Going crackers!

A few weeks ago a friend of mine gave me a simple recipe for crackers made with nuts and seeds. The minute I baked them, the crackers vanished, so it seemed only natural to bake them again :)  This time, I added some chopped fresh garlic and sprinkled it over the crackers before baking.  Feel free to top with chilli flakes, chopped fresh rosemary or even dried dill.

Here is what you need to make around 10 large crackers (slightly smaller than a Ryvita)

Before Baking

50g almonds (raw with skin on)

50g sunflower seeds

50g linseeds

50g pumpkin or courgette seeds

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 egg

1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Chop the almonds as finely as you prefer.  I leave mine quite large (around a quarter of an nut). Next chop the pumpkin seeds. Add all the nuts, seeds to a bowl and stir in the egg.  I do not chop the sunflower seeds or the linseeds!

Add the oil a tablespoon at a time, making sure that the mixture is not too liquidy.  The amount of oil you need will depend on the size of the egg you use.

Once your mixture is stirred well, spread it on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

Using a spatula or the back of a spoon shape it into crackers.  I suggest that the size is not too big as they will easily crumble otherwise.  Also make sure to have a thin layer of mixture as if the cracker is too thick, your cracker you will not have a crunchy bite to them.

Bake at 180C for about 10 to 15 minutes but this really depends on your oven.  A good indication is that the almonds have taken a golden hue.  It is normal to have some "foam" ooze out of the crackers whilst baking. Also note that the crackers will harden on cooling, so don't worry if they are still soft when you take them out of the oven.  

After Baking

Baking in Belgium on Instagram

Back to Base

Seems like it's been ages ago, but the time is ripe.
I'm just back from Malta and still very keen on eating Maltese foods and using Maltese ingredients. I must admit they are VERY hard to come by in Belgium, but with the help of my family, I do keep a constant supply of a number of items including kunserva, pastizzi and of course twistees !

This summer I tried to see what was new on the market and new Maltese products seemed to be sprouting. New cheese spreads, new brands packing bigilla and of course gbejniet.


My girls gave me a butter churner last Christmas which was put to good use a few days later when the local supermarket was trying to get rid of a large amount of soon-to-expire cream. We made butter, which we ate, froze and even made bread with the buttermilk.

They also gave me a book about cheeses and butter which I must admit I have not really used except for the part where it explains how to make butter.

Having come back from Malta though, I was keen to try my hand at making Gbejniet.  These are little cheeselets made from goat's or sheep's milk and do not taste anything like the goats cheese we find here, chèvre.



I have found a recipe from Marlene Zammit who lives in Australia and runs Maltese Mouthful. Her recipe for gbejniet seems very authentic however, the ratio of milk to rennet varies completely to the once published by Pippa Mattei.  I just need to source the fresh goat's or sheep's milk and try the recipes out! 

Look out for more updates on my Instagram or Twitter accounts !

Falafel from scratch

Oh no, don't turn away! It's not as complicated as it sounds.

Falafel always fascinated me and whenever I found the opportunity I always ordered them. Sometimes I was very happy with my choice whilst others I was confronted with a soppy, oil soaked, flavourless patty.  But not this time.

I was reading an article on Food 52 which explained how easy it was to make Falafel at home from scratch, so with all the list ingredients ready at hand, I tried it out this weekend.

I am at the stage where lots of weekend cooking and preparation saves me precious time during the week, so this recipe was prepared and cooked on Sunday in preparation for the week ahead. Surprisingly though, when we all had a taste of the first patty to make it out of the pan, my carnivorous family where all willing to ditch the roast in favour of these delicious "burgers".

No need to worry, the animal did not die in vain; the roast was devoured minutes later!

So here what you need to buy to make falafel

2 cup of dried chickpeas (which is just under 500g)

1 small onion

A handful of fresh mint

A bunch of fresh flat-leaved parsley

2 cloves of garlic

A generous pinch of salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ras el hanut (this is a North-African spice mixture)

2 lemons, juiced

And here is what you need to do:

The night before you plan on preparing these little flavoursome parcels, soak the chickpeas in a large bowl.  Make sure there is enough water in the bowl as they will absorb quite a lot.

The next day, whenever that suits you, place all the above ingredients, except the chickpeas into a blender and blitz for a few seconds.

Now drain the chickpeas and add them to the blender. Blend until all turns into one nice big spicy smooth paste. Make sure that it is really smooth as there is nothing else to bind the patties together except the consistency of the paste itself.

