Tortei di Patate

Tortei di Patate (Trentino - Alto Adige)

I became permanently addicted to tortei di patate while we were on our holiday in Trentino this summer. It is a recipe quite similar to the Jewish Latke or German Rosti, but this is prepared simply with grated potatoes and a bit of flour and salt, no other additives.
It may sound strange but this dish is delicious served with blueberry or cranberry comport. Trying is believing! Applesauce is equally good as well. To make it an all out alpine fair, serve with marinated cabbage and bean salad, sliced speck and assorted cheese, preferably on a round wooden plate cum cutting board!


Ingredients:
for 2-4 ppl (depending on the accompaniments)
500g potatoes
about 2tbsp flour
salt
butter or olive oil to cook

-Peel the potatoes, grate them roughly to the size of shoestring potatoes.
-Add a pinch (or as desired) of salt, mix well.
-Put the grated potatoes in a collander and place it on a bowl. Cover the surface with a plate, let it sit for about an hour to drain the excess liquid.
-Squeeze the potatoes and put in a bowl mix thoroughly with the flour.
-In a large skillet (I use two simultaneously) and heat the butter/oil thoroughly.
-Scoop out a generous table spoon full of the mixture, place it on the skillet and press it flat immediately with a spatula. Repeat the procedure, cook about 3-4 at a time in one skillet. When the bottom is nicely golden brown flip them and cook the other side, about 10 minutes.
-Place them on an absorbing paper/paper towel and repeat the procedure.
-Add some more butter/oil if needed during the procedure.
Serve immediately, hot.

Tabouleh

This traditional lebanese treat is a wonderful summer fixture, no hassle, no heat recipe with ripe tomatoes in season, bursting with refreshing flavours. Also it makes a great part of a mediterranean vegetarian feast that would impress even a staunch carnivours, served along with hummus and falafel. :-) Ideally, prepare it about a couple of hours in advance and let it set for a while, for the flavours to settle and blend in. For a twist, you can use a handful of fresh coriander leaves in place of mint. In a pinch, couscous can be used in place of bulghur.

Tabouleh

150-200g lebanese bulghur
1 bunch flat leaved parsley, washed and finely chopped
3-4 firm red tomatoes, washed and finely chopped
Small fistful of chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 red onion, or 2 spring onion, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
salt (as desired)
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
a dash of black pepper
a generous dash of zatar, or mixture of thyme, majoram and oregano
1 tablespoon sesame seed
(serves 3-4)


PREPARATION:

Pour boiling water on bulghur just enough to moisten the entire surface.
Cover and let it stand for an hour.
Mix all ingredients except the sesame seed in a bowl.
Let it stand in the fridge for a couple of hours to let the flavour set.
Just before serving, dry roast the sesame seed and mix into the salad.

Creamy Cup o' Green Peas

This is a very nice comfort dish for wintry evening, you can serve them as a light meal, or alternative to pasta or risotto, as it is reasonably substantial. This can be modified anywhere from mashed potato like texture to a more soupy consistency, depending on the amount of broth added (or omitted). Also for a vegetarian variation, substitute the bacon with a shredded carrot, to be sauteed with shallots!

Creamy cup of green peas

For 3-4
800g frozen green peas
200g cooking cream
4 shallots, finely chopped
100g chopped smoked bacon
vegetable broth (as needed/prefered)
extra virgine olive oil
salt
white pepper

Boil green peas in lightly salted water for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not mushy.
In a sauce pan fry the bacon and scallion in olive oil, until bacon is crisp.
Put the hot peas in a mixer until they become a puree.
Add the puree and cooking cream into the sauce pan, dash of salt and white pepper.
Stir well until they are thoroughly heated.
If you prefer thinner (soupy) texture, add some vegetable broth to bring it to preferred consistency.
Serve with fresh baked courton or toasted baguette.

Hummus

Hummus

Hummus is a delicious dip/spread made with garbanzo beans/chick pea, popular throughout in the Mediterranean-Middle Eastern region. The name "Hummus" is transliterated from the arabic word for garbanzo, thus the spelling can vary widely, and it can be written also hamos, hummos, hommus, houmous etc. A very versatile snack, tapa, antipasto, enjoy Hummus with toasted pita breads (alternatively crusty toasted bread or crackers), or accompaniment to falafel, grilled or raw vegetables.

