December Lunch - Pizza Bianca with Fingerling Potatoes, Rosemary & Winter Purslane

Pizza Bianca, which translates to 'White Pizza' in Italian, is basically a pizza prepared without tomato sauce. My favorite version has a topping of thinly sliced new potatoes and gets its flavor from two kinds of cheese, one mild (mozzarella) one deliciously salty (parmesan), then delightfully woodsy rosemary from my garden and a lovely topping of peppery winter purslane. If you cannot find fresh Winter Purslane, of course, you could substitute with fresh arugula (aka rocket) here or other seasonal winter greens that you like.

As far as the pizza base is concerned, we all know that nothing beats making your own pizza dough but, particularly at this rather busy time of the year, there is no shame in using a good quality store bought pizza dough. Whether you make the dough yourself or not, just remember to make sure that your oven is rather hot as you are looking for a crust that will be crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle, maybe charred in spots, giving your Pizza Bianca that slightly smoky flavor that you love from brick ovens.

Pizza Bianca with Potatoes , Rosemary & Purslane

Ingredients for the Toppings

• 1 pizza base* (use your favorite recipe OR use a good quality store bought one)
• 4 to 5 fingerling potatoes, cooked, cooled, skins on or off, slice as thinly as possible (although a mandoline works best here, you could use a sharp knife)
• good olive oil (about 2 tbsps)
• freshly ground black pepper and salt
• 50g mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (if you grate the mozzarella yourself and it is rather soft, freeze briefly before grating, making your life a lot easier when you make this recipe)
• some parmesan cheese, finely grated
• small rosemary twigs OR use thyme 

Winter Greens Topping (optional)

• fresh purslane, washed, picked through and dried (OR use other winter greens)
• some good olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 240° C (464°F) or as hot as it will go.
2. Transfer the dough directly onto an upside-down oiled baking sheet OR use a pizza stone.
3. Flatten the dough into rough pizza shape.
4. Prove the dough for a good 5 minutes while you prepare the toppings.
5. Pat away any excess moisture from the potatoes and carefully toss the potato slices in the olive oil and season with pepper and salt to taste.
6. Top base with the mozzarella and parmesan. 
7. Lay the potato slices on top and drizzle with any remaining olive oil from the bowl. 
8. Top with rosemary.
9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes OR until the base is puffed and golden and the potatoes are crisping up around the edges. Set aside for a moment while you prepare the winter green topping.
10. Top with purslane or other greens, as is, or tossed with a bit of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and salt.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients for the Pizza Dough*

For the biga

• 150g flour, plus extra for dusting (please note: for pizza making it is best to use (strong) white bread flour or Tipo '00' flour available at most Italian supermarkets or online)
• ½ tsp fast-action dried yeast
• ½ tsp fine (caster) sugar
• 150ml lukewarm water 

For the final dough

• 275g flour
• 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt 
• about 200 to 220ml lukewarm water

Preparation of the Pizza Dough

1. Make the biga the night before: mix the flour, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Slowly add 150ml lukewarm water and stir to create a thick batter. 
2. Cover with plastic wrap or tea towel and leave in a warm place overnight to ferment.
3. The next day: add the flour, yeast, olive oil and 1 tsp salt to the biga, then gradually mix in enough water to make a soft, wet dough that still holds its shape. 
4. Cover and leave to rise for 2 to 4 hours or until tripled in size.
5. Once the dough has risen, punch the dough to knock the air out, then tip out onto a heavily floured surface. Knead in the flour until the dough stops sticking to your hands – it should be very soft and springy, but not so wet that it sticks to the surface. 
6. Divide the dough into two balls. Roll one out to make a large pizza base OR divide in half again to make two smaller pizzas (NOTE: double the toppings to make two pizza bianca or freeze one portion).

Enjoy for lunch or dinner, just as is or maybe with a warming bowl of soup alongside.

Chocoladetaart - Belgian Chocolate Tart

If you follow my blog, you probably couldn't help but notice that I love to travel to Belgium. I am always game for a visit to the International Market in the city of Antwerp on a Saturday morning, following the so-called "Cookie Trail", tasting different coffees from local coffee roasters, shopping for "props", discovering foods and ingredients that can be hard to find around here. And, of course, there are those delicious Belgian waffles and chocolate, oh, that chocolate. I admit it's my favorite kind of chocolate. Not too sweet, intensively flavored, high quality ingredients. So when I came across a Belgian Chocoladetaart during our recent visit to the amazing city of Gent, I knew I had to work on a recipe to re-create this treat.

