Wellington fillet

Wellington fillet is a second meat dish for important occasions. The recipe requires a good familiarity in the kitchen: it involves the double cooking of the meat, which is first scalded in a pan, then covered with mushroom sauce and raw prosciutto, then wrapped in puff pastry and finished cooking in the oven. A recipe that has as its protagonist the most famous and prized beef cut for its tenderness and thinness. Normally in the kitchen it is used to divide the fillet into three parts: head, heart and tail. The fillet head is the part that is used for fillet steaks, suitable for pan-fried preparation. From the heart, instead, are obtained the Chateubriand or tournedos, intended for grilled preparations. From the tail, finally, filet mignon are obtained, intended for cooking in a pan, often accompanied by complex and refined sauces. The Wellington fillet is also known as fillet in crust, because the meat is wrapped in a crunchy puff pastry that, during cooking, absorbs all the sauces and flavors of the fillet, imprisoning the taste and aromas inside. This recipe has English origins and the name seems to be dedicated to Arthur Wellesley, who became Duke of Wellington in 1815. According to the story, the duke was a man of difficult tastes in the kitchen, until he tried this fillet in crust, which became his favorite dish.

INGREDIENTS

1 beef fillet of 800 g

1 roll of puff pastry

300 g mushrooms

150 g raw prosciutto

mustard

1 egg yolk

extra virgin olive oil

1 knob of butter

salt

Pepper

STEPS

The first thing to prepare the Wellington fillet is to massage the fillet with salt and fresh pepper from the reel. Brown it evenly on all sides in a very hot pan together with the extra virgin olive oil and the knob of butter. At this stage it is important never to pierce the meat so that the juices remain inside it. When it is well browned, transfer the fillet to a plate and brush it with mustard. Collect the peeled and sliced mushrooms in the mixer. Add salt and pepper and blend them with extra virgin olive oil until you get a homogeneous cream. Dry the mushroom cream thus obtained in a non-stick pan, stirring often. Spread the slices of ham on a sheet of plastic wrap to form a rectangle and cover them with the mushroom cream, spreading it with the back of a spoon. Finally, place the beef fillet in the center. With the help of plastic wrap, wrap the meat with mushrooms and ham. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. After this time, remove the fillet from the fridge and place it in the center of the puff pastry. Cover the fillet with the dough and make a slight pressure with your fingers in the points where you will weld the dough. Transfer the fillet to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Brush the puff pastry with the beaten yolk and, with the tip of a sharp knife, make perpendicular incisions. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, let the Wellington fillet rest for a few minutes, then cut into thick slices and serve.

 

Eggplant pizza 

Pizza with eggplant is a great idea to prepare a tasty dinner if you have guests, even if they do not eat meat. In fact it is a vegetarian dish, but very tasty, which is difficult not to love. Prepare the pizza with white eggplant, with lots of stringy mozzarella, or in the red version, with eggplant parmigiana, parmesan flakes and a few basil leaves. Enjoy it hot, or cut it into squares and serve it as an appetizer or instead of bread to accompany your meat dishes. Preparing pizza with eggplant at home is very simple. Start by making a good pizza margherita in a pan, then season to taste. Choose mushroom aubergines, add vegetables to taste, fresh cherry tomatoes, or why not, anchovy fillets. Have we convinced you? Here's how to make a tasty pizza with eggplant.

Ingredients

FLOUR  250 g

MARINA  250 g

WATER 400 ml

SALT 1 tsp

SUGAR 2 teaspoons

DRY BREWER'S YEAST 1 sachet

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

MUSHROOM AUBERGINES 1

MOZZARELLA 200 g

OREGANO

Preparation

In the bowl of a planetary mixer, sift the flour, along with the dry yeast and sugar. Pour the water flush and start operating the hook at minimum speed. Once the dough has blended, add salt, then increase the speed. When the dough comes off the edges of the bowl, seal it with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place. You can only turn on the oven for a few moments, or simply leave the service light on. Leave to rest for at least 2 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Wash the aubergines well and cut them into cubes or thin slices, so that they are about the same size. In a baking tray covered with baking paper, arrange the aubergines together with plenty of olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes at 180°C, until soft. When the dough has doubled its volume, roll it out on a baking sheet, greased with olive oil with your hands and help yourself with your fingertips to obtain a rectangular shape. Let the pizza rise another 30 minutes. Distribute the baked aubergines and diced mozzarella. Add a little oil, then bake in ventilated mode at 200 °C  in the lower shelf of the oven, for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and scented with oregano.

