Summer days are here, and this year I am having lot of fun dressing up Joséphine. Aren’t girls clothes lovely??!! She does not like to wear hat, but we are working on it. She loves climbing everywhere, on and with everything, what is scaring me a lot. She goes on the slide by herself, and slides head in front. My mother often tells stories about me when I was a child, like I am doing now. Among them there is one I am thinking about when I look at my girl. My mother once bought a baby carriage (for dolls) for me when I was 3-4 yrs old, and I liked to go around with it. She was so happy… But she was always wondering why it was bending on a side. So one day a neighbor told her « but you never saw what she is doing with it???!!!, she (me!) is using it to climb in the trees! »

But let’s come back to the recipe, butternut squash chips….

How did I arrived to do that?

I did a mix of french  fries once with potatoes and butternut (in the oven: easy and healthier than the traditional ones). Some got a little bit more oil and were … delicious… why not trying to do chips with it? The butternut squash if soft, mellow, tasteful! So I tried, and we all loved it. It keeps its taste. The butternut season is on its end, but if you manage to find one (*), get it, try this recipe and let me know. They will have their little success for bbq, pic nic… believe me!

(*)Per i cittadini di Roma: andate all’Agricoltura Nuova sulla pontina. Vado sempre qua adesso per comprare le verdure & frutta, hanno dei prodotti meravigliosi… C’è anche la possibilità di fare bbq il week end

E per quelli che non possono andare c’è la possibilita d’avere la frutta e verdura consegnate a casa!

Butternut squash chips

• Butternut squash
• Oil (olive oil or others)
• salt

1. Wash the squash. Peel the skin and remove seeds.
2. Cut the flesh with a mandolin.
3. Heat oil in a pan (wok).
4. Dip the slices of squash in the oil, remove them as soon as they start to brown and place on absorbent paper.
5. Add salt and enjoy!

Chips de courge butternut

• Courges butternut
• Huile (olive, friture…)
• Sel

1. Laver la/les courges. Lever la peau et retirer les graines.
2. Couper la chair à l’aide d’une mandoline.
3. Faire chauffer l’huile fans une poele de type wok.
4. Plonger les lamelles de courge dans l’huile, les retirer dès qu’elles commencent à brunir et les poser sur du papier absorbant.
5. Saler et déguster!

Chips di butternut

• Zucca tipo Butternut
• Oil (olio d’oliva, o altre …)
• Sale

1. Lavare la zucca. Sbucciare la pelle e togliere i semi.
2. Tagliate la polpa con un mandolino.
3. Scaldare l’olio in una padella (o wok).
4. Immergere le fette di zucca in olio, rimuoverli non appena cominciano a marrone e metterle su la carta assorbente.
5. Aggiungere il sale e buon divertimento!

I do not know if this is your case, but I like to read back old issues of cooking magazines. For example I am subscribed to Elle à Table, and I always return to the copies of the same month of previous year (Sept-Oct 2009 and 2008). It allows me to rediscover « forgotten » recipes.

So this summer I found among many others THE Recipe of THE summer. At first glance I thought it was a a simple and fresh recipe, perfect for a buffet (or even a picnic if it organized relatively well). Recipe with basil, sweet peppers and mozzarella di buffala. So without « large » claim. I served it the first time for friends at lunch. AND … we stayed without words, just eating and serving ourselves again. The same evening I had to make it try to the centurion, A.. Our friends G. and S. should also spend the evening with us and had the task of bringing the basil and mozzarella, 2 of 3 key elements. It’s as if Roma was in shortage of this aromatic plant, no way to find. We ended up bribing the neighbors, macaron for their remaining basil. G. which is The Bon Vivant,  has forgotten its traditional pasta and S. said, « when Laure-Sophis asks you to bring basil, basil you bring! ». The centurion was sorry for him not having recovered the terrace of basil (only sage this year) and was looking forward to presenting the recipe to his parents that we meet the next day.

Rebelotte (again!) therefore the challenge, the parents in law whose Nora, one of the best chefs in Rome, if not Italy. Well there it was every man for himself, a duel on the table for the last piece. Imagine the scene (worthy of Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone), the 4 of us around the table, Nora had saved for the next day few crostini and stood firmly on her plate. The centurion, Peppino and I currently eyeing the last crostino. Peppino usually saves the last part from the claws of the centurion and gives it to me. Well…there …. no! his arm slowly stretches, his hand opens and as fast as a chameleon and a fly in front swallowed the last piece.

That if after all that you do not run you to obtain the best mozzarella di Buffala, very fresh basil and peppers … you could regret it!

