Melting fennels pie

 

Even this is a family recipe.

When I buy fennels, I buy many more than I need, just to have the possibility, 

if I have enough to eat them raw, to make this recipe.

Ingredients for two vegetable pies:

3 fennels

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon anise seeds

100 g provolone dolce cheese 

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

extra virgin olive oil

a pinch of salt

Preparation:

I wash and clean the fennels (cutting the double -end).

I slice them up and I put them in a pan with oil, salt, fennels and anise seeds.

I stew them for 10 minutes with a saucepan cover over a low flame then I add some water to let them cook.

Then when they are cooked I put them on a baking pan covered by greaseproof paper, I sprinkle the bottom with a tablespoon of corn flour and I pour a quarter of knead, then slices of provolone cheese and I finish with other quarter of fennels and a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese to cook au gratin. Same proceeding with the second pie.

I bake at 220 ° (high temperature) for ten minutes, then five minutes to cook au gratin only.

Very easy and melting fennels!

Cauliflower balls

Where I come from ,Messina, the name of this recipe is " crispeddi i cavuluciuri", that is cauliflower balls.
Normally they are fried.
In Sicily many dishes are fried...are part of so-called street food.
When I was a little girl, I ate them a lot so I can barely stand it.
But now I bake them.
I like fried food but baked I think it is more healthy and I eat it with no worries.

Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower (600 g)
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 egg
a sprig of parsley
rice flour
4 tablespoons potatoes starch
a pinch of salt

Preparation:

I put the cauliflower in a pan with boiling water for 20 minutes.
Later, I drain it and I put in a bowl, mashing with a fork.
Then I add salt, egg, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and potatoes starch.
If the dough is still wet, usually I continue adding a bit of Parmesan cheese or potatoes starch.
Finally I shape by hand some balls and I pass them in a dish with rice flour (to be more crunchy).
I put the cauliflower in a pan covered by a greaseproof paper oiled with extra virgin olive oil and I bake for 15 minutes at 200 ° (medium-high temperature).
Other 5 minutes  to cook them au gratin.

One leads to another until the dish is empty!

With this recipe I participate to contest "Polpettiamo" by Squisito

Eggplant's cutlet

I had started not long before (just only few months)this culinary adventure (it's too sad calling it  strict diet) and we were (my husband and I) on holiday at Lerici (Cinque Terre area) when I discovered in a deli shop very close to central square, this version of cutlet with eggplants.
I was amazed to find ready-made food right for me and all my food limits.
It was simple to do and thanks to this recipe I started using corn flour in different ways that I didn't think until then.
Using corn flour like bread crumbs and as cover for a lot of food.
This discover pushed me to open my mind to experiment new food, new recipes...changing classical versions.
I understood that it depended on me, reinventing my cooking way without depriving myself of joy coming from a good dish, a good recipe, a good result!

Ingredients:
A big eggplant (I prefer round ones)
2 eggs
Rice flour
 Medium fine Corn flour (like fioretto type in Italy)
Salt
Olive oil

Preparation:

I cut the eggplant in slices in a bowl and  I sprinkle with generous pinches of salt each level of slices.
I place a pan full of water on top, so to be heavy and let coming the bitter black water out from them.
Then I wash the slices and I drain with a dishcloth.
 I roll the eggplant slices on rice flour dish, then in beaten eggs dish and last on corn flour dish.
I put them in a baking pan covered with greasing paper previously oiled and I bake, turning upside down until making golden in both sides.
I serve these cutlets hot.
They are crunches and not so oiled outside.
You can serve them with a dressing...but I prefer simple and crunch as they are.

NB: Rice flour was an extra addition respect the original recipe...thanks to another discover ,another experiment...another recipe.