Using your hands, turn the paste into patties. The size depends on how you want to serve them. If you are making burgers then portion them into burger-sized patties but if you will be serving them in pitta pockets then I suggest you make them smaller. This way you'll be able to fit a few in and get the lovely flavours with every bite.  

As an indication, these quantities make around 18 burger-size patties. If you think that's too much I suggest that you still go with these amounts and just freeze any leftover falafel; they will be a true life saver when you're too hungry or tired to cook!

Savory Broccoli Cake

Broccoli might not be everyone's favourite veggie but here is an easy way you can add them to your diet. 
This recipe was passed on by a friend of mine and I must admit that it is truely yummy and super quick! Took me less than 1 hour from start to finish (as in baked!)

 

So here is what you will need:

250 gr self raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

8-10 small broccoli florets or about half a large head
1 small spring onion
4 eggs

75 ml olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste
Grated cheese such as Gruyere

 

 

Before you start the preparation, pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

Place the flour, baking powder, spring onion and the raw broccoli florets in the blender and whizz for about 30 seconds until the broccoli is chopped into small pieces.

Now, measure the oil and crack the 4 eggs into the same container.
Add the liquid to the flour and whizz again.
Finally season with salt, pepper or some herbs such as thyme.

The mixture should resemble that of a stodgy cake mixture and should not be as flowing as cake batter would usually be. 
Place the batter into your prepared cake tin or loaf tin.
I used a 1.5L loaf tin.

Sprinkle the top with some grated Gruyere and bake for about 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

.....and there you have it!

You might also want to add about 100g of lardon or bacon bits to the mixture before baking.
If you do this, then I suggest you stir them in by hand as the blender would chop them too finely.

 

Peanut Butter

I've been thinking about making home made peanut butter for weeks if not months!

Little did I know that it really took minutes to make!

Here is what you need - roasted peanuts!

Here is how to do it - blend!

Add caption

All you need to do is to place your roasted peanuts in a blender or a liquidizer and blend until it looks like what peanut butter should look like.  

What you need to keep in mind it that it WILL happen! Don't give up, eventually the peanuts will just cream into peanut butter.

And the added value is that there is no added transfat or any other unwanted ingredient found in most commercial versions. 

Is making bread the new black?

I love the expression "the new black". Admittedly is it mostly (and should be) used for colours, nevertheless I like to sprinkle it into different contexts and seeing people's reaction!

So is making bread the latest in thing?

I must admit that I am a big fan of home made bread. The scent of freshly baked bread around the house really turns the house into a home. But what if you have no time to make it? What if you work 9 to 5 and cannot be bothered with this sort of "waste of time".

Well my answer to that, my dear sir (or madam) is to plan it as a weekend project.

If this is your first or your umpteenth attempt at making bread, you need to know or you already know that this is not to be rushed!

This week I finally got down to making my own starter, i.e. my own natural yeast which takes a number of days before it can be used. And here is my little baby. I called her Do-do or dough-dough!

Easy peasy guacamole !

If you've never tried making it yourself, you might think that making guacamole requires fine Michelin chef skills ! On the contrary, all you need is a knife, fork and a bowl!

There are many versions of this simple dish online, but here is mine. It is a twist on Paul Hollywood's recipe.

You will need:
1 avocado
Juice of half a lemon
I clove of garlic finely chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons sour cream (I used vitalinea fromage for a lighter version)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste.

Mash it all up with a fork and serve!

Sorry about the pic but I realised that it's pretty hard snapping a decent guacamole photo.

Easter week

So finally seems like we're having some sunshine in Belgium and I am certainly NOT complaining! Easter is synonymous with everything yellow, orange and green and that means green grass and a nice bright sun shining over it!

Here are some inspirations to help you though this gluttonous week.

Ruth from the Pink Whisk shows us how to make beautiful little chocolate eggs. Her step-by-step instructions with matching pictures are just perfect!

Paul Hollywood was on the BBC yesterday and made some Portuguese inspired chocolate custard tarts.

and here is the recipe for the Maltese Figolli. Almond filled pastries that are a must in Malta!

I wish you all a peacful Easter, Pâques, Pascqua, Ghid!

Mushroom Orzotto

There is really no excuse for not updating my blog for so long!... except for the fact that I am back to a full-time job, making it VERY difficult to find a slot in my day to actually sit down and write!  But this weekend I sit all alone in my kitchen (which doubles-up as my office when I am writing) and I just had to update!

