CITRUS FRUIT

                                        

A Bowl with Lemons by Giovanna Carzo

According to Wikipedia, citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family of Rutaceae.   Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos and limes, which are very important crops.

Recent research indicates the origin of citrus fruits in the Himalayas, while older research indicated the origin specifically in Northern India, Burma (Myanmar) and in the Yunnan Province of China.  It is in these regions that some commercial species such as oranges, mandarins and lemons originated.   Citrus fruits have been cultivated in “an ever-widening area”, since ancient times.  They are native to the subtropical regions of Asia and the Malay Archipelago and were first domesticated in these areas.    

Some citrus species have been present in the Mediterranean basin area, for centuries.   Due to the mild winters and the fertile soil, they achieved a high quality of fruit, much better than the regions from which they originated. 

The Spanish “conquistadores” introduced citrus fruit to Florida.   Apparently, they are over fifty kinds of citrus fruits cultivated worldwide.






Here are a few recipes with citrus fruit.

                                          EGG AND LEMON SOUP

       

 Avgolemono, a typically Greek soup, is prepared according to taste.  For a smooth and creamy soup use beaten egg yolks only, if a frothy texture is preferred, use whole eggs, yolks and whites whipped separately.

2 litres (8 cups plus) tasty chicken, meat or fish stock

6 level tbsp short grain rice

3 egg yolks or

2 eggs, separated, whites whipped into soft peaks

1 lemon, juice only

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the stock to the boil, stir in the rice, lower the heat and simmer until the rice is soft. (15-20 minutes).  Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks and if whole eggs are used, gently fold in the whipped whites add the lemon juice and stir gently.  Very slowly pour 1½ - 2 cups hot stock into the egg mixture, beating constantly, and pour, slowly, back into the saucepan and swirl. 

Return the saucepan to low heat and keep stirring.  Don’t let the soup boil!  Taste and add more salt, freshly ground pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.

                                         SMOKED TROUT MOUSSE

Greek smoked trout and smoked salmon are of excellent quality.   We are very proud of our food industry and especially of small food producers, all over Greece, that make the most fabulous gourmet goods.   Do prepare this first dish that your guests will surely enjoy.

620 g (1 lb 4 oz) smoked trout fillets, checked for possible bones and cut into small pieces

6 thin slices smoked salmon

Sauce:

4 tbsp butter

5 tbsp cornflour

500 ml (2 cups) or more hot milk

1 medium-sized onion

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

5 sheets gelatin, separated and steeped in iced cold water for 5-7 minutes

125 g (½ cup) mayonnaise, low fat if preferred

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 grated rind of 1 lemon

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

2 tbsp chopped dill

250 ml full cream, whipped into soft peaks

Salt to taste

Freshly ground white pepper

Parsley, halved lemon slices, a few chive stalks for garnish

Bring the milk to the boil, with the onion and bay leaf.  Remove from the fire and leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a cake tin with a hole in the middle, first with cling film, leaving the excess hanging over the sides.  Then, cover with the salmon slices forming an attractive design, also leaving the excess hanging over the sides of the cake tin.

Prepare the sauce.  Melt butter, add the cornflour and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes.  Strain the milk and add it gradually to the roux, stirring constantly.    Simmer the sauce until it thickens and bubbles, stirring for 3-4 minutes more.   Remove from the heat and cool a little.

Squeeze the gelatin sheets, in order to extract all the water, and mix very well into the warm sauce until completely dissolved.  Add the sauce to the smoked trout and blend until smooth.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and quickly add the mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, spring onions and mix very well together.   Fold in the whipped cream and then taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, freshly ground white pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.

Spoon the trout mousse, evenly, into the prepared cake tin and fold the salmon slices that are overhanging over the mouse.  Place extra pieces of smoked salmon to cover any possible gaps.  Cover securely with a plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

One hour before serving, remove the mousse from the refrigerator, unfold the cling film and carefully reverse it onto a serving dish.   Garnish with parsley (in the hole in the middle), lemon slices and chives.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to offer it to your guests.   Serve with a zesty green salad and crusty, warm bread.

   

                VEAL AND PRUNES COOKED WITH WINE AND ORANGE JUICE

Make this delicious dish for your family and friends.

1 kg (2 lb) veal, cut into bite-sized pieces

Very little salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 large onion, peeled and grated

1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed

2 tbsp olive oil

250 ml (1 cup) sweet red wine, like mavrodaphne or vinsanto (a wine from Santorini)

12 or more pitted prunes

250 ml (1 cup) fresh orange juice

500 ml (2 cups) tasty meat stock

1 tbsp mustard with honey

Sauté the meat in olive oil and sprinkle with very little salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Transfer to a dish, with a slotted spoon, and reserve.

In the same saucepan sauté the onion until soft.  Stir in the garlic and after 2 minutes add the reserved meat and stir until hot.   Pour in the wine and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the alcohol evaporates.

Add the prunes and pour in the orange juice and enough meat stock to just cover.  Simmer gently until the meat is tender and sauce thick.  Stir in the mustard with honey then taste and add a little salt, if necessary.

Serve accompanied with roast sweet potatoes and a green salad of your choice.

                               GRAPEFRUIT AND AVOCADO SALAD

This salad is a great favourite and can be served as a first dish.

2 medium-sized ruby grapefruits

Dressing:

1 tsp finely grated grapefruit rind

2 spring onions, white parts only trimmed and very finely chopped

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 medium-sized avocados, peeled, cubed or sliced and drenched with extra lemon juice

Tender lettuce leaves

Chervil leaves for garnish.

Cut all the bitter pith off the grapefruit.   Over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections. Then squeeze the membranes for the juice.

For the dressing, place 2 tbsp of juice into another bowl and add the grated grapefruit rind, the spring onions, the lemon juice and wait for 10 minutes.  Then stir in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Season the avocado with a little salt and place it in a salad bowl lined with tender lettuce leaves.  Place the grapefruit segments evenly over and drizzle with the dressing.  Serve sprinkled with chervil leaves.

                                                      LEMON TART

Eddie Kotsis often makes this fabulous dessert for us when we play bridge.

Crust:

250 g butter, at room temperature

½ cup of sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour combined with a

Pinch of salt

Filling:

4 eggs

2 cups of sugar

The grated rind of 1 lemon 

50 g self-raising flour, sifted with

½ tsp baking powder

160 ml lemon juice or according to taste

For the crust, blend the ingredients until just combined.   Wrap and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 180 C (350 F).

Roll the dough out thinly and line a 28 cm baking tin, prick with a fork all over, and chill for 15 minutes until firm.  Bake the pastry shell blind, for 20 minutes.

In the meantime whip the eggs with the sugar and lemon zest until light, fluffy and almost doubled in bulk.  Gently fold in the flour and baking powder mixture, and the lemon juice.

