Open Kitchen Magazine - n°4- April 2012 Web magazine

Sweet Easter

Spring Picnic

Simone Rugiati The secrets of

a chef to be loved

n.4 April 2012

OpenKitchen - n. 4 April 20122

n. 4 April 2012 - OpenKitchen 3

0 0 4 | C o n t a c t s

0 0 8 | S p r i n g é c l a i r s

012 | S imone Rug ia t i : The secre t s o f a chef to be loved

018 | B e t t e r o n e e g g t o d a y. . . b u t h e a l t h y

0 2 0 | E a s t e r p i e

0 2 2 | S we e t E a s t e r : E a s t e r d ove b re a d

0 2 6 | C h e e r s

0 2 8 | Ta s t e a n d T ra d i t i o n : N e a p o l i t a n E a s t e r p i e

0 3 2 | P u p p e t E a s t e r e g g : a s i m p l e d e l i c a c y

0 3 4 | S we e t E a s t e r s u r p r i s e s : C h o c o l a t e e g g

0 3 8 | I n J a p a n : c h e r r y b l o s s o m

0 4 2 | N a n n i M o re t t i ’ s S a c h e r t o r t e

0 4 6 | I t ’ s s p r i n g ! Wa ke u p k i d s !

0 5 0 | H e a l t h y a n d d e l i c i o u s fo o d

0 5 4 | V i s u a l F o o d fo r yo u r E a s t e r t a b l e

0 5 8 | S p r i n g i n Wa s h i n g t o n

0 6 0 | C o l o u re d a n d d e l i c i o u s ra w fo o d

0 6 4 | S p r i n g p i c n i c : w h a t s h a l l we p u t i n t h e b a s ke t ?

0 7 0 | Pa p e r B a s ke t

0 74 | S p r i n g f i n g e r fo o d

0 9 8 | E d i t o r i a l t e a m

10 0 | C o n t r i b u t o r s

Summary

Coordination & creativityCLAUDIA ANNIE CArONE

Coordination & revisionMONICA ZACCHIA

Coordination & translationNICOLETTA PALMAS

Graphic and layoutELENA MArIANI

PhotographyDONATELLA SIMEONE

ADVErTISING:Do you want to advertise a product,

event or a company? Please send an email to: creativita@openkitchenmagazine .com

Write in the email object “ advert”. We will be happy to talk to you!!!

rEADErS:You love cooking and you would like to see your

original recipes published on OPEN KITCHEN MAGAZINE? Send your recipe to:

creativita@openkitchenmagazine .com write in the email object “Candidature”: From today open kitchen will give you the chance to see your new recipes

and pictures(without signature) published in our new website.

www.openki tchenmagazine.com | n.4 Apr i l 2012


Dear Readers,We have finally emerged from this long and difficult winter, and now we are presented with the season that best represents the evocative power and rebirth that nature is able to deliver. The extended time, the light and the increased contact with nature will be a balm for our eyes and our souls. In this issue, the most extravagant expressions of nature will be described from Japan during the cherry blossom festival and from Washington by Nik, who will talk about his city in this period of opulent colours and fragrances. You can take notes on the most delicious recipes and the best things to bring along in a picnic basket to enjoy on the lawn or under the branches of a great oak. Follow the tricks for our homemade Easter eggs or Easter bread to enjoy with the advice of our sommelier. In addition to the visual food tutorial and raw food secrets, you will be delighted by the company of the volcanic chef Simone Rugiati who will provide you with tips and tell you about innovative projects and what food represents for him. Good reading!

The Editorial Staff


A sepal, petal, and a thornUpon a common summer mornA flash of dew, a bee or two,

A breeze,A caper in the trees,And I am a rose!(Emily Dickinson)


Dolcemente

Edited by Antonella Cennamo

SpringEclairsEclairs

Spring


Difficulty: mediumCooking time: 20 minutesBaking time: 35/40 minutesIngredients for 4 people:Choux pastry:60g plain f lour50g whole milk50g water5g sugarA pinch of salt40g butter2 eggs

For the sauce:100ml whole milk40ml lemon juice1 egg yoke30g sugar1 tablespoon corn starch30g whipped creamTo decorate:White, pink, lilac and yellow sugar paste


Method:Choux pastry: Place the milk, water, sugar, salt and butter in a pan and bring to the boil. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat and add the sieved flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Return to a low heat and cook for about 2 minutes, until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and let cool down. Beat in the eggs one at a time until completely incorporated and you have a smooth consistency. Spoon the mixture into a large pastry bag fitted with a 10mm nozzle. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and pipe the eclairs, each about 5 cm long. Bake in a warm oven at 170ºC. After approximately 8-10 minutes open ajar the oven to release the steam. Continue baking for 20-30 minutes until golden brown

and firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cream: In a pan whisk the egg yokes and sugar until pale and thick, add the corn starch and mix to remove any lumps, then add gently the milk and lemon juice. Bring over a medium/low heat until the mixture has thickened. If you particularly like the lemon flavour you could add some lemon zest too. Allow to cool down completely then add the whipped cream, mix gently until smooth. Spoon the lemon Chantilly into a pastry bag fitted with a small and round nozzle and fill the éclairs. It is better to prepare them the day before so they get humid and can absorb better the filling. Decoration: Roll out the white sugar paste and form small rectangles of the same size of the éclairs. Place them on top of the pastry, then decorate each of them with small flowers.


Interview

Simone Rugiati


Simone Rugiati - a young, eclectic chef and author of numerous publications - began his lightning career at only six years old when his nanny kept him quiet by baking cakes. He is now followed and loved by the viewership of Gambero Rosso Channel and LA7d. It was a short step from baking in his nanny’s kitchen to conducting successful programmes and writing books—or almost. He graduated in hotel management in Montecatini Terme, and after attending training workshops abroad, he became a consultant for restaurants, a speaker at conferences on nutrition, a writer and a host of programmes. He has revisited and revolutionised the way we “communicate” with food. His cooking is healthy, fast and impressive, like the Io, me e Simone [I, me and Simone] show, where he invites his viewers to prepare food that amazes with only a few ingredients. It is as if there are three people in the kitchen, not just one: the person who cooks, the person who explains and the person who presents the show. Let’s talk a bit with him.

“The secrets of a chef to be loved!”Simone Rugiati

Edited by Monica Zacchia


1. Which professional person, or person from your personal life, has meant the most to you in influencing your decision to become a chef, and why?

Surely, the hotel management school in Montecatini, which I attended, was very instructive, because at the time, the chefs were not media personalities as they are now. I took the decision, because the kitchen was a passion, and I showed talent as a child. Even my experience as a food editor, where I wrote many books and magazines and directed two magazines, was very important, because I met important Italian chefs every week. These experiences gave me more, at a training level, and brought me to my current profession. However, I cannot identify a single person. I have tried to learn something from everyone I have met.

2. I was very struck by the writing of your new book “Storie di Brunch”, in which you cooked dishes, which were then actually eaten, and the photographer, Malena Mazza, took the photos of the actual situation. It was not the food that was being photographed, but they were photos of actual meals. This is quite revolutionary in a world where food is prepared to be shown rather than to be eaten. How did you come to this choice?

Storie di Brunch [Stories of Brunches] is a completely different project from every other food book that I have made: There are recipes, but they tell stories. Nescafé, the official sponsor of the book, [was celebrating] 20 years of brunch in Italy and asked me for a project. I thought that the classic book of still-life brunch recipes was not suitable, because brunch is also a time where different people meet. So I wanted to [discuss] the stories and the people, not just the recipes. We decided (it was a crazy idea, but I am crazy) to really create brunches and not only to photograph them. Malena is a world-renowned photographer, and I think she did a splendid job. It is a recipe book, a book of photos and a book of stories: not all food books are like this…

3. The brunch challenges the habit of the Italian Sunday lunch, which is difficult to eradicate, or is there always a reason for grandma’s lasagne...?

If you think about brunch and Sunday


lunch as food, they are two different worlds, but if you see it from the point of view of being together, they are very close but come from different countries: brunch in the USA, Sunday lunch in Italy. In my book, I tried to make these two worlds come together through recipes by creating a mix between Sunday lunch and the classical American brunch.

4. Your show-cooking, a huge success in Italy, is still part of a concept that seems to belong to you: to show the food, how it is prepared and how it is eaten—and not just for spectacularisation, as often happens in many programmes and books written even by people not accustomed to cooking. What do you think about this?

I invented the term “show-cooking” a few years ago, and stupidly, I registered a domain but not the name: The correct phrase in English is “cooking show”. I think that people who like to eat want to know what they are eating and why it is eaten this way, especially in a restaurant, because they are ideas and recipes that these people can try to reproduce or simply have more knowledge about what they eat. For this, I designed the show-cooking, and I keep on doing it with great satisfaction. As for the spectacularisation of cuisine, I am in favour of this if there is knowledge of the facts and competence. Unfortunately, among the television shows and books, there are a lot of people who do not have this competence. These people do not give explanations or notions, nor do they make good food to eat: You draw your conclusions.

