Recipes and Dreams from an Italian Life by Tessa Kiros

Recipes and Dreams 
from an Italian Life
by Tessa Kiros
Hardcover, 352 pages

If you have never read a Tessa Kiros cookbook, you are in for a treat! Her books are not only filled with delicious, authentic dishes but also stunningly gorgeous photos and lyrical snippets of life and history.

In this latest book, which she has dedicated to All of the Wonderful Matriarchs I have been Lucky to Meet, we see a decidedly feminine love story of Italy. It is a beautifully crafted celebration of Italian mothers and Italian homemaking, and you will find yourself reading the book cover to cover before even trying the mouthwatering dishes.

The recipes include everything from preserves to dinners to desserts with snippets of Wise Words throughout from the loving Italian mamas she interviewed.

This is such a special book - perfect for Mother's Day!

 

Contents include:

Introduction

The Linen Cupboard

The Pantry

The Bread Oven

The Snack Box

The Vegetable Patch

The Pasta Pot

The Dining Room

The Sugar Bin

The Ice Box

Author
TESSA KIROS is the author of seven bestselling titles, including: Apples for Jam, Falling Cloudberries, Twelve, Piri Piri Starfish: Portugal Found, and Venezia. No-one captures the spirit and soul of a place quite like Tessa, born in London to a Finnish mother and a Greek-Cypriot father, her family moved to South Africa when she was four. At the age of 18 Tessa set off to travel, to learn all she could about the world's cultures and traditions and discover new ways of living and eating. She has cooked at London's The Groucho Club and in Sydney, Athens, and Mexico. On a trip to Italy, to study the Italian language and food, she met her husband Giovanni; they now live in Tuscany with their two children.

www.tessakiros.com

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Keftedes in Pita!

Everyone loves a meatball. Okay, maybe not vegetarians, but still. Happy little balls of meat. What's not to love? And different cultures have different seasonings and styles. These are a spin-off from classic Greek meatballs and every good Greek meatball deserves a good pita. Add in some grilled veggies, tzatziki or hummus, tomatoes, feta... and you have yourself an awesome assemble-it-yourself pita fest!

These keftedes and pita are also our farewell meal for the wonderful cookbook author Tessa Kiros. She has been the focus of our cooking club for the last six months and we have had a wonderful time discovering her style and range as a cook. Her books are delightful and everything I have made of hers has been wonderful. As much as I am going to miss her, I am also very excited for our new focus - Rick Bayless! We will be cooking with him for the next six months. Feel free to join in!


Keftedes
adapted from Tessa Kiros, Falling Cloudberries
for I♥CC Goodbye Tessa

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 eggs
1 granny smith apple, shredded
1 red onion, shredded
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
¾ cup panko bread crumbs

Combine gently in a large bowl, with your hands. Try to get everything incorporated without over-working the meat.
Cover and let chill in fridge for an hour.
Form into meatballs - I got 55 small ones. Chill balls in fridge, covered, until you are ready to cook them. All this chilling helps keep the shape.
Cook - you can thread these onto a skewer to grill on the BBQ, roast on a rack in the oven for about 45 mins at 425°, or fry in a cast iron pan with some vegetable oil. I would prefer the grill, but it was cold and we baked ours. When you think your meatballs are done, crack one open to make sure it is cooked through.

Pita Bread
adapted from Tessa Kiros, Falling Cloudberries
for I♥CC Goodbye Tessa

2¼ tsp instant dry yeast
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sugar
4 cups AP flour
1 tsp salt

Combine ingredients in your stand mixer until well blended. Add in 1 cup warm water and start to stir. Add in enough extra water to make a smooth dough. Mix with the dough hook for 3 minutes.
Knead dough on a lightly floured board for 5 more minutes.
Form into a ball and let rise in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat the dough, for 1 hour - covered.
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Form into balls and let sit on a lightly floured counter, with a little flour sprinkled on top, for a half hour.
Preheat oven to 425°F with a baking stone in it - 30 minutes before baking.
Aim to bake about 3 at a time if you have a standard rectangular baking stone. Less if yours is smaller.
Roll out the balls of dough to an elongated circle, 6-8 inches.
Bake 6 mins on one side, flip and bake 2 mins on the other.
Stack in tea towels to keep soft until serving.
Store any unused pita in plastic to avoid hardening.

This Pita has been YeastSpotted!

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Pane alle Noci (Walnut Bread!)

You were expecting something sweet? Like banana bread? That would be wonderful too, but today I have a delicious bread that's perfect with cheese, tuna salad, or toasted with peanut butter. And it's high in omega-3s!

