My friend Valérie is gonna be happy! Recipe promised recipe given. The tagliatelle (home) made with chestnut flour, lemon and walnuts are my favorite ones. All these flavors are a perfect match! And Nora (my mother in law) gave me a little of her « not that so much » free time to come at home and prepare them while I was making at pictures. Exactly 290 pictures! rien que ça, I have pictures for almost every steps of the recipe. And pictures of hands most of all, of course. I really like that kind of pictures, it can tell so much about a person.

So Nora arrived on saturday late morning with the Super macchina per la pasta. It’s almost a game to do pasta with it. She setted up the kitchen, I prepared the camera. We were ready! Giacomo was at the swimming pool, and Joséphine was playing around, stealing some pasta when we were not paying too much attention to her.

The trick:

*** 1 egg for 100 g of flour that’s the rule! ***

300 g of chestnuts flour, and 300 g of « classical » BIO flour (farina di grano). So 6 eggs. 4 adults, 2 kids…. We ate a lot!

While making the pasta:

« E mi raccomando, devi dire nel tuo blog che non è tanto difficile di fare la pasta a casa. Le donne di tua età possono farlo! »

Capito???!!

Nora insisted, it is not difficult to do homemade pasta. She precised (and insisted that I write it down) women in the 30′s-4′s are able to do homemade pasta. It is even easier with the super machine

To be honest, yes it is easy to do homemade pasta. Plus with good flour, good products to go with, you will find any other pasta tasteless. It can easily be frozen too. I hope I will have convinced some of you. For my part I have to get The machine too.

As a dessert I prepared a tiramisù, a coffee one, with Marsala. My parents in law were just enthusiast (I prefer fruits tiramisù)

« you have to do it again when the uncles and aunts will come over here »

The sun was here, it was warm. We enjoyed all that on the terrace.

Then my father in law, Pepino, went to see his nephew at horseback riding, Nora has usually did not stop herself and cleaned flowers on the terrace (she always has to keep herself  busy! always)…

Pasta with chestnut flour, walnuts and lemon

servings: 5-6 pers.

• 300 g flour
• 300 g chestnut flour
• 6 eggs
• olive oil
• 1-2 lemons
• 500 ml cream
• 200 g walnuts peeled and crumbled
• Parmesan cheese

Preparation of pasta

1. On a work surface, pour the 2 flours, mix them, and add a little of olive oil.
2. Add eggs. Amalgamate with fingertips.
3. Knead the dough until you get a homogeneous mass.
4. Let stand for half an hour.
5. Cut the dough into several pieces. Shape them to obtain disks (between 10 and 12 pieces).
6. With a rolling pin or pasta machine, roll out dough (1 mm thickness). We must repeat this process several times since the chestnut flour is harder to « compact ». Thatìs mean, when you roll the pasta, fold it back again and roll it again, until the pasta gets more compact!
7. With the machine or dough cutter, cut out strips of dough into tagliatelle (5.6 mm wide).
8. Let dry tagliatelle (one hour)

Prepare cream.

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. In a saucepan, heat cream, without boiling.
3. Peel 1 or 2 lemons (if you grate the skin, one lemon should be enough, the taste is quite powerful. If you peel the lemons we must take 2)
4. Add the zest to the cream and chopped nuts.
5. Put the pasta in boiling water. Cook 5 minutes.
6. Drain the pasta, place in a bowl. Pour cream over. Mix and serve immediately with some grated parmesan

Bon appétit!

Tagliatelles à la farine de chataigne, citron et noix

Pour 5-6 personnes

• 300 g de farine
• 300 g de farine de chataigne
• 6 oeufs
• huile d’olive
• 1-2 citrons
• 500 ml de crème liquide
• 200 g de noix épluchées et réduites en morceaux
• Parmesan

Préparation des pates

1. Sur un plan de travail, verser les 2 farines, les mélanger et y verser un filet d’huile d’olive.
2. Ajouter les oeufs. Amalgamer le tout du bout des doigts.
3. Travailler la pate jusqu’à obtenir une masse bien homogène.
4. Laisser reposer une petite demie heure.
5. Couper la pate en plusieurs morceaux. Les façonner pour obtenir des disques (entre 10 et 12 pièces).
6. Avec un rouleau à patisserie ou une machine à pate, abaisser les disques de pate sur une épaisseur de 1  mm. Il faut répéter cette opération plusieurs fois car la farine de chataigne est plus difficile à se « compacter ». C’est à dire, quand la pate est abaissée, replier la et abaisser la de nouveau jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit bien compacte!
7. Avec la machine à pate ou un couteau, détailler les rubans de pate en tagliatelles (5-6 mm de large).
8. Laisser sécher les tagliatelles (une petite heure)

