Pizza Stop - Ristorante Italiano 6/10 Chatham House, Chatham Lane, Off Grafton Street, Dublin 2
We had visitors this weekend so things got very touristy! We visited The Boyne Valley, New grange, Malahide castle, Howth head, and even ended up going to river dance which was staged at the Gaiety theatre in Dublin which is a pretty small venue and I felt took away from the colossal event, the name river dance normally conjures.
After River dance we were stuck for a place to eat and everyone was in the mood for Italian so I remembered a little place nuzzled at the back of HMV off Grafton Street. I had been to Pizza Stop - Ristorante Italiano a few years ago and enjoyed the meal then. The restaurant itself has got a bit of charm if not a little grubby, but the staff are very friendly and there was lots of laughing and joking.
Our guest and I ordered a Pizza du chef (which the menu promised a blend of tomato sauce, salami, mozzarella, peppers and pepperoni sausage) and my girlfriend had Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, Peperoncino. Most Italian restaurants are traditionally owned and run by Italians and pizza stop is no exception. We were seated right beside the bar and while waiting for our food to be served, a fight broke out between what looked to be the owner and one of the chefs. From what I could overhear the chef had been filling in his time sheet wrong and the owner was shouting "You do not make the time, I do!" after which he threw down the time sheet.
The rest of the staff looked very uncomfortable as the owner then proceeded to viciously restock the wine, practically throwing the bottles in to their slots! Although highly unprofessional it was quite amusing to watch, and gave us a great source of conversation as we waited for the food.
When the food arrived I was not that impressed, the pasta was over cooked and the dish itself didn't seem to have any strong flavor. The pizzas were a lot more promising with a nice crispy classic Italian base, there was a bit too much cheese but overall quite tasty.
The meal was quite cheap at 43 Euro, so I guess it's priced correctly for what you get! Not to mention the entertainment!
Christmas has well and truly started for me and I am already addicted to Christmas FM which plays non stop Christmas tunes 24 hours a day! Last year I was Peter Pan in a panto in Dublin, which meant I was working right the way up until the big day, so I kinda missed out on the Christmas cooking. This year I have some time off so I'm going to be cooking up a storm, I have mince pies, christmas pudding, traditional glazed ham, and cheats Christmas dinner recipes to put up on the blog which got me thinking- Is there any Christmas recipes you would like to see up on the blog? If so leave me a comment below or say hello on twitter or facebook!
While all this festive food is fine, I have been taking a break and finally got a chance to try the amazing Lor from my favourite Irish blog Italian Foodies' recipe for Carbonara. It's such a simple recipe which is so easy to throw together and you just have to try it! She nearly killed me when I told her I used cream, but sure it was in the fridge, it would have gone to waste! I also added a little garlic but don't tell her! :) Check out the recipe on Lor's blog: Italian Foodies.
Before I met the lovely Sofie from Sweden, meatballs for me were always associated with Italy. Combined with a thick tomato sauce and soft melt in the mouth pasta, they make a dish which is a staple of the classic Italian mama's recipe repertoire. If I was to name one recipe that is ideal for food therapy its this, there is something strangely yet extremely relaxing about rolling the meat into satisfying little balls and plopping them into boiling hot creamy tomato sauce. Relying solely on the heat of the sauce to cook and infuse the little balls to perfection.
The recipe itself is pretty fool proof, and will give you results making you feel like the perfect Italian mama or papa!
Mood Food Meat Balls
500g of Minced Meat (Pork or Beef)
2 Garlic Cloves Minced
2 tsp of Dijon Mustard
2 tbsp of Tomato Ketchup
1 tbsp of Oregano
Good pinch of salt and pepper
For the Tomato Sauce:
1 Garlic clove chopped finely
1 Onion chopped finely
2 tins of chopped tomato's
1 tsp of Tabasco sauce
1 tsp of dried oregano
1/2 cup of red wine (optional you can use water but the wine gives a richer flavour when the sauce reduces)
1/4 cup of milk
Good pinch of salt and pepper
In a large bowl mix the meat and the ingredients with a fork making sure to mix well. Take about a teaspoon full of the mixture and roll with your hands into a small ball. It's better to make the balls smaller as they cook quicker and are a lot easier eat. Work your way through the mixture and set the balls on a large baking tray. Place the balls in the fridge allowing them time to firm.