300g dried garbanzo(chickpea)*
80g tahini (middle eastern sesame paste)**
1 lemon
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 tsp cumin
Extra Virgine Olive Oil
salt
pinch of cayenne pepper

Soak the garbanzo beans overnight (12-15 hours) in water with 1 tbsp of baking soda mixed in.
At the end of soaking rinse the garbanzo several times, then boil for 1,5 hour, or 45minutes in a pressure cooker.
Drain and transfer into a food processor/mixer. Add the rest of ingredients, with first about 1/4 cup of Olive Oil, pulse a few times, check the consistency and the flavour and adjust the amount of oil, add it gradually to make a smooth, creamy texture, as well as the salt and spice to your taste.
Garnish with chopped flat parsley or fresh coriander leaves if desired.

*It IS a bit of pain preparing the dried garbanzo while you can just pop open a tinned chick peas, but the difference in flavour is so significant it is highly recommended to use the traditional method with the dried beans!! Garbanzo beans are so versatile, you can prepare multiple doses in one go and make a few different items as well!

**as an emergency solution when you can't find Tahini, you can mix in some good intense quality sesame oil with the Olive oil, about 2-3 table spoons. Not exactly the same thing and significantly lighter in taste, but quite similar essence can be attained.

Oven Roasted Bell Peppers

Oven Roasted Bell Peppers (Sicilia, Lazio)


They are delicious "tapa" by themselves, or an alternative topping for bruschetta. While roasting, do not worry about the burnt patches on the surface, they are just external skins which are to be easily peeled off. Alternatively the peppers can be roasted on a barbeque grill during a cookout, which makes a nice accompaniment to the meal.

4 bell large bell peppers (for choreographic effect, 2 red 2 yellow)
4 garlic cloves
handful of capers
handful of pine nuts
extra virgine olive oil

Cut off the top of the bell peppers, place one garlic clove inside each bell peppers.
Place the bell peppers on a shallow baking dish, roast them in the oven at 180°C for about 30-35 minutes, or until they are full cooked and limp. Turn over the peppers once around 15-20 minutes into cooking.
Take off the peppers and let it cool off, until you can comfortably handle them. They should be still quite warm.
Peel off the external skin of the peppers. (once the peppers cool off too much it becomes more difficult to peel!) Then rip them into several strips.
Take the garlic from the inside of the peppers, mush them up.
Rinse the capers under running water to eliminate the excess salt, then chop it up.
Toss the pepper strips with the mushed up garlic, caper and pine nuts.
Drizzle with good quality extra virgine olive oil, serve at room temperature.

Melanzane (aubergine) alla Parmigiana

Melanzane (Aubergine) alla parmigiana (Sicilia-Campania)

Another well known classic favourite. Apart from the parmigiano as a topping, you can also use different type of cheese to insert in the middle, such as firm sliced mozzarella, provola or fontina. Also as a short cut you can use a good quality readymade pasta sauce, however don't shortcut on preparation of the aubergine in order to maximize the flavour and the texture. For the amount stated below it should feed about 6 "average" people served with some garden salad and fresh baked bread, however in our household we are easily capable of gobbling it all down in one go between the 3 of us! When you are making a sauce, prepare a generous amount, if there will be an extra left, it will always be handy for another day for some other recipes!

1kg-1,2kg Aubergine, sliced in circles slightly less than 1cm thickness
oil for frying
2 onions
2 large cloves of garlic
2 carrot
2 bayleaves
olive oil
1 tsp. herb mix provençal
salt, pepper
1-1,5 lt. passata (or 1/2-1/2 of tomato puree & diced tomatoes from tin)
about 100g parmigiano reggiano or grana padano, freshly grated
some bread crumbs

Soak the aubergine slices in a cold, salted water in a large bowl, let them rest for at least 30min.
Rinse the aubergine slices under running water in a sieve, then pat dry.
Deep fry the slices in hot oil (about 175°C), a little at a time so the temperature will stay high, cook each slices until they are golden brown. Let them dry on an absorbent paper.
Finely chop the onions, garlic and carrots (or smash them together in a food processor), sautè them in sufficient amount of olive oil in a large skillet.
Season the mixture with salt and pepper as needed.
When they are completely soft, add the herbs and tomatoes, bring it to boil and let it simmer on a low heat for 15-20 minutes, or the sauce somewhat thickens.
Generously coat the bottom of a baking dish (about 30x40cm) with the tomato sauce.
Arrange a layer of aubergine slices closely lined together to cover the bottom.
Add another thin layer of tomato sauce over the aubergine slices.
sprinkle generously and evenly a mixture of bread crumbs and cheese on the surface.
Repeat the procedure until you run out of the aubergine (usually about 3 layers), ending with a layer of tomato sauce. (at this point you should have enough bread crumbs/grated cheese left to make one more layer)
Cover the dish with an aluminum foil, secure the edges well if the oven is ventilated, so the foil will not fly open.
Bake for 20 minutes at 175°C.
Take out the tray from the oven, turn up the temperature to 200°C, take off the foil and arrange the final top layer of bread crumbs and grated cheese over the surface.
Put the tray back uncovered, continue to cook for about 10 minutes or until the topping is golden grown.

