Maltese Stuffed Bell Peppers from my cookbook & a short trip to Malta
Old cities and beaches, seafood and wine! When Condé Nast Traveler asked me to take over their Instagram Stories last weekend and share some of my favourite spots in Malta, I immediately booked the flights. There's no way I would miss a chance to visit my second home!
I'm in the Mediterranean for just a few days at the moment, but it's enough time to visit my personal hot spots. An early morning boat ride starting in Sliema took me to Valletta to enjoy my first espresso of the day at the beautifully old fashioned Prego Caffe on the capital's narrow South Street. It's a beloved morning ritual of many locals, nibbling on buttery breakfast pastizzi filled with ricotta surrounded by the café's original 60's decor. A quick visit to the Baroque Saint Francis of Assisi Church (1607) and then I strolled through the streets - one of the most relaxing things I can imagine. If it had been a Sunday, I would have gone to St. John's Co-Cathedral's early morning mass, which is held in Latin accompanied by the most heavenly sounding choir.
On the way to my next destination, Casa Rocca Piccola, I stopped by at the peaceful Lower Barakka Gardens. This place always manages to overwhelm me with its stunning views over The Grand Harbour and The Three Cities - and its almost meditative atmosphere. Frances de Piro was so kind to show me around the 400 year old private Valletta palace Casa Rocca Piccola, where she lives together with her husband, the 9th Marquis de Piro who's a Knight of Malta, and their family. Many of the private rooms can be visited during guided tours and are a must see for everybody who loves art, history, and architecture.
My man joined me for lunch, which turned into a little feast at Scoglitti right at the sea at the Marsamxett Harbour facing Sliema. Pasta with Maltese prawns, swordfish from the grill, and a bottle of Meridiana Wine Estate's fruity white. Maltese Mqaret filled with dates for dessert and we were ready for a nap. Only the thought of an afternoon swim in Malta's deep blue waters could stop us from having a siesta. We chose the secluded Delimara bay, limestone rocks and crystal-clear turquoise sea are the best conditions for a good snorkeling trip.
My perfect day in Malta wouldn't be complete without having dinner at Legligin, my favourite restaurant in Valletta offering the most delicious Maltese tapas cooked by our friend Chris. And if it's a Friday night, you can stroll over to Bridge Bar for their weekly open air Jazz concerts. Sitting on red cushions on the capital's ancient stairs in front of the bar, sipping on a glass of pastis, and listening to good music make me ask myself why I should ever leave the Mediterranean (sorry Berlin).
As part of the Instagram takeover, I also shared a recipe from my Eat In My Kitchen cookbook on Condé Nast Traveler's website. It's a Maltese classic: stuffed bell peppers. Stuffed vegetables are a staple in every Maltese home. Tomato, zucchini, eggplant, pepper are filled with meat, seafood, or other vegetables and turned into the coziest treat to please a large Mediterranean family's appetite. In my version, which you can find below, I go for green peppers cooked al dente - I don't like them too soft and soggy - stuffed with white fish like cod, tiny zucchini cubes, tomatoes, and parsley refined with a shot of vermouth.
If you can't travel at the moment, just cook a dish that reminds you of your favourite holiday spot, close your eyes, and you'll almost be there.
Maltese Stuffed Bell Peppers with Cod, Tomatoes, and Zucchini
from Eat In My Kitchen, To cook, to bake, to eat, and to treat
Serves 4
4 to 5 medium green bell peppers
Olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons butter
510g / 18 ounces cod fillet (or any firm, white fish, such as monkfish or grouper), preferably 1 thick center piece
Fine sea salt
Ground pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed
340g / 12 ounces zucchini, cut into very small cubes
60ml / ¼ cup dry white vermouth, like Noilly Prat, or dry white wine
1 medium tomato, cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons for garnish
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F.
Cut the tops off the peppers. Scrape out and discard the seeds and fibers, then rinse the peppers and set aside.
In a heavy pan, large enough to fit the fish, heat a generous splash of olive oil and the butter over medium-high heat. Sear the fish, turning once, for 1 to 3 minutes per side or until golden and flaky—mind that you don’t overcook it. Remove from the heat, break the fish into chunks, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large, heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft and golden. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in a little more olive oil, add the zucchini, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 4 minutes or until soft. Add the vermouth and cook, stirring and letting the alcohol burn off, for about 10 seconds. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the tomato and parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To combine the filling, spread half the zucchini-tomato mixture on a large plate, lay the fish on top, and finish with the remaining vegetables. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Season the inside of the bell peppers with salt and pepper. Using a large spoon, generously stuff the peppers with the zucchini-cod mixture without pushing on the filling too much. If you have leftover filling, stuff the fifth bell pepper. Place the tops on the peppers and place them in a baking dish. Add a splash of water to cover the bottom of the dish and bake for about 25 minutes or until the bell peppers are al dente and the tops turn dark. Take the peppers out of the oven, sprinkle with more parsley, and serve warm.
Bean and Caper Dip with Golden Sautéed Zucchini
Besides all the excitement that our Mediterranean summer offered last month, we also got the chance to spend a more than relaxing, but nonetheless very inspiring evening at one of our friends' house. Alex and Benjamin live a life that's just as busy as ours, which makes it a bit difficult to meet. They love to travel, they celebrate their weekly gatherings and dinner parties with their loved ones, and they also split their life between Malta and London. And this I'll never understand and I'm sure you'd agree if you could see their gorgeous palazzo in the silent heart of Żebbuġ - if I lived there, I'd never leave the house! However, we managed to find a free evening, or rather a few free hours, and visited them for drinks and nibbles.
When you meet Alex, a man who seems to either work or spend his time in his beautiful kitchen (click here for pictures), you're treated to the most scrumptious culinary pleasures. Even his 'nibbles' are heavenly. He's a true connoisseur, a man who loves the fine arts, exquisite food and wine, and who's always up for a good conversation. Alex is a critical mind and and you'll never feel bored in his presence. Benjamin is the most beautiful person who's helped me deal with the struggles of my current crazy life more than once. Whenever my mind and body can't keep up with the challenges anymore that come with writing a book and organizing book launch events, I call Benjamin. He's the best reflexologist I know and whatever problem my body comes up with, Benjamin will fix me!
