Recipe: Veal Burgers

For 4th of July this year, since I currently live in Italy, I decided to be a little non-traditional for my "barbeque".  There are a couple of reasons for this: the main one being that since Italy does not celebrate 4th of July it seemed silly to try to replicate a traditional American 4th of July when I was missing some key ingredients. Mainly fireworks! Without fireworks, the 4th seems like a normal barbecue.
Also in Italy I can't find some of the traditional ingredients at the supermarket.  I would have loved to have corn on the cob, but here in Rome (at least by my house) there is no corn to be seen.  There's also no barbecue sauce either.
So I decided to veer even further and decided that traditional burgers weren't necessary. However, I did want some kind of burger to venerate the day, even though I was celebrating on my own.  I had originally wanted to make turkey burgers (again, but my Spinach Turkey Burgers are to die for...) but while running around the supermarket, I couldn't find ground turkey.  I did, however, find ground veal. So I decided to be somewhere between Italian and American about my 4th of July. I did something the Italians would never do, I decided to make burgers with my ground veal and in the end they were delicious and extremely simple to make.  I even topped them with asiago cheese which really added to the amazing taste. From there I kept it simple and served with a side salad and some hot dogs (just for tradition's sake).

Veal Burgers 
Ingredients
1/2 kilo ground veal (about a pound)
1 egg
1/2 large shallot (or a whole small one)
1/4-1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tbs Paprika
Asiago cheese (or any cheese of your preference)

Dice your onions into small pieces.  I didn't cut mine super finely because I wanted more crunch in my burger. I love the contrast of textures, so remember the thicker you cut your

I love that you can see some of the onion!

onion, the more crunch you will have in your burger.
In a large bowl, mix the ground veal, egg, bread crumbs, onion and paprika with your hands. Blend well because you want a little onion in each bite.  If you aren't thorough you run the risk of getting a large mouthful of onion in one bite, and none in the next!
When well blended, form into patties. I always make my burgers on the larger (i.e. thicker) side because they shrink slightly as they cook. This time I slightly exaggerated, and it became difficult to cook the burgers through because the veal doesn't shrink as drastically as beef burgers do.
I decided to try and get grill marks on my burgers and used an indoor grill pan for the attempt.  For the record, I don't love indoor grill pans because they get quite messy and don't grill things as evenly as an outdoor barbeque thanks to hotspots from the flame below.  That being said, for the 4th of July I needed to at least attempt to get those chargrilled marks so I slightly oiled my grill for easier cleanup and got started.
I didn't get grill marks but I did get delicious

burgers. I cooked the burgers over a medium flame and kept an eye on them as they grilled. Since I made my burger so thick I had to flip them twice to ensure they cooked all the way through without burning.  If you are making a normal sized burger you should only need a couple of minutes on each side, just until they've gotten golden on each side.  Mine took longer than that.  -.-
When they were just about done, I decided to add asiago cheese on top to melt, but you can add any cheese of your choosing. Since I was already going for the non traditional asiago was a great twist but traditional cheddar would've worked just as well.
Then I had my burger on a sesame seed bun that I grilled for a minute on the grill pan.  I ate my burger with fresh tomato, lettuce, mustard and some mayo.  It really hit the spot and was delicious. And I have leftovers, so I ate one of Saturday night and will probably have another for lunch or dinner today!

It was quite the mouthful and scrumptious

Recipe: Lemon squares

Soooo ages and ages ago I made lemon squares (mentioned in this blog).
Ages and ages ago I said I would post the recipe because they were delicious and I never got around to it.... Also I typed it into a word document, forgot about it and then when I finally found it, I deleted it, thinking that I'd already posted it.
Sometimes I spectacularly resemble an airhead.
So I've decided that now, since the weather is warm and lemon is super refreshing, I'll just have to post up the recipe.  Yes, it requires opening your oven, but not for very long so it's worth it.  As soon as your lemon squares are done, let them cool, take them out of the pan and cool in the fridge.
Totally and absolutely worth it.
And the recipe really is quite simple with minimal ingredients.  Even the crust is easy to make (although

I suppose you could easily buy one as well (think graham cracker lol)...
I have to give credit to Joy the Baker and Luscious Lemon for inspiration. I modified and combined their two recipes for the perfect lemon square.
I made these with lemons from my student's garden and then fed them to my classes. They were quite successful! Successful enough to make me want to make more. Which I finally did yesterday (sometimes it takes me time to get to my projects) and I played around with my base recipes again. I made Strawberry Lemonade Bars.  I'll try to post up the recipe tomorrow (since I'm typing it here, maybe I'll actually do it in a timely fashion!).