Take the filling to the oven and pour it over the hot baked crust, and bake for 25 minutes (or more).  Serve sprinkled with icing sugar.

                           MUMMY’S LEMON CAKE WITH LEMON ICING

My beloved mother used to make this lovely, lemony cake for us, so many years ago.

Cake:

150 g self-raising flour

120 g butter, softened

120 g sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 ¼ tsp lemon juice

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Lemon Icing:

4 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp water

Finely grated rind of a small lemon

Enough icing sugar to make a smooth, runny icing about 120 g (1 ¾ cup)

Mix all the ingredients for the cake together and beat for 2 minutes.  Pour into a round tin, lined with buttered baking parchment, and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about 35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile mix all the lemon icing ingredients together, until a smooth runny icing is obtained.   When the cake is almost cold spread lavishly over the top leaving a few drops to trickle down the sides.  Garnish with grated lemon rind.

                                    LEMON CAKES OR CUPCAKES

A lovely cake or cupcakes

1 whole lemon chopped and deseeded

100 g sugar

2 eggs separated, whites whipped stiff with a pinch of salt and 2 tbs icing sugar

100 g melted butter

150 self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp thick yogurt

Icing

6 tbsp icing sugar

Enough lemon juice and water to make an almost spreadable icing

Thickly grated lemon rind for garnishing

Blend sugar and the lemon until smooth.   Stir in the melted butter.   Combine the self-raising flour with the baking powder and add to the lemon mixture alternately with the yogurt.  Fold in the whipped egg whites and scrape into a well-greased cake tin or spoon into the sockets of a cupcake tin.  

Bake the cake in a preheated in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for 45 minutes.   Cupcakes need about 20 minutes baking.

                             TARTLETS FILLED WITH LEMON CURD

Do prepare these delightful small tartlets!

Pastry:

260 g (13 oz) 2 cups self-raising flour

2 cups butter cut into tiny pieces

3 tbsp icing sugar

½  tsp  vanilla

½ tsp grated lemon rind

1 egg yolk

1½ tbsp. fine semolina

A little orange fizz

Mix all the ingredients together until a soft pliable dough occurs.   Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes at least.

Roll out the dough, thinly, between two pieces of baking parchment.  Cut rounds of pastry with a biscuit cutter and line the buttered mini tartlet dishes.   Pierce them all over with the prong of a fork and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 15-20 minutes.

                                               LEMON CURD

A delicious preserve of English cuisine.

4 lemons, the juice

2 lemons, the finely grated rind

300 g (10 oz) icing sugar

8 eggs

250 g (½ lb) soft butter

Beat all the ingredients together until just mixed. Cook au bain Marie, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.  Stain, cool and store in the fridge in sterilized jars.

Fill the tartlets with lemon curd and serve with a cup of tea.

                                               ORANGE GATEAU

This is a recipe for a delicious dessert that is a great favourite with my family.

250 g (½ lb) butter

400 g (2 cups) sugar

2 heaped tbsp thickly grated orange rind

5 medium-sized eggs

390 g (3 cups) plain flour, sifted with

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

A generous pinch of salt

62.5 ml (¼ cup) fresh orange juice, mixed with

187.5 ml (¾ cup) yogurt

Vanilla

Syrup:

125 ml (½ cup) sugar

125 ml (½ cup) fresh orange juice

1-2 tbsp orange liqueur, optional

Orange icing:

Mix:

2 cups or more icing sugar

1 tsp finely grated orange rind

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

A tiny pinch of salt

Beat butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.   Stir in the grated orange rind and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the flour and the yogurt/orange mixture, alternately, mixing thoroughly after each addition until well combined.

Place in a round tin, lined with baking parchment, and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F)  for 35 minutes or until a tester, inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.   After 10 minutes, invert the cake on an attractive serving dish.

While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup.   Simmer the sugar with the fresh orange juice, stirring until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from the heat and stir in the orange liqueur, if using.   With a spoon drizzle the syrup over the cake.

Also, prepare the orange icing, and when the cake is completely cold, spread evenly.   Garnish the gateau with crystallized orange slices.

                                                 LEMON MOUSSE

This is a lovely light dessert.

250 g (½ lb) double cream, whipped stiff with

1 tbsp icing sugar or more if necessary and

A pinch of salt

200 g (1 tub) thick Greek yogurt

One 395 g (13 3/5 oz) tin sweet, condensed milk

150-200 ml (5–7 fl. oz) lemon juice

The grated rind of 1 lemon

Extra grated lemon rind for garnish

Beat the yogurt to make it creamy. Also, whip the condensed milk with the lemon juice and the grated rind until it resembles a glossy cream. Stir in the yogurt until well combined.

Finally, gently fold in the whipped cream.   Place in small glasses and serve sprinkled with grated lemon rind.

                                     LEMON BLOSSOM PRESERVE

         

 If you are fortunate to live next to a lemon orchard, try making this delicious spoon sweet.

250 g (1/2 lb) lemon blossoms, cleaned and washed

The juice of 2 lemons

1 kg (2 lbs) sugar

1 litre (about 4 cups) water

Place the lemon blossoms in a large saucepan full of boiling water.  When partly cooked, strain and boil again with plenty of fresh water.  Strain the blossoms, place them in a glass or ceramic dish and sprinkle them with half the lemon juice.   Cover the dish with double muslin and place in the sun for 2-3 hours.  Parboil the lemon blossoms, once more, then strain and wash them with plenty of water.

 Prepare a thick syrup with the water, sugar and the remaining lemon juice.  While the syrup is still boiling, press the blossoms between your hands to extract the excess moisture and add them to the syrup.  Boil for 5 minutes, not more.  Pour the preserve into sterilized jars, let cool and seal.  

                                      BITTER ORANGE SPOON SWEET

My talented daughter-in-law, Yianna, gave me the recipe the delicious spoon sweet, that when sliced can also be used for garnishing cakes and desserts.

12 bitter oranges, washed and dried, weighing 570 g (about 1 lb 2 oz)

1 kg 200 g (almost 2 lb 7 oz) sugar

750 ml (3 cups) water

1 lemon, the juice

Grate the orange skins slightly to prevent bitterness.   Score the rinds into 4-6 segments, according to the size of the fruit.

Roll each segment tightly.   With the help of a thick needle and strong kitchen thread, pierce each roll to prevent it from opening.  Sew 20-24 rolls of orange peel together, resembling a necklace and tie the two ends of the string together.

Place the necklaces in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes.  Strain and wash thoroughly under cold running water. Also, thoroughly wash the saucepan.   Repeat the procedure twice more until the fruit is tender.  If not, simmer until the desired tenderness is obtained.

Place the orange rolls in a large bowl with cold water.   Repeat the procedure 2-3 times more until the fruit is cold.

