celebration day

today is a day of celebration as i have become the proud auntie of a beautiful baby girl!

so i have decided to make some bread and focaccia to welcome, in my heart,  the new arrival.

here it is my bake off:

for the dough i have used about:

600gr plain white flour 

350 gr semola flour

30gr dried yeast

30 gr salt

30gr honey

more than a pint of lukewarm water ( about 700ml).

mix the flour in a very large bowl.

mix the yeast and the honey and dilute with the water.

add the lukewarm mix to the flours incorporating slowly from centre until all the water is absorbed.

add salt. knead for 5-10 mins. vigorously. form a ball.

sprinkle dough ball with more flour. score it with a knife.

let the dough prove for one hour in a switched-off oven.

after an hour, when the dough will have doubled its volume, divide it to prepare the different breads.

i made a sunflower seeds loaf.

a focaccia with onion and rosemary

a focaccia with feta and tomatoes

some small breads.

for the sunflower loaf add to about 1/4 of the dough 80gr seeds. 

kneed the air out of the dough and form a loaf. place it on a tin and let it prove for an other hour.

for the focaccias use 1/4 each of the dough, kneed the air out, flatten on 2 baking trays. 

punch holes with your fingers and top with very generous amount of ev-olive oil, salt and rosemary and onions in one,

tomatoes (mine where frozen), feta cheese, oregano the other. let prove for one hour in a switched off oven.

for the small breads add some milk to the remaining dough, work it in. form equally sized balls. let prove for one hour in a switched off oven.

i have baked all in a 220 degrees oven for about 1/2 hour.

new-ish other self

http://me-theartist.blogspot.com/

in here i post my work. of art. sort of.

colour my table

cauliflower boiled on the first day, souped on the second!

with the addition of a very slow-low cooked ragout!

healthy eating

Autumn is here...a bit of a shock as I am back from a sunny Greek holiday.
My plan is too eat less than before but also better, healthier.
This Violet Queen cauliflower is the perfect beautiful start for simple eating.Colour appeal!

brownies

i've started baking again!
and for the first time i have baked brownies.
they are pale, but very good.

happenings

many things are happening in my life 

and i am very late in posting the outcome of my homemade limoncello....

so: i finally had a try and it is super nice. very alcoholic!

go ahead and make it, it is going to be great served ice cold at the end of a meal.

no point of posting pics of it for the moment

instead here are some easter shots.

limoncello

"porticello" limoncello part 1
finally i got around to make limoncello.
the lemons come from my aunt grove in porticello, scily.
the recipe has been given to me verbally from my sister,
but i had to do with the fact that i only had 2 lemons and
half litre alcohol.
so, simply, for phase 1 i have put the rind of the two organic,
un-waxed, thoroughly washed and dried lemons
to macerate in 500ml alcohol.
it is now resting for one week in a dark place.....

trullo

Before starting the diet, that I have already terminated

or to be honest interrupted, I have finally been for dinner at Trullo.

This 2010 newcomer has already received very positive reviews throughout,

so it was with some excitement that we sat for dinner an evening last December.

To begin with I must say that contrary to recommendations we did not book a table in advance,

being only a party of two we hoped to squeeze in without reservation.

The extremely welcoming and polite staff accommodated us without delay on a table by the window, which I prefer.

The place was packed but they are obviously able to take quick decisions on the table rotation system.

The service continued to be attentive during the whole evening, which I really think added to the pleasure of dining there, and the food...

I want to say that it did not disappoint, but I mean it in a very good way.

Being Italian I am always almost afraid to try Italian food outside Italy, so I was relieved to find the food very, very good.

Like a good restaurant, not a trattoria, in Italy.

I had a starter of tempura vegetables. Superb, both in the choice of vegetables and in the execution. Crispy and dry.

As a main I chose grilled fish, sea bream, with accompaniment of potato salad.

Again both the quality of the fish and the way the fish was grilled was excellent. grilled and moist, which is very hard to achieve.

So also I am now a fan of Trullo.

The good thing is that Trullo is really my local!

diet

first day of diet: lunch

i have to buy lots of vegetables.

long program

hope i last!