Over the past few weeks we have done a fair bit of travelling - food-focused trips of course! We've been to the Alsace region in France and Germany and if that is not enough incentive to write then what is?

The delicacies are just too many to mention, let alone try them all out (not that we didn't give it a try!) The food is so good and varied that you really wish you do have enough stomach space to sample it all, but alas I didn't.

Once we settled back home and into our normal routine, I must admit that I did do an effort to cook leaner meals to hopefully regain some health balance within oneself. Whether it worked or not is another post in itself!  

One of the detox recipes I used is this one, Mushroom Orzotto as it looks fatty enough for us not to go cold turkey!  The prepared dish is posh enough to make the to make it onto any dinner-party menu but it is healthy and quick enough to go on my after-work mid-week menu!

The first time I attempted an orzotto I must admin that I was slightly nervous about the consistency of the plate.  I was used to using barley in soups but did realise that the addition of barley makes the soup thicker and creamer. So here goes:

This is what you need to serve 4 as a starter or 2 very large plates.

200g barley (try not to buy the pearled type as that has the bran removed)

about 300g mushrooms

1 medium onion - finely chopped

1 tsp dried oregano or thyme

1 tsp paprika

Start off by soaking the barley in enough water to cover it all plus an little bit extra on top.  Stir it slightly so as to allow any flakes to rise to the top and throw the water out.

In a pot or a wok, cook the onion in a little but of oil, butter or wine. Make sure that your onion is chopped very finely.  Next add about half the mushrooms which also need to be chopped finely.

Once the onions and the mushroom start to sizzle and cook, add the barley and a little bit of water.  If you cook the mushrooms enough, there is no need to use stock as the mushrooms will make the stock of the Orzotto.  

Keep on stirring the pot until all the water in absorbed, then add a bit more water.  This part of the recipe is similar to making a risotto.  Once you feel that the barley has softened enough, add the remaining mushrooms, the herbs and the paprika.  Season with salt and pepper if you wish.

The cooking time should be around 25 to 30 minutes.  Orzotto is not as delicate as risotto and will not overcook as quickly making it ideal for your dinner parties.  Always make sure to add the water in small doses and to taste the barley to check whether it is cooked or not.  It should be soft on the outside but with a slight bite at the end.

For the difference between pearled barley and barley click here 

New ....2011

Starting the new year must mean new things.

Lots of new things happening this week (or since the beginning of 2011) First was my new start date.... ever changing and ever being pushed back. But I sort of got used to it now... might be surprised when I actually walk through the door!

On the internet side, I just discovered the new Google Reader and it's absolutely great if you, like me follow a few blogs.  You get the latest blog or website posts on one page and you can scroll down and choose which to read further.  All you will need to do is to "follow" or "subscribe" to the blog or site and all your pages will be displayed on your reader front page.

  

There was an interesting post on one of the blogs about Tiramisu which I must admit I have become a big fan of! Always liked the dessert but now (possibly due to an older age stated on my new ID card) I look for a hit of coffee in my sweets.

Another new gastro discovery this week was a chocolate truffle filled with pepper - absolutely divine.  Even though I didn't know what I was eating at the time, the pepper just hits the sides of your mouth and turns a tiny truffle into a new experience.

Lomo - Spanish cold cut is yet another new discovery.  There is a tiny market which sets up round the corner from my house which is now catering for it's new Spanish customers and this lomo is one of the new items on sale.  Delicious and very low in fat, fit in perfectly with my spread of parma (specially dedicated to my foodie friend) and cooked hams.

But if you are reading this post for the recipe, click here for my Healthy Options if you are trying to curb the fats and move onto healthier meals.  If you have decided that detox or January healthy eating is a thing of the past, why not try this super easy tea-time snack.

Here are my baked doughnuts.  They are delicious once filled with jam or nutella but sadly they will not keep for the following day.  If you do have any left-overs, I suggest that you heat it in the micro-wave for about 15 seconds until they are softened slightly.

Here is what you need:
500g plain flour preferably 00
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp caster sugar
3 tbsp sunflower oil
300ml warm milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
11g dried yeast

Place the sifted flour and sugar in a large bowl and stir using a knife.  Next add the salt on one side of the bowl and the yeast into the other corner of the bowl.  In another bowl, place the warm milk and stir in the vanilla, oil and egg.

Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and using the knife once again stir into a dough.

Leave the dough in the bowl and allow it to rise for about 1 hour until it has doubled in size.  Once the hour is up, topple the dough over a floured surface and shape into tiny balls and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Next turn on the oven on to 200C and give the doughnuts another 30 minutes to settle into their shapes.

Once you are ready to bake, pop the tray into the oven and turn the heat down to 180C.  Bake the doughnuts until they are a pale golden brown.

Take the doughnuts out of the oven and allow them to cool for about 10minutes before filling.  To fill your doughnuts with jam or nutella, fill a piping bag with your choice and using the nozzle to pierce into the doughnut squeeze your sauce into the doughnut until the piping bags starts coming off the doughnut.  This means that the doughnut is filled enough in the centre.

Serve immediately.

Bread Ring

There is nothing like the smell of fresh bread to fill the house!  Even though this seems like a daunting task, bread is actually very easy to make at home; your only consideration is allowing enough time for the dough to prove.  

I suggest that you try this recipe out if you can bake the bread in 2 hours.  If you are still unsure about the timings, try it out in the weekend.  Best not to start your bread after a days work at 8pm!

Other than calculating the right time, there is really nothing else.

I like to make the dough using my Kenwood with the hook attachment in place.  Of course any other food processor will do. always follow the intruction manual to see which attachment would be best

Here is what you will need to make this delicious and yet extremely easy bread ring.

500g flour - I suggest you try and find strong flour, alternatively you can use normal plain flour NOT self-raising.

50g butter or margarine

1 packet (11g) yeast

1 tablespoon salt - I prefer using rock salt

300 ml luke-warm water

Place all the ingredients in your  mixer bowl and give it a stir on low speed.  With the engine running and even if the margarine is still in 1 whole block, add the water gradually until you have added all of it.

Turn the engine to full speed and mix until a dough is formed and moves easily around the mixing bowl.  Mix for a few more seconds then stop the engine.

Prepare your work surface by pouring about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and using your hands spread is slightly so that it covers a diameter of about 20cm.

Now place the dough on your work surface and knead it with your hands for about 5 mins.  You can also bring little hands out at this point to help you knead as you cannot really ruin the dough.  Just make sure to give it the last knead yourself and shape it into the smallest ball you can.

Now place the ball of dough back into the bowl and let it rest for about 1hr.

Once your 1 hour is up, remove it from the bowl and knead it into a ball yet again. Now roll it out into a long roll. If you think the roll looks too big don't worry.  Bring the ends of the roll together to form a ring. Allow the ring to rise one last time for about 45 to 60 minutes then bake in a pre-heated oven at 225C. Once the bread is in, lower the temperature to just under 200C.

Your bread should be ready and golden in about 20 minutes. If you prefer a darker loaf, then leave it in for another 5 to 10 minutes.  The best test to check whether your bread is nicely done on the inside is to tap the bottom of the bread.  If it sounds hollow, then the bread will be good.

Allow the bread to rest for about 15 minutes before you eat it as this will cool the bread slightly making the inside nice and light but still allowing you to eat a warm loaf.

New house, new recipe

Well seasonal food is somewhat different here than what I was used to in Malta.  So i had to change my cooking and adapt to the fresh ingredients that I am finding.  Since it is already getting cold and we are already in scarfs and jackets, I thought of making some soups this week for my mid-week meals.

My new kitchen leads on to a good sized garden with apple trees so that set me thinking! I also found celeriac which is not common in Malta and so was a new ingredient for me to work with.

Apple and Celeriac Soup
300g Celeriac, peeled and chopped
about 3 small apples or 2 large ones, again peeled, cored and chopped
5cm fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves
about 2L stock - to be added slowly

Start off by cooking the onion, garlic and ginger in a little olive oil.  Once the start to cook, stir and allow them to cook for about 5 minutes but until they are still pale.

Add your celeriac and apple chunks and cook stirring continuously until they start to soften slightly. Once the bottom of your pot starts to dry up and sizzle, pour in your stock very slowly.  Add enough stock to cover the vegetables completely plus a little bit more.

Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are cooked.

Once you are ready to serve the soup, blend it to a smooth puree and serve with some crusty cheese toast!

Bigilla

Bigilla is a traditional Maltese bean dip. Being so healthy Bigilla can be included in our daily diets in more ways than one. Bigilla can be used as a spread with Hobz biz-zejt or as an accompaniment to stuffed artichokes or simply as a dip served with warm ftira or some crudités.

