Did you know that making your own Green Olive Tapenade is really easy? Keep reading to find out how!
Low Fodmap Roasted Pumpkin Dip
This Low Fodmap Roasted Pumpkin Dip is just perfect for pumpkin season! I am sure my friends in the Northern Hemisphere will be looking forward to the cooler autumn months. Am I right?
Prosciutto and Melon Bites
Today I am going to share with you the recipe for one of the most classic of Italian summer appetisers: Prosciutto and Melon Bites.
Low Fodmap Walnut Capsicum Dip
I hope you all had a good Christmas break! With New Year’s Eve around the corner, I thought of sharing a couple of great ideas for a buffet style dinner. That’s what I usually prepare for the occasion.
Lightened-up Eggplant Caponata
After sharing with you the recipe for traditional Eggplant Caponata, today I am back with an healthier and quicker version of this Sicilian summer classic: Lightened-up Eggplant Caponata.
Beef Carpaccio alla Cipriani
Carpaccio is a dish of thinly sliced raw meat or fish served with a salad and a vinaigrette or a sauce. The beef version is one of my favourite appetisers. Carpaccio was invented in the 1950s by Giuseppe Cipriani from Harry’s Bar in Venice and it soon became very popular throughout Italy. He named it…
Tuna Ricotta Balls
Today I am going to share with you the recipe for Tuna Ricotta Balls. They are crunchy savoury bites the whole family will love. These croquettes are baked and not fried, so they are also quite healthy and they make the perfect appetiser or snack idea. I love anything with tuna (remember my Italian Tuna…
Warm Pizza Dip
You know how I always complain about “Australian mozzarella”? It always feels like plastic and it never stretches enough, like real mozzarella should. Remember my video on how mozzarella is made in Italy? Well, my dear Sydneysiders, I have great news for you. I found a place that makes very good fresh mozzarella: La Stella…
Pinzimonio
Today I want to share with you a traditional Italian recipe called Pinzimonio. It is more than just a recipe, it is a style of eating raw vegetables by dipping them into a vinaigrette. You can use the vegetables you prefer, based on the season. I like to use carrot sticks, celery sticks, fennel, radishes…
Black Olive Tapenade
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…
Bhel Puri
I am taking you all to a beach in Mumbai with today’s post! Bhel Puri is a savoury snack and a type of chaat made with puffed rice, sev, chutneys and other ingredients. It is thought to have originated within the street food stalls of Mumbai’s beaches and the recipe has spread to most parts…
Walnut Roquefort Sables
If you follow Manu’s Menu, you will know how much I love blue cheese. It is my absolute favourite cheese! I love how pungent it is and I use it a lot in my cooking. I made these Walnut Roquefort Sables for Christmas and even my husband, who on the contrary is not a fan…
Mixed Tomato and Halloumi Salad
I am enjoying the Italian springtime at the moment and I can’t help but thinking about the amazing tomato crop that will soon be available at the local markets. There is absolutely nothing better than ripe Italian tomatoes! I must say though, that Australia too grows some delicious tomatoes, like the ones in this recipe. …
Cherry Tomato and Halloumi Bites
It’s the end of summer here. The kids are back in school (sigh) and we are enjoying the last days of warm weather. Wait, what? I think we will still have quite a few warm days around here, but let’s say that, “officially” summer is almost over. So, I am sharing one of those recipes…
Croquetas de Jamón Serrano
I must admit that even though I love Australia, I often miss Europe. I was born and brought up in Milan, which is practically in the middle of Europe. By car, you can get to Switzerland in 30 minutes, to the South of France and Austria in 3 hours and in 5 hours you are…
Smoked Salmon Mille-Feuille
A little while ago I have shown you how to make puff pastry at home and how to make a beautiful Mille-feuille with it. So, you should already have a recipe for the classic vanilla custard flavoured Mille-feuille. Today I want to share with you a savoury recipe. You could say it is my take on a…
Margarita Chicken Wings
In the recent couple of years I have come to LOVE eating chicken wings. They are really not something Italians eat a lot of. I mean, we do eat them when we cook a whole chicken and we use them a lot to make chicken broth, but they are not an appetiser kind of food…
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. …
GAMBAS AL AJILLO #SundaySupper
This is a special post for me. As you might have guessed from the title, I have finally joined the Sunday Supper Movement! I had been considering it for a while and decided to take the plunge and go for it over our summer (weird, I know…) holidays! I am very excited and honoured to…
BUFFALO STYLE WINGS
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…
COCA COLA CHICKEN WINGS
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 turn…
SWEET CHILLI AND ORANGE CHICKEN WINGS
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 turn…
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…
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…
GORGONZOLA AND MASCARPONE FILLED DATES
I love cheese… I am almost as addicted to cheese as I am to chocolate and coffee!!! And gorgonzola is my all time favourite cheese. This is a very easy “recipe” for an elegant appetiser that is perfect for Christmas or New Year’s Eve or any other special occasion. The contrast between gorgonzola and the…
WARM BAKED PRUNES WRAPPED IN CRUNCHY BACON AND SAGE
This very easy appetizer that can be made in a matter of minutes is the first of a series of posts dedicated to my Foodbuzz 24×24 Christmas in July event. I love all finger food and this is no exception. I find it a lot of fun to make and it tastes delicious. The combination…