Then place again in cold water for 16-18 hours, changing the water for 5-6 times.   Taste a small morsel from the centre of the peel to check bitterness.  If it is still bitter, change the water twice more, leaving the fruit submerged for 6 hours.

Strain and dry the necklaces and remove the thread.   Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by combining water and sugar and allowing it to boil for 4-5 minutes.  Add the fruit and bring to a brisk boil.  After 5 minutes remove the saucepan from the stove.

Seven to eight hours later, bring the saucepan to the boil for 5-10 minutes or until the syrup thickens.  Pour in the lemon juice and simmer for 2-3 minutes more.  Allow the spoon sweet to cool a  little and ladle into sterilized jars.  

Seal securely, reverse the jars, until the jars are completely cold.   Ke tou chronou!!

                                            ORANGE MARMALADE

          

 This is really a very easy way of making marmalade, with excellent results.

1 kg (2 lbs) non-treated, un-waxed oranges

 Sugar (see instructions below)

Wash the oranges, place them in a saucepan, cover with hot water, and simmer until soft.  Strain and reserve the cooking water.    When cool enough to handle, slice the oranges as thinly as possible, discarding any pips and hard parts.

Mix the sliced oranges with the reserved liquid and measure the mixture in cups (volume).   Stir in the same amount of cups of sugar and simmer gently, skimming if necessary, until the marmalade sets, about 30-40 minutes.   Allow the marmalade to cool a little, then pour into sterilized jars and seal.

           

          

The Lemon Tree by Elaine Cory

Five Lemons by Jennifer Lommers

21st FEBRUARY 2013

                                

                                         

By Athena Rizos

Six long years have passed since my beloved husband passed away and he is sadly and terribly missed.   A day does not pass without me trying to discern what he would advise me to say or do and to hear his loving and encouraging words.

We first met in Karachi, Pakistan when I was still attending Auckland House School, in Simla, India and we didn’t pay much attention to one another.  Aleco was working for Ralli Bros. and was sent up-country in Mirpur Khas and I went back to school in January 1947, a very crucial year in Indian history.

     

When I returned to Simla for the new school year, in February 1947, the first thing I noticed was that most of my British schoolmates had left.  In April, little did we know about the serious discussions that were taking place, at the Vice-Regal Lodge, where Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, and Jawaharlal Nehru were debating on very important political issues, like partition.   As the year wore on, letters from home stopped coming.  It was only, on the 15^th August, when we gathered at the front portal, that we were told what had happened.  The Union Jack was lowered slowly down the flag post and the Indian flag proudly took its place. The Sub-Continent was free from the British rule but partitioned into two states, Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan.  Unfortunately, a ferocious, savage and bloody war took place between them, leaving umpteen victims and open wounds.

        

In December, at the end of the school year, the girls whose parents lived in Pakistan, including me, were sent under military escort, to Lahore, Pakistan.  My father met us there and escorted us back to Karachi.  Unfortunately. I never went back to Simla or Shimla as it is now called.

I stayed for one academic year in Karachi and attended the Karachi Grammar School.  I saw a lot of Aleco that year, who then had an affair with a woman much older than I, and I noticed how handsome he was.

Then, I attended Alexandra College, Dublin, Ireland and later Irena, a finishing school at Peseux, Neuchatel, Switzerland.

I, finally, returned to Karachi and found an interesting job at the Belgian Embassy.   Aleco and I started dating and he asked me to marry him.  Unfortunately, I refused, although I was very fond of him, because I didn't feel ready for marriage.

Then we left with my parents on the SS Cilicia for England and arrived at Liverpool on the 2^nd June 1953, which was the day that Queen Elisabeth was crowned.  We watched the coronation on television, the first large event that was televised by the BBC.  We stayed in London for over a month.

We left for Paris, for me the most beautiful city in the world and then for Venice, a historical and elegant city, which I adore, and from where we boarded a ship for my lovely island, Cephalonia.  Unfortunately, on the 15^th August 1953, a monster earthquake destroyed the island and also the island of Zakynthos.

Then we went to Athens for the rest of our home leave.   Aleco invited us to meet his parents and his brothers and sisters-in-law at their beautiful house in Kifissia.   He also asked me out for dinner and when I told him how much I liked Venice he promised he would take me there one day.

My family and I left by ship for Karachi via the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, where we were welcomed by old family friends and Aleco. 

We started dating on a regular basis and on the New Year’s Eve he proposed, and we were married on the 8^th June 1954.  We were very much in love and extremely happy.  My husband was thoughtful, generous and very supportive. 

After a year, we went on home leave and had a fabulous time.  We stayed in Kifissia and a month in Corfu, where we had rented a beautiful, small cottage, by the sea.  We also went to Thessaly and the Peloponnese to visit Volos, Delphi and Ancient Olympia.
  

After that, we left for Mombasa, Kenya where Ralli Bros had transferred Aleco.   We stayed there for two years, where our son Spiros was born.  We were transferred to Kampala, Uganda for five months and then we returned to Greece.  We were warmly welcomed by the family, stayed in the house in Kifissia and our son Yiannis was born shortly after.

Aleco promptly started his new carrier as a manufacturer’s representative and although it was very difficult in the beginning, over the years it became a rather successful and prosperous small family business.
   

Meanwhile, after selling some property Aleco had in Athens, we bought a house in Kifissia.  After making the necessary alterations, we moved into our new home and I have been living there ever since.  Aleco, being a keen gardener, transformed our garden into a floral paradise.   With kyr-Antony’s help, they planted beautiful trees, rose bushes, shrubs and multicoloured seasonal flowers that were a sheer optical delight.

Aleco was a loving husband and father.   The boys just adored him and wanted to resemble him.   I consider myself extremely fortunate for having married such a wonderful man who put up with me for almost fifty-nine years.  I shall love and miss him terribly for the rest of my life. 

A Rose in a Jar by Yiannis Tsarouhis

Flowers in a Vase by Theophrastos Triantafyllidis

Flowers by George Hadoulis

SAINT VALENTINES DAY

Saint Valentin’s day is celebrated annually on the 14^th February, symbolising and honouring romantic love. The esteem and deep sexual attraction towards another person is one of the strongest human feelings in the world.  So, relish in your love, dear Friends, every day, all year round. 

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, St Hyacinth of Caesarea is the protector of lovers and is celebrated each 3^rd July.  In contemporary Greece, however, St Valentine’s is commemorated on the 14^th of February.

Here are a few recipes you could prepare for your beloved on Valentine’s day.     

                                                          

                                                   PUMPKIN SOUP

                                                       

                                               

This is a recipe for a very tasty pumpkin soup.

