Creamy roasted red pepper and sun dried tomato pasta

   Hi, pasta lovers!

   Today I want to present to you my new discovery! If your mouth is watering when you hear about roasted red peppers and you loooove sun dried tomatoes because they remind you of Italy, then read on! 

   I found this recipe shared on Instagram by a Romanian influencer who made it at home. She also took it from servingdumplings.com, a blog I've never heard about before. BIG mistake! If you take a glance around you'll instantly feel hungry and you'll become a follower! Yep, that's what happened to me too! 

   Now, you know that I usually love to improvise and tweak recipes to make them my own and I did that with this recipe as well. I decided not to blitz the roasted peppers and sun dried tomatoes into a sauce because I wanted to feel their texture and I skipped the tomato sauce and the lemon because I added Pesto Rosso from Lidl. Other than that, I decided to made my own pasta from scratch. Why not? Fresh pasta is always better, right?

   So here's how I did it:



Ingredients for 2 people:

250g pasta (or make your own from here)

3 red bell peppers

100 g sun dried tomatoes, oil drained but reserved

50 g grated parmesan

200 ml milk

1 shallot or small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 jar Pesto Rosso from Lidl

salt + black pepper

1/2 tsp crushed dried chili

+basil and grated parmesan, for sprinkling



Steps:

1a. OPTIONAL: Make the pasta yourself.

1b. Place the bell peppers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Turn on your broiler to 250°C and if you can, place the peppers on the highest rack, close to the heating element (in my case it was the second highest because the tray wouldn't fit on the first one). Roast for about 5 minutes or until black spots appear, flip the peppers and continue to roast until all sides have been charred.

2. Place bell peppers in a plastic bag. Seal and let steam for about 5 minutes. Pull off the skins and remove the seeds, then dice them. Dice the sun dried tomatoes as well.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente and then drain.

4. In a medium pot, heat the oil and add garlic and shallot. Cook over low heat until soft, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the roasted bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes, pesto rosso and Parmesan. Pour milk, 50 ml oil from the sun dried tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

5. Toss with pasta. Adjust chili, salt and black pepper to your taste and serve immediately with Parmesan and fresh basil.

Bon appetit! :)

Cheesy tuna pasta bake

   This recipe was born from a craving. Let me explain myself. After a lot of heavy meaty meals during the winter holidays, I felt like tuna for a change and I realized I missed pasta as well so I decided to marry the two and make a tuna pasta bake. I made a similar recipe once before but I wasn't super impressed with it, so this time I looked up some inspirational recipes. I found one I liked and I decided to tweak it and this is how this recipe was born :)  It's soooo cheesy and soooo delicious you'll really want to go back for more! ;) I feel like cooking it again already :)))

Ingredients for about 3-4 servings:

- about 200 g of fusilli pasta or your preferred pasta

- a tin of tuna chunks in sunflower or olive oil 

- 3 cloves garlic, crushed

- a pinch of dried oregano 

- a pinch of chilli flakes

- 1 teaspoon mashed anchovy filets or paste

- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

- a 500 ml bottle of home made tomato sauce (Romanian "bulion") or a good quality store bought one

- about 100 g of grated Gruyere cheese or Parm cheese 

- about 6 slices of smoked cheese 

Steps:

1. Combine tuna and its oil from the tin, garlic, anchovies, oregano, and chilli flakes in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and cook for 1 minute once oil begins to sizzle.

2. Stir in the tomato sauce. Increase heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes.

3. Fill a large pot with oregano salted water and bring to a boil. Cook your pasta until just slightly undercooked (2 min less than the package advice), then drain. 

4. Stir cooked pasta into the tuna tomato mixture, then add the Gruyere or the Parm.

5. Pour everything in a glass tray and cover it with the slices of smoked cheese.

6. Put the tray in the oven at 185C for about 15-20 min or until the cheese on top starts to melt.

Bon appetit! :)

Soft ginger cookies

   I found this recipe when a good friend of mine had to prepare something sweet for her Multicultural Christmas representing the UK and I got the "ginger cookies" recommended by an English friend. Oh, it couldn't have been a better idea! 

