Semifreddo al Caffe

This is a kind of ice cream, meaning that it is a sweet frozen desert. It is easy and (I wish I could say light) quick to make. It tastes light and refreshing, anyway. It contains coffee but not a lot and you can feed it to the kids in small portions. It's an Italian desert recipe that I got from here.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200 gr. condensed milk (can use lower quality);
• 50 gr. (about half a cup) cold coffee (not to strong, not to weak, can use instant);
• 250 gr. whipped cream (I used base and whipped it with 3 tablespoons powder sugar);
• some instant coffee or powder cocoa to ornate.

HOW TO MAKE:

First make the coffee and let it cool to room temperature. Use yesterdays coffee or make some instant with cold water. Do not sweeten, but if you got it already sweet, don't worry about it. Next mix together the coffee with the condensed milk using a hand whisk or hand mixer at low speed. It has to be about pancake batter consistency, no thicker. It drys fast. Next whip your cream with 3 tablespoons powder sugar (mine was vanilla flavored). Many cream bases come already sweetened, so read the  package. You can put some vanilla extract into the coffee mix as well. Do not overmix the cream because it is easy to get butter. It has to be firm (stick to the spoon and not drop if you turn the bowl upside down). 

Next incorporate the whipped cream into the coffee mix with overturning motions. Stir it in gently.

After that just put it into cups or whatever container you want and stick it into the freezer for a few hours. It is ready. I turned mine upside down and decorated it with some instant coffee on top.

Vanilla Ice Cream & Whipped Cream Sweet Glass

It's summer and it's hot. Just buy yourself a big jug of good quality vanilla ice cream (preferably the kind that you can see the little vanilla seeds in) and proceed to assemble a nice glass like I did. 

I cracked to pieces some digestive biscuits with cereal bis and dry fruit in them. I cracked open some pistachios and toasted almonds and I chopped them course with the knife. Then I whipped some real cream from heavy extra fat cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Be careful not to overwork it because it turns into butter and that is not what you want here. Lair the ingreds as you fancy on top of each other along with the nice ice cream that you bought (or made) and top with some dark chocolate shavings and chopped nuts. Delish (but also hyper caloric, so enjoy with moderation).

 

Tagliatelle With Fresh Green Peas

A must do recipe for the beginning of the summer is pasta with fresh green peas. And I mean fresh, because the dish simply isn't going to work with canned or even frozen ones. The recipe requires only that you pre boil the peas for 5 minutes in salted water. I was fortunate enough to receive the peas from a neighbor of my parents who was just picking them of the stem in the garden. She gave the peas to us in the pods, so my wife spent 15 minutes just taking the cute little green pearls of the stems. Pleasant 15 minutes, though!

INGREDIENTS (serves two):

• 150-200 gr. fresh green peas;
• tagliatelle pasta (can use fettuccine or other ribbon like pasta);
• 3 tbs. olive oil;
• 3-5 strips bacon or pancetta;
• 1 clove garlic;
• 150 ml. cooking cream;
• 50 gr. parmesan cheese, grated;
• salt, pepper, oregano (optional).

HOW TO MAKE:

First set up some salted water and boil the green peas for no more than 5 minutes.

Heat up some olive oil in a pan and add the bacon cut up into thin bits. Brown the bacon for 5-7 minutes. Add the chopped garlic to flavor the oil. Do not brown the garlic (adjust the heat to low). Immediately add the cooking cream to form a sauce. Salt and pepper. Add some dry oregano. In a nearby pot the pasta should already be boiling according to the instructions on the pack. If the sauce is too thick, add a ladle of the pasta water. When the pasta is al dente, strain and add it to the sauce in the pan. Stir well to coat the pasta with the creamy sauce. Add some more of the pasta water to thin the sauce, until it has a silky consistency. Add the strained fresh green peas,  and the grated parmesan cheese. Stir well. Plate and enjoy hot, immediately!

Pennette with Green Onion & Zucchini

“Pennette” means little penne pasta in italian. For this recipe I used the “grano duro” (course grain) pennette pasta from Barilla.

The dish is inspired by spring and by the fact that I have got some fresh garden green onions from my father.

INGREDIENTS:

• Pennette pasta (or use whatever shape you like);
• 3-5 tablespoons olive oil;
• 3-5 green onions;
• 1 clove garlic;
• 1 small or ½ big zucchini;
• ½ cup cooking heavy cream;
• a cup of parmesan cheese;
• salt, pepper, fresh parsley.

HOW TO MAKE:

Boil pasta in a lot of salted water (rolling boil). In the mean time prepare a pan with the olive oil on high heat. Slice the zucchini into finger thick slices and start frying them in the oil. After aprox. 5 minutes chop up the onions and throw them in, along with the sliced or crushed garlic clove. Turn the heat to medium or low. Sote the veggies for another few minutes, then poor in the cooking cream and bring to a boil. 

Immediately throw in the pasta, after you’ve drained it (do not wash it, unless you absolutely don’t want the salt or you must stop the cooking process of the pasta). Stir well and let the pasta absorb the cream and scented oil sauce. If it gets too dry, feel free to add a few spoons of the pasta water. Season with the salt and pepper. Go easy on the salt (pasta is already salty). Chop the fresh parsley and add. Add the grated parmesan cheese. Stir and serve immediately. 

For best results use heated plates and add some more parmesan cheese and parsley to each serving. Enjoy!

Sweet Mac'n'Cheese

It's one of our favorites in the evenings when one just gets the craving for "something good" but one doesn't have anything good (bought) in the house. It's a tasty and easy to make recipe that totally satisfies the whole family.

INGREDIENTS:

• a pack of pasta (small cut shape: fusili, little macaroni, cavatappi etc. etc.);
• 3 eggs;
• 2 cups grated white cheese;
• 2-3 tablespoons vanilla flavored sugar;
• 1,1/2 cups sour cream or yogurt;
• margarine and breadcrumbs for the baking dish.      

HOW TO MAKE:

Boil the pasta in plenty of water with a lot of salt.

Mix together the eggs, grated cheese, sugar and one cup of sour cream or yogurt. Drain the soft  boiled pasta and let cool for 10 minutes, then mix together with the cheese egg mixture. Take a baking dish and rub the interior good with a knob of margarine, then coat well with breadcrumbs. Poor the pasta cheese mixture into the baking dish and poor the leftover 1/2 cup of sour cream or yogurt on top. Spread it evenly. Bake on medium heat for 15-25 minutes, until the surface looks nice and golden brown. Serve hot or cold with cream, more sugar or better yet with some fruit jam.