1 kg (2 lb) pumpkin, peeled and cleaned from seeds and fibres, cut into chunks

2 large leeks, trimmed and sliced, white parts only

1 onion, chopped

2 large potatoes cut into chunks

1 ½ litre (6 cups) chicken stock (or half milk, half stock)

100 g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) kasseri or Gouda, grated

2 tbsp San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

1 liqueur glass good brandy (optional)

120 ml (½ cup) or more thick yoghurt or cream

3-4 tbsp chopped parsley, optional

Place the vegetables in a large saucepan with sufficient water just to cover, and cook until tender.   Then set aside to cool, and blend. 

Return the pumpkin puree to the saucepan, add the stock (or stock and milk), and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and a little nutmeg.   Simmer gently until the soup thickens.  Stir in the cheese, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg, if necessary.  Bring again to the boiling point and pour in the brandy, if using.  Simmer the soup for a minute or two, and serve with a tablespoon of cream or thick yoghurt, sprinkled with chopped parsley.   For a party, you could serve the soup in a pumpkin shell, instead of a tureen.

    

                          PRAWNS WITH MUSHROOMS AU GRATIN

This is a lovely first dish for a dinner party.

12 scallop shells, buttered

1.250 kg (2½ lbs) prawns, shelled and deveined, heads and tails reserved

500 g (1 lb) fresh white mushrooms, sliced

Court bouillon:

500 ml (2 cups) tasty chicken stock

500 ml (2 cups) dry white wine

4 sliced shallots or spring onions

3 celery stalks with leaves, cut into pieces

6 parsley stalks

1 bay leaf

The reserved heads and tails of the prawns

Sauce:

120 g (4 oz) butter

1 bay leaf

75 g (2½ oz) cornflour

The reduced court bouillon

250 ml (1 cup) hot milk

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

250 ml (1 cup) cream

4 eggs, separated, whites whipped to the soft peak stage, with a pinch of salt

1 tsp lemon juice, to accentuate the taste

Salt if necessary

White pepper

60 g (2 oz) or more grated Gruyere and Parmesan, in equal amounts

First, make the court bouillon.  Bring the ingredients to the boil over high heat. Then reduce the temperature and simmer for 20 minutes.  Strain the stock into a large, deep frying pan.  Add the prawns and mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove them, with a slotted spoon, and place them on kitchen paper to dry.  Boil the court bouillon over high heat and reduce it down by half, about 500 ml (2 cups) and reserve.

For the sauce, melt the butter, over medium heat, add the bay leaf, and when the foam subsides stir in the cornflour and cook for 3-4 minutes more.   Do not brown.  Add the hot court bouillon, the milk and the nutmeg, and keep on stirring constantly, until the sauce comes to the boil and thickens, and remove from the stove. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  If too thick, thin it down with a little milk      

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with 4 tsp of cream, together.  Very slowly stir 2 cups of hot sauce to the eggs.  Pour all this mixture back into the saucepan with the hot sauce, bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for 2 minutes more.   Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf, stir in the remaining cream and when well mixed, add the lemon juice and stir again.  Add 2 tbsp of grated Gruyere, sprinkle with white pepper, stir and taste.   Add a little salt, if necessary

Place the prawns and mushrooms into a bowl, add enough sauce to coat them, and divide the mixture, evenly, into the shells.   Half an hour before serving fold the egg whites into the remaining sauce.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  Mask the prawns and mushrooms with the sauce, sprinkle with cheese and bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.  Serve immediately

               ROAST FILLET OF BEEF WITH MUSHROOMS AND WINE SAUCE

This is one of my favourite main dishes for a small dinner party

1½ kg beef fillet, centre part, tied at 2½ cm (1 inch) intervals with kitchen thread, brushed with

Olive oil and sprinkled with

Salt and thickly ground black pepper and refrigerate

Rosemary sprigs

Sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2-3 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced

250 g (½ lb) fresh white mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 bouquet garni made with 2 parsley sprigs, 1 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1 slice of fresh ginger

One 750 ml bottle red wine like Nemea Agiorgitiko or Barolo

500 ml (2 cups) home-made beef stock

A little sugar

You could prepare the sauce up to two days before you need it.   Sauté all the vegetables in olive oil, stirring constantly, until they become soft and dry.   Add the tomato paste and ginger and stir for 2-3 minutes more.    Pour in 250 ml (1 glass) of wine and cook for 5 minutes until all the alcohol evaporates.   Add the bouquet garni, the remaining wine, and the beef stock.   Lower the heat and simmer gently, for at least 1 – 1 ½ hours.  Remove the bouquet garni and the ginger and blend the sauce with a hand blender, cover and store in the fridge.

Three hours before your guests arrive, remove the fillet from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature, for about 1 hour.    Preheat the oven to 200 C (390 F).     Then attach the rosemary sprigs to the meat with the kitchen thread and sauté it over high heat until browned on all sides.   Place the fillet on a rack, in a roasting tin and add a little hot water in the tin.   Roast for 15-20 minutes for rare, 20-25 for medium and 25-30 for well done.   Then remove from the oven and cover the meat with foil and let it rest for 10 - 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the sauce.   Strain the juices from the roasting tin into a jug and stir a little into the sauce.  Taste the sauce and season with salt pepper and a little sugar if necessary.  Also, add more of the roasting juices, if you prefer.

Just before serving, slice the fillet, arrange it on a hot serving dish and masque it, liberally with sauce, Serve with roast or smashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables if your choice.   

 

  

                               SMASHED POTATOES WITH CREAM

A very tasty potato dish.

600 g (2 oz) unpeeled potatoes

2 garlic cloves

5 sage leaves

2 tbsp butter or corn oil

A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

312 ½ ml (1¼ cups) hot cream

1 small twig of sage

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water with the garlic and sage, strain and when cold enough to handle, peel and thickly slice them.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sliced potatoes, sprinkle with grated nutmeg and stir gently with a wooden spoon.  Pour in the hot cream and the sage twig and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the cream thickens.   Taste and season with more salt and nutmeg if necessary, and freshly ground white pepper to taste.  Discard the sage and serve in a hot bowl.

                                             CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

This soufflé is quite delicious.  

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

375 g (1½ cup) hot milk

62.5 ml (¼ cup) brandy

50 g (½ cup) sugar

360 g (12 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

4 egg yolks, beaten

8 egg whites

Pinch of salt

50 g (½ cup) sugar

Icing sugar

First, make the chocolate pastry cream.   Melt butter, sift in the flour and stir for 3-4 minutes to prevent the taste of raw flour.     Pour the hot milk, in three doses, into the roux, add the brandy, stirring each time, until it bubbles and thickens into a smooth, shiny sauce.    Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and the coffee and stir until the sauce is smooth and glossy.   Stir in the beaten egg yolks and the vanilla.  You could prepare this one day before you need it.   Cover the pastry cream with cling film and refrigerate overnight.

