Cannelloni with Bolognese Filling

Ingredients

12 dried cannelloni tubes

300ml - 1/2pint double cream

75g - 3oz freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 Tsp freshly ground nutmeg

crisp green salad, to serve

bolognese filling:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

500g - 1lb - 2oz minced beef steak

1/4 Tsp crushed chilli flakes (optional)

1 Tsp fennel seeds (optional)

2 Tbsp freshly chopped oregano

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 Tbsp tomato paste

150ml - 1/4pint red wine

salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Preheat the oven to 200 d C/400 d F, 15 minutes before cooking the stuffed cannelloni. To make the Bolognese sauce, heat oil in a large heavy-based pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 8 minutes, or until soft. Add the minced beef and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up lumps, for 5-8 minutes, or until the meat is browned.
• Stir in chilli flakes, fennel seeds, oregano, tomatoes and tomato paste and pour in the wine. Season well with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and lower the heat, then simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
• Using a teaspoon, fill the cannelloni tubes with the meat filling. Lay the stuffed cannelloni side by side in a lightly oiled ovenproof dish.
• Mix the double cream with three-quarters of the Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Pour over the cannelloni and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling.

Simple pear&gorgonzola starter

Ingredients (makes 4 portions):
2 pears
gorgonzola cheese
4 tsp of honey
handful of walnuts
salt&pepper to taste

Preparation:
If your pears are not soft enough first boil them in a water with lemon for 8 minutes to soften.
Cut pears in half and scoop out the cores.
 Put your pears on the aluminium foil and fill with cheese. Sprinkle with walnuts and honey on top.
Season with salt&pepper.
Bake in the oven (200C) for 20 minutes.
Serve warm. Tastes wonderful with balsamico sirup. :)

The quiche recipe

To make the Short Crust Pastry:

1 3/4 cups (245 g) flour
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
12 ½ Tbs (180 g) unsalted butter
6 Tbs cold water

Place the flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl, add the cubes of butter. Using the tips of your fingers and thumbs, rub the butter and flour together rapidly as if pushing the butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Do not overwork this mixture as the butter will melt.

Add about 4 tablespoons of the cold water and blend with a fork. Add more water, as much as needed and continue to stir until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough begins pulling together.

Scrape the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead gently and briefly, just enough to make a smooth ball of dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough, about 15 minutes.

Lightly butter a quiche or tart pan.

Roll out the dough on a well-floured work surface to fit the pie tin. Gently lift and fit into the pie tin. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. 
Prick the bottom and sides with a fork before baking.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a square of parchment or oven paper in the shell and weigh down with dried beans or pastry weights. Bake for 8 or 9 minutes then remove from the oven. Carefully (so as not to burn yourself) lift out the parchment and beans and return the shell to the oven for an additional 5 to 8 minutes or until pale and light golden brown. Remove from the oven to a cool.

To make the Basic Quiche Filling:
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream, light cream or part cream/part milk
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Dash nutmeg

To finish the quiche, add anything you wish on the pastry made before. I made my quiche with some chicken leftovers and plenty of different veggies I found in the fridge. I also used lots of basil and put mozarella on top.
Then add the mixture of basic quiche filling and put it all in the oven again (400°F/200°C) for another 20-25 minutes.

Bon Appétit!

Vanilla Pudding Pops

I tried this vanilla pops recipe by Matha Stewart last weekend, and I must admit they were delicious.
I really recommend this recipe, it's fast&easy to make and really really tasty.

 

Ingredients (makes 10 pops) 

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups whole milk

3 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in milk, mixing until ingredients are dissolved. Whisk in egg yolks.
2. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble sputters. Reduce heat to low; continue to whisk, and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and immediately pour through sieve into bowl; stir in vanilla.
3. Divide mixture among ten 3-ounce ice-pop molds. Chill in refrigerator until cool and thickened, about 1 hour. Insert pop sticks, and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours and up to 2 weeks. Run molds briefly under warm water to release pops.

Breakfast muffins

Ingredients (for 12 muffins)
145gms softened butter
180gms ham
125gms cheddar
1 tbsp olive of oil 
375gms plain/pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
salt 
2 eggs
250ml milk
1 tsb Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 180^oC/356^oF.

Melt the butter, cut the ham into small cubes, grater the cheese. In a large bowl pour the flour, baking powder, salt, ham and cheese. Beet the eggs with milk and mustard. Pour it into the bowl together with the melted butter and mix quickly with a spoon. The dough should be lumpy. Fill the molds and bake 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and  leave in molds for the next 10 minutes, then gently take out and cool down.

Raspberry Mousse Recipe

Ingredients

    1 envelope unflavored gelatin
    2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 1/2 cups heavy cream
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Preparation

    1. In a bowl, mix gelatin into 3 Tbsp. cold water. Let stand to dissolve.
    2. Combine raspberries and sugar in a medium pot; cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm, 5 minutes. Stir in gelatin until blended. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool.
    3. Combine cream and vanilla in a large bowl; whip until cream holds soft peaks. Gently fold in raspberry mixture. Spoon mousse into 6 dessert goblets. Lightly cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Pear & Almond Tart Recipe

This is the The Cook’s Atelier recipe. I decided to give it a chance. And it was truly delicious!

For the pears
1. Bring 4 cups water, sugar and lemon juice to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add pears and reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the pears are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Cool the pears in the syrup.
For the almond filling
1. In a medium bowl, mix the ground almonds, sugar and butter until smooth.
2. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
3. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
For the pâte sucrée
1. Whisk the cream and the eggs together in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter.  Using your fingers, incorporate the butter until you have a coarse meal.
3. Gradually add the cream and yolks, and mix until just combined.  Be careful not to overwork the dough.
4. Bring the dough together with your hands to incorporate completely.  Place it in the fridge for at least one hour.
To prepare the tart
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3. Place the chilled pâte sucrée on a lightly floured work surface, and sprinkle with a little bit of flour.
4. Roll it into a 1/4-inch-thick circle, flouring as needed.
5. Cut the dough into circles slightly larger than the tart pans.
6. Gently press the dough into the pan, being careful not to stretch it as this will cause it to shrink when baking.
7. To remove the excess dough, work your way around the edge pinching it off with your fingers.
8. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour, or the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
9. Once chilled, spread the almond filling evenly in crust.
10. Stem pears and cut each in half lengthwise; scoop out cores.  Cut each half crosswise into thin slices.  Gently press each pear half into the tart to fan the slices (keep them tightly overlapped).
11. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the filling comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
12. Cool tart in pan.
13. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar and add a dollop of whipped cream.

Enjoy! 

Quick&easy brownie muffins

 

INGREDIENTS:
150 g (0,35 lb) hazelnuts, 180 g (0,40 lb) of sugar, 140 g (0,3 lb) butter, 100 g (0,2 lb) of dark chocolate, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 100 g (0,2 lb) of wheat flour, 3 eggs 
Cream :200 g mascarpone cheese, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and sugar with real vanillaFor decoration : anything you wish :-) 

Roast the hazelnuts in the preheated oven to 200 degrees Celsius ((390 F) for about 12 minutes. Remove the skin and grind them in a food processor along with the sugar.Dissolve butter with chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, then add the nuts, mix briefly.Combine the flour with the baking powder, add it to the nut&chocolate mix, mix it for a minute, then add the eggs and mix it for another 2 minutes.Preheat the oven to 200 deg. C (390 F) .Fill the muffin cups with your mixture (about 1.5-2 tablespoons to 1 muffin cup).Put in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.CREAM:Mix mascarpone with a spoon of sugar and vanilla, decorate with anything you like (looks nice when sprinkled with grated chocolate).Enjoy!