vermouth

roasted pears with Vermouth

~ aplotzi ~ 2 Comments

I have been making this recipe for ever because not only is it the easiest pudding to make but it is one of the most delicious. Every one loves it and it’s got the lovely flavours of vanilla, the spicy vermouth and lemon peel. I initially got the recipe from an old Italian cookbook which had only a few ingredients in each recipe and no measurements. Every single recipe I did from that book was genius in its simplicity in the way Italians effortlessly get it right plus they all tasted amazing. This recipe requires virtually no work at all, you just bung the pears in a roasting dish with the rest of the ingredients, so it’s perfect for an easy dessert after dinner or when you want to create a simple pudding at the end of a dinner party. It can be served hot or cold and I serve it with dollops of Greek yogurt or sour cream. If you are vegan or dairy free you can serve it with {Swedish Glace } icecream or soya yogurt.

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midnight spaghetti

~ aplotzi ~ Leave a comment

You can never have enough pasta in your life. When I was very young my father used to take me to a smart Italian restaurant in Chelsea called The Meridiana owned by his friend Enzo Apicella.  Enzo sometimes sat with us while we ate and we would discuss our love of pasta. This is a simple recipe, which is incredibly delicious. It’s also called Aglio E Olio in Italian. There are a lot of versions of it, and you can customise it with whatever you have in the cupboard. It’s called midnight spaghetti because it’s a recipe used by tired, busy chefs after they come home late after long day at work. It’s also called ‘after the party’, so you get the drift…it’s quick, easy and very tasty, particularly after one too many drinks and you are ravenous. Check out midnight spaghetti 2 on here, if you fancy trying another version. It would also be a perfect for a vegetarian dinner party with a salad if you wanted to cook something that is economical and very doable.

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spaghetti with mussels and vermouth

~ aplotzi ~ 1 Comment

This is a really easy recipe,  the ingredients can be bought a few days in advance and cooked within 20 minutes. Great for a dinner party. Adjust the quantities accordingly.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
pre-cooked mussels in sauce (supermarket fish counter)
1 lemon, zested and sliced into wedges
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
half a cup of vermouth  (optional)
1 garlic clove
bunch of basil
bunch of Parsley
500g spaghetti
salt and pepper

IMG_7448

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