But back to the nibbles: I've always been a huge fan of Alex's dips. Be it hummus or smoky grilled eggplant, they are all addictive. And there's one of his creations that struck me with its subtle salty note. I couldn't make out what it was at first, but I loved it since I enjoyed the first bite last summer, spread lusciously on a thick slice of crusty Maltese bread. Alex purées boiled yellow split peas, mixes in chopped onion, olive oil, lots of lemon juice, and - here's the secret - capers. The salty fruits add a special flavour, it doesn't really taste like caper, it could also be canned tuna. I totally fell for it and couldn't stop eating the thick spread. Now I made it at home, it was my first try, but in my version I use canned cannellini beans. They are sweet and smooth, velvety, and fit just as well to this Mediterranean composition. A few thick slices of golden sautéed zucchini, some ciabatta, and lunch - or dinner - is served.
Bean and Caper Dip with Golden Sautéed Zucchini
Serves 2
For the bean caper dip
rinsed and drained canned cannellini beans 360g / 13 ounces (you could also use boiled yellow split peas as in Alex's original recipe)
capers, preserved in salt, rinsed, 20g / 1 ounce
small shallot, roughly chopped, 1/2 -1
olive oil 60-75ml / 1/4-1/3 cup
freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons
For serving
olive oil
small zucchini, cut into thick slices, 2
fine sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
fresh ciabatta 1 small loaf
For the dip, purée the beans, capers, 1/2 of the shallot, 60ml / 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and lemon juice in a blender. Add more of the shallot to taste and purée until smooth. If the texture is too thick, add more olive oil, and, if necessary, season with additional lemon juice and salt to taste.
In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil over high heat, turn the heat down to medium-high, and sauté the zucchinis for 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden with brown sprinkles. The zucchini should only start to soften outside and still have some bite on the inside. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the zucchini between plates and add a dollop of the bean caper dip. Drizzle the dip with a splash of olive oil and sprinkle with a little pepper. Serve with fresh ciabatta, enjoy warm or cold.
Green Minestrone with Lime-Arugula Meatballs
Sometimes I am asked by a reader to come up with a certain recipe. Quite often it's a dish connected to a childhood memory of theirs, a food experience saved many years ago, and now they're hoping to find this specific flavour again. But it's a tricky thing, it's almost impossible to relive something as an adult and expect the same satisfaction that we felt back then when we were young.
I used to love Dutch coconut sheets for breakfast, which is as weird as it sounds. This is compressed dessicated coconut, pressed into thin sheets and, to make it even more appealing, they were either pink or pale white. I was obsessed with them. After a culinary break from this delicacy, I tried them again years later and I was so disappointed. But there's another Dutch classic, which still lives up to my memories, and I enjoy it with the biggest passion whenever I pull it out of my oven: sticky honey cake.
At the end of this winter, I got asked to share a traditional German hot chocolate recipe, which my reader, who lives in the US, connects with the time he spent in Germany as a child. Somehow, I never felt in the mood for it, and my hot chocolate is also a rather simple creation made of milk, unsweetened cocoa powder, and ground cinnamon and cardamom, which is not a traditional German take on this drink. I'm sorry, I'll try to write about it next winter.
But last week, someone dropped a comment on Instagram, telling me that I haven't made a soup in a long time - and this person was right! She lives in Asia and asked for a soup that she can have with her morning rice. I don't think that someone who lives in Asia, needs a German girl to tell her how to make a fragrant broth with ginger, spices, and lemon grass, so I thought about something that I could share from my background. Our summers spent in Malta made me fall for minestrone, and when I cook this warming soup with just green vegetables - like fresh beans, peas, and zucchini - it tastes like spring. To turn it into a full lunch, I add tiny meatballs refined with lots of chopped arugula and lemon zest. The strong aroma of the citrus fruit reminds me of the Mediterranean but at the same time, it adds the same lemony freshness that you know from a clear broth made with ginger. Enjoy!
Green Minestrone with Lime-Arugula Meatballs
Serves 2-4
For the meatballs
ground beef 400g / 14 ounces
fresh arugula leaves, finely chopped (with a knife or in a blender), 1 large handful / 50g
zest of 1 lime (1 heaping teaspoon)
garlic, crushed, 2 cloves
fine sea salt 1 teaspoon
a generous amount ground pepper
For the soup
olive oil
garlic, cut in half, 1 clove
green vegetables (a mix of trimmed green beans, peas, and zucchini), beans and peas cut into bite size pieces, about 350g / 12 ounces
vegetable broth, hot, 1l / 4 1/4 cups
freshly squeezed lime juice 1 tablespoon
bay leaf 1
fine sea salt
ground pepper
For the topping
ramp leaves, thinly sliced, 2 and / or spring onion, thinly sliced, 1
For the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped arugula, lime zest, garlic, salt, and pepper and mix until well combined. Wet your hands and form the mixture into tiny meatballs.
For the soup, in a large saucepan, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the vegetables, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth, lime juice, and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper to taste, and bring to the boil. Add the meatballs and bring to the boil again. Reduce the heat to medium, cover with a lid, and simmer for 4 minutes. Split 1 meatball to check if it's done. Season the soup with salt, pepper, and additional lime juice to taste.
Serve the soup in deep bowls, sprinkled with ramps and / or spring onion, and enjoy warm.
Herb Focaccia with Zucchini, Aubergine and Parmesan
This is one of my most beloved summer scenes: juicy focaccia topped with fragrant herbs on the table next to an aromatic selection of cheese and a chilled bottle of rosé wine waiting to be opened. Sometimes it impresses me how easy it can be to create a little holiday even in my own home. Although I have to admit that warm temperatures and a clear blue evening sky definitely help to put my mind in the right mood, scrumptious food is even more efficient.
I used my reliable focaccia recipe to make the soft Italian bread, it's so oily that my fingers feel deliciously smooth and sticky after each bite. Last year I fell in love with a topping of dark grapes and rosemary, in 2015 I'm falling for an almost pizza-like creation. I picked a selection of rosemary, thyme and sage right from the front row of my window sill garden, chopped them finely and spread the green crumbles over the puffy, risen yeast dough. Thin slices of zucchini and aubergine came next to form a pretty grid pattern and add their summery fruitiness. To finish it off, I sprinkled my golden focaccia with fresh oregano and Parmesan. It's such a teaser, when I opened the door to take out the baking sheet, the warm smell of yeast, herbs and cheese caressed my nose. At this point, I definitely felt like I was somewhere in the south of Italy.
