Zucchini Mozarella Tart with Sundried Tomatoes

When I was planning my all Italian dinner last week, the dish that troubled me most was this tart. With the restriction of making it eggless, I was completely clueless and could hardly find any ideas which would give the tart some body and not make it look like a pizza. I remembered a tart I had at my Dutch friend's house and I got in touch with her. She was kind enough to help me with the recipe and everything else just fell in place. It was so wonderful to see my guests enjoy the menu and I just couldn't stop feeling proud of myself. 

Ingredients 

1 9" pie crust (I used storebought pie crust mix)

1 block of Mozarella cheese (I used Gouda cheese as I had a block lying with me but mozzarella works equally fine)

1 zucchini cut into thin slices 

1 medium onion thinly sliced 

1/4 cup Sundried tomatoes drained 

Direction

Blind bake the pie crust as per the packet instructions. Blind baking is baking the rolled out dough fitted in the tart pan and pricked with a fork all over so that it doesn't rise up. You can also place a heavy weight like uncooked rajma, chick peas etc. 

Now let the pie crust cool completely before filling. Once cooled, grate the gouda/mozzarella cheese and spread all over the base covering all the corners. Now place the zucchini in circles starting from the outside. Now spread the onion slices similarly in between the zucchini and follow with the Sundried tomatoes and freshly chopped parsley. Finally, cover with another layer of grated Mozarella/gouda cheese and bake in the pre-heated oven at 200 degree celcius for 15-20 minutes till the cheese is melted and slightly golden and the zucchini softened. Keep the tart inside the oven for 5 more minutes after switching off so that the zucchini gets cooked without burning the cheese. 

Serve hot!

Risotto Cheese Balls or Arancini

Arancini is a very Italian snack which is traditionally served on December 13 in eastern Sicily for the feast of Santa Lucia when bread and pasta are not eaten. The dish is believed to have been originated in Sicily in the 10th century when the Arabs ruled. Ever since it has become very popular and now it is served all year through at all Italian joints and is a scrumptious snack to start any party with. Last weekend I decided to go all Italian with my guests and chose the Arancini to start my party with. Since I did not have any Risotto (Italian rice) with me nor did I wish to buy, I substituted it with our regular small grain aromatic rice. I was a bit skeptical about the results but when I saw my guests devouring them, all my fears were put to rest. Serve these with your favourite dip and see your friends and family enjoy them heartily!!

Ingredients 

2 cups risotto or small grain rice (I used aromatic jeera rice)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used Italian seasoned) plus more to coat

2 eggs

1 tbsp garlic finely chopped 

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 medium onion chopped 

1/2 cup mushrooms sliced 

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano 

1 tbsp fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried parsley)

Salt and pepper to taste

Mozzarella or cheddar cheese cut into small cubes for filling 

1/2 tbsp olive oil plus more for frying 

Direction 

Cook the rice or risotto until 90% done. Do not overcook. Drain and keep aside to cool. 

Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and add the garlic. Fry till slightly browned and then add the chopped onions and fry till soft. Now add the mushrooms and sauté till all the moisture dries up and the mushrooms are slightly browned. Take care that there is no water left from the mushrooms. Let it cool. 

In a bowl, take the cooled rice, mushrooms, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, herbs, fresh and dry, eggs, and salt and pepper and mix well. If you find the mixture too wet, you can add 1 tbsp breadcrumbs more. However take care not to add too many crumbs as the mixture will taste doughy. Make small balls from the mixture and then make a small hole and place a cube of cheese inside and seal from all sides. Roll the ball on a plate of breadcrumbs and arrange on a plate. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Heat oil in a pan and fry the balls till golden on all sides. Drain the excess oil on kitchen towels and serve with your favourite dip. 

Garlic Knots

Bread baking is a superb stress buster and very satisfying too. When you see your ball of dough puff up like a mountain in the first rise, your chest also doubles up equally with joy in anticipation of eating something awesomely yummy fresh and hot from the oven. I had hosted an all Italian dinner at my place this weekend and to make it even more enticing, I decided to bake my bread at home to compliment my Lasagna. The bread superseded my expectations in every way right from the first rise, the oven spring to the cottony soft texture!! My happiness knew no bounds and even more so when my guests couldn't stop praising my efforts and the food. 

