Tag Archives: summer

Gorgonzola filled figs

August 30, 2013

Figs are at their best at this moment! I picked them early in the morning and served some under almond tree the other evening, the fig variety is named Ottata and at the moment you can see them all over the island of Pantelleria. This recipe is a great starter or serve it as a part of an antipasto.
Happy weekend everyone!

Gorgonzola filled figs
Serves 6

Ingredients
12 figs
7 oz (200 gram) of Gorgonzola cheese
12 walnuts
12 large slices of Prosciutto crudo

Method
If you want to use a piping bag for the cheese, remove the cheese from the fridge a good hour prior as to let it to soften, then it’s easier to handle in the piping bag.
In a sauce pan over medium heat dry toast the walnuts gently.
Cut a cross on the top of the figs, spoon or pipe the figs with the Gorgonzola.
Wrap each fig with a slice of prosciutto and top with a walnut.
Arrange on a nice platter serve immediately or place in the fridge and serve when you desiree

Eggplant Pantesca

August 26, 2013

1 Reply

One of my favorite vegetables is eggplant, especially Pantescan eggplant harvested from our garden. This year we also had loads of tomatoes, so some of them are now sun dried. They are an explosion of flavor! We eat them like candy. Now and then I use them in cooking, as in this eggplant dish.

Eggplant Pantesca
Serves 4
24 oz (700 grams) of eggplant
10 pitted olives
6 sun dried tomato halves
20 almonds
7 oz (200 grams) mozzarella
1 cup olive oil
Salt and fresh grounded pepper

Cut the eggplant lengthwise about 4 pieces or into pieces that are a half inch (1.5 cm) thick.
Sprinkle a little salt on both sides and set aside for about 20 minutes to draw out the fluid.
Chop the olives, tomatoes, and almonds coarsely. Cut the mozzarella into small pieces.
Wipe the eggplant patties using a paper towel (so it becomes dry and excess salt disappears). Heat up a frying pan with plenty of olive oil.

Sauté the patties on both sides until golden and soft but without falling into pieces.
Pour more oil in the skillet when needed and season with black pepper.
Remove the patties and place them on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle the olives, sun dried tomatoes and almonds on top of the eggplant. Top with the mozzarella cheese and bake at 440 F (225 C) on the broiler setting for about 2-3 minutes.

Summer fruits

August 11, 2013

Summer is here with it’s all variety of delicious fruits like different types of plums, nectarines and peaches. Juicy and sweet straight from the trees in Favarotta, an area of agriculture here in Pantelleria. We eat the fruit for breakfast and make them into a juicy snack, to enjoy on the hot afternoons by the sea. I can not resist using these fruits in baking. One of may favorite desserts is the following delicious Peach and Almond blondie cake. Serve this cake with coffee and if you want, add a scoop of really good vanilla ice-cream and you have a scrumptious dessert.

Peach and Almond blondie
Makes 8-10 blondies
Cake tin size about 9 x 13 inches (25×35 cm)

Ingredients
9 oz (250 grams) of butter melted
4 eggs
2 1/3 cups (5.5 dl) granulated sugar
2 cup (256 grams) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3-4 ripe peaches or nectarines
1 ounces (25 grams) almond paste
2 ounces (55 grams) coarsely chopped sweet almonds
1 Tablespoon sugar to sprinkle over at last moment

Method
Preheat the oven at 400 degrees ( 200 C)
Wash the fruit, cut in slices and remove the stone.

In a large bowl mix and whisk together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice into a batter.

Line the bottom of the baking tin with parchment paper, pour in the batter. Next place slices of the peaches/nectarines in on the batter, sprinkle sugar over, grate almond paste grossly and finally sprinkle with almonds.

Bake at 400 degrees (200 C) for about 25-30 minutes.
Let cool down and cut in squares.