One hour before you want to serve the soufflé, preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F).    Butter a large soufflé dish or individual ramekins.   Add 2-3 tbsp sugar and twist the dish-dishes until the base/s and side/s are well coated with sugar, tipping off the excess.

Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks.  Then add the sugar, by the spoonful, whisking constantly until the peaks are stiff and glossy.   Add ¼ of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate pastry cream, to loosen it.   Then fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. until no streaks of white are visible.

Fill the soufflé dish/dishes up to the rim.  Run your thumb around the inside ridge of the dish, to clean the rim.   Bake the large soufflé dish for 40 minutes (ramekins for 20), until the soufflé rises well above the dish/dishes and is/are golden brown.   Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve immediately, because the soufflé will deflate in a few minutes.

Red Roses by Karen Winters

THE ILLUSTRIOUS AND POPULAR PASTA

Pasta Makers.  Tacuinum Sanitas Late 14th Century

Macaroni Eaters of Naples by Savanio della Gatta early 19th Century

Pasta is a staple food made from unleavened dough prepared with "durum flour mixed with water or eggs and formed into sheets or various shapes and then cooked by boiling or baking".  Pasta can also be made with pulses like beans and lentils in place of wheat flour.

The Various Types of Pasta

According to Greek mythology, the god Hephaestus invented a mechanism that made strings of dough.  This is the earliest reference to a pasta maker.  

In the 1st century AD, Horace refers to lagana, fine sheets of fried dough which were daily nourishment.

In the works of the 2nd-century Greek physician Galen, there is a reference to “itrion”, “homogenous compounds” made with flour and water.  The Jerusalem Talmud records that itrion, a kind of boiled dough was common in Palestine from the 3^rd–5^th centuries AD.  Also, a dictionary written by the 9th-century Arab physician and lexicographer, Isho bar Ali, defines “ittriya” "as string-like shapes made with semolina and dried before cooking".

So, not taking mythology into account, pasta has been prepared and enjoyed for at least two thousand years.  Dried pasta has about 2 years of shelf life, which makes it a very convenient foodstuff.

(Most of the information about pasta in this post is from Wikipedia, The Good Cook and Dolopia all of whom I sincerely thank.)

Please find below several recipes prepare with pasta. 

                                                    PASTITSIO

                                                                    

Pastitsio, baked macaroni with minced meat, is a popular Greek dish, and a great meal to feed a large, hungry family.

This is not the traditional way of making pastitsio, but it is way my family like it. You can, of course, prepare it by placing two layers of macaroni, with the minced meat or the mushroom sauce in between.  You can, also, use summer vegetables for preparing this dish.

500 g (1 lb) thick macaroni

60 g (2 oz) grated kefalotyri, San Mihalis, Parmesan or a mixture

2 tbsp hot, melted butter

Minced Meat Sauce:

1 kg (2 lb) minced beef

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely grated
2 stalks celery, threaded and finely chopped

4 rashers of lean bacon, fat discarded, cubed

Salt and pepper to taste

80 ml (1/3 cup) brandy,

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

3 ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded and grated, skins discarded

1 tsp sugar or more

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup parsley chopped, optional

Or

Mushroom Sauce:

500 g (1 lb) white mushrooms, trimmed, patted dry and finely chopped

1 dried porcini mushroom, soaked and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

A large onion, peeled and grated

4 rashers of bacon, fat discarded, finely cubed

90 ml (1/3 cup +) brandy

250 ml (1 cup) chicken or vegetable stock

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup chopped parsley, optional

Béchamel Sauce:

150 g (5 oz) butter

150 (1cup) cornflour

1 bay leaf

1¼ litre (5 cups) or more hot milk

Nutmeg

100 g (3 oz plus 2 tbsp) grated kefalotyri, San Mihalis, Parmesan or a mixture

4 eggs separated, whites whipped into soft peaks with a pinch of salt

 1 tbsp butter, and dried breadcrumbs for the baking dish and

2 tbsp grated cheese for sprinkling over the top

A little extra butter

First, prepare the ground meat sauce.  Sauté the onion, carrot, celery and bacon in olive oil until the onion is transparent.  Add the ground meat and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring until well browned and without lumps.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Cayenne.  Pour in the brandy and stir for a moment or two.   Pour in the wine and cook for 5 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.  Then add the grated tomatoes, sugar and enough hot water to barely cover.  Simmer until the meat is cooked and almost dry, about 30 minutes.   Taste and add salt, pepper and sugar, if necessary, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and set aside.

Or

Sauté the mushrooms and the garlic over high heat, stirring constantly, until slightly brown and dry.  Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

 Lower the heat and add the grated onion and chopped bacon and cook stirring for 5-6 minutes more.  Return the mushrooms to the saucepan and stir and simmer for two minutes more.  Then pour in the brandy and cook stirring until the alcohol evaporates. Add the stock, sprinkle with Cayenne, freshly ground black pepper and salt if necessary.  Stir and simmer very gently until the sauce thickens. Taste once more and season accordingly, if needed.   Sprinkle with parsley, stir and set aside.

 Prepare the béchamel sauce.  Melt butter, add the bay leaf and cornflour and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly.  Add the hot milk and stir for 10-12 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens.   Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.  Stir in the cheese and cool a little.  Then add the egg yolks and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Finally, fold in the whipped egg whites.

Cook the macaroni in boiling, salted water until “al dente”.  Drain and return to the saucepan, sprinkle with grated cheese, pour the hot butter over and swirl.   Add the ground meat sauce or mushroom sauce, and about 2-3 cups béchamel and mix gently but thoroughly together.

Butter a baking dish and sprinkle with dried bread crumbs.   Add the macaroni mixture and level the surface.   Cover with the remaining béchamel sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, dot with butter and bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown.   Cool slightly, cut into portions and serve with a large green salad.

                                         HILOPITES ME TRIA TYRIA

Tagliatelle with three kinds of cheese and ham

500 g (1lb) tagliatelle, boiled in salted water until al dente and drained

60 g (2 oz) softened butter

150 g (5 oz) cubed feta cheese

150 g (5 oz) cubed graviera cheese

150 g (5 oz) cubed kasseri cheese

250 g (8 oz) chopped ham

500 ml (2 cups) cream

Mix the tagliatelle with the butter, cheeses, ham and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.   Transfer to a large baking dish, pour over the cream and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 30 minutes until golden brown.

                                                       PASTOULA

Orzo pasta with tomatoes is a simple and inexpensive dish and very popular with children.

500 g (1 lb) orzo pasta

1 onion, peeled and grated

60 g (2 oz) butter or olive oil

3 large, ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded and grated, skins discarded

1 litre (4 cups) water or chicken or meat stock

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

½ tsp sugar or more, according to the acidity of the tomatoes

150 g (5 oz) grated, feta, kefalotyri or Parmesan

In a medium-sized saucepan, sauté the onion in butter or olive oil.   Add the tomatoes, water or stock, bay leaf, salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar and boil for 8 minutes.  

