I made do with that) and keep beating. Then add the flour where you have sifted the baking powder.

5. Add the diced nectarines to the batter and mix with a wooden spoon.

6. Pour the batter into the springform pan and place the nectarine slices on top.

7. Bake at 180C for 45-55 (my oven required a full hour) until the nectarines are caramelised and the toothpick or cake pick comes out clean.

8. When the cake is still warm, sprinkle 2 Tbsp of sugar on top. Let cool for 15 minutes, then move to a serving plate.

BUON APPETITO!

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Sunflower spinach pie

This spinach pie has a very scenographic presence and looks complicated to make but I assure you it is not. Especially if you use store bought puff pastry. Sometimes you are allowed to cut corners. 😛

prep time 15 min     cook time 45-55 min
ingredients
  • 2 round sheets of puff pastry
  • 400g baby spinach
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 300g ricotta cheese
  • 50g grated cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • sesame seeds
  • 1 yolk + 2 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat the oven to 190C.

2. ​Begin by preparing the spinach filling. Heat olive oil in a large pan and cook the spinach for a few minutes until it is wilted. Add salt and pepper.

3. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta and grated cheese. Mix well until all of the ingredients are well incorporated.Taste and check for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

4. Place one puff pastry sheet in the middle of a large baking pan lined with parchment paper.

5. ​Place 2 scoops of the spinach filling in the center of the circle.

6. Create a ring with the remaining spinach filling leaving about 3cm border all around the puff pastry. Do not allow the ring to connect with the filling in the center.

​

7. Place the other puff pastry circle on top and seal the edges by pressing down with the tines of a fork.

10. ​Place a small bowl over the center filling and press down to create an indentation.

11. Cut 4 slits around the pastry leaving the centre circle intact. Cut more slits for a total of 16 petals. Brush the pie with the egg mixture. Pierce with the tines of a fork at the centre and on the petals to allow the steam to release during baking.

​

11. Twist each petal (the slices) so that the filling side faces up. Take care to not separate the slices from the center. They look a little wonky but they’ll adjust in the oven 🙂

12. ​Sprinkle sesame seeds over center and bake 45-50 minutes or until the pastry is puffy and golden all around.

BUON APPETITO!

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Pasta salad with chickpeas

A fresh alternative for lunch. This pasta salad is simple and fast to make, nutritious and packed with flavour. You need only a few ingredients and it’s also very wallet-friendly.

prep time 5 min + marinating     cook time 10 min
ingredients for 3
  • 300g farfalle pasta
  • 1 can (400g) chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • parsley and basil, chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • grated Parmigiano

1. Place the chickpeas in a bowl, add garlic, the juice of half a lemon, 3-4 Tbls of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix, cover the bowl and put in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours, better yet overnight.

2. Cook the pasta according the instructions on the package, drain and place in a serving bowl. Let cool.

3. Add the marinated chickpeas, some more olive oil and lemon juice, chopped herbs. Mix and add grated Parmigiano on top.

BUON APPETITO!

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Brownies

Had a craving for brownies yesterday so I dug up an old recipe. Didn’t even have to go to the store since I had all the ingredients at home.

prep time 10 min     cook time 25-30 min
ingredients
  • 150g butter
  • 150g sugar
  • 75g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • 2 eggs, cold
  • 70g flour
  • 75g walnuts or hazelnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 20 x 20 cm baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Cut 150g unsalted butter into small cubes and tip into a medium bowl. Add sugar, cocoa powder and salt.

3. Fill a small saucepan about a quarter full with hot water, then sit the bowl in the pan. Put over a low heat until the butter and cocoa powder have melted, stirring occasionally to mix them.

4. Let cool for a moment.

5. Add the vanilla extract if using and then the eggs, one at a time, beating well. When the batter is thick and homogeneous, stir in the flour and the chopped nuts. Mix well but fast.

6. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 180C for about 25 min.

7. Let cool and cut into squares.

BUON APPETITO!

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Baked pasta with ground beef and veggies

This is a very easy baked pasta or oven pasta recipe where you can substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken and use veggies of your choice. This time I chose peas and button mushrooms.

prep time 15 min     cook time 25 min
ingredients for 4-5
  • 500g short pasta of your choice, I used big penne
  • 500g ground beef
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, dices
  • 10-15cm piece of celery, diced
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 150g frozen or fresh peas
  • 250g button mushrooms, sliced or diced
  • 500ml béchamel sauce, I used store bought but you can make your own
  • glass of white wine
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 200g provola dolce or mozzarella, cut into cubes
  • 50g + 30g grated cheese, Parmesan or other
  • breadcrumbs

1. Pre heat the oven to 180C.

2. In a large pan heat a few Tbls of olive oil. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook for a few minutes. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the mushrooms, let cook for a few minutes and then add the frozen peas and also the bayleaf. Pour the wine and let cook on low for 15 minutes.

4. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions but drain it 3-4 minutes before it’s al dente.

5. If you are making your own béchamel sauce, here is how. You need butter, milk, flour, salt and nutmeg.

6. Mix the drained pasta with the meat sauce in a large bowl. Stir in 400ml of besciamella, mozzarella cubes and 50g of grated cheese.

7. Pour the pasta into a 25 x 35cm oven proof baking pan. Top with the remaining 100ml of besciamella, sprinkle 30g of grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for about 25 min until the top starts to brown. For the last 5 min you can use the grill setting.

BUON APPETITO!