All posts filed under: Main Courses

Scaloppine al Vino Bianco

Published by Monica

Scaloppine al vino bianco are usually made of thinly sliced veal rump but you can also use thinly sliced chicken breast. The addition of the white wine makes a delicate sauce that is hard to resist. A classic Italian dish that is easy and quick to prepare and will surely make everyone happy. Serve it with crusty bread or silky mashed potatoes & a light salad as a side. Ingredients: – 200 gr thinly sliced veal rump or chicken breast – Flour as needed– 3/4 cup white wine– A knob of butter– A drop of olive oil – Salt & pepper to taste Method: – In a frying pan add the butter and oil. -Meanwhile season some flour with salt and lightly coat the chicken with flour shaking off any excess. – Place the chicken in the pan and let cook for 3-4 minutes on both sides. – Add the wine and stir turn off the heat once a light creamy sauce will form. Buon Appetito!

Panzerotti

Published by Monica

Panzerotti are little pockets of heaven. Also known as ‘calzone’ wildly popular from Lazio to Sicily but everyone knows the best ones are made in Puglia. Simply filled with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil or origano they are typical Italian street food but also very easy to make at home! You can definitely fancy them up by adding ham, salami, olives, spinach and even eggplants!! Make them and let me know! Recipe makes 10 panzerotti Ingredients: For the dough: 2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups strong bread flour 1 ¼ cup lukewarm water 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp instant yeast 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt For the tomato sauce: 5 medium sized ripe tomatoes, peeled and deseeded 1 clove of garlic, finely minced 1 tsp dried origano A generous glug of extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste To assemble: 150-200 gr mozzarella, cut into small cubes Fresh basil leaves Vegetable oil for frying Method: For the dough: In a medium bowl add the water and sugar. Stir …

Pesto di Pistacchi

Published by Monica

Pesto as we all know is an aromatic blend of fresh basil, parmigiano, evoo and in this case pistachios. Ideally, for this recipe, you should quickly blanch the pistachios to get rid of the skin but you can also skip this step if you are in a hurry. When making pasta al Pesto, the latter should be loosened with a bit of pasta water and added to your warm pasta making sure not to place it on the stove at all. The word pesto in Italian comes from the word “pestare” which means  to “pound or crush” and that’s also why it is traditionally done using a pestle and mortar but many these days use a food processor. I would also like to highlight the fact that true Pesto alla Genovese is done exclusively with pine-nuts, Genovese Basil and a pestle and mortar. Now, let’s do some pesto with pistachios!!! Recipe will make 200 gr of Pesto Ingredients: 100 gr pistachios, unsalted and shelled 15 fresh basil leaves 50 ml extra virgin olive oil 20 …

Italian Savory Pie

Published by Monica

Perfect as appetizer or main dish with a side of crunch lemony salad and a chilled glass of wine this pie will steal your heart, that’s how good it is! I made a sweet onion jam and it elevated the flavors so much so don’t skip the step! It takes little time and you can make more and store in the fridge to use in sandwiches and burgers…yammm!!! Make the onions first so they have time to cool, then the pastry and finally the ricotta filling. The crust is so flaky and easy to make. A tip I want to give you regarding the pastry is, before placing it in the fridge to rest, shape it as a disk and not as a ball , this will make shaping much easier. Also, make sure the ingredients are all very very veryyy cold 🙂 let me know if you try it!! For 2-4 people Ingredients: For the Pastry: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup grated parmigiano, optional 1/2 teaspoon salt 100 gr butter, very …

Fish with Orange & Fennel Salad

Published by Monica

I remember having this salad countless times back when I was living in Italy and I remember enjoying each bite of juicy orange and crunchy fennel so much! I paired this salad with grilled fish, it can also be baked of course, and I used Sea Bream but any fish that you love will do! All I can think of is outdoors, sun kissed skin, cold drinks, BBQ on , sunset and this recipe to wrap up a summer Sunday with loved ones <3 Recipe is for 4 Ingredients: For the fish: 4 Sea Bream fish 2 Lemons, sliced in half circles Fennel fronds Salt to taste fresh thyme, optional For the salad: 2 big oranges, peeled and sliced 2 fennel bulbs, very thinly sliced 7-8 fresh basil leaves, sliced julienne 1 medium garlic clove, very finely chopped A squeeze of orange juice A squeeze of lemon juice Extra Virgin olive oil Salt to taste Method: Use a sharp knife to lightly score the top of the fish in diagonal lines, sprinkle with salt and …