Made with dark, decadent Belgian chocolate, this easy to make and rich Belgian Chocolate Tart tastes just the way I like it. Now, you can eat this an hour after you made it, it will still be a bit soft, crumbly and warm - and then if you place a generous dollop of sweet, whipped cream or crème fraîche on your slice, it will melt into one gooey, delectable dessert. But if you are inclined to make this ahead of time - it will be easier to slice, the taste will have mellowed and it will be just as delicious, with or without further adornments.

So, without further ado, here is my must-try, Belgian bakery-inspired version of Chocoladetaart. If you do get a chance to make this one, do let me know whether you liked it as much as I do. By the way, the tarts that I came across in Gent, were always displayed with the baking paper, so I present it that way as well. Authenticity and all. And it makes me happy. It is also nice if you can bake this in a nice, colorful pie dish. One final remark, it is worth trying to source Belgian chocolate if at all possible, or use the best quality baking chocolate you can.

Chocoladetaart - Belgian Chocolate Tart

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 250g dark Belgian baking chocolate, broken up (OR use high qualty dark baking chocolate)
• 8g pure vanilla sugar OR 1 tsp Madagascan vanilla extract
• 4 eggs (M), free range or organic, separated
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• 30g AP (plain) flour, sifted
• 1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
2. Grease a 25cm round pie dish. Line the pie dish with baking parchment.
3. Melt the chocolate and butter together over a pan of simmering water on the stove, taking care not to let any water come into contact with the chocolate butter mixture (bain marie).
4. Stir in the vanilla sugar OR extract and let cool.
5. In a medium bowl whisk the egg whites with the salt until soft peaks form. Set aside.
6. In another bowl beat the egg yolks with the icing sugar until pale in color, then fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture.
7. Then fold the flour into the chocolate mixture.
8. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold in the rest until just blended.
9. Spoon into the prepared pie dish, spreading evenly, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes - the cake will be still slightly wobbly/creamy in the middle.
10. Let the cake cool on a rack before dusting with icing sugar.

NOTE: Turn this into a decadent dessert by serving with softly whipped cream or crème fraîche sweetened with icing sugar. And serve some fresh seasonal fruits or berries alongside.

Sometimes the best desserts are simple, and made with best quality ingredients, this indulgent Chocoladetaart - Belgian Chocolate Tart won't dash your expectations. - Bon appétit! 

Impressions from my Visit to the 'Gourmet Festival' in the City of Düsseldorf, Germany

Following are a few impressions from my Visit to the 'Gourmet Festival' in the City of Düsseldorf, Germany. Düsseldorf, often Dusseldorf in English sources, is the capital and, after 'Köln' (Cologne), second most populous city of the most populous German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as the seventh most populous city in Germany.

The Düsseldorf Gormet Festival is described as "Europe’s biggest open air event for high-quality and sought after food, non-food and drinks". It takes place along the 'Königsallee', literally 'King's Avenue', an urban boulevard noted for both the landscaped canal that runs along its center, as well as for the fashion showrooms and luxury retail stores located along its sides. Lovingly nicknamed 'Kö' by the locals, the Königsallee is by far Germany's busiest, upscale shopping street.

It was certainly fun to taste and drink our happy way through a number of interesting and delicious foods, sweets, punch and ice creams. I especially liked the colorful food trucks and fun t-shirt wearing vendors and salespersons - very inspiring!

Hope you enjoyed my virtual visit - for more information about the food festival along the 'Königsallee', pls go here.

August Baking - Red Currant Summer Cake

This sweet, light and airy sponge cake recipe has a seasonal topping of juicy, tart red currants and is finished with just a dusting of icing sugar. Serve as is, with crème fraîche or lightly whipped cream and some extra red currants for a delightful summer dessert. August baking at its best.

