Ricotta - blueberries - Raspberries- strudel

Strudels are a speciality of my home-country. Mainly we fill Strudels with a mix of some fruits cut in pieces and seasoned with sugar and spices. These Ricotta - Strudel reminds me a little bit the so called "Topfenstrudel". This is a Strudel filled with some special fresh cheese = Topfen. In the following recipe I used ricotta, so you become a "Italian style Strudel" ;). Th recipe is very easy but the result is tremendous delicious....!!

You need ( for one Strudel ):

 2 Strudel leafs ( if you can't find them you also may use Yufka leafs, you can find them in "Turkish" stores)

250 g ricotta

30 g sugar + 3 tbsp. sugar 

2 Tbsp. fine breadcrumbs

3 tsp. Corn- or potatoe - starch

1 white from a big egg 

120 g blueberries and raspberries

60 g wheat flour

Some melted butter

To prepare:

1. Mix together Ricotta, starch, sugar and egg white until well combined.

2. Preheat the oven to 200 C.

3. Put your Ricottamix in a pan and heat up until it turns to a thick creme while stirring from time to time. Then remove from the oven and let cool down a little bit.

4. Put the flour in a bowl and add the berries. By moving the bowl cover all the berries with some flour.

5. Put one of the strudel leafs on a wet tea towel and Put all over the melted butter with a cooking brush. Then dust all over with 3 Tbsp. Sugar and 2 Tbsp. fine breadcrumbs.

6. Cover with  the second strudel Leaf and then put the Ricotta - Mix on the lower part

7. Disperse the berries over the Ricotta. Fold about 3 cm of both long sides of the strudel leafs toward the middle and then start folding the Strudel by taking the edges of the wet towel and starting from the smaller side of the Strudel (where  you have positioned your Ricotta - Fruit - Mixture) . The Result should be a sort of a Roll... = a Strudel ;). 

8. With the tea towel transfer the Strudel to a baking tray covered with some parchment paper and brush all over the Strudel with some melted butter.

9. Put in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes.

Let cool down for some minutes, dust with icing sugar, cut in pieces and .... yummie!

Egg in a hole

My daughter loves New York.... Hmmm, is anybody not lovin NY? So for her birthday She got a cookbook from Marc Grossmann with recipes from his hometown NY. Really great book! There are a lot of recipes I wanna try.... One of those was the recipe for "egg in a hole". Simple and easy to make but so yummie!

You need (per person):

1 Egg

1 slice of toast bread

Some olive oil and salt and pepper to season

1 round cookie cutter

How to prepare:

1. Cut out with the cookie cutter a hole in the middle of your toast bread and put the bread on a plate.

2. Break the egg in two halves and pour the egg white over your bread. Reserve the egg yolk. Let the bread soak well with the egg white. Turn to both sides so that both sides are well soaked with the white.

3. In a pan heat up some olive oil and put the bread in the pan. Pour the yolk in the hole of the bread. After about 1 minute turn the bread to the other side and wait until crispy and brown.

Season with some salt and pepper to your convenience and .....mmmmmmhhhhhh.....yummie.... Can I get a further one.... 😉

Burrata with roasted vegetables

During Summer to find some light dishes apart from Salads is not so easy... Ok one may grill or eat Pasta, fruits and icecream to get in the right summermood... But during Summer also all the vegetables are ripe and smelling and available in abondance... So find here a recipe that combines the taste from ripe vegetables with some italian taste.