Cover your oven proof dish with aluminum foil for easy cleanup!

Ingredients
crust:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick butter) room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour 
• pinch of salt

filling:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbs freshly zested lemon zest 
• 3 tbs all purpose flour

Line an oven proof pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup.  Preheat your oven to 350°F. 

So many levels of utterly delicious

If you have an electric mixer, I would use it to cream the butter and sugar.  I don't have an electric mixer, sooo I was forced to do it by hand. It just takes a little more time and patience but it's totally doable.  Add the salt and flour and mix well.  When it's a cohesive mixture and not too sticky (add a little more flour if you need to) press it into your pan.  

Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden on the edges.
While the crust is baking whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and flour.  Whisk until cohesive.
Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the lemon filling is set and firm.  Keep a close eye on your lemon bars and rotate to make sure they color evenly.
Let cool completely and then cut into squares.  I used a round form, so the edges weren't square... which is fine, because I ate them before anyone could see!
Put in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

See, absolutely simple and deliciously amazing!

Recipe: Asparagus Pancetta Quiche

I love quiche because it's quick and easy and because you can throw just about anything into it.  A couple of Easter's ago I made an Asparagus and Canadian Bacon Quiche and it was a delicious hit at the party.  Of course, when I was making my quiche last week, I forgot all about that recipe, so I made a new recipe using ingredients that I had in my kitchen (which were considerably different than the ingredients I'd had that Easter.  Rather than ricotta I used pecorino and stracchino cheese, a rich creamy spreadable cheese. It has a lovely flavor and tang and really kicked up the flavor of my quiche. I also used pancetta (the Italian equivalent but less fatty, cubed version of bacon) instead of Canadian bacon (also healthier than regular bacon).  I like pancetta because it isn't overly salty but still rich in flavor. I also made a few other changes, like the crust and sauteing the asparagus instead of boiling it.
I love making quiche on lazy Sundays. It's definitely a great use of time!

Ingredients:
1 pie crust (I used a pre-made non frozen crust, but anything will do. You can even make your own!)
1 tbs olive oil
2 small shallots
150 g pancetta
1 bunch of asparagus
4 eggs
200 g stracchino
100 g soft pecorino, in small pieces

what everything should look like sauteed

red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Lay your pie crust in an oven proof pan.  If you're using a frozen crust, just remove it from the freezer.

mixing it all together

Dice up your shallots.  Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan and when the oil is hot add in your pancetta (or if you prefer, bacon or Canadian bacon, in which case just skip the oil).  When the pancetta is sizzling add in the shallots.  Sweat the shallots over a low flame while you clean and then cut your asparagus into inch long pieces. Keep an eye on your pan and stir periodically. When the shallots become transparent and the pancetta has gotten some color, toss in the asparagus. I used really thin asparagus so I only sauteed it for a minute or so before removing everything from the heat. They cooked the rest of the way in the oven.

Gorgeous before baking

 If you are cooking with thicker asparagus, saute them for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are just about fork tender.
Let the mixture cool for a few minutes and in a separate bowl whisk the eggs, stracchino, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper together.  Do not use a lot of salt because the pancetta is already
salty enough.  If you're using bacon, don't use any salt at all. Carefully fold in the sauteed asparagus mixture and pecorino into the egg mixture.

When the asparagus is well coated with egg, pour evenly into the pie crust and fold the edge of the crust over onto itself.

Beautiful

Bake for about 45 minutes. The quiche is done when the crust is golden brown and when the egg
has risen and set all the way.

Recipe: Homemade Honey Mustard Sauce and Roasted Honey Mustard Chicken

I don’t know if honey  mustard exists in Italy but I’ve never seen it in the stores. Luckily, when the craving for the rich, sweet, tangy flavor hit me, I had honey and mustard at home and let’s face it, I’m also quite good at concocting random things in the kitchen.