I have gone back to making this dish from scratch after tasting some of the versions on sale. There is some good quality Bigilla on sale, however the home-made version always tastes better. 1 packet of 250g of beans will give you a large bowl of Bigilla to store in your fridge for a couple of days or to add to your summer buffet table.

No need for busy people to panic, I prepare this dish in a couple of minutes. The only thing you need to think about is to soak the beans in cold water, preferably from the night before.
Preparation (if you can call it that) actually takes longer than the actual process of cooking it. What you need to buy is the dried brown small beans known as Ful ta’ Girba.

Once you soak the beans, it is best to change the water as often as possible. This does not mean every 5 to 10 minutes but every 4 hours or when you notice the water turning a dirty brown.
Once the soaking is complete, drain the beans from their water and rinse under running water.

To cook the beans it is best to use a pressure cooker as this reduces the cooking time to 30minutes. Alternatively, you can boil the bean in a normal pot. In this case, the beans will need to be cooked for close to 1 hour. The duration of the boiling also varies according to your soaking process. If you have soaked them for less than 8 hours, then you will need to increase your cooking times. The best test to check if the beans are cooked is to squash a bean slightly with your fingers.

Cooking time is complete when the beans appear to start melting and the water would have taken the dark brownish colour. Should you be using a pressure cooker, stick to the exact cooking time given above.

Next, with the beans still warm, blend the beans in a food processor adding enough cooking water to have a liquid consistency. At this point, the Bigilla should look like the mixture of an un-cooked cake.

Add the following to the beans whilst you are blending. These amounts are correct for 1 packet of 250g dried beans.
1 heaped teaspoon of Maltese sea salt
1 whole garlic clove
1 red chilli pepper (or some dashes of Tobasco)
A large handful of parsley (about 1 cup)
About 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.

Place the mixture into a tray or plate, spread it out evenly and allow it to cool. It is very important that the Bigilla is quite liquid when it is still warm as once it starts to cool the beans paste will harden up.

Now chop some more fresh garlic and parsley very finely and spread them over the dish. Drizzle a generous helping of olive oil and serve. This dish can be stored in the fridge of weeks if kept in an air tight container.

Bigilla can also be made with the large type of dried bean however the smaller ones are used in the original recipe. It is important to buy your dried beans in small amounts since the beans will double in size once soaked. Just as a rough indication, 200gr of dried beans will give you up to 6 portions of dip. Enjoy !

This recipe has been previously published in the Best Buy Supplement, out monthly with The Times.

Fresh Broad Bean Soup

Fresh Beans are well in season now and if you have an abundance of Beans in your fridge, here is a delicious soup you can prepare.  I know that most of us locally use the fresh beans to make "Kosksu bil-ful" pasta with beans, but i have been trying to come up with a simple yet delicious soup for a couple weeks so here goes.  You will need the following -
1 medium onion - finely chopped
1 medium potato - peeled and chopped into little bites
1 medium leek - sliced
500g fresh broad beans - podded and peeled.
Chicken stock

Start off by placing a little bit of oil in a pot and add the onions.  Cook until they have softened slightly. Next add the potatoes and the leeks. Add the beans and enough stock to cover the vegetables completely.

Allow the vegetables to simmer for about 30 minutes and once the stock is reduced switch the heat off and let the pot rest in the same burner - now switched off and with the lid on for another 10 to 15 minutes.

This soup needs time for the delicate flavours to seep into the stock so don't rush it.

Even though the recipe calls for fresh beans, if they are out of season, you can replace them with frozen ones even though the taste will be slightly different. Do not use the tinned beans however and the taste is lacking considerably.

Serve this soup with some crusty Maltese bread and some fresh gbejniet - Cheeselets

Should you like to contact me, please do so on concitademicoli@gmail.com

The pie that made it safely till Saturday

So, what to make that can serve you more than 1 portion without having to prepare anything again.... a pie of course!..  Ricotta Pie is one of my favorite pies but the one I made this week has a little twist to the original recipe.  Firstly the pastry is made with wholemeal flour and secondly I added on "gbejniet" to the ricotta.

