Going on holiday..

It’s finally time to go on holiday, and here is where I’m going to be until the end of the month (beautiful Sardinia...). Happy summer everyone, and see you when I’m back! (read full article)

Cupcakes or Fairy Cakes?

Cupcakes or Fairy Cakes? I still don’t know the difference, as I am still new to this world! What I know is that I enjoyed so much making cupcakes (or fairy cakes!) that I think I am becoming addicted to it! So this is only the first one of a (read full article)

Cakes, cupcakes, Desserts - Dolci, party food, Piccola Pasticceria

Fresh Fruit Tart - Crostata alla Frutta Fresca

A classic Fresh Fruit Tart, filled with pastry cream and topped with fresh seasonal fruit. I made this for my friend Deborah’s flat warming dinner party. A feast for the eyes and a well appreciated ‘home-made present’. Per leggere la ricet (read full article)

Cakes, Desserts - Dolci, party food, tarts

Pizza Bianca Roman Style, Gabriele Bonci’s Recipe

Gabriele Bonci is the owner (and chef) of a famous Roman Pizzeria al taglio (Pizzarium, Via della Meloria, 43, Rome). This is his recipe for Pizza Bianca (Roman style), which you can top with anything you like - I made it simple and topped it (read full article)

Bread - Pane, Gabriele Bonci, Pizze and Focacce

Sourdough Bread (Autolyse Method) - Pane con Pasta Madra (Metodo Autolisi)

OK, the picture is not great, and the lame slash has not been done perfectly... But.. This bread tasted absolutely great. The crust was nice and crunchy, and the taste amazing. This is another recipe from ‘Crust - Bread to get your teeth intoâ (read full article)

Bread - Pane, pasta madre, sourdough

Sourdough - Lievito o Pasta Madre

From the book ‘Crust - Bread to get your teeth into’ by Richard Bertinet . What a fulfilling experience making your own sourdough! A few months ago I got a book from a friend of mine. This book has now become a ‘Bread Bible’ for me. I (read full article)

Bread - Pane, lievito madre, sourdough

Pistachio & Almond Biscuits

A quick and simple recipe from the book 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies & other tempting treats by Susanna Tee. Simple but very yummy! Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post Ingredients Butter, 225g softened Sugar, 140g Egg (read full article)

Biscuits, Desserts - Dolci, party food, Piccola Pasticceria

Apricot Danish Pastries by Luca Montersino - Danesi alle Albicocche di Luca Montersino

I got this recipe from Luca Montersino, one of the most popular Italian pastry chefs. For this recipe he doesn’t use croissant dough, but brioche dough. The result was great and I really enjoyed making these pastries. I used a kitchen mixer, whic (read full article)

Cakes, Desserts - Dolci, party food, Piccola Pasticceria

Focaccia Barese

A great recipe from the Apulian chef Palma D’Onofrio (http://www.palmadonofrio.it/). The mushed potatoes give this focaccia a nice, sweet flavour. Focaccia is present in many variants in Italy itself. This one is from Bari. Enjoy! Per leggere (read full article)

Bread - Pane, party food, Pizze and Focacce

Orange Semifreddo

I was watching Italian TV the other day, and i saw a recipe for a simple orange semifreddo. The program is ‘La Prova del Cuoco’, which is the equivalent of ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’, and the recipe is from Susanna Badii. I am usually not part (read full article)

Desserts - Dolci, Semifreddi

Tozzetti (Hazelnut Biscuits) - Tozzetti alle Nocciole della Tuscia

These hazelnut biscuits come from Tuscia - the Italian historical region that comprised the southern territories under Etruscan influence. Today Tuscia coincides with the province of Viterbo - the place I come from and the place I still belo (read full article)

Biscuits, Desserts - Dolci, Piccola Pasticceria

Chiacchiere, Italian Carnival Fried Pastry (or Frappe, Cenci, Bugie)

These fried pastries are a traditional italian dessert served during Carnival. Each regions has his own version and go under different names according to the place they come from: Chiacchiere, Frappe, Cenci and Bugie, to name just a few. Be car (read full article)

Carnival Recipes, Desserts - Dolci, Sardinian Recipes

Is Zippulas (or Fatti-Fritti) - Sardinian Carnival Doughnuts

Is Zippulas (or Fatti-Fritti) are a Sardinian Carnival speciality. We do not celebrate Carnival here in the UK - except for the Notting Hill Carnival, but I decided to celebrate it anyway! There are so many different ways to prepare Zippulas. (read full article)

Desserts - Dolci, Sardinian Recipes

Sardinian Almond Meringues (Bianchini, Meringhe Sarde)

January is a depressing month for me, mainly because of the ‘self-imposed’ new year’s resolutions (losing weight is ‘obviously’ one of them!). However I could not refrain myself from starting making sweets again, sorry! I have obviously p (read full article)

Biscuits, Desserts - Dolci, Piccola Pasticceria

Mamma...

Happy New Year everyone! I have been away for a while but I will be back soon with more recipes.. I spent the Christmas holidays in Italy with my family and friends, bringing back love and good memories. Here is one.. my mum with a huge bowl of h (read full article)

Mamma

I got this recipe from one of my favourite Italian food bloggers Adriano Contisio (http://profumodilievito.blogspot.com/). This is a recipe created by Adriano and I have to say that these buns are so soft and delicious that they make you forget th (read full article)

Crème Pâtissière Tart

Ingredients Plain flour, 200g (I use the `00` type) Unsalted good quality butter, 100g - plus extra for greasing Icing sugar, 50g 2 free-range egg yolks Some cold water Pinch of salt Lemon zest Approx 400g of Crème Pâtissière Crème P (read full article)

Desserts - Dolci, Piccola Pasticceria, tarts

Brioche (Sorelle Simili Recipe) - Brioche delle Sorelle Simili

Another recipe from the Simili sisters. Delicate, light and buttery. Perfect for a lazy Sunday morning... Ingredients Poolish Strong White Flour, 150g Water, 90g Fresh Yeast, 20g (or 10g of dried active yeast) Brioche Strong White F (read full article)

Desserts - Dolci, Ricette Sorelle Simili

Semi-Sweet Bread Rolls (sorelle Simili recipe) - Panini Semidolci delle sorelle Simili

I’m back. Summer is almost over, so I decided that I should treat myself and my friends with these panini from heaven. First of all, you need to know that you cannot go wrong with Simili Sisters recipes - if you want to know who they are, pleas (read full article)

Bread - Pane, Pizze and Focacce

Mini Lemon Tarts (Tartellette alla Crema di Limone)

For this recipe I used shortcut pastry from Margherita and Valeria Simili, and lemon filling from this great Italian food blog: http://lospaziodistaximo.blogspot.com/. The combination was just perfect! Delicious... Ingredients For the Short (read full article)

Cakes, Desserts - Dolci, tarts