Keik Portokali - Orange Semolina Cake

At the weekend I did 'girly' stuff with a new friend, I don't normally do 'girly' stuff, but rather stupidly I made a promise to Hubby that this year I would try and be more 'girly'! So Saturday was spent having my hair & nails done !!!

I can't say I enjoy this sort of thing, I would actually put it on a par with a visit to the dentist, or even the gynaecologist, it's just that I am never happy with the results and with life being so manic I don't ever actually have the time for this sort of luxury, plus even though my nails are looking rather lovely and glam, they are proving rather difficult with the lifestyle of housewife and Insurance Broker, typing is a nightmare!!! I'm not sure how long they will last, either the nails have to go or I become a lady of leisure and get a cleaner.

Anyway, the reason behind this recipe is that my lovely glamourous friend who is trying to educate me in all things 'girly' has Greek origins so as a thank you I decided to take her a thank you present of the lovely cake below.

This cake is a very grown up cake as the oranges give it quite a twang and is traditionally served with Greek coffee. You can double the syrup if you prefer the cake damper and sweeter.

Καλή όρεξη

2 oranges, well scrubbed

185ml olive oil

140g caster sugar

5 eggs

250g fine semolina

4 teaspoons baking powder

80g chopped almonds

Syrup

125g caster sugar

juice of 1/4 lemon

185ml water

1 teaspoon Anthonero (Orange Blossom Water)

Boil the whole oranges in plenty of water until softened, about 1 hour. Keep checking that they are well covered and add more hot water as needed.

Preheat the oven to 180c, 350f, gas 4.

Oil and flour a 24cm cake tin, not a spring-form one.

Put the syrup ingredients in a saucepan with 185ml water and stir over a medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and simmer uncovered for 6 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Quarter the oranges to check that there are no pips. Puree them skin and all in the blender or food processor until you have a smooth orange mush.

Pour this into a bowl and stir in the oil, sugar and eggs.

Now whip with beaters, then beat in the semolina, baking powder and almonds.

Scrape out into the cake tin and bake until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes or so.

Still in the tin, cut it into diamonds about 7cm long and 4cm across the middle.

Gently pour the cooled syrup over the top, covering the cake.

Leave to cool completely before serving.

Serve with Greek coffee or espresso.

Chicken Cacciatore

Well Pancake Day is over, Easter isn't far off but next is Mother's Day and its time to drop very unsubtle hints to my Children !!!

Olly I hope is buying me the above Catherine Fulvio book and Rosie I hope is buying me Two Greedy Italians, two wonderful Italian Cookery books to add to my rather vast and growing collection.

Below is a Catherine Fulvio recipe, I love her show and I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Buon appetito

(By the way Kids, its 3rd April, just so you know)

1 large chicken, segmented, I must admit I cheated, I brought 2 chicken breasts for Hubby and 4 legs for the rest of us, but I think next time I would use 6 breasts as it is just easier

6 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper


6 shallots, halved or quartered, depending on size


2 cloves garlic, sliced crossways


2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes


500ml chicken stock 


125ml white wine 


2 tbsp tomato puree


1 tsp caster sugar, to taste


6-8 medium basil leaves, torn 


2 tbsp thyme,chopped

30 black olives, whole, as usual, I left the Olive's out


Olive oil, extra virgin


Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas 4.

Slice the onion and garlic.

Toss the chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess flour.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken pieces in batches over a medium heat (take care not to overload the frying pan).

Remove the chicken from the pan and place into a casserole dish.

Sauté the onions in the frying pan, over a low heat until soft. Add the garlic and cook gently. Add to the chicken.

Deglaze the frying pan with the white wine and add to the chicken.

Then add the tomatoes, stock, sugar, thyme and tomato purée. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat. Now pour over the chicken and other ingredients that are in your casserole dish.

Cover and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked, then add the basil and olives.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread or rosemary roast potatoes. I served this with rice and freshly made focaccia, but if I had more time I would serve it with the roast potatoes and green beans.

Black Pepper Jumbo Breadsticks

If in doubt, ask a 9 year old ! Thats exactly what I had to do when making these breadsticks. The recipe says divide the mixture into 12 equal portions, roll the portions into balls, then place each ball on a floured surface and roll into a long sausage shape, for the best visual results make the sausage shape an even thickness, now this is easier said than done.

Dividing the dough was easy, rolling into balls was easy, but could I make them into long sausage shapes, hell no !!!!

Call in Luca, after many years of play dough experience he was just the man I needed and did a perfect job for me. Thanks Luca, you are a star.

We enjoyed them with dinner and dipped them into lovely olive oil and balsamic.

Buon appetito

(Photo of Luca taken in Tuscany Easter 2010 & the photo of the breadsticks was taken on my gorgeous iPhone)

Ingredients

• 450g/1lb strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

• 1 x 7g/⅛oz sachet fast-action dried yeast

• 1½ tsp salt

• 250–275ml/9-10fl oz warm water

• vegetable oil or spray oil, for oiling

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp sea salt

• 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

1. Dust two large baking trays with flour.

2.Put the flour, yeast and the salt into a large bowl and add enough of the water to make a soft but not sticky dough. Knead well for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured work surface or for five minutes if using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.

3. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions, each weighing about 60g/2½oz. Roll the portions into balls, then place each ball on a floured surface and roll into a long sausage shape about 25cmx2cm/10inx1in. (For the best visual results make the sausage shape an even thickness).

4. I like to shape half of them into twists. Run a knife down the centre to split the dough, leaving a bit at one end uncut. Braid or plait the two halves over each other to give a twisted effect.

5. Place the breadsticks on the prepared baking trays, spacing them 4cm/1½in apart. Cover the breadsticks loosely with oiled clingfilm, making sure it is airtight. Leave in warm place for 30 minutes, or until the breadsticks have almost doubled in size.

6. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

7. Remove the clingfilm and brush each breadstick with the extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle half of the breadsticks with the sea salt and the remainder with the freshly ground black pepper. Bake on the top third of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the breadsticks are lightly golden-brown and feel firm to the touch. Remove the breadsticks from the oven and leave to cool on the baking trays.

Tomato Tarte Tatin

Tomatoes for me are heavenly, I have a passion for tomatoes, I love them in salads especially Greek and the wonderful salad they do in Strada in Reigate and without a doubt, there are millions of dishes in which the tomato is one of the principle ingredients, or in which it is used as the base for recipes. It could be for its color, flavour, or versatility, and heaven knows the tomato has travelled a long way since the ancient Aztecs, to finally find itself in today's recipes.

I remember as a young girl helping my Father in the tomato greenhouse, snipping off the little side shoots so that they wouldn't waste energy in growing to many leaves or growing to tall, but put all their effort into growing the into red, juicy tomatoes. I use to love to sneak the little tiny cherry size ones straight from the vine, still warm from the sun, so good, so tasty and the smell, pure heaven.

I remember watering them, sweltering in the heat of the greenhouse, when I thought that they had enough, or more likely I'd had enough of watering, my Father would insist that I still gave them more, thirsty little blighters they were, but he was always right and they were always perfect.

This dish celebrates the tomato.

Buon appetito

Savoury tarte tatin is perfect for a light lunch, just add a green salad.

Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made puff pastry

• 40 vine-ripened cherry tomatoes

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• pinch sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tsp honey

• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs

• plain flour, for dusting

• 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten

• small bunch fresh basil

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2. Place the tomatoes into a 20cm/8in ovenproof frying pan with the vegetable oil, salt and pepper and honey. Arrange together as tightly as possible and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.

3. On a well-floured work surface, roll out a circle of puff pastry the same size as the top of the frying pan. Place the puff pastry over the tomatoes, tucking it around them so the tomatoes are encased.

4. Brush the pastry with the lightly beaten egg on the top only. (It does seem a bit pointless as this will be the underneath of the tart, but I like that bit of extra crunch that it adds to the pastry and it looks so much more presentable for that minute before you turn it upside down!)

5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is well puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to sit for a few minutes, then tip away the excess liquid (if any) and put a large plate upside down on top of the frying pan. Using oven gloves, press the plate down hard and then quickly flip the whole thing so the frying pan is upside down and the plate is on the bottom. (I do this over the sink because there is usually some leakage!)

6. Remove the frying pan. Once the tart is cold, rip up some mint or basil leaves and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

7. To serve, arrange the tarte on a plate or large platter with cold meats, cheeses, olives or salads.

Ratatouille

I love this film and I love this dish, nothing could be more lost in translation when the English name for this dish is "Vegetable Stew"! How on earth could vegetable stew ever describe the flavour, warmth and vibrant colours that this dish delivers.

This dish is so flexible, make loads, eat some the next day, or the day after, not out of the fridge but at room temperature with lots of Parmesan on top, or warm it a little and top it with a fried or poach egg. Spread it across a fresh baguette and drench it with good olive oil and you have a glorious snack.

Ratatouille can be eaten alone or works well as a side dish as it goes with everything from grilled sea bream to a leg of lamb.

However you eat it, enjoy !

Buon appetito

Ratatouille is such a sophisticated dish. It should be cooked slowly and when it is ready the colours should be vibrant but totally merged.

For 6

2 onions, peeled & cut into large dice

6 garlic cloves, peeled & sliced

50ml extra virgin olive oil

5 large tomatoes, cored & chopped

2 strips dried orange zest, see link below for recipe

1 small bunch of thyme

100ml vegetable oil

2 large red or yellow peppers, cored, seeded & cut into 4cm chunks

1 large aubergine, cut into 4cm chunks

2 large courgettes, cut into 4cm chunks

salt & cayenne pepper (I used 1 teaspoon of cayenne)

Soft brown sugar (I used 2 tablespoons)

Sweat the onion and garlic in the olive oil for 10 minutes without colouring until soft. Add the tomato, orange zest and thyme, and cook at a simmer while you saute the other vegetables.

Heat a third of the vegetable oil and saute first the peppers for 5 minutes. Season them and add to the onion, garlic and tomato. Wipe out the pan and do the same. separately, with the aubergine and courgette.

Simmer everything together gently for 30 minutes or so until the vegetables are completely soft but not dissolving.

Season to taste with salt, cayenne pepper and sugar. I stirred these ingredients in a few minutes from the end of cooking time, just so they had time to cook.

http://dianastaveley.blogspot.com/2011/01/zestes-doranges-sechees-dried-orange.html