Goat Cheese Crostini with Prosciutto & Figs

Tuscany is a region of Central Italy with beautiful landscapes, verdant countryside, splendid cities and villages and a unique ambiance. For example San Gimignano, which dominates the top of a hill, is one of Italy's best preserved medieval cities. But above all, there is the capital of Florence, which attracts millions of visitors for many reasons… but for their taste too.
Staying to recollect trips and wanderings, which year after year dwindle, I did not fail to bring in my memory and in our Kitchen, Tuscany, narrating another culinary history, making crostini with crispy bread, fresh goat cheese, fresh figs, strawberry jam, and exquisite prosciutto, all sprinkled like fine rain with the unique balsamico di Modena!
A bold savory-sweety combination of ingredients, scents, flavors & textures that will travel us and that our taste buds will keep it for a long time… forever I would dare say.
Yours!

work: 10′

time: 20′

very easy:

Pork Ragù with Pasta & Bechamel Sauce

In Italian cuisine, the ragout (ragù) is a sauce with meat, usually served with pasta and created by Alberto Alvisi in the 18th century.
The common feature of ragù recipes is the presence of minced meat and that together the components become a sauce for pasta. The most famous dish is stew ragù alla bolognese.
Leaving pork slowly cooked in tomato sauce builds a deep and rich flavor. Usually served upon Pappardelle, but with my choice and the tendency to create something new / different always based on the original recipe, pasta incorporated in ragout sauce and then covered with a thick sauce semolina, that went golden brown in the oven and became a new dish, very tasty.
Of course it is needless to emphasize that it is infinitely tastier than the classic pastitsio…
Yours!

work: 1h:00′

time: 2h:30′

difficult:

Caramel Panna Cotta

The Pana Cotta Cream is a delicious dessert to accompany a hearty meal. It is simple in the preparation and undemanding. Here combined with caramel cream, which we can make ourselves or buy ready in a jar.
Yours!

work: 10′

time: 12h:00′

easy:

Bolognese Sauce-Stuffed Lumaconi

The Bolognese sauce is a ragout -in the Italian version- slow cooked, which is made with meat chunks or minced. The heavy cast-iron pan is ideal for this kind of food in slow cooking.
Known to us all as "spaghetti with meat" may have a more delicious flavor, a more imaginative presence and why not, more festive!
We choose to accompany the Bolognese sauce with any pasta we prefer, tagliatelle or spaghetti. The Kitchen Stories proposes shells Lumaconi, filled with this wonderful sauce and sprinkled with parmesan.
Yours!

work: 30′

time: 2h:00′

medium:

Apple & Cheese Crostini

Crostini is an Italian appetizer, which consists of small slices of toasted bread, coated with a variety of many different ingredients, usually salty.
The proposal here is a sweet version, with caramelized apple sauce and raisins in sweet and sour tonnes, adding balsamic cream, honey and pepper. The neutral cheese cream works coherently adding a mild taste to accept the strength of the sauce. The touch in the culinary climax of this excellent bite is fresh, chopped rosemary, with a very strong flavor and aroma.
Yours!

work: 15′

time: 15′

very easy:

Pizza Dough-Easy Pizza

Pizza dough is easy and unique, and the preparation of it is required only two ingredients, which are worshiped for convenience but also for taste. Two, yes only two components, neither of which is water. Just flour and yogurt!
Circulated widely in international, online, culinary events and everyone is talking about a small miracle.
I test it, enjoyed it and present it to you. At the end I added a few more of rocket leaves, so as to remind us of the colors of the "Tricolore", the Italian flag -as tend Italians to call- and mentally to travel at the home origin. Starting from there, this unique flat bread, which with a little tomato sauce and a little cheese, made an international career!
Yours.

work: 10′

time: 20′

very easy:

Pasta Caprese

Pasta Caprese (from Capri) with pennes in place of the pasta in colors and flavors of Italy, stealing their name from the same title Caprese Salad due to their ingredients.
Pasta, fresh ruddy tomato, mozzarella and basil, flavors, fragrances but colors too in a unique combination, in a rich combination of ingredients and of course absolutely delicious, perfect for pasta lovers!
Try them!

work: 30′

time: 1h:00′

easy:

Octopus Carpaccio

The term Carpaccio refers to an Italian dish, which includes almost transparent thin slices of raw or poorly cooked beef or fish. Consumed seasoned with olive oil, lemon, parmesan flakes, spices and sometimes with white truffle (mushroom).
Also the term Carpaccio is often used to include recipes cooked. This is the case, for example, of Octopus Carpaccio. The recipe involves cooking the octopus before the Carpaccio process of production/cut.
I suggest you try to build and serve a dish of octopus meze, tasty and with interesting visual effect. With our classic snack with octopus in vinegar it will not leave many untouched. A delicious snack …
Yours!

The recipe

Octopus Carpaccio

can be found in the book «Μεζέδες».

wokr: 45′

time: 12h:45′

medium:

Rice Cake

Rice Cake or Torta di Riso in Italian. Cake particularly popular with many variations.
Traditional sweet which belongs to the cuisine of Bologna and its roots go to 17th century, interwoven with folk, religious celebrations and festivals, during which all the houses were open to neighbors and visitors, which greeted and offered this sweet cake. Cut into small pieces in a diamond shape and offered with toothpick.
A cake for all seasons for healthy breakfast or snack.
Yours!

work: 30′

time: 1h:20′

easy:

Focaccia

Focaccia made in just 5 minutes with simple bread dough, with a minimum dry yeast and the process of "sleep bread". That dough "sleeping" for a few hours and then without any kneading enters the oven and baked. The long process of fermentation has resulted in improved flavor.
On top sprinkle fresh, chopped, aromatic rosemary and flower of salt/ Fleur de Sel. Both add extra flavor to Focaccia fluffy to enjoy fresh, warm and fragrant.
Yours!

work: 5′

time: 12h:45′

very easy:

Cuisines of the World

London, a populous and multiethnic capital, is considered a city/state. Global economic giant, where everything is more expensive than in any other city or region of England.
The land, buildings, salaries, wages, supermarket prices, rent, food, entertainment, health, insurance, transportation and many other "dance" at their own pace. The only thing free is Museums. Thus we have the opportunity to enjoy amazing things, what the british empire gathered all these years.
Besides all the above, London is a popular destination and whenever possible I do not lose the opportunity for a trip.
It offers many things to see and do, that your travel days are never enough.
Today's tour will be about dining in various national cuisines, with an emphasis to those of the East!