Ingredients 

3 cups all purpose flour (I used bread flour but APF works equally well)

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt 

3/4 cup warm water plus 1/2 cup for kneading 

2 tbsp butter softened 

For the garlic wash

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tbsp garlic finely chopped (depending in how garlicky you want your knots)

2 tbsp parsley finely chopped 

Direction 

Dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup warm water (43.3 degree celcius to be precise or till you are able to bear a drop of water on the back of your wrist) and sugar and let it stand till frothy and doubled in volume. 

Mix the flour and salt and add the frothy yeasty liquid to it. Mix with your hands or a spoon until the flour just comes together. It is not required that it forms a dough at this point. Cover and let the dough hydrate for 15 minutes. 

Now add the remaining water little at a time and start kneading the dough. Once the dough starts coming together, transfer to a clean kitchen counter or silicon mat and knead with the heels of your hands till the stickiness of the dough is almost gone. Now flatten the dough slightly with your hands and put 1 tbsp butter on the flattened base and fold in. Bang, fold, and knead the dough with all force till the butter is all absorbed and the dough is smooth with no stickiness. Again roll out the dough with the hands and apply the remaining butter and fold, bang, fold and knead like before till the dough is smooth to touch and and soft and elastic. Oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl and grease it too. Cover and let it rest either in one corner of the kitchen counter or inside the microwave (basically a warm and humid place) until doubled in volume. 

Now deflate the dough and punch down the dough for 2-3 minutes. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and divide the dough into two. Keep one part of the dough in the bowl covered while working on the other. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle of 1/3" thickness. With the help of a knife cut long strips. 

Pick one strip and make a knot (bring both ends together and then push one end into the circle making a knot). Place it on the prepared baking tray. 

Repeat with the rest of the strips and the dough. Place the knots 1" apart as you keep them covered in a warm place for their second rise, about 1 hour or until doubled in size. Singapore is quite hot and humid these days and so it took me just 45 minutes in both the proofings for the dough to rise. 

Pre-heat the oven 20 minutes before the end of the second rise at 225 degree celcius. Now make the garlic wash. Melt the butter and oil together on the stove top and add the garlic. Stir for a minute and then remove from heat and add the parsley. Stir and cool it to room temperature. Now brush the cooled garlic wash generously (but gently) on the puffed up knots. Take care not to deflate the risen knots by hard brushing or hot garlic wash. 

Bake in the pre-heated oven at 200 degree celcius for 15 minutes or until golden on top and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the oven and brush again with the remaining garlic wash. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely!

Mushroom Cutlets

So my tryst with mushrooms continue and presenting today is a super yum yet super simple Mushroom Tikki/Cutlet which you can prepare in advance and serve it hot with any chutney of your choice. It is a wonderful party pleaser and filling too (have to prepare less for main course!! Lol!) and will serve as an excellent tiffin idea too!! My 3 yo loves it!! I made mine in the air fryer with just a minimal spray of oil but you can pan fry them or bake them as well.

Ingredients 

400 gms mushrooms finely chopped  (it is best to use button mushrooms here and quantity depends on your requirement)

1 medium onion finely chopped 

2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped or minced 

1" piece ginger finely chopped or minced 

Handful of fresh coriander leaves or parsley (whichever is available)

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs or as required to hold the mixture together (you can use regular breadcrumbs too; panko gives it an extra crunch but otherwise no difference in taste)

2 eggs (increase the quantity as you increase the quantity of mushrooms)

Salt and pepper to taste 

1 tsp any herb or spices of your choice

1 tsp oil 

Cooking oil spray if using the air fryer or baking 

Direction 

Heat oil in a pan and add the mushrooms. Fry on a medium heat until the moisture from the mushrooms evaporate and they shrink in volume. Remove from heat and let it cool. 