Add the orzo and stir until it boils.   Lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 15-20 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed, adding more hot water or stock, if necessary, to prevent sticking.

 

Serve immediately sprinkled with grated cheese.    

                                                         YOUVETSI

Youvetsi is traditionally baked in a deep, round earthenware baking dish, from which its name derives.   This is a very popular dish, suitable for large gatherings.

1 kg (2 lb) stewing beef, lamb or chicken, cut into serving pieces

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, grated

250 ml (1 cup) vermouth or dry white wine

4 large, ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded and grated, skins discarded, or

One 400 g (13oz + 2 tbsp) tin, peeled plum tomatoes or more if preferred

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

500 g (1 lb) medium-sized orzo or any other small pasta

Enough hot meat or chicken stock for the orzo

2-3 tbsp hot butter

120 g (4 oz) kefalotyri or Parmesan, grated

Brown the meat in 2 tbsp olive oil.  Add the onions and simmer until transparent. Season the meat with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, pour in the wine or vermouth and stir for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates. Add the tomato, sugar and enough warm water (if necessary) to just cover.  Simmer covered, until the meat is tender and the sauce thickens. Of course, each kind of meat has its own cooking time. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  Separate the meat from the sauce with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, sauté the pasta in a tbsp of butter and remaining olive oil, stirring for 2-3 minutes, until it slightly changes colour.  Pour in the meat or chicken stock, stir and simmer gently, covered, until the orzo is al dente, adding more stock or water if necessary.  

Place the pasta in the youvetsi or any other suitable baking dish and stir in the tomato sauce and 1/3 of the grated cheese.   Tuck in the meat evenly, drizzle with the remaining butter, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake in a moderate oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 15-20 minutes.

                                    KTAPOTHI ME KOFTO MACARONAKI

Octopus with short cut macaroni.  

1½ kg (3 lb) octopus, cut into bite-sized pieces

4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

125 ml (½ cup) white wine

3 medium-sized tomatoes, halved, seeded, grated, skins discarded

1½ tsp sugar or more according to the acidity of the tomatoes

3 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 bay leaf

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

500 g (1 lb) short cut macaroni, boiled al dente, in salted water

Place the octopus in a large saucepan and heat until it releases its juices.   Simmer gently for 20 minutes.

In a small frying pan saute the onions in olive oil until soft and pour in the wine.   Add them to the octopus with the tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf, and season with freshly ground black pepper.   Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until the octopus is tender and the sauce thickens. Taste and add a very little salt, if necessary.  Serve over short cut macaroni with a glass of dry white wine.

                                           ASTAKOMACARONADA

A delightful gourmet dish.  Most Greek islands have their own version of “astakomacaronada”, this is one of the best.

2 lobsters, 1 kg (2 lb) each, halved lengthwise and cleaned, claws and legs removed and set aside

4 tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 liqueur glasses brandy, heated

500 ml (2 cups) dry, white wine

1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded, grated, skins discarded

1 tsp or more sugar

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

500 g (1 lb) spaghetti, boiled in salted water until al dente, sprinkled with olive oil and kept warm

1 tbsp or more chopped parsley

 Sauté the onions and garlic until soft.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Season the lobsters with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place them in the saucepan the flesh touching the bottom of the pan.  Add the claws and legs and cook briskly for about 5 minutes, until their shells change colour.  Then pour in the hot bandy and flame.   Add the wine, tomato, sautéed onion and garlic, a pinch of salt and the Cayenne pepper.  Stir well, without disturbing the lobster halves, cover the saucepan and simmer very gently for 20-25 minute, shaking the saucepan occasionally.

With a slotted spoon arrange the lobsters on a heated serving dish.   Remove the meat from the lobster halves, cut them into bite-sized pieces and return them into their shells.   Also, crack the claws and legs, extract the meat, add them to the shells, and keep hot.

Reduce the sauce until it thickens, taste for seasoning and correct with salt pepper and sugar, if necessary.  Add the spaghetti to the sauce and simmer for a few minutes more.  

Place the spaghetti on a heated serving dish, arrange the lobster halves attractively on top and sprinkle with parsley and freshly ground black pepper.  Kali orexi!

                                                      PASTITSADA

A traditional dish from the island of Corfu.

1 kg (2 lb) beef or veal, cut into bite-sized cubes

500 g (1 lb) bucatini

2 large onions, finely chopped

125 ml ( ½ cup) olive oil

2 tbsp tomato paste
250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine
1000 ml (4 cups) hot meat stock

2 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

½ tsp black pepper

2 tbsp butter

60 g (2 oz)  Corfu cheese or Parmesan

Sauté the meat and onions in olive oil until slightly brown.   Pour in the wine and cook for 4-5 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.  Add the tomato paste, meat stock, cloves, cinnamon, Cayenne and black pepper and simmer for 1½  hours, or until the meat is tender, adding extra hot meat stock if and when necessary. Discard the cinnamon stick and the cloves.

Meanwhile, boil the bucatini in the remaining meat stock until al dente, drain and transfer to a warm bowl.  Pour the melted butter over and sprinkle with grated cheese.   Serve the meat over the bucatini.


  

My son Yiannis, while reading this post told me you haven't written anything about striftaria.

Striftaria, which is Greek for twisted, is a  popular Greek pasta, which looks slightly like a corkscrew.   It is made with durum wheat, eggs and goat’s milk.  

One producer, who specialises in delicious ancient Greek food and flavours, prepares them with a durum wheat called "mavragani", which is not easily found, so the production of their striftaria is “limited and in a small scale”.

Here are a couple of recipes for meals made with striftaria, which I hope you will enjoy.

                   STRIFTARIA WITH GARLIC, PLUM TOMATOES AND BASIL

A tasty dish which is very easy to prepare.

500 g (1 lb) striftaria pasta

125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin Greek olive oil

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 kg baby plum tomatoes, peeled and deseeded

1 cup chopped basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper or more if you prefer

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

Kefalotyri cheese, finely grated

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).   In a baking dish pour 150 ml (5 liquid oz) olive oil with the crushed garlic, plum tomatoes, chopped basil, salt, freshly ground black pepper, Cayenne pepper and white wine.    Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to release their juices.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente and drain.   Add the pasta to the sauce in the baking dish and toss gently but thoroughly.   Place back into the hot oven for 10-12 minutes, pour yourself a glass of wine and serve immediately sprinkled with grated kefalotyri.

                        SHRIMPS WITH TOMATOES, FETA AND STRIFTARIA

This recipe resembles one that my dear friend, June Marinos, gave me.  I have changed it slightly but thank you June, for the inspiration.

1 kg (2 lb) shrimp peeled, deveined thoroughly washed and patted dry.  Reserve the heads and shells

3 tbsp olive oil

1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded, grated, skins discarded

3 garlic cloves, peeled finely chopped

3 tbsp finely chopped basil

250 g (½ lb) feta, cubed

30 g (1 oz) butter, cut into small pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

500 g (1 lb) striftaria pasta, boiled until al dente, strained and drizzled with a little olive oil

Sauté the reserved heads and shells of the shrimps in olive oil, pressing on the heads in order to extract as much taste as possible then discard them with a slotted spoon and reserve the olive oil.

Simmer the grated tomatoes until they thicken into a sauce and transfer to a shallow ovenproof dish and place the shrimps evenly over.   Sprinkle with basil, garlic, feta cheese, drizzle with the flavoured olive oil, dot with butter and season with freshly ground pepper black, Cayenne pepper and a little salt.  Broil for 10 minutes or until the feta melts and bubbles.

Serve the shrimps over the boiled striftaria, with a rocket salad.

                                                   PASTA CON UOVA

To make 375 g (¾ lb) handmade pasta dough.

180 g plain flour

1 egg

1 egg white

¾ tbs olive oil

½ tsp salt

A few drops of water

Place the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the centre and put in the egg, egg white, olive oil and salt.   Mix together with a fork until the dough can be gathered into a ball.   Moisten any remaining dry bits of flour with drops of water and press them into a ball.   Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding extra flour if the dough seems sticky.

Wrap the dough with cling film and allow to rest for ½ an hour at least, before using.

Divide the homemade pasta into two balls. Roll each ball into a paper-thin sheet of dough, dust with flour and gently roll it into a jam-roll shape.

With a long, sharp knife slice each rolled dough sheet into 0.3175 cm (0.125 inch) slices for tagliarini,  into 0.635 cm (0,25 inch) slices for fettuccine or tagliatelle and 2.54 cm (1 inch) to 5.08 cm (2 inches) for lasagne. Unroll the strips and place them aside on baking parchment.

 

Needless to say one could use a pasta machine, that prepares the dough, rolls it out and slices it.

One can also make cannelloni, tortellini and ravioli with this homemade pasta dough.

                                          FETTUCCINE AL BURO

Egg noodles with butter and cheese.

120 g (4 oz) butter

60 g (2 oz) double cream

60 g (2 oz) grated Parmesan

Water

¾ tbsp. salt

500 g (1 lb) fettuccine, commercial or homemade

1 white truffle, very thinly sliced

Freshly grated Parmesan

Cream the butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in the cream, a little at a time, and then stir in the grated Parmesan, a few tablespoonfuls at a time.  Cover this mixture and refrigerate if it is not be used at once.  Be sure to bring it back to room temperature before tossing it with the fettuccine.

Boil the fettuccine in salted water for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the strands from sticking to one another, until boiled al dente.  Immediately strain and transfer into a hot serving bowl.  Add the butter, cream and Parmesan mixture to the fettuccine and toss until every strand is well coated.  Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper if necessary.  Serve at once with extra grated Parmesan.

                                                        RAVIOLI

To make about 60 ravioli you will need:

Homemade pasta dough

Filling:

1 ½ cup ricotta

90 g (3 oz) grated Parmesan

1 small tsp grated onion

3 egg yolks

1 ½ tsp salt

Place all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl and mix very well together.

Divide the pasta dough into four pieces and roll out the first ¼  of the dough to make it as thin as possible.  Cover the pastry sheet with a damp towel to preventing from drying out, and roll out the second quarter of the dough in the same fashion and size.

Using the first pastry sheet as a sort of chess board, place mound of about ¾ tsp. of the cheese and egg yolk mixture every 5 cm (2 inches) across and down the pasta sheet.   Dip a small pastry brush into a bowl of water and make vertical and horizontal lines in a chessboard pattern on the pastry sheet, between the mounds of cheese filling, being sure to use enough water.  Carefully place the second pastry sheet over the first one pressing firmly around the filling along the wetted lines.

With a pastry wheel or a small sharp knife, cut the pasta into squares along the wetted lines.  Separate the ravioli and place them on baking parchment.  In the same way roll out, fill and cut the other two portions of the dough.

Cook the ravioli in rapidly boiling salted water, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, to prevent them from sticking to one another for about 8-10 minutes or until tender and drain them thoroughly in a large colander. 

Serve the ravioli with a tomato sauce* or add butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese and gently stir them together before serving.

                                            *SALSA DI POMODORI

5 tsp olive oil

75 g (2 1/ oz) grated onion

750 g (1½ lb) fresh or tinned plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 bay leaf

2 ½ tbsp. tomato paste

¾ tbsp. finely cut fresh basil

Sugar to taste ( about 1 tsp)

2 saltspoons salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Sauté the onions in olive oil, for 7-8 minutes, until cooked but not brown.  Add the remaining ingredients, lower the heat, and simmer very gently, with the saucepan partially covered for about ½ an hour, or more if necessary, stirring occasionally.

Press the sauce through a fine sieve or blend and sieve. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.  Serve hot.

                                    

                                                    TORTELLINI 

Tortellini drenched with Tomato Sauce and Served with Garlic Bread  

Pasta rings stuffed with chicken and cheese.

To make about 80

Stuffing:

2 kg (4 lb) skinned and boned chicken breasts, cooked and finely chopped

60 g (2 oz) finely grated Parmesan

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

½ saltspoon grated lemon peel

½ saltspoon grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 double recipe of the homemade pasta dough (please see above)

Grated Parmesan and butter

Mix the first 5 ingredients for the stuffing very well together and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Break of ¼ of the pasta dough and cover the rest with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.  Roll out the dough on a floured surface until paper thin. Then cut into 5 cm (2 inches) rounds with a pastry cutter or the rim of a small glass.  Place ¼ tbsp filling on the centre of each round, brush the edges with water, fold over to cover the stuffing and press firmly to seal the package.

 Shape into little rings by stretching the tips of each half circle slightly and wrapping the ring around your index finger.   Gently press the tips together.

Boil the tortellini in salted water, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes or until they are tender.   Drain them in a large colander.   Serve them with tomato sauce or ragu Bolognese (please see recipe below*), or drizzled with butter and sprinkled with grated Parmesan. 

Here is the recipe for ragu Bolognese:

                                               RAGU BOLOGNESE

Ragu Bolognese over Tagliatelle

A delicious North Italian minced meat sauce.   It is also very popular in Greece, but we don't use smoked ham and cream.