   I have to say from the get go that I'm not a huge cookie person because Romanians love the creamy cakes and we're not used to eating cookies with tea or something else so we don't make them at home either. I only started getting into them since my husband received a family recipe book for Christmas cookies and we're baking those every year. Mighty great cookies! 

   Therefore, the ginger cookies were something totally new and exotic for me, but I decided to see it as a challenge that my friend and I accomplished for sure! These cookies are so delicious you'd LOVE to have them on your Christmas table and you'd be munching on them after Christmas is done if you have leftovers. So, naturally, I had to share the recipe with you guys! It's pretty easy peasy, so let's get started! :)

Ingredients for 24 cookies:

- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

- 2 teaspoons ground ginger 

- 1 teaspoon baking powder 

- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup white sugar

- 3/4 cup margarine, softened

- 1 egg

- 1 tablespoon water

- 1/4 cup molasses

- 2 tablespoons white sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. 

2. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. 

4. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. 

5. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 5 cm apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly. The cookies are going to grow quite a bit so make sure you're respecting the distance rule! 

6. Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven until they are turning slightly brown (uncooked dough will be rather white and VERY soft to the touch). 

7. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

8. Store in an airtight container.  

Bon appetit and Merry Christmas! :)

Oli's Meatball Pasta

Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 400g Fusilli pasta or your preferred pasta
- 800 g tomato pasta sauce (or home made tomato sauce)
- 450 g ground pork
-150 g ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 egg
- 100g bread ground up into bread crumbs
- a handful of fresh sage, finely chopped up
- a handful of fresh basil, finely sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
-100 ml water (when you cook the meatballs)
- grated parm cheese (to sprinkle on top)
OPTIONAL: garlic bread

Steps:
1. Place ground pork, ground beef, diced onion, egg (whole egg), breadcrumbs, chopped sage, salt and pepper all in a bowl and hand-mix thoroughly, until everything is evenly mixed.
2. Make meatballs that are slightly larger than a golf ball.
3. Put the Fusilli pasta to boil until it is al dente.
4. Place the meatballs in a hot frying pan with a bit of oil.
5. Cover the pan with a lid so that the interior of the meatballs also gets cooked.
6. Rotate the meatballs to a different side every few minutes, so that all sides get evenly seared.
7. Once all sides are evenly seared, add 100 ml of water into the pan and cover it again. This will allow the inside of the meatballs to cook without the outside getting burned.
8. Once the water has completely evaporated, add all the tomato sauce into the pan and cover it again. I used a combo of store bought and home made tomato sauce (Romanian bulion), but you don't have to complicate your life like that :P

9. After about 6-7 minutes, add the thinly sliced fresh basil and also check the interior of the biggest meatball to ensure it is completely cooked.
10. If it is cooked, take the pan off the heat.
11. Mix with the Fusilli pasta.
12. Add some pepper and grated parm cheese on top of each individual plate and bon appetit! :D

Umami Chicken Wrap

   We discovered this chicken wrap by accident when one evening we wanted to eat a chicken wrap (we love house-made wraps here) and we played with the ingredients we had in the fridge. What makes it umami though is the herb mayo we used and the fresh telemea :D  Do you wanna lick your fingers? 

FYI: The measurements in this dish are very subjective. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients for 3 people:

- Kania Remoulade Mayo with Herbs from Lidl

- About 500 g boneless chicken thighs 

- ”Chicken Seasoning” and ”Spicy Chicken Wings Seasoning” from Kamis (the ratio between the two  depends on how spicy you want the chicken)

- 1 medium red pepper

- 2 cucumbers

- 2 tomatoes

- 1 green onion

- 200g of ”Telemea de vacă” from Bonas (Feta cheese for people from outside Romania)

- 6 Mediteranean Herb Mission wraps

Steps:

1. Cut the chicken into strips. Season it with the seasoning mix.

2. Cook the chicken with some oil in a frying pan until it's done.

3. Cut the red pepper into strips, peel the cucumber and cut it into strips.

4. Dice the tomatoes.

5. Chop up the green onion.

6. Grate the cheese or crumble it by hand.

7. Warm up the wrap in a pan.

8. Spread some herb mayo on the wrap and then add the desired amount of each of the ingredients in the wrap. Roll it up and ... bon apetit! :D

