Tag Archives: Italian recipes
Cooked Twice! Posted by Serena on Jan 23, 2019
Have you ever thought about the word biscuit? “Yes, everyday!” I hear you say … Biscuit were originally cooked in a two stage process: first they were baked, then they were dried out in a slow oven in order to preserve them. From this process comes the French word bescuit, which itself comes from the…
Italian Harvest Focaccia Posted by Serena on Oct 5, 2018
As I’m writing this blog I can hear our neighbour passing by outside with his motocarriola full of grapes. Yes, it’s the season of la vendemmia (the grape harvest). My mind wanders back to when I used to live in Lucca ……. On our way to school we’d stop by the bakers’ to buy some…
Italian Bread And Apple Pudding Posted by Serena on Sep 28, 2017
A delicious Italian pudding made from two very humble ingredients: apples and leftover bread! Perfect for us since we’re still working our way through the bumper crop that our two small apple trees have produced this summer. Here’s the recipe for this simple but very tasty budino di pane e mele: Ingredienti: 50 grammi di…
Italian Style Octopus And Potato Salad Posted by Serena on Aug 7, 2017
Here’s a wonderful summer recipe full of the flavours of the sea, l’insalata di polpo e patate (octopus and potato salad). This classic Italian dish is quite simple and very tasty, but beware: there are some gruesome acts to be committed. I can’t wait to see Geoff’s expression when he reads it! Allora, siete pronti?…
Giallo Zafferano Posted by Serena on Mar 17, 2017
Zafferano (saffron), from the Arabic word zafaran, it’s a spice obtained from the dried stigmas of the Crocus sativus. Originally from Persia and the Near East, it is widely cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region. In Italy it is cultivated mainly in the regions of Abruzzo and Sardegna. The quantity of saffron obtained from each flower…
Home made Italian Limoncello Posted by Serena on Oct 20, 2016
Oh dear, not one of you noticed the lemon! I was expecting a deluge of comments to the tune of “what on earth is a lemon doing amongst a bunch of DIY tools?” And yet there it is dear readers, right in the middle of the photo that appeared in my blog Attrezzi Fai Da…
Rita’s Home Made Nutella Posted by Serena on Sep 23, 2016
In my last post I recounted how my father, un vero gentiluomo all’antica, was given a jar of home made chocolate cream by my friend Rita in return for un baciamano (a kiss on the hand). Today I’m going to give you Rita’s recipe for home made Nutella. Have a go at making it and…