Herb Focaccia with Zucchini, Aubergine and Parmesan
For a 25 x 32cm / 10 x 12 1/2″ focaccia you need
plain flour 500g / 17 1/2oz
dry yeast 1 sachet (7g / 1/4 ounce)
salt 1 teaspoon
sugar 1 heaping teaspoon
water, lukewarm, 260ml / 1 cup and 2 tablespoons
olive oil 120ml / 1/2 cup (half for the dough and half for the topping)
fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage), finely chopped, 2 generous tablespoons
small zucchini, very thinly sliced (best with a vegetable/ mandoline slicer), 1
medium aubergine, very thinly sliced, 1/2
flaky sea salt, for the topping
Parmesan, grated, 3 heaping tablespoons
fresh oregano, the leaves of a small handful of sprigs (about 2 heaping tablespoons)
In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the water and half the olive oil (60ml / 1/4 cup) and mix with the hooks of an electric mixer for a few minutes until smooth and well combined. Continue kneading with your hands for a few minutes until you have an elastic dough ball. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rise in a 35°C / 95°F warm oven (top / bottom heat, no fan) for 45-60 minutes.
Take the dough out, punch it down and knead for 1 minute. Spread the dough on an oiled baking sheet with your hands until it measures roughly 25 x 32cm / 10 x 12 1/2″. Cover with a tea towel and let it rise for 20 minutes in a warm place.
Set the oven to 220°C / 430°F (top / bottom heat).
Punch about 6 x 7 holes into the surface of the dough, you can use the round bottom of a wooden spoon or your finger. Pour half of the remaining olive oil (30ml / 1/8 cup) over the dough and into the holes. Use the remaining 30ml / 1/8 cup of oil to thinly coat the sliced vegetables on both sides with your hand. Sprinkle the focaccia with the chopped herbs and lay the oiled vegetables in a cross pattern on top (start with the zucchini and continue with the aubergine). Season with sea salt and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and light brown on top. When it's done, sprinkle with Parmesan and oregano and leave in the hot oven for 1 minute.
Enjoy warm or cold at a summery table full of fruits, cheese and wine!
Mediterranean Roast Vegetables with Tomatoes, Feta and Basil
The secret behind this scrumptious Mediterranean pan lies in the separate cooking of the vegetables. First, I sautéed sliced zucchini until golden but with bite, and then I cooked a large handful of aubergine and bell pepper chopped into tiny cubes. The small size let them release a little more of their juices in the hot pan, within minutes they turn into a chunky stew. Mixed with the zucchini, it just needed a bit of salt and pepper and it was done.
You could easily leave it at that but I was after a colourful pan full of fresh flavours. In summer, I like the combination of cooked and raw vegetables, so my pan got a crunchy topping with cherry tomatoes, milky feta chunks and fresh basil leaves. All the wonderful aromas of a Mediterranean garden on a plate! There are a million variations of this dish, you could top it with lemon ricotta (instead of the feta cheese) and make a moussaka, mix in some spaghetti for a richer meal or cook all the ingredients in the oven, like my vegetable casserole. So many options, so many warm months and ripe and tasty vegetables ahead of us. Kitchen life is just great at this time of year!
Mediterranean Roast Vegetables with Tomatoes, Feta and Basil
For a lunch for 2 you need
zucchini, sliced thinly, about 200g / 7oz
olive oil
salt and pepper
garlic, crushed, 2 cloves
aubergine, cut into tiny cubes, about 200g / 7oz
medium bell pepper (colour of your choice), cut into tiny cubes, 1
cherry tomatoes, cut in half, 8
feta cheese, broken into chunks, about 100g / 3 1/2oz
fresh basil leaves 10
Heat a slash of olive oil in a large pan and sauté the zucchini on medium-high heat until golden brown with a little bite. Season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a plate and set a side.
Put the pan back on the heat, pour in a splash of olive oil, stir in the garlic and let it turn golden (not brown!) for about 1 minute. Add the aubergine and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper and sauté until golden and soft. Take the pan off the heat, mix in the zucchini and tomatoes and season to taste. Stir in the feta and basil and serve immediately, or as a warm salad, with fresh ciabatta bread.
Timpana - Maltese Pasta Pie with Zucchini and Aubergine
After a long discussion in the kitchen with my (Maltese!) boyfriend, I have to accept that my recipe is not a traditional Maltese timpana - but it tastes just as good, even my man agreed with that!
Timpana is a Mediterranean dish which is very popular in Malta and also in Italy. It's penne or macaroni pasta mixed with Bolognese sauce baked in a pastry shell - basically a pasta pie. My version, however, left out the meat sauce. I cooked a concentrated red sauce with fresh tomatoes and lots of basil instead and sautéed zucchini and aubergine slices until golden and juicy. So, here's the blatant difference, I piled the tomato basil pasta with layers of the sliced vegetables and parmesan in a buttery pastry shell, which, to me, justifies calling this dish Timpana. But sometimes opinions about food differ, especially when it comes to tradition recipes.
Obviously I ate my first Timpana in Malta, bought from one of the tiny bakeries you find at almost ever street corner in the towns and villages. They sell this pasta dish cut into large squares along trays full of buttery Pastizzi and rich ricotta filled Qassata. It's a street food lunch classic on the island. When I ate a piece of this hearty dish for first time, I didn't quite understand the concept of wrapping pasta in crisp short crust. But after years of enjoying at least 1 or 2 pasta pies during my stay in the South I got used to this tradition bite by bite. It just makes you feel good, it's delicious comfort food that combines the best of a pie with lighter comfort of fruity penne. I must admit that I prefer the addition of vegetables, the Bolognese sauce makes it a bit too rich and heavy for my taste. But I won't argue about that ever again, especially not with a Maltese person!