Here is what I did:

Place 250g Margarine into your electric mixer and add 1 tsp of salt and 400g wholemeal flour. Sift in 200g plain flour and set the motor running.  Once the margarine is totally incorporated into the flour and you have a nice sandy mixture, keep the motor on and add enough water at room temperature to form a soft dough.  If you want to make this pastry extra cheesy, grate in some cheddar into the flour mixture before adding the water.

Now take out the dough and place it on a floured surface.  

Roll out two thirds of the pastry and line the bottom of your baking dish.

Place 1.5kg ricotta into your electric mixer, add 2 eggs, some chopped fresh parsley and about 1 tablespoon of grated cheese.  Mix these ingredients slowly making sure that the eggs are well mixed in.

Spread the ricotta filling in the baking dish covered with  the dough and set aside. Now slice about 4 to 5 fresh gbejniet and place them over the ricotta filling.

Roll out the remaining dough and cover the pie completely.  Brush the top of the pie with some water and lastly sprinkle some sesame seeds.  

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C (electric fan oven) for about 25 - 30 minutes until the pastry has risen and turned golden.

Ricotta pie can be served straight out of the oven with some side salad or veggies or packed for picnics or as a lunch pack!

Halloween

Halloween is celebrated on the last day in October and is a feast to celebrate the dead; or rather the souls that are stuck between the mortal world and the dead. With TV series' like Ghost Whisperer or Supernatural being followed locally, it's no wonder how our fascination with life after death has increased. Being an ancient Celtic celebration in origin, Halloween was also celebrated to commemorate the new harvest. A bountiful time before the harsh winter begins. The festival itself has changed and the way we celebrate it now-a-days is more linked to the souls moving on other than the harvest.

The term Halloween is said to come from all Hallows' Eve which is the evening before All Hallows' Day, or All Souls' Day.

The fireworks displays as well as the bonfires that were originally done on this feast were meant to ward off any evil spirits that might have crossed over into our world. The loud noises coupled with the flashes of light were supposed to scare the ghosts away.

Halloween or different versions of the same feast are celebrated throughout the world. In Latin America and Asia they coincide with local 'day of the dead' festivities. In England, Guy Fawkes day and bonfire fire were originally celebrated at this time of year but with the influence of American pop culture the feast is now also called Halloween. In America, children dress up as ghosts, witches, vampires or even zombies on Halloween night and go from door to door crying 'trick or treat'! If they are given sweets from the houses they visit, then the tenants are spared a trick.

Halloween pumpkins

One of the most prominent decoration or symbol of Halloween is the pumpkin. Pumpkins with smiley or scary faces, lit with a candle from inside are known as jack-o'-lanterns. Pumpkins were introduced into the Halloween tradition because they are quite abundant at this time of year!

Carving your pumpkin can be quite easy but I suggest that you stick to basic designs to start with. In America, Pumpkin designs have become quite intricate and you can get your pumpkin carved professionally in any pattern your wish. Apart from the basic horror faces, you can see pumpkins depicting celebrities, politicians or cartoon characters.

Pumpkins are best carved a day before you want to use them or on the day. If you carve your pumpkin too early, it will lose its shape. Pumpkins start to dry our once they are carved, so it is best to either coat the carved pumpkin with some Vaseline or petroleum jelly or else to keep it soaked in water when you are not using it. If the pumpkin dries out, it will start to shrivel and will not be as attractive to display.

The first thing you will need to do before carving your pumpkin is to prepare the following.

1. Find a patter you like to carve on your pumpkin
   
2. Decide which part of the pumpkin will be carved
   
3. Prepare a spoon, sharp small knife and a large sharp knife.
   

Once you are ready to carve your pumpkin using the large knife, slice the bottom of the pumpkin slightly so that it will sit steadily. Once that is ready, using a pencil, trace or draw your patter onto the pumpkin. Next, cut off the top part of the pumpkin making a large enough incision to allow your hand to enter the pumpkin comfortably.

Using your hands, remove all seeds from the middle and set them aside. Next, using the small knife, carve your pattern making sure to cut deep enough into the pumpkin to allow the pieces of pumpkin to drop out completely.

Now, using the spoon or your small knife, scoop out all the flesh from the inside of the pumpkin making sure that there is enough space for your candle to sit in. Also, make sure that the pattern looks neat from the outside. You might need to trim the pumpkin from the inside in certain areas.

Once you are ready to light the pumpkin, light a small tea candle and place it inside the pumpkin. You may wish to leave the pumpkin uncovered as the top part of the pumpkin will burn once the candle heats up.