Préparer la crème

1. Porter une grande casserole d’eau à ébullition.
2. Dans une casserole faites chauffer la crème, sans la porter à ébullition.
3. Lever le zeste de 1 ou 2 citrons (si vous rapez la peau du citron un seul devrait suffir, le gout est assez puissant. Si vous zestez les citrons il faut en mettre 2)
4. Ajouter les zestes à la creme, puis les noix concassées.
5. Mettre les pates dans l’eau bouillante. Les cuire 5 minutes environ.
6. Egoutter les pates, les placer dans un saladier. Verser la creme dessus. Mélanger et servir aussitot avec un peu de parmesan rapé!

Bon appétit!

Tagliatelle con la farina di castagne, noci e limone

Per 5-6 personne

• 300 g di farina di grano
• 300 g di farina di castagne
• 6 uova
• olio d’oliva
• 1-2 limoni
• 500 ml di panna
• 200 g di noci sbucciate e sbriciolate
• parmigiano

Preparazione della pasta

1. Su un pian di lavoro, versare le 2 farine, mischiare e aggiungere un po’ d’olio d’oliva.
2. Aggiungere le uova. Amalgamare con la punta delle dita.
3. Lavorate l’impasto fino a quando ottenete una massa omogenea.
4. Lasciate riposare una mezz’ora.
5. Tagliare la pasta in vari pezzi e lavorateli per ottenere dischi (tra 10 e 12 pezzi).
6. Con un mattarello o la macchina per la pasta, stendete i dischi di pasta su un spessore di 1  mm. Dovete ripetere questo processo più volte visto che la farina di castagne è più difficile da « compattare ». Cioè, quando la pasta è stesa, piegatela di nuovo e stenderla finché sia abbastanza compatta!
7. Tagliare delle strisce di pasta in pasta (5,6 mm) con un coltello o la macchina per pasta.
8. Lasciare asciugare le tagliatelle (un’ora)

Preparare la crema

1. Portate una pentola d’acqua a bollire.
2. In una casseruola, mettete la crema di riscaldare, senza portarla a ebollizione.
3. Sollevare la scorza di 1 o 2 limoni (se grattugiate la pelle, un limone dovrebbe essere sufficiente, il sapore è abbastanza potente. Se togliete la buccia dei limoni dovete farne 2)
4. Aggiungere la scorza alla crema e i noci tritati.
5. Mettete la pasta in acqua bollente. Cuocere 5 minuti.
6. Scolare la pasta, mettere in una ciotola. Versare la crema sopra. Mescolare e servire subito con un po’ di parmigiano grattugiato.

Buon appetito!

It was a long time since last time, isn’t it??

First my best wishes to all of you. Thank you so much for wishes and comments that some of you left me. I was very honored!

What happened since last post…: a LOT of macarons. Then we spent Christmas in France. Our trip got complicated with the snow. The day we left it snowed 30 cm! We arrived safely at home at 6.30 pm instead of 10 am. The kids were amazingly quite. Hopefully.

I enjoyed the snow with Jack and we did a really huge snow man (taller than Giacomo, bigger than me). We came back to Roma to enjoy New Year’s eve in familly, with some delicious pasta di castagne con limone e noci (chestnut pasta with lemon and walnuts, my favorite!), ravioli di pesce (ravioli with fish), saltimbocca di pesce e scampi (fish and shrimps saltimbocca with a hazelnuts sauce), lentils (the tradition, it says that you will be rich for the next year..boh!), nougat and pandoro for dessert. What a menu! the next recipe is so simple with regards to the previous ones.

Thank you again for your support and happy new year!

Butternut gnocchi

• 1 kg butternut (or about 400 g of cooked butternut)
• 220 g flour
• 1 egg yolk
• 30 g parmesan grated
• 80 g salted butter
• A few fresh sage leaves
• Some hazelnuts

1. Prepare Butternut: Remove skin and seeds. Cut the butternut squash into cubes of 2-3cm.
2. Bake at 180 ° C for 40-45 min
3. Press the flesh of butternut squash puree in the masher.
4. In a bowl add mashed butternut squash, egg yolk, grated parmesan and flour.
5. Mix until a smooth paste, malleable. Add flour if the dough is too sticky (it should not be dry either)
6. Leave apart the dough to room temperature for one half hour.
7. Cut the dough into 4. On a lightly floured surface roll each piece into a roll of 2-3 cm in diameter. Cut lengths of 3-4 cm long.
8. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Deep in the gnocchi.
9. The gnocchi are cooked when they float to the surface. Retrieve them with a skimmer.
10. In a small saucepan over low heat melt butter with sage leaves.
11. Serve the gnocchi with melted butter, a little grated parmesan cheese and hazelnuts in small pieces.

