www.valle-maggia.ch / www.multilingual.ch

Spice teas and herbal infusions

Hot ginger tea

The ideal drink on a cold winter's day: just the thing to ward off that seasonal sore throat.

Ingredients (serves 2 persons)

• 2-4 teaspoons soft brown sugar (alternatively, honey or maple sirup if you prefer)
• 8 slices of fresh ginger root
• 2 mugfuls of water

Preparation

1. Peel the skin off a 2-cm-long piece of fresh ginger root.
2. Cut 8 thin slices.
3. Pour the water in a small saucepan and add the sugar.
4. Bring to the boil, cover and leave to simmer for approx. 5 minutes.
5. Leave to settle, covered, for approx. 10 minutes.
6. Pour into mugs through a strainer and discard the slices of ginger.

Back to top of page

Rosemary infusion

This stimulating infusion helps alleviate headaches and migraines (length of treatment: 2-3 days).

Ingredients

• 20 g rosemary (leaves)
• 5 g thyme (flowers and leaves)
• 5 g mint (leaves)
• ˝ l water

Preparation

1. Boil the mixture for 10 minutes.
2. Filter and leave to cool.
3. Drink one cupful or more between meals.

Back to top of page

Winter spice tea

Spice up your life with this aromatic winter tea.

Ingredients (serves 3 persons)

• 2 ˝ cm cinnamon stick (chopped into tiny pieces)
• 4 pods cardamom (small variety)
• ˝ level teaspoon galanga (dried cubes) (or 1 level teaspoon dried cubes of ginger )
• 4 cloves
• 1 heaped teaspoon dark brown candy sugar
• 1 l water (just before boiling point)

Preparation

1. Put the spices in a teapot and pour over the almost boiling water.
2. Leave to steep for about 5 minutes then begin to pour, using a strainer.

Back to top of page

Breads

Wholemeal potato and nut bread

(makes enough for 2 people for 1 week)

Ingredients

Preparation

1.    Bring all ingredients to room temperature.

2.    Place the grains in a mill or coffee grinder and grind to flour.
NOTE: Do not prepare the flour too long in advance, as this impairs its nutritional value.
If necessary, use a sieve to remove the large pieces, which are to be ground again.

3.    In a large plastic or wooden bowl, mix together the eggs, honey, olive oil and salt.

4.    Break the nuts down by hand (for example, place them in a plastic bag and strike them with a rolling pin) and not using a blender, or else they will become too powdery.

5.    Gradually add the flour, yeast and nuts to the mixture above, mixing slightly.

6.    Peel the potatoes and grate them finely – doing so at the very last moment, or else they will turn brown – on top of the mixture.

7.    Gradually add the milk until you reach the right consistency.
NOTE: Too much liquid will make the bread rolls flatten out during cooking.

8.    Knead the mixture for 10 minutes or so, adding liquid as necessary.

9.    Divide the mixture into small balls 7-10 cm in diameter and place on a greased oven tray sprinkled with flour. You may also roll the balls into rolls.

10.    Take each bread roll off the oven tray, roll it in oats and return it to the tray.

11.    Leave the rolls to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place without draughts.

12.    Place in a pre-heated oven and cook for half an hour at 230°C.

13.    Store the cooked bread in a paper bag and eat within a week.

Variation without nuts: Use less liquid, or else the bread will flatten out during cooking.

Bon appétit!

Back to top of page

Curries

Indian curry (courtesy of Raj Pangrekar)

Recipe from the good old days living on Surrey University campus, Guildford

Ingredients (serves 4-5)

• Basmati rice
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 big onion
• 2 lbs?? of meat
• 1 small natural yoghurt (room temperature)
• Salt
• Turmeric powder
• Ground ginger
• Corriander powder
• Cumin powder
• Chlli powder
• Garam masala
• 3-4 fresh tomatoes
• Vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Measure out the rice (roughly half a cupful per person).
   Wash the rice under running water.
   Place the rice in a saucepan along with 1.5 times its volume of water and leave to soak for about an hour prior to cooking.
2. Dice the meat roughly into 2x2-cm cubes.
   Wash the meat thoroughly under warm water and drain.
   Place in a bowl and season with 1 teaspoonful each of salt and turmeric and mix in thoroughly.
3. Chop the onion and garlic finely (for better results, grind them to a paste).
   Finely chop the tomatoes and keep them separate.
4. Mix the spices together in the following quantities:
   
   ˝ teaspoonful ground ginger
   ˝ teaspoonful turmeric powder
   1 teaspoonful chilli powder
   1 teaspoonful cumin powder
   2 teaspoonfuls garam masala
   3 teaspoonfuls corriander powder

Cooking the rice

1. Place the rice on a high heat. When the water begins to boil, turn down to a low heat so that it merely simmers and cover the pan.
2. Cook gently on a low heat until no water remains and the rice begins to stick to the bottom.
3. Remove from the heat and stir with a skewer or the handle of a spoon to air the rice, then cover and leave to rest.