Pan fried potato wedges Calabrese

This is a very tasty alternative to regular chips or french fried potatoes to accompany your main plate or burgers. A litte touch of balsamic vinegar gives a distinct flavour twist. It's important not to overcrowd the skillet in order to cook the potatoes correctly, with the amount stated below I use 2 skillets together so I can cook them in one go!

Ingredients:
400g Red Onions (Tropea if can be found), thinly sliced
600g Potatoes, skinned and cut into wedges
Olive oil
salt
Balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Fry the potatoes, not too many at a time, should be loosely one layer with some room to be shifted. When the potatoes are halfway done, just lightly coloured, add some onions (amount proportionate considering the remaining potatoes). Salt to taste, continue to cook until the potatoes are thoroughly golden brown and the onions are lightly caramelized. Scoop out the potatoes and onions, let them rest on a absorbent paper. Keep warm (for example inside lightly heated oven about 150°C) and repeat the procedure with the remaining potatoes and onions.
In a serving tray or bowl drizzle about 1tbsp of balsamic vinegar and toss thoroughly, serve hot.

Caponata Siciliana

Caponata Siciliana (Sicilia)

Caponata is one of the most famous and delicious vegetarian treat coming out of Sicily. It is a perfect antipasto, tapa, light meal with a freshly baked crusty bread, or accompaniment for the main dishes when you have guests on a hot summer evening, as it can be prepared in advance, it tastes better after being rested for some hours and can be enjoyed at room temperature. Alternatively, you can use grilled bell peppers in place of aubergine, (or both!) equally tasty!

3 large but slender aubergines, cut into cubes
olive oil
1-1,5 onion, roughly chopped
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
about 20 green olives, deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp white wine vinegar or apple vinegar
2 tbsp. sultanas, soaked in water for about half an hour
3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tbsp sugar
2 tablespoons pine nuts
salt (optional)
good quality extra virgine olive oil

Soak the aubergine chunks in a cold, salted water for at least 30 minutes, then drain, rinse well and pat dry.
In a large skillet fry the aubergine in a sufficient amount of olive oil. Gently shaking the pan now and then cook for about 4-5 minutes until the aubergines are nicely coloured. (Try not to overcrowd the skillet. If the skillet is not big enough, cook in two or more batches.) Set the aubergine aside on an absorbent paper.

Sautè the onion in just enough olive oil until onion becomes tender. Add the prepared capers, olive, oregano, pine nuts, sultanas, sautè for another couple of minutes.
Add the tomatoes and let it simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
Dry roast the pine nuts in a stainless steel or cast iron skillet, or in the oven until lightly coloured (take care not to burn them!)
Add the pine nuts, aubergine chunks, parsley, vinegar and sugar, toss well and continue to cook until the vinegar is evaporated.

If needed add a little more salt/sugar to your preferred taste.
Ideally let the completed dish rest for a few hours to let the flavour bind together.

Drizzle good extre virgine olive oil and serve warm or room temperature.

Classic Bruschetta

Bruschetta is one of the finest example of the delicious simplicity of the true Italian cooking!! This traditional Italian "antipasto" is not just for a starter, but also is a great snack or light meal which is really easy&quick to prepare... it is also a perfect variety for a barbeque cookout, throw on some slice of bread on the barbeque grill and dress it up as you go!
you can experiment with endless options of toppings, various grilled vegetables, cheeses, patè etc., but this is the most classic, most loved version, prepared with fresh ripe tomatoes and basil leaves, it does carry a wonderful summery flavour!

Large crusty loaf of bread
Garlic cloves, about half per slice
Tomatoes, ripe but firm, chopped. (Eliminate the seed if too soggy, but better with skins intact to maintain the texture.)
Good quality extra virgine olive oil
Fresh basil leaves, chopped*
salt, pepper

In case fresh basil leaves are not available, use crushed dry oregano.

Slice the bread, not too thinly, broil both side.
Cut the garlic cloves in half, put the sliced surface in contact with the broiled bread, still hot, and rub into it evenly.*
Pile the tomatoes on the slice, sprinkle with salt, pepper and basil leaves to taste.
Drizzle the olive oil over.
Serve immediately.