Now for the tomato sauce, it's a fairly standard affair, heat a large saucepan and add a drop of olive oil, fry the garlic for a minute and then add the onion. Fry the two till golden and soft and then add the tinned tomato's. Bring the mixture to the boil and then stir in the Tabasco sauce, dried oregano, and red wine. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has reduced.
Add the meatballs to the sauce pan, making sure they are covered by the sauce, I know your thinking raw meat in my sauce surely I'll be poisoned! But no believe me it works and keeps the meat lovely and tender. Bring the sauce pan back to the boil and simmer for another 15 mins.
Serve with some good quality tagliatelle and there'll be clean plates all around!
Thankfully work is that little bit less busy this week, which has given us time not only to play in the snow, but also to spend some more time in our new little house. It's not there just yet, but it's really starting to take shape and after numerous trips to IKEA we finally have enough furniture to fill the place! I wasn't feeling very at home in the house, mainly because the last three weeks had been so jam packed, dinner was eaten out and breakfast was bought on the way. I know I know, not exactly the perfect routine, but there had been no time to set up the kitchen just the way I like it. So the last few days we've been making big breakfasts and enjoying really tasty dinners using up the ridiculous amount of food I've left over from all the cooking we've been doing. Ireland, for my foreign visitors, at the moment is experiencing probably the most snow that I can even remember, so I think it's definitely time for some comfort food. This recipe was from a piece I wrote on comfort food for the Irish Independent. I suggest using ready to go gnocchi, but if you are lucky enough to be snowed in, it's all the more comforting to make them yourself!
Mozzarella, Tomato and Gnocchi Bake Gnocchi in Italian translates as ‘lumps’, and it goes way beyond pasta as my ultimate bowl of indulgence. You can make the gnocchi yourself, but you should be able to pick up packs of the ready-made stuff quite easily. This dish combines the classic Italian flavours of tomato, mozzarella and basil, all baked together for a fantastic comforting dinner.
Serves 4 500g fresh gnocchi 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2x400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 2x125g mozzarella balls, sliced 1 tsp sugar Handful of basil leaves Sea salt and black pepper, to season
Cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the packet, then drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil over a high heat and sauté the garlic and onion until soft. Add in the chopped tomatoes and chilli flakes and bring the sauce to the boil. Lower the heat and cook at a steady simmer for 15 minutes until it has reduced. Add in the sugar and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Tumble the gnocchi into the pan and stir through with the tomato sauce until each piece is nicely coated. Pour into a highsided baking dish (9in x 9in) and top with the mozzarella slices and torn basil leaves. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and bubbling. Serve straight away in deep bowls with a little grated Parmesan.
Every year for as long as I can remember I have always received at least one or two cookbooks every Christmas. I guess it's what really kept my interest in food through the years! To be honest cookbooks make great presents and on Christmas Eve I can more often than not be found in a bookshop in Dublin doing my last minute shopping! This year there are a great selection of new books out there (wink wink nudge nudge) but here are the ones on my wishlist!
Seasons By Donna Hay
From my knowledge I don't think Donna Hay has really hit the mainstream over this side of the water. But that doesn't stop my love for this Aussie cook, her photos and simple recipes have inspired me so much over the years and I absolutely love her style! This book is split into chapters based on seasonal recipes which is becoming quite common in the world of cooking.
Supper For A Song by Tamasin Day-Lewis
I wasn't a fan of Tamasin Day-Lewis at first but she is in the same vein as Nigel Slater when it comes to a good foodie read and has a beautiful ability to allow her readers to taste the food while reading! In this book she aims to create really delicious meals for even the most cost conscious cooks!
No Time To Cook by Donna Hay
Another Donna Hay book on my list. No Time To Cook is full of brilliant speedy recipes which are packed with flavour. If you haven't heard much about Donna Hay before you should check out her website which features recipes and photo's of her fab food!
Forgotten Skills Of Cooking by Darina Allen
I grew up watching Darina Allen on Irish tv, she is one of Ireland's most well known Irish cooks and runs the world famous Ballymaloe House. I have really enjoyed Darina's recent book's and am thoroughly looking forward to getting my hands on her latest collection of recipes.
Barefoot Contessa At Home by Ina Garten
Not only do I have a not so secret addiction to cookbooks I also have an addiction to TV cookery shows! Barefoot Contessa is definitely one of my favs, Ina is a really inventive cook and the queen of entertaining. Not only that I love the sequences with her hubbie Jeffrey, always make me chuckle! I am looking forward to adding an Ina Garten book to my collection as I still don't have one!
Tender by Nigel Slater
Nigel Slater is by far one of my favourite food writers, he is probably one of the only cookbook authors I actually read from start to finish. Nigel transformed his back garden into a little allotment recently and Tender is all about the produce from it. Having just grown my own vegetable garden this year, this should be a great read!
The River Cafe Classic Italian Cookbook by Rose Gray and Ruth Rodgers
I don't know why they stopped making the River Cafe tv show, but I always enjoyed it when I was younger. Maybe it's because Jamie Oliver stole the limelight when he was working there or something. Anyway this latest River Cafe book is about classic Italian cooking and having leafed through it recently it looks absolutely superb and full of brilliant recipes.
What cookbooks are on your wishlist? Tell me on twitter or leave a comment below!
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to meet Catherine Fulvio and have a quick chat, she mentioned she was filming a new tv series for RTE, but never mentioned the fact that she had a brand new fantastic book hitting book shops this month. I got a copy from the folks at Gill and MacMillan to flick my way through and it is packed with great Italian recipes and lots of lovely food shots. I have three copies to give away this week so you can try and grab a copy via twitter, facebook or on the entry form below. I'll be posting a few of Catherine's recipe here on the blog this week and remember to check out her RTE show Friday's at 8.30pm!
Beef Carpaccio (Carpaccio di manzo) Of all the delicious things to come out of Harry’s Bar in Venice, including the Bellini cocktail, carpaccio tops the list for me. Generally, carpaccio refers to very thinly sliced raw beef, but nowadays the term is widely used, from swordfish carpaccio to pineapple.
300g fillet steak, cut into wafer-thin slicesextra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice salt and freshly ground black pepper rocket, to garnish Parmesan shavings
Spread the slices of steak on a serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil and the lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with rocket, sprinkle over the Parmesan shavings and serve. It’s possible to buy beef carpaccio precut and prepacked, but I always buy it fresh and ask my butcher to slice the beef. That way, I’m assured of freshness and provenance.
To be in with a chance of getting your hands on a copy of Catherine's book, all you gotta do is answer this simple question.
What is the name of Catherine Fulvio's Cookery School? A: Ballymaloe Cookery School B: Ballyknocken House Cookery School C: Cooks Academy Please note that by entering this competition, you will be signing up for The Good Mood Food Blog newsletter, but if you don't wish to subscribe, please put "NS" after your answer. The competition will close on Thursday evening (2nd Sept) at 9.30pm. Only one entry per person please!
I'm sure there are Italians out there who may crucify me over this recipe, but this is the way I like to do it. So apologies in advance to those who may find it slightly sacrilegious to heat the tomatoes. The girlfriend also pointed out that this was not the way she wanted it, to which I informed her that it was the last time she was getting breakfast made for her on a Sunday. The thing about a breakfast like this is, it's the type of food that can be eaten all day really, so to serve it as a late morning breakfast, feels just right. Plus with fresh ingredients, it really gives you a zingy start to the day!
Breakfast Bruschetta
A good glug of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Punnet of Cherry Tomato's
1 Clove of Garlic
Handful of fresh Basil
Some nice hearty Italian bread (Ciabatta)
This is a quick one, perfect for a quick and healthy start to the morning. Smash some garlic under a knife to quickly get rid of the skin, and then finely chop it. In a pan heat the oil and fry the garlic for one minute. Throw in the tomatoes and cover, turn down the heat and leave to soften for ten minutes. In the meantime, toast slices of bread and finely chop a good handful of fresh basil. Remove the tomato's from the heat and with a fork squash them down, mix in the basil and spread the mix on the toast. Serve with a good pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
This is one of the recipes I have been waiting to try forever and I really have no excuse as it is so simple! I had hoped to feature this in my book (which shows just how long I have been to getting around to making it!) but unfortunately I left it too late! I have adapted this recipe from Lor who writes one of my favourite Irish food blogs italianfoodies.ie, who runs La Cucina in Limerick and is an absolute genius when it comes to proper Italian comfort food.
Big Brunch Tomato Eggs Are you ready to meet your new Saturday morning breakfast cure? These eggs are going to change your weekends forever! If you are on the lookout for the perfect little throw together late breakfast this super easy dish hits all the right buttons. If you manage to stumble out of bed, serve these tasty eggs with some toasted crusty bread and you'll be laughin'! They also work if you are wide awake too!
