150g plain flour OO

150g eggs

150g sugar

vanilla essence

Method

In order to have a really light sponge you have to use either an electric hand beater or else an electric mixer.  If you beat the eggs and sugar using a hand whisk, you will never have the same result.

Prehat the oven 200⁰C, Gas 6.

Lightly grease and dust with flour a baking dish.

Combine eggs, sugar and vanilla essence in a large mixing bowl.  Beat for about 10 minutes on the highest speed, until white and thick.

Sift the flour and, using a large metal spoon, lightly fold HALF of it into the mixture.

Using a metal spoon, add the rest of the flour, half at a time, folding gently, in a figure of eight movement.

Pour the mixture in the baking dish.

Bake for 25-300 minutes or until well-risen and firm to the touch.

Allow to stand for 5 minutes before turning on to a wire rack to cool.

• 500g plain flour
• 20g dry yeast
• 200 ml lukewarm water
• pinch of salt
• 55g butter
• 20g crushed aniseed
• 210g sugar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• some oil

Method

• Put the lukewarm water in a small bowl and stir one teaspoon of sugar and sprinkle on the dried yeast.  Leave in a warm place (room temperature) until frothy.  It is very important that the water will not be too hot because it will kill the yeast and it will not rise.  If it is too cold the yeast will take ages to rise.
• In a large mixing bowl sieve the flour.  Always remember to hold the sieve as high as possible, so that the flour gets a really good airing
• Add the pinch of salt, butter and aniseed and rub the margarine into the flour using your fingertips only and being as light as possible, till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in the centre of the flour and the yeast mixture.
• Mix the dough using a wooden spoon to start with. Then mix by hand when less sticky.  Add some more milk if required.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic for about eight minutes.  You can use an electric mixer using the dough hooks.
• Lightly oil the dough and wrap it in stretch and seal or place in a plastic bag and put back in bowl.  Leave in a warm place for about one hour or until double in size.
• Preheat the oven 200⁰C, Gas Mark 6.
• Remove dough from bowl put on a lightly floured surface and knead it again back to its original size.
• Shape the mixture into two or three oblong loaves and arrange on a greased baking sheet allow spaces in between for increase in size.  Leave them to rise again in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
• Bake the loaves for about 25 minutes or until they are golden, firm and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Remove the loaves from the oven and allow them to cool overnight.
• The next day slice them and return the rusks to the oven at 170⁰C, Gas Mark 3 until they are golden and crisp.
• Leave them to cool on wire trays and store them in an airtight container.

• 200g ricotta
• 150g peeled tomatoes
• 125g peas
• 125g cauliflower
• 100g onions
• 100g potatoes
• 50g tomato paste
• 4 eggs
• seasoning
• oil for frying

Method

• Wash, peel and cut all the vegetables in very small pieces and place in different bowls.
• Pour some oil in a medium-sized pan and heat.  When hot quickly fry the onions stirring all the time.  Do not brown.
• Add cauliflower, the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes and continue cooking for a few more minutes, stirring all the time.
• Put this mixture in a saucepan.  Add water, peas, potatoes and seasoning.  Mix well.  Put on a medium flame till the mixture boils.
• Lower heat and simmer till the vegetables are cooked.
• Carefully add the eggs one by one.  Cut the ricotta into four pieces and add to the soup.  Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
• Serve very hot.  When serving put a piece of ricotta and one egg in each plate.

100g cauliflower

25g tomato paste

100g barley

100g beef shin

seasoning

75g onions

75g dried potatoes

11/2lt water

200g pork belly

celery stick

Wash and dice all vegetables. Wash barley. Fill a medium size pan with water. Bring it to the boil, add meat, vegetables, tomato paste and barley. Simmer for about 11/2 hours. Remove the meat from the soup, and dice it in very small pieces. Add it to the soup. Season and serve it hot.

cooked octopus

prawns

king prawns

squid rings

mussels

clams

1 garlic head

4 small onions

lemon

small glass of white wine

lemon

fresh herbs

seasoning

chilly pepper

Method

Bring a large pot of water to boiling.  Cook prawns, clams, squid rings and mussels in boiling water for 2 minutes.  Drain.  Peel the shrimps, and shell the clams and mussels.

Boil the octopus separately, because it takes longer to cook.  When cooked drain and cut into rings.

Prepare a bowl with, olive oil, wine, chilly pepper, seasoning, fresh herbs, lemon juice and seasoning.  Put all the cooked fish to marinate in this mixture for one hour.

Peel and chop the garlic.  Peel the onion.

In a large frying pan heat some oil and quickly fry the chopped garlic and whole onion.

Remove fish from marinate and add to the onion and garlic.  Continue cooking for about 50 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve hot with an accompaniment of green salad.

600g salt cod

olive oil

freshly ground pepper

flour

beaten egg

cooking oil

Method

Rinse any excess salt off the cod, then put into a large bowl and cover with cold water.  Leave to soak in the fridge for at least 24 hours, changing the water three to four times.  After this time, taste a small piece, and, if it still seems too salty, soak it for a bit longer.

Slice the soaked salt cod into fingers or strips about 2.5cm or 5cm wide.

Whisk together the olive oil and pepper and coat the salt cod pieces in the mixture. Cover and put in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours.  You can leave it marinating for up to 6-8 hours.  The longer the marinate, the better the taste.