Preservation

You can store the pizza with eggplant for a couple of days, even at room temperature, but in a tightly closed container, so that it does not dry out too much. Then, heat it again in the oven for a few minutes to make it crispy again. Avoid the microwave, if you want to avoid the soggy effect of the dough.

Mushroom chicken – creamy and succulent 

Mushroom chicken is a quick and easy second course to prepare!

Tired of the usual chicken breast? With this recipe you will bring to the table a really succulent and tasty variant that will make your mouth water at first glance. In fact, it will be impossible to resist this creamy, soft and fragrant mushroom chicken. The chicken slices will be floured and then browned in a pan to create that appetizing golden crust. The addition of mushrooms and cooking with milk will make the chicken meat soft, tasty with an irresistible scent of undergrowth. This second course will be so delicious that it will become the trump card of your menus.

Ingredients

Chicken 1.2 kg 

Mushrooms 500 g 

Butter 30 g 

Extra virgin olive oil 4 tablespoons 

Garlic 2 cloves 

Thyme 2 sprigs 

Parsley 2 tablespoons 

White wine 1,2 ml 

White white onion 1 

Whole milk 2 ml 

Salt to taste 

Pepper to taste

Preparation

Cut into 8 pieces and meanwhile clean the mushrooms and, once washed and dried, cut the chapels and stems into rather large cubes. Melt half the butter in a pan over moderate heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and put the garlic to fry lightly. Add the mushrooms and thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and remove from heat. In another pan heat the rest of the butter and oil and always over moderate heat put the chicken to brown. Add salt and pepper, pour the wine and let it evaporate over high heat. Add the onion and when it is soft pour the milk and lower the heat. Add salt and pepper, put the lid on and cook for 25 minutes, turning often. If the sauce is too liquid, open and turn up the heat until it withdraws. Add the mushrooms, mix well and continue cooking for 10 minutes over moderate heat. Transfer to a preheated serving dish and serve.

Tip

For a creamier consistency you can combine 100 ml of milk and 50 ml of fresh liquid cream!

Chickpea and shrimp curry 

Chickpea and shrimp curry is a recipe inspired by Indian cuisine, rich in aromas and flavors. The use of spices such as curry, smoked paprika and ginger will flood the kitchen with a truly delicious scent. The chickpeas will be wrapped in a succulent and creamy seasoning based on spices, coconut milk and a cartoon obtained using shrimp waste. You cannot understand what goodness! At the end of cooking, the prawns will peep out and make this curry really special. It can be served as a main course, but also a main course accompanied by aromatic basmati rice grains. Just on the table on the table will be a joy for the eyes and the palate. Let yourself be overwhelmed by spices, scents and oriental colors and let's prepare it together!

For the chickpea curry

400 g chickpeas (precooked)

1 carrot

1 spring onion

extra virgin olive oil to taste

1 tsp curry

1 tsp smoked paprika

100 ml coconut milk

2 ladles crustacean broth (or water)

fresh ginger to taste

salt to taste

chili pepper to tast

For the crustacean broth

1 onion

1 carrot

1 celery stalk

1 sprig parsley

400 g shrimp 

salt to taste

For the shrimp

400 g shrimp (or prawns)

1 garlic clove

extra virgin olive oil to taste

chili pepper to taste

1/2 lime (juice)