Serves 2 generous portions 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 400g tin of chopped tomatoes A good handful of spinach, roughly chopped A small handful of basil, roughly chopped 4 large free range eggs A little grated Parmesan cheese to serve A generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper
In a large frying pan heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic slowly for 7-10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir through the basil and spinach until it has wilted. With the back of a spoon make four wells in the sauce and then crack the eggs in. Cook the eggs in the sauce until the white is cooked through and the yolk is still soft. Season with sea salt and black pepper and a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve the eggs in tomato sauce on top of some crispy crusty bread for a hearty brunch!
2009 has been a fairly spectacular year indeed, between the band, the book, and lots and lots of cooking I have never been so busy in my life, but it has been totally worth it! Here's my run down of 2009 highlights!
- Started the year flying high as Peter Pan in the Tivoli theatre's panto. - Putting together plans for a mixed pop group. - Forming Industry with Lee Hutton, Michele McGrath, and Morgan Deane! Favourite Recipe: Roast Garlic Potatoes
- Going to Stockholm to record Industry's first single, "My Baby's Waiting". - Received first draft of Good Mood Food, the book. - Pancake season! - Went to Stockholm to support my Swedish superstar buddy sing at the Swedish Eurovision selection. - A name was finally chosen for Industry, thankfully 4DB was thrown out the window. - Going to Stockholm again to record very first music video, for "In Your Arms". - Doing first photoshoot as a band- very glamorous. Favourite Recipe: Chocolate Chip Oreo Cupcakes
- Was busy working on what I thought were the final drafts of the book. - Planned my very first attempt at a vegetable garden. - Planted Dill, Fennel, Pak Choi, Broad Beans, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Cabbage, Cos Lettuce, Rosemary. - Submitted last photos for the book. - Made first public outing as Industry on the red carpet at the Meteor Irish Music Awards. - Went for a walk on the cliffs every morning this month. - Blog got 10,000 unique visitors in one day, was very excited. Favourite Recipe: Bacon Avocado and Sundried Tomato Sandwich
- Got my very first blog/book press. - Back to Stockholm to record more tracks with Industry. - Flew to Spain to record music video for Industry's "My Baby's Waiting". - Took a little break in Gothenberg with Sofie. - Submitted what I thought was the last draft of the book. - Fell in love with dried Mango... mmmm... mango. Favourite Recipe: Red Onion and Garlic Focaccia
- Got the BBQ out early for Mays mini heat wave. - Back to Stockholm again to record more tracks with Industry. - Shot the final cover for the book with the help of Erica and Sofie. - Performed with Industry at our press launch at The Sugar Club in Dublin. - Industry's single got it's very first airplay on 2fm. - Got a blackberry phone. - Sang Kate Bush wuthering heights in falsetto on radio, not pleasant but very funny. - Discovered Flahavans porridge pots which kept me alive and well on the road. Favourite Recipe: BBQ Cajun Spatchcock Chicken
- Got to finally visit Cork's English Market. - Went to Ireland's Eye with Morgan and Lee for my birthday. - Found a brill table to shoot food on. - My annoying but hilarious fight with the birds and the strawberries. - Lee buying male Ugg boots. - Got introduced to Dave Peelo, the toughest fitness trainer you ever did see. - Industry's first single "My Baby's Waiting" went straight in at number one in the Irish charts. - Performed at the Ms. Universe competition. Favourite Recipe: Warm Chorizo, Red Onion and Baby Potato Salad
- Went to LA with James, Morgan and Sofie. - Got upgraded on the flight over but had to slum it on the way back. - Saw the massive amount of tributes to Michael Jackson at his house and his Hollywood star. - Went surfing with my Uncle Niall on Santa Monica beach. - Did a photo shoot for VIP magazine, blue steel was out in force. - Went to outdoor yoga in Stephens Green in Dublin. - Supported the Pussycat Dolls at the Killarney Summerfest. - Sent off the final final final edits of the book. - Visited the republics very first Ikea store. - Recorded music video for Industry's second single "Burn" at the amazing Grouse Lodge studios. Favourite Recipe: Sticky Mustard Chicken Drumsticks
- Went on a romantic little bank holiday break in a cottage near Carlingford. - Co-hosted the South East Radio breakfast show with the brill Tony Scott and Industry. - Became a regular contributor with Irish Tatler. - Industry's second single "Burn" went to number one. - Supported Tynchi Stryder in Tralee, as you do. - Had a brill getaway anniversary weekend in Castle Leslie, massages all round. Favourite Recipe: Asian Teriyaki Chicken Salad
