Salsiccia e patate al forno (sausage and potato baked in oven)

Honestly, there is nothing extravagant about this dish.  This is as about as simple as home cooking gets.  That's not to say it's not immensely tasty.  I always enjoy retrieving a baking dish from the oven that I earlier filled with love.  In this case the love came from sausages and potatoes. I don't think there is an Italian household that at some stage has not cooked this dish. The key is to either make your own sausages or get to know a reliable butcher. This recipe requires good quality Italian pork sausages.  The potatoes soak up all of the juices from the sausages as they are cooked beneath. The fennel adds a complimentary touch!  Use some crusty bread to make sure all of the meaty pan juices don't go to waste!

What you need (to feed 6-8 people):

ten good quality Italian pork sausages

15 medium size chat potatoes 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

two teaspoons fennel seeds

two rosemary sprigs

two smashed garlic cloves 

half a bottle of white house wine

salt and cracked black pepper

How to make:

1: Cut the potatoes in half and place evenly in a oven proof baking dish (with lid). 

2: Cover with olive oil and use hands to throughly coat potatoes.  Tear sprigs of rosemary and roughly smash garlic, add to pot and mix through.  Finish with salt and pepper, again mix through.

3: Starting in the middle of the pot, add the sausages in a circular motion. Add a few sprigs of rosemary and a little garlic.

4: Prick sausages with a fork, so they do not burst in the oven.

5: Place lid on and place in a pre-heated 180 degrees oven for approximately 45 minutes.  Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes to slightly brown sausages.

dish before placed in the oven

cooking away in the oven

Torta di Ciliegie (cherry cake)

I find it so therapeutic preparing food. So sitting down de-pitting   cherries without a cherry pitter provided me with great pleasure. It is a time when you have to slow down from the demands of a busy life and simply get back to basics.  I normally play some back ground music and just think about the job at hand.  In this case, a delicious cherry cake.  I was so excited when I removed this perfectly cooked cake from the oven.  The house was filled with a heavenly aroma as it baked away, and the anticipation was high.  This cake is not a traditional Italian cake as such, but hosts Italian traits.  It is quite dense with a crispy crust and not too sweet.  The almond meal gives it a nutty flavour and the maraschino adds an adult twist.  This cake is so easy to make as all of the ingredients are prepared in one bowl.  Follow with a shot of maraschino liquor!

What you need:
500 grams of cherries
200 grams flour 00
200 grams of sugar
200 grams of almond meal
160 g of butter
four eggs
four tablespoons of maraschino liquor
two teaspoons of baking powder
pinch of salt

How to make:

1: In a large bowl mix together sugar and butter until creamed.

2: Add almond meal to the bowl and mix.  Then add one egg at a time until mixed thoroughly.

3: Sift flour and baking powder to the almond meal mixture. Then stir in the liquor and pinch of salt.

4: Place batter in a paper lined 18/20 cm spring form tin

5: Push cleaned and pitted fresh cherries in a circular pattern in the top of cake batter.

6: Place in a pre-heated 180 degree oven for 45-55 minutes until cooked through.  Test with a skewer.

Olio e aglio (oil and garlic)

One of my favourite scents is the fruity flavour of freshly pressed olive oil, accelerated by fresh garlic.  I think there is a saying "if you want to pretend to be busy in the kitchen, just add garlic to a pan".  Not that I ever pretend to be busy in the kitchen!

I always keep a fresh ceramic bowl of freshly smashed garlic mixed in with some olive oil next to my oven.  It is a quick and simple way to add last minute flavour to various dishes. The oil takes on the flavour of the garlic without being potent.  I particularly like to drizzle a little on homemade pizza once removed from the oven. Not limited to just pizza, this oil is also great to finish salads, meats and brush bread with. It just adds a fresh complex flavour.  

On my return to Australia I have noticed 'garlic oil' sold in delicatessens at astronomical prices, but that need not be the case.  It is so much nicer making it yourself, and easy!

The key is to use home-grown, or locally grown organic garlic!!

