FELICE AUTUNNO! Pumpkin and Prosciutto Savoury Cake (Torta Salata alla Zucca)

FELICE AUTUNNO!

It's Autumn harvest time: in Italy the vineyards have already been stripped of all their jewels of alabaster, though Summer is still there, alive and beautiful, dancing round the fields and along the seashore.

The grapes have been harvested... the new wine is probably already bubbling up. The olive trees are laden with green and black olives, fleshy and beautiful in their plump evening gowns.

 

Autumn is fast approaching, bringing new colours, smells and flavours. In my garden, the vegetables are beginning to fade away, as the nights get colder... This is when I really, really wish I could be in Italy. The beaches are empty, though the sea is still warm and the temperatures as high as in August. The world is back at work, in the busy cities and towns. Everything is so beautiful! And the city has come back to LIFE!

Oh, I am so nostalgic! How I wish I could relive an Italian Autumn! Maybe I will, soon...

In my garden, a tiny, little pumpkin is telling me we are into a new season. In Italy, by the way, they were selling pumpkins everywhere. What do people do with pumpkins in Southern Italy? Who knows...

In a recent copy of Vero Cucina, an Italian Food Magazine I buy when I'm there,  I found a recipe: Torta Salata Con Zucca e Prosciutto Crudo, Savoury pumpkin and Parma Ham Cake. It is, in fact, a kind of savoury plum cake, which I made today and... Is it delicious, or is it delicious? And... apparently a "Torta Salata" (Savoury cake) is a MUST when you have a party!

So, here it is:

Torta Salata con Zucca e Prosciutto Crudo

( Savoury Pumpkin and Parma Ham Cake)

Ingredients

(makes 7 or 8 servings)

150 g ( 5 oz) plain (all purpose) flour

300 g (10 oz) pumpkin

3 small eggs

100 g (4 oz) butter

80 g (3 1/2 oz) Parma Ham

80 g ( 3 1/2 oz) Parmesan cheese

1 tbs dried yeast

pepper

poppy seeds

Before you start, place your butter in a mixing bowl and let it soften at room temperature. In the meantime, peel your pumpkin, de seed, cut into largish chunks and grate.

When the butter has softened, beat it with a wooden spoon or a hand wisk, till you obtain a creamy consistency, then add your eggs, flour, dried yeast.  Mix, and finally add your grated pumpkin, the Parmesan, (I used Pecorino Romano, instead) your ham, chopped into 1 inch squares and some pepper. I didn't put any salt in my torta, as I used salted butter and cheese which was quite salty. You can add some salt, if you like.

You can now mix your ingredients together, till they blend to form a lovely bright mixture. When all the ingredients are blended together, pour the stiff cake mixture into a plum cake (or loaf) tin, which you would have  previously buttered and floured.

 

In the tin, ready for the oven

Sprinkle with poppy seeds and bake in a preheated oven at a temperature of 180 C, Gas 4, 350 F, for about 50 minutes. Take out of the oven and leave to cool for a good 20-25 minutes. It needs to rest, so the texture is just right.

I served individual portions with a lovely salad made using my "innocent" ( organic) baby Swiss chard, basil, parsley, olives and shavings of Pecorino cheese.

The peppers I used to top the bread were cooked in olive oil, garlic and capers (peperonata)

A slice of my Savoury Pumpkin cake

Main ingredients for peperonata

A delicious meal to brighten up an Autumnal day!

Bolognese Barese (my mamma's Bolognese recipe)

When I was in Italy, last week, I saw my big sister busy, in the kitchen, chopping celery, onions and carrots, in a food processor. I shut my eyes and saw myself, very young, in our kitchen, at home, in Italy, when I was a little girl. My mum always cut her vegetables by hand, on a wooden board and with love. She didn't need a food processor, as she had a very keen little girl whose job was to help and assist the chef! God knows how many celery stalks and carrots I must have chopped and how many tears I must have shed whilst peeling onions every time my mum made a Bolognese sauce!

1-2-3

When we make Bolognese, in my city, we make a healthier version as, together with minced beef, we use a lot of fresh vegetables (in this case grated or finely chopped celery, onions and carrots.) The end result is a much healthier and lighter version of this classic dish.

Contrary to what people in other countries believe, we usually have Bolognese with tagliatelle, not spaghetti!

I made Bolognese, today, as I was in a nostalgic mood... I needed to smell aromas which reminded me of a house, now empty, but still full of voices, songs and laughter, right here, in my heart...

Before I become too sentimental, here is the recipe. Try it: it's healthier than the traditional one and delicious!