- Started tweeting 140 character recipes on my twitter. - Appeared on RTE's Ice with Industry. - Performed at the Barretstown Charity Bandana launch. - Went blackberry picking with Maisie the cupcake queen. - Picked up my copy of Good Mood Food! - Recorded 3 new tracks with Industry at the amazing Grouse Lodge recording studios. Favourite Recipe: Oriental Steak Salad
- Picked up my brand new camera, the Canon 5d Mark ii. - Saw the book in shops for the first time, rearranged the shelves. - Appeared on the front page of the Irish Examiner. - Did lots and lots of radio interviews about the book. - Went mushroom hunting with Aoife. - Went back to school to do a cupcake demonstration at my old school. - Interview on Tubridy with Ryan Tubridy about the book. - Got a text from Michele to tell me she nearly fell over when she saw a giant poster of me in the window of Dubray Books on Grafton Street in Dublin! - Did the official launch of the book in Dubray Books on Grafton street in Dublin. - Appeared on RTE's The Cafe with Industry. - Went to Gothenburg and visited a Swedish bakery. - Interview with Ian Dempsey on Today FM. Favourite Recipe: Blackberry Vanilla Cupcakes
- Upgraded my old desk, for a new fancy one from IKEA. - Wrote my very first food column for the Irish Independent Weekend Magazine. - Finally made a vision board. - Became obsessed with one of the kitchens in IKEA. - Heard that The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten has a copy of Good Mood Food. - Did a cookery demonstration at an all girls school. - Assistant food stylist on a Christmas food shoot. Favourite Recipe: Crispy Hasselback Potatoes
- All the brill Christmas food press. - Feature in the lovefood magazine with fellow Irish food bloggers, Italian Foodies, Cheap Eats, and Daily Spud. - Visit to a free range turkey farm. - Massive Christmas baking session with Erica and Maisie. - Getting a video of the book launch from Darragh. - Visit to Sheridans cheese, I am now hooked on cheese. - Skiing with Sofie in Gothenburg. - Jul pa Liseberg. - Christmas in Sweden Favourite Recipe: Avocado, Parmesan and Rocket Pasta
Thanks so much to all who read this blog for all the support, comments and emails this year, and I hope I'll be keeping you cooking all through 2010!
Ok so I'm kind of playing catch up at the moment and unfortunately when things get busy the blog is what suffers. Here is a piece I wrote for my column in the Cork News on the last day of shooting the photography for the new cookbook last week.
It was been an absolute pleasure to have been able to see the whole process of creating a cookbook from start to finish. Over the last few months I have been over and back to London for meetings three times but haven’t actually had the chance to experience the London lifestyle or see anything much of interest. However this all changed last weekend, when we immersed ourselves in all the foodie sights and sounds with visits to Brixton Market, Portobello Market, Spitalfield Market, all nicely rounded off by a lunch in both Jamie Oliver’s restaurant Fifteen on Saturday and the highly praised River Café on Sunday. Both meals were absolutely delicious, however I felt Jamie’s place was definitely better value, with hearty dishes full of flavour which left you satisfyingly stuffed! I started with a savoury homecured Bresola and Beetroot salad full of earthy flavour and for mains a really rustic dish of Italian Sausage and green lentils. Don’t get me wrong our meal at the River Café was stunning, with a mouth watering menu, and beautiful surroundings with an air of Mediterranean elegance which probably can’t be matched anywhere else in London, I just felt it was a little pricey for the lunchtime trade. I had a delicious main course of summer Lamb and roast seasonal vegetables which was beautifully cooked. It really is one of those places that as someone with an interest in food, I think you just have to visit for the experience, and I am glad I did!
One of the places I had been looking forward to eating at was Rosie’s Café Deli at Brixton market run by Rosie Lovell, after receiving her saucily titled book “Spooning with Rosie” as a birthday present from my pal Aoife N earlier this year. Her writing style is fantastic which makes the book not only full of quirky recipes but also a compelling read. The café is full of home comfort and for a quick Saturday morning breakfast we gobbled down a cheese toastie with real cheese and tomato and these amazing scrambled eggs with Chilli Jam which I have I have officially decided is now the only way to serve scrambled eggs. Click on the link below for my recipe for chilli jam which appeared on the blog a year or two ago!