5. What is your opinion of extreme kitchen shows such as Gordon Ramsey’s shows? Do you think that everything must become engulfed in competition in an area that is an oasis of relaxation and leisure for many of us?

I took part in the programme “Isola dei Famosi” (sort of “I’m a celebrity; get me out of here”), the hard format where you fight; also in the world of food, I like and enjoy it. For example, that of Gordon is definitely a format, but in several cases, it shows what really happens in a restaurant kitchen. The important thing is that there is a selection of quality programmes: If there is a challenge format but, at the same time, it is relaxing and the recipes are good, there is choice,


and everyone can watch what they want.

6. Can you reveal a trick that changed your life in the kitchen?

One of my tricks? NO! I can give you a little advice that can greatly improve your preparations in the kitchen! The tools: knives, cookware and appliances - if you use appropriate tools and they are in excellent or at least in good condition, everything becomes easier!

7. I read that you often eat alone, with displeasure, because of the numerous business trips you make. Is it true that food is a vehicle of emotions and feelings when preparing for a special someone or for your family?

I am often alone because of my job: Six days a week for ten hours a day, I often eat a sandwich on the run, but I am not complaining! For chefs like me, food gives emotions in every menu or plate you think about preparing. For those who cook for passion, it is true that for special occasions, something new is given to your girlfriend, wife or family: After all, I always say, “If you put your love into it, the best restaurant is at home”.

8. Tell us about a particularly funny anecdote that happened to you in yourcareer as a chef or while presenting your programmes.

I did a show-cooking in a showroom of a major fashion brand. I was running late, and since this was a cooking demonstration, I asked my assistant to do the shopping. This person was not a kitchen assistant, but a working assistant. There wasn’t even one right ingredient or an ingredient in the format that I wanted it, but I made a virtue of necessity, and with some changes, I succeeded. As for TV, I really don’t have much of a story, but in my opinion, this one is funny. On the last day of filming, use leftover ingredients from the previous days and make great recipes without even thinking beforehand; improvise based on what you have!

10. Tell us a fun and easy recipe to prepare in minutes, one that has surprised you because of its success.

GOOD, SIMPLE AND FAST: Potato croquettes,

pistachios, provola cheese, heart and the stem of ham. Boil the potatoes in their skins, starting from cold, salted water, and drain them when they are soft in the middle. Peel and mash in a bowl, add the grated provolone, a little salt, pepper, chopped pistachios and the stem of the prosciutto cut with a knife. Mix everything, and let cool in the refrigerator. Make balls the size of a walnut; pass into … flour, then beaten egg and finally in … minced bread. Fry in plenty of hot vegetable oil, and drain on paper towels. Serve right away.

12. Thanks for the invention of Signora Maria, to whom you speak when opening the door of your studio. It seems as if you enter our house to tell us about the steps of the recipe that we were not able to note down. We all have a little bit of Signora Maria in us. How do you come up with these fictional characters?

Signora Maria was “born” by chance in a broadcast, because I thought of a real situation where we cook at home and do the shopping. Sometimes, I say “Federico” of Viterbo who has … dinner for two or “Marco from Milano” who has friends over to watch the game: These are real situations, and I like to believe that they are repeatable. Signora Maria has become cool; she even has a fan club or a Facebook page and is always in my shows. The thing I like most about her is that people in the street or at the restaurant sometimes stop me, and they say, “I am Signora Maria …”

13. Tell me about your next project, your next meal, your next holiday.

I have a lot on the burner: Two new books in 2012, a new TV show “Cuochi e Fiamme” for all of 2012, a restaurant that is not mine but that I am looking after in Miami and two projects for important brands that I cannot talk about for now.

14. Thanks for everything, and good luck with your book.

Thanks to you, and good luck with your magazine.



Edited by Agnese Gambini

Better one eggbuttoday...

healthy!

Better one eggbuttoday...

healthy!


When we talk about Easter, we automatically talk about eggs. Not everyone knows how to choose them or what the code printed on the shells means. In particular, the first number indicates the type of farming and whether the egg is produced ethically and of good quality. The number “0” indicates an organic farm: The hens scratch around freely, both inside and outside of a shed, and each has at least 10 square metres of land covered with grass. The breeds chosen are the most robust, less susceptible to disease, but not very productive. The feed consists of cereals and maize and does not contain fishmeal, other animal waste or additives to promote growth. The number “1” indicates a free-range farm: Hens can move outdoors for several hours a day, and each has four square metres of space. The number “2” indicates breeding in a barn: The hens move in a closed environment, there are seven animals per square

metre and the floor is strewn with grains. The lighting is artificial, and in the sheds packed with hens, high concentrations of ammonia can develop that can make the birds aggressive. To prevent the hens injuring each other, the beak is cut off, rendering them unable to peck normally. The number “3” indicates breeding in battery cages: Hens are kept in cages 40 cm high, and in one square metre, there are usually 18 cages crammed vertically. Each cage is the size of a shoebox, and the hen fills it completely with no possibility of movement. The immobility, lack of clean air and constant artificial light make the animals susceptible to various diseases. In 2012, this type of farming was abolished in Europe, but there are still many of these types of farms, and most of the eggs sold in supermarkets fall under this category. The type-2 and -3 eggs are inexpensive, but are you sure you want to save a few coins knowing what is involved?

The “ethical” code of the eggs.


Difficulty: medium

Preparation time: 1 hour

Rest time: 1 hour

Baking time: 55 minutes

Ingredients for eight people:

For the dough:

(you could use ready made puff pastry)

400g f lour

220g water

20g oil

A pinch of salt

Olive oil to brush the top

Filling:

350g boiled and drained Swiss chard or spinach

300g ricotta cheese

1 knob of butter

1 garlic clove

5 eggs

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Salt

Pepper

Nutmeg

pizza & co.

pieEaster

Edited by Anna Franca Lucarelli


Method:Mix the flour with oil, water and salt. Knead until you obtain a smooth and soft dough. Divide the dough into 10 equal parts, about 65g each. Allow to rest for 1 hour. Sauté the chopped Swiss chard with a garlic clove, a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. Allow to cool, then mix it with ricotta cheese and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Roll out 5 pieces of dough quite thin;

brush each pastry sheet with oil and overlap them. Spoon the filling on top. Hollow out five cavities in the filling into each of which you will brake an egg. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cover the whole lot with the remaining pastry sheets, always rolled out quite thin and brushed with oil. Roll and seal the edges. Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for approximately 50 minutes.


Taste of Italy

There are always multiple and conflicting versions of legends and stories thatare handed down from a generation to the other. In the case of the dove bread, many of the stories of its creation are connected to wars. I want to share with you the image of the cake that I have carried inside me since I was a child and the meaning that always inspired me. The white dove with an olive branch in its beak, flying into the blue sky to Noah, is the image of peace, the one that has been given to the world as a symbol of protection. The traditional recipe is prepared with a sourdough starter, but we will give you an alternative (that is still, however, traditional) with fresh yeast, which will allow you to make it without any particular problems and in a relatively short time.

Edited by Alessandra Scollo


Sponge 8 am:150g Arifa organic f lour*25g fresh yeast

125g warm milk*

Start to prepare the sponge by mixing by hand all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover with cling film, and leave to rise until doubled in size. This will take about 1 hour.

First dough 9am:100g Arifa organic f lour*50g manitoba f lour100g sugar125g butter125g warm milk*

Add to the sponge half of the flour and the sugar. Fit the hook into the kneading machine, and start mixing. Add a bit of milk, then again flour and milk until all the flour is absorbed. Add the diced butter in three batches, some more flour and knead until you have a smooth and soft dough. Cover the bowl with cling-film and allow to rise for 3 hours.

Second dough 12pm:500g Manitoba f lour80g sugar50g acacia honey

105g butter140g eggs70g egg yolksVanilla seeds from a podOrange zestA pinch of saltLemon zest210g candied wild berries

Take the first dough, press it down a bit and still with the kneading machine start kneading in this way:1. Add the honey and some flour, and knead until completely absorbed2. Add 1 egg, mix until completely incorporated. Add some flour and the sugar, and knead.3. Add one more egg, mix until completely incorporated; then add flour, salt and knead. 4. Proceed by inserting the egg

Difficulty: medium


Rising time: 10 hours

Baking time: 40/45 minutes

Recipes for two dove moulds (1 kg each)


and egg yolks slowly with a bit of flour. Always make sure the eggs or yolks are well incorporated before inserting the next one. Knead well, and roll it a few times in the bowl to knead even the lower part of the dough well. When there is nothing loose on the sides of the bowl and the dough is all around the hook, add the butter in three batches. When all is absorbed, add the rest of the flour, the orange and lemon zest and the vanilla seeds. Knead for a few minutes Cover the bowl, and allow to rise for a few hours in a warm place until doubled in size.