Bolognese Barese

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

4-5 celery stalks

1 medium sized carrot

2 medium onions 

10 very generous glugs olive oil

(the amount of oil you use is up to you.

Use a quantity you are happy with)

600 g (1lb 6oz) very lean minced beef

glass of wine (optional)

700 mls ( just under 11/2 pt) passata

600 g (1 lb, 5 oz) tagliatelle

Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Before you start, peel the onions and the carrot, then break each celery stalk in half and get rid of the filaments.

Finely chop the three vegetables (you can use a mixer, for this task, or simply a chopping board and a sharp knife) and reserve.

My vegetables are ready

In a largish pan, heat the oil until really piping hot, then add your chopped onion. Stir and cook for about three minutes. When it's beginning to smell delicious, add the celery and the carrot. Again, stir and cook until all the vegetables begin to look translucent (about 5-6 minutes)

looking translucent and already smelling good

You are now ready to add your meat to the base (the fried vegetables.) Do that and keep stirring and cooking, until the meat begins to brown, then, if you have a glass of wine, add it to the mixture and then let evaporate.

The meat is browning in the pan

Finally, you need to add your passata, bring to the boil, turn down the heat and cook for a good 40-50 minutes! Remember that passata and tinned tomatoes are actually raw and therefore they need to be cooked.

All the ingredients are blending together

Keep checking your Bolognese to make sure that it doesn't burn and remember to keep the heat really low. Should your sauce look a bit too thick, add a small amount of water.

My mum always used to put a piece of Parmesan or Pecorino in her sauce... it smelled so good, made the sauce much more interesting and I always got to eat the delicious cheese.

When the sauce is ready, cook your tagliatelle in a large pan of boiling salted water, according to the instructions on the packet, then pour some of the sauce over each serving and top with a very generous sprinkling of Italian cheese. Try it... it's so... buonissima!

Looks beautiful, whichever way you look at it!

 

Ricotta all'arancia (Orange Ricotta sweet delight!)

Back from my time in my native Italy, here I am... Beautiful pictures, most of them in my head, memories, good and bad and... colours... Italy, my country, is blessed with "colour"... blue sky, blue sea, dark green olive leaves, lizards and geckos and yellow... lots of yellow, lots of sky... and sun!

I feel so inspired when I'm there. I see beauty in everything and I feel so lucky!

This Summer, as every Summer, we visited a Dairy Farm called Tenuta Vannulo, in Campania. I managed to get very close to the buffaloes who seem to have a truly enviable lifestyle. They are so happy, plodding along in the hot sun, covered in mud. They turn round and look at you when you say "CIAO!"

Buffalo milk makes the most delicious ricotta cheese ever! I just love eating it as it comes... it's creamy, looks beautiful, smells of rich milk and it's just really yummy!

One afternoon I decided to make a sweet, using ricotta, oranges and some figs I just picked from one of our trees and... this is what I made!

RICOTTA ALL'ARANCIA

(Ricotta and orange

pudding)

Makes 4 delicate servings

Ingredients:

3 oranges

500g (1lb 2oz) ricotta

25mls (2 1/2 fl oz) honey

5tbsp sugar

2tbsp water

2tbsp orange liquor

( I used the BIG GM!)

or limoncello

To serve:

4 slices orange

fruit of your choice

This is a very easy and light sweet... small, but quite rich portions of Italian delight!

Before you start, cut two of your oranges in half, squeeze the juice and reserve in a bowl. When you have done this, peel the remaining third orange and cut the peel into thin strips .

Place the orange peel in a small saucepan with the sugar, water and the liquor. Cook on a low heat until the peel is tender and golden.

Place your delicious ricotta in a glass bowl with a tbsp of sugar, add the juice from the oranges and mix, until you obtain a soft, deliciously creamy mixture (I also added some grated orange rind to add texture and extra flavour!)

You are now ready to finish off your sweet. Divide your ricotta into four equal portions. Arrange each one onto a slice of orange placed on a plate. Pour some runny honey over each portion, followed by some of the juices in which the orange peel was softened.

Arrange some of the caramelized orange peel over each portion, so your pudding looks pretty, then add fruit of your choice. I had fresh figs with mine, because they added colour and looked very pretty.

My ricotta tasted delicious and was light, fruity and very Italian indeed!

The Sorrento Bridal Bouquet (don't know if this post will work! TESTING!)

Last Thursday, I went to a large market in a nearby city. I went to buy flowers for my garden and... to see if the old man who sold bunches of fresh Chilli peppers was still there! He has one of those old little  Vespa trucks which farmers used, to take their produce to market, in the olden days. He still has one.