My Perfect Scrambled Eggs with Chilli Jam The perfect scrambled eggs are most definitely down to personal taste, for me they have to be creamy so that they slide smoothly off the back of a wooden spoon. The eggs will continue to cook after you remove them from the heat so I think the key is to err on the side of them being underdone rather than ending up with chunky rubbery scrambled eggs.
Serves 1 2 large free range eggs Sea salt and ground black pepper 2 slices of ciabatta toast to serve 2 tablespoons of chilli jam to serve
In a small non stick saucepan, whisk the eggs until they are slightly frothy. Place the pan over a low heat and allow them to warm through. With a wooden spoon keep the mix on the move, making sure not to let it catch on the sides too much. Cook until you have creamy scrambled eggs. Serve the eggs on toasted ciabatta with a good dollop of chilli jam and season with a little sea salt and ground black pepper.
I had planned all sorts of recipes this week but with rehearsals the plan has basically gone in the bin! However the lovely Lorraine from Italian Foodies has tagged me and asked me to share 7 things you may not know about me. So here goes!
I was studying for a degree in Media Arts after school, but dropped out to join a boy band! I think my parents nearly had a heart attack!
I generally eat a healthy diet, but I have a major weakness for Bacon flavored crisps, and lots of crispy Bacon!
I'm addicted to American TV shows, Dexter, Desperate Housewives, Dirty Sexy Money, Nip/Tuck, Arrested Development, Prison Break, Samantha Who, you name it, I've seen it!
I am violently compulsive when it comes to my music collection, I have everything labeled alphabetically, by year, artist, genre, and even mood!
I am obsessed with Asian cuisine, I can read books upon books upon books about it! One of my biggest dreams is to finally visit and eat my way across the continent!
I'm a huge believer in positive thinking. In the right head space you do anything!
I read cookbooks in the toilet and I don't care!!!
So there you go! Hope you enjoyed that little insight- no its my turn to tag people:
The lovely Kay and her Kayotic Kitchen!
Culinary Cory!
Darius T Williams!
Polly Pierce!
Deborah!
Eating Club Vancouver!
Jo!
Wow I felt a bit like a Quiz show host there! Have fun!
Strawberries a true sign of summer and the ones in my garden are just about to burst with their mouthwatering red colour! A few weeks ago I was invited to the launch of National Irish Strawberry Week in Bord Bia which is runnung all this week and a fantastic strawberry recipe demonstration by the equally fantastic Catherine Fulvio. Catherine will be known to many Irish food fans for her series "Catherine's Italian Kitchen" which is shown on RTE One. Catherine also owns the Ballyknocken Cookery School in Wicklow and guided us through some really fantastic strawberry recipes which I will be posting this week. Here is the first!
Quick Millefeuille with Toasted Hazelnuts, Cointreau and Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Filling To toast the hazelnuts, purchase the hazelnuts without skins if possible, then lightly chop and toast in a preheated oven 180C / gas 4 until lightly browned, about 15 minutes
Serves 4 (makes 2 millefeuille, each serves 2 persons) 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry (approx. 200g) Flour for dusting 1 egg, beaten 300g strawberries, hulled and sliced 20g hazelnuts, roughly chopped and toasted Mint leaves for decorating For the filling 250g mascarpone 60ml cream 50g icing sugar Zest of 1 orange For the jam 5 tablespoons of strawberry jam 2 tablespoons of cointreau (or orange juice)
Open out the sheet of pastry on a floured surface, roll it out a little thinner, to a 30 x 32cm rectangle. Divide into 3 equal rectangles. Then place the pastry on a floured baking sheet. Prick all over with a fork and rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 180ºC. Remove the pastry from the fridge, brush with egg wash. Place in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Combine the mascarpone, cream, icing sugar and orange zest. Mix the jam with the cointreau (or orange juice). To assemble the mille-feuille, place one pastry strip on a board or serving plate, brush with half the strawberry jam, spread over a third of the cream mixture, a sprinkle of hazelnuts and cover with a layer of strawberries. Place the second piece of pastry on top. Brush with the remaining strawberry jam, spread over half of the remaining cream, a sprinkle of hazelnuts and a layer of strawberries. Place the last piece of pastry on top and spread over the cream and then a layer of strawberries and sprinkle on the remaining hazelnuts. Chill for 30 minutes. Decorate with mint leaves and dust with icing sugar just before serving.
