Appetisers - 8/11 - Manu’s Menu

PORK MEATBALLS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

Thai is one of my favourite Asian cuisines. Believe it or not, there were no Thai restaurants in Milan, at least up until 6 years ago! Some Chinese restaurants would serve some Thai dishes, but they obviously did not have a lot of variety. That’s why, the moment I saw it, I bought this little…

PIZZA FLAVOURED PIGGY BUNS

I saw these piggy shaped buns on Pinterest and I could not get them out of my mind! They look too cute! As the theme of my youngest daughter’s birthday party was Peppa Pig, I thought it would be a good time for me to try and make them! I had so much fun and…

PUMPKIN AND FONTINA CROQUETTES

I found this recipe while browsing the Internet and it was love at first sight! I must admit I had only ever made croquettes out of potatoes, so the idea of being able to use pumpkin instead opened up a whole new world of possibilities! It is a delicious recipe that can be served either…

GRILLED FUJI FRUIT, SPINACH AND ROCKET SALAD

I have noticed that l don’t have enough recipes for side dishes on the blog, so I thought of remedying that and today I am going to share with you the recipe for a delicious salad. This is perfect for autumn, when fuji fruits are in season. In fact I have had this recipe in…

CIAMBELLA RUSTICA – SALAMI AND SMOKED SCAMORZA BUNDT CAKE

The weather is getting warmer around here… this is the time of the year when I prefer to eat out. In a few weeks it will be too hot for my liking. So I try to enjoy this weather as much as I can! Today I am going to share with you the recipe for…

GRAVLAX WITH SWEET DILL MUSTARD SAUCE

Maybe you don’t know this, but since I was a teenager I have always loved Scandinavia. I love the long and bright summer nights and the short and cold winter days. I love snow. I love the beautiful Norwegian fjords and the Finnish lakes. I love the little and colourful Danish villages… Well, I guess…

PORCINI, SPECK AND POTATO SAVOURY PIE

Today’s recipe is great in every season. The ingredients are perfect for the cooler months, but the fact that you can eat it cold (or at room temperature), makes it perfect for the warmer months too. I actually love to take this to picnics and barbecues when the season is right, but it is also…

MURGH TIKKA – CHICKEN TIKKA

A little while ago I shared with you the recipe of one of my favourite Indian appetisers: Seekh Kebab and today is the turn of another one of my favourite meat dishes. Murgh tikka, or chicken tikka is a very common dish at Indian restaurants around the world and it can be served both as an…

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO GELATO

Today I want to share with you a recipe that may sound unusual, but it is one of the best appetisers I have eaten in a looong time: gelato made with Parmigiano Reggiano! It is very easy to make, yet it is very fancy… it is one of those dishes that I love serving at…

OYSTERS KILPATRICK

I must admit I am not a big fan of oysters. Actually, I do not eat them. I know, I know… what foodie am I, right?? I just cannot bring myself to like them, which is a shame considering the great quality-at-reasonable-prices-oysters that you can find in Sydney! But my husband eats them for both…

STUFFED CAPSICUMS – PEPERONI RIPIENI

I love capsicums (or bell peppers!), I always have. I like them in any shape or form and made in any sorts of ways, but this is by far my favourite recipe. My mum would make these often, and the house would be filled with the aromas of baked capsicums… yum! So hearthy! The filling…

LABNEH

If you follow this blog, you know that cheese is my weakness. I can do without dessert, but if I see cheese… well, I have to have some! After making home made yogurt, I had to try my hands at making home made labneh. I had seen a picture of it on my friend Sawsan’s…

FOCACCIA AL POMODORO – CHERRY TOMATO FOCACCIA

After sharing with you the Basic Focaccia recipe, the recipe for Focaccia with Olives and the one for Onion Focaccia, today I am going to post the recipe for another one of my favourites: Focaccia al pomodoro (aka cherry tomato focaccia)! I remember as a child going to the baker right after school and buying a piece…

SOFT PRETZEL BITES

And it is time again for the “Secret recipe club” reveal! I am sure you all know what the club is about, but for the few of you who still don’t know about it, here goes a brief explanation. Each month you are assigned a participating food blogger to make a recipe from and in…

BAKED FETA

After hosting the June 2012 Daring Cooks’ challenge and making a few batches of Cannelloni, I was even more curious to see what this month’s challenge would be! I must admit, I had never thought about what goes “behind the scenes” of one of these challenges, but after hosting one I can tell you… it’s a…

CHICKEN SALAD

I must admit that I had my very first chicken salad when I visited the USA in 1997. Yes… quite late in life (well, I am not THAT old, but the point is, it is not a dish I grew up eating!). I am not sure why, but it is not something my family would…

MUSHROOM AND ASIAGO CALZONI

The other day I had some Asiago cheese left in the fridge and while trying to figure out what to do with it, I stumbled upon this recipe. I also happened to have all the other ingredients, so I thought of trying it out for dinner. It was really tasty! I loved the contrasting flavours…

SEEKH KEBAB

Today I want to share with you the recipe for one of my favourite Indian/Pakistani dishes: seekh kebab. Whenever we eat out, we never fail to order some as an appetiser. They are made of minced lamb with spices and are cooked on skewers, traditionally in a tandoor oven. They are usually served with hari…

SOPAIPILLAS CON PEBRE Y PASADAS

It is time again for the “Secret recipe club” reveal! I am sure you all know what the club is about, but for the few of you who still don’t know about it, here goes a brief explanation. It is a great concept… each month you are assigned a participating food blogger to make a…

EGGPLANT INVOLTINI

I think I have already said this but eggplant is one of my favourite veggie. You can make so many things with it and it always tastes so good! Today I am going to share with you the recipe for what has to be my all time favourite side dish (that can easily double up…

MINI MEAT PIES

You cannot get more Aussie than this: meat pie is an iconic Australian dish and it had to be a part of my “Come have some Aussie tucker, mate!” 24×24 event. You can get it almost anywhere and there are also shops that only sell these. They can be made with different fillings (chicken and…

MINI VEGEMITE AND CHEESE SANDWICHES

Vegemite is probably the most iconic Australian product. Wiki describes it as “a dark brown Australian food paste made from yeast extract. […] Vegemite is made from used brewers’ yeast extract, a by-product of beer manufacturing, various vegetables, wheat and spice additives. It is salty, slightly bitter, and umami or malty – similar to beef bouillon.” …