Manu’s Menu

Authentic Italian Home Cooking & More

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Ham and Cheese Sicilian Brioches

Ham and Cheese Sicilian Brioches

I made these Ham and Cheese Sicilian Brioches for my daughter’s 8th birthday party. When I was a child, I would spend part of my summer holidays at my nonni’s house in Palermo. Not far from where they used to live, there was a place called I Cuochini (aka the little cooks) where my mum…

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Victoria’s 8th Birthday

Victoria’s 8th Birthday

  On the 16th my eldest daughter turned 8!!! I cannot believe it’s been 8 years already since the first time I got to hold her in my arms. She was so tiny! <3 And now she is turning into a beautiful girl. We love you so much princess and we are all very proud…

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Bruschetta with Eggplant and Matarocco

Bruschetta with Eggplant and Matarocco

  With summer just around the corner, ML Spell from Dry Spell invited us to play with fire! She challenged us to make some mouthwatering eats on the grill for the June daring cooks challenge. Well, as you are probably aware, I live in Australia and even though the weather is usually not extremely cold,…

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Pumpkin Rolls

Pumpkin Rolls

Tt 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…

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Torta Pasqualina Umbra

Torta Pasqualina Umbra

Today I’d like to share with you a traditional Easter recipe from the Italian region of Umbria.  Umbria is famous around the world for its hilly landscapes and old towns, such as Assisi and Orvieto to name just two.  It is a wonderful area of Italy and besides being beautiful, it also boasts delicious hearty…

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Finished pain au chocolat with flaky layers and dark chocolate filling on a serving plate.

Pain au Chocolat (Homemade Chocolate Croissants)

Fresh Pain Au Chocolat straight from the oven pairs perfectly with coffee and brings crisp buttery layers and soft chocolate. Freezer-friendly and ideal for make-ahead baking.

Chocolate Chip Banana and Pumpkin Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana and Pumpkin Bread

I love new recipes that come to life using leftovers.  Doesn’t it feel great to clean out the fridge (or pantry) AND enjoy something new?  Today’s recipe came about just like that.  I had some overripe bananas and some leftover pumpkin purée that absolutely needed to be finished, quickly!  So, I mixed them up to…

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Golden bread knots topped with garlic and dried herbs.

Homemade Garlic Knots

Soft pull-apart Homemade Garlic Knots made with homemade bread dough, tied into knots and coated in melted garlic butter and parsley, make a warm and buttery side bread for pasta or soup.

Close-up of Lebanese Za’atar Manouche showing golden crust and olive-oil-zaatar topping.

Za’atar Manouche (Lebanese Flatbread)

Soft, chewy Za’atar Manouche baked to golden perfection and brushed with olive oil for rich, herby flavour. Serve warm and enjoy straight from the oven.

Middle Eastern Breakfast

Middle Eastern Breakfast

For the February Daring Cooks challenge, Manal from Manal’s Bites invited us to celebrate the most important meal of the day Middle Eastern style! As Manal says “Breakfast is a very important meal in the Middle East; it is major! […] Fridays, the first day of the weekend here in this part of the world is the…

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Angelica Cake with Nutella

Angelica Cake with Nutella

Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso have declared February 5th “World Nutella Day 2015″ – “a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to EAT Nutella”. Raise your hand if you like Nutella!!!  It’s got quite a few fans in my house!  So, World Nutella Day is always awelcome around…

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Asian Chicken Sliders with Sriracha Mayo

Asian Chicken Sliders with Sriracha Mayo

This weekend is all about Super Bowl food, so if you are like me and LOVE the kind of food that is served for such sporting events, you are in for a big treat!  As you know, I don’t follow football and not living in the USA, also means no Super Bowl… but Italians are…

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Homemade No-Knead Ciabatta Bread with a crisp crust and soft airy crumb.

Homemade No Knead Ciabatta Bread

A crisp crust and light open crumb give this Homemade No Knead Ciabatta Bread a rustic texture, making it perfect for sandwiches, soups, and olive oil dipping.

Whole Pandoro dusted with icing sugar, placed on a festive plate decorated with ribbons and tinsel.

Pandoro

Celebrate the holidays with soft, golden Pandoro, a buttery sweet bread that fills your kitchen with vanilla and warmth. Slice, dust with icing sugar, and enjoy a simple Christmas tradition at home.

Baked Kitty Cat Bread Buns with chocolate dough facial details on a wooden surface.

Kitty Cat Bread Buns

Soft, fluffy bread shaped into the cutest little cats. These Kitty Cat Bread Buns are almost too adorable to eat.

Georgia's 5th Birthday

Georgia’s 5th Birthday

On the 1st my youngest daughter turned 5!!  I cannot believe she is 5 already and that in January she will be going to “big school”.  Georgia is definitely ready for it… mum, not so much.  She’s the baby of the house and seeing her grow up so fast is both amazing and scary.  She…

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Piadina Romagnola with Mortadella and Stracchino

Piadina Romagnola with Mortadella and Stracchino and a Barilla Cooking Class

Over the weekend, I was invited by Barilla Australia to one of their Hands-on Cooking Classes at Casa Barilla, here in Sydney.  The class was about food from Emilia Romagna, home of many iconic Italian products like Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, Balsamic Vinegar and Mortadella, to cite just a few.  It is a true…

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Smørrebrød platter with roast beef, potato, and salmon served on a white plate with cutlery and wine glass.

Smorrebrod

Crisp, hearty Smorrebrod layered with rye bread, butter, and fresh toppings brings Scandinavian flavour to the table, perfect for relaxed lunches or light dinners shared with family and friends.

Elsa's Plait

Elsa’s Plait

I love savoury dishes much more than sweets, so I always make sure to have a few savoury options at parties as I know kids will need something more than sugary treats.  I made this bread plait for Victoria’s Frozen party, to simulate Elsa’s long plait.  It’s a soft bread filled with ham and mozzarella. …

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Cucumber Sandwiches

Cucumber Sandwiches

The first time I had Cucumber Sandwiches, they were served as part of a high tea I attended with friends.  To me, the idea of having savoury treats along with tea sounded quite weird.  You see, Italians only have sweets with tea (mainly cookies or pastries), so the thought of eating a cucumber sandwich (of…

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Victoria’s 7th Birthday

On the 16th we celebrated my eldest daughter Victoria’s 7th birthday!!!  I know I always say this, but I really cannot believe how fast time flies.  Victoria is turning into a beautiful and thoughtful little girl and I am trying to enjoy these years as much as I can, as I know she will soon…

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Panino con la Salamella

Panino con la Salamella #SundaySupper

Today the Sunday Supper group is inviting everyone to a big Virtual Picnic!  It is summer in the Northern hemisphere and a picnic is in order.  Even for us down here, stuck in the coldest months of the year, picnic food is fun and always great to pin and bookmark.  I love “dreaming” of summer time and…

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Hot Cross Buns with Honey Butter

Hot Cross Buns with Honey Butter

Today’s recipe is not Italian.  In fact, I had never eaten Hot Cross Buns before moving to Australia 8 years ago.  Hot Cross Buns are traditionally eaten for breakfast on Good Friday and they are marked with a cross to represent the crucifixion of Jesus.  Traditionally these buns are made with lots of spices (especially…

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Sticky Ginger Marmalade Tea Loaf

Sticky Ginger Marmalade Tea Loaf

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…

Read More »

Olive and Walnut Madeleines

Olive and Walnut Mini Madeleines

Today I want to share with you the recipe for a great appetiser: mini savoury madeleines made with walnuts and olives.  I saw these in an Italian food magazine and I just HAD to make them.  Actually, I made these for Christmas and served them as one of our appetisers, with blue cheese and honey. …

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Close-up of a torn bread roll showing its soft interior.

Durum Wheat Italian Bread Rolls

Warm, golden Durum Wheat Italian Bread Rolls come out of the oven with a soft centre and a light, crisp that fits everything from simple soups to fuller meals.

Alpine Sliders

Alpine Sliders #SundaySupper

This week’s Sunday Supper is all about Super Bowl food, as the event is called “Super Eats for Game Day”, so if you are like me and LOVE the kind of food that is served for such occasions, you are in for a big treat!  In fact, I cannot wait to read all the amazing recipe…

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Welcome to Manu’s Menu!

Hi! I am Manu, the author of Manu's Menu. I was born and brought up in Italy and my blog can show you how to create authentic Italian food in your own home! Read More…

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manusmenu

Food blogger, cookbook author, food photographer & stylist.

