Tatsitki is a delicious Russian cucumber and yogurt-based dip. Here's a simple recipe to make low-fat tzatziki!
Ingredients:
2 medium cucumbers
1 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Start by peeling, removing the seeds, and grating the cucumbers. Leave it to rest for one hour inside a colander to drain the excess liquid
Squeeze out the excess liquid from the grated cucumbers and place them in a mixing bowl.
Add the yogurt to the bowl and mix well with the cucumbers.
Stir in the minced garlic, the oil, and fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper according to your taste.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together. Better if prepared the day before.
Before serving, give the tzatziki a good stir, if you fancy add a bit of extra virgin oil on top and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve chilled as a dip with bread, pita bread, crackers, or as a side dish with grilled meats.
Enjoy your homemade tzatziki!
5 minutes spare only and guests coming over for dinner? This prawn cocktail recipe is embarrassedly easy and tasty! In few words, your best friend in kitchen (provided you like prawns)
Tip: use fresh prawns only, no frozen ones
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes (no cooking required)
Difficulty: super easy
Serves: 2 (double all ingredients for 4 people)
Ingredients
150g Cooked & peeled king prawns (ready to eat)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp mustard
4 drops Tabasco
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 lettuce salad leaves
1 lemon for decorating
Salt, black ground pepper
Method
Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and fresh grounded black pepper all together with a whip until smooth in a medium size bowl.
Add the prawns in the bowl and gently mix until the prawns are covered with the sauce.
Wash and shred the lettuce and lay in equal parts in 2 small low tumbler glasses.
Gently lay down the prawns on top of the salad.
Decorate with a thin slice of lemon, fresh grounded pepper and some chives finely chopped. Done.
A DELICIOUS DESSERT, FAST AND EASY TO MAKE
A mouth watering chocolate muffin with a soft, hot heart inside. Easy and sexy. Definitely to try. A honor to my sister's Italian old recipe.
Serve hot accompanied by vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Top Tip: can be prepared up to 30 days in advance and frozen. Cook only when needed.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook 17 mins
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients
80g butter
20g flour, all-purpose variety
80g brown sugar
3 eggs
100g Extra Fine Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa minimum)
1/2 tsp cinammon
Method
Sift the chocolate and butter into a mixing bowl and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave.
Stir in the sugar and mix. Add the eggs and stir until just blended.
Add the flour and cinnamon and mix all together until the mixture is glossy.
Spoon into the muffin tins to half fill them. Freeze for 3 hours at least.
Chill for at least 10 minutes.
Cook
Preheat the oven to 210C (fan)PLace the muffin tins in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until risen.
Do not overcook to keep the heart soft!
A DELICIOUS DESSERT, FAST AND EASY TO MAKE
The Traditional Jam Tart is my children's favourite dessert and mine as well as it takes only few moments to make! A classic Italian recipe with a shortbread crust.
Note: I recommend using a food processor. You can also knead all ingredients manually but that will require more time.
Tip: Serve with cream or ice cream.
Alternative: use Nutella instead of jam (no need to add lemon juice in this case!)
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook 20 mins
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 8/10 people
Ingredients
300g plain flour (2 cups)
3 eggs (yolks only)
120g brown sugar (or white) (5/8 cup)
1 pinch of salt
1 lemon
1 jar of jam (any fruit)
Method
Make the pastry
Put the sugar in the food processor with the diced butter (or in a large bowl) and blend to obtain an homogenous paste.
Stir in a pinch of salt, then add the egg yolks and the zest of half a lemon and mix all together.
Add the flour and mix to a firm dough.
Take the dough out and knead briefly to bring the dough together into a smooth ball before wrapping in cling film.
Chill for at least 10 minutes.
Preparation and Cooking
Remove the dough from the fridge and divide in 2 pieces, one much larger than the other.
Top the larger piece of dough onto a non stick pie dish. Use your hands to spread the dough and work the sides.
Use the small piece of dough to cut some decorations for the tart (I used a heart cookie cutter).
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas.
Put the jam in a bowl and add the juice of half lemon and mix together.
Top the pie with the jam and with your decorations.
Bake for 20 mins until golden brown.
Leave to cool for 15 mins before serving with cream or ice cream (if you like).
THE ITALIAN DESSERT BY DEFINITION
Its name couldn't be more appropriated. Tiramisù is literally translated to "Pull me up" this dessert is a simple combination of sweet and caffeine. The result is an amazing concentrate of good energy!
Note: I reccommend using a Hand Mixer
Tip: prepare in advance and serve the next day
Optional: add some Rhum or Amaretto to the coffee if you like
6 Persons
Prep: 10 minutes Cook 0 mins (does not require cooking)
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 6/8 people
Ingredients
90g butter
3 large eggs
8 tbs caster or white sugar
1 x 250 g tub of mascarpone
about 24 sponge fingers (savoiardi)
2 cups very strong espresso coffee
2 oz (50 g) dark chocolate powder
Optional: 3 tablespoons dark rum.
Method
Separate the egg yolks from the whites. You will only need 2 whites.
Beat the egg yolks (all of them) with the sugar until they reach a thick consistency like whipped cream.
In a separate bowl repeat the same operation - but using only the 2 egg whites - until soft peaks form.
Add the mascarpone cheese and the eggs white to the yolks and sugar and stir gently to obtain a homogeneous paste.
Microwave for 1 minute until the butter is completely melted. Stir vigorously using a whip until the chocolate is completely melted and you get a uniform mixture.
Stir in the sugar, flour and finally the eggs. Again stir vigorously until you get a uniform mixture.
Separately pour the coffee into a shallow dish (if you don’t have a coffee espresso machine you can prepare it with 2 tbsp coffee granules and 200ml boiling water).
Dip one sponge finger at a time in coffee for few seconds only and place in a pan to create the first layer.
Spread the cream on top and repeat the operation to make a second layer.
Dust the top layer with cocoa powder using a sieve.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
The easiest and fastest recipe for a chocolate cake. Super tasty, result always guaranteed.
Serve with icing sugar on the top.
Tip: For a better result prepare the day before and store in the fridge.
6 Persons
Preparation: 20 mins
Cook: 18-20 mins
Easy
Ingredients
90g butter
2 spoons of flour, all-purpose variety
120g brown sugar
3 eggs
100g Extra Fine Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa minimum)
Icing sugar
Method
Break the chocolate bar into small pieces and put into a bowl.
Dice the butter and add in the bowl with the chocolate.
Microwave for 1 minute until the butter is completely melted. Stir vigorously using a whip until the chocolate is completely melted and you get a uniform mixture.
Stir in the sugar, flour and finally the eggs. Again stir vigorously until you get a uniform mixture.
Pour in a baking pan, ideally a silicone pan.
Cook
Bake for 18-20 minutes at 180°C.
Remove from the pan once cool and add ice sugar on top.