Cooking the meat

1. Pour ˝ a teacupful of oil in a saucepan on gas mark 5.
2. When the oil is reasonably warm, add the onion and garlic.
   Fry until brownish, stirring frequently.
3. Turn the heat down to gas mark 2 and add the spices.
   Fry the spices for 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring, ensuring that you do not overfry them.
4. Add the tomatoes, give a good stir and let them simmer for 5 minutes with the occasional stir.
5. Add the natural yoghurt (at room temperature) very slowly, one drop at the time, so that it does not curdle.
6. Turn the heat up to gas mark 5 and add the meat.
   Fry the meat for 5-6 minutes, constantly stirring.
   Add warm water as desired and let it cook for 5 minutes with the occasional stir.
   Turn the heat down, cover the pan and let it simmer gently for 25-30 minutes with a stire every 5 minutes or so.
7. Turn the heat off and lett the meat settle for 5 minutes.
   
   The curry is ready to serve.

Back to top of page

Red or green Thai curry

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 Tsp red or green Thai curry paste (use more for hotter curry; Mae Ploy brand is said to be good)
2 Tsp vegetable oil
300 g boneless chicken meat, cut into 12-mm pieces OR shrimps, squid and other seafood
˝ can unsweetened coconut milk
˝-1 can water or chicken broth
˝ jar baby corns
˝ can straw mushrooms (or fresh mushrooms of your choice)
˝ can sliced bamboo shoots
5 kaffir lime leaves (dried are fine, available at Asian markets: they look like dried, curled-up leaves)
˝ tsp salt (more or less to taste)
Thai Jasmine rice

TIP: For meat, use green Thai curry paste; for fish, use red Thai curry paste.

If green curry, 10 fresh basil leaves;
If red curry, ˝ red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips.

NOTE: You can add other ingredients: holy basil, fish sauce, chopped hot Thai chillies, lemon grass, galanga, shrimp paste, green beans and broccoli cut into small pieces (add the broccoli towards the end so as to avoid damaging it through stirring).

(Tsp=tablespoon, tsp=teaspoon, can=large can)

Cooking the rice

1. Measure out the rice (roughly half a cupful per person).
2. Wash the rice under running water.
3. Place the rice in a saucepan along with 1.5 times its volume of water and leave to soak for about an hour prior to cooking.
4. Place the rice on a high heat. When the water begins to boil, turn down to a low heat so that it merely simmers and cover the pan.
5. Cook gently on a low heat until no water remains and the rice begins to stick to the bottom.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and stir with a skewer or the handle of a spoon to air the rice, then cover and leave to rest.

Cooking the meat/fish

1. Fry the curry paste in the oil in a saucepan until fragrant.
2. Add the chicken (or fish) and sauté for about 1 minute over medium-high heat.
3. Add the remaining ingredients except the basil leaves or the red bell pepper. Bring just barely to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
4. Just before serving, stir in the basil leaves or the red bell pepper.
5. Serve with cooked Thai Jasmine rice.

Back to top of page

Soups

Cardo

Angelo's home recipe from Cucciano, Benevento (near Naples).

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 chicken breasts
• Water (about 2 liters)
• 1.5 kg cardo (looks like celery)
• 2 carrots
• 1 big bunch of parseley, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 30-40 g parmigiano reggiano, grated
• 300 g minced meat

Utensils

• 2 large saucepans

Preparation

1. Place the washed chicken breasts in a large pan of cold water, switch to maximum heat and cook for 1 hour.
2. Peel the cardo, removing the strings, remove bottom and top, wash and chop into 2 cm pieces.
3. Once the water has been boiling for a while, a froth will form on the surface. Remove the froth from time to time with a large spoon.
4. Place the cardo in a large saucepan containing boiling water to cover the cardo and cook for about 45 minutes.
5. Peel the carrots and chop the parseley.
6. Break the eggs, pouring the egg yolk and white into a bowl, and beat with a fork.
7. Grate the Parmesan cheese and mix in with the eggs. Then add the minced meat and mix well. Make small nut-sized balls rolling them between the palms of your hands.
8. When cooked, remove the chicken from the broth. Strain the cardo and add it to the chicken broth.
9. Cut the chicken into small-medium-sized pieces. Throw the meat balls into the boiling broth. Cut the carrots into four pieces lengthwise and then halve and add to the broth along with the chicken. Cook the meat balls for 10 minutes.

