Bon Apetito!

Could you guess now what cuisine was next after the Tinola and Molo?  Yes, Italian.  Tatay's second favorite.  "Lidia's Family Table" is a book given as a gift for our Philippine wedding last Oct 2006 by Lola Kaye and Gus.  Its quite an interesting book written by Lidia...an Italian chef living in America with her family.

So while reading the book I just imagine her talking in english with her italian accent.  Its a book full of family tradition and an easy one to read because she is just talking to you.

So here is the result of our Italian weekend last week:

Friday Dinner: Mixed Veggies eaten with Beef Asado (Filipino dish) cooked slow for +/- 3hrs (the night before). 

As you can see, Italian cuisine can be perfectly combined with Filipino food! Potato slices, apple slices, carrot slices, Onion sprout, onion, garlic, basil and parsley with olive oil, pepper and salt.  The beef asado was cooked with just soy sauce, a little bit water, brown sugar, garlic, onion, pepper and salt.  It was all finished that night! Very successful!

Saturday Lunch: Fresh Pasta with my spaghetti sauce

After we ate breakfast that morning, we were going to bike to Klitsberg for a peep on the mountain bike race for kids.  We want to show Niels, a real speed addict, how fast kids can race with their bikes.  But before we left, I have to make the fresh pasta first to have it rest while we are out...so when we get back later we just have to cut it and boil it.  So Niels and I made the dough, he was kneading it with his small hands while I sweat. Like what I said in my previous blog, he loves kneading dough with me and cutting it into shapes.

So we went off to Klitsberg.  We were there for about an hour and headed back home, nothing much to see except the cute little kids trying to act like adult professional bikers.

When we got home, I started boiling water, kneading out the dough into thin slice possible so it wont be too heavy for the kids.  Niels helped me cut the shapes.  And when the water was boiling, dropped it one portion at a time into the boiling water with a little bit of salt.

At the same time, I heated up a portion of the spaghetti sauce I made the previous week...Handy isnt it?

After lunch, I made this special Gnudi balls cause we will be having visitors in the afternoon around 5pm.  Gnudi is the filling of ravioli made in balls, boiled and served with Sugo (a special tomato sauce from Italy - given by Meerten family from one of their trips to Italy).

The Italian sphere went on until Monday dinner.  We had Pasta Carbonara. With dried (not fresh anymore) spaghetti pasta boiled of course, mushrooms, Onion, garlic, cheese, cream and bacon slices.

I was planning of making Gnocci but didnt have the time to make it the night before.  So, that would be for next time.

And Im loving this!

Till then!

Neri