Tag: summer

Recipe Barese focaccia, the scent of a city – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Impossible to resist the temptation, passing through Bari, to stop at a bakery to buy – and then bite into – a piece of focaccia Barese. Tall, soft, tasty, seasoned with fresh tomatoes, it is the comfort food par excellence of the people of Bari and always appears in tourists’ lists of “things to eat in Puglia”.

However, if you don’t plan to pass through Bari and Puglia is not one of your next destinations, you shouldn’t give up: making Bari focaccia at home as tradition dictates is quite simple, with our recipe.

How is focaccia from Bari born?

The focaccia from Bari – despite its name – actually has its origins in Altamura, where it was probably born from the need to exploit the strong initial heat of the wood-fired oven, before it reached the ideal temperature for baking bread. In fact, before putting the loaves of Altamura bread in the oven, a piece of raw dough was spread out on a baking tray, left to rest for a while, then seasoned and cooked.

How is focaccia from Bari made?

In its most typical form, focaccia dough is prepared by stirring semolina regrind, potatoes boil, salt, yeast and water to obtain a rather elastic consistency, soft but not sticky. This dough is left to rise, spread out in a round pan greased with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, then it is left to rise again, seasoned and finally cooked, preferably in a wood-fired oven. Here is the traditional recipe.

15 delicious and simple vegetable protein recipes | The Italian kitchen – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Quinoa (cooked)

Total protein: 8 grams per cup

Quinoa is a herbaceous plant belonging to the same family as spinach and beetroot, and is native to South America.
This popular health food is rich in protein, fibre, antioxidants and minerals, cooks in just 15 minutes and is great as a base for salads enriched with vegetables and avocado, or for making into veggie burgers or soups.

Pistachios

Total protein: 20.27 grams per 100 grams.
Pistachios are seeds of the pistachio plant with antioxidant properties and in addition to proteins they guarantee the intake of precious mineral salts such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron and vitamins E, B1 and B6.
Excellent to taste, they lend themselves to sweet recipes such as cakes, pastries or spreads, but also savory in the form of sauces for first courses or in grains for second courses of meat or fish. Also excellent in salads.

Almonds

Total protein: 21.22 grams per 100 grams.
The almonds they are delicious and nutritious seeds and in addition to being an excellent source of protein, they contain healthy fats, vitamin E and antioxidants. To obtain as many nutrients as possible from these elements, it is best to eat them with the peel intact.
Mainly used as an ingredient for desserts, they can however also accompany many savory dishes or be eaten alone as a snack.

Brussels sprouts (raw)

Total protein: 4.2 grams per 100 grams.
Brussels sprouts or sprouts are a slightly bitter vegetable and for this reason little loved by children, but with high nutritional power. They can be eaten roasted, steamed or even chopped in salads.

Chia seeds (raw dried)

Total protein: 16.5 grams per 100 grams.
These tiny black seeds are part of the superfood family because even in small quantities they contain lots of protein, fiber, Omega 3 fatty acids and other nutrients. Excellent for breakfast together with yogurt or as a base for porridge, they can also be used to make healthy desserts such as puddings or added to salads or second courses.

Potatoes (raw)

Total protein: 2 grams per 100 grams.
Potatoes are a key element of Mediterranean diet precisely because of their highly beneficial properties. Excellent source of protein, they also contain vitamins C and B-6 and potassium. There are many recipes that can be made with this tuber, all very tasty and healthy, with the exception of the fried ones.

Broccoli (raw)

Total protein: 3 grams per 100 grams.
Broccoli is a panacea for health and in addition to proteins, it provides the body with fibre, vitamins K and C and many other nutrients. They can be eaten boiled with a drizzle of olive oil, or as a condiment for first courses or, blended, in the form of cream soup.

Our 15 vegetable protein recipes

Of our 15 vegetable protein-based recipes, 4 have vegetable protein as the main ingredient, together with the addition of animal products (eggs, cheese…) to thicken. The other 11, however, are entirely plant-based.

Sicilian caponata: the original Palermo recipe – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Tasty, comforting, it embodies the whole Mediterranean. There caponata Siciliana, side summer par excellence, was born in Sicily and today it is widespread and appreciated throughout Italy thanks to that unmistakable sweet and sour flavour. Cold, warm and room temperature, it really is irresistible and if it is served on a slice of toasted bread it can even represent an appetizer or a main course. Loved by vegetarians and omnivoresinitially it was also prepared with fish, while today the best known variant it is the one based on suns vegetable ingredients.

Sicilian caponata: the numerous versions

From caponata Siciliana they exist numerous versions but what is certain is that the eggplant they cannot be missed and that all the ingredients they must be individually prepared to be united only at the end. In the alone Sicily at least they can be counted four variations of caponata: a Catania among the ingredients there are also: peppers red and yellow, e.g Agrigento in addition to peppers there are the olives black but not the green ones, a Messina woe betide using concentrate for the benefit of tomatoes fresh it’s at Palermo there recipe that is performed is yet another.

Sicilian caponata: the Palermo recipe

A mix of fried vegetables (otherwise it’s not caponata!) and then pan-fried with a sauce based on sugar and vinegar: this is the secret to obtaining the original Palermo Sicilian caponata from the typical one sweet and sour taste.

Ingredients for 6 people

1 kg of long aubergines
250 g of tomato sauce
80 g of pitted green olives
60 g of desalted capers
60 ml of white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 golden onion
1 stalk of celery
extra virgin olive oil
fresh basil
salt

Method

Start preparing the Sicilian caponata by draining the aubergines. Wash them well with running water, cut off the end with the stalk, cut them into slices a couple of centimeters thick and collect them in a bowl. Sprinkle with coarse salt and place a weight on top. After about an hour, rinse them well with fresh water and let them drain on sheets of absorbent paper. When they are well drained, cut them into cubes.
Pour into a large pan oil and when it is hot, fry the aubergines until golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let them drain on absorbent paper for fried foods.
Clean the celery, wash it with cold water and cut it into pieces more or less the size of the aubergines. Blanch it for a few minutes in boiling salted water and drain it.
Pour the sugar and vinegar into a bowl and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Keep aside.
Peel the onion and chop it finely. In a saucepan, fry the chopped onion in the oil for a couple of minutes, taking care not to let it burn. Also add the capers and blanched pieces of celery and leave to flavor for a few minutes, stirring often.
Add the olives and tomato sauce to the saucepan. Mix, add salt and cook for five minutes. Finally add the aubergines and the sweet and sour sauce. Mix with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are well blended. Season with salt, turn off the heat and flavor with the basil.
Let the caponata rest and serve it at room temperature so the flavor of the vinegar will be less intrusive.

Which aubergines are used to make caponata?

The types of aubergines that would be best to choose for making Sicilian caponata are the “violet” type, like – needless to say – the long Palermo violet. This type of aubergines are characterized by elongated shape and from very firm pulp which holds up well to cooking while remaining intact and compact.