Red Currant Summer Cake

Ingredients

For the Batter

• 113g (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more to grease pan
• 300g fresh red currants (with extra stalks for decoration)
• 160g (1¼ cups) AP (plain) flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 100g (½ cup) superfine (caster) sugar
• 1 tbsp Cognac or Brandy (you can substitute apple juice)
• 4g (½ tsp) pure vanilla sugar
• 1 egg (L), free range or organic
• 120 ml (½ cup) milk, room temperature (I use 3.5 % or full fat milk)

For the Topping

• 2 tbsp sugar, for sprinkling (you can either use coarse or fine sugar – if you choose coarse, you will get a crunchy top)
• 4g (½ tsp) pure vanilla sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) degrees.
2. Grease a 23cmx33cm (9x13in) baking pan and line with baking parchment.
3. To prepare the red currants, hold each stalk over a bowl, grip the stalk at one end and sweep a fork down its length, making sure that the stalk runs between the fork's tines - all the berries should pop off. Set aside for a moment.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour with the baking powder and salt.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, Cognac or Brandy and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Add the egg and beat until thoroughly combined.
7. Add half the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Pour in the milk and continue beating, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined.
8. Scrape the dough into the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
9. Scatter the red currants on top of the batter, in an even layer.
10. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and vanilla sugar.
11. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top of the red currants.
12. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is light golden brown.
13. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely
14. Unmold, transfer to serving platter, dust with icing sugar just before serving. Enjoy with crème fraîche or lightly whipped cream if you like.

Enjoy August seasonal baking with summer berries including red currants, raspberries and blackberries, when they are at their peak and bursting with sweet and tart flavor, it's definitely worth it!

Ricotta Tart with Baby Spinach & Garden Herbs

For the first day of August, just a quick post with an easy summer recipe for a colorful and delicous Ricotta Tart with Baby Spinach & Herbs. For this easy summertime recipe, you can either chose to make your own Shortcrust Pastry (for ease of reference I included a recipe in his post) or use a good quality store-bought one. You can either use homemade Ricotta (which is what I like to use) or use a quality Italian brand instead. It is summertime after all and the weather is hot. Spending a long time in the kitchen these days, is not always desirable. The tart will taste wonderful whichever option you chose.

Ricotta Tart with Baby Spinach & Garden Herbs

Ingredients for the Shortcrust Pastry

• 250g plain (AP) flour
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 150g cold unsalted butter
• 1 egg yolk (M), free range or organic
• 2 tbsps cider vinegar

Ingredients for the Filling

• 2 tbsps or more olive oil
• 200g (7 ounces) red spring onions, washed, dried and sliced thinly - you can also use regular red onions, scallions, leeks, or ramps (in springtime) in their place
• 1 fat garlic clove, finely minced (you can forgo the garlic if you prefer)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (you can also add a few Italian Peperoncini flakes here)
• 4 eggs (M), free range or organic
• a small bunch baby spinach, washed and dried (you can leave the small stems attached)
• chives and Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, washed, dried and chopped OR use other seasonal, soft garden herbs
• 500g (17.5 ounces) fresh ricotta (either homemade or store-bought)

Preparation of the Crust

1. For the pastry, put the flour, salt, butter, egg yolk and vinegar into a food processor. Using the pulse button, process until the mix binds. Alternatively mix by hand or with a pastry cutter.
2. Gather all the ingredients into a smooth ball. Wrap with food wrap. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
3. Uwrap the cold pastry and place onto a lightly floured work surface, then roll out as evenly as you can. 
4. Line the base of a 23cm x 2.5cm (9in x 1in) loose-bottomed, fluted tart/quiche pan with baking parchment. Alternatively, you can use a springform pan here.
5. Ease the rolled out pastry into the prepared tart pan, press the pastry into the flutes, trim the pastry edges, making sure to save the trimmings. The pastry should be slightly above the rim of the tart pan. Lightly prick the base with a fork, then chill again, this time for about 15 minutes or until the pastry case is cold and firm again.
6. Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat oven to 200° C ( 395°F).
7. Line the pastry case with crumpled-up baking parchment, fill with dry beans and bake on the hot sheet for 15 minutes - I like to place another sheet of baking parchment under the tart pan.
8. Remove the parchment and beans and bake for about 5 minutes more until the pastry is pale golden. If you notice any small holes or cracks, now is the time to patch up with pastry trimmings. NOTE: You can prepare the pastry case up to this point a day ahead.
9. Place the pre-baked pastry shell on a cooling rack while preparing the filling.