Tomato & Ricotta Pasta Bake

Published by Monica

Everyone loves a good cheesy pasta bake, am I right? This one has a beautiful tomato sauce that will be mixed with cooked pasta and placed in the baking tray on top of which you will dollop a beautiful ricotta mixture that will just melt away…absolutely heavenly! You could use your favorite jarred tomato sauce although I always highly recommend making your own from scratch because it tastes so much better! Recipe is for 4-6 people Ingredients: For the tomato sauce: 8 ripe tomatoes, peeled & finely chopped (you can use a food processor) 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole 1 teaspoon dried origano 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar A pinch of dried chilies, optional 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 500 gr of short shaped pasta (penne, fusilli etc…) Salt and pepper to taste For the ricotta mix: 2 cups ricotta 1 cup grated parmigiano 1/2 cup grated mozzarella Pinch of nutmeg A handful of fresh basil, finely chopped 1 egg yolk Salt and pepper to taste To Finish: 1 cup grated mozzarella …

Coq au Vin

Published by Monica

A popular classic French dish made in one pan! With crispy, fall off the bone chicken this dish will get anyone making yammie noises at your dinner table and that wine sauce!! That wine sauce is life, so sexy and rich in flavor. Make sure to use very very good red wine for this as it is basically the main ingredient and it can make or break the whole stew.  Serve with buttery mashed potato and the most delicious chicken dinner is ready for dinner! Recipe is for 3-5 people Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 100 gr diced bacon or pancetta 4 drumsticks skin on, bone in 4 thighs skin on, bone in 1 onion, diced 3 big carrots cut into bite size pieces 1/4 cup cognac, optional 350 ml good quality red wine (Burgundy, Pinot Noir, Shiraz) 1 chicken stock or water 5 sprigs thyme 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 200 gr frozen small whole onions or fresh onions, the smallest you can find 300 gr brown mushrooms thickly sliced Salt and pepper to taste Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat the olive oil …

Leeks & Potatoes Soup

Published by Monica

The first time I had this soup was on a freezing December late afternoon while I was visiting London for the first time. I was exhausted and as I was walking back to my friends home I stopped at this cute little restaurant and had the best soup…you know when you eat something and your whole system screams ‘yessss!!! this is exactly what I needed’? that’s exactly what happened to me! Creamy and delicate this soup is a hug to the soul…hope you try it!! Recipe is for 4-6 people Ingredients: 3 medium leeks, green parts discarded, white parts chopped 2 garlic cloves, smashed 4 medium size potatoes, peeled and chopped 1 1/2 liter vegetables stock (you might not use it all) 2 laurel leaves Few fresh thyme sprigs 100ml cooking cream Salt and pepper to taste A pinch of nutmeg Olive oil Butter Method: In a pot add a bit of olive oil and a knob of butter. Once butter has melted add the leeks and garlic and cook till wilted and fragrant. Now …

Leeks & Mushrooms Risotto

Published by Monica

I love cooking risotto I find it to be very therapeutic….It gets better every time and, as you make it, you will get to understand your rice and give it what it needs to become one of the most beautiful dishes ever. Very important tips are: it is a must to know what kind of stock to use and for me vegetables stock is the best for vegetarian risotto. I dont advise you to use chicken stock. Your stock should always be hot, you have to keep on stirring, use the best cheese you can get your hands on, be careful with how much salt you add as both stock and parmigiano are already flavorful and last but definitely not least the ‘mantecatura’ which, roughly translated, means to whip and this is the final and vital step to get the creamiest risotto ever. Everything about this recipe is perfect, absolutely everything…from the flavorful stock, to the sweet leeks, the earthy mushrooms and the risotto…trust me this will become one of your favorite meals! Recipe serves …

Chicken & Veggies Orzo Bake

Published by Monica

Orzo is not rice, it is short grain pasta. Translated from Italian it literally means ‘barley’. In Italy is more known as ‘risoni’ and is mostly used in soups which I absolutely adore. Cooked it in a bit of broth and served with lots of grated parmigiano on top is pure soul food. I used to cook an orzo bake a long time ago and no matter how much i try and remember the recipe its just gone in the back of my mind but, seeing it almost everywhere on Instagram lately, I decided to do a bake with it…its cheesy, flavorful and comforting and I really hope you will give it a try. You can skip the chicken for a vegetarian version and add some mushroom instead and leafy greens like spinach…yammmm!! Quantities are for 2-3 people. Ingredients: 1 small onion, finely diced 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 chicken breast, diced into small cubes 1 cup orzo 1/2 cup white wine 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock …