Black Olive Tapenade is a Provençal dish consisting of puréed olives, herbs and olive oil. It is a popular condiment in the south of France, where it is generally eaten as an appetiser, spread on bread. Maybe not everyone knows though, that olive based tapenades are very common in Italian cuisine and trace back to…
Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
I am very excited about today’s recipe, as it brings together 2 of my favourite things: chocolate cookies and home-made vanilla ice cream. Is there anything better than Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches? YES: home-made Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches! The cookies are chocolate heaven and they go so well with…
Home-made Ranch Dressing
I must confess that I had never heard of Ranch Dressing before I started blogging. It’s definitely not an Italian thing. We use more vinaigrette based condiments for our salads and vegetables, so I never really knew it. After trying it though, I must say that I fell in love with it. I am a…
Kinder Cereali
Since moving to Australia 10 years ago (!), there are many things I am not able to eat as they are not sold here. In all this time, I have learnt how to make some of these things like sofficini or pizzoccheri for example. Today’s recipe is another one of such items: Kinder Cereali. It…
Homemade Spanish Chorizo
Skip store-bought sausage and make Homemade Spanish Chorizo. Fresh pork seasoned with smoky paprika and garlic delivers an authentic Spanish taste you simply can’t get from a packet. I never really thought about making homemade Spanish chorizo until one day I had no choice. My local supermarket suddenly stopped selling it, and I needed some…
Mango Liqueur
As you already know, I love to make my own liqueur. I really like to experiment with different flavours and fruit based liqueurs are the ones I like the most. I must confess that I don’t drink much (I know… I am a weird kind of Italian who doesn’t really appreciate a good glass of…
Orange Caramel Sauce
Who doesn’t like a gooey, sticky, decadent caramel sauce?? I am a huge fan of caramel anything and this Orange Caramel Sauce has quickly become my favourite sauce! It’s sweet, slightly tangy, salty, bitter… all at the same time. The flavour is so intense and complex that it is really hard to explain… you just…
Marzipan Lambs
Today’s recipe is a classic Sicilian sweet that is made and eaten to celebrate Easter. In Italian these delicious treats are called Pecorelle di Pasqua or Agnelli Pasquali which literally mean Easter Lambs. As they are made out of marzipan, I thought that Marzipan Lambs would be a better translation… at the end of the…
Honey Hard Candy
Need a sweet treat that’s both homemade and soothing? Honey Hard Candy is easy to make, looks lovely, and makes a thoughtful gift for any occasion.
Cajun Seasoning
Today’s post is not a complicated recipe, but it is a very useful one for people who do not live in the USA and don’t have access to store bought Cajun seasoning but still want to enjoy the delicious dishes you can make with it. Even if you can buy the ready made mix, it’s…
Spiced Potato Wedges with Easy Sweet Chilli Sauce
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…
Home-made Grapefruit Liqueur
I love making my own liqueurs. I find that they taste great and require minimal effort. They are also a fantastic gift idea and you can make them of many different flavours. I have already shared with you a few recipes (you can find them here) and today I’d like to add this Grapefruit Liqueur…
Home-made Mustard
For the month of December Jenni from The Gingered Whisk challenged us to make our own condiments. Ketchup, Mayo, hot sauce… nothing is too challenging for the daring cooks. Ah condiments! Growing up in Italy, I never really used/ate any of them, apart from Mayo and Ketchup. They are not really part of Italian cuisine, but…
Goat’s Milk Ricotta
I really enjoy making my own ricotta and mascarpone at home. You see, in Italy these ingredients are a staple and you find excellent quality products at the supermarket. Here in Australia things are different. As the local Italian community is quite big, these cheeses are indeed sold at the stores, but their quality varies. While…
Marinated Fresh Anchovies
Marinated Fresh Anchovies, known as Alici marinate in Italian, are a classic Italian appetiser. You can find this dish in almost any restaurant and I have always loved it. When I was younger, my dad got the recipe from our fishmonger and has been making it at home ever since, with some minor modifications. So,…
Matcha Nama Chocolates
I have always liked Matcha sweets, but after going to Japan, I love them even more, especially when Matcha powder is paired with chocolate. In fact, in Japan you can find a huge variety of chocolates made with Matcha, including famous brands like Kit Kat or Pocky’s… yum! When we were in Kyoto, we fell…
Home-made Ketchup
And here I am with another one of my DIY projects. Only, this one is really easy. Did you know that making ketchup at home only took 20 minutes? And it is as easy as stirring all the ingredients together and put the pot on the stove. That’s it. It probably takes longer for it…
Sicilian Almond Milk
Today I want to share with you a recipe that is very close to my heart. It is a Sicilian classic that people usually enjoy during the hot Sicilian summer. I used to have a glass of it in the evenings, sitting in our summerhouse yard while chatting with my friends. This is a sweet…
The Cool Side of Summer eBook Giveaway!
THE ULTIMATE E-BOOK ON FROZEN TREATS IS FINALLY OUT! 25 frozen treat recipes to keep you cool all summer long. All the classics, Italian favourites and so much more. Easy to make, with or without an ice cream maker! Click here to read all about it! Hi everyone! I am so excited to be…
Home-made Ghee
As you know, I like to try my hands at making things at home that you can get in the stores. I know it sounds a bit crazy… why on earth would I want to waste my time to make something I can easily get at the supermarket? Well, for one, you can control…
Fragolino Liqueur
Here I am, back with another recipe for home-made liqueur! And this time it uses strawberries. In fact, the name Fragolino comes from the Italian word fragola, which means strawberry. This is a typical Italian recipe and many people make it at home. As it is spring time in the Northern hemisphere and I have…
Homemade Crema di Limoncello
Creamy, zesty, and chilled from the fridge, Homemade Crema di Limoncello is a taste of Italian summer, best enjoyed slowly after dinner on a warm night.
Home-made Limoncello #SundaySupper
So, the #SundaySupper is celebrating the arrival of spring. Obviously, as we are in the Southern hemisphere, this sounds a bit weird… as for us autumn has just begun, but I do love spring… and I also happen to have the perfect recipe for the event!
Dulce de Leche Liqueur
Creamy, sweet, and soothing, this Dulce de Leche Liqueur feels like dessert in a bottle and brings a little indulgence to even the simplest moments. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with creamy liqueurs, and this Dulce de Leche one might be the smoothest of them all. It’s like drinking liquid Dulce de Leche, so rich and…
Passion fruit Liqueur
Here I am, back with another recipe for home-made liqueur! Once you understand the procedure, you can make basically any flavour liqueur you like.
Home-made Condensed Milk
The other day I got a comment from a reader asking for a substitute for condensed milk, which is not easily available in her country. So, here comes the solution: Home-made Condensed Milk.
Mozzarella and Sun dried Tomato Pork Sausage
If you follow Manu’s Menu, you must remember that a few weeks ago, I reviewed the Toollio, an amazing multi-function kitchen appliance. Since then, I have been using the Toollio regularly and sharing some recipes that show how versatile this machine is and today, I will be posting the last recipe of this little series. Among the…