Pumpkin flan, a surprising autumn starter

Despite what its name suggests, this flan is not a dessert. It’s actually a very tasty autumn appetizer that can be served hot or cold. Indeed, the technique of baking a flan with milk (or cream) and eggs can also be used by adding a salty main ingredient, thus creating a surprising recipe.

Foul mudammas, Egypt’s national dish

Foul mudammas is a bean-based dish, very popular throughout the Middle East, but mainly in Egypt, the country from which it originates and where it’s considered the national dish. The cooked broad beans are crushed until a creamy texture is achieved and seasoned in a very “Mediterranean” way with lemon, garlic, cumin, chili and olive oil, and are accompanied with vegetables and herbs such as tomato, onion, parsley, mint, etc.

Authentic Tuscan Ribollita recipe

Ribollita is a vegetable and white bean soup, typical of Italian Tuscany. It is a recipe for use and its name means “re-boiled”, since it was reheated the next day, also adding the stale bread that would have been left over.

Falafel recipe with all its secrets and tricks

If we talk about Middle Eastern food, these little croquettes are for sure one of the first options that come our to mind. Falafel is often made with a chickpea base paste, but originally in Egypt they used broad beans (foul in Arabic, the word from which the name of this recipe derives). It is also possible to use a mixture of these two ingredients, in variable proportions.

Grilled Manouri with honey and sesame seeds

Manouri is a Greek cheese original from Central Macedonia region. It’s produced from the whey of sheep’s milk, sometimes combined with goat’s milk. Manouri is similar to the famous Feta, although it has a higher fat content, which makes it creamier in flavor, also leaving certain lemony notes on the palate. We can enjoy it in desserts, cakes, salads, or grilled on a mezze table.

Traditional ajvar recipe from the Balkans

Ajvar is a traditional paté from the Balkan countries that probably arose in response to the need to preserve vegetables throughout the year. Its main ingredient is roasted red pepper and it is a magnificent accompaniment to meat, especially ćevapi, a kind of elongated hamburger typical of those latitudes.

Braised fennel with tomato

Braised fennel with tomato is a surprising starter or garnish that can be served both hot and cold. The fennel reminds of anise in its flavor, and this detail is delicately accentuated by the spices in this recipe.

How to make keto pizza crust with cauliflower

Using cauliflower as a base for a keto pizza is a well-known alternative among those following a ketogenic or low-carb diet. The procedure described here is simple and comes from testing different possible recipes, to obtain the most crunchy and tasty result.

Vegetarian borscht (beetroot soup) recipe

This Eastern European soup is probably the most famous in the world. As its preparation varies according to the region and tradition of each family, it would be impossible to establish an “official recipe”. This vegetarian variant is the one I like and usually cook, but I also mention other possible options to investigate and try.

How to make zucchini pasta

Zucchini pasta is a very popular idea to reduce the amount of carbohydrates, in addition to being able to enjoy a larger portion and with considerably fewer calories.