Crostini (toasted bread) with buffalo mozzarella, sweet peppers and basil sauce

• 5-6 big slices of bread
• 3 red sweet peppers
• 1-2 mozzarella buffala
• 1 bunch basil (about 40 g of leaves)
• 1 red onion
• 1 clove garlic
• olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. The night before prepare the peppers: Wash peppers and roast in oven (180-200 ° C) until the skin begins to blacken. Store in a sealed plastic bag overnight (trick to peel them easily).
2. The next day remove the skin from peppers. Remove the seeds and place on paper towels. If you still have a little time to put them in a colander that they lose their juice to allow less bitterness.
3. Wash basil leaves and drain.
4. In a blender, add the basil leaves, onion and garlic. While mixing  pour olive oil  until the mixture starts to become liquid (but not too much). Add salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated.
5. Cut the mozzarella into slices (1 cm).
6. In a pan fry the slices of bread cut into 2 until they are golden.
7. Serve with a layer of sauce of basil, a slice of red sweet pepper, a slice of mozzarella and a little basil sauce.

Crostini de mozzarella di bufala, poivrons et sauce basilic

• 5-6 gandes tranches de pain
• 3 poivrons rouges
• 1-2 mozzarella di buffala
• 1 bouquet de basilic (40 g environ de feuilles)
• 1 oignon rouge
• 1 gousse d’ail
• huile d’olive
• sel et poivre

1. La veille au soir préparer les poivrons: laver les poivrons et les faire griller au four (180-200°C) jusqu’à ce que la peau commence à noircir. Les conserver dans un sachet plastique fermé jusqu’au lendemain (astuce qui permet de les éplucher plus facilement).
2. Le lendemain lever la peau des poivrons. Les évider et les mettre sur du papier absorbant. Si vous disposez encore d’un peu de temps les mettre dans une passoire pour qu’ils perdent leur jus ce qui permet d’enlever leur amertume.
3. Laver les feuilles de basilic et les égoutter.
4. Dans le bol d’un mixeur, ajouter les feuilles de basilic, l’oignon et l’ail. Mixer puis tout en mixant verser de l’huile d’olive dans le mixeur jusqu’à ce que le mélange commence à devenir liquide (mais pas trop). Saler et poivrer. Réserver au frais.
5. Couper la mozzarella en tranches (1 cm)
6. Dans une poelle faites revenir les tranches de pain coupées en 2 jusqu’à ce qu’elles soient dorées.
7. Servir en disposant une couche de sauce à base de basilic, une tranche de poivron rouge, une tranche de mozzarella et un peu de sauce.

Crostini mozzarella di bufala, peperoni e salsa al basilico

• 5-6 fette di pane
• 3 peperoni rossi
• 1-2 mozzarella di buffala
• 1 mazzetto di basilico (circa 40 g di foglie)
• 1 cipolla rossa
• 1 spicchio d’aglio
• olio d’oliva
• Sale e pepe

1. La notte prima preparare i peperoni: Lavare i peperoni e arrostirle in forno (180-200 ° C) fino a quando la pelle comincia ad annerire. Conservare in un sacchetto di plastica sigillato durante la notte (trucco per sbucciarle facilmente).
2. Il giorno dopo, togliere la pelle dai peperoni, i semi e metterli su carta assorbente. Se avete ancora un po’ di tempo per metterli in un colino  cosi perdono il loro succo e  rimuove la loro amarezza.
3. Lavare le foglie di basilico e seccarle.
4. In un frullatore, aggiungere le foglie di basilico, cipolla e aglio. Mentre frullate versare l’olio d’oliva nel frullatore fino a quando il composto comincia a diventare liquido (ma non troppo). Aggiungere sale e pepe. Conservare in frigo.
5. Tagliate la mozzarella a fettine (1 cm).
6. In una padella soffriggere le fettine di pane tagliato in due fino a quando saranno dorate.
7. Servire con uno strato di salsa a base di basilico, una fetta di peperone rosso, una fetta di mozzarella e un po’ di salsa.

We are slowly setting up the terrace with flowers and aromatic herbs. Since last year I desperately tried to grow up some sage but it turned out that it was always dying even after all possible cares. Except this year! Now that it is all alone (could it be the answer??!) we have TONS of sage. For appetizer I fried it with salted butter, excellent. But I still can not see the end of that!

After browsing on the blog of Ciboulette I found out that recipe of shortbread with sage. I copied it and added more butter but less sugar. These biscuits are just ideal as appetizer or even snack, barely sweet and they could easily go with some goat cheese or some marmelade.

