Tortizza Margherita

And finally I am back at posting food. Passing by since life is rather busy given the energy a newborn Matteo requires (he even wanted a blog and he is only 16 days old), work (or better the various works I am doing) and normal life (what is normal I do no longer know).

I guess nobody would be surprised if when time is scarce, recipe gets simpler and faster ... still in doing so we came across a fantastic way of making pizza that is tasty, fast and light ... and of course it is not a real pizza. 

I would not be fair if I would say that the idea of a flour tortilla as base is mine. Many  people probably already do so. We saw it for the first time on TV in a program with Bill Granger (the aussie celebrity cook) and we do it anytime we feel like junk food. And junk food it is not as all in there is healthy ... or at least when you do not start messing around with the topping.

Ciaooo and have a nice week-end!!

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

A quick update

You might wonder what is happening to this blog .... no recipes for a long time and few posts in a month.
Well, I guess we are trying to get our rythm and also enjoying Matteo the most, which makes cooking something difficult to do.
But it is getting better ... I mean Matteo cry, but now I have given him a complete blog and I hope this will calm him down!!

Soon I will manage to post some recipes. I can aleady see we are gettig used to the new life, despite everyday could be a different day. In the meantime, pay a visit to Matteo's blog (link here or use the navigation bar above) .... he has been waiting many many months to say hallo so, I guess, he has a lot to say now.

Mi presento / I introduce myself .... Matteo

(Italiano)
Mi presento. Mi Chiamo Matteo e sono nato il 2 Luglio 2008 alle 17.12. Un giorno prima di papa. Sono nato facilmente senza far soffrire la mamma e subito mi sono catapultato nelle sue braccie piangendo perche' avevo fame. E papa'? Beh lui ha chiamato i nonni e poi si e' messo a farmi foto. Sono sicuramente il piu' alto della famiglia (54cm) e il piu' magro (4.12kg alla nascita e ora 4.05kg) .... certo peso molto, ma sono alto !!!

Quando sono nato assomigliavo molto a mamma (vedi la mia foto) ... ma gia' dopo un giorno inizio a somigliare a papa'. Purtroppo sembra che ho gli stessi capelli. Ma stessi occhi e fronte. La bocca e' di mamma. Ora sono in ospedale, dove mi hanno fatto il bagnetto e dormo con mamma mentre papa fa foto o mi tiene in braccio. E loro due ancora non hanno capito come si cambia il pannolino.
Beh. Sono stanco ... capitemi ho solo un giorno.

(English)
I introduce myself. My name is Matteo and I was born the 2nd of July 2008. One day before papa. I was born easily without much pain for mama and immediately I jumped in her arms. I was very hungry. And papa? He was calling the grandparents and, then, he started making photos of me.

I think I am the tallest in the family (54cm) and the fittest (4.05kg today). Just born I looked like mama (see my photo), but now at 1 day I stqrt looking like my papa. Pity I have his hair ... but not only. The mouth and cheeks are from mama.

Now I am in the hospital, where I had my first bath and sleep with mama, while papa makes even more photos o keeps me in his arms. But they both still have to understand how to change pampers.

Well, now I go back to sleep. I am tired. You know I am just about a day old.

Paccheri with Gurnard

Incredible how fast time flew .... it is now almost two weeks since I posted something. I guess my mind is more busy waiting for the baby than anything else and it is normal. Our son/daughter is expected on the 24 but there are all signs that he/she might come anytime now. So we are there waiting and only thinking of that .... exciting time.

We ate this dish (to be honest) some time ago and it was always waiting for being posted. As I am 'guilty' for very little cooking lately ... its time has come. The recipe is rather classical and it is something that was served at our wedding last year in Positano except that the fish was different. Still the gurnard is a fantastic fish to use in this way and overall the dish is very suited for this season.

And I have just finished to go over al photos we made few weeks ago when driving around ... actually along the belgian coast. So I have the next post covered ;-) .... assuming nobody decides to come home finally, then I guess I will post something else. Now back to the waiting.

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Chocolate cake with strawberry custard

A busy week ... not that it will get better as we are at three weeks from the birth of the third family member. So, I am all excited ... Elke is all worried ... we are both all waiting. Definitively the best things that has happened to me, and more than balancing my less exciting half of life ... the weekly one.

So, we experiment with cakes ... even if I am well conscious that kids need growing a bit before they can start biting something like this one ... basically a mix between a nice strawberry custard I stole from here and a brownies base. Super delicious and full of the flavors I would expect kids to like (chocolate, sour, sweet, strong colors, etc. etc). Well, what  .... not of their liking. Well papa is there anyway to make it and eat it ;-)

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Rigatoni with Trappist and rabbit ragout

Life is always full of surprises and things are never the way they initially seem. I guess this phrase summarizes my feelings lately and people who know me very well (in person) probably will easily understand what I mean and somehow feel a bit worried about me. But no problem .... they say life is a sequence of illusions and disillusions, I guess I am now ready for some illusions. Finally again.

This has nothing to do with our first baby, who we saw today in one of the last echos .... 4 weeks from joining us (check the page The kid for his arrivals in the family). We are at 36.5 weeks and a little one of already 3.15 Kg and in perfect shape .... gosh, a sweet little chubby baby. I am already melting ... and thanks to him/her I still smile lately.

You might ask yourself what has this to do with this recipe. Nothing actually, I just needed some venting ... as a person can take so much before venting. If I really need to elaborate, this recipe is a try at mixing two traditions: the belgian way of cooking rabbit with the italian ragu' (ragout). The result is  definitively worth mentioning and all merits goes to the Trappist beer, which gives depth to an otherwise simple ragu'.  Trappist ... my favourite beer ... to the point that I almost have more beer home than wine. No surprise, it is much cheaper ;-) but still amazing (like the famous Westvleteer 12 or the Struise Pannepot).

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Rigatoni with Bottarga and White Asparagus

I am rather tired, but I want to share this recipe before it is too late as the season for asparagus is at its end. I have cooked this pasta while Elke was busy with the delicious dessert of the previous post. 

I admit the idea of this recipe came from the fact that I love Bottarga con pasta e some veggies .... but the best veggie we found were some local (end of season) white asparagus. And I love them with fish .... so why not give a try to bottarga with asparagus???

The dish works very well, even if for presentation you might want to add some green color ... maybe little coriander to add some freshness to the taste. I prefer it like this .... sharp and yellow-greenish. I would also advice to stick to white asparagus .... and this is for all the italians who love the green ones ;-)

Ciao and I with everybody a fast thursday and friday .... gosh I am dreaming the WE this time.

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)