You need (for 2):

250 g tomatoes

1 Zucchini 

1tbsp. icing sugar 

1 tbsp. normal sugar
2 garlic gloves, cut in small cubes

Some good olive oil

Different Herbs as thyme, rosemary, basil (I used dryed one as they are ready to use... But feel free to use fresh one)

Salt and pepper

1 Burrata

To prepare:

1. Roughly cut tomatoes and Zucchini 

2. Mix the vegetables with sugar, a good lug of olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper

3. Disperse the icing sugar on a oven tray and put the vegetables on this tray

4. Roast the vegetables for about 2 hours in the to 110 C preheated oven 

5. Put the Burrata out of the fridge at least half an Hour before the vegetables are finished

6. Let cool down the vegetables for about 15 minutes so that are still warm but norm more hot. Put them in a deep plate and Place for each Person half of the Burrata on Thor of the vegetables. To finish sprinkle with a little bit of oilve oil.

Oh by the way when you open the oven you will smell an mouthwatering Odour....... So it might be quite hard to wait some minutes before eating ;)

Vegan Lentil - Rice Salad to go

I am always looking for some treats for lunch time at the office. Looking in my cupboard I found a lentil tin... Some rice from Lotao... In my fridge some tomatoes and cucumber... In the windowbox fresh peppermint and basil..... So what do one need more for some delicious salad to go ....?

You need:

- 1 tin lentils (310 g net weight)

- 1 cup rice (I used Rising sun Rice from the brand Lotao)

- 2 tbsp. Rising sun elixir from Lotao

- 250 g small tomatoes, cut in slices

- 250 g cucumber, cut in small slices

- 1/2 onion, cut in thin slices

- Some leaves fresh peppermint and basil, cut in slices (it's easy with a scissor..)

Some salt to season

To prepare:

1. Cook the rice with 1 1/2 cup water for about 20 minutes. When cooked, wait 5 minutes before adding the Elixir.

2. In a big bowl mix together all the ingredients and season with some salt.

Using ripe and fresh ingredients I did'nt need any further seasoning.

I am sure that the recipe is also perfect with some normal rice... May be that it would be necessary to season here a little bit more .. With some lemon juice for example..

Vegan Lavender Rice Pudding

Looking for some new quick Breakfast also fine to take away, I found this recipe for a lavender flavoured  Rice Pudding.. Easy to prepare and yummie!

You need (2 portions)

- 100 g rice flakes 

- 300 ml milk (Almond-, oat-milk or what ever. If you are not vegan use normal milk...)

- 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

- 2 tsp. dried lavender

- 1 tbsp. butter (vegan of course if strrictly veganista .....)

- Lemon zest from 1/2 organic lemon

To prepare:

1. Put lavender in a tea bag.

2. Bring to boil milk, sugar and lavender. Then remove the pan from the Heat, cover with a lid and wait for 10 minutes.

3. Remove the lavender - tea bag. 

4. Bring once again the milk to boil and stir in the rice flakes and the butter, as well as the lemon zest. Then turn off the heat and stir from time to time until obtaining the desired consistence. Sometimes you will need to add some more milk.. Adjust the amount to your taste...

Or you eat the Rice Pudding right now or you put in some glasses, add if wanted  some fruits ( I find blueberries very fine to combine...) and reserve in the fridge... You can eat then the Pudding cold or heat it up for some seconds in the microwave oven before savouring.....

Vegan waffle

Waffles for Breakfast are a wonderful treat! Heaven would be if one would not have to work for long in the kitchen to get some hot fresh waffles in the morning.  Is'nt it? I found a great vegan recipe perfect for preparing the evening before and then you have just to bake the waffles in the morning. So easy  getting quick some hot delicious, fresh waffles..... ;)

You need (for 6 - 8 waffles, amount depending on the size of your Waffle Iron):

- 225 g wheat flour

- 100 g butter

- 300 ml soy milk

- 70 g sugar

- 1/2 tsp. Baking powder

- 1/4 tsp. ground vanilla 

- some fresh fruits, optionally maple syrup or some whipped cream 

To prepare:

1. Mix together all the ingredients until well combined

2. Reserve the batter in the fridge until baking next morning

3. Preheat the waffle Iron, put enough batter on the Iron and bake your waffles until golden brown

Dust with sugar and serve with some fruits, maple syrup and  sweetened whipped cream. Yummmmmmmm!

