Category: Vegetarian Dishes

Cherry and Lemon Ricotta Puffs aka Fritters

Cherry and Lemon Ricotta Puffs aka Fritters
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Cherry and Lemon Ricotta Puffs aka Fritters… These are an Italian-esk dessert, I would never go as far as to say these are a true Italian recipe.

I had a ‘test kitchen’ day about a month ago, lots of ricotta and lots of cherries to come up with recipes for. I eventually came up with 12 different cherry recipe ideas but really liked the idea of deep fried puffs (the other 11 are put aside for later)

This recipe is based on the Italian version of the Baci Di Ricotta; aside from adding fruit to the recipe, the consistency is much different. My version still has the ricotta as the feature whereas the Italian version can be almost a dough that comes out similar to a doughnut.

These are extremely moreish so don’t be afraid of making more than you think you will need!

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Woolf

Enjoy,  Blondie

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Basil Pesto with Cashew Nuts

Basil Pesto with Cashew Nuts
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Basil Pesto with Cashew Nuts – With spring now here, the heady scent of fresh herbs is hard to ignore. It’s impossible to walk pass the veggie shop and not grab a bunch of basil – I will have fresh basil growing in my garden again shortly, but till then I’m happy to pay for it.

Pesto is eaten in large amounts by my family, especially my son who has it on pizza, pasta or just by the spoonful after I’ve made a fresh batch of pesto. I make it 2 ways, the first being the obvious – that’s with pine nuts and a nice bitey, hard cheese – and the second is this recipe.

I find that using cashews makes the pesto a little creamier and the flavour to be a little more subtle – and they are also cheaper than pine nuts, which is a benefit if working within a budget.

The cheese in this recipe is just the grated Parmesan from your local supermarket’s fridge section.

I freeze my excess pesto in zip lock bags and break off chunks as I need them, which means I generally always have some on hand. I have been doing it this way for years and have never had an issue, but feel that I should bring up a conversation I had with my brother-in-law. He mentioned something about the breeding of the botulism bacteria, something to do with the basil and the freezer not being able to freeze it to a temperature that is safe and stable. I have also looked into it and am happy to continue with this way of storing as we really do go through it quite fast. I’ve happily eaten my pesto up to 2 months of it being frozen.

Has anyone had problems with freezing pesto? I would love to know.

But that being said, for me there is always a meal if you have pesto in the house. If you have yet to make fresh pesto for yourself then I urge you to give it a go.

Enjoy!

Blondie

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Karjalanpiirakat – Karelian Pies

Karjalanpiirakat – Finnish Karelian Pies
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Karjalanpiirakat – Finnish Karelian Pies are a delicious, creamy rice filling encased in a thin rye bread and then topped with an egg and butter mixture. I realise that it may not come across as particularly inviting, but they certainly are a joy to eat.

Karelian Pies are one of the most traditional of Finnish dishes and are in fact a protected dish by the European Union.

These pies are eaten at most gatherings that my Nana holds, with a friend of hers now the designated Karelian Pie maker for her and probably a majority of the Finnish community in Canberra.

I have only just come to learn the reason that Nana doesn’t make them herself, and that is because the first time she did made them, Grandpa had said to her, “If this is the best you can do, then don’t bother making them again”.

My husband is amazed that he lived past that point!

The number one key to making these is to make the rye base as thin as possible… and then go thinner.

Number two is to make sure there is enough salt in the rice mixture otherwise it will be just too bland.

These are a process of love, enjoy it – Blondie 🙂

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