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meat, fish & sides

veal meatballs

3/10/2020

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Next recipe for the #iomifermo series. The great thing about these polpette is that you can cook them in so many different ways: sautéed with a drop of olive oil, in tomato sauce, or in tomato sauce to them mix them with pasta—the more options the better! ​
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Makes a lot of polpette. If you want to freeze them, I suggest rolling them out first! 

Ingredients 

1 bunch of parsley
300g raw minced veal 
3 tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano
100g of mortadella 
1 onion, sautéed in olive oil until golden 
salt
pepper
1 egg
2 slices of pre-sliced bread, soaked in milk and squeezed 
breadcrumbs or instant mashed potato flakes (optional) 

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender, blend until a smooth paste forms. If the mix is too wet, add enough tablespoons of breadcrumbs or mashed potato flakes until it is of a more solid consistency. 
2. Taste and adjust salt and pepper accordingly. 
3. Wet your hands slightly and roll out the meatballs, making sure they're more or less of the same size (this will help in the cooking process). 
4. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a non stick pan and place them in it. Toss them around every minute, until they are brown all around. The less you cook them the softer they'll be. If you want to make them with tomato sauce, do the same process and pour in the passata or sauce once they've browned all around. 
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Mom's ratatouille

2/22/2020

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This easy-peasy ratatouille is so delicious you can eat it in a thousand different ways—and use it as a sauce for pasta too! 
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Ingredients

2 courgettes 
1 onion
1 aubergine 
2 red peppers 
5 ripe tomatoes (medium size, more if you want to use small ones)
olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions

1. Wash all the vegetables and cut them into small dices (about 1cm) and place them in separate bowls. 
2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and sautée the courgettes and onion in it until they are fully cooked. 
3. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
4. Repeat the same process for all the vegetables, separately and without the onion. 
5. Once they have all been cooked place them together in the pan, mix well and let them cook for a few more minutes. 
6. Garnish with basil and serve. 
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Roast Potatoes

6/16/2019

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I'll always cherish the memory of going to dinner to my Grandparent's house every Sunday for dinner and whenever they would ask me in advance what I wanted to eat, I always answered "polpette and roast potatoes". I'm a huge fan of potatoes in any shape or form and roasting them is one of the best ways to eat them in my opinion. 
Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients 

3 large potatoes 
rosemary 
olive oil
rock salt 
pepper 
2 garlic cloves 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. 
2. Wash and peel potatoes, cut them into small dices, about 1cm wide. 
3. Place them in an over tray and add olive oil, rock salt, rosemary, pepper and two crushed garlic cloves. 
4. Using your hands, mix the potatoes well so that they're completely coated. 
5. Roast for 1 hour / 1 hour and 30 minutes, until they reach the desired crispness. 

Bon apetit! ​​
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Roasted Bell Peppers with Feta

6/16/2019

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Tis the season for backyard barbecues with friends, and these grilled bell peppers are the best and simplest veggies to make to have with sausages, steaks or ribs. ​​
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Serves 8 

Ingredients 

3 bell peppers (any colour)
250g Greek feta 
50g pine nuts 
olive oil
salt & pepper 

Directions 

1. Wash and cut into six slices the peppers.
2. Crumble the feta and spread evenly on the peppers. 
3. Do the same with the pine nuts.
4. Place the topped peppers on a tray and cover evenly with olive oil, salt and pepper. 
5. When the barbecue is heated enough, place the peppers on it and grill them till they are almost black on the bottom. 
Or when the oven reaches 180 degrees place them in and cook until they are soft when poked with a fork. ​​

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Calamari Ripieni (stuffed squid)

7/21/2018

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A delicious dish and the ultimate crowd pleaser! The prep takes a bit but the cooking is super simple, allowing you to prepare other dishes on the side. 
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Serves 2

Ingredients 

2 whole squids (cleaned)
70g of stale bread (roughly 2 slices)
1 egg 
milk for the bread 
2 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano
2 cans of passata 
chilli flakes 
1 garlic clove 
parsley 
olive oil

Directions

1. Place the stale bread in a bowl and cover it with milk, leaving it to rest for 30 minutes so that it softens. 
2. Remove the tentacles from the main body and sauté them in the pan with some olive oil for a few minutes. Cut them into small dices and place them in a bowl. 
3. Squeeze the bread so all the excess milk is released and place the bread in the bowl with the tentacles. Add the whole egg, the Parmigiano, the diced garlic clove and the diced parsley. Mix everything to form a thick paste, add salt and pepper. 
4. Fill each squid with the mix, making sure to not over-fill them, as it will come out during the cooking. Close the ends of the squids with toothpicks. 
5. In a large and deep pan place some olive oil, garlic and sauté. After a few minutes pour in the two cans of passata and a few chilli flakes. 
6. After 5 minutes place the squids carefully in the pan. Cook for 35 minutes, turning them both every 5 minutes. If the passata dries up, add a bit of water. 
7. Cut into slices (as shown in the picture) and serve. 