Delicious Pasta Tuna Salad

   I know, I know, it's been more than 6 months since I last posted anything here. I won't find any excuses and just let you wonder when I'll post the next one ;) 

   Today we'll talk about something really really good that I haven't made in a loooong time (years), therefore I forgot how good it is. So, when I tasted it again I instantly thought of sharing the joy :D

   This recipe was born as a tweak from an original recipe of a friend of Oliver's so my dear husband got creative and presented me this yummilicious salad and got me in love with it ever since! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients for 4 people:

300g small pasta (I used cornetti/elbows) + a bit of oil

1 red pepper

2 celery sticks

a big. red onion

3 tuna cans

1/2 cup mayo

dill

salt, pepper, chilli flakes

Steps:

1. Cook the pasta. Once it's cooked, cool it down under cold water until it's room temperature and then set it aside adding a bit of oil and mixing so that it doesn't stick together. 

2. Chop up in small cubes the red pepper, the celery sticks and the onion.

3. Chop up the dill.

4. Drain the oil from the tuna and mix the tuna with mayo.

5. Mix all the components together in a bowl.

6. Add salt, pepper and red chilli flakes to taste

7. Bon apetit! :D

Garlic & Caramelized Onion Focaccia Bread

   When it Italy I knew I had to try out focaccia! I looked for a pesto one in all Genova and in the end I was victorious! I loved that focaccia bread from the first bite! 

   Now for whoever hasn't tried it until now, it's a really awesome type of fluffy bread with awesome toppings! Last summer, after returning to Italy and having one of the best meals of my life in Modena at Franceschetta 58 restaurant, I knew I HAD to make my own focaccia! One that resembled the one we had in Modena. I still feel its taste in my mouth if I close my eyes. Absolutely addictive!

   I know it took me a while to get me to actually make my own focaccia but I see cooking as art: I'm only able to produce a really tasty dish when I feel in the mood for it. Otherwise it's going to be meh. And I don't want meh. 

   So today I REALLY felt like focaccia and I wasn't diasappointed! I found this awesome recipe that I tweaked and ta-raaaaaa! Absolutely delicious focaccia! I don't know about you but I LOVE love love caramelized onions and garlic! What could be better? So try this recipe yourself! <3

   Important note, though! It's quite time consuming (about 2-3 hours, so be prepared to be patient :P) Oh, and have a standing mixer! It totally makes your life so much easier! 

   Too much talk! Let's staaaart!

Ingredients (for 6-12 servings)

- 1 packet rapid-rise dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2-1 teaspoon cornmeal, for dusting
- 3 small yellow onions thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt & pepper
- fresh or dry rosemary

Steps:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the yeast with 1 cup warm water and sugar. Gently stir to dissolve and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes until it foams. With mixer on low, slowly add 2 cups of the flour to the bowl.

2. Dissolve salt in the 2 tablespoons of warm water and add to the dough mixture. Add the 1/4 cup olive oil as well. Continue to add an additional 1 1/2-2 cups of flour (I only needed the 1 1/2 cups). When the dough begins to come together, you can increase the mixer speed to medium. If needed, stop the mixer and scrap the dough off the sides. Continue mixing until the dough is a uniform ball and is smooth and elastic (5-10 minutes), adding flour as needed. Note: you don't want the dough to become too dry; if it becomes dry and hard from adding too much flour you can add a splash of olive oil and/or water until elastic and smooth once again.

3. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and fold it over itself once or twice. Form the dough into a ball and place in a well oiled bowl. Turn the dough to coat all sides with oil and cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. Place in a warm draft free spot (an unheated oven or microwave work great) and allow to rise until doubled in size, at least 60 minutes (may rest for a couple hours if desired).

4. Coat a sheet pan with a little olive oil and sprinkle with corn meal. Turn dough out onto the counter and stretch it out into an oblong shape about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Lay flattened dough on the prepared pan and cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

5. While it is resting, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium skillet, add the onions, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes until the onions caramelize. 

6. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Uncover the dough and make impressions with your fingertips giving it that classic "dimpled" look of focaccia. Add the rosemary, the caramelized onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. 

7. Bake on lower rack for 20-35 minutes (20 worked for me with electrical oven) or until dough is cooked through and beginning to golden on top.

Bon appetit! :D