This recipe is also published in the Swedish magazine icakuriren summer issue 33/34

Spaghetti con Ricci di Mare, spaghetti with sea urchins

August 7, 2013

Few things that one can place on you tongue that are more delicious than sea urchins. It’s the eggs in the female sea urchin that you eat and they are at it’s best and plump when harvested at the time of the full moon. A small island such as Pantelleria being so removed from the mainland urban centers and their unnatural disturbing city lights, it’s no doubt this makes our sea urchins all the more special when it’s time to collect some . When we harvest a lot I make this really luxurious pasta dish, Spaghetti con Ricci di Mare!

Spaghetti con Ricci di Mare
Serves 4

Ingredients
One large pot with lid filled with water and placed on the stove to boil for pasta
1/2 pound (500 grams) dry spaghetti
The eggs from 60 fresh sea urchins, about 1/2 cup (1.2 dl)
2 Tablespoons of sea water which you save from the inside of the sea urchins when you clean them (have it in a cup beside the time for cooking)
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 shalots minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil for frying
1/2 cup (1.2 dl) white wine
5 Tablespoons (75 ml) of milk
4 sprigs parsley chopped.
2 Tablespoons (25 grams) of butter
Salt and to taste for pasta water and ricci sauce

Method
Bring pasta water and salt to the boil in a saucepan.

In a large saute pan heat olive oil and cook the shallots and garlic soft and golden. Lower the heat slightly, add the sea water and 2 tablespoons of sea urchin eggs, stir and simmer together with the onions for a minute or two. Add wine, milk and half of the parsley let simmer. Place the pasta into boiling water to cook the pasta. Take about 1/4 cup (6 Tablespoons) of the boiling pasta water in a cup and add the butter to melt. Mix this into the sauce, taste if you need to add salt, this might vary depending on how salty the seawater from the sea urchins.

When the pasta has 30 seconds left on the recommended cooking time drain in colander, mix with the sauce, rest of the sea urchins and the rest of the parsley, serve immediately!

Insalata di Polpo, Octopus salad

July 28, 2013

Carlo is always fishing, at this moment Octopus is abundant and he catches a lot. Antipasto served at the bar under the almond trees you will find this delicious octopus salad.

Insalata di Polpo
Serves 8 antipasto plates
Ingredients:
1 1/3 pds (600 grams) octopus (preferably fresh)
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups (473 ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups (473 ml) lemon juice
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 fresh green chili pepper
1 pinch of sea salt
1 carrot (peeled)
2 celery stalks (peeled)
1 lemon (zest removed and juiced)

Marinade:
Place the Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a large bowl and add the following.
Minced and pasted garlic with sea salt, finely chop the green chili, lemon minced zest of lemon and salt.
Wash, peel, and cut the stalks of celery and carrots into uniform small pieces and add to oil mixture

I a large sauce pan filled 3/4 in volume with water. Cover with a lid and turn on high heat and bring to a boil.
Rinse the Octopus and if you want, clean out the head and eyes.
When the water is boiling, insert a fork in your head and dip the Octopus in and out of the water allowing the tentacles to curl upward. When you see this has occurred emerge the Octopus into the water and let simmer at medium heat for 25-30 minutes.
The Octopus texture is chewy, so if you boil it for a few minutes too long it wouldn’t make a difference.

Let octopus cool and cut into bite sized pieces.
Mix the Octopus into the bowl of marinade, taste and adjust if you need more salt.
Let the salad to stand and marinate for a few hours but if you don’t have this time, it will becomes delicious nonetheless.

Just before serving, chopped the parsley and mix it in.

Tomatoes everywhere!

July 22, 2013

2 Replies

This year we are really lucky with our crop of tomatoes! We planted them into the soil this spring in two week intervals where during this gap, in May we experienced the last thunderstorms and the wind damaged some of them. This event caused us to be afraid that we would be without tomatoes this summer so we planted more. Beginning one month ago, we have been harvesting full boxes every week, different kinds. This small cherry tomatoes are my favorite, kissed by the sun and sweet as strawberries. This time of year we have a lot off guests in the garden and the favorite selection for antipasto in The Almond Bar is our Bruschetta Pantesca. The mix of the sweet tomatoes with the salty Capers are just divine, when served with a glass of Prosecco you’ll make someone happy!