Panzanella (Tuscan bread salad)

This 'panzanella' salad is as Florentine as they come. Most Tuscan dishes derives from peasants  and there is no exception in this case.  The main ingredient in this ‘salad’ is stale bread, YES stale bread.  Never letting any food go to waste, this is a delicious way to re-invent your un-loved bread. Traditionally this dish was made solely adding onions, however during the 20th century tomatoes were introduced. Some recipes call for olives, anchovies, capers, lemon juice, however these additions are frowned upon amongst traditionalists. Maybe my addition of a cucumber might also be controversial? In any case, this is a perfect summer salad as there is no cooking required. I was salivating whilst making this from the aroma of the ripe tomatoes mixed with garlic and vinegar.  Make this ahead of time to allow flavours to intensify.

what you need (serving for four people):

three thick slices of Tuscan style bread (no salt)

two small red onions (or shallots)

large handful fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup white wine vinegar

salt and fresh cracked black pepper

one garlic clove
one medium size Lebanese cucumber (optional)

how to make:
1: Roughly dice the red onions and leave to soak in 1/2 cup of white wine vinegar for at least two hours

2: Chop the tomatoes roughly but remove the seeds, place in a bowl.  Remove the skin of the cucumber and chop roughly the same size as the tomatoes, add to the bowl with tomatoes.  Finely chop the garlic and mix through with the tomatoes and cucumber.  Add salt and pepper to taste, mix through.

3:  Cut three thick slices of bread, then tear roughly into the salad bowl, toss through.  Some recipes require the bread to be soaked in water, I prefer a little crunch so I do not do this. It is also important to use a dense un-salted loaf that is completley stale.

4: Finally add the vinegar soaked onions to the bowl, and hand torn basil leaves, stir through.  Mix 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar with 1/4 cup olive oil and drizzle over salad, again stir through.  Taste and add more seasoning if nessasary. Present on a large serving plate

Affogato (ice-cream drowned in coffee)

The literal translation for 'affogato' is drowned.  Generous scoops of vanilla ice-cream drowned in espresso coffee....hmmmmm.  This is so simple to prepare yet it feels so decadent.  I always hover over my bowl trying to savour every mouthful before the hot coffee melts away my ice-cream. My favourite part is the tiny crystallised pieces of concentrated coffee that form on the outer edges.  I also love the steam that arises as the hot coffee hits the cold ice-cream.  It is also common to add a shot of liquor such as amaretto. 

If you have a espresso machine at home, simply pour a shot over balls of vanilla ice-cream.  If not, use a coffee pot as shown above.  There are three balls of ice-cream with 1/4 cup of coffee in the opening photograph.

Insalata di arance e finocchi (fennel and orange salad)

There is something to say about nature providing seasonal produce that is complimentary.  This salad is a perfect example of that.  Without surprise fennel and orange are both in season at the same time.  The bitter aniseed flavour of the fennel is softened by the sweetness of the orange. Also the textural differences  bounce in the mouth.  This salad is so easy to prepare and is really affordable.  People seem to view fennel as a rather exotic  vegetable, but this recipe is fuss free and sure to impress at your next gathering. This salad is a healthy way of eating as the ingredients are presented in their raw state.  When eating this salad close your eyes and dream of the Mediterranean, it's the closest you'll get! 

What you need (serves 4):

One large fennel

two medium size oranges

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

salt ad freshly cracked pepper

How to make:

1: Remove stalk of fennel, reserve fine leaves for decorating salad.  Clean under running water.  Remove bottom of fennel, then slice to medium thickness.

2: Remove rind of orange, and cut into segments.  I hold orange in one hand and use a sharp knife to remove segment, disregarding the pith. Using my wrist to rotate as I continue to slice.

3: Place fennel, orange and pine nuts into a bowl.  Dress with combined olive oil and white wine vinegar.  Season accordingly with salt and cracked black pepper.

4: Place salad on a serving place and use fine fennel leaves to decorate

"Festa di ossobuco" (ossobuco party)

Today a dear friend reminded me of this moment, and I just laughed out loud.  I thought it needed to be shared with you, hoping that you too will have a giggle.  This photograph was taken in Viareggio of me riding my bike over to a house filled with expecting hungry Italian mouths (I am using my phone to txt for the address).  In the front basket is a large saucepan filled with ossobuco.  I think originally my bike was also loaded with wine bottles and bread on the back, but I found it hard to keep my balance.  The 'ossobuco party' was hosted by my friend Stefano (ciao Stef), who helped in the preparation of the much anticipated evening.  The deal was I could make the ossobuco if Stefano purchased the meat from his much trusted butcher. We then prepared the accompaniment of 'risotto alla milanese' once I arrived with the ossobuco!

This is a dish I have loved making for many years. It is almost a tradition for me to make it as soon as the winter months hit as it really is a soul warmer. I will soon share with you the recipe!

Ciao x

Stefano serving the risotto!