2:30 pm:Press the dough down, and start kneading over low speed with the hook. Be careful not to let the hook go inside the dough, as this could break the gluten shield. Add the candied berries, slightly floured, and knead until they are throughout the dough. Cover the bowl, and allow to rise for another hour.

3:40 pmDeflate the dough with your hands, and transfer it onto a worktop. Divide the dough into two equal parts and then each part into three (two short and wide and one long and thin), and place them in the dove mould. Place the two small parts on the wings and the other part on the rest of the mould, from the head to the tail. Cover with cling film, and allow to rise until it reaches the edges or doubles in size.

Prepare the glaze:150g almonds150g grounded almonds150g icing sugar3 egg whitesSugar grains

Blend the icing sugar, ground almonds and egg whites to obtain a creamy, fluid mixture. Brush the glaze over the dove, and sprinkle on the almonds and sugar grains. Preheat the oven, and place a small container of water on the lower part of the oven. Bake the sweetbread at 180ºC for 40 minutes until nice and golden brown. Just insert a toothpick to check if it is ready. Decorate with candied primroses.

Notes: Arifa flour is an organic and high-protein flour; Kamut flour could be used as an alternative. The temperature of the warm milk should not exceed 37ºC or it will kill the yeast. A kneading machine is a great help but is not mandatory; you could simply knead by hand. Rolling the dough is a process done by hand to knead the dough more evenly on every side but also to dry out the dough if too sticky. Times may vary depending on weather, room temperature and other factors. If you can’t find Arifa or Kamut flour, you could use plain flour (type 00).



Cheers!!!

Edited by Federica Christine Marzoli

Federica Christine Marzoli, our sommelier, suggests:

Matching the Easter Dove Bread

Asti docg SOLIA Spumante di Terredavino-Cantine in Barolo

Moscato d’Asti is the most famous and popular DOCG wine (certification of controlled and guaranteed origin) in the world, produced in more than 50 villages in the Monferrato and Langhe area. It is the Italian wine known even to those who don’t know much about wine. Produced exclusively from white Muscat grapes, typically in ancient wineries that date back to the 1200s, it owes its fame to the traditional method of fermentation in bottles (champenoise). Fortunately, it recovered after a period in which the method of fermentation adopted involved the use of bulk tanks (the charmat method), which made this wine less valuable and less rich from the point of view of quality and taste. Persistent and lively, it is golden-yellow in colour with greenish reflections, a fine perlage (tiny bubbles), a full froth and good durability. It possesses the characteristic fragrant aroma of bread crust that evolves into a fresh environment, typical of the variety of grapes, with tones of white and yellow flowers and yellow fruits, all in delicate harmony. On the palate, the wine is vibrant and refreshing, with the correct acidity and softness, and the nose is lifted with aromas of musk, typical of the Moscato. This SOLIA of “Terre di Vino” has one more peculiarity. Unlike all the other sparkling wines, it is not obtained with the addition of sucrose in the cellar (the operation that is used to create froth). Rather, the plant is given southern exposure, using low yields and the best plots of land, so that the grapes reach a perfect ripening, rich in sugars in a natural way. Its elegance and smoothness help when chewing the typical “spongy” Easter sweetbread and agree well with the bitterness of the almond; its acidity degreases the mouth after the buttery dove bread.

Serving temperature: 8-10°Alcohol: 7.5%Price:13€

Cheers!Cheers!The sommelier recommended



Edited by Monica Zacchia

Taste and tradition:Taste and tradition:Neapolitan Easter pieNeapolitan Easter pie


Difficulty: medium

Preparation Time: 1hour

Rest time: 1 day

Baking time: 1h15 minutes

Ingredients 8-10 people

Short crust pastry:

600g f lour

250g soft butter

250g sugar

2 eggs

Zest of 1 not processed lemon

vanilla seeds

2g salt

Filling:

200g wheat

200g butter

1l milk

Zest of 1 orange

1/2 vanilla pod

250g ricotta cheese

200g sugar

75g eggs (without eggshell)

75g egg yokes

1 dl double cream

orange f lower essence

50g candied orange

15g salt

Decoration:

40g apricot gelatine

2 tablespoon water

icing sugar

1 orange

2 vanilla pods


Method:Prepare the filling the day before: cook for about 1 hour the wheat in a casserole dish with the milk, butter, orange zest, vanilla and salt, over a low flame, until the mixture is dense and creamy. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pass the ricotta cheese through a strainer into a large bowl, stir in the sugar, the cold cooked grain and keep stirring with a wooden spoon. Next stir in the eggs and egg yolks, the double cream , the orange water and the candied orange. Mix until all ingredients are combined. Cover the bowl with cling-film and allow to rest for a day in the fridge. The next morning make the short crust pastry: Make a well with the flour and fill it with all the ingredients. Combine the ingredients with your hands, try to handle the dough as little as possible. Once you have obtained a uniform dough press it into a ball and cover it with oven paper. Allow to rest in the fridge for 1 hour or in the freezer for 10 minutes. Roll the pastry into a 5 mm thickness and line a 26cm in diameter pan (previously greased and lined with oven paper). Prick the base with the tines of a fork and fill it with the ricotta and grain filling, smooth the top with a spoon. With the remaining pastry cut 6

large strips and lay them across the filling in a diagonal pattern. Trim the pastry in excess. Bake in a moderate hot oven at 180ºC for approximately 1h 15 minutes. Brush the top of the pastry with the apricot gelatine , melted in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water, next dust with icing sugar and decorate with vanilla pods and one slice of orange.

Curiosity: One of the legends says that the Marmaid Partenope, enchanted by the beauty of the Gulf between Posillipo and the Vesuvius, had chosen this place as her residence, wowing the inhabitants with her songs of love and joy. These people, as a reward, donated her ricotta cheese, wheat, eggs, symbol of life that is always renewed, orange flowers water, spices and sugar, symbol of the sweetness of her songs. Partenope brought the gifts in the presence of the gods, by mixing it with the divine arts gave origin to the first Pastiera, which exceeded in sweetness her singing. The meaning of the legend passed over to the religious tradition, by enclosing the symbolism related to spring and the Resurrection.



once upon a time

I remember the energy in my grandma’s hands, big and strong. Seeing her preparing so many delicacies for the family filled me with happiness and pride. I, linked strongly to my land and its traditions handed down from grandmother to granddaughter, felt a depository of secrets that I should protect and donate at the same time. In the Apulia dialect in southern Italy, the puppet with the egg, “pupu cu l’ovu”, is a traditional Easter dessert. Originally, it represented a puppet (“pupu”) or a dove enveloping a hardboiled egg (symbol of Easter), but the art and imagination of the pastry chefs turned it into many other forms. This version is the original, the one made years ago, when the dessert was something important due to its simplicity and the sugar had its own value.

A simpleA simplePuppet Easter eggPuppet Easter egg

delicacydelicacyEdited by Claudia Annie Carone


Preparation time: 30 minutesBaking time: 20 minutesDifficulty: easyIngredients for 1 large bread:500g f lour150g sugar150g lardGrated zest of 1 lemon120g milk1 teaspoon baking powder1 vanilla podHardboiled eggs

Method:Make a well with the flour and mix with baking powder, sugar and lard. Use your fingertips to rub the lard into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Next add the milk, a little at a time, and combine the ingredients with your hands, try to handle the dough as little as possible. Roll the pastry and form small nests of braids, where you will put in the middle an hardboiled egg. Place the puppet in a baking paper-lined tray and bake in a moderate hot oven at 180ºC for 20 minutes.


Edited by Donatella Simeone

DIY

Sweet Easter surprises!!!Chocolate East egg!!!!


Cut the chocolate into small pieces of about the same size. Transfer it into a bowl (ideally made of copper), and place in a bain-marie: It is important that the bottom does not touch the water and that the water is hot but does notcome to the boil. Melt the chocolate at a temperature of 50°C. Pour 2/3 of the melted chocolate onto a marble slab (or even a steel plate) and, using aspatula, begin spreading the chocolate from right to left so that the temperature lowers quickly to 28°C. When this temperature is reached, scoop up the chocolate with the spatula, combine it with the chocolate that you set aside and bring it to a temperature of 32°C. Pour the chocolate into thepolycarbonate moulds (the ones specifically for making eggs) using circular m o v e m e n t s to make sure you cover all the sides. Set aside the excess c h o c o l a t e (in the same saucepan used to melt it), and place the mould in the fridge for 1 minute to solidify: It is important that it does not solidify too much, because this process must be repeated a second time to make the egg


thick! After repeating the process, leave the chocolate to solidify in a cool place (the fridge is also fine as long as the temperature is not too low). If the tempering was performed correctly, the chocolate should separate from the mould after 30 minutes. To make the sides of the egg stick together, heat a baking tray to 50°, and place the eggs on it to melt the chocolate slightly; stick the edges firmly together until they are completely attached. To decorate the egg with coloured icing, pour 350g of sieved icing sugar into a bowl (do not use homemade icing sugar, because it does not contain starch), and add the white of a medium-sized egg and a few drops of lemon juice. Beat with a fork or a whisk until the mixture is smooth; if it seems too runny, add more sieved icing sugar. If there are small lumps in the mixture, pass it through the sieve. When it’s ready, you can divide the icing into different bowls and add the desired colouring. The icing is ready for decoration straight away: Just drizzle it onto the egg with a teaspoon to make “abstract” decorations. If you

have some icing left over, you can keep it in the fridge as long as you are careful to seal it well with cling film; otherwise, it tends to dry out. It’s great

for decorating biscuits and cakes as well!



