Camargue, I love you!

For our Easter vacation we've been off to France: Alsace, Rhone valley and Camargue.
I was long awaiting to visit Camargue, and I was fully rewarded!!! A tour along the little streets, far for tourists, surrounded by nature, birds and wild animals, altogether with unknown people that tell you how to spot a little frog on a tree or a family of wild boars...
Just wonderfully amazing!
Soon the rest of the trip, with a short visit to the bistot of one of the most famous, three Michelin stars French chef!

Una nave piena piena di...

A ship loaded with... And my answer to this childish game was always: POTATOES!!!
But not in this case!
Here how I filled my bagels: ricotta mixed with stracchino (just because I hate average cream cheese and I prefer to make my own personal idea of it!) and grilled vegetables marinated in balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice...

Enjoy, have a good Easter and Easter Monday (those bagels are of course perfect for Easter Monday picnic!!!)!

Bagels, please!

I'm Italian and I've almost ever lived in Italy (if you take off some month in France and some others in England...). And that should be enough to explain you which kind of relationship I can have with bagels: none! I've seen them in movies, on tv, but I've never ate a REAL one in my life. Once I ate a very expensive one from this chain, but I don't know if they were the real thing... So, now that I gave you the background of what I can know about bagels (rather nothing...), I can explain you why I came up making them!
Monday night we went to the movies early, so I decided I had to fill my afternoon making something handy we could eat in the theatre. Searching searching, I thought, well, bagels! I've never make them and they always seemed so nice! I took the only possible book I could trust in the matters of baking and I began.

15 g fresh yeast
250 ml warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
350 g flour + more if needed
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon oil (I've used extra virgin olive oil)
1 tablespoon of black treacle

In the kneader bowl (or any bowl if you are so crazy to knead this by hand: your choice, not mine!) crumble yeast, add sugar, then water, mix and let rest for 20 minute, until it foams.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the black treacle, and begin to knead on medium low speed. After 5 minutes (with the kneader, at least 10-15 by hand) touch the dough and if it's too wet or vaguely sticky, add flour: drier the better. Knead for 5 minutes more.
Oil a glass bowl, form a ball with the dough, then coat it with little oil and let it rest in the bowl, covered with plastic, for 1 hour. the dough will be ready when pressing your thumb the imprint will remain.
Punch the dough (thinking of the face of someone you hate: it always works!) then divide it in two, roll each piece in a big sausage, divide each in four. Take each of your piece, make a little ball, then begin to roll it in a long sausage. Form a circle, close it well and leave to rest on a floured surface, covered with a tea towel, for 20-30 minutes.
In the meanwhile, preheat the oven at maximum and bring to the boil a large pan full of water ( you won't need it too deep, just 5 centimetres). When the water is boiling, dissolve the black treacle. When the bagels are puffed, and the water is boiling, add each bagel to the water, two at the time, and cook for 30 seconds each side. Lay them, well distanced, on a oiled baking sheet and cook in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until shiny and golden.

Tomorrow, before leaving for my Easter vacation (Strasbourg, Rhone Valley and Camargue), I will tell with what I've filled them!

Torta al cioccolato e pistacchi

About once a month we dine with a couple friends of ours. We host alternately and each time we try our best and most extravagant recipes to please each other: we always try something new, from a different country, a challenge for the palate and the cook's skills (me and the hubby of the other couple)! When we go to dine at their home we usually bring wine and dessert. Last time my friend looked at me and told me: "Mmmhh, you have a chocolate tooth, eh Sara?" I realized only then that I brought them something like 5 or 6 different chocolate cakes in a row!!!
Yeah, ok, I'm keen on chocolate... So??????? ;-D
As usually my favourite chocolate cakes come from few sources, one of which is Nigella Lawson's How to be a domestic goddess...

For the cake
150 g chocolate
150 g sugar
150 g pistachios
150 g soft butter
6 eggs, separated
Pinch of salt

For the icing
150 g chocolate
150 ml of cream
few drops of orange-flower water

Preheat the oven at 190° C.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave and let it cool. In a food processor, dust pistachios with 50 g of sugar. add the soft butter and another 50 g of sugar. Add the egg yolks one a the time, pulsing after each add. Add then the melted chocolate.
In a bowl, whisk the egg white with the salt until they produce soft peaks. Slowly add the rest of the sugar and keep whisking until it's shiny and thick.
Add 1/3 of the whites to the chocolate mixture and pulse. Add then the chocolate mixture to the whites and mix carefully but firmly. Add the batter in a 24 cm cake pan, lined with greaseproof paper and cook for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180° C and keep cooking for another 20-25 minutes, until the cake comes away from the sides.
Allow to cool.

Prepare the icing, melting the chocolate with the cream in the microwave. Add the drops of orange-flower water, let it cool in the fridge for 30 minutes. When it's cooled, begin to whisk it until you obtain a slightly thick glaze. Ice the cake and let it rest in the fridge until 30 minute before serving.

Girl Geek Dinners Italia: the report!

