Cucumber surprise

Cucumber surprise is a fresh and delicate recipe that will perfectly suit the summer, during which we generally want to enjoy something refreshing and tasty at the same time.

The cucumbers marry well in many recipes; Cucumber surprise is a surprise! Surprise in the sense that each small bite contains a heart of ricotta cheese, pine nuts and fresh basil.

The presentation of this dish is part of the success of this recipe; it needs to be prepared with patience; you have to compose each little packet and then you have to do the decoration of the plate. So take your time.
You can choose different presentations; the one in the picture has a Zen and geometric touch.
The white plate gives a highlight to the pale green of the cucumber.
I'm sure that your imagination will add something unique and special to your own presentation.

I have chosen the place holder SPIRAL to accompany this recipe.
Spiral is one of my favorites, I already presented it in the recipe Apple and cinnamon cake.

Spiral is a place holder that every guest can easily put next to his plate before going around for some conversation or a walk in the garden!
Spiral is made of copper wire (5 cm - 2" height).
They're inspired by the spin of the clock hands - the passage of time during the day.
They're very useful and at the same time they improve the decoration of your table.

I am planning of doing an episode of my blog where I will show how to make Spiral, so that you can try to prepare them yourself for your table.

If you want to see some of my other creations click here.

Time for preparation: 40 minutes
kcal per person: 60

For 4 persons you will need:
-1 Cucumber (medium)
-100 g ( 4 oz) ricotta cheese
-30 g (1 oz) pine nuts cut into small pieces
-20 fresh basil leaves
-salt and pepper

*cut the cucumber into strips in the vertical sense
*add in a bowl the ricotta cheese, the pine nuts and the fresh basil, chopped.
*add salt and pepper
*place a teaspoon of the mixture on one edge of the cucumber strip.
*roll the strip on itself up to half of its length; at this point bend it to 45 degrees and continue rolling until complete closure of the little packet
*now place the little packets on each plate, sprinkle with pepper

You can add some decorations on the plates, for example I put a little roll made using the strips of cucumber left.

Strawberry risotto

This recipe is for the strawberries' lovers like myself. During the season (and yes, now it's the season!) I would like to eat them every day.

Strawberry risotto is a good occasion to taste them differently and at the same time it will open your mind to something really particular: at the same time very fragrant and light.

The basic recipe of risotto fits in very different combinations, so why not strawberries!?

I find the napkin ring "DANCING DAYS" to be the perfect match for the presentation of strawberry risotto. Dancing days is handmade with copper thread and pearls (imitation), it's inspired by the dancing beat of the wings of butterflies during summer time. Click here to shop for them.

Regarding the preparation of risotto I can say that, generally, it's very easy, but its success will depend mostly on the taste of the strawberries and on the type of rice (arborio or carnaroli rice are the two best qualities for risotto. They absorb lots of water and the grains remain firm giving at the same time a creamy consistency).

I like to prepare it for my friends: at first sight they are amazed and show an initial hesitation but after a few bites... they become enthusiastic!

Children fall in love with this risotto: they're excited to have the possibility to eat strawberries in a main dish, not to mention the pink color, that will attract their attention immediately.

Regarding the presentation: to be honest, every time I prepare the risotto I tend to present it in a different way. This time, as you can see from the picture, I have chosen a pale green plate, since I wanted to give an airy and carefree touch. In addition I find the flower shaped plate in perfect harmony with the pink of the risotto.

Time 40 minutes
320 kcal per person

For 4 people you'll need:
-1 basket of strawberries (250 g - 8.5 oz).
-250 g rice (8.5 oz) arborio or carnaroli
-12 cl (1/2 cup) red wine
-1 l (1 quarter) of vegetable broth (prepare it by boiling 1 small carrot, onion and a piece of celery for about 30 minutes)
-50 g (1.8 oz) grated Parmigiano Reggiano (real Parmesan) cheese
-1 teaspoon of butter
-2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese
-salt

* put a pot on the heat, add and melt the butter, add the rice and about 200g (7 oz) of strawberries (washed and diced), mix well and add the red wine
* when the wine is absorbed you can begin to add the broth, and you continue to mix until the complete absorption of all the broth (so after about 20- 25 minutes)
* remove the pot from the heat, add the Parmigiano cheese, a pinch of salt, the remaining strawberries cut into small pieces and ricotta cheese.
* mix well, prepare your presentation and serve immediately!

Tarte with spinach

Here's a tasty and easy recipe that can be served on all occasions. It's one of my favorite recipes that accompanies me for almost 20 years having always a huge success.

I thought of combining the tarte with the napkin ring "DAISY". Daisy is made of galvanized aluminum wire and a wooden painted pearl; the tarte and Daisy evoke in me a feeling of simplicity, so I find them in harmony on my table. Click here to shop for them.

The spinach tarte is certainly a recipe passe-partout: as a main course, it can be served hot on a bed of salad; as an accompaniment of an aperitif, it's delicious warm, cut into small squares; finally, served at room temperature, is ideal for a picnic in the countryside.

I usually prepare the tarte the day before, in order to have time to devote to its presentation: in my opinion a white or light tint shallow plate will be perfect. If on the other hand you want to give a touch of joy to the table, then I suggest to use a colored or fantasy plate.
This recipe is unpretentious but at the same time tasty and fragrant. Certainly it will stimulate your imagination for an original presentation: your own!

Time: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to bake. Kcal per person: 330

Preheat the oven: 200 C (400 F)

For 6 person you'll need:
-1 ready made roll dough (pâte brisée)
-ricotta cheese 250 g - 8,5 oz (ricotta is a fresh and creamy white cheese, slightly sweet in taste, that contains around 5% fat. It is somewhat similar in texture to some cottage cheese variants, though considerably lighter.)
-2 eggs
-frozen spinach 1 kg - 35 oz (you can use fresh spinach instead, the preparation will be longer but the taste will repay. I usually use the organic frozen ones that I think are a good compromise between taste, health and quick preparation)
-salt, ground pepper and ground nutmeg

*thaw frozen spinach in the microwave according to the instructions on the package, then squeeze them to remove the excess of water
*put the spinach, the ricotta cheese, the eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a mixer and mix for 30 seconds
*roll out the dough and place it in a pie dish (diameter 20 cm - 8")
*pour the filling on the dough; fold the flaps of dough over the borders of the filling.
*bake for about 30 minutes or until the dough is golden

While the tarte is baking, you'll begin to smell a delicious perfume which will inspire your presentation and....enjoy!