Cherry blossomIn Japan:

Edited By Nicoletta PalmasPhotos by Lucia Hyzova


Springtime is one of the best times to visit Japan: The hundreds of floweringtrees create a wonderful show that attracts thousands of visitors from aroundthe world each year. The tradition of admiring cherry blossoms, called “Hanami”, more than a millennium old, is thought to have begun in the Nara period when people stopped to admire plum blossoms, and it is very important in Japan. Every year, Japanese people migrate from their towns to the country’s landmarks. They meet in parks for picnics and have sushi and sake under the cherry trees. In Tokyo, the most famous park is “Ueno”, which contains more than 1500 cherry trees. Another spectacular natural show, “Maruyama” in Kyoto, which (unfortunately) I only had the pleasure of seeing in the fall with the changing leaves, boasts more than 6000 cherry trees. The first week of April is usually the ideal time to view the cherry blossoms, although in northern Japan, the blossoms can be seen until the end of May. The blossoming of the cherry trees is also predicted by the Japanese Meteorological Agency and is followed closely by those interested in it, since it doesn’t last very long. Because of its short duration, the “Sakura” represents the fragility and beauty of life for the Japanese people. Starting in the end of February or early March, the shops are filled with special decorations. Various sweets made with cherry blossom essence are sold, from chocolates and biscuits to cakes and traditional Japanese confectionaries. These flowers are also represented in Japanese art, manga and film. The cherry blossom festival is a wonderful experience that I highly recommend to anyone visiting the country of the rising sun!



Method:Reduce the sugar to a fine powder (alternatively you can use icing sugar). With a food processor mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, cherry blossom powder and butter until you get a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs. At this point add the egg and syrup to bind together the dough. Mix quickly. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll out the pastry to a 5mm thickness and cut the biscuits. To make the pinwheel cookies, simply prepare a plain pastry without the cherry blossom powder and syrup. Roll out the pink and plain pastry dough to a 3 mm thickness. Brush the top of the plain dough with an egg white then place the pink dough on top of the plain one. Brush the top again with egg white and beginning on one edge, roll the two dough to make a log so the two colours spiral inside each other. Wrap the log in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes. Slice the log into rounds about 5 mm thick. Place cookies in a parchment lined tray and bake in a warm oven at 140ºC for 15/20 minutes.

Note:If you don’t find the cherry blossom essence you could use other flowers, suchas rose petals. For the pinwheel cookies you can simply use cocoa powder.

Difficulty: easy

Preparation time:30 minutes

Rest time: 30 minutes

Ingredients for approximately 100 mini

cookies

250g f lour

150g butter

1 egg

50g sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon cherry blossom powder

4 tablespoons cherry blossom syrup

Cherry blossom cookies


Cinema and cooking

Edited by Stefania PalaRecipe by Monica Zacchia

Nanni Moretti’s

Sacher torte


In 1984, when the movie Bianca was released, many (as with the person in the dialog above) previously unaware of the existence of the Sachertorte (invented by Franz Sacher in 1832) dived in to try this cake. The director of Bianca obviously thinks this is one of the best desserts, and he named his production company and cinema after this cake, making it a sort of aesthetic paradigm of his art. In Bianca, the Sacher torte and desserts in general, but especially chocolate, become an allegory for the desire for compensation, refuge and comfort from the bad things of the world. The protagonist of the movie, a lonely and neurotic mathematics professor (interpreted by the same Moretti) is in search of absolute and total happiness. For him, everything is either good or bad;there are no shades of grey. Michele Apicella fights the superficiality of emotions against the disengagement in love. He idealises other people’s happiness; he is afraid not only to love but also to be loved. He is afraid of Bianca (Laura Morante) and the “normal” relationship they could have. The huge jar (almost like a giant breast) from which he sadly spreads Nutella on some bread is the proof. Michele wakes up in the middle of the night with Bianca at his side and trembles in dismay. He tries to hug her while she is sleeping but is discouraged at another failed attempt. He then gets up and fills the emptiness he feels with Nutella, sinking his anguish into the chocolate. Besides, who doesn’t take refuge in food (sweets, in particular) to compensate for a lack of affection, loneliness or simple boredom? However, there is no need to get lost in the horror vacui or to become an incurable neurotic to enjoy a chocolate dessert of excellence: the Sacher. A single but valuable recommendation: Serve the cream on the side (not everybody likes it) and generously (Nanni docet).And let’s continue to make ourselves good...

FILMBianca directed by Nanni Moretti

- Don’t make a tunnel- What?- You’re digging in, you are just taking the whipped cream, the chestnut alone doesn’t make sense. The Mont-Blanc is not like a Sicilian cannolo, where everything is inside, it is like a backpack: you carry it for a month and you are safe. The Mont-Blanc is based on a delicate balance, it is not like the Sacher Torte.- What?- Sacher Torte?- What’s that?- You mean you never tasted a Sacher torte?- No.- Oh well, let’s keep hurting ourselves!!!


Difficulty: mediumPreparation Time: 30 minutesBaking time: 30 minutesDecoration: 30 minutesIcing rest time: 30 minutesIngredient for 10 people:Cake:130g soft butter130g plain f lour1 tablespoon or 12 grams baking powder110g sugar100g icing sugar130g dark chocolate 70%6 eggs1 tablespoon vanilla liqueur or the seeds of half vanilla podApricot jamRumChocolate icing:250g sugar180g dark chocolateFor the decoration with lemon icing:100g icing sugar1 tablespoon water4-5 lemon juice drops

Method:

Melt the chocolate over simmering water (the bowl shouldn’t be in contact with the water, this should not boil), allow to cool. Mix with a wooden spoon the soft butter with the icing sugar, when creamy add the egg yolks and whisk until fluffy. At this point add the melted

chocolate. Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form adding sugar a little at a time. Combine the mixtures from bottom to top and add the sieved flour and baking powder. Divide the mixture into 10 greased and floured muffin cases and bake at 170ºC for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool the mini cakes before removing from the tins and cut the cakes in


half. Spread the base with apricot jam, heated up with a drop of rum, and top with the other half. Spread some more jam on the edges and entire surface. Meanwhile, for the icing, in a medium saucepan melt the sugar in 135ml of water. Leave to cool down. Melt the 180g of chocolate and add it to the sugar syrup, mix until icing is glossy. Place the cakes on a rack on top of a plate and pour the icing over the cakes, making sure it covers the top and sides completely. Allow to rest and dry; in the meantime prepare

the lemon icing for the decoration by mixing with a spoon all the ingredients. Pour the icing in a pastry bag and write the famous “S” and serve. You could even prepare a big cake and prepare the traditional Sacher Torte.

The original recipe of the Sacher Torte is still a secret of the Sacher Hotel in Vienna, It takes time to make it but is not difficult. Choose the ingredients with care, especially the apricot jam and chocolate.


Edited by Patrizia de Angelis

Spring is back and we have more opportunities to stay outdoors! Here then an idea for a snack for your children in a different shape but surely moreattractive…Simple potato croquettes wrapped like sweets and a cake covered in chocolate and transformed into a yummy lollipop!

It’s Spring!!children

snack time


CakePops

Method:In a bowl crumble the cake rubbing two pieces. Add a few drops of vanilla essence and the frosting, a little at a time. Once it reaches a nice consistency that will cling together when you roll it in ball-like pieces, you’re there. Wrap the mixture in cling-film and store in the fridge for 1 hour. When nice and cool start rolling into balls of approximately 30g each. Store them in the fridge. Melt the white chocolate over simmering water or in the microwave. Get the lollipop sticks and dip them slightly in the melted chocolate before inserting them into each cake ball. Dip the cake pops into the chocolate and

rotate to ensure even coverage. Sprinkle the top of the cake pops with the sugar decorations and stand them into a polystyrene base until dry. Store them for up to three days in a cool place.

Packaging:Using the ribbon, tie on a bow on the skewer and place them inside a basket with the polystyrene base, or you could wrap each of them on transparentbags.

