Ring-shaped cookies with lactose free whipping cream

Sorry if I left aside my blog ...but I got flu.

Fever, cough, sore throat...full package.

I know, it sounds weird and ridiculous, but actually that's the way it goes.

I was far from flu all the winter , but  this sudden last weeks cold snap in North Italy stitched me up.

After all I wrote that I am meteoropathic ...and my body (sigh! not only it!) was upset by feeling again such temperatures.

Yesterday it seemed Christmas time ...not May!

I felt really depressed,I don't hide it, and I comfort myself with cookies ...my favourites.

This time they are ring-shaped and with whipping cream, obviously lactose free .

Ingredients:

200 g corn flour

50 g corn starch

150 g potato starch

100 g vanilla-flavoured fruit sugar

 (it is enough to put the used vanilla bean with fruit sugar for a while, and then whisking the fruit sugar only with the blender  so it will be icing)

200 g margarine

1 egg

half glass lactose free whipping cream

a pinch of salt

1 yolk

Preparation:
I sift the flour in a bowl and I add both starches.
I make a hole in the middle and I put inside the egg.
I beat it and I add fruit sugar, stirring from the centre.
Then I add the margarine , previously melted in a double saucepan and let it cooling down.
Last, I pour the whipping cream (not whipped) and a pinch of salt.
I knead the dough for some minutes and then I roll it.
With a round cookies cutter I make some rounds and with a small always round cutter I make the hole in the centre.
So to have ring-shaped cookies.
I brush them with a beaten yolk and I bake them for 20 minutes at 180° (low temperature).

Meanwhile  we wait for Summer coming , Spring prefers other places...I think that I will use the oven still for a while...but it is a cold comfort, I make baked pasta also in August!!

Carrot cake

I prepare this cake thinking about my mum. Today is mother's day.
We live apart but...ideally I order up a slice of this cake that she likes a lot.
I'm sure that when we will see again, I'll prepare one just for her.
Many wishes mum!

Ingredients:
4 medium carrots
120 g fruit sugar
200 g almonds flour
3 eggs
100 ml corn oil
20 g corn starch
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
lemon extract
100 g pine nuts
50 g almonds flakes
a pinch of salt

Preparation:
I stir the oil with sugar fruit and I add yolks with electric beater up becoming like a mousse. I add almonds flour, the vanilla powder  and the lemon extract.
I grate the carrots.
Then I put them to dry on a dish cloth and I join  the vegetables to the dough later.
Apart I beat until stiff the eggs whites and I add them last.
I pour the dough in a baked pan covered by baking paper and I pour on the surface of the cake some pine nuts and almonds flakes.
I bake for 40° at 180°.

It's a cake suitable for gluten, lactose and yeast intolerant...but above all is soft and tasty.

Spring vegetables risotto

Spring , at least in the North of Italy,is making fool of us.
It kids us and makes fun of our weaknesses.
Whatever happened to beautiful days?
the Sun prefers Southern places we know that...but it's May, it could have pity of us!
As incurable optimist, I think that there will be not such endless grey  and rainy days any longer.
Meanwhile I take comfort with a risotto.

Ingredients:
1 scallion
150 g shelled broad fresh beans
250 g carrots julienne strips
50 g chopped parsley
100 g grated pecorino cheese (Italian sheep cheese from Tuscany)
50 g margarine
200 g rice
extra virgin olive oil as needed
salt as needed
a sprig of rosemary
a cube of vegetables yeast, sugar or gluten free stock

Preparation:
I stew the  chopped scallion in a pan with extra virgin olive oil and I add broad beans and carrots.
I let them flavour together with a sprig of rosemary for five minutes stirring often.
I pour some water to cover vegetables and I let it cook for about 15 minutes.
Then I put them apart in a bowl.
In the same pan with the remaining drops of sauce, I pour the rice and I toast it with some oil and the remaining rosemary. Then I pour some vegetable stock and I let it cook (total 12 minutes more or less, depends on rice).
Five minutes before finishing cooking, I add  the vegetables and I make the risotto creamy with some margarine.
Last I pour some grated pecorino cheese and I stir out of flame.

Sooner or later the Sun will company more often and we will claim because it will be too hot 
(I won't ,actually. I feel good at 30°)... but meanwhile let's enjoy a nice risotto with season vegetables.