About Omega-3s

Mounting scientific evidence suggests that omega-3s lower cholesterol, protect the heart, defend against some cancers and help ease symptoms of inflammatory diseases like arthritis. Getting more omega-3s into the diet of Canadians has become a priority for top nutritionists.

-  WalnutInfo.com

This is the ultimate bread for crostini and goes wonderfully with a cheese platter. Enjoy!

Pane alle Noci - Walnut Bread
adapted from Tessa Kiros Twelve
for I♥CC, Getting a Little Nutty

150 g whole wheat flour
350 g white flour
310 ml tepid water
2 Tbsp olive oil
2¼ tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
½ Tbsp salt

150 g California walnuts, roughly chopped

Place all the ingredients into your stand mixer, except the walnuts, and mix for 3-5 minutes until incorporated and smooth. Add in the walnuts and continue to knead. You will likely have to turn out onto a lightly floured board to knead all the walnuts in.
When you have a nice smooth dough evenly studded with walnuts, form into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat, and let rise, covered, for 1½ hours or until doubled in size.
Divide dough into two even pieces and form into loaves. I like long loaves, but you can do what you like.
Let loaves rise 40-60 minutes, covered, until well puffed and ready to bake.
Preheat oven to 200°C 20 minutes before baking.
Slash and brush with milk (optional) and bake for 25-40 minutes, depending on how you shape your loaves. My long skinny loaves took 25 minutes.
Let cool on racks.

Walnuts are nutritional powerhouses and perfect for your spring cooking repertoire - click here for more great California Walnut recipes!

This bread has been YeastSpotted!

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Dolmades!

I can't roll anything, dolmades, eggrolls, sushi.... without reverting to Kramer -The Dominicans are rolling them too tight! I simply must yell this out a few times whilst I roll. I am hilarious like that. Also repetitive. There is a certain comfort in predictability, I like to think.

And if you can roll one of those things, you can roll any of them. With slight variations. You just need time. The fact that you also need wine, I find, is so obvious that it doesn't need stating.

So if you have the time and inclination to roll up some good food - try your hand at dolmades! I like this style, all lemony and whatnot. Perfect for a little mezze madness. And people will think you are a rock star for rolling your own.

Dolmades
adapted from Tessa Kiros, Food From Many Greek Kitchens
for I♥CC March Mezze Madness

Ingredients
1 jar of grape vine leaves
6 Tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, grated
1 cup medium-grain rice
3 large tomatoes, grated (discard skins)
1 extra tomato for top, grated (discard skin)
½ cup chopped parsley
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp dried mint
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Rinse grape vine leaves.
Heat 5 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion for a few minutes on medium heat. When golden, add rice, stir til coated, and then add tomato, parsley, lemon juice and zest, mint and season well with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Remove lid and let cool a few minutes before handling.
Lay a few ripped grapevine leaves on the bottom of a large, heavy pot.
Lay a vine leaf down on your board, use scissors to remove the stem at the knob where it attaches to the leaf, and place a Tbsp of filling near the base. Form a wine cork shape with it and roll in the leaf, tucking the sides in as you go. Place seam side down in the pot.
Repeat with the rest, making concentric circles nestled in the pot. Make a second layer if necessary.
Cover with last shredded tomato, a few leaves, and an upturned plate that can withstand being simmered. Cover.
Let come to a gentle boil, turn to low, and let simmer gently for one hour.
Remove from heat, remove lid and plate, carefully, and let cool to the touch before removing the dolmades gently. Serve at room temperature.
Great with tzatziki.

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Psari Fournou ala Spetsiota

Okay, are you ready to lighten up a bit? I'm not talking big commitment here, just a few little changes to please the old ticker. (By which I mean your heart - If anything else is ticking: duck and cover.)

This dish is a little lighter by virtue of being baked, features nutritious and low fat fish, and most importantly - is huge on flavour and is really easy to make!

You can get this in the oven in five minutes and spend the rest of the time doing something important. Like walking the dogs, doing hula hoops, or getting caught up on back episodes of Being Human. Hey, those monsters aren't going to watch themselves.

Throw some rice in the old rice cooker, toss a salad, and Bob's your uncle. Or not. My uncle's name was John. Close enough. Let's get cooking!