* Soft cheese frosting:With an electric whisker mix 250g of soft cheese, 120g soft butter and 150g icing sugar.

Difficulty: medium/high


Rest time: 1 hour in the fridge

Ingredients: (20 Cake Pops)

400g sponge cake

A few drops of vanilla essence

4 tablespoons Soft cheese frosting*

200g white chocolate

Sprinkles (vermicelli etc...)

You will need also:

20 skewers

Polystyrene

Coloured ribbons


CroquettesPotato


Difficulty: easy

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:( about 30 croquettes)

450g boiled and mashed potatoes

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

A pinch of nutmeg

2 eggs

Salt

Breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil

You will also need:

Tissue paper sheets

Method:In a bowl mix the mashed potatoes, 1 egg, parmesan cheese, nutmeg and salt. Roll the mixture into balls about 15g each. Turn each ball in the remaining whisked egg, then in the breadcrumbs and place them on a plate. If you want you can repeat this operation, adding onemore egg if needed. Fry the croquettes in very hot oil until golden brown. Drain off the oil putting them on kitchen paper.

Packaging:Cut the tissue paper into 15 cm squares. Place the croquettes in the middle and wrap like a sweet.


Edited by Elisa Adorni and Olga Scalisi

Food Allergies

Healthyanddelicious food!


Method:In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cream of tartar and bicarbonate. Add the tea at room temperature and mix to remove any lumps. Pour the mixture into muffin cases, sprinkle with sugar grain and bake in amoderate hot oven at 180ºC for 15 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Difficulty: very easy



Ingredients for six cakes:

125g f lour

100g sugar

50g cocoa powder

200g Earl Grey tea

2g cream of tartar

2g bicarbonate

Sugar grain to decorate

Icing sugar

Choco-cupcakewith bergamot flavour


BagelsGluten free


Preparation time: 15 minutesRaising time: 1h 15 minutesCooking time: 40 minutes in total

INGREDIENTS for 10 bagels:500g gluten free f lour mix for bread*7g dry yeast415g lukewarm water30g honey12g saltGluten free f lour to dust the worktop

For the boiling water:30g honey1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda3 litres of water

Decoration:Poppy and sesame seeds1 egg bitten with a tablespoon of water

Method:Dissolve the yeast and honey in the water. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. In the kneading machine mix the flour with the water mixture and only at the end add the salt. Knead for approximately 5 minutes, until you have a smooth and soft dough. Cover the bowl with cling-film and allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Transfer the dough in a floured surface and divide it into 10 disks. Press a hole with a wooden spoon in the middle of each disk and shape into bagels; these will rise quite a bit so be sure to make a big hole. Leave to rise for no more than 15 minutes. In the meantime boil some water with the bicarbonate and honey and preheat the oven at 180ºC. Gently place bagels into boiling water, no more than two at a time, and cook for 1 minute at each side. Remove bagels from water, brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds. Place bagels on a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. You can serve them with spreadable cheese, chive and salmon...but they are delicious even with an homemade jam!

*For this bagel I used 280g of Mix B Schär, 140g Glutafin Schär, 80g Valpiform flour for bread and cakes. If you don’t find this brand you could simply use gluten free flour for bread.

A gluten free version adapted from the original recipe from the book “Buon Appetito America” by Laurel Evans These are the original Bagels with which New Yorkers consume their daily breakfast in front of a steaming cup of coffee!


VisualFood

and finger food doveA pineapple tulip bouquet

for your Easter tableTutorial edited by Rita Loccisano


Difficulty: easy

Preparation time: 30 minutes for the pineapple tulips

+ 1 hour for the finger food.

Ingredients for six people:

1 pineapple

1 large curly head of lettuce

3 hardboiled eggs (better if cooked the day before)

To your taste: mashed potatoes, mousse (tuna, salmon,

ham), cream cheese

for the filling

Black peppercorns

2-3 fennel bulbs

Salmon roe (optional)

Tools:

1 small oval or rectangular pot

20/25-cm skewers

1 tulip cutter

Carving knife

A pastry bag


Method: Step1: Cut the pineapple into slices about 1 cm thick, and cut from each slice 1 or 2 tulips (depending on how big the slice is). Place the lettuce in a pot, and then place the tulips after inserting them one by one on skewers. Decorate them with pastel-coloured ribbons.

Step2: Using the template, form six right wings and six left wings with the fennel bulbs, and smooth the edges (step3).

Step4: From the remaining fennel leaves, make the tail and beak for each dove.

Step5: Remove the hardboiled eggs from the shells, cut them in half lengthwise and cut a slice at the base of each half egg, as shown in the picture.

Step6: Insert the wings into the centre of the egg. You can choose whether to keep or remove the yolk to use a different filling (mousse, cheese, mashed potatoes, etc.).

Step7: Place the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large, round and smooth nozzle, and draw the bird’s neck and head. Alternatively you can shape in yourhands a cylinder and then press it on one side to form the neck and head. Press then the base around the neck to adhere the cream to the egg.

Step8: Fill the eggs as you prefer and insert the tail.

Step9: Finally add the beak and eyes in the cream by gently pushing the respective parties (the beak previously carved and two black peppercorns).

Step10: Decorate with salmon roe, especially if you used a salmon or tunamousse.



Washington D.C. is a wonderful place to explore the outdoors and it gets prettier as the temperatures get warmer. With its perfect outdoors and lush green parks, the district makes it an ideal place for an excuse for picnics or even an outdoor day in the park. Wraps make an excellent compact and convenient meal especially for an outdoor event and these have certainly nudged their way into our hearts. Create a perfect wrap for a picnic or lunch with this smooth and soft flaky whole wheat bread. Made from whole wheat, this delicious bread known as paratha is a much more common staple in Indian homes than more wellknown naan. You can stuff the bread with any salad or meat to wrap the food like a tortilla. The method to making this bread is similar to that for preparing puff pastry sheets. The dough is folded and oiled twice to create sheets that trap air and oil, giving the bread its characteristic flaky and light texture. Though this bread can be used with almost any lunch or dinner menu, it makes a great wrap to stuff vegetables or salads or perhaps even with a spoonful of marmalade at breakfast. If you haven’t tried parathas before you are in for a delicious treat that will make you come back for more.

Edited by Nik Sharma


Method:In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flours and salt. Pour the 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and then the warm water in the centre of the flour. Quickly work the flour and liquid while warm to form smooth dough. Place the ball of dough in a greased bowl and cover with cling film to prevent the surface of the dough from getting crusty. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes in a warm spot. Divide the dough into two equal parts and prepare 1 inch round ball with the palms of your hands. Flatten the centre of the dough to form a small disc with your hands. Sprinkle some of the flour that was reserved for dusting onto a clean surface. With a rolling pin, shape the dough into a circle while dusting each side with a little flour to prevent any sticking. Brush the upper side of the circle with a little oil and fold it in half over itself to form a crescent. Again brush some oil on the surface of the crescent and then fold the crescent over itself to form a triangle. With the rolling pin, spread and flatten the triangle. On a medium flame, heat a skillet and brush some oil on one side of the bread and toss the bread onto the skillet oiled-side down. The bread will expand and rise as it cooks. Brush some oil on the uncooked side of the bread and flip the bread over to cook. Each side should cook for approximately 2 minutes. Transfer the hot bread from the skillet to a clean cloth to collect any steam. Serve warm.

Difficulty: mediumPreparation time: 5 minutesRest time: 30 minutesCooking time: 5 minutesIngredients2 cups whole wheat f lour (300g)1 cup all-purpose f lour (130g)1 teaspoon salt3 tablespoons vegetable oil1 cup warm water (heated to 90F/32ºC) (235g)1/2 cup whole wheat f lour for dusting (75g)1/2 cup vegetable oil for brushing (110g)

Whole-wheat flaky

flatbread( Paratha) (Adapted from Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni)


Raw food

Spring is coming: It is the perfect season to get outdoors and enjoy nature in its splendour and the excitement of the revival. We are now starting to go for outdoor excursions, walks, bike rides and picnics. It’s fun to bring a snack to be eaten under the shade of a tree or on the lake, maybe with a flower between the teeth or feet in the water, and here is a fresh and colourful proposal perfect for this season: wraps stuffed with crunchy vegetables, flavourful sauces and soft sweets. We open the raw food picnic basket and find fresh fruit in varying amounts: apples, bananas and strawberries. If fruit seems impractical, it can be pre-peeled, cut and stored in airtight containers and then sprayed with a bit of lemon juice to preserve its properties. Dried fruits and nuts (e.g. apricots, figs, hazelnuts, almonds) are always great for a quick snack. The best idea is the wrapped salad: wraps stuffed with vegetables and seasoned and flavoured with tasty sauces… But how do you keep everything together? There are several answers: Salad leaves such as sugarloaf chicory or cabbage leaves are unrecognisable by your taste buds. You could also try lettuce, kale, cabbage of every colour and radicchio. Do you prefer something more exotic? The answer is nori seaweed, available in sheets perfectly sized to hold a good quantity of salad rolled into a cone. And desert? The picnic can offer small bites to play with or to make skewers, but remember to bring a lot, because your “cooking” friends will want to taste them!

