I don’t know about you, but I always seem to have overripe bananas in my kitchen! I try and buy them more on the green side, but they always ripen way too fast! I often make banana bread (check this one out – it is my absolute favourite!), but this time I felt like having…
Italian Salad
Some readers have asked me to share more Italian side dishes on the blog. I actually hadn’t realised that I didn’t have many! It’s probably because Italian side dishes are pretty easy and straightforward and I never think they are “blog worthy”. But then again, they may be straightforward for me, having grown up in…
Castagnaccio
Today I am back with a traditional Italian recipe: Castagnaccio. It is a typically autumnal dessert found in the Tuscany, Liguria, Piedmont, and Emilia-Romagna regions of Italy. It is made from a batter of chestnut flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, and raisins, which is mixed until smooth and then baked. There are…
Potato-based Focaccia
I love baking all sorts of bread, but Focaccia is my favourite. I have always loved eating it: Italian focaccia is AMAZING and it is one of the things I miss the most about Italy. As there is no way of finding a focaccia that is just as good where I live, I have been…
Home-made Apple Pie Spice Mix
Living in Australia, I do not find many of the spice mixes available in North America (or in Europe), so I often make my own. Besides, these spice mixes are usually made by stirring together spices that are commonly available everywhere in the world. I already showed you how to make Cajun Seasoning, Pumpkin Pie…
Passato di Verdure
Today I am going to share with you a typical Italian recipe: Passato di Verdure, aka Italian vegetable veloute. It is a very common soup and we often have it during the cold autumn and winter months. The truth is, there is no real recipe for Passato di Verdure, as its ingredients can vary from…
Water-based Vanilla Cake
After having my gallbladder removed, I am back at eating “almost” normally. I still try not to have very heavy meals like greasy, fried food or things that are very high in fat… I still need some time for that, but in the meantime, I am still trying to satisfy my cravings. This Water-based Vanilla…
Wholemeal Chapati
When I had to undergo surgery a couple of months ago, my mother in law came to stay with us to help out with the kids and spend some time with us. I was so happy she was able to come. It was great to have some company and to have someone to talk with…
Eggplant Caviar
Eggplant is one of my favourite ingredients when it comes to make anything with vegetables. It is a very common ingredient in Italian cooking, especially in the south where it is present at almost every meals during the summer months, when eggplant is at its best. Today I will share with you a recipe for…
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…
Espinacas a la Catalana
Today I am taking you back to Spain, to Catalonia to be precise. I have realised I don’t have many side dishes on the blog, so this recipe for Espinacas a la Catalana is an attempt to fix the problem. When I was a child I used to dislike spinach. They tasted bitter and just…
Pa Amb Tomaquet
This week Manu’s Menu will feature 3 Spanish recipes! I love Spain and Spanish food is among my all time favourite! It is also very close to Italian, and even more so to Sicilian, food, so I guess it would be very hard for me not to love it! Let’s start with a very simple…
Italian Grilled Vegetables
Grilled vegetables are a staple at our place especially in spring and summer. In fact, this recipe is dedicated to all my friends in the Northern hemisphere (though my readers who are going into winter should definitely bookmark it for later!). When I met my husband, he barely ate any vegetable. True story. But these…
Pineapple Coconut Banana Smoothie
Smoothies are always a great and healthy afternoon snack idea for kids. My children love them and it is a fantastic way to make them eat some fruits and use up some leftovers too. As a child, I would always ask my mother to make me a Banana and Pear Frullato (the Italian version of…
Aloo Tikki
Today’s recipe is a delicious Indian appetiser. Well, it’s more like a snack really, but it is also served as an appetiser at restaurants. I personally love Aloo Tikki and I often make them at home. You could say that they are the Indian version of potato croquettes and they are packed with flavour thanks…
Mushrooms in Escabeche
I love Spanish food, just as much as I love Spain. I really like the flavours and its simplicity and it reminds me of summer time, seaside and holidays! I enjoy making tapas, especially when I have people over or for special occasions. It’s a fun way to serve and taste many different dishes. I…
Nonna’s Poached Pears
Today’s recipe brings back very fond memories of my grandmother Bice. She was a fantastic cook and she could whip up amazing dishes. These easy pears though were like a trademark. Only she could turn something so simple into a fingerlicking dessert. To make this recipe, you need small cooking pears that are still hard…
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…
Chole Masala
Another Indian recipe on MsM today! When I posted the recipe for Bhatura, a deep-fried leavened bread from the North of India, I promised I would also share the recipe for Chole Masala (also known as Chana Masala). This amazingly tasty chickpea curry is always served with Bhatura and together they make up a dish…
Bhatura
Today I want to share with you the recipe for a delicious North Indian bread called Bhatura. I had it for the first time in an Indian eatery here in Sydney, famous for its street food and I simply fell in love with it. It is a fluffy deep-fried leavened bread and it’s usually served…