I used my honey mustard as a glaze for chicken and with a few easy tweaks, I also used it as a dressing for my salad as well.

Honey Mustard (to make glaze and dressing)

My perfect honey mustard blend with basil

Equal parts honey and mustard, about a ¼ cup each

1-2 tbs basil (or rosemary, either works beautifully)

2 tbs olive oil

I chose to make relatively large quantities of the dressing because I had grand plans for my sauce (salads, dipping sauce, glaze) but you can also make it in smaller batches, you absolutely can. 

When I mix my honey mustard, I tend to add a little bit more mustard than honey, because I like the tang of the mustard just a little more than the sweetness of the honey.

Mix your honey, mustard, basil (or rosemary) and oil together well.  At this point you can serve it as a dipping sauce  or use it as a glaze for meat. Or you can add another tablespoon of olive oil to thin it down and use it as a dressing.

Made with Rosemary

Once you’ve made your honey mustard you can make your chicken. 

Honey Mustard Chicken

1 small roaster chicken, completely defrosted or fresh

½ mixture of honey mustard

1 tbs olive oil

Additional basil (or rosemary)

Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 200°C (around 350°F I think).

Coat the chicken with honey mustard on both sides. Really coat it well and sprinkle with additional basil (or rosemary) and pepper.  I chose not to use salt because the mustard already has plenty of salt in it. Rub the spices, honey mustard and an additional drizzle of oil into the chicken.

When the oven is hot, put the chicken into the oven and let the chicken roast slowly. Turn when the skin has begun to turn golden brown.  Repeat.

In total, the bird cooked for about 45 minutes to an hour.  Watch the bird carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn, because each oven is different. The chicken is done when the juices start to run clear. Don't let it overcook because chicken dries out quite easily. It's much better juicy!

Honey mustard and chicken made with basil

The first time I made this, I served my chicken with sauteed spinach and a salad—mixed greens, tomato, red onion and cheese with a light vinaigrette. I also had slow roasted potatoes. I just threw them into the oven whole next to the pan and let them roast until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. 

Then, I made the chicken again with a side of

Made with rosemary

roasted potato and asparagus. I cut up the potatoes and asparagus and roasted them with a little bit of white wine and fresh lemon juice. 

Recipe: Fresh Turkey Spinach Burgers

I love turkey burgers, a lot more than I love regular hamburgers. I'm not much of a red meat eater I guess. But periodically when I buy turkey burgers pre-made they're too dry or under seasoned. It really does depend on the brand. And then I have an even bigger problem in Italy: turkey burgers aren't all that common here. They exist, but you don't see them often in super markets or in restaurants (you see regular hamburgers far more often, although, as you can imagine, they're also not an Italian specialty).
So a couple of weeks ago when I got a craving, I decided to make some turkey burgers for myself and they were perfect. They were juicy and packed with flavor. The also had the additional bonus of being made with fresh vegetables because I added some freshly chopped spinach and red onion to my ground turkey.

My turkey burger collage that I made for my 365 grateful album

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup to 1 cup of fresh spinach (I used about a cup because I love spinach)
1/2 small red onion
1 egg
1/4 cup breadcrumbs + extra handy if you see you're mixture is too wet
paprika to taste

Right before mixing

Chop your spinach into small squares or strips (it doesn't matter how evenly you chop the spinach) and
then dice your onions as well.  The thicker you cut your onion, the more crunch you will have in your burger. I didn't cut my onions super finely because I wanted a little more bite.
In a large bowl, mix the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, spinach, onions and paprika with your hands.  Blend well because ideally, each bite will have a little onion and spinach in it.

The perfect sized patties sizzling away. Note: I put a little too much
oil in the pan... but they didn't stick...

When well blended, form into patties. I made mine on the larger (also thicker) side because they shrink slightly as they cook (although not as drastically as beef burgers do). I chose to saute the burgers with a little bit of olive oil in a pan. I am lazy and chose to use the method

that would afford me the least clean up. However, you can also use a grill pan indoors or if it's summer (which we are sooo close to right now) and you have access on an outdoor grill.

The perfect turkey burger!