Another recipe from Catherine's cookbook today and it's a damn good one, you seriously can't go wrong with homemade spaghetti and meatballs, especially on a day like today! Can you believe it's already the 1st of September? This dish would make a perfect little warming supper dish so enjoy!
Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce Meatballs form the secondi or meat course at the Italian table, while pasta is the primi, so they would not traditionally be served together. That said, they work well together, so if this takes your fancy, allow 400–450g of dried spaghetti to serve four. I also sometimes add 50g freshly grated Parmesan to the meatballs and reduce the salt, yum! Have a bowl of cold water beside you when forming the meatballs to dip your hands into, as keeping your hands moist prevents the meat from sticking when forming the balls.
Serves 6 for the meatballs: 50g fresh breadcrumbs 100ml milk 1 onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 225g minced pork 225g lean minced beef 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp salt 1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 egg, beaten extra virgin olive oil
for the spicy tomato sauce: 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 175ml vegetable stock 500g tinned chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato puree salt and freshly ground black pepper pasta, to serve freshly grated Parmesan, to serve
To make the meatballs, first soak the breadcrumbs in the milk. Mix the chopped onion and garlic with the pork and beef. Add the breadcrumbs, oregano, salt and pepper to the meat mixture and mix well. Add in the beaten egg and mix thoroughly. Roll the mixture into small balls. Heat some oil in a frying pan and add in the meatballs. Fry for approximately 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove from the heat and set aside. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chilli and onion and cook on a low heat for 7–10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, stock, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and leave to simmer for 10 minutes to heat through. Serve with your favourite pasta and sprinkle grated Parmesan on top.
It's not all cupcakes and pies in Leila's book, "A Piece Of Cake", she also has a fantastic chapter on savoury breads. Apart from the delicious homemade baguettes below she has a wonderful recipe for the typically Scandinavian, crisp bread, which has whole aisles dedicated to it in Swedish supermarkets. Aswell as numerous variations on the the classic Italian focaccia bread, and mouth watering options for transforming plain old scones!
The first thing you will notice when you read Leila's books, or any Swedish books for that matter, is that fresh yeast is used in many of the bread recipes. Here in Ireland and in many other countries, fresh yeast isn't readily available in the supermarkets, whereas in Sweden it is sold in little foil packs stored in the fridge. If you are going to be following Leila's bread recipes, you're going to get your hands on some fresh yeast. So, for all the Irish readers out there with no fresh yeast, I have the solution, if you go to the bakery in most supermarkets and ask one of the bakers nicely for some fresh yeast, they will generally sell it you for a really reasonable price!
Leila Lindholm's Baguettes We associate the baguette with France, but actually the French didn't start to bake it until the 1920's. That was when Austrian journeymen brought a Polish method using sourdough to France and started to use this for baking baguettes. The approach gives the baguette its typical light structure containing large air bubbles.
Makes 4 loaves For dough 1 5g fresh yeast 300ml cold water 300g strong bread flour Vegetable oil for the baking sheets Flaked salt, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or poppy seeds
Crumble the yeast into a bowl and dissolve it in the water. Add the flour and mix to make a smooth, soft dough. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave the dough to prove for at least 4 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 240oC/475oF/Gas Mark 9. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide it into four. Gently press each portion into a rectangle. Tuck in one of the long sides and roll up the dough. Shape the ends into points. Twist the baguettes slightly and put them in a greased baguette tin or an ordinary baking sheet. Leave the baguettes to prove under a tea towel for about an 1 hour. Brush the baguettes with water and sprinkle flaked salt and the seeds of your choice on top. Use a knife to make diagnonal cuts in the surface of each loaf and immediately put the baking sheet in the centre of the oven. Reduce the heat when the baguettes start to colour. Bake for about 30 minutes. Leave to cool uncovered on a wire rack.
For dough 2 15g fresh yeast 300ml cold water 1 batch of dough 1 (see above) 1 tablespoon of salt 1 tablespoon of caster sugar 420-480g bread flour
To make dough 2, crumble the yeast into a bowl and dissolve it in the water. Add dough 1, the salt, sugar and flour and mix until the ingredients bind together. Knead the dough by hand or at a low speed in a mixer for about 15 minutes. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to prove for about 1 and 1/2 hours. Proceed as above.