Sage shortbreads

for around 20 shortbreads:

• 260 g flour
• 180 g softened salted butter
• 10 g fresh sage
• 50 g sugar

1. Slice the sage
2. Mix the flour, sugar and sage .
3. Incorporate the butter. Mix rapidly and not too much.
4. When the pasta is ready shape it into a sausage of 4 cm diameter.
5. Put it in the fridge for 2 hours at least
6. After 2 hours, warm up the oven at 170°C
7. Slice the pasta in disc of 1 cm width. Dispose them on parchment paper.
8. Put in the oven for about 12-15 mns (biscuits should be soft in the middle)

Sablés à la sauge

Pour une vingtaine de sablés:

• 260 g de farine
• 180 g de beurre demi sel mou
• 10 g de sauge fraiche
• 50 g de sucre

1. Dans un bol mélanger la farine, le sucre et la sauge hachée
2. Ajouter le beurre et malaxer du bout des doigts
3. Former un boudin avec la pate et la laisser reposer au frais pendant 1 à 2 heures
4. Préchauffer le four à 170°C
5. Couper le boudin de pâte en tronçons de 1 cm de large et disposer les disques sur du papier cuisson.
6. Enfourner pour 12-15 mns (les sablés doivent rester tendres au centre)

Salvia shortbread

Per una ventinaia di biscotti:

• 260 g farina
• 180 g burro salato morbido
• 10 g salvia fresca
• 50 g zucchero

1. Mischiare la farina, lo zucchero e la salvia tagliata a pezzetini insieme
2. Aggiungere il burro. Mischiare velocemente e non troppo finché ottenere una pasta.
3. Lavorare la pasta in un rotolino di 4-5 cm di diametro. Tenere nel frigo per circa 2 ore
4. Dopo questo tempo, accendere il forno a 170°C.
5. Tagliare il rotolino in dischi di1 cm di spessore. Mettere i dischi di pasta sulla carta di forno.
6. Mettere al forno per circa 12-15 minuti (i biscotti devono rimanere morbidi al centro).

Apéritif maison et Bonnes fetes!

Pas de photos et donc de plat autour du chocolat, pas de verres remplis de champagne (pas encore), pas de saumon, caviar et foie gras… Après une semaine autour des macarons, le rush aux cadeaux de noel et d’anniversaire, la liste des courses et les courses (c’est pas rien!), les visites familliales, la seule chose que j’ai eu le temps de faire (et surtout envie de faire) c’est la pate feuilletée maison.

Conclusion : très simple et tellement bon. Non ça ne prend pas autant de temps que ça, il faut juste consacrer 6 fois 10 minutes le temps de faire les tours. 2 heures de repos entre chaque tour minimum (le temps d’une course par exemple). Et le résultat est divin, gonflant, craquant, fondant en bouche, et on sent le gout du beurre. Personnellement j’ai suivi la recette de Pierre Hermé et sans regret. Un autre avantage c’est qu’on peut congeler la pate.

Simples mais terriblement bons, vous pourrez utiliser les chutes de pate feuilletée pour en faire des petits apéritifs.

Et j’en profite pour vous souhaiter de très bonnes fetes de Noel! Et un très joyeux anniversaire Manoue!!

Buone feste!

Merry Christmas!

La table française

• Pate feuilletée
• Emmental
• Pecorino
• Pesto
• Poivre
• Graines de pavot

1. Préchauffer le four à 180°C
2. Découper la pate feuilletée en lamelles rectangulaires de 1*10 cm et les répartir sur du papier sulfurisé
3. Raper individuellement les fromages.
4. Parsemer les allumettes soit d’emmental et de poivre du moulin, ou de graines de pavot, ou les badigeonner de pesto puis parsemer de pecorino. Libre choix à votre imagination et gouts!
5. Enfourner pour 10-15 minutes (jusqu’à ce que les allumettes soient dorées)

La tavola Italiana

• Pasta sfogliata
• Emmental
• Pecorino
• Pesto
• Pepe
• Seme di papvero

1. Accendere il forno a 180°C
2. Tagliare in rettangoli di 1*10 cm la pasta sfogliata. Distribuire sulla carta di forno
3. Grattugiare i formaggi (non insieme)
4. Coprire la pasta con pepe e emmental, o seme di papavero o pesto e pecorino.
5. Infornare per circa 10-15 minuti finché la pasta sia dorata

English table

• Puff pastry
• Emmental
• Pecorino cheese
• Pesto
• Pepper
• Poppy seeds

1. Warm up the oven at 180°C
2. Cut the puff pastry in rectangular slices of 1*10 cm.  Share out the slices on the plate for the oven.
3. Individually grate the cheeses.
4. Sprinkle the slices of puff pastry with emmental and pepper, or poppy seeds or brush them with pesto before sprinkling with grated pecorino.
5. Put in the oven for about 10-15 mns (until the puff pastry gets brown)