Today I am back with a traditional recipe from the south of Italy: Baked Ndunderi (pronounced “doon-der-ee”) . Ndunderi are hand-made gnocchi-like pasta from the Amalfi Coast, near Naples. I must admit that, unfortunately, this pasta is not very well known around Italy, which is a real pity as it tastes amazing. Ndunderi are a…
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
Bring a little sunshine to your glass with this Mango Liqueur. Sweet, fruity, and perfectly balanced, it’s an easy homemade drink full of fresh tropical flavour.
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…
Goat’s Milk Ricotta
This Goat’s Milk Ricotta comes together with only 4 ingredients, giving you a creamy cheese you can use on bread, veggies, and pasta for easy everyday meals.
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…
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
Blended from strawberries, sugar, and spirit, Fragolino Liqueur brings a fresh, fruity aroma and smooth taste that fit perfectly into spring menus and afternoon desserts.
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.
Passion Fruit Liqueur
Bright, tangy, and tropical, this homemade Passion Fruit Liqueur brings a splash of sunshine to every glass. Its golden colour and balanced flavour make it ideal for sipping, gifting, or cocktails.
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…
Creamy Coconut Liqueur #SundaySupper
This week, for #SundaySupper we are sharing recipes for homemade gifts to give to family and friends for the holidays. I LOVE this theme and I cannot wait to read all the recipes that my fellow bloggers will share. I am always on the lookout for new ideas. Like every year, this year too I…
Home-made Salted Caramel Liqueur
If you follow Manu’s Menu, you will remember that I decided to start a little series on home-made liqueurs in the weeks before the holiday season. The reason is simple: home-made liqueurs make the perfect Christmas gift, both on their own or as part of a Christmas hamper filled with different home-made goodies. On the…
Home-made White Chocolate Liqueur
Italians like to make things at home. This includes tomato sauces and preserves, pasta, sausages and smallgoods and, of course, liqueurs. Home-made things are better on so many levels. For one thing, you know exactly what went into your food and then everyone knows that food prepared with love always tastes better. I have always…
Aamrakhand
Today’s recipe is an Indian dessert. A few months ago I shared with you the recipe for Shrikhand, a smooth and airy yogurt mousse made with hung curd, sugar, saffron, cardamom and nuts. Today, I am going to show you how to make what is basically a mango flavoured Shrikhand, called Aamrakhand. The recipe is…
Home-made Aioli
Mmmmm aioli! I love it. It’s a condiment that gained a lot of popularity in recent years, but for the few who still don’t know what it is, aioli (also known as alioli or allioli) is basically a garlic flavoured mayonnaise traditionally made in some areas of France and Spain. Having grown up in Europe, I…
Maftoul with Chicken
The May Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by the incomparable Sawsan from Chef in Disguise. Sawsan challenged us to try our hands (literally!) at making maftoul – hand-rolled Palestinian couscous that is as versatile as it is tasty! Wow was the only word that I could utter when I saw this month’s challenge! I love Sawsan’s…
Home-made Verzini
As you may know, I was born and brought up in Milan. Foodwise, Milan is famous for risotto (especially Risotto alla Milanese, made with saffron), ossobuco, cotoletta, panettone and cassoeula. As you can see, I have already shared the recipes for the most famous Milanese food… all, but one: Cassoeula. The reason why it took…
Home-made Puff Pastry
I am very excited about today’s recipe, as I will be showing you how to make puff pastry from scratch! For a while I have been debating whether or not to publish it on a separate post or just add it to my Techniques page where I share other basic dough recipes. The reason is that,…
Cappellacci with Sausage and Porcini
Make dinner special with Cappellacci with Sausage and Porcini. Rich sausage and earthy mushrooms wrapped in tender pasta create an unforgettable dish.
COFFEE AND VANILLA LIQUEUR
Like every year, I made some edible gifts to give my friends for Christmas. Last year, I had successfully made some Bailey’s Irish Cream, so this time I wanted to experiment with other flavoured liqueurs. I love Kahlua, so I thought I would try that. I found lots of recipes and in the end I…
Homemade Cotechino
Bringing the festive mood straight to the table with this Homemade Cotechino. Slow-simmered, deeply comforting, and perfect for relaxed family meals all season long.
HOME-MADE MASCARPONE
Today I want to share a little secret with you: mascarpone is probably the easiest cheese to make at home. Really. Anyone can make it and it only requires 2 ingredients: cream and lemon juice. I usually buy mine at the grocery store, but I must confess I am not totally happy with the mascarpone…
Homemade Sicilian Pork Sausage with Fennel
Fire up the grill for Homemade Sicilian Pork Sausage with Fennel. Juicy, flavourful, and easy to cook, it’s made for outdoor meals and relaxed gatherings. Few recipes take me back to my family’s kitchen quite like Homemade Sicilian Pork Sausage with Fennel. It’s something I’ve been making for years and have always wanted to share…
SHRIKHAND – श्रीखन्ड
The lovely Cher of The Not So Exciting Adventures of a Dabbler was our July Daring Cooks’ hostess and she asked us to create homemade yogurt in our own kitchens! No incubators needed, no expensive equipment or ingredients, just a few items and we had delicious yogurt for a fraction of the cost and a whole lot…
HOME-MADE RICOTTA
A few months ago, my friend Sawsan from Chef in Disguise challenged the Daring Cooks to make our own cheese. She gave us a few recipes for cheese and at that time I chose to try my hands at making Chèvre. On the side though, I tried to make ricotta as well and I was…









