Gnocchi de butternut

• 1 k g de butternut (soit 400 g environ de chair de butternut cuite)
• 220 g de farine
• 1 jaune d’oeuf
• 30 g de parmesan
• 80 g de beurre demi sel
• Quelques feuilles de sauge fraiches
• Quelques noisettes

1. Préparer la butternut: enlever la peau et les pépins. Couper la butternut en cubes de 2-3 cm.
2. Enfourner à 180°C pour 40-45 mn
3. Passer la chair de butternut dans le presse purée.
4. Dans un saladier ajouter la purée de butternut, le jaune d’oeuf, la parmesan rapé et la farine.
5. Mélanger jusqu’à obtenir une pate homogène, maléable. Ajouter de la farine si la pate reste trop collante (elle ne doit pas etre sèche non plus).
6. Laisser reposer la pate à température ambiante pendant une petite demie heure.
7. Couper la pate en 4. Sur un plan de travail fariné. Rouler chaque morceau en rouleau de 2-3 cm de diamètre. Couper des tronçons de 3-4 cm de long.
8. Dans une grande casserole, amener de l’eau à ébullition. Y plonger les gnocchi.
9. Les gnocchi sont cuits lorsqu’ils remontent à la surface. Les récupérer avec un écumoire.
10. Dans une petite casserole faire fondre sur feu doux le beurre avec les feuilles de sauge.
11. Servir les gnocchi avec le beurre fondu, un peu de parmesan rapé et les noisettes réduites en miettes.

Gnocchi di butternut (zucca)

• 1 kg di butternut (o circa 400 g di carne cotta di butternut)
• 220 g di farina
• 1 tuorlo
• 30 g di parmigiano grattugiato
• 80 g di burro salato
• Alcune foglie di salvia
• Alcune nocciole

1. Preparare la butternut: Togliere la pelle e semi. Tagliare la zucca a cubetti di 2-3 cm.
2. Cuocere in forno a 180 ° C per 40-45 min.
3. Passare la zucca cotta nel passaverdure.
4. In una ciotola aggiungere purea di zucca, i tuorli, il parmigiano grattugiato e la farina.
5. Mescolare fino a ottenere una pasta liscia e malleabile. Aggiungere un po’ di farina se l’impasto è troppo appiccicoso (non dovrebbe essere asciutta)
6. Lasciare la pasta a temperatura ambiente per mezz’ora.
7. Tagliare la pasta in 4. Su una superficie leggermente infarinata arrotolare ogni pezzo in un rotolo di 2-3 cm di diametro. Tagliare dei pezzetti di 3-4 cm di lunghezza.
8. In una grande casseruola, portare l’acqua a ebollizione. Tuffare gli gnocchi.
9. Gli gnocchi sono cotti quando vengono a galla. Recuperare con una schiumarola.
10. In una piccola casseruola a fuoco basso sciogliere il burro con le foglie di salvia.
11. Servite gli gnocchi con il burro fuso, un po’ di parmigiano grattugiato e le nocciole a pezzetti.

The weather is getting really hot here, I don’t know how it is for you, but I am getting scared of the next weeks to come, specially for Joséphine, you never know when a baby is thirsty. She is becoming more and more « mammone » as italians are saying, that means that she always wants her mum, be in the arms…all time. Right now she is doing lot of noises, bubbling, trying to catch up my attention and I soon as I look at her she stops and smiles (just so cute!)…Her brother was like that but she is on the way to beat up the score.

I already mentioned that beside growing up 2 kids, we are growing up sage on the terrace . The plants found their place and  keep expand! I can not see the end… After many many sage shortbreads, A. desperately came with the idea of sage pesto. I tried once pesto of coriander with almonds too. It goes perfectly with fishes.

This time almonds just tone down the strong taste of sage. You can use it in different dish like with chicken, pasta, bruschette, filet mignon….

Talking about sage and coriander, did you know that coriander helps breast milk production whereas sage decreases it!

Sage pesto

• 100 g almonds
• 40 g sage leaves
• 60 g parmesan cheese
• Olive oil

1. In a pan roast the almonds
2. Wash and tail the sage.
3. Grate the parmesan cheese
4. In the blender, mix almonds, sage leaves and parmesan cheese together at maximum speed and stopping from time to time to avoid the sage warming up.
5. When the mixture starts to get sandy add the olive oil still mixing until the mixture gets more liquid.