Preparation of the Filling

1. In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the sliced onions and garlic (if using), season with a bit of salt and pepper, cook until tender and cooked through. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the fresh baby spinach leaves, stir and let cool to room temperature. NOTE: the spinach leaves will wilt with the residual heat from the onion mixture.
2. Preheat the oven to 200° C (400°F).
3. Separate 2 of the eggs, keep the egg yolks separate, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of sea salt until soft peaks form. Set aside for a moment.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the ricotta until reasonably smooth, then mix in the 2 egg yolks that you kept separate and the 2 whole eggs, add a bit more salt and pepper (and peperoncini if using) along with the onion/garlic/baby spinach mixture.
5. Fold the chopped, fresh herbs into the ricotta mixture.
6. Scrape the filling into the pre-baked tart shell and bake until just set and slightly-browned on top, 25 to 30 minutes or until it just feels set in the center.
7. Let the tart cool briefly, then serve either warm or at room temperature. 
8. Scatter fresh basil leaves and edible flowers (if using) over the top of the tart before serving - it is nice to serve a fresh tomato salad alongside.

Enjoy this delectable Tart either warm, fresh out of the oven or serve at room temperature. It also keeps well for a day or two - if you have any leftovers, maybe bring a slice to a summertime alfresco lunch or dinner....

Summertime Zucchini (Courgette) and Herb Kuku

A Kuku (also called Arab Eggah) is the Middle Eastern answer to an Italian frittata. It is thick and fluffy and this one is filled with onions, scallions, garlic, softened batons of zucchini and yellow summer squash, chunks of feta, and heaps of fresh dill and Italian (flat leaf) parsley.

It gets its very agreeable savory flavor from the onions and the addition of sliced scallions and its gorgeous golden color from turmeric. As I noted in the recipe below, if the taste of tumeric isn't your thing, feel free to use saffron instead. And if zucchini aren't available, you can easily use three medium eggplants (aubergines) instead.

Kuku tastes equally good served warm or at room temperature, topped with a little yogurt or crème fraîche. It also makes perfect summertime picnic fare. You can cut it into fingers, squares or pie slices. You can bake it in a springform pan (which is what I like to do for ease of un-molding) but you can also bake it in a cast iron skillet, or your favorite pie dish and bring the whole thing to a party. Easy. Uncomplicated. Utterly delicious.

Summertime Zucchini (Courgette) and Herb Kuku 
(recipe inspired by Little Book of Jewish Appetizers, by Leah Koenig)

Ingredients

• vegetable oil (I like to use sunflower or olive oil suitable for cooking)
• 2 onions, (M), halved and thinly sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 zucchinis (courgettes), 250g (about ½ pound), cut into batons ( 2.5cm or 1in) - you might want to use a mix of green, white and yellow zucchini/summer squash or use only one color)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 7 eggs (L), free-range or organic (eggs marked 'L' in Germany weigh between 63g and 73g each)
• 2 tbsp AP (plain) flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ a bunch (½ cup) chopped fresh, Italian (flat leaf) parsley
• ½ a bunch (½ cup) chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tsp ground turmeric (if tumeric isn't your thing, you can use 1½ tsp saffron strands, dissolved in 1 tbsp of hot water)
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 200g (1½ cup) crumbled feta (I used locally produced goat's cheese)

Preparation

1. Brush a 23 cm (9inch) springform cake pan with vegetable oil. 
2. Line the pan with baking parchment - cut out a circle of parchment for the bottom and a long strip to wrap around the sides, then brush the parchment with oil. Set aside. 
3. Heat some oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, add onions, season with a little salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the zucchini and squash batons and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until zucchini softens and browns in spots, 8 to10 minutes. At the end of the cooking time add the sliced scallions and chopped garlic and sauté for a further 1 to 2 minutes, just until the garlic is fragrant and the scallions are translucent. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Preheat the oven to 190°C  (375°F) degrees.
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, baking powder, parsley, dill, oregano, garlic, turmeric, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
7. Fold in the zucchini mixture and feta.
8. Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake until golden brown and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Set aside to cool on a rack for about 15 minutes. 
10. Carefully remove the sides of your springform pan and slice into wedges or squares.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Kukus are traditionally made on the stovetop, but this oven version is much easier. A fresh herb kuku such as this one is a traditional New Year's dish in Iran. The green herbs symbolize rebirth, and the eggs, fertility and happiness for the year to come. But we like this in summertime, as a light lunch or appetizer - if time permits, I serve this with a lovely side of Fattoush or Tabbouleh salad.