To garnish

200 g Basmati rice

extra virgin olive oil to taste

lime to taste

coriander (or parsley) to taste

Steps

We start the preparation of chickpea curry taking care of the shrimp. TIP: you can use both shrimp and prawns. Let's rinse them under water and transfer them to a cutting board. We remove the head, lightly cut the paws and, with our hands, gently detach the carapace and tail. Finally,we nicide the back of the shrimp, very gently, with a small knife or a toothpick and pull away the intestine. We prepare shellfish broth. In a large pan combine: a carrot and a stalk of celery cut into small pieces, an onion and a sprig of parsley. Add the heads and shells of the shrimp. We cover completely with water. We close with the lid and bring to a boil. Once the boil is reached, let it cook over low heat for 1 hour. In a large pan heat a little oil with a clove of garlic. As soon as the pan is hot, add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes. We raise the heat and blend with a drop of lime. Turn off the heat and flavor them with a pinch of salt. Let's transfer them to a plate and keep them aside. In a large pan brown an onion (cut into thin slices) with a little oil, a clove of garlic, a little chili. We also add a little fresh ginger (just grate it with a grater), a teaspoon of curry and a teaspoon of smoked paprika. We add a drop of water and let toast gently. After toasting the spices well, add a diced carrot and chickpeas. Season everything with a pinch of salt and brown them for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk and two generous ladles of the crustacean brothi (filtered with a strainer). Let it cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally and until the liquids begin to dry forming a cream. We can also add the shrimp and continue cooking for another few minutes. We serve the chickpea and shrimp curry accompanied with a little rice. We complete each dish with a few drops of lime juice that will give freshness, aroma and acidity and with a little coriander (or parsley).

Tip

 I wanted to accompany it with rice, making chickpea and shrimp curry a delicious single dish. But it is not mandatory! Boil the basmati rice in salted water and drain it al dente (about one, two minutes before the cooking time indicated on the package). Transfer it to a baking dish and enlarge it so as to cool it stopping cooking. Polish it with a little oil and shell it with a wooden spoon.

Chicken with peppers

Chicken with peppers is a simple second course rich in taste. What I propose is the classic "grandmother's recipe", which never disappoints and that will flood your kitchen with its unmistakable scent. I used the tastiest parts of the chicken (thigh and thigh). The chicken cut into pieces will first be browned in a pan. It will have to continue cooking slowly, together with the peppers, until it becomes tender and succulent. At the end of stewed cooking, it will be soft and rich in flavor, deliciously wrapped in a golden crust and soaked in the flavor of peppers. Let's prepare together this delicious dish that brings us back to the scents of the kitchen of the past. It will literally make you fall in love at the first taste as it happened with me!

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

olives to taste

200 ml tomato puree

2 garlic cloves

extra virgin olive oil to taste

salt to taste

basil to taste

Steps

We begin the preparation of chicken with peppers. Tip: if you use chicken with skin (as I did) I recommend using a free-range chicken or raised without the use of GMOs. We wash the peppers under running water and dry them with a cloth. We remove the stem and cut them into slices, removing seeds and internal filaments. Then cut them into strips of about 1.5 cm. In a large saucepan we brown two cloves of garlic in gowns(ie with the peel and slightly crushed) with a drop of oil. We add the chicken cut into pieces. Tip: I used thighs. You can also add flaps. Let it cook over high heat for a few minutes, turning it on all sides. We will have to brown well especially the skin of the chicken. Season it with a pinch of salt. When all the outer parts of the chicken are well browned, add the peppers, the tomato puree and another pinch of salt. Let's mix it all well. Cover with the lid and cook over low heat for about 20 – 25 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally. After this time, remove the lid and add the olives. Continue cooking over low heat for at least another 20 minutes and until the excess liquids have dried. From time to time, we turn the chicken so that it has uniform cooking on all sides. A delicious sauce will have to be formed. At the end of cooking, remove the garlic and add a little chopped basil with your hands. At the end of cooking, the chicken will be soft, succulent and soaked in the delicious flavor of peppers. Do not forget the bread to dip in the sauce! This chicken with peppers will be love at the first taste.

