The sea and the mountain small pies

 

Ingredients for 9 anchovies' small pies:

500 g boned anchovies
a tablespoon of capers (mine are from Filicudi, Eolian Island, Sicily)
the juice of a lime
some leaves of basil
some leaves of oregano
extra virgin olive oil
9 round tomatoes
salt as needed
 for 4  shelled red lentils small pies
half onion
2-3 cherry tomatoes
sesame seeds
sesame oil
some drops of tamari sauce
salt as needed
water as needed

Preparation:

I cut in two the anchovies' fillets already bones and  I let them marinate in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of desalinated capers,oil, juice of lime, salt, basil and oregano leaves chopped by hand.
I take the silicone moulder for muffins (yes believe me I use it; it's the one for 9 muffins) and I pour oil to grease the moulder and I put in the bottom half tomato.
Then I cover the tomato with marinated anchovies and I close with the remaining part of a tomato.
I fill all the moulders with the same proceeding.
I prepare the lentils pie with already cooked  shelled red lentils ( I cook them a long time with two drops of water over the lentils, chopped cherry tomatoes and onion, salt up the water has been totally absorbed).
I mash them with a fork and I add a drizzle of sesame oil and some drops of tamari sauce.
I take always other moulders for muffins, better disposable, and I cover them with baking paper, pouring inside the lentils mash tun.
I put above some sesame seeds to make the surface crunchy.
I bake both moulders at 200° (medium-high temperature) for 20 minutes.

That's a dinner very healthy and fatless ...without forgoing the flavor!

Birthday cake with caramel cream and hazelnuts

We have just had a party for my aunt's 70th birthday.
I'm surprised of her age...the same for my father.
They are still young for me...and I don't like thinking of time flies also for me.
Better don't think ...otherwise kilos of cookies shouldn't be enough to comfort me!
Speaking of comfort, the birthday lady pulled through an hard time...so I thought "Angela, let's make her a surprise. Make her a birthday cake"
Beautiful idea I know but make it ,very different.
Because it's easy  when you have all ingredients at your disposal and all possible helps, but I wasn't sure of the result...having to cook without (needless to say that) yeast, sugar paste,strong flour..and so on.
So much so that I suggested to my cousin to buy an ice cream cake...like stock..just in case my cake was awful.
It should be very sad to have a party without a cake!
Comforted that there should have been a "stock cake", I started cooking morning early.
It was a big deal so my husband was involved. Nothing weird if I asked his help... furthermore priest said "through thick and thin", isn't it?
There were two tries for base cake and caramel cream didn't want to work well...but finally I won!
The result is not like very fashion cake designers ones..obviously..but I did it myself!
There's no comparison how much it satisfies me ...seeing my aunt asks for seconds, my cousin taking away last piece in a safe place far from the table.
Friends eating and having a taste of it.
Birthday cake, I say to you...don't worry it - could - work!

Base cake ingredients:
200 g fruit sugar
200 g margarine
150 g rice flour
150 g tapioca flour
6 eggs room temperature
lemon juice and zest
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
soy milk as needed
a pinch of salt

Filling:
500 g lactose and sugar free vegetable cream (also for icing)
100 g fruit sugar
50 g  toasted hazelnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla powder

Icing:
300 g lactose free milk
100 g fruit sugar
150 g margarine
50 g toasted hazelnuts

Short crust Pastry  garnishment:
150 g superfine corn flour
15 g cocoa powder
15 g rice starch
100 g lactose free milk
100 g fruit sugar
orange essence
sugar free coloured small balls

Preparation:

Cake: I melt the margarine in a double boiler. I separate the yolks from egg whites and I whip them with fruit sugar.
A part I whip also the egg whites with a pinch of salt.
I drizzle in the melted margarine in the whipped yolks, the vanilla powder and the lemon juice and zest.
Without stopping stirring I add the flours previously sifted twice.
Little by little I add the flours but also soy milk if necessary, a tablespoon a time, to make the dough creamy and soft.
I pour it in a rectangular baking pan covered by baking paper.
I bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180ç (low temperature) for 35-40 minutes.
Putting the pan in the medium level and some boiling water in another pan on the bottom of the oven.
So to create a wet room and fit for the cake growing up even without yeast.

Garnishment: Meanwhile I prepare the cookies.
I put all ingredients in the bread machine, using it for kneading only.
When the dough comes off the edges, I put it in the fridge for 30 minutes, plastic wrapped.
After that, , I shape  number 70,exclamation points and four flowers with the short crust pastry.
I decorate the cookies with some coloured small balls and I bake for 15 minutes at 180° oven with fan.
Filling: I let the cake cool down and Start preparing the filling.
I whip the cold cream with fruit sugar and the vanilla powder in a bowl previously put in the freezer.
I toast the hazelnuts in a pan and I  crumble them with a steak hammer in a dishcloth so to be irregular parings.
I use a part of them in half whipped cream.
Icing:I melt the margarine over a low flame in a pan and then I pour the milk, stirring for a while.
I put aside the pan and I put another one where I melt the fruit sugar up to make caramel.
I pour it out of flame, little by little,  to the milk mix (being careful to scorch myself because hot caramel touching the milk can splash).
I put the pan again on the flame and I stir up the caramel is melt.
After that I let  cool it down and before garnish the cake I add the remaining whipping cream.
Final assembling: 
I cut in two the cake.
I spread some whipping cream on the bottom of the plate and I put on the first layer of the cake.
I spread with a palette knife the cream with the hazelnuts, leaving empty the edge so to avoid runoff after applying the higher layer.
Once covered with the remaining layer, I spread some whipping cream outside and I cover with caramel cream with the addition of whipping cream inside. I sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts and I put on the garnishment.
Obviously the cake must be put in the fridge . As much time it remains there as better will be the consistency.

Good wishes again dear aunt...I invite you to try it...let me know your results!