vegetables - 2/6 - Manu’s Menu

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…

Brioche Potatoes

Today I am back with a delicious side dish: Brioche Potatoes. This was one of my grandmother Bice’s specialty and now that my mum is in town, we have made them again. It is a very easy recipe, really, what what sets these potatoes apart is their shape. They are called “Brioche” because they have…

Middle-Eastern Chargrilled Pumpkin Salad

I made this Middle-Eastern Chargrilled Pumpkin Salad as one of the side dishes for our Christmas Eve dinner, as it paired really well with the stuffing of the roast pork I had made. I loved the blend of Middle Eastern spices that goes into this warm simple salad. Sumac is one of my all time…

Parmigiano Reggiano Tortellini with Artichokes

If you follow Manu’s Menu regularly, you will know that artichoke is my absolute favourite winter vegetable! Today I will show you how to make Parmigiano Reggiano Tortellini with Artichokes, a real treat! The tortellini are filled with Parmigiano Reggiano and the artichokes are used in a very simple sauce. The combination is amazing and…

Honey Glazed Baby Carrots

I made these Honey Glazed Baby Carrots as one of the side dishes for our Christmas Eve dinner. I love baby carrots as they taste sweet and delicious and this is one of my favourite dishes. It also helps that it is very quick and easy to make, which makes it the perfect addition to…

Saffron Pumpkin Porcini Risotto

I must admit that one of the things I miss the most about living in the Northern Hemisphere are the seasons. Don’t get me wrong, we have the same seasons down here, but they are “reversed”. In fact, right now, it’s the end of spring. Besides the fact that I will never be able to…

Sicilian Eggplant Bake

Eggplant are my absolute favourite summer vegetable (while artichokes top my list in winter!) and today’s recipe is an absolute keeper. It is a Sicilian Eggplant Bake made with tomato sauce, salami, mozzarella, breadcrumbs, Pecorino Romano and topped with beaten eggs. It is then baked till golden brown. It is sort of like a variation…

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…

Swordfish Caponata

Today’s recipe is a variation of one of the most popular Sicilian dishes: Caponata (click here for the recipe I shared a while ago). This Swordfish Caponata has all the ingredients of the original dish – including eggplant, olives and capers, plus swordfish. Caponata could be described as a cooked salad made up of fried…

Chestnut Porcini Risotto

I have been living in the Southern Hemisphere for over 10 years now, but I will never get used to the idea that September, October and November are spring months! Every year, when September comes, I feel like eating autumn food like apples, mushrooms, pumpkin, chestnuts and the likes. I doubt I will ever get…

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…

Buttered Potatoes

Today I want to share with you a quick side dish recipe: Buttered Potatoes. I often make these potatoes instead of mash when I don’t have a lot of time. They taste delicious and absolve the same purpose of mash: to soak up all the yummy sauce or gravy of the dish they accompany. And…

Coca de Espinacas a la Catalana ‪#‎TourDeManger‬

Today marks the start of a classic European bicycle race: The Tour De France. To celebrate this, Sarah and Tim from Curious Cuisiniere are hosting a fantastic event: Eating The Tour De France! The idea is to share a dish from one of the regions of the Tour de France race route and to post it…

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…

Pasta with Braised Onions

Pasta with Braised Onions, or Pasta con la Cipolla as we say, is one of my mother’s recipes. It is a very quick, easy and affordable dinner idea that tastes delicious. It’s part of my series on quick and affordable pasta recipes just like Pasta with Peas and Pasta with Fried Zucchini. These are all dishes…

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…

Eggplant and Smoked Scamorza Risotto

The first time I made this risotto, I did it to use up some of the eggplant filling that had remained after making Eggplant Sofficini. The result was so good that I started making extra filling in order to make risotto with it! I decided to also had smoked scamorza to it because the smoky…

Pasta with Peas #SundaySupper

Welcome to this week’s #SundaySupper event which is all about spring! As you know, I live in Australia, which means we are in the middle of autumn at the moment, but that doesn’t stop the Italian in me to think of April as spring… so… Today’s recipe is part of my little series about quick, simple…

Cream of Asparagus and Spumante Risotto

I have always loved asparagus. When spring comes, they are on my table at least once a week! I love them poached with home-made mayo or aioli, but I also like to make risotto with them. I have already shared an Asparagus Risotto with Raspadüra recipe on the blog, but this Cream of Asparagus and…

Aloo Tikki Chaat

I am really happy to share today’s recipe on the blog as it is one of my all time favourite Indian dishes: Aloo Tikki Chaat. But what is it exactly? Chaat is a term that describes savory snacks, typically served on the road from stalls or food carts… street food basically. And you know how…

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…