QUICHE WITH ASPARAGUS AND SPECK

This recipe is not only great as appetizer for a dinner with friends, or a light meal next to a big salad. It can also be packed and brought to work.

As usually, for this quiche I prepared my home made shortcrust pastry (see the recipe here), but if you are in a hurry you can use the frozen one. It will even more quicker and easier to prepare this delicious quiche with asparagus and speck. And if you don't find speck, you can substitute with ham, pancetta, mortadella or...salmon!

Orzotto with porcini mushrooms and sausage

Orzotto, or pearl barley cooked like risotto, is a specialty of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, in the northeastern Italy. My recipe, however, combines together the flavors of that region with mine, the Veneto region. Sausage and dried porcini mushrooms, that I brought from Italy, match perfectly with pearl barley. The result is a warming up dish ideal for a cold winter day.

PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI PESTO SAUCE AND BROCCOLI

After the Christmas binges all what we need is simple, healthy fresh food. But this does not mean tasteless!

This pasta with zucchini pesto sauce, broccoli and walnuts is a light, healthy and fast but tasty dish to prepare.