Original recipe from Cucchiaio d'Argento 
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Fish Tacos

2/11/2018

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My latest obsession has become tacos. I eat them with pork, beef and veggies, but my favourite way of filling them is with this fish. Just add a tortilla, some fresh guacamole, sour cream and caramelised onions and voilà, heaven in a taco. 
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Makes 3 tacos 

Ingredients 

1 lime 
1 packet of cod (skinless if they sell it) 
1 packet of haddock (same as above)
1 bunch of fresh parsley 
1 handful of cherry tomatoes 
salt 
pepper
olive oil 
small bunch of coriander (optional) 

Directions 

1. Open the packet of cod and sprinkle over each fillet some pepper and grate half of the lime's zest. Do the same for the haddock. 
2. Place a drop of olive oil in a non stick pan on high heat. Add the first fish fillet and cook on both sides for a couple of minutes. Remove the fillet from the pan and place it in a big bowl. Place the second fillet in the pan and do the same, placing it in the same bowl after it is cooked. Repeat for all fish. 
3. Once all the fish has been cooked, break it apart in the bowl using a spoon. Wash and dice the cherry tomatoes, and add them to the fish, Squeeze the lime over the fish and mix well. 
4. Wash the parsley and coriander and place them into a tall glass. Using a pair of scissors cut down the herbs. Alternatively, you can do so on a chopping board. Add to the fish. 
5. Mix everything together, taste to see if it needs more seasoning. Heat again in the pan just before eating. 

Enjoy! 

​Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver 'Mexican Fish Tacos' 

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Gyoza

1/7/2018

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​Hidden somewhere at home I have a bucket list I created years ago in which one of the things I wanted to do was eat Gyoza and nothing else for a whole week. I’ve yet to tick this off but hope to do so one day. They’re one of my favourite comfort foods, which require a bit of time to make but are worth the effort. 
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Makes enough for 4 people
 
For the dough 
1/5 litre boiling water
200g Plain flour 00

For the filling 
400g mince pork
2 chives
Chinese lettuce 1 bunch
1 garlic clove
soy sauce
1 egg 
sesame oil 
1 teaspoon grated ginger 
cornstarch  
1 leek

To serve 
soy sauce
sesame seeds
 
Directions 

1. Place the flour onto a wooden board and pour the water very gradually on top, a very small amount each time. Start kneading, adding more water if necessary until you have a smooth, springy ball of dough. Compared to fresh pasta, this dough needs to be kneaded for much less time. You don't need to use up all the water, but better have more ready than having to boil more! 
2. Place the ball of dough under a bowl and let it rest for 30 mins. 
3. In the meantime, clean the chives and chop them roughly. Do the same with the lettuce and leek. Place both in a food processor with the pork mince, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, chopped garlic and egg yolk.
4. Blend till well combined and place mix into a bowl. Add cornstarch and mix well. 
5. Once the required time has passed, remove the dough and place on the wooden board with some flour, cut the dough into smaller pieces and roll them into small balls. 
6. Roll each ball out individually using a rolling pin, until they're 2 or 3 mm thick. 
7. Using a teaspoon take the meat mix and place it in the middle of the circle of dough. Dip your finger in a bowl of water and wipe it on one side of the dumpling (this will allow for the dough to stick better together). Fold the dumpling in half and crease the edges to create the pattern seen in the picture. Start from the middle and fold down each side. 
8. Roll out the rest of the dough, fill it and fold it.
9. Place a wok or large frying pan on high heat with the sunflower oil. When the oil is about to spit place up to four dumplings in the pan and let them crisp on one side.
10. You can now pour in water to almost cover them completely. Cover with a lid and let them steam until they are cooked through—I suggest tasting one before you remove them all.
11. Serve with soy sauce. 

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Creamed Cod With Crunchy Bread

11/10/2017

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I tried this recipe last year out of sheer curiosity, I've always been fascinated by fish and meat dishes, and the result was extremely satisfying. A great starter or aperitivo food, which can be also served cold. ​
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Serves 6/8 people 

Ingredients 

250g of cod fillet
180g of milk 
100g of sliced bacon 
1 leek 
pane "carasau" or any other salted cracker 
rosemary 
olive oil
salt 
pepper 

Directions 

1. Make sure they fillets don't have any bone, wash and chop the leek.
2. In a pan, place the leek with olive oil and a drop of water, cover it and let it steam for ⅞ minutes. Add the cod and the milk and cook for 10 minutes. 
3. Chop the rosemary finely. 
4. Place the bacon slices on an oven tray and let them crisp in the oven. Cut each slice into 3 or 4 pieces. 
5. Blend the fish with the milk and leeks, adding some olive oil. 
6. Add a teaspoon of fish on each cracker, a slice of bacon on each and sprinkle with rosemary and pepper. 

​original recipe by La Cucina Italiana ​

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Scallops & Avocado Tartare

11/10/2017

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The majority of my recipes are made using affordable (yet still good quality) products, and I know you're thinking "how are scallops affordable?". This dish would have never happened had it not been for the 20% discount Waitrose does every Friday on fish. ​
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Serves Two

Ingredients

4 Scallops 
1 Ripe Avocado
Juice from 1 lime 
Salt & Pepper 
Butter (for Scallops)

Directions 

1. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and cut into dices.
2. In a bowl, place the avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix well. 
3. Heat a teaspoon of butter in a non-stick pan, when the foam from the butter disappears place the scallops in. Sear on both sides till they look brown and crispy.
4. Place the avocado in two plates, top with two scallops each and sprinkle a bit of pepper. 

Buon Appetito! 

original recipe source: La Cucina Italiana - February 2017 ​

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