Timpana - Maltese Pasta Pie with Zucchini and Aubergine
For a 20 1/2cm / 8" pie (a loose bottom spring form works best) you need
For the filling
penne pasta 250g / 9oz
medium tomatoes, chopped, 6 (about 650g / 1 1/2 pounds)
fresh garlic (preferably spring garlic) 1 clove
salt
olive oil
tomato pasta (Kunserva) 1 tablespoon
balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon
pepper
fresh basil, thinly sliced, about 12 large leaves
medium zucchini, cut into 1/2cm / 1/4" slices, 2 (about 380g / 13 1/2oz)
medium aubergine, cut into 1/2cm / 1/4" slices, 1 (about 270g / 9 1/2oz)
Parmesan, freshly grated, 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon for the topping
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, they should have bite. Let the penne cool.
On a chopping board, rub and press the chopped garlic under the blade of a large knife with 1/4 teaspoon of salt until you have a smooth paste. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan, add the garlic paste, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, salt and pepper and cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until thick. Stir in the basil and season to taste, make sure that the basil comes through quite strong. Let the sauce cool completely before you mix it with the cooked pasta.
In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and sauté the sliced zucchini on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Cook them in batches, they should be spread out in the pan and not on top of each other. Season with salt and pepper and set them aside to cool. Heat a generous splash of olive oil and sauté the sliced aubergine in the same pan. They will need a little more oil (you'll have to add some in between batches) and they will also need to cook a bit longer, they should be golden brown, soft and juicy. Season to taste and set them aside to cool.
For the pastry
plain flour 300g / 2 1/3 cups / 10 1/2oz
salt 1 teaspoon
butter, cold, 150g / 1 1/4 sticks / 5 1/4 ounces
egg yolks 2
cold water 2 tablespoons
For the glaze
organic egg yolk 1
milk 1 tablespoon
a pinch of salt
Combine the flour with the salt. Cut the butter into the flour with a knife until there are just little pieces left. Continue with your fingers and quickly rub the butter into the flour. Add the eggs and water and continue mixing with the hooks of your mixer until you have a crumbly mixture. Form 2 discs, dividing them roughly 2:1, wrap in cling film and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
The pie
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (top/ bottom heat).
Whisk the egg yolk, milk and salt for the glaze.
Take the dough out of the freezer and roll out both discs between cling film, the bigger piece (about 32cm / 12 1/2") for the bottom and the smaller one as the lid for the pie.
Line the bottom and sides of the spring form pan. Spread 1/3 of the pasta mixed with the tomato sauce on top of the pastry, sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan and cover with a layer of aubergine (let the slices overlap a little). Continue with a second layer of pasta (1/3), sprinkle with Parmesan (1/3) and cover with the zucchini. Finish with the remaining pasta, cheese and vegetables (if there are some left). Close with the smaller pastry lid and gently push the rim with your fingers to seal the pie. Brush the top with the egg glaze and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the cheese.
Bake the pie for 15 minutes before you turn the heat down to 175°C / 350°F and bake for another 50 minutes or until the pie is golden and baked through. Let the pie cool for at least 15 minutes before you cut it into pieces.
Maltese Minestrone with Tyrolean Crêpes Frittaten
This dish combines the two culinary worlds which influence my kitchen activities the most, Malta's Mediterranean cuisine and Tyrol's cosy comfort food. I cooked a warming minestrone the way I know it from my Maltese granny Edith, with lots of pumpkin, zucchini (qarabaghli in Maltese) and kohlrabi. This soup can take the most varied collection of vegetables so I also added some cauliflower, celery stalk, potatoes and carrots. It's a deliciously sweet broth of all the strengthening fruits of the season, and once the vegetables are chopped, it only takes 15 minutes !
Whenever I sit in Edith's kitchen in Msida enjoying this comforting soul food, she sprinkles freshly grated parmesan over the steaming dish, but here in the North, I wanted to add something richer to satisfy our strong appetite. In the cold season, I'm a big fan of saturating additions to light and healthy soups, Tyrolean frittaten, called Flaedle in the Swabian region in southern Germany, are one of my first choices. They are made of thin crêpes refined with chives, rolled up in a tight wrap and cut into slim strips. Frittaten look like pancake snails and turn a minestrone into a special treat, the eggy pastry adds a hearty feel to this meal which I absolutely love about wintery soups!
Maltese Minestrone with Tyrolean Crêpes Frittaten
For 4-6 people you need
For the frittaten
plain flour, sieved, 70g / 2.5 ounces
salt 1/8 teaspoon
organic egg, beaten, 1
milk 120ml / 4 ounces
chives, snipped 3 tablespoons
butter, to fry the crêpes
Mix the flour, salt, egg and milk to a smooth dough (with an electric mixer) and let it sit for 15 minutes before you mix in the chives.
In a non-stick pan, heat a teaspoon of butter. Pour in a ladle of the dough, holding the pan in your hand and turning it so that the dough spreads evenly and very thinly. The temperature should be on medium-high as the crêpes won’t need more than 1 minute on each side once the heat is set right. When the crêpe is golden on both sides take it out and continue with the remaining dough. Always heat a teaspoon of butter before you add new dough to the pan. Roll up each crêpe very tightly and cut into thin strips (snails).
For the minestrone
medium onion, chopped, 1
cauliflower, cut into small pieces, 160g / 5.5 ounces
butternut squash, peeled, cut into small cubes, 160g / 5.5 ounces
zucchini, cut into small cubes, 160g / 5.5 ounces
kohlrabi, peeled, cut into small cubes, 50g / 2 ounces
carrot, peeled, cut into small cubes, 80g / 3 ounces
potato, peeled, cut into small cubes, 100g / 3.5 ounces
celery stalk, cut into small cubes, 1
medium sized tomato, cut into small cubes, 1
broth, hot, 1.5l / 3 pints
garlic, crushed, 2 cloves
bay leaf 1
spring onion, thinly sliced, 2
salt and pepper
olive oil
In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the onion for a few minutes on medium heat until golden and soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add a little more oil and the chopped vegetables (apart from the spring onions), stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the hot broth and the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 - 20 minutes. Stir in the spring onion, season to taste and serve with the frittaten.
Minestrone alla Genovese with Zucchini, Beans and Parmesan
A minestrone simmering on the cooker puts me a into a comfortable mood, the smell and taste reminds me of the kitchens of all the great cooks in my family and it makes me feel at home! I'm very lucky as I'm surrounded by a few women who have mastered the art of a good minestrone.