 

Stockfish salad 

The stockfish boiled in salad with cherry tomatoes and Taggiasca olives is a Ligurian specialty in which the aromas of the sea blend harmoniously with those of the earth and of which today I propose the light variant, which I prepare when I want to eat something appetizing but at the same time light and "not fattening". To make sure that the dish is low-calorie, I avoid the use of potatoes, but, if you do not have line problems, you can very well use 2 or 3 yellow paste (the most suitable are the quarantine). In this case, boil them separately and reduce the amount of cherry tomatoes to 300 g to avoid "unbalanced" the flavors between them. For the perfect success of the preparation, which I consume warm or cold in summer, while in winter I prefer the comfort "stochefisce accomodòu", add salt only at the end and use quality stockfish Spider, which keeps cooking very well. Since soaking stockfish requires numerous water changes and much longer than cod, buy fish already cleaned, soaked and possibly cut into pieces.

Ingredients for 4 people

800 g of stockfish already soaked, deprived of the bone and cut into pieces

500 g piccadilly cherry tomatoes

60 g Taggiasca olives in brine

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1 onion

1 carrot

1 bay leaf

1 celery stalk

1 clove of garlic

2 salted anchovies

parsley to taste

oregano to taste

extra virgin olive oil to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Wash the parsley, dry it well, chop the leaves and do not throw away the stems; Clean and desalt the anchovies under the tap jet, cut the fillets, chop them and keep them aside too. Pour plenty of cold water into a pot, add the peeled onion, bay leaf, washed carrots and celery stalk and parsley stalks; Turn on the heat and, when the court bouillon has reached the boil, pour the pieces of fish into it. Lower the heat when boiling again, put the lid on and boil the stockfish into pieces for 7-10 minutes depending on their size. As soon as the stockfish has become soft but not undone, turn off the heat, add salt, stir and let it rest in its cooking water for 15-20 minutes, draining it first from the same if you notice that its meat, which must be soft and firm at the same time, is losing its compactness. Meanwhile, wash the cherry tomatoes, dry them and cut them in half or, if you prefer, into 4 pieces and then melt the chopped anchovies out of the heat in a little EVO oil made before heating in a saucepan. Put the 2 ingredients in a large salad bowl, add the drained olives, half of the parsley and the peeled and chopped garlic clove and mix everything. When the fish has cooled down, drain it, remove any skin, remove the thorns remaining in the pulp, cut it into pieces and add it to the salad bowl together with the lightly toasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper the boiled stockfish with cherry tomatoes, olives and pine nuts in salads, drizzle with a drizzle of raw oil, stir again gently, sprinkle with oregano and parsley left over and serve on the table the appetizing Ligurian light dish.

Beetle mushroom

When we think of mushrooms, we generally associate their presence with autumn and a wet and rainy season. But there are varieties of mushrooms that vice versa are born, and can be found, in spring, and, together with the swallows, announce their arrival. One of them is the Calocybe Gambosa, a mushroom that is popularly called in many other ways as well. For example, it is called St. George's mushroom, because tradition has it that it appears on April 23, when there is precisely the anniversary of this saint. It is called blackthorn, because it uses to be born in the middle of thorny bushes, or beetle, to remember the fact that it can be found in the undergrowth until the month of May. The Beetle mushroom is much appreciated by connoisseurs, and is often associated, for delicacy, with the porcini mushroom.

The Beetle mushroom is therefore found in the period from March-April to May, but obviously these dates can change depending on the altitude at which the search is carried out. Usually the specimens of this species grow in groups, arranging themselves in a circle, which in the past was thought to be the circles of witches. They are found in the middle, or near, hawthorn, rosehip or blackthorn bushes. The Beetle is recognized by the color, which oscillates between white and yellow, and the smell, which makes you think of flour, as well as the taste of its meat. The hat is more curved when the Beetle is young, and tends to flatten at the edges as it ages. The stem is firm and massive, and reaches even eight centimeters in height, while the hat can reach a diameter of 10 centimeters. The name gambosa alludes to the fact that the stem often has a reddish tint.

The Beetle mushroom is very valuable, and is also a species protected by precise regulations, because a collection method that is not very attentive to the protection of the habitat has greatly decreased its population. In some Italian regions, for example in the Marche, it is expressly forbidden to use the rake to sift the undergrowth, because in this way the spores that allow the reproduction of fungi are killed. When you find a beetle mushroom, you must gently collect it using the appropriate knife. Unless you are very experienced, it is always good to ask for confirmation of its identity at a specialized center, because it could be confused with other species harmful to health, perhaps even lethal. For example, the Beetle closely resembles the Inocybe patouillardi, which is poisonous.