When you are ready to serve, heat enough cooking oil in a heavy pot (or use a deep-fryer) to submerge the salt cod strips.  How much depends on your pot. Heat this oil and get it hot, about 360-375 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, flick a drop of water into the hot oil, and when it pops and sizzles instantly you are ready to fry.

Remove the fish from the marinade and pat it dry.  Dredge in flour and then in the beaten eggs, dropping each salt cod strip into the hot oil.  Take your time and do this in batches if need be; you don’t want to crowd the pot.

Fry the salt cod until it is golden brown, gently stirring it around periodically.  As soon as it is done, take a salt cod strip out and drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Serve with a salad of your choice.

Short crust pastry (See Ricotta Pie)

1 kilo cooked spinach

1 large tin of tuna in brine

200g leeks

3 or 4 garlic cloves

100g black olives, stoned and chopped.

freshly grated nutmeg

fresh basil chopped

olive oil

grated lemon rind

seasoning

sesame seeds

1 egg lightly beaten

Method

Wash, peel and chop the leeks and garlic.  In a large frying pan heat some oil and fry the leeks, onions, garlic to a nice golden colour.  Add the cooked chopped spinach, drained tuna, freshly grated nutmeg, chopped basil, chopped olives, grated lemon rind and seasoning.  Mix carefully so as not to squash the mixture.

Preheat the oven, 180⁰C, Gas Mark 4.

On a lightly floured table roll out half of the pastry and line a pie dish with it.  Fill the dish with the tuna mixture.  Roll out the remainder of the pastry.  Moisten the edges of the pie dish and cover the pie dish with it.

Cut two slits in the top of the pastry lid to allow the steam to escape.  Sprinkle some sesame seeds.

Bake for 60 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown in colour.

                                                                             For the shorcrust pastry
1kg ricotta                                                             420g flour
4 soft cheeselets                                                     180g margarine
100g grated cheese                                                 8g salt
4 eggs                                                                             112g cold water
1 egg lightly beaten
seasoning
chopped parsley
freshly grated nutmeg

Method
 

Sieve the flour. Add the margarine, cut into smallish lumps, then begin to rub it into the flour using your fingertips only and being as light as possible. Add this mixture to the flour mixture. Add the cold water and work into a dough.

Preheat the oven, 180⁰C, Gas Mark 4.

Put the ricotta in a large bowl and mash either with a fork or with a potato masher.  You have to mash till the ricotta is smooth and creamy.  Add chopped parsley and eggs to the ricotta mixture and blend well.  Add seasoning and freshly grated nutmeg.  Mix well till all the ingredients are combined.

On a lightly floured table roll out half of the pastry and line a lightly greased 25 or 30cm pie dish with it.  Fill the dish with the ricotta mixture.  Roll out the remainder of the pastry.  Moisten the edges of the pie dish and cover the pie dish with it.

Seal the rim of the pastry to the dish by pressing the back of a fork down onto the pastry all the way around the edge.  Cut two slits in the top of the pastry lid to allow the steam to escape.

Bake for about 50-55 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown in colour.

600g plain flour

1500g sugar

150g margarine

1 packet dried instant yeast + 1 teaspoon sugar

½ tsp aniseed

vanilla essence

grated rind of 1 orange and tangerine

lukewarm water

sesame seeds

Method

1. In a jug, mix the yeast and sugar into the water and leave in a fairly warm place free of draughts, till it becomes frothy.

1. Sieve the flour in a large bowl and rub in the margarine till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add sugar, essence, aniseeds and grated peel.  Mix thoroughly and make a well in the centre.

1. Pour in the yeast and bring the flour mixture in gradually from the sides.  Keep on mixing till you have used all the flour.  If you see that the dough is too dry add a little freshly squeezed orange juice.

1. Knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough.  The sides of the bowl should be clean.

1. Dust the dough lightly with flout and place it in a large mixing bowl.  Leave it in a warm place to rise.  This will take about 2 hours.

1. Preheat the oven 190⁰C, Gas Mark 5.

1. Once the dough has doubled in size knock it back and knead it until it is elastic again.

1. Break off pieces roughly the size of a small ball and roll each one into a thin sausage-shape.  Twist them into a circle, moisten the edges and press them tightly together.  The hole in the middle of the rings must be quite big otherwise it will close up during baking.

1. Brush the tops of the rings with a little water and sprinkle the sesame seeds on them.

10. Place these rings on a greased baking tray; or else line it with baking paper.

11. Leave them to rise again in warm place for about another hour.  Do not worry if the rings puff up and join each other.

12. Bake for not more than 15 minutes.  The rings should be golden brown on top but still soft when you touch them.

13. Once they are completely cold you can put them in a airtight container and they will keep fresh for about 3-4 days.

500g tortellini

 fresh cream

 200g ham

200g mushrooms

basil

freshly ground nutmed

freshly ground pepper and salt

lots of diced garlic

some margerine

Method

1. Choose any tortellini you want, and cook as normal. Do not overcook.
2. Buy the ham as a whole thick piece. Cut into small cubes and put in a bowl.
3. Rinse the mushrooms and dice. Place in a bowl.
4. In a big deep pan, heat some margerine and shallow fry the garlic. Don’t let the garlic turn brown, as this would give a bitter taste. Add the mushrooms, mix, and then add the ham. Mix again, and add the basil.
5. Continue cooking for a few minutes and then add the fresh cream. Leave some fresh cream for the presentation. Mix and cook for a few more minutes. Then add the nutmeg and season.
6. Add the tortellini to the mixture and mix for a few minutes.
7. Serve hot with fresh cream on top.