We had a pizza lunch and used some of the dough to make braided Nutella Pizza Bread. Here’s how to make it yourself. Delicious!
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Easter Schiavole and Crostoli
19 AprBuona Pasqua!
In our home town of Circello, back in Italy, Easter is a special time to celebrate new life and the coming of spring (and end of winter!). Every year we make Sciavole to celebrate, a simple dish of eggs and cheese wrapped in pastry. We’ve made it every easter since forever, and here’s the recipe.
The video also includes a snippet on how to make Crostoli, which is done using the same pastry as for the Sciavole. They’re a delicious little treat.
Sciavole Recipe
1 kg of plain flour
Add 3 eggs and a pinch of salt
Work into a dough, adding water as required
Let sit for 30 mins, wrapped in glad wrap
Cheese filling is mixture of Pecorino, Grana Padano and Mozzarella. A large bowl full
Add about a dozen eggs until the mixture holds together well, but is not too dry
Roll the dough out into flat lengths, using a machine pasta maker is easiest!
Cut pastry into circles with a plate.
Add cheese pastry in half, wet edges, fold over and crimp with a fork.
Brush with a egg wash (egg and milk), then poke with fork holes.
Bake for about 30mins in a 200C oven.
Once golden, take out and cut into slices.
These can be frozen as required to keep for longer.
Crostoli
Take the same pastry, then cut into strips, fold into crostoli shapes (watch the video!), then shallow fry and cover with icing sugar.
Preserved Hot Chillies
13 AprWhen I was a child growing up in Italy, I hated chillies with a passion! It was the only spice the family used and I thought it spoiled the precious little food we had.
Times have changed and now, while I use it sparingly, my family and friends love it.
Many have asked how I preserve the chillies, so here is the recipe. Enjoy with Caution! Mary
Select chillies. Wipe clean and remove stalks. Important: Wear rubber GLOVES!
Chop chillies with either a knife or use a food processor, as I tend to do. If the variety of chillies you are using is too hot and you want a milder result, either remove some of the seeds or add a couple of sweet peppers.
Sprinkle layers liberally with salt and leave for 24 hours.
Drain off any liquid and add vinegar almost to cover.
Mix well and leave another 24 hours.
Drain off all liquids and, using your gloved hands, squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Place in jars, layering with vegetable oil, pressing down on the chillies. Place a small mesh or toothpicks on top to keep chillies below the oil. Olive oil can be used but it will solidify in the fridge. Keep refrigerated and always topped with oil and they will keep for 12 months.
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Hanging Zucchini Garden
9 Mar
Not enough room in your vegie patch? How about growing the zucchini from the roof? That’s what we’ve done here. The vegie patch is getting very full so we grew this zucchini up a pole and then along this veranda, letting the zucchini’s grow downwards. The zucchini’s are very long! The longest is 90 cms! And it saves a heap of room.
Video
Wine (Vino)
19 Jan
Dad’s been making wine every year since he can remember, and although it’s a lot of work, here’s how he does it. The kids even make a little appearance from about 4:15.
Video
Battered Zucchini Flowers (Courgette Flowers)
11 Jan
The male flowers on a zucchini plant (or courgette plant if you’re from the UK) don’t actually produce zucchini’s, so they’re perfect for picking, dipping in batter, frying and covering with honey. Nothing goes to waste in this household. Here’s how you do it.
Pizza
2 Jul
Learn how to make home made pizza the traditional way, right in a home made pizza oven. Pizza Chef extraordinaire joins mum to share the secret recipe (ok, flour, water and salt) as well as how to make home made yeast, roasted peppers and a classic margarita. That’s amore!
Fresh Pasta
26 DecThis is the final piece of the pasta dish trilogy. We bottled the tomato sauce (‘Passata’), turned it into Pasta Sauce (‘Ragu’), and now it’s time to make the fresh egg pasta itself.
Pasta Sauce (Ragu)
18 SepWe bottled the tomato sauce, now it’s time to turn it into traditional Pasta Sauce. It’s chunky red meat goodness and it’s delicious!
Cured Pork Sausages (Salsicce)
20 AugIn this Masterclass, Antonio and Maria show us how to make cured pork sausages, or Salsicce. Never has raw meat, hung out to dry in the garage for two weeks, seemed so delicious.
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