Ravioli and Ruth's Birthday

Had a busy week at Tineggiori, the weather has been hot and sometimes humid, the biggest issue in a valley full of trees and living so close to the river is the annual war with the mozzies.

I felt this year that I was finally getting used to them, I was no longer coming out in massive bumps and going demented with the itchiness, I was wrong though, I just forgot about the monsters we get in August!  I have tried just about every solution out there, essential oils, repellents, garlic, burning coffee grounds and much more, the one thing I've learnt is that it's very simple . . . nothing works!

I made some ravioli this week, I love making pasta as it's fun to do and is so cheap to make, it also makes a frugal lunch feel like a restaurant treat

I filled them with ricotta and spinach

I did have a few air bubbles which caused 4 to burst

I served it with cherry tomatoes, lightly fried in olive oil, butter, onions, a dash of red wine vinegar and a side salad of lettuce and grated carrot.

I seem to be on a cooking theme today but it is one of my greatest passions, we had Ruth's birthday yesterday and had a celebratory buffet Italian style, everything was homemade and the ingredients only dented the shopping budget ever so slightly.

We all had a lovely day and there were plenty pickings still available at tea time so we grazed all day with only big effort in the morning, a bit like Christmas Day!

I feel so lucky to have the time to create in the kitchen, especially being able to feed the family on  low financial resources, this past couple of years have been a great lesson in what we need to be happy and what we can do without.

It's a shame life seems to be about a compromise somewhere for most of us, time and less money or money and less time.

I think we made the right choice for us.

I love Creme Brulee 

5 egg yolks, some cream and a little vanilla

I also love Pavlova

5 egg whites, some sugar and a little fruit

Love and Light to all

xxxx

It's about time . . . .

It's been so long since my last blog I can hardly remember what's happened

Andy has spent much of the past 6 months in the UK working to bring in some much needed cash, he's home now, hopefully for good and ready to get on with farming.  I also spent six weeks with my mum, visiting friends and family, doing jigsaws and generally doing her head in! Ooops! I meant keeping her company! 

It's been a hot summer so far and I think we're finally getting used to it, we start very early and eat our main meal at lunchtime, afternoons are spent indoors and keeping out of the sun, a short siesta (half an hour is ideal, anymore and our bodies assume we're there for the night and it's really hard to wake up) and then we're ready for more work.  It feels like we get two days for the price of one :-)

I can't blog today without mentioning the devastating earthquake to hit central Italy earlier this week, it's been on my mind constantly.  I have totally fallen in love with this Country and the people in it. Italians are the kindest, most open and friendly people I have ever come across, nothing is too much trouble and they consistently offer help and friendship with no expectations of anything in return.  I realise this may not be the case in Milan or Rome but in the tiny mountain villages a genuine community spirit still thrives, I cannot imagine going to our small market town and finding nothing but rubble.  I can though imagine the desperate measures needed to get to some of the remote areas, we are not so remote but still need to park up and walk to the house as do many mountain villagers.

Sending Love & Light to all those affected

♥

Making Cheese, without the science

I have had a busy weekend in the kitchen.  Having read many books on the art of good cheese making I am in awe of their skill and knowledge, however, I wanted to have a go at making some basic cheese without buying starters, rennet and speciality equipment.

So, here is my take on home produced cheese . . . 

I started with approx 8 litres of full fat, raw (not always possible) milk poured into my old jam pan, I didn't measure the milk, just poured to a manageable level, I added a jam thermometer, put the flame on low and started to stir . . . . 

It seemed to take an age but I gradually turned the flame higher until the temperature reached 92ºC and turned off the heat.  I left the milk until it cooled to 88ºC and began adding white wine vinegar, one tablespoon at a time, stirring after each spoonful, until the milk began to separate.

When the whey became clearer and took on a greenish hue (I think it took about 10 tablespoons) I left it to set for half an hour.

I removed the curds from the pan into a colander lined with muslin and let it drain for 20 minutes. I then mixed in 2 tsp of salt to taste.

I then lined my steamer pan (holes needed to drain the remaining whey) with clean muslin and added the curds, pressed them firmly into the space and wrapped with the muslin.

I used a very high tech weight system to put pressure on my lovely cheese, a plate, followed by the mortar from my pestle & mortar set and 2 stones from the garden

After 24 hours, here are the results . . . . . 

I made 3 separate batches and they fit one on top of another snuggly in my steamer pan, the taste is light and creamy and the family can't seem to get enough of it . . 

Much love from Tineggiori xxx