You can store the pesto in the fridge covering it with some oil.

Pesto de sauge

• 100 g amandes entières
• 40 g feuilles de sauge
• 60 g Parmesan
• huile d’olive

1. Dans une poele griller légèrement les amandes.
2. Laver et équeuter les feuilles de sauge.
3. Raper le parmesan.
4. Dans la cuve du mixeur (ou robot) mixer les amandes, feuilles de sauge et parmesan ensemble. Arreter de mixer de temps à autre pour éviter que le pesto ne commence à chauffer.
5. Quand la mixture commence à etre sableuse, ajouter de l’huile d’olive jusqu’à ce qu’elle prenne une consistance un peu plus liquide.

Vous pouvez conserver le pesto au frigo en le recouvrant d’huile d’olive.

Pesto di salvia

• 100 g mandorle intere
• 40 g foglie di salvia
• 60 g Parmiggiano grattugiato
• olio d’oliva

1. In una padella tostare le mandorle.
2. Pulire e depicciolare le foglie di salvia.
3. Col frullatore, tritare le mandorle, salvia e parmiggiano insieme. Smettere di frullare ogni tanto che il misto no si riscalde.
4. Quando il misto ha l’aspetto di sabbia, aggiungere l’olio finche l’impasto ha una consistenza un o’ più liquida.

E possibile tenere il pesto  nel frigo coprendolo con un po’ d’olio d’oliva.

Sometimes I buy « new » things even without knowing what I am gonna do with them as coral lentil. I put them in the closet and forget them until I put some order or remember them from a recipe I am reading. That’s how I discovered that I had almost all the ingredients to do a dahl, a dense soup of coral lentil with spices (curcuma, ginger, coriander and cumin).

I did a first try last week and was quite enthusiast about the result, although I was missing some ingredients, like fresh coriander and mustard seeds. For these last one I remember seeing them at the market Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. This market is a magic kingdom. You can find all the spices you want. You have to know that in the supermarkets here in Italia it is really difficult to find some aromatic plants like fresh coriander, aneth, powder of coriander or cumin… so I do not even say for the raz el hanout, garam massala… For a while I asked my mother to bring it back from France. So when I heard about that market I went and was just amazed, it is like entering in the souk. It is full of smell (specially fresh coriander), colors, voices!

Now that I had all the ingredients, I prepared it again today and enjoyed it in company of my friend N. I shot the pictures in te morning for the preparation and though about the ones I could do for the plate once cooked. « I need your hands! » I told her when she arrived:

It was 5 weeks we did not see each other, she enjoyed the company of Jack and talked talked talked.

Dahl – Indian lentil

2-3 servings

• 200 g coral lentil
• 1 onion
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 1 teasp. turmeric
• 1 teasp. cumin
• 1 teasp. coriander
• 1 teasp. ginger
• 1 teasp. mustard seeds
• 600 ml water
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• fresh coriander

1. Chop the onion and brown it in a pot with 2-3 tbsp.of olive oil
2. Add the turmeric and lentil. Brown for 2 minutes. Add the water, salt and peper. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
3. In a smaller pot pour 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. Add cumin, ginger, coriander, mustard seeds and tomatoes cuted in dices. Brown for2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes+spices to the lentil et let it cok until the mix thicken.
5. Serve with sniped fresh coriander.

This meal is suitable for vegetarian, but you can also complete it with some grilled bacon.

Lentilles corail à l’indienne

2-3 personnes

• 200 g de lentilles corail
• 1 oignon
• 1 dizaine de tomates cerises
• 1 c.à café de curcuma
• 1 c.à café de cumin
• 1 c.à café de coriandre
• 1 c.à café de gingembre
• 1 c.à café de graines de moutarde
• 600 ml d’eau
• huile d’olive
• sel et poivre du moulin
• coriandre fraiche

1. Emincer l’oignon et le faire revenir dans un fait tout dans 2-3 c. à s. d’huile d’olive.
2. Ajouter le curcuma et les lentilles. Faire revenir pendant 2 minutes. Ajouter l’eau. Saler et poivrer. Couvrir et laisser cuire une dizaine de minutes.
3. Dans une petite casserole,  verser 2-3 c. à s. d’huile d’olive.  Ajouter le cumin, gingembre, coriandre, les graines de moutarde de les tomates coupées en 2. Faire revenir 2 minutes.
4. Ajouter le mélange épices+tomates aux lentilles et prolonger la cuisson jusqu’à ce que le mélange épaississe.
5. Servir avec de la coriandre fraiche ciselée.

C’est un plat qui convient parfaitement pour les végétariens, mais qui peut etre servi avec des petits lardons ou du bacon grillés.