In a cold, almost rainy Milan, Friday night took place the first Girl Geek Dinners Italy!
Onestly, I was rather an infiltrated, as I'm no geek (even if I would like!), but knowing the right people it's always useful!
At my arrival I was greeted by Marilena: she burst my ego up to the ceiling simply telling me: I like you blog! As this doesn't happen so often, I instantly thought that the night was going in the right direction!
I tagged myself and I head to the cloakroom were I meet Susan, my future saver from my own uneasiness!
I wondered around a growing number of women, trying to hide myself behind my camera, keeping asking myself were all the good resolutions for the night went (be brave, speak to people you don't know...)...
The people I knew: Amanda Lorenzani, the mind behind the event, introduced me to Deirdré Straughan. I spoke to Tara Kelly, then I saw a familiar face (and as everybody knows I'm useless when it come to recognize people...), saw the name tag, and yes, she was Elisa. I took a deep breath, some courage and introduce myself! She introduced me to Sara too!
The dinner began and then I was saved by Susan. she came to speak with me while I was wondering around still asking my self why on earth I'm so SHY!!! Food and cooking were our first arguments, but then, sitting at the table we were happily reached by Bruna and Beatrice and, at the other side of the table, Carlo and Luigina!
It was a very interesting night, knowing interesting people, sharing ideas, life... Drinking and eating...

Cool things I saw: the flickr cards! So cool that Saturday morning, waking up at eight, the first thing I did was buying a bunch!!! So next time I will head to each table dispensing them, as Sara cleverly did!
The coolest thing I saw: Luigina had a Moleskin/Google notebook: so, so, so cool!!! Everybody loves Google!!!
My only regret is that I wasn't able to make more connections, to know more people, but with some help from cool flickr cards, next time...

For some pics, head here and here! And for this time only, the Italian post is just under this!

Girl geek dinners: il primo appuntamento… E sicuramente non l’ultimo!

Venerdì sera, una Milano con il tempo pazzerello della primavera (piove? Diluvio? Sole? Neve???), un’adorabile vietta di Città Studi, un ristorante e una 70 di girl geek pronte a conoscersi!
Onestamente, sono stata “infiltrata” tra tutte queste professioniste del web da uno degli sponsor, San Lorenzo (rappresentato dalla persona del vulcanico Antonio Tombolini!) che ha fornito un favoloso Moscato del 2006, perché, in fin dei conti, io non sono mica una geek. Cioè, lo vorrei, ma sono ancora troppo indietro!
Andiamo con ordine: entro, mi registro, e la carissima e adorata Marilena (abbiamo scambiato due parole, ma di quelle giuste!) mi passa il mio adesivo e mi dice: “Il tuo blog è bellissimo!” Scusate l’egocentrismo, ma non è cosa che mi capita spesso! Entro e conosco subito Amanda Lorenzani, favolosa e solare organizzatrice della serata!
La mia timidezza mi avrebbe lasciata in un angolino tutta la sera, ma fortunatamente lasciando il cappotto al guardaroba conosco Susan, che mi avrebbe poi salvata dall’oblio!
Mi mischio alla folla che piano piano si sta formando, nascondendomi dietro la mia macchinetta fotografica (troppo piccola, mi si vede ancora!). Conosco Tara Kelly, americana che vive in Italia e parla italiano meglio di me, che, se ho capito bene (e qui il mio “stato” di geek inizia a traballare vistosamente) ha creato un sito per l’archiviazione delle password: ha senso quello ho scritto? Mah…
Mentre parlo con lei vedo passare un volto che mi sembra noto (ma non faccio molto testo: la mia incapacità di riconoscere le persone è universalmente nota!), sbircio il name tag e vedo Elisa del Moro, Le curiosità golose. Ok, prendo coraggio, vado e mi presento, visto che siamo ambedue food blogger. Iniziamo a scambiare due parole, ma inizia la presentazione di Amanda e di quattro donne che portano i loro esempi di web al femminile: Frieda Brioschi, Deirdré Straughan (che mi aveva pesentato poco prima Amanda), Beatrice Cristofoli e una quarta che non ricordo! Scusa!!! La mia memoria fa decisamente cilecca e mi sono dimenticata di prendere appunti…
Dopo la presentazione mi aggiro con aria sperduta pensando: “Troverò MAI il coraggio di buttarmi e dire: Ciao sono Sara e sono una blogger???????”. Ero ancora lì a domandarmelo quando mi si avvicina Susan e iniziamo a chiacchierare di cucina (sempre sia lodata, favoloso argomento di conversazione!). Ci sediamo a un tavolo, si aggiungono Bruna e Beatrice e di fianco a noi Carlo (che continuerà gentilmente a versarci vino per tutta la sera!) e Luigina, con i quali parleremo verso la fine della serata!
Susan installa reti WiFi per gli alberghi, Bruna è una developper Java e Beatrice fa parte del progetto Technedonne di Bologna. Gli argomenti sono tra i più svariati: le nostre vite, la condizione delle donne in Italia, la cucina (sempre sia lodata, appunto!), il barcamp, il femcamp… Mai viste prima ma sembravamo più affiatate di quattro vecchie amiche!
Una bellissima serata!

