Sformato di patate - POTATOES GATEAU WITH SPINACH AND PEAS

The sformato di patate or gattò,  the Italianization of the French ''gateau'', is a savory potato ‘cake’ made of mashed potatoes enriched with eggs, butter, grated cheese with a filling of cheese, ham or other cold cuts and vegetables.

Typically served warm, but not piping hot, it can be either a one-dish meal (piatto unico), if accompanied with salad, or an antipasto, if served in thin slices.

PUMPKIN AND SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Believe me: this lasagna is awesome! It is a tasty but delicate dish, perfect to be served during the festivities of Christmas. It will be love at first bite!

PIZZA...from scratch!

Domenica...pizza! Yes, indeed, this is really Italian: going out for a pizza on Sunday.

But what about making your own homemade pizza?

The following recipe won't disappoint you!

It has been given to me by a master in pizza-making, a professional pizzaiolo.

Of course, it's not enough to have a good recipe: technique, patience and really good ingredients make the difference!

Let's see how to prepare pizza dough with this easy recipe and enjoy crispy homemade pizzas or even a pizzapane (a crunchy flat bread).

WARM GOAT'S CHEESE SALAD

Believe me, this dish tastes even better than it seems. Warm goat's cheese accompanied by a fresh salad with apples and walnuts.

I discovered this way to serve goat's cheese almost one year ago, when my boyfriend ordered it in a restaurant here in Utrecht. It was delicious and once home I immediately started to search for a recipe explaining how to prepare it. Nothing! I found different versions of warm goat's cheese but no one looked like the dish we had in the restaurant.

I decided then to find it by myself. After several attempts I finally found out the right combination of ingredients and the cooking time!

Let's see together how to make this dish, that can be served as starter or second/main course.

SHRIMPS AND MUSHROOMS PASTA

This shrimps and mushrooms bavette is my cheaper and easier version of the Italian pasta mare e monti. 

This dish has become a classic of the Italian cuisine and everyone has his/her own recipe. The mountains (monti) are represented by mushrooms and the sea (mare) by shrimps or other sea food, as mussels, clams, squids etc.

Following these steps and with the help of your imagination you will bring to the table a very tasty main course!

BEANS SALAD WITH PEPPERS, ONION AND FETA

After my last visit to Italy, my pantry is now full of food stored by my mother.

In particular I brought with me two different types of dried beans. But...How to cook them?

I like beans: they are a good substitute for meat (being high in protein) and they are an excellent source of minerals and vitamins. Though I've never prepared them from scratch.

There is always a first time...and a new recipe!

For this recipe I used a typical bean of the Belluno Valley, the area where my parents live. Its name is gialet (you can find more information about it here): 

Of course, other types of beans can be used and also canned beans or chickpeas match perfectly with the other ingredients (saving also a lot of time ;) ).

The result will be a tasteful salad that, accompanied by a slice of bread, is also a healthy main course.