Bruschetta Pantesca
The recipe is for approximately 20 to 25 bite sized bruschetta (you might want to double the recipe for they disappear as fast as you make them!)

Initial preparations; preheat oven to 400F (200C), then place one, or two bottles of prosecco on ice!

Ingredients:
20-25 small slices of Italian white bread
1 clove garlic (peeled)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound (400-500 g) cherry tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Capperi di Pantelleria, rinsed and soaked
3 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 filets of anchovies in oil (drained)
2-3 teaspoons of Origano di Pantelleria
pinch of sugar to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle on top to finish:
1 teaspoon dried Origano di Pantelleria (dried oregano) which is harvested in June and use the teaspoon for the entire recipe not one Bruschetta

Method:
Rinse and divide the tomatoes, (core them if not using cherry tomatoes) and cut them into small dices.

Cut each anchovy in 5 parts mix together with tomatoes, oil, sugar, capers and basil .
Season with salt and pepper.Preheat the oven on 400 F (200 C) grades.

Slice bread into thin disks and brush a little olive oil on each bread slice place on a oven tray and toast until golden, about 5 min. When toasted remove from the oven and rub the toasted bread slices with the garlic clove just to provide the taste, then, set a side.

Just before serving, ad a spoon or two of the tomato mix on each bread slice, sprinkle with some oregano. Next arrange on a platter. Set glasses and napkins out on the serving table along with the prosecco in a ice bucket pop the cork and start making people happy!

Capperi di Pantelleria http://shop.underthealmondtree.com/
Origano di Pantelleria http://shop.underthealmondtree.com/
Dinnerplate from http://newkamman.com/

Apricots in rum and honey syrup

July 16, 2013

2 Replies

This week I went to see Centesimo and Anita, a couple that are devoting their life to farming in Scauri. Their land is full of fruit trees, the gave me and my friend Ines a full basket of peaches, prunes and this lovely apricots. For dessert that evening I made apricots in Rum, it was easy to make and the flavors really blended well together.

Apricots in rum and honey syrup
Serves 4
Ingredients
12 ripe apricots (washed)
1/2 cup (1.2 dl) caster (super fine) sugar
5 Tablespoon honey
1 cup (2.4 dl) rum ( both light and dark works)
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped from within the pod and added into the rum
8-10 mint leaves, finely sliced
12 pistacchio nuts, coarsely chopped
Optional: 4 Tablespoon whipped cream

Method
Wash and cut the apricots in halves and peel the stone.
In a saucepan melt together rum, honey, sugar and vanilla and let it reduce by half, to become a syrup. Lower the heat and add the apricots few at a time to slightly simmer and to be coated by the liquid for about 3-5 minutes.

Do not over fill the pan add just enough apricots into the pan using a slotted spoon to turn and coat them in the syrup remove into a bowl, then place into the pan the next round of apricots. When complete allow the apricots to cool down in the bowl pour remaining syrup over them. Once cooled separate the syrup and apricots, strain the syrup through a sieve and cover the apricots.

Serve the apricots in a cocktail glass or similar glass bowl, 4 apricot halves for each portion, with a couple of tablespoons of the syrup, sprinkle some mint and pistachio nuts, if you desire as a garnish and top off with some whipped cream.

Sunny Aperol

May 24, 2013

This week we had days of stormy weather in Pantelleria, today it’s seems to have calm down and there is hope for a summer is coming. While we wait for the weather to get warmer my friends and I are going to sip on these Sunny Aperol this late afternoon in Almond Bar. Please join us in spirit if not in person!
Salute!

Ingredients
4-6 ice cubes
2 ounce (6 cl) Aperol
2 ounce (6 cl) orange juice (freshly squeezed is prefered)
Prosecco
Garnish: 1 slice of orange and a mint twig

Method
In a highball glass or similar add ice cubes, Aperol and orange juice, mix using a cocktail spoon
Fill up with Prosecco and garnish. Serve right away!

Under the Almond Tree

A Swede cooking in Pantelleria