The Beetle is a delicious mushroom, much sought after for its good taste. In the sixteenth century it was even considered a food suitable only for the tables of the nobles, and peasants and farmers were forbidden to consume it, if they found it. Today festivals are also dedicated to it, and many recipes are known to enhance the aroma. The Beetle can be eaten raw, in salads, and this type of consumption is good for health because it helps lower blood sugar levels. The salad is prepared with slices of colonnata lard, salt, pepper, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Alternatively, it can be used to make a sauce with which to season tagliatelle, to be accompanied with a glass of white wine. The Beetle in fact has the virtue of enhancing the flavor of a good wine.

Each type of mushroom has unique characteristics and requires specific cooking and different methods of preservation. The Beetle, not to be confused with the homonymous insect and with the legendary Volkswagen car, is one of the most sought after mushrooms by mycology enthusiasts. It is an edible species and suitable for the preparation of second courses, salads and sauces. This mushroom also has beneficial properties, such as lowering blood sugar and preventing disorders such as diabetes. Of course, to consume it, you must first recognize it and then collect it. The advice we give to all those who want to become "mushroom hunters" is not to venture into the woods if you are not absolutely sure of what you are looking for. With mushrooms, in fact, prudence is never too much, because many species are very similar to each other and you easily run the risk of running into poisonous mushrooms perhaps mistaken for edible. The fact remains that the Beetle is a really good and tasty mushroom to eat, with a very pleasant taste.

The meat of the Beetle is compact, white, soft, slightly spongy in the part of the stem, with a taste and smell of flour, very sweet and light. The smell is felt only if you proceed to rub it. The taste of the Beetle is pleasant and lends itself to many preparations. The mushroom, properly cut and washed, can also be eaten raw. Its raw meat has the property of lowering blood sugar. Being edible and very tasty, the Beetle can also be prepared with sauce. Just slice the mushroom, wash it and add it to a pot with tomato sauce, olive oil, salt, pepper, bacon, boiled milk and a little garlic and onion. After cooking, the sauce can be enjoyed together with a plate of tagliatelle. Very popular is also the beetle salad, which is prepared with raw mushroom. The same is cut into slices, washed, cleaned preferably with a brush and seasoned with slices of lard. After bringing it to the table, season it with salt, pepper and lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. The Beetle salad can also be accompanied by a nice glass of wine. The meat of the Beetle also has the property of enhancing the taste of the chosen wine. Generally, with the mushroom salad you drink white wine, a bit like with fish.

For lettuce baskets with hummus, mushrooms and peppers

Ingredients

Romaine lettuce leaves

Chickpea hummus

Mushrooms and peppers in a pan

This is a recipe that is prepared in 10 minutes, the time to prepare hummus if you have chickpeas already cooked. In addition to the latter you will need oil, sesame seeds, curry, lemon juice and a little water. After preparing the hummus, wash the romaine lettuce leaves well and dry them. Spread a tablespoon of hummus, add another of mushrooms and peppers, and your baskets will be ready! 

 

Rainbow trout to tilapias and tuna steaks. Fresh and easy to cook products

Trout fillet in a quick pan. A very easy recipe to get salmon trout fillet soft and tasty in a few simple steps. Just a few small precautions to make a second course of tasty and juicy fish dish! Buy some trout fillets already cleaned by the fishmonger and follow this recipe for a trout fillet in a soft pan, which does not dry out, and very tasty!