La cosa più vista della serata: i biglietti da visita di Flickr! Un’invidia! Giusto settimana scorsa volevo farmi dei biglietti da visita, ma quelli di Flickr sono la cosa più cool che abbia mai visto (ordinati giusto 100 sabato mattina!)!

La cosa più bella (e più geek!) della serata (oltre al quadernetto di Dada e alla t-shirt che ci hanno regalato!): il quadernetto Moleskin/Google di Luigina! Ci ha mandate in brodo di giuggiole!

Mi pento: di non aver fatto più conoscenze, bloccata dalla timidezza. Ma la prossima volta utilizzerò la tecnica di Sara Rosso (un’altra food blogger, americana di origine, ma milanese d’adozione!): mi aggirerò tra i tavoli dispensando i miei bigliettini da visita di Flickr! Loro mi daranno il coraggio: sono così cool!!!

Qui e qui qualche foto!

Girl Geek Dinners Italia

Tonight I will attend to this fabulous event! If you come too, e-mail me so we can meet and catch up!

Raisins and cinnamon swirl

Give me something light and not too sweet for breakfast. Give me something yeasty too. Give me a simple, quick, plain recipe, that can be made by everyone. Give me something I can made over the weekend and that will last at least few days. Give me something with LOADS of raisins in it.
Can you vaguely imagine how difficult is to find a recipe that satisfy all those components???
Very...
At the end I found something by Martha Stewart: I've changed a bit, but it's basically it... Lighting a candle under her shrine, just next to Nigella's...
And as I'm a bit neglecting this blog lately (sorry, too much going on...), especially from a photograph point of view, this time I've tried to recreate the picture published on Martha's website. You know, most of the time the right inspiration makes your best shot, said the humble Piperita...

250 ml warm water
10 g fresh yeast
150 g all-purpose flour
200 g of strong flour
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
150 g raisins
70 g cane sugar + 1 teaspoon
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 egg beaten

Crumble the yeast in the kneader bowl (normal large bowl, if kneading by hand), add a pinch of sugar, then dissolve everything with the warm water. let it rest for 10-15 minute, until it foams.
Add flours, sugar, and half the butter. Knead for 10 minutes on medium speed. Add raisins and knead for another 5 minutes. Form a ball and place it in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and let it rest until it doubles, for 1-2 hours.
Roll out the dough in a 30x25 centimetres square. Mix cane sugar with cinnamon, nutmeg and the remaining melted butter. Brush the rolled dough with some of the beaten egg, sprinkle with the sugar-cinnamon- butter mixture and rub everything together with the back of a spoon. Roll up the dough tightly, beginning from the short side. Close the ends and lay the sausage in a buttered plum-cake pan, 22x12 centimetres. Let it rise for 30 minutes in a warm enviroment.
Preheat the oven at 220° C.
When the dough is well risen, brush it with the remaining beaten egg and a teaspoon of cane sugar. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature at 180° C and bake for another 15 minutes.
Let it coll before to slice it.
Warning: gives addiction...

Out of fashion food?

The other day I was reading comments on one of my favourite blog (she doesn't need publicity, but here it is!) and someone wrote: "stop with avocados, they are so seventies" (in the meaning of obsolete). Well, I found that comment quite strange.
Let me explain myself. On which basis can you label a certain food out of fashion or obsolete? This concept never even cross my mind, and it's more then 10 years I'm seriously around food, 5 of which professionally. How can a food, something nature gives us, be defined obsolete?
There are a lot of lost vegetables or cooking techniques (my father in law grows many légumes oubliés, like 10 different variety of tomatoes, 5 or 6 different pumpkins...), lost during the centuries, due to famines, weather conditions, wars, drastic change of diet... But can someone decided that a vegetable, a fruit can become obsolete??? I personally do not think so. I think that everything is good, and with few basic skills everything can become an extraordinary mouthwatering dish.
I left a "talk" here and let me know, in comments or e-mails, what you think... Your opinions matter to me... As long as they are on the same track of mine! (;-D Just joking!)

The wind that shakes the barley

This is not at all an Irish recipe, as the title would suggest, but a very Italian one! Cooking other ingredients like you will do for risotto is quite common, even for pasta. Of course you always have to adjust the timing.
Barley is very good cooked with the absorption method, especially in the pressure cooker: you will obtain an orzotto all'onda (a barley[ris]otto waving in your plate!). For every 100 g of barley, use 400 ml of water or stock and cook it for 25 minutes. The method is very simple: you wash your barley under fresh water, hot some oil in the pressure cooker, add the washed barley (and the other ingredients, if this is the case), then cover with water or stock, close the lid and cook.
To the dish in the picture I added some tomatoes, some zucchini flowers (they are beginning to appear on the market but I think they are not yet at their best), and at the end I decorated everything with some sliced bottarga...