A batch of homemade flaxseed crackers is always ha A batch of homemade flaxseed crackers is always handy to have in the kitchen.

They're crisp, easy to store, and pair well with dips, soft cheeses, fresh vegetables, or your favourite toppings whenever you need a quick snack.

#flaxseedcrackers #mealprep #healthysnacks #homemade #manu #manusmenu
Creamy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and a driz Creamy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and a drizzle of honey 🍯

The combination of creamy, sweet, and crunchy textures makes this such an easy appetiser to put together when you want something simple but a little different.

Serve with crusty bread or your favourite crackers and enjoy. 

#pistachios #HoneyDrizzle #sharingplatter #manusmenu
After sharing the scrambled eggs and tomato toast After sharing the scrambled eggs and tomato toast recently, I thought it would be a good time to highlight one of my favourite herb blends 🌿

Herbes de Provence is a traditional French herb blend usually made with herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, and savoury.

It's a simple way to add extra flavour to everyday ingredients and works especially well with eggs, tomatoes, roasted vegetables, potatoes, chicken, and soups.

Have you used Herbes de Provence before?

#herbesdeprovence #frenchcooking #mediterraneanfood #herbblends #manu #manusmenu
Scrambled eggs with tomato on toast is one of thos Scrambled eggs with tomato on toast is one of those simple meals that always works 🍅

Warm, savoury, filling, and made with ingredients most people already have at home.

#scrambledeggs #QuickMeals #breakfastideas #homemademeals #manu #manusmenu
This calamari risotto turned out creamy, rich, and This calamari risotto turned out creamy, rich, and so satisfying 🍚

Made as a low FODMAP recipe, it’s a homemade seafood dinner option that feels filling and easier to enjoy for those with sensitive stomachs or lower FODMAP dietary needs.

 #lowfodmap #calamaririsotto #seafoodrecipes #homemademeals #manu #manusmenu
Pumpkin has a naturally gentle sweetness, which is Pumpkin has a naturally gentle sweetness, which is why ingredients like ginger, coconut cream, herbs, curry paste, or lime work so well with it.

Those subtle layers of flavour help create soups that feel comforting, warming, and more rounded 💛

 #pumpkinsoup #thaifood #homemademeals #homemade #manusmenu
Smooth, creamy, and filled with delicious Thai-ins Smooth, creamy, and filled with delicious Thai-inspired flavours 🍲 This pumpkin soup makes such a lovely homemade dinner idea ✨

#PumpkinSoupRecipe #homemadefood #thaifood #manu #manusmenu
A sweet homemade treat for the person who made lif A sweet homemade treat for the person who made life sweeter first 💖
These chocolate date hearts are filled with soft dates, rich chocolate, and a little homemade love for Mother’s Day 🌷

 #mothersday #mothersdaygiftideas #datehearts #manusmenu
more stories beyond the menu ✈️ #MatchaMoments #t more stories beyond the menu ✈️

#MatchaMoments #travelreels #travelwithmanuela
A simple treat for Mother’s Day 🌸 These chocolate A simple treat for Mother’s Day 🌸

These chocolate covered dates pair perfectly with a warm cup of tea and make a lovely homemade gift or afternoon treat.

Simple, sweet, and easy to make at home.

#mothersday #chocolatecovereddates #HomemadeTreats #dessertideas #teatime #manusmenu
This iced chai is simple to make and perfect when This iced chai is simple to make and perfect when you want something calm and comforting.

Made with a few ingredients and warm spices, it’s a drink you can easily prepare at home without much effort.

Sometimes it’s the simple drinks that you keep coming back to. 💓

#icedchai #homedrinks #teatime #homemade #manu #manusmenu
Ever wondered why your iced matcha tastes differen Ever wondered why your iced matcha tastes different every time?

It’s not just about the ingredients. Small details like the quality of the matcha, how you sift it, and how you whisk it can completely change the result.

Even the texture and colour can tell you a lot before you even take a sip.

Once you start paying attention to these steps, it becomes much easier to get a smoother, more balanced matcha at home 🍵

 #matcha #icedmatcha #Matchalatte #JapaneseTea #manusmenu
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