*Alternative preparation
For people who are disturbed by the strong aftertaste of raw garlic.
Roast the garlic in the oven and then mash it, or sautè the minced garlic in just enough olive oil, and sprinkle them over the toast evenly.

Veggie Briouats

Briouats originates in Morocco, but like other certain food the basic idea seems to be pretty global, it is quite similar to Indian Samosa, or Lumpia from Philippines and alike. It can be shaped in triangle like classic Samosa, but I went for the cigar shaped version as it is easier to form... :p The fillo is very delicate, so take care in its handling, keep it cool and dry, and also chill the filling completely. While rolling the briouats, if there are many of them put them in the fridge as you go! Slightly tedious procedure will be definitely paid off as they are absolutely delicious!! As you get the hang of it, you can experiment with different fillings, like cheeses or minces, or sweet version with nuts and dried fruits!!

1 packet of fillo pastry sheets (270g)
1 small courgette
1 small bell pepper
2-3 porcini mushroom*
1 medium carrot
1 small onion
1 spring onion
1-2 clove of garlic, crushed
salt & pepper
Olive oil
frying oil

*you can use a regular button mushrooms mixed with a small amount of soaked dried porcini (you can utilize the soaked liquid to flavour the vegetables), or substitute with shiitake.

1. (if bought frozen) take out the fillo sheets from the freezer at least half a day in advance (better the night before) and defrost in the refrigerator.
2. finely julienne all the vegetables.
3. sautè the vegetables in just enough hot olive oil with garlic. Start with onion, carrot, bell pepper, then courgette and mushrooms, spring onion goes last just to pass the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Cool the vegetables completely, and let them rest in the refrigerator for about an hour.
5. take out the fillo sheets, carefully roll them out and slice them into about 20x15cm (approx., depending on the original size of the fillo sheets)
6. add about one tablespoon full of the vegetables on each sheet and make a thin line of it near the centre.
7. fold over the both sides of the fillo sheet, to keep the vegetables from falling out from the ends.
8. Roll up each sheet like a cigar.
9. Let it rest in the fridge again to chill.
10. Deep fry the rolls (a few at a time at the most, not too many) at about 175-180°C, until golden.

Serve piping hot, they are delicious by itself, or enjoyed with various sauces/condiments like mango (or other type) chatney, tahini, tzatziki, curry etc.

Shakey's MoJo potatoes

As a kid I adored Shakeys, and even more so for their famous MoJo potatoes than the pizzas. Sadly Shakeys seem to have completely disappeared from anywhere near I have been living for the last 2 decades or so, I have been craving for them for so many years... finally I found a recipe to recreate them quite accurately, courtesy of my dear friend jkath from discusscooking !!! Yummers!!


Shakey's Mojo Potatoes

6 large, solid mealy potatoes
2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of paprika
2 teaspoons thyme
Salt and pepper
About 1/2 cup milk
Frying oil

Bake potatoes at 200°C for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool.

Cut each potato into not too thin slices.

Heat oil to 180°C.

Stir together the flour, cayenne, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Dip each potato slice into the milk and then dredge thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture. Deep fry wedges without overcrowding for about 1 1/2 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Potatoes, tomato and cheese casserole

This is another winning improvisation, sort of a clean out the fridge recipe :-) It is substantial enough to hold up as a main dish, or also as a side with other pasta or rice dish in smaller portion. The handy thing about this dish is all the ingredients are the items you usually have around in the kitchen. You can always experiment with different type of cheese, anything that melts well in the heat will be great in this dish!

4 onions, sliced thin
50g butter
5-6 large tomatoes, ripe yet firm enough thickly sliced
potatoes, 3 large or 5-6 medium
150g fontina cheese, chopped
100g Parmigiano reggiano or grana padano, grated
1 cup full of bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
mild paprika
2-eggs-beaten
200ml. sour cream or creme fraiche

Sautè the onions in butter.
Peel and slice the potatoes about 5mm thick, boil or steam to the point they are still fairly firm, just a few minutes.
Prepare a mixture of the chopped, grated cheese, sautèed onion and bread crumbs, salt, pepper and mild paprika.
Butter a baking dish (about 20X30cm, not too shallow) and put in a layer of potatoes on the bottom, then another layer of tomatoes over the potatoes. Cover the surface with the cheese/onion/bread crumb mixture.
Repeat layering til you've used all ingredients, ending with the mixture on top.
In small bowl beat the eggs and sour cream til smooth, pour over to cover the surface.
Sprinkle on a little more paprika for colour.
Cover and bake at 190° for 30 min. Uncover and bake 15 min longer so it will puff and get golden.

