L'inverno incontra l'estate!

Even if  it is already winter in Milan, last Saturday I found some fresh figs at Antonio’s stall. Antonio is an old man from South Italy who has a very nice and fresh stall at my local Milan market. Antonio fills in my fridge every Saturday but buying from him is much more, he is so sweet and he really is my Saturday cuddle.
I did not want to have figs as usual I enjoyed to have, namely with some prosciutto di Parma but I wanted to try something I tasted in a restaurant in Milan: figs and anchovies.

4,5 fresh figs

200 gr anchovies

4 potatoes

150 gr buffalo mozzarella

Lemon zest

Ginger

Brown sugar

Steamed the potatoes with the rind, once cooled them peeled them and cut into pieces and put over medium heat with some hot water (I did not use any dairy products such as butter or milk). Mash the potatoes with a fork and let cook till  you get a homogenous cream. Add some nutmeg.

In a very hot pan put the clean figs cut into pieces, add a spoon of brown sugar and cook till the figs are browned.

Clean the anchovies and put a slice of mozzarella (leave the mozzarella one hour on a napkin to dry the milk) between 2 anchovies. Sprinkle with some evo oil, ginger and lemon zest. Cook into the oven at 180°C for 12/15 min.

Plate some potato cream with the anchovies and the caramelized figs.

Orecchiette improvvisate

Flight booked the day before the departure, luggage prepared few hours before landing…here we are, off to Villasimus. 

This is a magic place in which nature rocks: white beaches, light blue sea, blue sky, flamingos, fluo spider and good food in good company. 

Even in Paradise I can’t not cooking so I prepared this fragrant and quick recipe. 

100 gr broccoli (serving 4)
 70 gr Anchovies fillets preserved in evo oil 

150 gr goat ricotta

A clove of garlic

Fresh red chili

Wash the broccoli and cut them into big pieces. Put a saucepan over high heat with water. When It starts to boil, add the broccoli for 10 min then drain the broccoli and save the water to cook the pasta. 

In the meanwhile in a pan, heat up the oil with a clove of garlic, add the broccoli smashed into small pieces and the anchovies and some raisins you had rinsed before in warm water.

Pour 2,3 spoons of the pasta and broccoli water into ricotta to get a cream.

Once the pasta is cooked, mix with the ricotta cream and then toss with the broccoli sauce into the pan. 

Serve with some fresh red chili flakes.

Linguine del marinaio

Enjoy this last recipe before the summer break!

200 gr linguine

300 gr canned tomatoes

10 fresh datterino tomatoes (cherry tomatoes are also fine)

Fresh chili pepper

Parmesan flakes

7 anchovies (preserved in oil or salt)

Fresh basil

A garlic clove

In a hot pan put the garlic with the canned tomatoes and cook for 20 min. The last 5 min add the fresh datterino chopped and the red chili pepper!

Put the pasta very al dente in your pan with the sauce, turn off the heat! Add some Evo oil, the fresh basil and the Parmesan flakes! Let covered for 3/5 minutes before serving with anchovies!

I serve with some Cervia salt