Sweet Semolina - Schupfnudeln

I confess I have no idea how to translate Schupfnudel! It means a sort of thick noodles made out of potatoe and eggs usually. This recipe is a vegan Variation that uses a Special sort of semolina: Kamut semolina. Kamut is a old sort of wheat that one can find in Health food Shops. The recipe is easy. Nonetheless you need some time as you have to roll the noodles by hand... And this takes some time... You can serve the Schupfnudeln as Dessert or as Main course. Accompaign them with some fruit compote, fruit salad and perhaps with some whipped sweet soy cream...

You need ( 2 portions when taken as Main course)

- 220 g Kamut semolina

- 500 ml rice Drink

- 4 Tbsp. Maple syrup and a little bit more for drizzling over the Schupfnudeln at the end

- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp. ground vanilla

- 50 g ground almonds (or hazelnuts)

- some icing sugar, pinch of salt and some fruits; Vegetable oil for frying

To prepare:

1. Heat up rice Drink with cinnamon, vanilla and a pinch of salt

2. Stir in the Kamut semolina until well combined and let rest for 5 minutes

3. Fold in the Maple syrup

4. Let cool down and then take a small amount (about 1 1/2 tsp.) between the palm of your hands and roll until obtaining a noodle that becomes smaller at the edges

5. Roll the noodles in the ground nuts

6. Heat up a small amount of oil in a pan and fry the noodles until golden brown

Dust with some icing sugar and serve with some cream and fruits and perhaps drizzle some more maple syrup over the noodles...

Vegan Peanutbutter Cookies

I'm not one of those who love Peanutbutter. But those Cookies are great! Meanwhile baking and then when they come out of the oven there is an mouthwatering Odour ... I think you want and can't resist these Cookies... They are chewy and crispy, sweet but not to sweet.... But try yourself! ( the recipe is one adapted out of the Cookbook from Ms Cupcake)

You need:

- 275 g creamy Peanutbutter

- 240g wheat flour

- 125 g vegan butter

- 80 g sugar

- 70 g brown sugar ( I used light moscovado sugar)

- 125 ml Maple syrup

- 1 tsp. Vanillaextract

To prepare:

1. Mix together butter and Peanutbutter with sugar and Maple syrup 

2. Add wheat and mix quickly until well combined

3. Form small balls and put on a oven tray armed with parchment paper

4. With a fork flatten the balls and create a "pattern"

5. Put in the to 160 C preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes

6. Let shortly cool down on the baking tray before removing from the tray and cooling completely

And then savour... I could'nt resist and tried one Cookie slightly warm... But also cooled down...Heaven!

Springrolls to go

This is a different way for springrolls as we mainly know them... Most of the time we associate with springrolls, hot rolls, fried in oil filled with meat or vegetables. Here is a recipe for quick done rolls and perfect to take away..... In fact you can fill them with quite any vegetables you like. I choosed a ready made mix from different vegetables cut in Julienne, that I found at the supermarket (I think normally this mix is intended for soups...), added some green beans (left over in my fridge...) and... Here is the recipe....

You need (for 6 rolls):

- 6 Ricepaper

- 100 g Rice noodles

- 2 tbsp. Peanuts

- 6 tbsp. of different vegetables (as carrots, celery...) cut in Fine Julienne

- 50 g green beans

- 4 tbsp. Wok seasoning sauce or a soy sauce

- some olive oil, raz-El-Hanout spice

A clean but lightly wet kitchen towel

To prepare:

1. In a bowl with lukewarm water soak your rice noodles for some minutes, then drain and season with soy Sauce or Wok seasoning Sauce

2. In a pan heat up some oilve oil, add raz-El-Hanout and the Peanuts. Roast for some minutes 

3. Heat up some water, add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, cut in small pieces

4. In another bowl with some lukewarm water, big enough to put in the bowl one Ricepaper after the other, soak for a short minute one ricepaper. Put the Ricepaper out of the water and lay on a wet kitchen towel

5. Put your seasoned rice noodles on the lower part of the Ricepaper, top with the finely cut vegetables and peanuts

6. Fold both sides towards the middle and start rolling the Ricepaper

And you' ve yet finished!!! This rolls are really pretty to take away for "Business" Lunch or a picknick and can be filled up to your creativity...