Once cooled, transfer the mushrooms to a big bowl and add all the ingredients except the eggs and breadcrumbs. Now add the egg and half of the crumbs and start mixing. If the mixture comes together and holds its shape easily when made into a flat disc or tikki, then no need to add the remaining breadcrumbs. If not, add some more breadcrumbs till the mixture holds its shape. However, take care not to add too many breadcrumbs as it will result in a doughy tikki. Once refrigerated (our next step), the egg will anyway dry up the mixture a little more. 

Shape all the tikkis from the mixture and arrange on a plate. Cover the plate with a cling wrap and refrigerate until ready to fry. 

Take the tikkis out of the fridge 15 minutes prior to frying. 

If using an air fryer, pre heat at the maximum temperature for 10 minutes. Now arrange the tikkis in the basket (as many as it can hold without touching) and spray some cooking oil on top. Fry in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes on one side and an additional 5 minutes on the other side after flipping. Take care while flipping and use a fork or something similar to release the tikkis as they will tend to get stuck. The next batch of tikkis will take lesser time than the first and so adjust accordingly. 

If using the oven, pre heat at 175 degree celsius. Arrange the tikkis on a grill plate without touching or overlapping and spray some cooking oil. Bake in the grill mode for 10 minutes or until crispy and golden on one side. Flip and bake for an additional 5 minutes on the other side. 

If pan frying, heat oil and fry the tikkis till golden on both the sides. Take care while  flipping though. 

Enjoy these tikkis with any condiments of your choice. Serve hot!

Veg Lasagna Roll-Ups

It was around June last year when we had invited some of my husband's German colleagues for a dinner. Considering their intolerance for spice levels, I decided to play safe and planned an Italian dinner complete with Lasagna et al. So on my holiday to Hong Kong prior to the dinner event, I bought some packets of Lasagna sheets as I wasn't too sure where I could get them here (although I could easily find them in my nearby grocery store later). However, at the last moment, my guests requested to be served an Indian fare as they, surprisingly, loved Indian food and would often eat out in Indian joints. My poor lasagna sheets did not get their due attention ever since and had been staring into my face every time I open my pantry and making me realize that they are soon reaching their expiry date. 

Finally, I got a chance to hold a High Tea get together at home to welcome some Indian friends in my neighborhood and I knew instantly what to serve them! As we were meeting over tea, I did not want to overdo the food and so prepared some lasagna roll-ups instead which are easy to serve, quick to make, good to eat, and perfect for the occasion without giving a mealtime effect!!! I happy, my Lasagna sheets happy, and my guests happy!! 😀

I completely forgot to take the picture of the ready lasagna as I took it out from the oven and served it to my guests. Luckily, there was just one piece left and that made for this picture!! 😛

Ingredients 

8 sheets of lasagna

Shredded Mozzarella cheese

For the sauce

1 1/2 cups finely chopped mushrooms (you can increase or decrease the quantity depending on the quantity of other vegetables that you are going to use)

1/2 red bell pepper finely chopped 

1 big onion finely chopped 

3-4 cloves of garlic finely chopped 

1/2 carrot finely chopped 

Handful of peas

Handful of sweet corn kernels 

1 can whole plum tomatoes squashed (if you are using fresh, use 3 medium sized juicy red tomatoes blanched and skin removed)

Red chili flakes as per taste

Salt and pepper to taste 

2 tbsp olive oil 

For the filling 

1 1/2 cup cottage cheese grated/mashed (I used homemade paneer)

2 eggs

2-3 tbsp parmesan cheese 

Chopped fresh herbs like basil/oregano/parsley or similar (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste 

Direction 

Start with making the sauce as it is the most time consuming part and needs to be cooled down before using. 

Heat  oil in a pan and fry the garlic till lightly browned. Follow up with the onions and fry till translucent. Now add the chopped veggies one by one frying for 3-5 minutes after each addition. Lastly squash the tomatoes, either canned or freshly blanched, and add it to the pan. If using canned tomatoes, there will also be some reserved liquid. Add it to the pan. In case of fresh tomatoes, add about 1/4 cup of the water in which you blanched the tomatoes. Stir well and season as per your taste. Do not add too much salt at this point as we need to reduce the sauce. Let the sauce simmer for 25-30 minutes till the veggies are all thoroughly cooked and there is just about 3-4 tbsp of liquid in the sauce. As I was making roll ups to go with evening tea or coffee, I did not want to make the lasagna too soupy and make it look like a main course rather than a snack. However, the sauce consistency is totally upto your liking and preference. 