Note: You can make different sweet or savoury wraps to dry in the dehydrator. In the next issue, we will give you some more tips on how to make pizzas, crackers, biscuits and crepes under the sun

Edited by Laura CuccatoPhotos by Michele Maino

colouredand delicious

raw food!


Method:Julienne the vegetable. Chop coarsely the walnuts and almonds and leave to marinate in the tamari sauce while preparing the sauce. In a bowl put 4 tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste) and add a bit of water, mix well with a fork. Continue adding water until you have a smooth and light sauce. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of umeboshi vinegar. Take the cabbage leaves, add the julienned vegetables in the centre diagonally, the drained walnuts and almonds and season with 1 tablespoon of sauce. Roll the leaves and wrap in a paper towel. If you use the seaweed you can simply use some water to seal the wrap.

MIxeD SalaD, a CaBBaGe leaF or SeaweeD anD the wrap IS Done!

Difficulty: easy


Ingredient for 4 wraps:

4 cabbage leaves

or 4 nori seaweed sheets

Filling:

2 julienned carrots

2 julienned turnip

1 handful walnuts

1 handful peeled almonds

2 tablespoons tamari

( or soy sauce)

Sauce:

3-4 tablespoons Tahini

(sesame paste)

2 teaspoons umeboshi vinegar

W-raw-p


Sweet apricot truffles

Method:

Blend in a food processor all the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Take a teaspoonful of mixture and roll into balls. Toss in the coconut.

Difficulty: easy


Soaking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients for 24 truff les

185g finely chopped dried apricots

125g desiccated coconut

60g grounded almonds

1 handful wet raisins

Zest of 1/4 of a lemon

Desiccated coconut to decorate

illustration by Daniela Tordi


Edited by Nana Cea

SPRING PICNIC

OUTDOORS!!!


In spring, everyone wants to get out in the open air! Day trips, soaking up the first warming rays of sunshine with friends or family, lead to the mad desire for a picnic! But what should you prepare? Here are lots of easy and delicious ideas for your meals outdoors!

What shall we put in the basket?



Preheat the oven at 180ºC. Melt the butter in the microwave (or over low heat). Grease one loaf tin. Beat the eggs with the sugar until creamy and pale, add the flour, salt, melted butter, and the juice and grated zest of the lemon. Mix well and at the end add the baking powder. Mix until well combined. Spoon the mixture into prepared loaf tin, level the top and bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin.

Difficulty: easy

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes


Ingredients:

180g f lour

3 eggs

170g sugar

150g butter

Juice of 2 lemons

Grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon poppy seeds


A pinch of salt

PoPPy SeedS and lemon cake-


Small practical ideas, quick and easy for a perfect picnic


Small practical ideas, quick and easy for a perfect picnic


Edited by Amy Williams

Paper Basket


Supplies:

12x12 piece of decorative paper

(thicker paper like card-stock works best)

Hole punch

Thin ribbon or twine

Thicker ribbon

Ruler (not shown)

Optional:

Scoring tool and bone folder


Method:

Step 1: Measure 4 inches from one side of the paper and crease/fold the paper on the measured line. Then, rotate the paper and repeat this step until you have 4 folded lines that all measure 4 inches from each edge.

Step 2: (This is the trickiest step) Next, take a corner of the paper and carefully push the point inwards. This will bring two sides of your basket together at 90 degrees (see photo). Once the point is pushed inward and the corners line up, you will need to crease down the paper so that a triangle forms (see photo)

Step 3: Take the corner folds and push them into the centre. Then using a hole punch, punch a small hole in each pointed fold.

Step 4: Next, take the thin ribbon or twine and thread it, clockwise, through all the holes. Careful pull the ribbon together so all points meet in the centre and tie closed.

Step 5: Using the thicker ribbon, tie on a bow over top of the small ribbon.

Step 6: Fill basket with your favourite treat.




Spring finger food!


By Sanjeeta KK

khaman dhoklas

Difficulty: easyCooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:(Makes about 10-12 small pieces)1 cup chickpea f lour (130g)1 tablespoon semolina1 cup buttermilk (250g)1 tablespoon oil1 teaspoon sugar1 teaspoon Eno (fruit salt)½ teaspoon SaltPinch of asofoetida powder (optional)

Seasoning:1 tablespoon sesame seeds2 small green chillies2 tablespoon oil1 tablespoon water1 teaspoon sugarJuice of one lemon1 teaspoon mustard seeds2-3 tablespoon Chopped coriander leaves

Indian delicacy ‘Khaman Dhoklas’ are seasoned spongy chickpeas flour savoury cakes which are easy and quick to cook and serve as a delicious tea time snack.


Method:Take a large vessel and add all the ingredients except the ENO fruit salt. Mix all the ingredients well so that there remain no lumps in the batter. Add ENO fruit salt in the above chickpea flour batter. It will start to bubble and make a frothy batter. Steam the batter for about 6-7 minutes on high flame. You can use a normal vessel as steamer for the same. Heat one cup of water in a large vessel, you should be able to place the greased baking tray or the plate in that vessel easily. Pour the batter immediately in the greased baking tray. Put a small inverted steel bowl inside hot water vessel. Place the baking tray or the plate of batter over the inverted bowl and cover it with a lid. Steam it for about 6-7 minutes. Take out the plate of steamed savoury cake from the steamer and let it cool little. Heat oil in a wok and crackle mustard seeds. Add sesame seeds and chopped green chillies. Take the wok off the flame. Mix lemon juice, sugar and water in a small bowl and pour it in the tempering. Pour the tempering over the cooked savoury cake and let it soak for 5 minutes. Slice the ‘Khaman Dhoklas’ into squares and serve with green chutney or tomato sauce. These instant lentil flour savoury cakes make a wonderful tea time healthy snack.Notes:1. ENO has a combination of citric acid and baking soda in it. Citric acid gives a tangy flavour to the recipe while baking soda helps in making the cake spongy.2. The combo of citric acid and baking soda release carbon dioxide when mixed with water and helps create instant bubbles in the batter making it light and fluffy.3. Microwave the same recipe for 3-4 minutes on high.4. The same recipe could be tried by soaking dry lentils and grinding it into batter with other ingredients. You can replace ENO with baking soda in the same.5. Make a healthy and low-cal snack.


Steamed Spinach Rolls

Difficulty: elaborate

Serving: 12- 15 rolls


Ingredients:

1 cup chickpea f lour/green gram f lour

(130g)

1 cup yogurt/curd (225g)

½ cup chopped spinach leaves (100g)

1 ½ cups of water (350g)

½ teaspoon red chilly powder

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

A pinch of assafoetida powder

(optional)

Seasoning

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon grated coconut

½ teaspoon lemon juice

By Sanjeeta KK

Indian tea time snack ‘Khandvi’ is a very healthy steamed chickpeas rolls. My twist to the recipe is to add Spinach in the batter which not only increase the health quotient but imparts a wonderful colour to the recipe.


Method:Add all the ingredients (except the ingredients for tempering) in a blender and grind into a very fine paste. Take a thick bottom pan/non-stick vessel and pour the batter in it. Heat the batter on for 10-12 minutes on slow flame stirring continuously to avoid lumps. The batter will start leaving the sides of the vessel. Take off the flame and pour it immediately over the kitchen counter (stone/marble) or in a large flat plate. Spread it with a spatula in a thin sheet and leave it for 5 minutes to let it cool. Cut into broad strips using a knife. Roll each strip into spiral shaped rolls. Slice each roll into smaller rolls of about 2-3’ length and place them in a serving dish. Heat Oil in a wok and crackle sesame seeds for a few seconds and add lemon juice in it. Pour this tempering over the sliced Spinach rolls and garnish with grated fresh coconut. Stuffed Spinach rolls; Grate cucumber, carrots and raw mango. Add salt, black pepper and fill a little of this filling before rolling the stripes. Green coriander and mint chutney, garlic mayonnaise and tomato sauce are some other filling options.

Notes:· The best tip for this recipe is to dry roast the chickpea flour for a few minutes on slow flame before cooking to get rid of raw smell. This step will also reduce the time you cook the batter.· Clean your kitchen counter top (preferably granite or marble) to pour the batter.· Aluminium foil is also a good choice to spread the batter for a mess free kitchen later.· You need to work faster once the batter is taken off flame as it will start getting lumpy.· Try the recipe with half the ingredients first to master the technique of mixing and spreading the rolls.· Do not make the rolls with any stuffing inside if you are trying the recipe for the first time, it makes the rolls break easily which is quite


By Carolina Novello

lamb-s lettuce and quail eggs

cereal salad


Difficoltà: Difficulty: easy


Ingredients for six people:

180g cereals mix

(Spelt, wheat, barley, rice and oats)

180g small green peas

12 quail eggs

100g lamb’s lettuce

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Chive

Coarse salt.