Lenticchie rosse all’indiana

2-3 persone

• 200 g lenticchie rosse
• 1 cipolle
• 1 decina di pomodori pacchi
• 1 cucchiaino curcuma
• 1 cucchiaino cumino
• 1 cucchiaino coriandolo
• 1 cucchiaino zenzero
• 1 cucchiaino semi di mostarda
• 600 ml acqua
• olio d’oliva
• sale e pepe
• coriandolo fresco

1. Tagliare una cipolla a fettine e fare soffriggere 2-3 cucchiai d’olio.
2. Aggiungere il curcuma e le lenticchie. Fare soffriggere per circa 2 minuti.  Aggiungere l’acqua, sale e pepe. Coprire e cuocere per 10 minuti.
3. In una piccola pentola, versare 2-3 cucchiai d’olio.  Aggiungere il cumino,zenzero, coriandolo, semi di mostarda e i pomodori tagliate a metà. Fare soffriggere per circa 2 minuti.
4. Aggiungere il misto pomodori+spezie alle lenticchie e cuocere finché il misto sia più denso.
5. Servire con il coriandolo fresco.

E un piatto ideale per i vegetariani ma può completarsi con pezzi di pancetta fritta o bacon.

Risotto al salmone affumicato e rucola

Enjoying the city under the sun and going around all day ended couple of times to forget to do the groceries. Results: your fridge is quite empty and you have 2 men to feed. That can be quite a deal specially when you have to compose with couple of ingredients in the rush under the eyes of a little boy with a powerfull voice and big lachrymal glands!

However I guessed that the combination of smoked salmon and arugola would be good together, but actually it turned out to be excellent. Salmon perfume the rice while arugola bring a fresh and little spicy touch to the dish. Arugola is just a great ingredient in the risotto, it helps it to be more digest. I already knew it from the green risotto (that I still have to post, there is just the kids version for now), but I appreciated again here.

English table

(2-3 servings)

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 chopped shallot
• 160 g rice arborio
• 1 bunch of arugola (150 to 200 g)
• 160 ml white wine
• 30 g Parmesan
• 180 g smoked salmon
• 2 tbsp fresh liquid cream
• 20 g butter
• 1 liter hot vegetable broth

1. In a pot brown the shallot in the olive oil.
2. Add the rice and let it brown for 2-3 minutes. Mix
3. Pour the wine, let it absorbed while mixing
4. Add a ladle of the vegetable broth, let it absorbed by the rice while mixing
5. Repeat the last opertaion until the rice is cooked (around 15-20 mns)
6. Add the butter, cream and parmesan. Mix
7. Slice the salmon and the arugola. Add it to the rice and mix before serving immediately

A la table française

(2-3 pers.)

• 3 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive
• 2 échalotes émincées
• 160 g de riz arborio
• 1 bouquet de roquette (150 à 200 g)
• 160 ml de vin blanc sec
• 30 g de parmesan rapé
• 180 g de saumon fumé
• 2 c. à soupe de crème fraiche liquide
• 20 g de beurre
• 1 litre de bouillon de légumes bien chaud

1. Dans une casserole faire revenir les échalotes
2. Ajouter le riz et le laisser dorer 2-3 minutes tout en remuant
3. Verser le vin et remuer jusqu’à son absorption
4. Verser une louche de bouillon et remuer jusqu’à son absorption.
5. Répéter cette dernière opération jusqu’à ce que le riz soit cuit (environ 15-20 mns)
6. Ajouter le beurre, le parmesan et la crème. Remuer
7. Ajouter finalement le saumon et la roquette ciselée. Remuer et servir aussitot.

La tavola italiana

(2-3 pers.)

3 cucchiai olio d’oliva

2 scalogni affettati sottilmente

160 g riso arborio

1 mazzetto rucola (150 à 200 g)

160 ml vino bianco secco

30 g parmigiano grattugiatto

180 g  salmone affumicato

2 cucchiai panna liquida

20 g burro

1 litre brodo vegetale caldo

1. In una pentola dorare i scalogni
2. Aggiungere il riso, mischiare e lasciarlo dorare per 2-3 minuti
3. Versare il vino, mischiare fino a quando sia assorbito
4. Versare un  mestolo di brodo. Mischiare fino a quando sia assorbito.
5. Ripetere l’ultima operazione fino a quando il riso sia cotto (circa 15-20 mns)
6. Aggiungere il burro, parmigiano e panna. Mischiare bene.
7. Aggiungere il salmone e la rucola tagliati a pezzettini. Mischiare bene e servire immediatamente.