Pumpkin soup

The flesh that has been collected from the pumpkin can be used in a variety of ways. You can create a sweet pumpkin pie with cinnamon and chocolate or a savory pumpkin pie with rice. However I like making soup with my pumpkin!

Here is what you will need to make the soup

1 onion – roughly chopped

2 celery sticks - whole, leaves removed

Pumpkin flesh – deseeded and roughly chopped

500ml vegetable broth

1 tsp fennel seeds

Start off by heating a thick bottomed large pot and once it has warmed slightly add the chopped onion. There is no need to chop your onions too finely as they soup will be blended once it has cooked.

Next add the celery and allow them to cook slightly. If you prefer you may fry the onion and celery in a little oil or butter but I am giving you a fat-free vegetarian version.

Once the onions and celery start cooking add the pumpkin pieces. If you have larger pieces, then it would be best to cut them into smaller cubes. Pour in the broth and give the pot a good stir. Allow the soup to cook and simmer for about 30 minutes or until your pumpkin is cooked through.

At this point you will need to remove the celery sticks. This is best done using a fork or a pair of thongs. Finally add the fennel seed and turn off the heat. Cover the pot and allow the seeds infuse their flavor into the soup for about half an hour before serving.

Sundried tomato, potato and rosemary pizza

Here is what you need to make a Pizza for 4:
To make your dough
500g plain flour
5 teaspoons sugar
5 teaspoons dried yeast
2 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
For the filling
4 boiled potatoes, skin on
3 sun dried tomatoes
Fresh rosemary sprigs
Olive oil

Preheat your oven at 230C, or at the highest possible mark.

Start off by preparing the dough, preferably a couple of hours in advance. Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together. Now, make a well in the centre and add the oil. With a glass of luke-warm water in one hand start to add enough water little by little until a soft dough is formed. Place the dough in a floured bowl and allow it to rest for a couple of hours punching it down should it rise too much.

Once you are ready to use the dough, stretch it open with your hands, forget the rolling pin, and place it in a well oiled and floured baking tray.

Give it enough time to find its shape in the dish then with the back of your fingers press the middle down slightly allowing the edges to be thicker than the centre.

Now peel the potatoes and slice them into 1 cm slices. Place them in a bowl and add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and the rosemary. It would be best to chop the rosemary needles slightly but if you are in a rush just slide them off the stalk and add them to the bowl. Now add a generous helping of Extra Virgin Olive oil, some salt and pepper and stir slowly. It is important to coat all the potatoes with the oil but be careful not to break the potatoes up too much.

Next spread the filling in the middle of the pastry leaving a thick boarder around the whole of the pastry. This will allow the pasty to puff up slightly around the edges.

Bake the pizza in the preheated oven at 180C for electric fan ovens for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Aubergine Parmiggiana

Serve this dish as part of a buffet or as a meal on it’s own. This makes a very nice and filling vegetarian main course. For those of you watching you fat intake, you can grill the aubergines can be instead of frying them. For those on a low carb diet, good news; this dish is naturally now in carbs so you can indulge!

Here is what you will need to serve 6 as a main course:
Olive oil
3 medium aubergines
Rock Salt
2 cans x 400g chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove
400gr grated Parmesan cheese (hence the name)

Start off by washing and slicing the aubergines lengthwise, peeling is not necessary however if you prefer them peeled then this won’t effect the dish. Next, place the slices in a colander and sprinkle generously with rock salt between the layers. Now place something heavy on the colander to weigh the slices down and let the aubergines drip for a couple of hours or even overnight. I like to place a bowl with my pestle and mortar in it, it makes the tower heavy enough!

Once the aubergines have dripped, discard the dark liquid and rinse them clean of the salt. Pat the slices dry and set them aside.
If you are frying the aubergines, heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the aubergines until they are golden in colour. Once they are cooked, place the slices on a plate lined with some paper

towels to absorb the excess oils.

A healthier option would be to grill the slices on a griddle pan or even uur oven grill. Make sure to keep an eye on them if you are grilling as they will burn in no time and will become hard and bitter.

In the meantime, prepare your tomato sauce by placing some garlic cloves in a pot with a little bit of olive oil. Once the garlic starts to cook, add 2 x 450g tins of tomato cut in pieces. Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally.