Method:Cook the cereals and fresh pees in salted boiling water for approximately 12 minutes. In the meantime clean the lamb’s lettuce and separate the leaves one by one. You could cut with the scissors the roots, it will be quicker. Boil the eggs in abundant water for 4 minutes. Leave to cool in cold water. Remove the shell and cut into half with a sharp knife. Once the cereals

are cooked transfer them in a bowl, allow to cool and season with the olive oil. Add the lamb’s lettuce and mix well. Transfer the cereal salad into glass jars (for preserves and jams) and mix alternating with the quail eggs. Sprinkle some fresh chive. Decorate each jar with an egg and chive. Keep the jars in the fridge and remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. It’s delicious even warm.


By Donatella Bochicchio

Puff pastry rollswith mix herbs and cheese mousse- mortadella and pistachios mousse-

These puff pastry rolls, filled with a cheese mousse and a mortadella mousse,are perfect for your Easter Monday picnic. You can easily buy some metalcones to help you forming the rolls.


Difficulty: easy

Preparation time:

10 minutes for the puff pastry rolls

+ 20 minutes for the mousses

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients for 15 rolls.

1 ready-made puff pastry

Mix herbs and cheese mousse:

30g mixed herbs

(chives, wild fennel, spinach, marjoram,

mint, dandelion and Swiss chard)

90g mascarpone cheese

60g soft cheese

60g ricotta cheese

Salt and pepper

Mortadella and pistachios mousse:

150g mortadella

120g ricotta cheese

15g parmesan cheese

4 tablespoon double cream

1 tablespoon chopped pistachios

Method:Preheat the oven at 180ºC. Cut the puff pastry into stripes 1cm wide and with a small rolling pin make them a bit thinner. Wrap each pastry strip around a metal cone, slightly overlapping the pastry. Bake in a warm oven for approximately 15 minutes. Once cooked allow to cool and then twist them off the cones.. Prepare the mortadella mousse by blending all the ingredients in a food processor. Wash and drain the mixed herbs, chop them in a food processor. Add the different types of cheese, season with salt and pepper. Fill two pastry bags with the mousses and start filling the puff pastry rolls.

You could prepare different mousses if you like:Tuna: 200g drained tuna, 2 anchovies fillets, 100g ricotta cheese, juice of half a lemon.Cooked ham: 200g ham, 100g ricotta cheese, 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp. cognac, pepper.Salmon: 100g smoked salmon, 100g ricotta cheese, 100g soft cheese, pepper.


By Annamaria Villani

Difficulty: Medium



Ingredients for 10 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

120g plain f lour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 medium eggs

60ml milk

80g melted butter

60g grated cheese

100g smoked salmon

(chopped)

1 green apple

Zest of one lime

1 teaspoon mixed herbs

(rosemary, thyme, dill)

Salt and pepper

For the frosting:

400g ricotta cheese

200g smoked salmon

Juice of half lime

Salt and pepper


Method:Sieve the flour and baking powder. Peel, core and dice the apple. Beat the eggs with the milk and melted butter. Add the sieved flour and mix to combine. Add the grated cheese, the smoked salmon, mixed herbs, grated lime zest and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into greased muffin tins. Bake in a moderate hot oven at 180ºC for 22 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool in the tin. With a food processor cream the ricotta cheese, lime juice and the smoked salmon. Cut each cupcake into two. In a jar alternate layers of cupcakes and frosting. Decorate using a pastry bag. Serve at room temperature.


Difficulty: medium



Ingredients for 15 cupcakes:

120g sugar

120g butter

120g plain f lour

2 eggs

Milk


Vanilla essence

Spring cupcakes

By Anna Franca Lucarelli


Method:Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour and baking powder. If the mixture is to thick add some milk to loosen it a bit. Add the vanilla essence. Divide the batter between prepared muffin tins. Bake at 180ºC for 12-15 minutes.

Icing:1 egg white (about 35g)Juice of a lemon350g icing sugargel colorant

Sugar paste:480g icing sugar5g gelatin sheets50g honey30g watergel colorant

For the sugar paste: Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 10 minutes. Melt the honey with water over a low heat (or microwave), do not boil it. Add the drained gelatine and stir until completely dissolved. Add the icing sugar and knead until you have a smooth and soft dough. Colour the fondant as you like, then leave to rest for a night.

For the icing: Whisk lightly the egg white, when starts to become white add the icing sugar and lemon juice. Keep whisking with an electric whisk until icing is creamy and smooth. Divide the icing into small bowl and colour each of them, as you like. Spread the icing on top of the cupcakes using a spatula or a spoon.

The leaves are made with a green icing and decorated with a piping bag. For the small flowers I used a simple cutter. To create the small roses, form small and thin cylinders; flatten them with your fingers. Wrap loosely the edges of the stripe until a rose is formed. Place the roses on the cupcakes and decorate with the green leaves. To make the eggs simply roll the fondants into small balls. The chicks are made with two balls, one ,a little bigger, to form the body and a small one for the head. The beak is decorated with yellow icing and the eyes with melted chocolate. You can create every thing you want like butterflies, bees and whatever your imagination will suggest.


Focaccia bread with a cheese filling

By Antonella Marconi


Difficoltà: Difficulty: easy

Preparation time: 2 hours

(in total with preparation, rising time

and baking time)

Rising time: 20 minutes+60 minutes


Ingredients for a 40x60cm tray

For the dough:

850g Manitoba f lour

50g semolina f lour

450g water

40g extra virgin olive oil

10g powder malt

20g salt

25g fresh yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

Filling:

200g ricotta cheese

150g fontina cheese

150g Asiago cheese

150g Grana Padano cheese

3 egg yokes

chive

Topping:

30g water

30g extra virgin olive oil

15g salt

Method:Dissolve the yeast in a bit of warm water and sugar. Tip the flour into a bowl, stir in the malt, the yeast and the remaining water, at the end add the olive oil and salt. Mix it well until ingredients bind together to form a dough. Knead well until the dough is smooth and soft. Allow to rise for 20 minutes inside the oven (with just the light on). In the meantime prepare the filling. Mix the ricotta cheese with the egg yokes, chive and all the cheeses (diced or grated). Divide the dough in half. Roll out one piece and line the greased baking tray. Arrange the filling on the top of the focaccia. Place the other piece of dough on top and press well around the edges to seal. Leave the tray in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Then pierce the top of the focaccia with a toothpick and brush the topping all over the surface. Allow to rest again for 30 minutes. Bake the focaccia in a hot oven at 230ºC for 20 minutes or until golden brown.


By Cinzia Donadini


Difficulty: easyPreparation Time: 30 minutes + cooking timeIngredients for 10 baskets:For the pastry:250g plain f lour60g cold butter90g butter1 egg1/2 teaspoon baking powder Salt

Filling:100g spinach100g chicory1 spring onion1/2 teaspoon honeyExtra virgin olive oilSalt and pepper20g grated parmesan50g burrata (Italian soft cheese made with mozzarella and cream)

Method:Crumble the flour with salt, butter and lard together until completely combined. Add the cold water and egg to make a soft dough. Leave to rest in the fridge while preparing the filling. Wash and chop coarsely the greens; cook the spring onion in a drizzle of olive oil, then add a little at a time the greens and sauté for just a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the honey. Allow the vegetables to cool. Roll out the pastry to a 5mm thickness and cut out disks about 12 cm in diameter and line the moulds. In a large bowl mix the cooked vegetables, the Parmesan cheese and chopped burrata. Fill the baskets with the mixture. With the remaining pastry form the basket handle. Bake in a moderate hot oven at 180ºC for 20 minutes.

Note: You could also prepare them the day before, the pastry would result onlya bit softer.



SaVoURy cRoISSanTS WITH RadIccHIo

and RoBIola cHeeSe


Difficulty: easy



Ingredients for 10 croissants:

1 ready made puff pastry

1 radicchio

250g robiola or soft cheese

Sunf lower seeds

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Poppy seeds

Method:Wash and slice the radicchio. Sauté the radicchio with a drizzle of olive oil and then allow to cool. Mix it with the robiola cheese and the sunflower seeds and season with salt. Roll out the puff pastry and with a knife form some triangles. Take every triangle and fill it from the wide side. Roll the dough starting from the wide side, sealing the edges from time to time and giving the traditional croissants shape. Brush each of them with a bitten egg and decorate with poppy seeds. Place the croissants on a parchment lined oven tray and bake at 180ºC for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.



choux pastry with a leak

and cheese cream


Difficoltà: Difficulty: medium



Ingredients for 60 choux buns:

4 eggs

200g water

100g butter

150g f lour

A pinch of salt

Filling:

2 leeks

500g cream cheese

( goat cheese, robiola cheese

or depending on your taste)

Black pepper- grounded

Extra virgin olive oil

A pinch of salt

Method:Place the water, salt and butter in a pan and bring to the boil. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat and add the sieved flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon until completely smooth and let cool down. Beat in the eggs one at the time until completely incorporated and you have a smooth consistency. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe circles with a 3 cm distance from one to each other. If you get a pointed end after piping, simply press it down with a wet finger. Bake at 200ºC for 15 minutes and then for a further 20 minutes with the oven door slightly open. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Prepare the filling: Slice finely the leeks and cook for a few minutes with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Leave to cool then blend them with the soft cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the creamy mixture into a pastry bag and fill the choux buns. Be careful not to break them.