My Maltese granny Edith cooks her vegetable soup with courgette, marrows and potatoes and I learnt from her that a little parmesan sprinkled on top makes all the difference. The cheese melts into the warming broth and adds a hearty touch to it. My mother goes with the seasons and uses whatever her vegetable garden offers. Beans, cabbage, peas, potatoes, carrots, the list is long and inspiring. She walks through her garden with a big basket in her hand and picks the fruits and vegetables that fit her mood. She taught me to chop everything into small cubes and blanch each vegetable in the broth separately. This way you avoid some vegetables becoming too soggy and soft while others stay crunchy. I don't always do this, sometimes I cook it all at once, it depends on the texture I want to achieve.
My minestrone never tastes the same, I like to try out new variations and this one was inspired by the north of Italy, the Minestrone alla Genovese! This warming soup is so rich in flavours, cooked with cabbage, dried butter beans, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, fennel, tomatoes, celery and leak, I listened to both women to be rewarded with a very satisfying result, I chopped the vegetables into little cubes which would have pleased my mother but I cooked them all at once for not more than 20 minutes. I just cooked the soaked dried butter beans separately as they needed about an hour. After I filled my flavourful soup into the plates, I scattered some parsley leaves and grated Parmesan over it, thanks to Edith!
When I cook minestrone, I cook lots of it as I like to put a few portions in the freezer for a quick lunch or dinner. Once the chopping is done, it just needs another half an hour, so you might as well prepare a bit more. You could also add some little pasta like Anellini or Risini to make the dish a bit richer.
Minestrone alla Genovese
For a large pot of around 4l / 8.5 pints of minestrone (for about 8-12 people) you need
big dried butter beans, soaked over night, 200g / 7 ounces
large onion, chopped, 1
white cabbage, cut into small cubes, 200g / 7 ounces
carrots, cut into small cubes, 150g / 5.5 ounces
zucchini, cut into small cubes, 150g / 5.5 ounces
leek, cut into small cubes, 100g / 3.5 ounces
potatoes, cut into small cubes, 200g / 7 ounces
fennel bulb, cut into small cubes, 100g / 3.5 ounces
large celery stalk, cut into small cubes, 1
large tomatoes, cut into small cubes, 2
broth, hot, 2.8l / 6 pints
garlic, crushed, 3 cloves
bay leaf 1
salt and pepper
olive oil
Parmesan, grated, for the topping
fresh parsley leaves, a handful, for the topping
In a large pot, cook the soaked beans for about an hour or until al dente, drain and set aside.
In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the onion for a few minutes on medium heat till golden and soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add a little more oil and the chopped vegetables, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the hot broth, the beans and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 20 minutes. Season to taste and serve sprinkled with Parmesan and parsley.
Grilled Bell Pepper and Zucchini Sandwich with Basil
My Maltese summer is coming to an end and the next couple of posts will be the last ones from the islands, on Saturday I will continue writing from my Berlin kitchen again! Till then I will share a few more of the special places that I have fallen in love with over the years. I will tell you about some of my favourite spots which I haven't mentioned yet and tease you with a few more photos of my beloved Mediterranean sea!
Before I start my list I will show you my perfect summer sandwich, a sourdough bun soaked with lemon oil and filled with grilled green bell pepper and slices of zucchini. I sprinkled the smokey vegetables with some fresh basil leaves, flaky sea salt and crushed black peppercorns to add a little spiciness. The bell pepper and zucchini are at the peak of their season at the moment, full of ripe green flavours! The composition was so light and juicy, almost fruity, I could have eaten two of them!
I promised to tell you a bit more about Gozo, so this would be a typical, perfect day on Malta's sister island:
We leave Malta on the ferry very early in the morning and reach Mgarr harbour after only 25 minutes as the channel between the islands is just 6km (4 miles) wide. I always spend the journey on the top deck in the front of the boat as the view is stunning! When we arrive we drive straight to our apartment or farm house which doesn't take too long as Gozo is just 14 x 7 km (9 x 4 miles)!
We often start our day with a cappuccino, a couple pastizzi and a piece of chocolate fudge cake at Bellusa in the capital Victoria (also known as Rabat). Joe Bugeja runs this café at the main piazza, he took over from his father who opened this pretty little place in 1960 and since then you can see him at the café taking care of the orders every day.
Gozo is one of the best places for diving and snorkeling in the Mediterranean, some people even say in the whole world, so we spend lots of time under water. These are a few of my favourite spots:
Dewjra (we like to snorkel right next to the Blue Hole, here you can see the most beautiful blue, sparkling, deep and endlessly)
Wied il Ghasri
Ta' Cenc / Il Kantra
Qbajjar Bay
San Blas
For lunch or dinner we like to order pizza or Maltese Ftira at Maxokk Bakery, a take away bakery with an oven that is more than 100 years old! This family run business is famous for baking the best pizza on the islands. You should always give in your orders a few hours in advance! We often enjoy the pizza at sunset right above the San Blas Bay on a bench in a little park.
My favourite restaurant on the island is on a beach, at Mgarr ix-Xini, it's called Rew Rew. Noel, the owner, is famous for his delicious fish and seafood dishes. Normally, the restaurants opens just for lunch but unfortunately, it's closed this summer due to filming taking place in the bay. For dinner, I can recommend Tmun in Mgarr, Tatita's in San Lawrence and Oleander in Xaghra and for my last pastis on the island I love to sit on the balcony of Gleneagles Bar in Mgarr, right at the harbour!
Grilled Bell Pepper and Zucchini Sandwich with Basil
For 2 big sandwiches you need
crusty sourdough buns, cut in half, 2
green bell pepper, cut into thick slices, 1
medium sized zucchini, cut into slices, 1
fresh basil leaves 8
olive oil 6 tablespoons plus more for the vegetables
freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons
flaky sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
Brush the bell pepper and zucchini with olive oil and grill until golden brown.
Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice and brush the inside of the buns with it. Spread the grilled zucchini slices, bell pepper and basil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper, close the bun and enjoy!