Back to top of page

Preserves

Aubergines in oil

Angelo's home recipe from Cucciano, Benevento (near Naples).

Ingredients (makes approx. 4 half-liter jars)

• 8 kg aubergines
• 1 kg salt
• Juice of 8 lemons
• 1 liter white vinegar
• 2.5 liters water
• 6-8 cloves of garlic
• Dried oregano
• Olive oil
• Mint leaves (fresh or dried)
• Chilli peppers (if desired)

Utensils

• Large flat tray
• Wide flat plate (or a wooden board covered with a plastic bag)
• Large bowl or bucket (if you are working indoors)
• Large saucepan
• Large glass bowl
• Sieve
• Teacloths
• 4 glass jars

Preparation

Technique 1

1. Peel the aubergines and cut them into thin (3 mm) slices lengthwise.
2. Lay the slices next to one another on a large flat tray on a table to form the first layer. Sprinkle salt over the first layer and squeeze lemon juice over it (this will prevent the aubergines from turning brown). Proceed with the second layer, laying the slices at 90 degrees to the first layer. Continue, sprinkling salt over each layer, until you have laid all the aubergine slices on the tray.
3. At the end you will have roughly 20 layers (measuring about 12 cm in height). Cover the layered aubergines with a wide flat plate or a wooden board big enough to cover the pile. To protect the wooden board from the juices, you may place it inside a plastic bag. On the plate or wooden board, place a large saucepan filled with water to weigh down the slices.
4. The water inside the aubergines will gradually be drawn out by the salt and the weight of the saucepan and will drip down onto the tray. A substantial amount of water will come out of the aubergines, so it is best to catch it in a bowl or a bucket. Place the tray at the edge of the table and tilt either the tray or the table so that you catch all the drops in the bowl, which you must place under the table and empty from time to time. Leave the aubergines to drain overnight.

Technique 2

1. Peel the aubergines and cut them into thin strips (3-5 mm thick, 5-6 cm long) lengthwise. If the aubergines are long, cut in half widthwise first.
2. Place the strips in a large glass bowl and sprinkle with a fistful of salt and squeeze a couple of lemons over them (the lemon juice will prevent the aubergines from turning brown). Mix well.
3. Place a weight (e.g. a flat plate with a bowl of water on top) on top of the aubergine strips to draw out the water.
4. Leave the aubergines to soak in the juice overnight.

In the morning (for both techniques)

1. Bring to the boil 1 liter of white vinegar  and 2.5 liters of water. Taste to make sure that the quantities are as desired. The more vinegar you add, the harder the aubergines will become.
2. When the water is boiling, add the aubergines (without the water that has drained off). Press them down well in the boiling water so they are fully immersed and cook until the water begins to boil again, creating a froth. Taste to check whether they are "al dente".
3. Remove from the water using tongs and drain well using a large glass bowl and a sieve.
4. Lay the aubergines out on a tea towel folded double, spreading them out well.
5. Leave them to dry on the towel for ˝-1 hour.

Seasoning

1. Place the dried aubergine slices/strips in a large bowl.
2. Add two handfuls of oregano and some olive oil.
3. Cut the garlic into small cubes and add to the mixture.
4. Add salt, mint leaves and chilli peppers to taste and mix well.

Filling the jars

1. Fill the jars, adding two spoonfuls of aubergines and a layer of oil, alternating.
2. After each layer, press down the aubergines to ensure that no air bubbles remain trapped.
3. The top layer must be covered with oil so that the aubergines are fully immersed.
4. Conserve the jars in a coll dark place.

Back to top of page

Courgettes in oil

Angelo's home recipe from Cucciano, Benevento (near Naples). Best made on a hot summer's day.

Preparation

1. Cut the courgettes into two lengthwise and then into slices. If the courgettes are very narrow, you may cut them into round slices.
2. Lay them on tea towels and put them out to dry in the shade all day and overnight. Do non place in direct sunlight. For cooking, seasoning and placing in jars, proceed as above (see Aubergines in oil).

Back to top of page

Dairy products

Home-made yoghurt

Ingredients (makes approx. 1 liter)

• 1 litre of fresh full-fat pasteurized milk (PAST) or UHT milk (which is treated at ultra-high temperatures); For a creamier yoghurt, choose milk with 3.5% fat.
  
• Half a small container of full-fat (not "light") natural yoghurt of your choice with no added flavouring (personally, I prefer Nestlé's LC1 natural yoghurt); The later the sell-by date (i.e. the fresher the yoghurt), the better;
  
  NOTE: You could use yoghurt from a previous production of yours instead, providing it is not more than about 7 days old, but only do this up to 3-4 times as the taste will change over time.