Remove from heat and let it cool. 

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a bowl, take the mashed cottage cheese/ricotta cheese and all other ingredients and mix to a smooth paste. Cover and keep aside. 

Now boil some water in a wide pan, wide enough to hold the lasagna sheets without folding and bring it to a boil. Add the sheets and cook it till al dante. If you are making lasagna for the first time, I would suggest keeping a close look as the lasagna sheets are usually available as ready to bake and there is no need to cook them. However, for making the roll-ups this step is necessary. As such, the sheets will get tender within 5-6 minutes. Keep an aluminum foil ready to place the cooked lasagna on top without over lapping and prevent sticking. With the help of a pair of tongs, gently lift the sheets one by one from the water without breaking and place it on the prepared foil.

Let it cool. Now spread the filling on each cooked and cooled sheet and spread it out. Gently roll it up from one end to the other. Repeat for all the sheets. 

 Grease a baking dish big enough to hold all the rolls and spread a layer of the prepared and cooled sauce. Now place the roll ups one by one in a single layer  till all the space has been covered (I forgot to take a picture of this step). Follow up with another layer of the sauce till all the roll ups are well covered and spread out. Top with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese. 

If you are baking it right away, then pre-heat the oven at 175 degree celsius while  you are assembling the roll-ups. If you are baking it at a later time, you can keep it covered with foil in the refrigerator until half an hour before baking. Then bake it in the pre heated oven for 20 minutes till the cheese is bubbling and the sauce looks slightly reduced. Take care not to over bake else you will end up with dry rubbery roll ups. Remove from the oven and let it cool down to handling temperature. Serve warm! Sorry no picture of the final dish! 😔 But I plan to make it soon again and this time I won't forget! 😜

 

Baked Quinoa Caprese

Firstly, a warm hug and hello to all my readers. I have had a fantastic "hogging" holiday and now I am all charged up to wash my sins! True! You should have seen me eating in the past two weeks. Anything and everything edible and yummy was on my plate at all times. I did not care to think twice before gulping down two huge Rosogullas in every meal for the simple reason that I am not getting to eat these for the next one year. Weight can be taken care of once I reach home and so I just enjoyed my trip thoroughly without wasting time on judging the calories!! 

Now back in Singapore and all I can think of is diet. In fact, I do not have a single craving for any of those delicacies that I have had in the recent times. May be that was all that I could handle. It is now time to get back to routine and get back to my fitness and weight loss regime. I have set a goal for myself and once my jet lag is gone, I will be starting to work towards it. 

Here is a simple meal to start with which is extremely easy to assemble and good to eat, not to forget the healthy quotient which makes it even more desirable. Caprese is basically an Italian salad and served as an antipasti or a starter. I found this recipe on the internet and then twisted it as per my liking and availability of ingredients. Fresh Basil is a prime ingredient for Caprese but I was out of stock. So I added a few other ingredients to make up for the flavor and the result was awesome. If you love Quinoa, you must try this recipe!!

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 big onion finely chopped

1 tbsp garlic chopped

1/2 cup mushroom sliced

3 tomatoes, 2 thinly sliced and 1 cut into quarters

1/4 cup corn kernels

1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tsp dried basil (fresh basil recommended)

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3-4 slices of mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

Direction

Wash and rinse the quinoa and add 3/4 cup water and let it come to a boil. Now cover and simmer till all the water has been absorbed. Fork the quinoa to avoid stickiness. Keep aside. 

Place the quartered tomatoes on an aluminium foil and sprinkle salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 225 degree celsius for 10 minutes or till the skin gets crumpled. 

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the onions till translucent and add the garlic. Fry till fragrant. Add the mushrooms and the corn and fry till cooked. If using fresh Basil, add it now. Add salt and pepper and the rest of the seasoning and stir. Remove from heat and keep aside. 