Golden Zucchini and Crisp Sage
The south of Malta is a different world. I've heard this so often and for someone coming from abroad, like me, this can sound a bit strange considering the island's tiny size of just about 28km (17 miles) in length. After spending so many summers here, I can see and understand the islands' different mentalities a little bit more but I'm still learning! No matter how big or small a country is, people cultivate their unique habits, traditions, dialects and recipes. In the south of Malta, where you hear more Maltese than English (the country's second language), you see more small farms with horses, sheep and goats in the countryside and one of the most significant characteristics of this part of the island is its fascination for fireworks. The famous fireworks for the Festas, the holy feast for each village's saint, have definitely reached another dimension in some of the southern villages. They go on for hours and are passionately planned to perfection by a bunch of pyrotechnics enthusiasts a year ahead - they have proudly made it into the Guiness Book of World Records!
One of the villages that is popular for its spectacular firework orchestration is Mqabba, Emma's (my Maltese sister) boyfriend's hometown. We went there a couple days ago to visit Mariano's farm where he keeps horses, sheep, chickens and the cutest goat babies that were only four days old. Farming isn't his profession, it's a family hobby passed on from one generation to the next. I was jealous when I saw all the vegetables they grow, the cheese they make, it's a perfect little farm to deliver fresh eggs and vegetables to the table, every day!
When we got home, I felt inspired to cook one of Malta's most delicious vegetables, qarabaghli. I cut the round zucchinis into thick steaks and sautéed them for a few minutes until they were golden and started to soften on the outside. We ate them with crisp, fried sage leaves, it's such a great combination! You just have to watch them carefully while they are in the pan as the leaves taste bitter when they become too dark! You can eat this dish warm or cold as an antipasto.
Golden Zucchini and Crisp Sage
For 2 people you need
medium zucchini (round or long), cut into thick steaks, 1
big sage leaves, a handful
olive oil
salt and pepper
In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil and sauté the zucchini on a high-medium temperature until golden on both sides. They have to be spread out in the pan, you may have to cook them in batches. Add the sage leaves for the last 1-2 minutes until they are crisp. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper on both sides and serve warm or cold.
Mediterranean Feta and Vegetable Casserole
It was a cold, grey evening when my aunt Ursula invited us to dinner a few years ago. We meet quite often to enjoy good food and wine together but that day we felt tired from work and weren't in the mood for a heavy meal. When we arrived at her apartment we saw that she hadn't set up the table in the dining room as she normally does but created a comfy dining scene in her living room. The low table was packed with loaves of bread with herbs and dried tomatoes, a few dips and a bottle of red wine was just waiting for us. Our mood was lifted straight away, this was exactly what we needed, a relaxed evening on the sofa! When Ursula came out of the kitchen with a steaming dish in her hands, filling the air with the smell of roast vegetables and herbs she had our attention and we felt awake again!
The meal she served became one of my most beloved dishes, Mediterranean vegetables on top of a thick slice of feta roasted in the oven for only half an hour. By the end of it you have a plate full of juicy, partly crunchy vegetables that you can spoon onto a thick slice of bread together with the aromatic cheese and herbs, it's delicious! The mix of zucchini, red and yellow bell pepper, aubergine, red onions, garlic and lots of thyme and rosemary became my favourite, personal variation on this recipe. Just throw together a composition that suits your taste and put this on a slice of a French country bread, ciabatta or focaccia and I'm sure you'll be as happy as I am whenever I cook this meal!
I love to make this when friends come over, I just put one or two big casseroles on our long table, a few loaves of bread, some wine - this is the perfect food and atmosphere to let the laughing and chatting begin! Or to celebrate that Germany won the World Cup!
Mediterranean Vegetable and Feta Casserole
For 4 people you need
feta cheese, 2 slices, around 2cm / 3/4" thick, 400g / 14 ounces
medium aubergine, cut into 1cm / 1/2" cubes, 1
medium zucchini, cut in half and sliced, 1
yellow bell pepper, cut into cubes, 1
red bell pepper, cut into cubes, 1
medium tomatoes, cut into cubes, 3
medium red onions, cut into 8 pieces, 2
garlic, 8 cloves in their skin
olive oil 60ml / 2 ounces
thyme, a small bunch
rosemary, 6 sprigs
salt and pepper
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I use the Rotitherm roasting setting).
Put the feta cheese next to each other in a baking dish, cover with the vegetables, garlic and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil on top and mix until everything is coated in oil (add a little bit more if it's not enough). Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft, they shouldn't burn. Check the aubergine first as it needs the longest to cook. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with rustic white bread.
Spaghetti with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Olives and Basil
The beginning of July is the perfect time to throw a few of my favourite vegetables on a big plate of spaghetti. This dish is basically a Mediterranean Caponata, just without aubergine as it would have stretched the cooking time and changed the texture - I didn't want a juicy sauce, I was after some crunchiness! I mixed lots of zucchini with my Gozitan capers, anchovies and garlic and sautéed everything for a very short time. This way, the vegetables stay firm and fresh like a salad.
My tomatoes, olives and basil weren't even cooked, I just mixed them together with some olive oil into the warm pasta. When vegetables reach the peak of their season they don't need long to spread their aroma. Spoiled by the sun, strong in flavour and full of vitamins, they have this intense taste of summer that I've been waiting for for months. A few minutes in the hot pan and they were done, that's one of summer's kitchen qualities!
Spaghetti with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Olives and Basil
For 3-4 people you need
spaghetti 300-400g / 10.5-14 ounces
zucchini, cut in half and sliced, 350g / 12.5 ounces
anchovies, rinsed, dried and finely chopped, 1 1/2
garlic, thinly sliced, 3 cloves
capers 2 heaped tablespoons
tomatoes, cut into cubes, 350g / 12.5 ounces
black olives (whole or chopped) 8
fresh basil leaves 10
optionally: fresh mint, chopped, 5 leaves
black pepper
olive oil
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
In a large heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil, add the anchovies, garlic and capers and cook for 1 minute on a medium heat. Add the zucchini and a little more oil and cook for 5 minutes on high-medium temperature, stirring every now and then. Season with pepper (no salt!) and mix into the spaghetti, add a tiny bit of olive oil if the pasta is too dry. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, basil and mint and serve immediately. There should be enough saltiness from the anchovies and capers, I didn't need to add anymore.