½ cup finely chopped smoked ham

150 g (5 oz) chopped onions

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

60 g (2 oz) chopped celery

60 g (2 oz) butter or margarine

5 tsp olive oil

500 g (1 lb) beef, minced twice

250 g (½ lb) lean pork, minced twice

250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine

¾ pint beef stock

2 scant tbsp tomato paste

½ pint double cream

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the chopped ham, onions, carrot and celery on a cutting board and chop them together into very small pieces.  (This mixture is called a battuto, when it is cooked is called a sofrito).  

Sauté the battuto in half the butter for 10 minutes until slightly brown.   With a rubber spatula scrape the sofrito into a large saucepan.  

Heat the olive oil in the same frying pan and sauté the minced beef and pork until slightly brown, stirring constantly to break up any lumps.  Add the meat to the sofrito in the saucepan and the remaining butter and stir and sauté together for a minute or two.   Pour in the wine and boil briskly, stirring until almost all the liquid has evaporated.  Stir in the stock and the tomato paste.  Bring to the boil and then lower the heat and simmer gently, partially covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

A few minutes before serving, stir in the cream and heat through.  Taste the ragu and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  The ragu is also wonderful over boiled spaghetti or tagliatelle.

                                                     CANNELLONI

Pasta tubes, filled with meat and baked in tomato and béchamel sauce.

Pasta dough

Water and salt

On a floured surface, roll out the dough until paper thin.   Then, cut the pastry sheet into rectangles 5.2 x 7.62 cm (5x7.62 inches).   Bring the salted water to the boil and drop in the pieces of pasta and stir gently with a wooden spoon to prevent them from sticking to each other.  Bring to the boil, over high heat, and cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente.  Drain, then cool slightly and spread the pasta on a paper towel to dry.

Filling:

5 tsp olive oil

45 g (1½ oz) finely chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

300 g (10 oz) cooked spinach, Squeezed dry and finely chopped

30 g (1 oz) butter

500 g (1 lb) beef, minced twice

60 g (2 oz) grated Parmesan

30 ml (1 liquid  oz) double cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 saltspoons dried oregano, crumbled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes until they are soft but not brown.   Stir in the spinach and cook stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes.   When all the moisture has boiled away and the spinach sticks lightly to the saucepan, transfer it to a large bowl.
 

Sauté the minced meat in 15 g (1 oz ) butter, stirring constantly to break up any lumps and add it to the onion and spinach mixture.  Also add the Parmesan, cream and oregano.   Mix the ingredients thoroughly together.  Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Besciamella:
60 g (2 oz) butter
1 bay leaf
30 g (1 oz) plain flour
250 ml (1 cup) hot milk
250 ml (1 cup) double cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Melt the butter over medium heat.  Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the bay leaf and stir in the flour.  Pour in the milk and cream all at once, whisking constantly until the flour is partially dissolved.   Then return the saucepan to high heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk.   When the sauce comes to a boil and is smooth, reduce the heat.   Simmer, still stirring, for 2-3 minutes longer or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the wires of the whisk heavily.  Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt and white pepper.


Topping:
Salsa di Pomodori (double the recipe shown above)
45 g (1 1/2 oz) grated Parmesan
30 g (1 oz) butter cut into tiny pieces



Assembling and baking the cannelloni:
Preheat the oven to 180 C (250 F).  Place a tablespoonful of filling on the bottom third of each of the pasta rectangles and roll them up.  Pour a film of tomato sauce on a large but shallow baking dish and lay the cannelloni side by side in one layer on the tomato sauce.  Pour the besciamella over and spoon the rest of the tomato sauce on top.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and dot with butter.  Bake the cannelloni in the middles of the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling.  You could slide the Pyrex dish under a hot grill for 30 seconds to brown the top if you wish.

                                     SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

Spaghetti with egg and bacon sauce.

60 g (2 oz) butter, softened

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

120 g (4 oz) grated Parmesan

Water

1 small tsp salt

500 g (1 lb) spaghetti or linguine

8 rashers bacon, chopped crosswise into small pieces

1 small tsp dried red pepper flakes

125 ml (½ cup) double cream

Freshly grated black pepper

Whip the butter until light and fluffy.  In another small bowl beat the eggs and the egg yolks until well blended and add 60 g (2 oz) of grated Parmesan.  Put both bowls aside

Heat a large Pyrex serving bowl in an oven preheated to 93.3 C (200 F).  At the same time, cook the spaghetti in salted water for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until cooked al dente.  

Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crisp, pour off half the amount of bacon fat and stir in the red pepper flakes and then the cream.  Bring the cream to a simmer and keep it warm until the spaghetti is cooked.

When the spaghetti is cooked, strain in a colander.  Transfer to the warm serving bowl and stir in the creamed butter tossing very well so that each strand is covered with butter.   Stir in the hot bacon and cream mixture and finally the beaten eggs and cheese, mixing everything thoroughly together.   The heat of the pasta and the other ingredients will cook the raw eggs on contact. Taste and season with salt and a few grindings of pepper.   Serve the carbonara,  immediately, with the remaining Parmesan.

                                       SPAGHETTI CON LE VONGOLE

Spaghetti with clam sauce.

5 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

250 ml (1 cup) clam broth

250 ml (1 cup) dry, white wine

Water

500 g (1 lb) spaghetti

Water  

Salt

30 g (1 oz) butter, softened

36 small hardshell clams, shelled

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Salt and freshly black pepper to taste

Sauté the chopped garlic in olive oil, over moderate heat, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds.   Pour in the clam broth and the wine and boil briskly over high heat, until the foam disappears, and the liquid has reduced by ¾  of a cup.  Remove from the heat and reserve.

Boil the spaghetti in salted water for 7-12 minutes, stirring gently to prevent the spaghetti strands from sticking to each other.  When the spaghetti is cooked al dente, drain and transfer to a large, heated serving bowl and toss with the soft butter. 

Bring the reserved sauce in the saucepan to the boil, over high heat, and add the clams.   Cook the clams, turning them constantly for 1-2 minutes.  Then pour the clams and sauce over the spaghetti, sprinkle with chopped parsley and toss together with two large forks until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.   Taste and season with salt and white pepper.  Serve at once.

                                   SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA

A famous Italian pasta dish.

62.2 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded, grated, skins discarded

2 tbsp tomato paste

½ cup chopped basil

½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

3 anchovy fillets, chopped

1 tbsp capers, soaked in water for 15 minutes and strained

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

½ tsp dried red chilli flakes

500 g (1 lb) spaghetti

Pecorino cheese, grated

Sauté the garlic for 1 minute in the olive oil, until fragrant.   Add the grated tomato, tomato paste, chopped basil, olives, anchovies, capers, thyme leaves and dried red chilli flakes.

Simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the sauce thickens, taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.   Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente, drain and return to the saucepan.  Add the sauce, sprinkle with basil and toss over low heat until the sauce coats the pasta evenly.  Serve sprinkled with pecorino cheese 

Fruit by Kostas Karnavas