Manu's Menu - Part 2

CASSATELLE TRAPANESI – CASSATEDDI TRAPANISI

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Manu

Today’s recipe is another one of my Sicilian recipes. Cassatelle (or cassateddi in Sicilian) are sweets typical of the town of Trapani, where my mum was born. They are usually eaten in winter and spring, which is when the fresh local ricotta cheese is at its best. They are traditionally made with sheep milk ricotta, but I have never seen this ricotta in Sydney, so I made mine with normal cow milk ricotta and they still tasted delicious. It is a poor man’s dish, which means it won’t cost you much to make and it is made with local ingredients (Sicilian that is, but all easily available everywhere nowadays). They are basically shallow fried crescents of dough filled with sweet ricotta and chocolate and dusted with icing sugar. They are best eaten hot, when the chocolate melts and the ricotta is creamy and velvety. They are out-of-this-world scrumptious, trust me! This is my Regional Italian recipe for the week… enjoy! Continue reading →

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Posted in Desserts, Finger food, Italian, Regional Italian Dishes, Street Food, Tea Time | Tagged cassatelle, chocolate, crescents, dessert, fried, Italian, Regional Italian dish, ricotta, Sicilian, Sicily, sweets, tea time, Trapani | 1 Comment

PRAWN AND ZUCCHINI SPAGHETTI

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Manu

I must admit I am not a huge fan of prawns… but I am the only one in my family. My mum would make this pasta often during our holidays in Sicily as we were able to get amazingly fresh prawns over there. It is a very easy recipe and the sauce takes just a few minutes to make. The secret is to use fresh prawns and good quality extra virgin olive oil as these are the ingredients that give this dish its delicious flavour! I love the colours: green and pink/orange. So pretty. This is an amazing pasta sauce for all of you out there who love prawns… I hope you like it! Buon appetito! Continue reading →

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Posted in Fish, Italian, Mains, Pasta | Tagged dinner, Italian, Italy, lunch, main dish, mains, pasta, prawns, seafood, shrimps, spaghetti, zucchini | Leave a comment

WALNUT AND ORANGE GELATO WITH CHOCOLATE SYRUP

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Manu

I love ice cream and not only in summer! Today’s recipe in fact, is perfect for autumn/winter as it is made with walnuts and candied orange zest These flavours always make me think of autumn, cold days and cozy nights. The home-made chocolate syrup adds a touch of decadence to the whole dessert which is always great, besides… I would pour chocolate on almost any dessert if it was for me! This is a creamier ice cream than the usual stuff, so make sure you serve it quickly and don’t stop by to take pictures like I did, or it will melt! Enjoy and indulge… you deserve it! Continue reading →

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Posted in Desserts, Ice Cream, Italian, Special Occasions | Tagged autumn, chocolate, chocolate syrup, dessert, fall, gelato, ice cream, Italian, Italy, orange, orange zest, Special Occasions, sweets, walnuts | 3 Comments

EASY EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Manu

Today I want to share with you my family’s recipe for Eggplant Parmigiana. It is a simplified and lighter version of the classic Parmigiana that has mozzarella inside and needs baking. This is a much faster recipe and I love to make it in summer, when I do not feel like turning on the oven at all. This recipe does not require precise measurements and any leftovers can be used as a sauce for pasta (I always eat them with spaghetti and they are soooo good!). Like all simple recipes, it requires good quality ingredients. Make sure to use Italian Parmigano Reggiano (or Grana Padano), fresh basil and make your own tomato sauce (I have linked my recipe below)… it will make a huge difference to the final dish! It is a fantastic side dish or appetiser. Serve it with some crusty bread to soak up all that delicious sauce! Enjoy! Continue reading →

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Posted in Appetisers, Italian, Side dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged cheese, easy, eggplant, Grana Padano, Italian, Italy, parmigiana, Parmigiano Reggiano, side dish, vegetables, vegetarian | 3 Comments