If you're using a grill pan I recommend using a bit of pam spray so the burgers don't stick too badly, otherwise, cleanup can get quite heavy.  In the winter
(which thankfully has gone away) you can bake them in the oven at 350°F until they brown (I think this would take about 20 minutes to a half hour or so, but I haven't tested it yet, soooo keep an eye on them).

A beautiful plate of deliciousness

When one side has browned, flip and at this point you can also add a slice of cheese if you like and make it a cheese turkey burger.  Cook through and serve warm.
I didn't have buns so I served my burger with toasted bread, a large salad, a little mayo and a spicy sauce on the side.  I felt like eating my turkey burger deconstructed!
My recipe made 4 burgers for me. So I had leftovers for the next couple of meals.

Recipe: Grilled Turkey with an Orange and Fennel Salad

This particular meal is a tribute to my last roommate Roberta, who just moved back to Campobasso. She always cooked a lot of grilled chicken and turkey.  She had a very healthy style of eating. Usually I am too lazy to get out the grill pan or have other recipes in mind. But for this meal I decided to stop being lazy and I pulled out the grill pan to grill up some turkey. 

Only the white is edible

I decided to also make an orange and fennel salad because we had talked about it one night when she was cutting up some fennel. I don’t have much experience with fennel. I’ve had it a couple of times at Bruschetta’s since they have a beautiful pear and fennel salad. But the majority of the salad isn’t actually fennel. I’ve also had it baked in the oven with cheese and butter (thanks to some of my Florentine roommates back in the days of Florence).

 I, however, had never actually cooked with fennel before so it was really interesting for me as I watched her make a fennel and apple salad. It was simple. Thinly sliced green apple and fennel, salt, pepper and olive oil. She explained to me that her salad is traditionally made in Sicily with oranges but that the green apple worked as well because they have little more bite to them than an ordinary red or yellow apple.

I was fascinated and promptly bought a fennel… and then being me, did nothing with it for over a week. Luckily, fennel holds well in the refrigerator.

A traditional Sicilian Salad

Now for anyone who doesn’t know what fennel is, it is a vegetable, larger than celery but similar in appearance except they are white and much larger at the bulbous root tip. You only eat the white, either raw or cooked.  It is crisp and delicious and tastes a bit like licorice. It tastes more strongly of licorice when cooked. If you don’t like vegetables, but like licorice, I highly recommend it. I normally don’t like licorice candy and that’s why I’ve shied away from fennel for so long. It turns out I like licorice if it’s not candy!

This salad with fennel and oranges is really light and utterly delicious. It’s a little sweet but savory at the same time.  The simplicity and acidity of the salad goes really well with the simple grilled turkey. Or you could easily substitute the turkey breast with chicken breast.

The turkey should cook quite quickly so I would recommend prepping the salad first so you can eat the turkey while still warm.

Grilled Turkey

Sliced turkey breast partially or fully defrosted

Salt and pepper to taste

Red pepper flakes if you like spicy

Olive oil or pam spray

I always coat the grill pan with a little olive oil or nonstick spray so there’s less likelihood of the turkey sticking to the pan (which inevitably leads to easier clean up!).  Use a medium flame and let the grill pan get really hot. In the meantime, sprinkle both sides of the turkey with salt, pepper and red peper flakes. When the pan is hot put your turkey on long ways, so that the length of the turkey gets grill marks. I failed at this the first time, but it still tasted good (just looks a little cooler with beautiful grill marks).

Leave the turkey alone for a few minutes and flip when you have clear grill marks on the one side. This works a lot better if the pan is hot, hot when you add the chicken and not just warm.  If your turkey slices are particularly thick, you can flip again for a crosshatch pattern.

Orange and Fennel Salad (one large serving)

1 whole fennel

1 or 2 whole oranges (I used blood orange for the color)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

Remove any dark spots from you fennel and wash the leaves thoroughly. Remove the branches and very bottom of the plant. Then cut the white into thin slices (if you want them really, really thin, like in restaurants, you can use a grater to slice them, but I prefer them thicker for some crunch to contrast the orange). Put the slices into a bowl and then cut your orange in half.  Slice out the wedges and add to the salad. Dress with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix and serve.

You can also squeeze some extra orange into the salad for an extra

kick of orange flavor. 

Serve.

I served mine next to the turkey but you can also serve it directly on the turkey since it adds some moisture and flavor to the basic grilled turkey. 