Psari Fournour ala Spetsiota
Baked Fish with Tomato
adapted from Food from Many Greek Kitchens, Tessa Kiros
for I♥CC, Lighten Up

4 boneless, skinless white fish fillets, such as tilapia
3 Tbsp olive oil
Juice and zest of one lemon
6 Tbsp white wine
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
14-oz can diced tomatoes
¼ cup celery leaves
¼ cup parsley, divided
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil, for serving

Preheat oven to 350°F
Get out a shallow lasagne pan for the fish.
Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Put aside.
Mix lemon juice, zest, white wine, celery leaves, tomatoes, olive oil and half the parsley in a medium bowl.
Pour a couple of Tbsp in the bottom of the pan. Spread out and place the seasoned fillets on it. Top with remaining tomato mixture.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish.
Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve hot. 

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Homemade Raspberry Sauce

Some people like chocolate sauce on their ice cream. My son for instance likes to gild the lily and put chocolate sauce on every ice cream flavour, including chocolate. That's fine, Santa stocked him up with enough chocolate sauce to last him at least til summer.

But me, I like fruit more than chocolate. And I know I'm not alone. I see you out there, dreaming of lemons and limes and berries while the snow piles up on the windowsill. (Hopefully just the outside sill.)

There's not a lot of fruit in Canada in the winter, but there is plenty in my deep-freeze, just waiting to be used. And a bright pink tangy-tart raspberry sauce is just the thing to satisfy my fruity sweet-tooth.

Easy-peasy raspberry sauce that you can make at home. Try it on ice cream or stirred into plain yogurt. Delicious!

Homemade Raspberry Sauce
adapted from Apples for Jam, Tessa Kiros
for I♥CookingClubs In the Pink!

2½ Tbsp sugar
Juice of 1 lime
½ cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

Heat up sugar, lime juice, and water in a small/medium pot. Let cook a few minutes (5-10) until reduced by half. Add in raspberries and cook another 2 minutes or so, until they are broken down somewhat in the sauce and heated through.
Whiz the sauce up in the blender until smooth and then strain in a fine mesh strainer to get the seeds out.
Serve on ice cream or yogurt.

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Chicken Curry with Pineapple, Coconut, and Cashews

Is there anything more comforting than chicken curry? This one is filled with warming spices which I have complemented with sweet/tart pineapple and lime juice.

Although my little patch of Canada seems to be having a rather warm winter so far (I just know we'll pay for this in March), it is still lovely to come home to the glorious scent of Indian spices - the ultimate in comfort food.

Chicken Curry with Pineapple, Coconut, and Cashews
adapted from Falling Cloudberries, Tessa Kiros
for I♥CC, February Potluck

1 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cardamom
6 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 heaped Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp chile flakes

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 large onions, roughly chopped
8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and quartered lengthways - sliced thick
1 14 oz can coconut milk
½ cup dried, unsweetened coconut flakes
½ cup roasted, unsalted cashews
Juice of ½ lime, plus wedges for serving

Toast all the spices together in a large non-stick pan for a minute or two until fragrant.
Empty out onto a small plate.
In the hot pan: add oil. When oil is heated up, add onions and cook for a couple of minutes, until starting to soften. Add chicken in one layer and allow both sides to sear for a couple of minutes.
Add in garlic and spices, stirring to coat.
Add in pineapple, coconut milk and coconut flakes. Stir and reduce heat to a bare simmer.
Cook, covered, for half an hour.
Uncover and cook for another half an hour. Stir occasionally.
In the last 10 minutes, add in roasted cashews.
Finish with lime juice, adjust seasonings to taste, and serve on basmati rice with lime wedges.

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Spicy Chickpea Salad

This is a highly flavourful salad, made spicy with the addition of two chillies, that would make a great side for a Greek-style pita or souvlaki dinner.

The salad marinates for a little while before serving, bringing out the tart/salty/spicy/herbal flavours.

Leftovers make for great lunchbox fare.

You know, if you have any leftovers. ☺

Spicy Chickpea Salad
adapted from Falling Cloudberries, Tessa Kiros
for I♥CookingClubs, Some Like it Hot

One 14 or 19 oz can chickpeas, or equivalent amount of soaked and cooked chickpeas
½ - 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 red chillies, fresh or dry, chopped fine
1 2/3 cups feta cheese, crumbled
4 scallions, green parts only, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 lemon

Rinse chickpeas, drain, and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a pan and fry the red onion gently on medium heat until softened and golden. Add the garlic and chillies and sauté one more minute. Remove pan from heat and let cool.
To your chickpeas - add in the feta, scallions, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, parsley and lemon juice.
Add in cooked onion mixture and toss. Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Let sit at room temperature at least an hour before eating.

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