CUBA LIBRE

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Manu

Who’s up for a drink?? Today I want to show you how to make one of my all time favourite cocktails: Cuba Libre (or Rum and Coke). It is really very easy and does not require any particular skill… it is basically a mix of… rum, coke and lime juice on ice According to the Havana Club brand of rum: “Along with the Mojito and the Daiquiri, the Cuba Libre shares the mystery of its exact origin. The only certainty is that this cocktail was first sipped in Cuba. The year? 1900. 1900 is generally said to be the year that cola first came to Cuba, introduced to the island by American troops. But ‘¡Cuba Libre!’ was the battle cry of the Cuban Liberation Army during the war of independence that ended in 1898”. Whatever its origin, this drink reminds me of one of the best experiences of my life: visiting Cuba as a volunteer back in 1998! As you may or may not know, Coca Cola was not easily available on the Isla Grande and was way too expensive as it had to be imported through Mexico. So we would buy the local cola called TuKola and mix it with some of the best rum ever! I remember spending long evenings chatting with my friends after a long day working in the fields, in front of a Cuba Libre. Even now, everytime I have one, I am immediately transported back to those days. So… here you have it: Cuba Libre and don’t forget to check out my other 2 Cuban drinks: Mojito and Strawberry Daiquiri! ¡Salud! Continue reading →

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Posted in Drinks, South American | Tagged cocktails, coke, cola, Cuba, Cuba Libre, Cuban, drinks, lime, lime juice, rum | 3 Comments

PUMPKIN RISOTTO

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Manu

Today’s recipe is from Lombardia, the region of Italy I grew up in and it is a very simple risotto made with pumpkin cream. As you know, it is autumn down here in the southern hemisphere… so what’s better than some pumpkin risotto to warm us up? Don’t you just love that orange colour? I served it with some raspadüra (Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano slivers). As I said in my post about Asparagus Risotto with Raspadüra, it is a way of serving Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano obtained by thinly shaving the cheese with a specific knife (or, at home, with a potato peeler). I love a simple, hearty risotto… and this colourful dish can turn your grey day into a sunny and delicious one! Enjoy and don’t forget to check out all my other Regional Itaian recipes! Continue reading →

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Posted in Gluten Free, Italian, Mains, Regional Italian Dishes, Rice, Special Occasions, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged dinner, gluten free, Italian, Italy, lunch, main dish, mains, pumpkin, rice, risotto, Special Occasions, vegetables, vegetarian | 5 Comments

HONEY AND GINGER PORK STIR FRY

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Manu

Maybe not everyone knows this, but my eldest daughter has started her first year of “big school” in January. It is all very thrilling and exciting for all of us, though this has also brought a huge change in our routines. Let’s put it this way… I am now spending more time on the trains than I would care to. When we come back in the evening we are usually quite tired and as the days are getting shorter down here, I am left with very little time to prepare dinner. During such weekdays I particularly like stir fries as they are very quick to make, they are healthy they make a complete meal and taste delicious. I usually wash and cut all the veggies after lunch and put them back in the fridge, so that in the evening my dinner comes together pretty quickly. This particular stir fry was really tasty… the thin slices of pork absorb the marinade quite nicely and the sauce is gingery and sweet. I really love Kecap Manis (the Indonesian sweet soy sauce) as it adds a little extra sweetness to the dish. If you like stir fries, you will love this. My girls even liked the veggies in it (thanks Kecap Manis!)…. Serve it with some steamed rice and you will have a complete meal in no time! Continue reading →

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Posted in Mains, Meat, South East Asian, Vegetables | Tagged Asian, dinner, ginger, healthy, honey, kecap manis, kids, main, meat, pork, quick, recipe, South East Asian, soy sauce, stir fry, vegetables | 3 Comments

SAUSAGE AND SMOKED SCAMORZA STUFFED EGGPLANT

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Manu

Today’s recipe is pure comfort food. As days get shorter and the weather gets cooler down here, I do feel the like cooking some hearty and comforting food. I love vegetables, but my husband is a carnivore and he’s never fully satisfied with a vegetarian dinner. This recipe satisfies the whole family as it has veggies, meat and cheese in it, for my kids’ joy! I also think the halved eggplant look really cute and could be an impressive main dish for a dinner party. If you are lucky enough to find small eggplant, they would be great as appetisers or buffet food! They are best eaten lukewarm as all the flavours have the time to amalgamate. Buon appetito! Continue reading →

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