Recipe: Cauliflower and Speck Quiche

I really enjoy making quiche.  It doesn't take much effort and a quiche can feed me for a couple of days since I'm on my own. But it makes a great side dish for a family as well. And it can also very easily hide any number of vegetables from a picky eater.
At the market last week, I found individual cauliflower heads and thought they'd be great to add to a quiche.
I also bought some speck which is a dry-cured, lightly smoked ham (similar to prosciutto crudo). It is lightly cured, and then is alternatively exposed to smoke and fresh air. It is smokier, drier and saltier than a prosciutto crudo.
To go with the speck, I also got a smoked scamorza cheese (scamorza affumicata). Scamorza is similar to mozzarella but generally drier and more elastic. It can either be sold after a two week drying process, or it can be smoked. The smoked scamorza has a wonderful, subtle flavor that has a light caramel note that I really enjoy.

Ingredients

3 single small heads of cauliflower (or 1 regular sized cauliflower)
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1 or 2 pats of butter
200 gr speck
1 small smoked scamorza, diced
4 eggs
1-2 tbs whole milk
basil
pepper
parmesan cheese
1 pre-made pie crust

Pre-heat the over to 350°.
Cut the cauliflower into pieces and add to boiling water. You can add a pinch of salt, but not too much

because the speck acts like bacon and is full of flavor and salt. When the cauliflower is cooked, drain and put to the side to cool.
Slice up the speck evenly.  If you don't have speck, you can also use prosciutto crudo or bacon. If you decide to use bacon, be sure sure to drain the excess fat.
Sweat the onion in butter and then add the speck into the pan as soon as the onion starts to become transparent. Let cook for a minute or so (so it just barely starts to change color) and remove from the heat.
In a bowl, beat 4 eggs, milk, pepper, basil and parmesan together. When it's blended well, add in the scamorza, cauliflower and speck/onion mixture.
Pour into the pie crust and bake for 30-40 minutes. The crust should turn golden the the egg should be cooked all the way through.

Cooking with what you have

Sometimes (okay, pretty often) I forget to go to the grocery store.  Sometimes I don't get around to restocking my fridge and cabinet and I'm left with a sad assortment of odds and ends that don't necessarily go together when you look at them all together.

However, there's always something to be made.  

The other night I got home late from work around 9pm and suddenly realized that I had nothing in the fridge. I had completely forgotten my kilo of fresh spinach at school and there were limited options in my fridge.  I threw away the sauce I had made the week before. 

All I had at home were 2 slices of ham, 2 small tomatoes, pasta, onion, this creamy cheese meant to be put on crackers, garlic, whole dried red peppers and an egg borrowed from my roommate. Looking at my options I was pretty despairing. What do you make with such a random assortment?

Honestly, I almost went and got a cheap pizza from the place next door.  The dough is amazing and it's only €4... I almost did that and then decided I should just use what I had.  

Simple and Quick Pasta that you can make with the bare essentials

I started boiling some water for pasta figuring at the very least I would have pasta aglio olio (pasta with oil, red pepper flakes, cheese and garlic).  It's quick and easy and doesn't really require any effort.  Boil the water, cook your pasta. Then in a saucepan, lightly saute some diced garlic and red pepper (to taste) in a little olive oil. Toss your pasta in the heated oil and serve with parmesan cheese.  

However, I wanted to use the ham. I didn't want to let it go to waste since another day or so in the refrigerator would make it inedible, so I decided to crisp it up in a frying pan. I didn't really have a plan of action at that

point.  I had thought about adding the ham to my pasta, which could have been a nice addition. In retrospect I could have used the ham, tomatoes and onion to make a sort of faux carbonara sauce. At the time, it just didn't occur to me. 

Instead I decided to use it in a mini frittata (a fancy word for omelette) with the tomatoes, onion and an egg (quickly and stealthily borrowed from my roommates side of the fridge). I chopped my tomatoes roughly and finely diced about a quarter of an onion and added them to my sizzling ham.  

While everything was sizzling, I beat my egg with a little salt, pepper and basil and decided to add in a small wedge of my creamy cheese.  Cream cheese would work equally well.  It adds a lot of moisture

before flipping my frittata/omelette

without sticking to the pan. 