Ingredients

2 Salmon trout fillets

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Parsley

1/2 Lemon

Trout fillet in a pan

To make the trout fillet in a pan it will take a maximum of 20 minutes! So I advise you to prepare the side dish before or at the same time. Wash and chop a little fresh parsley. Take the juice of half a lemon and strain it. Take a large non-stick pan for the two fillets. Bring it to the fire without adding fat or salt and let it heat on the medium stove for a few minutes. Place the salmon trout fillets in the hot pan, placing the part with the skin on the bottom and cook over moderate heat for 4-5 minutes. The crust will release its natural fats and these will allow us to cook it without additional fat but above all without risking that it sticks to the pan. Turn the trout fillets with the help of a spatula and cook on the other side for another 4 minutes with moderate heat. At this point add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on the fillets, a little chopped fresh parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Cover with the circle and cook over low heat for another 3-4 minutes. Serve the trout fillets in a pan while still hot.

 

Corn cob

Barbecue season is the perfect opportunity to try something other than meat like corn, appreciated by both kids and adults. Let's see what it is and start with the definition of corn cob.

According to Wikipedia, "The cob is the part of the corn ear where the kernels are fixed." In short, it is the soul of the cob and, to be clear, corresponds to that brown part to which the corn kernels are attached.

Its properties are many, if used ground, it has a very high capacity to absorb liquids as well as a high resistance to wear and elasticity.

The corn cob, consisting of hemocellulose and cellulose, is an excellent natural fuel and can be used as a substitute for charcoal or wood, has low ash and lignin contents and an energy potential. This means that it has the advantage of having a long life and crumbling very slowly has a reduced percentage of ash.  Therefore, it is indicated in the domestic use of stoves, central heating and medium-large boilers. 

The corn cob is also used in the industrial sector, the areas are different. It is an excellent supplement for feed, it is widely used in the pharmaceutical field, it can be purchased to act as a litter for small pets, also interesting its use in the field of industrial cleaning of both lenses and metals, particularly effective for sandblasting and also used for the production of pipes.

The grilled corn on the cob are a good and light side dish to enjoy the cobs, on the occasion of a barbecue in summer they are inevitable! Grilled or roasted corn on the cob is the ideal preparation for a grill or barbecue in the open air. If for the next picnic in the mountains you are looking for a delicious idea, which also appeals to children, these cobs are the ideal preparation, to do at the moment and have fun preparing and eating! Grilled cobs, similar to boiled cobs, are simple and tasty, loved by young and old. But unlike the latter, grilled corn on the cob is also fun, as they can be freshly prepared, perhaps while preparing a barbecue, and need very few minutes of cooking.

Grilled corn on the cob is the right idea that always tempts children. This recipe is really simple and you can easily make it even in the mountains or during a picnic in the open air, just bring the cobs with you, clean them at the moment (really simple operation that you can do on the spot) and take advantage of the embers that will surely be the protagonist of the day for the inevitable grill to cook even the cobs. The grilled corn on the cob is a very simple preparation, which you can serve with a simple sprinkling of salt or with some accompanying sauce, those you prefer also to accompany the meat will be fine!

Preparation

To prepare the grilled cobs clean the cobs by removing the leaves and all the filaments. Put the clean cobs on the grill of an already hot barbecue. Cook them by turning them every now and then, as you see them colored. As soon as they are all well colored, season them with salt and your roasted cobs are ready.

 

Zucchini parmesan 

The zucchini parmigiana is a delicious recipe that involves the combination of zucchini, cheese, tomato and basil, it is clearly a variant of the most famous eggplant parmigiana, a great classic of Neapolitan cuisine. Zucchini parmigiana is a dish much appreciated for its goodness and versatility. It can be served as an appetizer, side dish or even as a main course. It is an ideal recipe for vegetarians or for those who want to reduce the use of meat in their diet. The use of zucchini instead of eggplant, makes this dish a little more digestible, therefore more suitable for frequent consumption during the hot season. Zucchini parmigiana is good both hot freshly baked and cold at room temperature.