Eggplant (Aubergine) Schnitzel with Chive Yogurt Dip

Deep burgundy, summer eggplant (aka aubergine) slices pair wonderfully with chive yogurt in this fun and flavorful vegetarian dish. If you follow the recipe, you will be rewarded with slices that are crispy on the outside and delightfully soft on the inside. A lot of recipes for fried eggplant slices call for herbs to be added to the breading mixture, I opted to add herbs/chives to my yogurt dip instead. Other recipes ask for Parmigiano Reggiano to be added to the breadcrumbs, I opted for white and black sesame seeds as well as Za'atar, a the Middle Eastern spice mixture. If you are unable to get Za'atar at a store or online, you can prepare the mix yourself, I included the recipe in this post.

Personally, I like to serve these Eggplant Schnitzel as a seasonal summer appetizer or side dish. But they are also delicious in a bun (think veggie burger here, maybe with some avocado slices on top), on a salad, or on their own for a light lunch or dinner.

And they are much easier to make than you might think if you remember one important detail: first you fry, then you bake. So, once you have fried the eggplant slices in your pan to golden deliciousness, place them on kitchen paper to get rid of some of the excess oil and THEN place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a hot oven for a good 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how thick your slices are - until delightfully soft and silky on the inside. Voilà.

Eggplant (Aubergine) Schnitzel with Chive Yogurt Dip

Ingredients for the Chive Yogurt Dip

• 200g (7oz) plain Greek yogurt (I used regular Greek yoghurt)
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• chives (I like to use chives here but pls feel free to use other soft herbs that you might have on hand, dill is amazing here as well), make sure to keep some chives/herbes for the topping
• olive oil (about 2 to 3 tbsps, to taste)
• large pinch of sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for the Eggplant Schnitzel

• 100g (3½oz) plain (AP) flour
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 to 3 eggs (M), free range or organic
• 150g (5 ½oz) breadcrumbs (it is best to use homemade breadcrumbs here)
• about 1 tbsp Za’atar (NOTE: depending on the brand of Za’atar you use, this might vary, you might want to use less or more here)
• 2 tbsps black and white sesame seeds
• 2 eggplants (aubergines), washed, dried well and cut crosswise into 1.5 to 2cm (0.6 to 0.8in) thick slices
• vegetable oil, for shallow frying
• sea salt for sprinkling the finished eggplant slices (optional)

Ingredients for the Za'ater Spice Mixture

• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp sumac
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• fine sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. To make the Za'atar (if making): combine all the ingredients and keep in a spice jar. Any leftovers are fabulous if added to olive oil for a terrific dip.
2. To make the yogurt dip: in a medium bowl add the yogurt and combine with the remaining yogurt ingredients. Place in the fridge while preparing and cooking the eggplant slices.
3. Preheat oven to 200°C (395°F).
4. For the eggplant schnitzel: mix the flour, pepper and salt in a medium bowl. In a second bowl beat the eggs. In a third bowl mix the breadcrumbs, Za’atar and the sesame seeds.
5. Dip the epplant slices in the four mixture and shake off the excess. Then dip into the egg and shake off any drips and finally coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Set aside but do not place in the fridge.
6. Heat 3cm of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
7. Cook the eggplant slices, in batches, turning halfway, for 4 to 6 minutes or until golden.
8. Place on a large, parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.
9. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
10. Take the yogurt dip out of the fridge, taset for seasoning and if need be, add more pepper and salt. Finish with a drizzle of good quality olive oil, additional chopped herbs/chives.
11. Just before serving, sprinkle the slightly cooled eggplant slices with your favorite coarse sea salt (optional) and serve with the chive yogurt. NOTE: serves about 4.

If you have herbs growing in your garden, like red or white bush basil, sage, rosemary etc. pick a few herb blossoms and add them to your dip as this adds another delightful flavor component and looks very pretty if you ask me.

And remember these are equally delicious served piping hot, fresh out of the oven or at room temperature. Enjoy!