By Claudia Annie Carone

multi-vitaminfruit juice

Difficulty: easy


Ingredients for 4 people:

8 orange segments

6 baby carrots

9 grapes

5 banana slices

3 apple segments

Juice of 1 lemon


Method:Wash, peel and slice the fruit. Remove the stems from the grapes. Blend the orange, carrots, grapes, banana, apples and lemon juice. Strain the liquid into another container until the juice is free of particulate. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve cold.

Editorial Team

CLAUDIA ANNIE CARONEcoordination, creative & marketing

lericettedellamorevero.com

I was born in the “Salento” region. I breathed for a long time the “home made” fragrances until I was tall enough to spy the art on tiptoe through the table, making sure no one could see me. I’m a singer-songwriter and I’m currently studying music at university. My passion is the culinary art. In Open Kitchen I’m the creative manager, I try to transform the ideas into reality.

MONICA ZACCHIACoordination and revision

dolcigusti.com

Food-blogger, food-writer, pastry chef for passion. I love everything that talks about chocolate, baking and bread making. In Open Kitchen I’m a coordinator and I revise the drafts.

NICOLETTA PALMASCoordination and translation

my-breadandbutter.comI was born in Sardinia Island, I used to live in London for 9 years, where I still work as a cabin attendant for a Japanese airline. At the moment I live nearby Rome and I’m always on the move between London and Tokyo. I love Italian food but also ethnic food. In Open Kitchen I’m a coordinator and the translator of the English version.


Editorial Team

NICOLETTA PALMASCoordination and translation

my-breadandbutter.comI was born in Sardinia Island, I used to live in London for 9 years, where I still work as a cabin attendant for a Japanese airline. At the moment I live nearby Rome and I’m always on the move between London and Tokyo. I love Italian food but also ethnic food. In Open Kitchen I’m a coordinator and the translator of the English version.

DONATELLA SIMEONEphotographer

ilcucchiaiodoro.blog.tiscali.it

I’m from Salerno but I moved in Re gio Emilia 8 years ago. I love cooking since I was very young. I prefer desserts and simple dishes but prepared with care, passion and tradition. One of my passions is also photographing food and much more. In Open Kitchen I’m respons ble for the photography.

ELENA MARIANIGraphic and Layout

lets-color.blogspot.com

I was born and I live in Brianza (in the Lombardy region) in a big and noisy family. The kitchen is for us a very important place where we stay all together, we talk, we cook, we argue and lough. I love cooking and try thousands of recipes; I love to cook for my friends. I’m a professional graphic and a blogger for passion. In Open Kitchen I’m responsible for the graphic and layout of the magazine.

OpenKitchen - n. 4 April 2012100 Con

trib

utor

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n. 4 April 2012 - OpenKitchen 101Con

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sAgNESE gAMbINIamarantomelograno.blogspot.com

I’m from Marche region and I moved in Rome seven years ago. I have a remote past of a quiet life in a small village and a recent past of an hectic life in the city with scenography studies, internal architecture and interior designer. A present with a quiet life in the city with photography studies and a passion for food.

CINZIA DONADINIessenzaincucina.blogspot.com

In my everyday life I’m an interior designer, a wife and a mother of two but they don’t like too much eating. I’ve always loved cooking and I wanted to make cooking my profession. But I choose another path and today I live with pencils and colours between the aromas and flavours of what I talk about in my blog.

ANTONELLA CENNAMObastaunsoffiodivento.blogspot.com

I’m from Naples but I live in Brussels. “Basta un soffio di vento” is a mixture of my passions: good food, photography, my travels and my daughter. My blog is just like me...restless, often ironic, greedy and always curious, sometimes creative and often a bit lazy. I do really hope in my creations and words you will find inspiration, ideas and, why not, even a smile!

ANTONELLA MARCONIsaporiinconcerto.blogspot.com

I’ve graduated from a music school. I love reading, writing cooking, travelling, taking photographs and going to museums and concerts. In my food blog I write about what I create with passion.

ANNA FRANCA LUCARELLI

My name is Anna Franca, I’m 32 years old and I live in Brindisi. I love cooking since ever. I’m studying Economy at university. My family produces baking products for over 25 years, so I love baking and kneading since I was a child.

ALESSANDRA SCOLLO mammapaperasblog.blogspot.com

I’m From Sicily but I live in Veneto with my husband from Campania region. I’m 34 and I have 4 children. I used to have a restaurant and at the moment I’m the owner of a take away pizzeria. I love my children, cooking, singing, writing and taking pictures. This new experience will give me the chance to improve my passions and to share them with you.


PATRIZIA DE ANgELIS

idolcinellamente.blogspot.com

I have always had a passion for cooking, I like to experiment with new recipes to please the palate of my family, as well as mine. The blog was created for fun and now it has become my personal corner where I store everything that I cook with love.

LAURA CUCCATO

www.saltonelcrudo.it

From Turin to Milan, from architect to web designer, from omnivorous to Raw food eater. Live food, intense colours, new flavours, mysterious ingredients, Unknown techniques and unexpected textures, for cooking that I love and deserves to be known.

DANIELA TORDI

www.danielatordi.net

Illustrates children’s books and lives with three cats, with one foot in Italy and one in the Luberon, the heart of Provence. And is there in the land of lavender and the werewolves, who hopes soon to create a small business and to move there for good.

RITA LOCCISANO

amouseonthetable.comI live in Modena with my two children aged 15 and 16. My passion for aesthetics and presentation of the dishes led me to create the VisualFood ®, good looking and good to eat food. My ideas are posted on my website..

FEDERICA CHRISTINE MARZOLI

I’ve started making wine with my grandfather, who had a vineyard near Rome. I studied and worked in Ireland, where I learned how to make must and beer. I’ve worked in many pubs and wineries in Dublin, until I’ve decided to come back in Italy where I got my Sommelier diploma. I now work with different wineries and bars.

ELISA ADORNI

staserasicenadanoi.blogspot.com

I live in Parma; I am an architect and professor of restoration at the University of Parma. I love cooking and rediscover the culinary traditionsof the region where I live. I prepare the dishes that have the aromas and flavours of the ‘grandmother’s kitchen’, but with the addition of a personal touch!


STEFANIA PALA

Passionate reader, Big lover of movies and buffalo mozzarella. I love traveling, even only with the imagination. I live in Rome but without the sea I’m lost. I love my Southern Italy, soul escape

SANJEETA KK

www.litebite.in

Sanjeeta kk is the author of food blog ‘Lite Bite’ which features vegetarian recipes. Her quest for egg free baking and healthy cooking is extensively shared though all her recipes. She likes to share stories behind the origin of her recipes which are easy and accessible. Homemade, unprocessed and healthy food is what she strives for each day. She defines food as nostalgic, comforting and an important factor to connect with people and make community.

CAROLINA NOVELLO

www.quartosensocafe.blogspot.com

A little girl grew up with her passion for cooking. Today mum of two children who are actively involved in baking cakes and cooking. A childhood spent in the land of windmills has left me in the heart the love for tulips. Clerck for survival, Cook for passion.

AMY WILLIAMS

www.thenshemade.com

Amy lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and three daughters. She’s on a mission to successfully tackle all things domestic like bread making, laundry and motherhood. She is most often found at her kitchen table with a project in hand and enjoys making paper crafts, jewelry, and custom works of art.

NIK SHARMA

www.abrowntable.com

Nik Sharma is the cook, author and photographer behind “A Brown Table” and currently resides in Washington D.C. He is a self-taught chef that is constantlytrying to infuse “exotic” spices and ingredients by applying different techniques in day-to-day meals with the motto of keeping all cooking methods exciting, fun, simple and useful. His work has been featured

NANA CEAwww.facebook.com - nana Cea I live in Milan. In my life I realized that “the recipe for happiness” is to follow our own passions. So even if I’m a Psychologist and a manager I spent lots of time cooking. I love cooking! I’m quite good baking cakes, I love to decorate and crate a perfect table in different styles but always following my taste. The most enjoyable work..... the dessert table for my wedding!

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Open Kitchen Magazine - n°4- April 2012 Web magazine