As soon as the onions were tender, I poured my egg batter over the mixture.  I let it cook for a few minutes with the lid on and when the egg was set a little, I tried to flip my frittata.  

Make sure the pan you are using is really non stick because the pan I chose was not!  I wound up making a bit of a mess because everything wound up sticking, which made it quite challenging to flip my frittata.  It sort of flipped, but some of the center decided to stick to the pan.  

I eventually got it back in the pan to cook the other side through.  

It stuck a little in the pan and didn't stay as together as I would have liked but I probably needed to borrow another egg from my roommate. Next time, I'll either use less ham or add another egg and maybe some more creamy cheese to the mix. 

As it stands the frittata didn't photograph well, but it was utterly delicious and went really well with the pasta since the pasta didn't utilize any overly strong flavors.  I didn't have high hopes and it was amazing which just goes to show you can take a few basic ingredients and make a feast.  If you do it carefully, you can even make a beautiful feast (unlike me... I did not think through anything I was doing since I was so tired and just wanted some food in my belly).  

my messy yet delicious frittata... 

Recipe: Savory French Toast Sandwich

I love french toast and I especially love making sandwiches with French Toast.  It's easy to make and fun to get creative with.

Savory French Toast

4 pieces of thick sliced bread (challah or whole wheat)
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne (even a little more if you like spicy)
1 tbs white white (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Whip the eggs with the spices and white wine. Soak the slices of bread in the egg mixture.  Heat a small amount of oil or butter (if you want to go healthy, you can also use cooking spray) and then place the slices down on the hot surface. If you're using cooking spray, it will heat faster and possibly begin to smoke. I prefer to use butter because I like the taste best, but oil gets a great golden color as well. Let cook for about a minute on each side or until golden brown.

At this point you can either serve the french toast with syrup and bacon or you can do what I often do and make a sandwich.

Tonight I decided to make a vegetarian french toast sandwich using fresh spinach, cheddar cheese, cream cheese and cranberries. I spread the cream cheese while the french toast was still warm and then sprinkled with shredded cheddar (it starts to melt right away). You can slice the spinach leaves or place them whole on the bread if you prefer and then add as many cranberries as you like. It adds a nice sweet kick that isn't too jarring.  It was utterly delicious and I highly recommend trying it.  And it paired really well
with my Once Upon a Vine Chardonnay.

Recipe: Spinach Pie

Growing up, spinach pie was absolutely one of my favorite things to eat. Yes, I admit it. I was a weird child. But what can I say? I just wanted to be like Popeye.
This recipe is a variation of the spinach pie my grandmother made. It's semi homemade (basically because I'm too lazy to make my own crust everytime I want to eat it).  I love how simple it is to make! Just be careful not to eat all of it at once!  Goodness know I have to be careful not to.

My Spinach Pie

1 premade pie crust
1000 grams frozen spinach
250 grams of ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Red Pepper flakes

Preheat the over to 350°.
In a large saucepan defrost the spinach over a very low heat with a little bit of salt.  Heat covered until most of the excess liquid has cooked off.  If necessary use a strainer to remove any other water.  Put aside to cool.
In a bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes until well-blended.  When the spinach has cooled, add to the ricotta and stir well.
Place the pie crust into a pie pan and use a fork to make a few holes so the crust does not bubble.  Fill with the spinach mixture and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crust has lightly browned.
This can be served warm or cold.


There are several other variations I make of spinach pie.  Sometimes I'll add a layer of thinly sliced pancetta to the crust before pouring in the spinach mixture.  On other occassions I have added a layer of mashed potatoes and spinach.  When making a simple pie sometimes I will add in a spoonful of honey and a dash of nutmeg for a slightly different feel.
Grandma's spinach pie used no ricotta, but instead utilized more eggs.

The possibilities are endless, so play around until you find your favorite version!

-Raspberry Truffle

Recipe: Simple french onion soup

 3 raw onions, sliced thin
1 tbsp olive oil
1 boillion cube (preferably reduced sodium) boiled in the appropriate amount of water

Red pepper flakes to taste

oregano

salt and pepper to taste

For each bowl of soup: 

1 slice of thick wheat bread

thin slices of mozzarella (or your choice of cheese)



Saute the onions in a little bit of oil in a covered large saucepan over medium heat for 20 minutes or until the onions become soft and clear. Slowly stir in the boullion broth, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Bring to a boil for a few minutes and then let simmer for 15 minutes.