The old man was there. As usual, his truck was laden with loads of goodies: little bunches of the freshest, hottest Chilli peppers, gralic, dried in hot Southern sun, origano, picked in the mountains, and  Amalfi lemons... a rainbow of smells and colours!

I wanted to "kidnap" everything, but I contained myself and bought garlic and three bunches of Chillies "Sono molto, molto piccanti!" "They are very hot" The man said to me (why did he think I was buying them?) I said:"Si, lo so... sono anche bellissimi!" "Yes, I know. They are gorgeous, too!" I replied. The man was so pleased I displayed so much enthusiasm, he said:" Did you know that in the city of Sorrento young brides carry Chilli peppers with flowers in their wedding bouquet?" I was kind of surprised and really delighted. "What a charming idea!" "And..." he carried on: "Churches and reception venues are often decorated with arches made using flowers, Chillies and... garlic! It's supposed to bring you luck!" Wow! Why didn't they tell Liz Taylor? Now I knew why she had to marry SEVEN times! She couldn't possibly have had garlic or Chilli peppers in her bridal bouquets!

Anyway! I got carried away and bought two pots of chilli peppers from a gardening stall, to add to my "collection" because they were very colourful, and some cacti.

 My chilli pots!

My garlic and cacti

I got in the car and drove home. The countryside was so beautiful. The ancient walls, with their crowns of cacti, were laden with sweet fruits. I felt happy to be there.

Once home, I got out of the car and opened the gate. A soft breeze brought the sweet honey laced scent of the oleander. I closed my eyes and let the scent take over my mind...

"I know!" I thought "I will make my own Sorrento bridal bouquet!" I picked some grape vine stems, fig leaves, oleander blossom, added my chilli peppers and... voilà!

 MY BOUQUET!

The scent of the oleander reminded me of another posy: my cousin's bouquet of gardenias, roses and orange blossom... a wedding "past" when Anna was a little four year old blond bridesmaid, in a white tutù. So... it would appear, Monsieur Baudelaire, that your "correspondance" thing was spot on. You were so right, and so were you, Marcel (Proust)... it is possible to make "A Storm in a Cup of Tea"... only one ingredient needed: a smell! A buon intenditor, poche parole!

Well... here comes the bride, all dressed in white and... she carries chilli peppers! Buona Fortuna!

You are so wrong about fast food and the BUNGA BUNGA! (Pork chops and vegetable medley wrapped in foil and baked! That's all!)

I bet you thought the Americans invented fast food and... I also bet that you thought that "Prime" Minister Berlusconi invented the BUNGA BUNGA! (If you don't know what that is... I'm not telling you, 'cause it's a bit rude and I am a LADY!)

 

VERY HOT!

In ancient Rome (and I know because I have been to Pompeii lots of times) people didn't really have fitted kitchens and microwaves, or fan ovens (didn't see any microwaves, but they did have central heating and double glazing... they really did!) Anyway! If you were poor (doesn't history repeat itself?)... You were done! No oven, no cooker, no microwave and maybe NO SLAVE... OR WIFE! So... where did you go if you were hungry? The Termopolium, of course (Take out restaurant to you and I!) Yes, they invented that, too! And I bet "nice" women were not allowed in!  Termopoliums are still there, in Pompeii, for everyone to see, and... round the back, a set of rooms, where you could drink wine (of course) play games and... do the BUNGA BUNGA! So there, Signor Berlusconi, you did not even "invent" the BUNGA BUNGA!

Fast food doesn't have to be unhealthy hamburger or cheese loaded pizza or rather oily ( but very nice, unfortunately) Chinese food! In Italy we are very good at fast food. Fast and quite healthy, too! (we actually do most things in record time!)

Today I cooked pork chops ( but it could be lamb- very nice! Or red mullet-extremely nice! Same recipe, BTW!) and also mixed vegetables (courgettes, peppers, garlic and parsley) al cartoccio (that means I placed each chop in foil, with other ingredients and then closed the foil to make a little parcel,) and did the same with my vegetables, too, as you may have gathered. The parcels were cooked very quickly in a hot oven... no frying, no fat, no butter, just good old, delicious Mediterranean ingredients!

And guess what? Here is the recipe!

Bistecche di maiale al cartoccio

(Pork Chops Wrapped in Foil)

Ingredients

3 servings:

3 pork chops,

3 cloves garlic, chopped

handful fresh parsley

some Balsamic Vinegar

some olive oil

salt

pepper

some fresh chilli pepper, sliced

(opitional, but not for me!)