Mediterranean Meatloaf with Zucchini and Bell Pepper
Meatloaf was one of the few meals with meat that I really liked as a young child (apart from Wiener sausage). My mother used to make a big portion of it which we ate cold the following days. I still prefer it that way! When we were younger, my sister and I weren't very experimental when it came to our food, that changed over the years and it effected my mother's cooking. Now she fills her meatloaf with vegetables and herbs, a Mediterranean version but in those days she kept it simple to please our sensitive taste buds and picky taste.
I hadn't made meatloaf for years, I had forgotten about it to be honest, but two summers ago my mother cooked it for a garden party. My whole family (which is quite big) was there, it was a hot day in July and no one wanted to stay inside the house. We just went to the kitchen to fill our plates at the long table piled with lots of summery dishes and then went straight outside again to sit on the grass. It was a big picnic, a beautiful day with eating, drinking, laughing and playing music - and the cold meat was my happy rediscovery!
This meatloaf is very juicy, it's cooked with zucchini, leek, bell pepper and lots of herbs. Thyme, oregano and rosemary give it a Mediterranean touch, either warm or cold, it's best with a light salad and some baguette on the side.
Mediterranean Meatloaf with Zucchini and Bell Pepper
For 6-8 people you need
minced beef 1kg / 2 pounds
zucchini, roughly chopped, 140g / 5 ounces
red bell pepper, roughly chopped, 160g / 5.5 ounces
yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped, 160g / 5.5 ounces
leek, cut in half and thinly sliced, 100g / 3.5 ounces
milk 360ml / 12 ounces
dry breadcrumbs 45g / 1.5 ounces
organic eggs 2
thyme leaves from a small bunch
parsley, chopped, 4 tablespoons
rosemary, finely chopped, 3 tablespoons
oregano 1 1/2 tablespoons
salt 3 1/2 teaspoons
pepper
Set the oven to 170°C / 340°F (I used the Rotitherm setting but you could also use fan).
Mix the milk and breadcrumbs. In a large bowl mix the other ingredients, add the milk and combine well with your hands or a mixer. Put the mixture in a baking dish and form a loaf. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold, the meatloaf is great for summer parties and picnics!
Juicy Zucchini Steaks with Dried Tomatoes, Sage and Chèvre
When I went to the market on Saturday I bought one of my favourite goat cheeses from a tiny stand run by a sweet lady who produces her own cheese. She just uses goat milk for her products and her display offers delicious soft chèvre rolls and creamy cheese balls coated in spices and herbs, with chili, herbes de provence, rosemary and basil. These soft cheeses are her absolute speciality, mild and milky with a soft hint of goat milk.
I planned to buy a plain cheese roll but a beautiful white chèvre covered in parsley leaves and pansy flowers caught my attention. The lady explained to me that it's filled with dried tomatoes, I was currious and forgot about my plain cheese immediately. I tried it, liked it and bought it! My plans for dinner involved golden sautéed zucchini cut into thick round steaks, juicy inside but far away from soft and soggy, topped with fresh goat cheese and sage. My find at the market inspired me to add some dried tomatoes, it was a good choice, the Mediterranean flavours were great together with the mild goat milk!
Zucchini Steaks with Dried Tomatoes, Sage and Chèvre
For 2 people you need
zucchini, cut into 1,5cm / 1/2" steaks, 300g / 10.5 ounces
garlic, thinly sliced, 1 clove
chèvre/ soft goat cheese, thickly sliced, 70g / 2.5 ounces
dried tomatoes, cooked in a little boiling water for 1 min, rinsed, dried and chopped, 1 1/2 -2
sage leaves, thinly sliced, 5
olive oil for frying
salt and pepper
In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil together with the garlic and fry the zucchini on high-medium temperature for a few minutes until golden brown on each side. Add the cooked dried tomatoes and sage, season with salt and pepper and fry for 1 minute. On a plate, pile the zucchini steaks on top of each other and let them sit for 1 minute, that makes them a bit softer and juicy. Spread them on a big plate and place the chèvre on top of the warm zucchini and sprinkle with the dried tomatoes and sage from the pan.
Zucchini, Bell Pepper and Aubergine Moussaka with Lemon Ricotta
My Moussaka, truth be told, is a fruity ratatouille baked with a fluffy lemon ricotta soufflé on top. The traditional Greek Moussaka is made with a Béchamel sauce which I'm not too fond of. I like this creamy sauce in my lasagna or cannelloni but that's it. The ricotta tastes much lighter, enhanced with lemon zest, nutmeg, parmesan and fresh basil, it gives this dish more of a summer feeling. Contrary to the Greek version, I kept mine vegetarian, there's no minced meat involved, just zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onions, lots of parsley and a velvety layer of fried aubergine slices in between the vegetables and the cheese. It stops the ricotta from running into the juicy ratatouille.
When I cook a ratatouille I always make a big batch. This moussaka is perfect as a second day dish for ratatouille leftovers. Topped with the ricotta it just has to bake in the oven for half an hour, great if you have friend's over for dinner and not much time for preparations! I baked it in small casserole dishes closed with a lid so that each of us could have our own little pot.
Zucchini, Bell Pepper and Aubergine Moussaka with Lemon Ricotta
I bake the Moussaka in two 12,5cm / 5" casserole dishes with lids, you could use a big one instead but you may have to bake it a bit longer for the ricotta to set.
For 2-3 people you need
small aubergine, sliced into circles, 1
zucchini, sliced into circles, 1
red bell pepper, thinly sliced, 1
big red onion, quartered and thinly sliced, 1
big tomatoes, chopped, 4
garlic, thinly sliced, 3 cloves
parsley, chopped, 2 tablespoons
balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons plus more to taste
olive oil for frying
salt and black pepper
For the topping
ricotta 260g / 9 ounces
organic eggs 2
Parmesan, grated, 30g / 1 ounce
small basil leaves, chopped, 30
lemon zest 1 teaspoon
lemon juice 1 teaspoon plus more to taste (I also added a little of the liquid of my Moroccan preserved lemons)
nutmeg, ground
salt and pepper
Spread the slices of aubergine on a baking dish and sprinkle with salt on both sides to pull some of its water out. Let it sit for around 15 minutes, rinse the slices and dry between kitchen roll paper. In a large heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the aubergine for a few minutes on both sides on medium temperature until golden and soft, add a little more oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the onion for a few minutes until golden and soft. Add the bell pepper and garlic and fry for 2 minutes before you add the zucchini. Fry the vegetables for 2-3 minutes and deglaze with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Add the parsley and season with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.For the topping, mix the ricotta, eggs, parmesan, basil, lemon zest and juice and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F top/ bottom heat.
