Classic French mussels!

Bowl from Churchill chinaware 

For the Italian version click here!!!

In summer time I try non to eat lots of oven baked food....it is so hot here in Italy (especially this week) and sometimes the heat of the oven is unbearable. So I try to cook something fresh and light and I absolutely love mussels! Is definitely one of my favourite seafood.

I cooked this dish a while ago..but I didn't accompany them with the classic french fries but delicious bread, of course home made. 

CLASSIC FRENCH MUSSELS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1Kg mussels
• 1/2 onion
• 1 shallot
• 1 glass white wine
• 100ml double cream
• Chopped parsley
• Extra virgin olive oil ( I used Capanna offered by Arte Toscana)

Wash and clean the mussels, remove the beard and transfer them in a large casserole.

Chop finely the onion, shallot and parsley and add them to the mussels.

Add a drizzle of olive oil and the white wine and allow mussels to open. Remove them from the pan and set aside. Filter the cooking water. Allow to reduce the cream with 1/2 glass of the cooking water then add the resulting sauce to the mussels. 

Serve hot with french fries or crusty bread. 




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Quiche with courgette, courgette flowers and babybel cheese!!!

For the Italian version click here!!!

I love quiches, very easy to make, perfect for buffets, pic-nick and you can prepare it in advance!!!

QUICHE WITH COURGETTE, COURGETTE FLOWERS AND CHEESE



INGREDIENTS:

• Ready made shortcrust pastry
• 2 courgettes
• about 10 courgette flowers
• 6 babybel cheese
• 2 tbs of freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 300 ml of milk
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Slice the courgette and and the flowers, but keep 4 apart, roll on the pastry on a 20 cm diameter flan dish and preheat the oven at 200º.

Cook the courgette with olive oil and the garlic until softened and arrange them in the pastry case. Add the cheese diced and the flowers. Beat the eggs, milk, parmesan cheese and seasoning together, pour over the cheese mixture.

On top put the 4 flowers left apart.

Bake in a hot oven(200º) for 30/40 minutes!

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The June issue of OPEN KITCHEN MAGAZINE!!!

For the Italian version click here!!!

Here for you the sixth issue of Open Kitchen Magazine, our on line food magazine. 
In the june issue you will find delicious light meals to get ready for your beach days...tasty barbecue recipes...but I want tell you more you have to go and read it!!!!
Every issue is now translated into English by me so that everyone in the world can enjoy and try our recipes!!! We are becoming more international with our foreign contributors!  
Don't forget that you can also become part of our international team in the next issue. 

TO BROWSE IT FOR FREE OR TO DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE ON YOUR PC CLICK HERE!!!

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Pasta with courgettes, mussels and pecorino cheese!

Plate from Churchill chinaware

For the Italian version click here!!!

One of my favourite combinations, especially on pasta dishes, is sea food with cheese. When I was a kid I've been told that cheese doesn't go well with fish but I never understood why. When I moved back to Italy I realized that actually is a perfect combination...and I love the taste of cheese with seafood...like mussels, clams and prawns. 

Try this recipe and you will agree with me!

PASTA WITH COURGETTES, MUSSELS AND PECORINO CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:

• 160g fresh pasta
• 200g unshelled mussels 
• 2 courgettes
• 2 garlic cloves chopped finely
• Parsley chopped finely
• Extra virgin olive oil 
• Chilly pepper
• Grated mature pecorino cheese

Wash well the courgettes and dice them. Fry courgettes in a bit of olive oil with garlic and parsley for a few minutes. Add some water and continue cooking until tender. 

Allow mussels to open in a large pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Keep a bit of the cooking water aside to toss the pasta later. 

Cook pasta in salted boiling water, drain when al dente. 

Toss pasta with the courgettes, mussels, pecorino cheese and the mussels and pasta cooking water.  Sprinkle with more grated pecorino cheese and serve immediately. 

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White chocolate and cinnamon fondant!

ceramics by GreenGate

For the Italian version click here!!!
Good morning everyone!!!! Here I am again to post a new recipe from Japan. When I got here yesterday I had in my mind I had to post something for my blog... But I was so tired and still didn't have time to translate my Arancini recipe into English. But don't know why I was convinced that was my Italian blog's birthday. So I felt asleep thinking how a bad blogger I was that I didn't even have time to write a post to celebrate my three years of blogging.... This morning I was really glad I was so tired and I remembered very well that the actual date is the 21st of june and not the 9th.....
What a 30 hours day can do to our (mine) mind!!!
But now let's see the very easy and quick recipe for this amazing dessert....I absolutely loved it...It is perfect for those who fancy a delicious cake in no time...and you can freeze it and have it almost ready for unexpected  guests!

WHITE CHOCOLATE FONDANTS

INGREDIENTS FOR 3 CHOCOLATE FONDANT

• 40g butter
• 1 egg
• 30g sugar
• 20g flour
• 60g white chocolate
• a pinch of salt
• Cinnamon (optional)

Melt chocolate in a bain marie or microwave. Melt butter over a low heat.
Beat eggs with sugar until tripled in size, then add sieved flour and salt and mix with a whisker. Incorporate the melted butter and at the end the melted white chocolate. Pour mixture into greased and icing sugar dusted cases. Bake in a warm oven at 180º for 11-12 minutes. Serve immediately and dust with icing sugar and cinnamon. 

ceramics by GreenGate

 With this recipe I take part to Barbara's contest Get an aid in the kitchen!

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My first Sicilian arancini!!!!

For the Italian version click here!!!

Typical Sicilian rice croquettes. It was the first time for me and I'm really proud of the result...they are delicious!

ARANCINI WITH SWARD FISH RAGOUT AND BURRATA WITH HAM

INGREDIENTI:

• 300g arborio rice
• 600g water
• 1 egg
• 1 packet of saffron
• 1 knob of butter
• 2 eggs
• Breadcrumbs 

Filling:

• 1 slice of sward fish
• 400g finely chopped tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• Chilly pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil ( I used Capanna oil from Montacino offered by Arte Toscana)
• White wine
• Burrata cheese
• Cooked ham

Cook the rice in lightly salted boiling water. The rice has to absorb the all water, you don't have to drain it. When still warm stir in the saffron, the knob of butter and the egg. Allow to rest overnight if possible. I cooked rice in the morning and prepared the arancini in the evening. 

Prepare the sward fish ragout: Cut the fish into small cubes. In a pan heat up some oil with the garlic cloves. Add the fish and cook for a few minutes, the add the white wine and allow alcohol to evaporate. Add the chopped tomatoes, season with salt and chilly pepper and allow ragout to reduce. 

Make the arancino by taking a small handful of rice and shaping it into your hand. Make a hallow and fill it with the fish ragout or with burrata and diced cooked ham. Cover with another handful of rice. Shape into a ball. Dredge arancini into beaten eggs, roll them well in breadcrumbs and fry in dip hot oil until golden brown.

Thats it,your arancini are now ready! With these ingredients I made 9 arancini. 

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