Salad to Go with roasted Chickpeas and Yoghurt Dressing

Recipes for Take away treats are not so easy to find as it is not so easy to prepare things in advance and be sure that it will taste fine the next day..... In the morning I am to busy and also not enough awake ;) to prepare a dish for taking to the Office .... This salad is easy, perfect to prepare and deliccious!

You need (for 2 pers):

- 1 tin  Chickpeas, ready to use (275 g Net Weight)

- 1 ripe Avocado 

- 1 tbsp. Lemon juice

- 1 tbsp. Olive oil + 1 tsp. smoked sweet Paprika powder (Pimenton de la Vera for ex.) + a pinch Berbere + 1/4 tsp. Zataar.

- Mixed Green Salad 

- 6 tbsp. Soy Yoghurt + 2 tbsp. Olive oil + 1 tbsp. white wine Vinegar + 1 tsp. Mustard for the salad Dressing + salt and pepper

 To prepare:

1. In a pan heat up 1 tbsp. Olive oil and roast for a short moment Paprika, Berbere and Zaatar before adding the drained chickpeas. Stir all the Ingrediens and continue roasting for about 4 minutes until all the Chickpeas are well covered by the spices.

2. Meanwhile put all the ingredients for the salad Sauce in a small jar that you can cover with a good fitting lid and shake well until all is well combined. Reserve in the fridge until You intend to eat your salad as I recommend to pour the Dressing over the salad some minutes before you eat.

3. Cut the Avocado in slices and drizzle some lemon juice over to avoid that the Avocado turns brown.

4. In a take away dish put your salad and the Avocado and Reserve in the Fridge until serving.

5. After cooling down, put the roasted Chickpeas in a glass and reserve also until you intend to savour your salad. This Way the Chickpeas will stay crunchy.

6. So you have to take with you the salad, the Dressing and the Chickpeas and to adjust your meal reiht before you intend to have your Lunch or Dinner or whatever..... I pour the Dressing over the green salad, mix it well, then lay the Avocado on the salad and finish with the roasted Chickpeas.

Portobellos filled with Couscous

Long time I thought that Portobello is only a City in Italy since I discovered a sort of champignons named also Portobello. This are Special Champignons that are quite big and are ideal to be filled or to be grilled. As the "grill season" yet is not started, even if at the moment it seems that winter is over and springtime, I choosed a recipe for filling the Portobellos. As ever it's simple and quick done... The only workload is the preparation of the vegetables...so if you can found ready cut ones...take them... I did it :). Those filled Portobellos can be eaten as main course or as side dish or with a little salad.....

You will need (for 2 persons if served as Main course):

- 6 Portobellos 

- 5 Tbsp. ready cooked Couscous 

- 3 Tbsp. of different varieties of carrots and Spring Orion cut in small cubes 

- 100 ml SoyCream for cooking

- 1/4 tsp. Harissa paste

- salt and pepper to season and little bit olive oil

- Guacamole to accompaign the Champignons (I bought a ready prepared one)

To prepare:

1. Clean the Champignons with a brush. Remove the fungus stipe and cut them finely.

2. Preheat in a pan some olive oil and sweat the carrots. Then add the cut Fungus stipes. 

Remove from the heat. Add Couscous and soy cream and season with salt, pepper and harissa.

3. Preheat the oven to 180 C.

4. Fill the Portobellos with the Couscous-Vegetable mix and top with a little bit butter. 

5. Put in a oven prooved disch and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes... And then Serve..... Enjoy.....