Some food thoughts
I have not written much about food recently. I thought about a few recipes that I am sharing with you.
Pasta Florentine in vodka Sauce
I have made this dish at home over the years for my children and they always loved it. It is spicy and rich but is a vegetarian dish.
Pasta Florentine in creamy vodka sauce
Ingredients
Penna pasta I LB box
½ onion chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic chopped
¼ tsp Red chili flakes
¼ tsp Oregano dried
¼ tspparsley dried (can use Italian spice packet instead of oregano/parsley)
6 Fresh basil leaves (add more if you want stronger basil flavor)
1can of stewed tomatoes
Smallest size carton of Heavy cream
1 pkt 10oz frozen spinach
4-6 once vodka
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation
Heat the oil in a skillet at medium heat and sweat the onion and garlic until golden brown then add chilli flakes, oregano , parsley and half the basil leaves until aroma comes through (3 to 5 min)
Add tomatoes and cook low flame
Add the spinach and let it cook in low flame
Add the vodka continue to cook in low flame
Add salt and peeper to taste
Add rest of basil leaves
When the sauce is cooked add the heavy cream slowly until it begin to just bubble and remove from flame
The thickness of the sauce should be to your liking. If you want it more runny add water while cooking
Cook pasta to your liking. Most like it al dante , so about 9 minutes.When boiling the pasta add some olive oil/butter and then a bit of salt after it is cooked. Drain the pasta and add the sauce.
Kerala Egg curry
It is quintessential Kerala dish . The gravy can be used to make beef or fish dishes
Ingredients
Boiled and de shelled egg cut into halves 5
Onion – 1 big (Thinly sliced)
Ginger – 1”big piece (Crushed)
Garlic 3 cloves crushed
Green chilly –1
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 1 ½ Table spoon
Red chilly powder – ¼ tsp
Kerala Garam masala – 1 tsp (ground mix of cinnamon, cloves, star anise , fennel seed, black pepper etc)
Mustard seeds Curry leaves if you have
Oil to sauté
Vinegar 1 or 2 tbsp or 1 small tomato sliced for acidity
Thick coconut milk ½ can can add more if you want to
Salt/pepper to taste
Steps: Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds.
Add onion, ginger , garlic and green chilly and curry leaves
When the onion becomes soft, lower the flame and add turmeric powder, coriander powder, followed by red chili powder and garam masala.
Once the raw smell of masala powders is gone, add vinegar (can use tomato) and salt and pepper( cook the tomato if you are using tomato)
Add coconut milk Bring it to a boil. Add boiled eggs. Let it cook on medium flame. Bring it to a boil and switch off after 2 minutes.
TIRAMISU MILANO
It is one of my favorite desserts. It ranks along with Caramel custard pudding, trifle pudding, and Pal payassam.
Years ago we were in Italy and were wandering the streets of Milan. We chanced upon a Mom and Pop store and they had the best Tiramisu that we ever tasted. The kind lady was generous to give me the recipe. I have made this many times and its amazing. I know it is labor intensive but give it a try You won’t be sorry.
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