Divide the vegetables between the 2 casserole dishes, cover with 3-4 slices of aubergine and spread the ricotta mixture gently on top. Cover with lids and bake for around 35 minutes until the ricotta mixture is set.
Ricotta stuffed Zucchini in White Wine Sauce
When we have friends over for dinner, my mood always decides what treats I bring to the table. There are two options, I either feel like a sumptuous meal with several courses which might mean cooking for one or two days and which definitely requires good organisation before and on the night and most importantly enough time to enjoy all the preparations. The other approach is to take it easy and choose recipes which don't need a rigid plan. I just fill the table with plates full of food before or as our friends arrive and we all enjoy the night together. Eating, talking and laughing, drinking some wine of course, savoring and emptying the plates for hours. This was my choice when I had a dinner for 10 ahead of me a few days ago!
Some of our friends from Malta just moved to Berlin a few months ago. I know how much Maltese love and miss their home and food when they live abroad so I decided to make a traditional Maltese recipe, zucchini stuffed with lemon ricotta. I would have loved to get the small round courgette (Qarabaghliin Maltese) which would have been perfect for this recipe as you can close the stuffed fruit from the top. I worried that the ricotta would run down the sides of my long zucchini when I closed them but it worked fine. I cooked them for an hour in white wine together with the fried pulp of the fruits and some onions. Just a little of the creamy cheese went into the sauce and added some nice creaminess.
In the late afternoon, I cooked the zucchinis and left them al dente. I didn't want them to turn soggy as I had to warm them up again before our guests arrived. I filled my dining table with three different kinds of quiche which are very easy to prepare in advance and I can't really say if I prefer them warm or cold. Two loaves of homemade bread and a big batch of my raspberry chocolate brownies were on my list as well, both are great nibbles for a long night. When we all gathered around the table and I brought the dish with the steaming zucchini I didn't know that the night would go on for so long - our last guests left at 5 in the morning or so I was told, I fell asleep on the sofa at 4!
Zucchini stuffed with Lemon Basil Ricotta in White Wine Sauce
For 2 hungry people or for 4 when you have starters, you need
zucchini / courgette, cut in half (lengthwise) 2 (around 500g / 1 pound)
ricotta 200g / 7 ounces
Parmesan, grated, 20g / 1 ounce
organic eggs 2
basil, chopped roughly, 10 large leaves
lemon zest 1 teaspoon
salt 1/2 teaspoon
crushed black peppercorns
medium sized onion, chopped finely, 1
garlic, cut in half, 2 cloves
fresh parsley 3 sprigs
white wine 1 glass
tomato paste 1 tablespoon
olive oil for frying
Whisk the ricotta together with the parmesan, eggs, basil, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
Scrape the pulp out of the zucchini with a small spoon and set aside. Season the inside of the zucchini with a little salt and pepper and fill both sides with the ricotta mixture. Close them just before you put them into the casserole.
In a large pot or casserole with a lid (big enough for the zucchinis), fry the onions in a little oil till golden and soft on medium heat. Add the garlic and the pulp and fry for 2-3 minutes, deglaze with some white wine and add the sprigs of parsley. Put the stuffed zucchini on top of the onions, add some more wine (1-2cm / 1/2-1" of the bottom should be covered), close with a lid and cook for 1 hour on low - medium heat. Check after 2o minutes, you may have to add some more wine, the bottom should remain covered.
When the zucchinis are soft at the bottom and al dente at the top, take them out with 2 spatulas, carefully, and set them aside. Take out the parsley, add the tomato paste to the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the zucchini together with the sauce.
Savory Zucchini Bread
I've wanted to learn how to bake sourdough bread for years, the only problem is that I bake and love so many of my yeast bread recipes that, so far I've never approached this adventure. Dry or fresh yeast allows me to make a fresh and warm bread within a couple hours where as sourdough demands days of preparation. Most of the time, my baking isn't really planned far ahead, my mood decides what I will put in the oven. With the right ingredients a yeast bread is wonderfully juicy and spongy but I have to admit that it never creates a crust comparable to the more time-consuming alternative which also has the advantage that you can keep it for days. This is impossible with yeast bread, but to be honest that has never been an issue as all the fresh bread coming out of my kitchen doesn't survive for more than a day or two!
I know that one day sooner or later I will give the sourdough a try, but till then there is still a lot of bread to bake. One option, which is as juicy as my olive bread, is a loaf made with grated zucchini (courgette) which makes the texture so soft and spongy that it doesn't need more than some olive oil or butter spread on top. I served it with ramp (yes, again) butter when we had some friends over and I liked that a lot as well, it made it a bit garlicky.
It's really quick to bake, it only needs 20 minutes in the oven!
Savory Zuchini Bread
For 2 loaves of bread you need
plain flour 500g / 1 pound
dry yeast 1 package (for 500g / 1 pound of flour)
salt 1 heaping teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon for the zucchini
zucchini, grated 200g / 7 ounces
water, lukewarm, 225ml
olive oil for brushing
Put the grated zucchini in a sieve over a bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix with your fingers. Set aside for 15 minutes, rinse under cold water for a few seconds and squeeze the water out with your hands. Spread the zucchini on a tea towel and push another towel on top to dry. Scrape off the towel and set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients, add the zucchini and water and mix with your dough hooks for 5 minutes until well combined. Continue kneading with your hands for a few minutes until you have an elastic dough ball. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rise in a 35°C / 95°F warm oven for 45 minutes. This works really well but make sure that your oven is set to top/ bottom heat and not to fan.
Take the dough out, punch it down and knead for 1 minute. Form 2 long loaves and put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a tea towel and let them rise for 30 minutes in the warm oven.
Set your oven to 220°C / 430°F.
Brush the loaves with a thin layer of olive oil and bake for 18 minutes or until cooked through. If you’re not sure if it’s done turn the bread around and knock on its underside, it should sound hollow. Let it cool for a couple minutes before you enjoy the first slice of your freshly baked bread.