Utensils

NOTE: All utensils must be very clean and free from bacteria that will hinder the fermentation process

• Saucepan (volume > 1 liter, allow room for milk to rise a little) and cover
• Closeable glass containers, possibly large (total volume: > 1 liter)

Preparation with PAST milk (without a yoghurt maker)

1. Heat the milk until it is just about to rise (careful not to let it boil over).
2. Leave it to cool (half covered) until you are able to hold a finger in it for 11 seconds (approx 45 degrees).
3. While the milk is cooling, heat the oven to 40°C then switch it off. If possible, place a kitchen thermometer inside the oven to ensure that the necessary temperature is maintained for at least the first hour or so.
4. When the milk is ready, add the yoghurt and stir in slowly. Cover the pan and leave in the oven at around 37-40°C for 3 to 12 hours (the longer you leave it, the more acid the taste). Alternatively, if you don't have an oven, cover the pan, place it near a heater and wrap it in a warm blanket or similar to prevent it from receiving any draughts.
5. After 3-12 hours, transfer the yoghurt to the glass containers, close the containers and place them in the fridge. The yoghurt may be kept for up to about 7 days.
6. A starter for a future production is best kept in a sealed glass container stored in a cool place and used within 3 days. When the taste of the yoghurt made with your starter is no longer good, use a bought yoghurt instead as your starter.
7. Home-made yoghurt made in this way will taste different from the starter that you used in that it will have a richer taste.

Preparation with UHT milk (without a yoghurt maker)

1. Heat the milk to approx 45 degrees and continue from point 3 above.

Easiest way:  with a yoghurt maker

By far the easiest way to make yoghurt is the following:

1. Pour 1 litre of UHT milk at room temperature (if at fridge temperature, calculate an extra 30 minutes to 1 hour) into a yoghurt maker (=> a special thermos available from Italian chemists for as little as around 20 Swiss francs)
   
2. Add the starter bacteria (from a sachet also available at Italian chemists; a box of several sachets costs around EUR 5) OR half a small container of natural yoghurt without any flavouring
   
3. Connect a timer between the mains socket and the yoghurt maker plug, set the timer to 5 hours. Leave the yoghurt in the container an extra hour (so: overall total of 6 hours), and the result is perfect. The longer you leave the yoghurt in the thermos, the more acidic the taste of the yoghurt will be.
   
4. Store in the fridge. Will keep for about 1 week.
   

In Switzerland you can find a yoghurt maker with individual jars, but it costs more, takes up more room, and, in my opinion, is less practical. Also, the starter bacteria are much cheaper in Italy.

Back to top of page

Sweets

Sesame halva

(adapted by Tanya Harvey Ciampi)

Ingredients

750 g sesame seeds (white (peeled); better than brown (unpeeled) seeds, which are more bitter)
10 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (or 15-20 for a tangier flavour)
500 g acacia honey (acacia has a neutral flavour unlike other honeys)
3 vanilla pods
Oil (sunflower or peanut oil, for example) (very little: for lightly greasing baking tray)

Utensils

Herb blender
Large saucepan
Square baking tray
Wooden spoon/spatula for stirring
Metal pallet knife for cutting halva0 into squares and moving them
Freezing boxes if applicable

Preparation

1.    Roast the sesame seeds for about 5 minutes on a medium heat without any oil (roast a small quantity of seeds at the time so as not to burn them), constantly tossing the pan to prevent them from burning, until they take on a golden colour and give off a nutty aroma. Leave to cool.
2.    Blend the the sesame seeds in a herb blender until fine (1 ladleful at the time).
3.    Add the lemon juice.
4.    Slit open the vanilla pods and remove the seeds. Place the vanilla seeds in a large saucepan along with the honey. Heat gently and stir together well.
5.    Add the sesame mixture and cook on a medium heat (4-5), stirring continuously to prevent it from sticking to the pan, until dense and chewy.
6.    Grease a flat baking tray (approximately 35x35cm or a little larger) lightly with a very small amount of oil. Poor the sesame mixture onto the tray and smooth with the back of a tablespoon. Place in the fridge to cool for about 1 hour (after which it will be easier to cut into pieces). When cool, cut into small squares.

TIP: Alternatively, you could replace some or all of the sesame seeds with tahini paste (ready made sesame paste), which you can find in oriental shops.

The halva will keep in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for longer. If freezing it, you can place oven paper between the slices to help separate them later.

Back to top of page

Hair care products

Linseed hair conditioner / hair gel / face mask

For soft hair without split ends

Ingredients

Utensils

Preparation

Use

Back to top of page

Check back from time to time for more recipes!

Print this page