Once the aubergines and the sauce are ready all you need to do is to compile the dish.
Start off by preparing your oven dish; spread some olive oil on the base making sure that all the corners are well oiled. Next place some of the sauce on the bottom of the dish to just about cover it. Next place a layer of aubergine slices to cover the dish completely, place some of the sauce and spread it to cover the aubergines and sprinkle some of the cheese over the sauce.

Continue to assemble the dish in this manner until you have run out of you aubergines and sauce. Make sure to leave enough sauce for the top layer. The last layer needs to be covered in sauce and sprinkled with a generous helping of cheese. Season with salt and pepper and your parmiggana is done.

At this point to you can refridgerate until you are ready to bake.

Cook the parmiggana in a pre-heated oven at 150C. Cooking time should be around 30 to 40 minutes. Your parmiggana is ready once the middle of the dish feels firm. Don’t worry about the sides becoming a little bit overcooked; it’s part of the charm of eating a rustic dish!

Should you like to make the dish a little bit more cheesy add 1 layer of mozzarella half-way through your layering.

As all other baked dishes, this dish improves with time, so you can bake it a day ahead and re-heat in an oven before serving. Parmiggiana can also be served cold.

Leek and Cauliflower Omelette

I hope you all managed to have a happy Easter! With the amount of chocolates and figolli eaten over the weekend, it was no wonder that Gyms and fitness clubs were all jam packed!

This week I'm giving you a recipe which is very low in carbohydrates and is also excellent for those of you who are watching their fat intake.

This leek and cauliflower omelette makes a delicious meal for one but can also be doubled in quantity and served as a vegetarian main course or as a crustless pie!

Here is what you will need:

1 medium leek - sliced

half a small cauliflower cut into tiny florets

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

salt and pepper

grated cheese (optional)

In a non-stick pan, place a little butter and cook the leeks until they are just about to start softening. Next add the tiny florets and cook for about 3 minutes.

Now, in a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork and season with the salt, pepper and the cheese.

Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and cover the pan. Cook the omlette for about 5 minutes over medium heat until the egg is cooked through.

Serve this omelette with some rocket salad and some grilled mushrooms!

Artichoke Ravioli

If you want to prepare something a little special but that will not keep you slaving in the kitchen for hours on end, here is a simple recipe for fresh ravioli. The pasta recipe can be used to make any type of pasta such as lasagne or cannelloni.

Even though making fresh pasta might sound laborious, it is very easy to prepare and it will only take you about 30 minutes to prepare this recipe from start to finish! Here is what you need to make enough ravioli for 2

For the pasta
300g Plain flour 00
3 egg
1 tablespoon little olive oil
A pinch of salt
For the Artichoke Filling
2 artichokes
1 onion
30g butter or some oil
Salt and pepper
Parmesan or grated cheese
1 egg

Start off by making the pasta dough. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until you form the dough. You can do this with your hands or by using an electric mixer. Once the dough is ready set it aside and prepare the filling.

Start by cleaning the artichokes. Remove the outer leaves from the globe artichokes and using a sharp knife chop off the top half of the leaves. Now slit each artichoke in half and remove the hairy choke which sits right on top of the heart. Peel the stem slightly so that you may use it too.
Now, in a pan, heat the oil or butter and fry the onion. Add the chopped artichokes and cook until the artichokes soften. It is best to chop the artichokes into little pieces before adding them to the pan.

Don’t worry if the artichokes turn dark after you peel them. This will always happen and can only be prevented if you soak the artichoke in a bowl of water and fresh lemon juice until you are ready to use. In this recipe it is not important to have white artichokes as they will be used to fill the ravioli.

Once the artichokes soften, place the cooked artichokes and onions in a blender and bliz to a paste. Now add the egg, parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
To prepare the ravioli, roll out the pastry till it is very thin. An easy test is to lift the pastry up against the light. If you can see the light through, then it is thin enough. Make sure that there are no holes in the pastry as this will make it unusable.

Cut the pastry into circle or squares, depending on the shape you want the ravioli. Circles will give you semi-circle ravioli which squares will give you rectangle ravioli. The diameter of the circles should be around 4cm. Now, place about a levelled teaspoon of the artichoke paste in the middle of the circle and brush the edges with a little water. Fold the pastry over to seal the ravioli making sure that there are no gaps which would allow the filling to escape.

Cook the ravioli in a pot of salted, boiling water for about 4 minutes. You can serve these ravioli with a drizzle of olive oil or some melted herb butter. Make sure to keep your sauce as simple as possible so that you may enjoy the delicious filling.