Spaghetti alle vongole (with clams)

Quick, tasty and full of summer flavours. The perfect dish to prepare when you find fresh clams at the market.

Spaghetti alle vongole (with clams)

Ingredients for 4:

360 gr spaghetti pasta

500 gr of fresh clams, washed

100 ml of white wine

2 garlic cloves, peeled

a bunch of parsley, chopped

a pinch chilli powder

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

salt

How to prepare:

Put a large pot full of water on the stove at maximum heat.

Put a large pan with the extra virgin olive oil on the stove at medium/high heat. When the pan is hot add the garlic cloves. When they are golden add half of the parsley, the chilli powder and the clams. Stir fry for one minute, then pour in the wine and cover with a lid. Cook for a few minutes stirring from time to time until all the clams are open. Then take the lid and cook uncovered for 5 minutes more to allow the liquid to thick.

When the water in the pot is boiling add 3 tbsp of salt and the pasta. Cook the spaghetti for the recommended time, and then drain them.

Add the pasta into the same pan where the clams are cooking and stir well. Taste of salt and if needed add more.

Serve immediately topped with some fresh parsley.

Goat Cheese Salad

The Goat Cheese Salad can be a fresh appetizer or a light meal. With its bright colors it is a perfect dish for your Easter lunch table. Lamb’s lettuce is tender and sweet. Cherry tomatoes give freshness. Goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes are tasty. Finally, the balsamic dressing perfectly matches the flavours.

Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients for 6:

100 gr of lamb’s lettuce, washed

100 gr of mixed tender leaf salad, washed

20 cherry tomatoes, washed and halved

200 gr of sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained

200 gr of fresh goat cheese, cut in slices of around 1,5  cm

Ingredients for the balsamic dressing:

8 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp of honey, I used mint honey

a pinch of salt

a pinch of freshly ground black pepper

How to prepare:

First prepare the dressing. In a small bowl put all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk them with a fork until you have a homogeneous sauce. Taste and if necessary adjust salt and pepper.

Put the salads in a bowl and pour the balsamic dressing into it. Mix well. Then transfer the salad onto a large serving plate.

Now, nicely arrange the cherry tomatoes, the sun-dried tomatoes and the goat cheese on the top on the salad. Serve the Goat Cheese Salad with fresh bread or croutons.

Do not dress the salad earlier than 30 minutes before or it will become flabby and loose its volume.

Sun-dried Tomatoes Whirls

A quick, easy and tasty snack for your weekend. Only 3 ingredients and 20 minutes in the oven. Have a lovely weekend :-)

Sun-dried Tomatoes Whirls

Ingredients for 20 whirls:

1 rectangular sheet of puff pastry

200 gr of sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained

100 gr of cheese, like cheddar

How to prepare:

Preheat the hoven at 180° C.

In a blander put the sun-dried tomatoes and the cheese, if necessary add a drop of olive oil. Blend the cheese and tomatoes until they are reduced in small chunks.

Unroll the puff pastry and spread it with the tomatoes and cheese mixture. Now roll the puff pastry along the long side. Now slice the roll that you obtain creating small whirls of around 1,5 cm thickness.

Put the whirls on an oven dish covered with baking paper and bake them for around 20 minutes, until they are golden. Then take from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. The Sun-dried Tomatoes Whirls are good both warm and cold. 

Salmon Sandwiches

These flavourful sandwiches are inspired from the Scandinavian taste. The mix of smoked salmon, cucumber and fresh dill is always successful and always turn on the appetite.

I served these Salmon Sandwiches in a buffet, but they are also a perfect snack or a meal to take out with you and enjoy in the open air now that the spring arrived.

Salmon Sandwiches

Ingredients for 20 small sandwiches (or 10 bigger)

250 gr of smoked salmon

2 medium cucumbers

2 large hard-boiled eggs

5 generous tbsp of mayonnaise

a spring of fresh dill, chopped

salt and pepper

10 slices of whole wheat bread for sandwiches (preferably without crust)

How to prepare:

Cut the smoked salmon, the cucumbers and the eggs into small cubes (1-2 cm). Put them in a bowl and add the mayonnaise and the dill. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Spread a slice of bread with a couple of generous tablespoons of salmon mixture. Cover with another slice of bread. Slightly press the sandwich with your hands and then cut it into 4 small triangles (or 2 bigger). Proceed similarly until you finish the bread.

Present the Salmon Sandwiches on a serving tray garnished with fresh dill.

Lemon Linguine

Fresh, delicate and very perfumed, these Lemon Linguine are a perfect first course.

Lemon Linguine

Ingredients for 2:

250 gr of fresh egg linguine (or egg noodles)
zest of 1 lemon
150 ml of single cream
a bunch of chives
2 tbsp of butter
a handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
salt and pepper

How to prepare:

Put a large pot full of water on the stove at maximum heat.

Chop the lemon zest julienne.

Put the butter in a large pan and melt it on the stove at low heat.

Add the lemon zest (keep a small part of it aside for decoration), stir and cook for around 5 minutes.

Then add the cream and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the sauce at medium heat for a couple of minutes.

When the water in the pot is boiling add 2 tbsp of salt and the linguine.

Cook the pasta for the recommended time, and then drain it.

Add the pasta into the same pan where the sauce is reducing and stir well. Add a handful of grated Parmigiano, some finely chopped chives and stir again.

Arrange the Lemon Linguine in individual portions and garnish with some chives and lemon zest.

Serve immediately along with a bottle of aromatic white wine.

Pasta with Zucchini and Sausage

This quick and easy recipe will save you when you don’t know what to cook for dinner. You don’t need more than 15 mins and just 4 ingredients! And still you can count it in your 5 A Day!

Pasta with Zucchini and Sausage

Ingredients for 2:

200 gr of dry pasta (I used Pennette)
1 big courgette
250 gr of pork sausage
a handful of freshly grated Pecorino cheese (or another mature and tasty cheese)
1 tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper

How to prepare:

Put a large pot full of water on the stove at maximum heat.

Cut the sausage in pieces and chop the courgette in thin slices.

Put a large pan with the olive oil on the stove at medium/high heat. When the pan is hot add the sausage. Brown it for a few minutes, until it is golden. Then add the courgette, a pinch of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper. Stir well and cover with a lid. Cook covered for 3-4 minutes, and then take the lid and cook uncovered until the water will evaporate and the zucchini will be well cooked (4-5 mins).

When the water in the pot is boiling add 2 tbsp of salt and the pasta. Cook the pasta for the recommended time, and then drain it.

Add the pasta into the same pan where the sausages and zucchini are cooking and stir well. Add a handful of grated Pecorino and stir again.

Serve immediately in individual portions or in a large bowl. Suggestion: if you would like to boost the flavour add a pinch of ground chilli pepper.