Time to assemble. Take an ovensafe dish and mix the quinoa, roasted tomatoes, onion muxture and shredded cheddar. Check for seasoning and add if required. Now arrange tomato rings and slices of mozzarella alternately and cover the top. Cover the top loosely with an aluminium foil and bake in the pre-heated oven at 180 degree celsius for 20 minutes and then for 5-10 minutes without the cover till the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned. Serve hot!

Chilli Garlic Prawns in Lemon Butter Sauce

This appetizer is quite simple to make and is a wonderful way to kickstart your cocktail party. Easy to assemble and equally yummy to eat, it is an instant hit with guests who like to eat a little something with their drinks. 

Ingredients

300 gms small prawns deveined and tails removed

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp butter

2 tsp chilli flakes or as per taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Direction

Wash and clean the prawns and keep aside. Preferably, keep the prawns in a strainer to let go of excess water. 

In a pan heat the butter and just before it starts browning, add the lemon juice. Now add the garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes till the raw smell goes and turns a bit golden. Now add the prawns and sauté on medium heat till they turn pink. Add the chilli flakes, salt, and pepper and mix. If the prawns leave a lot of water, put the gas on high till most of it is dried up, for about 2-3 minutes while stirring constantly. Take care not to over fry else the prawns will be rubbery. Remove from heat and serve. 

Cottage Cheese and Pesto Stuffed Baked Mushrooms

Mushrooms are my favorite and can have them at any time during the day for any or every meal. In fact, I have noticed that there are very few people who dislike them. The Westerners are always all love for them and so when I had the task of hosting my German guests last weekend, I knew a Mushroom starter would definitely be a good option. I had once baked the mushrooms with spiced cream cheese and, although it was highly appreciated, I wanted to work on the health factor this time. Cottage cheese or paneer was the best healthy alternative for the cream cheese and pesto is anyway a powerhouse of nutrients. The combination turned out superb and was the star of the evening. 

P.S.: The final pictures here are not of very high quality as I could not click a proper one in front of the guests! :(

Ingredients

For the Basil Almond Pesto

2 cups packed Basil leaves (stems removed and washed)

2-3 sprigs Italian Parsley or any variety that you have

1/4 cup almonds lightly roasted (I used chopped peeled almonds from the market but you can use whole ones too with the skin on) 

5-6 big fat cloves of garlic (adjust as per your taste)

1 tbsp olive oil plus more for topping

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Mushrooms

18 Portobello Mushrooms or any variety mushroom that you have; however, button mushrooms (the regular ones) shrink to half and leave a lot of water and is better not to use them. 

150 gms cottage cheese or paneer mashed

2 tbsp parsley finely chopped

3-4 tbsp pesto 

Grated parmesan cheese as required

Salt and pepper to taste

Red chilli flakes (optional)

Direction

Making the pesto

Put the basil leaves, garlic, parsley, and roasted almonds in a grinder and make a smooth paste. Do not add any water. After the initial pulses, add 1 tbsp olive oil or as required and pulse further till smooth. Transfer to a clean tight lid jar and add salt and pepper as per taste. Top it up with some more olive oil and store in the refrigerator till further use. 

For the Mushrooms

Mash the paneer with your hands or a fork ensuring there are no big lumps. Now add the pesto, salt and pepper as per your taste. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Start with 3-4 tbsp of the pesto and then add according to your taste. Mix well and keep aside. 

Take the mushrooms and remove the stems gently. Wash inside out and wipe them dry. Prepare a large baking tray big enough to hold all the mushrooms in a single layer. Lightly grease the tray and keep aside. Pre-heat the oven at 175 degree celsius. 

Now take spoonfuls of the paneer and pesto mixture and fill it inside the mushroom caps. Place the mushrooms on the baking tray rounded side down. Repeat till all the mushrooms are stuffed. Now sprinkle some parsley and cheese on top of each mushroom and bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese starts browning. If the mushroom leaves a lot of water, discard it before serving. Serve hot or warm!