In the last few years the foodie presence online has grown from strength to strength and I am not just talking about the blogging community. The beauty of the internet is access to info and 4oD is a testament to just that! I absolutely love the type of programmes which are shown on Channel 4 and the food programmes are no different. A must watch on the 4oD Food Channel is the classic episode of Nigel Slater's real food series where he and Nigella Lawson (before she was famous) pick apart a roast chicken with their hands! There are lots of fantastic foodie TV series to keep you occupied, some of my favourites are of course the addictive Come Dine With Me, Jamie at Home, and the amazing Italian Kitchen. Enjoy and apologies for passing on the obsession! :)
Now I am not going to profess a love for aubergines but I ate this dish on a holiday recently in Rome, and was pleasantly surprised with the fresh full flavoured taste! I immediately wanted to know how to recreate it, so when I came home I looked through some Italian cookbooks and unfortunately what I came up with were deep fried or cheese laden version's.
So just the other day I experimented with what I thought was the closest to the recipe I had eaten. I fried the aubergine slices in olive oil but I think it would be easier to grill them in future! So here goes:
Aubergine Parmigiana
2 Large Aubergine slice length ways
A good splash of Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Red Onion
2 400g Tins of Chopped Tomatoes
2 Teaspoons of dried Oregano
2 Teaspoons of fresh parsley finely chopped
1/3 of a cup of grated Parmesan cheese
I read about preparing Aubergine's and there seems to be some sort of argument over whether or not to soak them in salted water before cooking. But I decided to soak them not wanting to go against tradition!
Soak the aubergine slices in salted water for 20 minutes, then remove from the water and pat dry. As I said already I fried the slices but I think it would be far more healthier and less time consuming to grill them till soft. Put the cooked slices to the side.
While the Aubergine slices are soaking, in a saucepan fry the garlic and red onion till soft. Then add the two tins of tomatoes, Oregano and Parsley. Bring the sauce to the boil and leave to simmer for about 15 Min's or until reduced. When the sauce has cooked stir in some salt and pepper to taste and leave to cool.
In a large roasting tin, spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce and place the aubergine slices on top, add more tomato sauce, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese, and repeat the process until you run out.
Bake in a preheated oven at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 Min's.
This has to be one of my favorite Turkish street foods. I got the great opportunity to watch how they are made, not out of choice, I might add! We had ordered 2 of the pizza's at this little restaurant right beside the local mosque in Fethiye, and the owner spotted me taking pictures around the place earlier. He quickly dragged me in to the kitchen, full of pride and instructed me to take pictures of the pizza's being made!
Not that I was complaining, the guy who was doing the cooking, gave me a full demonstration and from the speed he was producing the pizza's, it was pretty clear that he had done this before! The small pieces of dough are rolled out into long thin oval shapes and then a mix of meat, egg and herbs is placed on top. The dough is then folded in towards the centre to form a chewy crust. Don't let the idea of pizza throw you, this is nothing like it's Italian cousin. The recipe here is adapted from a Turkish cook book, with the advice of the Fethiye pizza maker, thrown in for good measure!
Turkish Pizza (Pide)
5 Cups of Flour.
4 Tablespoons of Butter.
1 Sachet of Active Dried Yeast.
2 Cups Of Milk.
1 Teaspoon of Salt.
1 Teaspoon of Sugar.
3 Eggs.
250g Minced Lamb.
1 Beef Tomato, finely chopped.
A Good Handful of Coarsely Chopped Parsley.
1 Medium Onion, finely chopped.
A Good Pinch Of Salt and Pepper.
Warm the milk and stir in and disolve the yeast and sugar. Sieve the flour into a large bowl and make a small well with your hands. Pour the yeast milk and sugar mixture into the well, with the butter, Salt and 2 eggs. Combine the mix until you have a rough dough. Turn the dough out and knead until it is nice a soft. Set aside under a damp tea cloth to rise for about 45mins. Mix the minced lamb, 1 egg, tomato, onion, salt and pepper, in a bowl and set aside.
When the dough has risen, seperate into egg sized pieces and flatten them into long oval shapes on a floured surface. Place the meat mix in a long line, on the dough and make sure to leave about 2cm on either side for the crust. Fold the dough in on either side and place in an oven for 10 minutes, at 240oC.
Serve straight away and slice into smaller pieces.