Stuffed Tomatoes alla Romana

Stuffed Tomatoes alla Romana (Lazio)

This is one of my favourite dishes of all, especially during the summer season when nice big fat tomatoes are everywhere to be found. With a hearty serving this can make a good one pot dinner, or also good as a side/first course with some other main course. Another great thing about this dish is it tastes also great at room temperature, so you can make this ahead of time when you have a company, or on a busy day.

4 large red, firm tomatoes*
160g parboiled rice
3 large cloves of garlic. minced or chopped
generous handful of chopped flat leaved parsley
salt & pepper
4-6 potatoes, depending on the size, to fill the gap of the baking tray
Extra Virgine Olive Oil
garlic powder
rosemary, either small sprigs or powdered


1. Using a fine sharp knife cut off the top of the tomatoes, cutting deeper into the centre, making a cone like / fat pencil tip shape, making an opening wide enough to insert your tool to scoop out the inside. Set the tops aside.
2. Scoop off the inside of the tomatoes to make cups, taking care not to poke or break open the surface, putting the inside of tomatoes and put into a bowl.
3. Mix the uncooked rice, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in the bowl.
4. Scoop the mixture into the tomatoes, leaving enough space to put the top back on.
5. Arrange the tomatoes in the centre of a fair sized baking dish.
6. Peel the potatoes and cut into dices.
7. Put the potato cubes in a bowl, coat the potatoes evenly with olive oil, garlic powder, rosemary and salt.
8. Arrange the potatoes around the tomatoes in the baking dish.
9. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
10. Bake in the oven at 180°C for 45-50 minutes, until tomatoes, rice and potatoes are tender.
11. Take off the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the potatoes take on a golden colour and the surface becomes crisp.

Zucchini marinati (Fried and marinated courgette slices)

This tasty vegetable side dish can be pretty addictive! You can prepare this ahead of time, as it needs to be rested at least half an hour or better few hours to let the flavour settled in. Surprisingly, unlike the usual fried food, I find it even tastier the day after as the flavour gets blended better!

600-700g (1-1/2lb, circa) zucchini (courgette), smallish ones are better, not huge.
frying oil (something light, sunflower, corn etc.)
2 cloves of garlic, minced or chopped.
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
generous handful of flat leaved parsley, chopped
good quality extra virgine olive oil
salt

Using mandolin or similar tool, slice up the courgette/zucchini in thin, small circles.
Heat up the oil and fry the slices, to make something of zucchini crisps. (not too many at a time, so you can cook them evenly. Take care not to burn them to death!)
Dry the slices well on a few layers of paper towel.
Quickly sautè the chopped garlic separately in a small skillet, again taking care not to burn them. (Take it off from the heat as soon as the garlic start to take on some golden colour. They will continue to cook in a hot oil!)
Place them in a large bowl, toss with the garlic, balsamic vinegar, parsley, evoo (as much/little as preferred) and salt (see the amount for evoo).


*ideally you could fry the courgette in olive oil, but since it costs a lot (especially overseas!), use a regular light tasting veg. oil to deep fry, and after drying them off drizzle over a little of the good olive oil for a flavour!

Savoury Mushrooms Au Gratin

Here is another very tasty dish that will surely please any shroom heads like myself. The original idea and the real credit goes to Kadesma, a dear friend whom I met at a cooking forum. I modified her recipe slightly. This amount listed will serve anywhere from 2 hungry mushroom-heads to 4.

600-700g mushrooms, ideally porcini, oyster or portobello, but regular button mushrooms work just as well.
2 large cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
4-5 shallots or 1 onion, thinly sliced
Good fistful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Dash of dry marjoram
salt and pepper
80g evoo
splash of balsamic vinegar
butter for sautè, baking dish + for topping, circa 100g

1/2-c. fresh bread crumbs
1/4-c. freshly grated parmigiano reggiano or grana padano

Clean the mushrooms. Cut into small chunks if porcini are used, strip into thin pieces for oyster mushrooms, thin slices for portobello or button mushrooms (champignons).
put garlic, onion, parsley, marjoram,salt,pepper, evoo and vinegar in a good sized bowl.
Add mushrooms, mix well and marinate for a few hours, stirring occasionally.
Melt 1/2 the butter in heavy skillet. Sautè the marinated mushroom mixture thoroughly.
Pour the sautèed mixture in a buttered medium baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and cheese dot with remaining butter. Place dish under preheated broiler for some minutes until the top is golden brown. (Watch closely so it doesn't burn)