Verdure miste al cartoccio

(Vegetable Medley wrapped in Foil)

2 peppers, diced

2 courgettes (zucchine) diced

3 cloves garlic

handful parsley

 fresh basil

some Balsamic Vinegar

some olive oil

salt

pepper
some fresh basil leaves

Cut a few squares of aluminum foil. Place each chop in the middle of it. Pour some olive oil al balsamic vinegar over the meat. Rub till the 2 ingredients are blended. Chop the garlic and parsley, spread over the chops, then add salt and pepper.

Gather the foil above the meat, then close to make a parcel. Do the same with every chop.

my chop looks happy... doesn't know it's about to be cooked!

In a large piece of foil, place all your vegetables, including garlic and parsley. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar Mix together, wrap up. Now, you can place all your parcels on a baking tray or dish. I cooked my "Fast food" in a fan oven at a temperature of 220 C,425F, Gas 7)

 

I opened my parcels... 40 minutes later...

My chops were served with the vegetables, some caponata (extremely delicious!) I made yesterday, a small pot of olive oil and Balsamic,

Caponata and balsamic oil

for extra dressing or dipping, and, of course, some baguette. I actually also made a quick salad with mozzarella, black pepper and olive oil, whick was simply fantastic (but do use proper mozzarella, the real Italian stuff if you make this!) 

Everybody said it was fantastic! AND...

IT REALLY WAS.............. FAST....................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Cher sang "You're simply the best" she was referring to Italian food, no doubt! Bet you didn't know that! Or was is Tina Turner? Not "the best"... the person who sang that song, I mean! Yes, she was! I bet you didn't know that either!

CIAO CIAO!

 I think it looks deliziosissimissimo!

with my caponata (that's another recipe!)... and oil and balsamic

for extra dressing and dipping.

I Was Born By the Sea (Spaghetti with King Prawns-Shrimps)

She knew she was at home, as she could almost smell the sea... On hot Summer's night, she would go outside, look at the sky... So full of stars! She could almost touch and feel the humid caress of the sea breeze... her skin went salty, as the mild hot scirocco, would always carry sand and tiny particles of salt.

I was born by the sea, and though my daughter laughs when I say this... yes... the sea is very much part of me. When I feel sad, I think blue, when I feel lonely, I smell the seaweed... when I need to feel loved, I can close my eyes and feel the touch of sun... when I feel nostalgic, my mind can still "hide" in the corner of our garden, in Italy, amongst the broken terracotta posts and listen to the waves, crashing inside a shell bigger than my head.

"I could never spend a day of my life without seeing the sea" I once said to my friend Maria, as we walked by the Lungomare, in the very beautiful city where we were born and lived.

As a matter of fact, I did move and went to live in a country where I couldn't see the sea "every day" and where Winters were very long, cold and white...

Cooking the food of my country helps my keep in touch with myself and my "story". Today I will share this "experience" with you. It's a very traditional dish from my city by the sea, known for being one of the places, in Italy, where people eat the best, healthiest and certainly the most delicious food. And we are modest!





Spaghetti ai Gamberoni (Spaghetti With King Prawns)

Ingredients

(2 or 3 servings)

5 tbs olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small chilli pepper, sliced

(optional- I love it!)

9-12 king prawns

350 g (12 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved

or: tinned tomatoes

2-3  tbs passata

A handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped

salt, black pepper

350g (12 oz) spaghetti or linguine

 In a largish frying pan, or saucepan, place the oil. When this gets really hot, add the garlic and the chilli. Let the garlic brown, but not burn (it tastes bitter when burnt!)



Now you are ready to add your prawns. Leave the heads and the shells on, as they will give your sauce a magnificent flavour (you can use peeled prawns, but I can tell you the Earth WILL NOT move!)

Again, stir until the prawns begin to change colour (they will go bright orange!)

You can now add tomatoes and parsley (keep some parsley for garnish)

parsley growing in my garden

You need to stir this, keeping the heat high. Two or three minutes later, turn the heat down, to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes and... the sauce is ready!



The sauce is ready!



Cook your pasta al dente, in a pot of boiling water (you add your pasta when the water is boiling, not before, unless you want to make glue!) drain and reserve some of the water, in a cup. Place the drained pasta in the pan, with the prawn sauce, stir and inhale the best seafood pasta dish ever!

I served my pasta with just one or maybe two of the prawns, and garnished with parsley and lovely samphire (delicious seaweed.) The rest of the prawns were eaten as a second course, with a salad I made with baby romaine, rocket, basil and samphire. It was "Veramente molto buono!"



 DELICIOUS!



My prawns with salad