When I feel like having some comfort food, I often make stews. Just the aroma of a stew cooking on the stove (or in the oven) has a somewhat relaxing and almost therapeutic effect. When I make a stew on a rainy day, even the bad weather seems more bearable and from annoying, it becomes captivating and…
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SAUSAGE AND FENNEL RISOTTO
I don’t think I have said this before, but when I was expecting my eldest daughter, I used to have very strong savoury cravings and risotto was always on the top of my list! The great thing about risotto is that it is like a white canvas that you can paint with any flavour you…
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BEEF SCHIACCIATINA
This is one of my “go to” recipes for a quick, yet delicious mid week meal. Schiacciatina means “something small that has been pressed”, and it is basically a very flat burger made with only ground beef, Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper. My mum used to make this often for me as a child. I…
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PINEAPPLE & COCONUT GLAZED PORK SPARE RIBS
Today’s post is a “fight-against-waste” recipe! I had a nice rack of pork spare ribs in the freezer, so I gathered all the left overs I had in my fridge and built up a recipe from there. I also did some research on the web and saw I could make something yummy out of these…
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PASTEIS DE BACALHAU
When I was 18 I went on holiday to Portugal with my parents. It was one of the best trips I took as a child and one I will never forget. We flew to Lisbon, rented a car and drove around the country… in spring. The sun was shining and the sky was so blue! …
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HONEY CHICKEN
I must admit I had never eaten honey chicken before moving to Australia. I do not recall seeing it on the menu of any Chinese restaurants in Milano and I am not even sure whether it is an original Chinese dish. All I know is that I was hooked to it from the first time…
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COCONUT CHICKEN TENDERS WITH APRICOT SAUCE
If you like sweet and sour dishes like me, this one will make you drool. I like chicken, but it can get a bit boring and bland… especially chicken breasts or tenders. What I like about this recipe is that it is actually very quick to make and it uses a few ingredients that I…
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CHICKEN INVOLTINI WITH SPECK, SPINACH AND STRACCHINO
Today’s recipe is another spur of the moment creation. I had some Italian Speck and stracchino cheese in the fridge that needed to be used. I also had some baby spinach (I often do, as it is one of my favourite items for salads!) and decided to use all of these ingredients to jazz up…
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LASAGNE VERDI
Today’s recipe is a variation on the classic Baked Lasagne that I have already shared with you in the past. The main difference is that this dish is made using “green” pasta sheets that are made with spinach. You can find a tutorial on how to make your own green pasta dough here. I can…
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LEMON CHICKEN
Lemon chicken is one of the dishes I like to order when we have Chinese take-away. I love all sweet and sour dishes and whenever we order Chinese food, I always find myself ordering at least one! I have already posted about how to make your own Orange Chicken and Sweet and Sour Pork, so…
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BLUEBERRY RISOTTO
I know that this may sound like quite an unusual dish, but after making a delicious Strawberry risotto last year, I have been on the look out for some other fruit based risotto recipes. So, when I saw this beautiful Blueberry risotto, I knew I had to try it. I love the colour, so intense…
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BEEF MEATBALLS AGRODOLCE
Today’s recipe is a great addition to any potluck or buffet meals. I love it also for picnics and barbecues and it works perfectly fine both in winter and summer… it is one of those versatile recipes that is good to have handy any time of the year. Agrodolce means “sour and sweet” in Italian…
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CANEDERLI CON SPECK IN BRODO – SPECK CANEDERLI IN BROTH
Canederli, also known locally as Knödel, are bread dumplings typical of the area of South Tyrol, even though similar versions are found in Austrian, German, Hungarian, Croatian and Czech cuisines. The classic Italian recipe calls for Italian Speck, which is a smoked prosciutto typical of the area and they are traditionally served in broth as…
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BAKED EMPANADAS
Today’s recipe is not Italian as you may have guessed. Empanadas are a South American delicacy and are very popular in many countries. I have actually learnt that there are many different kinds of empanadas, many different fillings and doughs and different ways of cooking them too! I guess it is one of those dishes…
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PESTO LASAGNE
I am very excited about today’s recipe. The reason is simple: it is one of my all time favourite dishes. I have always loved lasagne, but growing up I had always only eaten the classic meat version. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I had my first lasagne with pesto. I was at…
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CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
So, here you have it… one of the most popular Indian dishes in the world. It is so famous that it has been declared one of the UK’s national dishes! I did some digging and from what I have gathered, it is more of a restaurant-born dish than a traditional Indian dish (unlike its close…
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PAELLA MIXTA
Our Daring Cooks’ September 2012 hostess was Inma of la Galletika. Inma brought us a taste of Spain and challenged us to make our very own delicious Paella! Paella!!!!!!!!!! When I saw this month’s challenge I couldn’t have been happier. When I lived in Europe, Spain was my favourite place to travel to. I have been there…
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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…
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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…
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GREEN TAGLIATELLE WITH TUNA AND RICOTTA
Today I want to share with you a dish that is very dear to my heart. It is a very simple recipe, but if made with home made pasta it can be a little bit more labour intensive (but so much worth it!). The reason why I love it so much is because it reminds…
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FAGIOLI ALL’UCCELLETTO
Today’s Regional Italian dish is from Tuscany and more specifically from the beautiful city of Florence. It is a very simple yet tasty recipe that can be served as a vegetarian/vegan main dish or, as it is common in Tuscany, as a side to barbecued Italian sausages. Fagioli all’uccelletto is an ancient recipe made of…
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BAKED LASAGNE
Today I want to share with you the recipe for one of the most iconic Italian dishes ever: lasagne. It is a dish for special occasions or Sunday lunches spent with family and friends… so it is more time consuming than a mid-week dish. But I can guarantee you that you will not mind the…
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