Place bread on a baking sheet; sprinkle bread with cheese. Broil 4-to-5 inches from heat for about 1 minute or until cheese is melted and golden.(I only make enough bread for the number of bowls of soup, so the bread and cheese are fresh and perfectly melted.)

Ladle soup into bowls and top with bread. 

My unique serving method: Place the whole piece of bread into a bowl and then ladle the onions and soup on top.

~Raspberry Truffle

Recipe: Penne with cream, peas and pancetta

Wow, I haven't posted anything up here in ages!  I assure you, I've been cooking and making delicious things as per usual, I just haven't taken too many pictures... And I haven't been nearly as creative, I think I'm getting a little boring and repetitive, even if it does taste delicious.
That being said, I'll post up one of my favorite meals, that I make way too often for my own good!

Penne in a cream sauce with peas and pancetta
serves about 4 (although I often cook it for one lol)


penne (around 400-500 gramsish)
frozen peas (1/2 bag normal bag being around 1000grams)
pancetta dolce (container 250 grams... if you're in the states, use a package of regular bacon, and dice it into small pieces)
1 container of panna (states, heavy cream, you need about a cup and a half)
rosemary
pepper
hot pepper flakes

Start boiling water, add pasta to water as usual.
In the meantime place your pancetta in a hot pan, when it's about half way cooked add in frozen peas and about a tablespoon of rosemary, and pepper and hot pepper flakes to taste.
When the pasta is almost al dente and when the peas are no longer frozen, add the cream to the peas and pancetta.  Do not allow the cream to boil (i.e. lower the heat).
When the pasta is done drain, and add to cream mixture.  Mix well and serve :)

I've done other variations on this as well.  I've added onions which adds a nice little sweetness.  Instead of peas I've added potatoes diced into tiny cubes (which is a little heavier, but still delicious).

Get creative!
~Raspberry Truffle

Recipe: Honey Turkey fingers...

like chicken fingers, but a little sweeter and actually leaner :) I'm going for cooking cheaper and leaner, so turkey breast is a great replacement to chicken...

So basic recipe 1 turkey breast cut into slices or if available you can just buy prepackaged cutlets... However, unfortunately, presliced was not available, so I had to do it myself which I don't mind except I only just realized how not well-stocked my kitchen is. There's no butcher knife, just the serrated kind. I don't know if you've ever tried to cleanly slice raw turkey breast, but let me tell you, it doesn't actually work out overly too well, just well enough to do what I was doing, but with added cursing lol.

Alright I've gotten off track, here's the recipe list:

1 turkey breast sliced, or cubed, however big you like your turkey fingers :D

1 egg

1-2 tablespoons honey

app. 1 cup bread crumbs (I kind of eyeballed it like usual lol...)

pepperoncino (otherwise known as red pepper flakes) as desired

a pinch pepper

a pinch salt

oregano as desired

basil as desired

Olive oil for pan

So quite simply, crack your egg, add your honey and salt and stir. In another bowl or plate add bread crumbs and all other spices, mix throughougly (I may have spelled that wrong... but spell check I don't think is functioning lol). Take your turkey, dip in egg mixture and then completely cover in breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in pan, add turkey, cook on each side until browned, and until center is white. When done place onto paper towel (to drain any excess oil) and serve while still warm, although they're pretty fantastic cold too ;)

Simple and yummy and for your reading pleasure, or I suppose looking pleasure, I'm adding pictures, just to make you a little bit hungrier...

all set up and ready to go assembly line style :)

there's my fresh honey that I bought in the market place, soo yummy, just sweet enough...

my peperoncino, and breadcrumb mix

starting the frying process :)

now doesn't that look yummy

and these finished ones look even tastier :D

and for final serving purposes, eat with a bed of lettuce, some tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, with some fresh Italian bread on the side

^.^ sooo happy with my food making tonight!!

And that's the update, happily making food in Italy!

~Raspberry Truffle

p.s. and it made a really great lunch the next day as a sandwich, with lettuce, mozzarella and balsamic vinegar :)