Ingredients for the base of zucchini

ZUCCHINI 500 Gr

GRATED PARMIGIANO REGGIANO - 50 Gr

MOZZARELLA 250 Gr

FLOUR 

PEANUT OIL to taste

Ingredients for tomato sauce

TOMATO PUREE 500 Gr

SMALL ONION - 1

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 

BASIL LEAVES to taste

SALT to taste

Preparation

Start cooking the zucchini parmigiana starting from the tomato sauce: wash and peel a small onion, cut it with the knife into small pieces of the size you prefer. Put the extra virgin olive oil in a pot and turn on the stove flame, add the onion and let it heat up, when it is just soft, add the tomato pulp and season with salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, and towards the end of cooking add a few chopped basil leaves. Wash and trim the zucchini at the ends. With a knife or if you prefer with a mandolin cut them into slices, lengthwise, 5 mm thick. Pass the zucchini slices in the flour that you have already placed in a suitable container. Put the peanut oil in a pan and let it heat when it is hot, dip the floured zucchini in hot oil, let them cook for a few minutes until they are golden brown. When they are ready, remove them from the pan with a perforated spoon and put them on sheets of absorbent paper so that they lose excess oil. In a baking dish suitable for baking, put a layer of tomato sauce, arrange the fried zucchini slices, side by side, spread more tomato sauce on the slices. Slice the mozzarella and add them to the tomato sauce. Continue with another layer of zucchini slices, and go on layer by layer, until you finish the ingredients. Finish with a layer of tomato sauce and complete with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan. Turn on the oven, static at 200 C degrees, when it is at temperature bake the baking dish with the zucchini parmigiana and cook for about 25 minutes. Once it is cooked, take the zucchini parmigiana out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. 

Note

To make the parmigiana even tastier, you can add the béchamel sauce between one layer and another. If you want to avoid frying, you can cook the floured zucchini in a static oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes. Instead of tomato sauce, you can use a meat sauce. You can prepare Parmigiana with other vegetables such as eggplant, peppers, potatoes or artichokes.

Preservation

Zucchini parmigiana keeps in the refrigerator for 2 days, if you used all fresh ingredients, you can freeze it already divided into portions.

Roasted peppers

Classic roasted peppers with a tasty seasoning based on garlic, oil and aromatic herbs... Excellent as a side dish or to serve on bruschetta, they are perfect for any occasion. In this recipe, you will find the procedure for cooking in an air fryer: a much faster method than the classic oven, and that will not make you dirty the kitchen as with cooking on the stove. You will see that in a few minutes you will be able to remove the skin without any difficulty. However, if you still do not have an air fryer, in the notes at the bottom you will find the indications for cooking peppers in other ways. Try this recipe, it's very simple but really appetizing!

Baked peppers are a simple and delicious side dish perfect to bring to the table on any occasion, to accompany meat or fish dishes. Or why not? Also ideal to serve as an appetizer. They can also be used to prepare other dishes, such as fish paella. I usually prepare them in large quantities and freeze them in food bags. When I needed them I immediately have them ready!

Ingredients

350 g peppers

1 garlic clove

basil

mint

parsley

extra virgin olive oil

white wine vinegar

salt

Pepper

Preparation

Wash and dry the peppers. You can use different qualities, in this case I chose the croissant peppers. Place the peppers in the basket of the air fryer, without overlapping them. Cook them at 200 C degrees for 16-18 minutes, turning them 2-3 times so that the skin is toasted on all sides. Adjust the times according to the size of the peppers, in this case it took me 16 minutes. When the skin is burnt and wrinkled, transfer the peppers to a plastic food bag (one of those used for the freezer) and close with the lanyard. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, so the skin will soften. After the time, take the peppers, transfer them to a cutting board and remove the skin, which will come away very easily with your hands. Open and clean them inside by removing the seeds. Cut the peppers into fillets and place them on a tray. Season with salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil and vinegar. Peel the garlic and cut it into slices, or chop it. Wash the herbs and chop them. Sprinkle the peppers with the herbs and stir. Roasted peppers with herbs and garlic are ready. I advise you to season them a little in advance so they will be tastier, if necessary they can be stored in the refrigerator in a closed container.

Notes 

You can enrich the dressing with capers, anchovy fillets, chilli or other aromatic herbs, such as thyme or oregano. You can omit vinegar if you don't like it. If you do not have an air fryer, you can roast the peppers in the oven (190 °C for about 30-35 minutes) or on a non-stick grill (about 40 minutes, turning them frequently). When finished, you will always have to close them in the bag so that you can peel them easily.