Showing posts with label pie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pie. Show all posts

1.18.2016

ideas and inspiration: brunch is the new black!

{ how to plan a brunch party }


Looking for a refreshing party theme? One that is unconventional without being too over-the-top? Fit for all sorts of parties, guests and venues? Easy to pull off, though exceeding expectations? One that requires low-key hosting and yet sets an upbeat mood? Throw a brunch!
You will find precisely null reasons brunches should be saved for baby showers or limited to sleepy hungover chatting with the girls. I like brunches so badly that I'll sleep in on the weekends just to merge breakfast and lunch together. So badly, that I decided to throw one for my birthday. Booze included - of course!

6.07.2015

tarte aux framboises

{ french raspberry tart }


When I was a toddler, and until I started elementary school, my then only brother and me had a very sweet french lady taking care of us and helping around the house. I have to admit that, besides her tanned face and her kind smile, which she managed to pull even when we young brothers had our share of fun plotting against her, I can't quite recall these days. They say we start collecting memories around that age, right? Well, I was a bit too young back then to remember everything clearly.

5.12.2015

my blueberry nights

{ american-style blueberry pie }


i think i am in love.

i am in love with my new - still in the making - flat.
and with the blueberry pie that came with it.
enjoy ;)

3.29.2015

drops of jupiter handpies.

{ apple caramel handpies }


do you still remember my pie baking frenzy for this party i threw over last december? i think i baked around six or seven different kinds of savoury and sweet handpies! after having tried at least a bite of each different sort of them, these were definitely my favourite ones - and mostly the favourites of everyone else who was lucky enough to choose them first over the rest of the desserts before they were all gone in less than three minutes.

if you make these, make sure you have some friends around, because you may be tempted to eat them all on your own. in a matter of hours. you were warned...

3.21.2015

happy third!

{ snickers 'klimt' pie }



Cheers! So it's been three years since I finally decided this thing was for real, threw all my fears and doubts out of the window, ignored all the discouraging voices around me and started working my ass off on improving. Not that it was that hard - there's nothing I'll take more gladly than a good challenge and holding an adventurous journey against all odds definitely thrills me.

I am absolutely amazed at how I have managed to hold on to this page, which feels, in a way, as much of a home as every other place I could once call mine. I have a clue, though, about how I was able to do it. I have to thank it all to my family, especially my brothers, to all of you who visit this page and keep on spoiling me with sweet comments, but, on top of all, to all the amazing people I have met along this 'between kitchens' journey - and that I am now lucky to call friends. To all my awesome friends around the world, to my family and to my followers, I here state my most deep gratitude. None of this would have been possible without each one of you! 


Not all that is gold glitters, or do you? ;)

3.16.2015

meet NOT your average bread

{ apple pie brioche }


I'm not superstitious when it comes to it, but this last Friday the 13th was exhausting. I don't know if it was because I woke up feeling suddenly ill, with a dull headache and a faint voice, or because I have slept an average of four hours a day, or even because my plans for the day got all mixed up, but by the time I got back home I was not feeling well at all. On top of all, and even though I undoubtedly urged for some sleep, I didn't feel like taking that mood to bed with me. Lucky me to know someone who knew how to fetch the sun for me in a rainy day. And even make me laugh. Out loud! :)

Feeling slightly better - and after being literally advised to go bake something - I ended up in the kitchen at midnight, preparing a dough starter (meaning no sleep till two). Oh, the magic power of leavening yeast... what a happy and relaxing scent it has. I knew exactly what I wanted to make. I had just finished all the homemade brioche I had sliced up and kept in the freezer, a french friend had just bragged about her own homemade ones the day before, and - oh, well - I had also been asked to make one. And I can't resist it when people like (and ask for!) my food. I ended up singing along and dancing to 90s songs, laughing in the kitchen, putting all my remaining strenght into blending those damn chunks of butter into a delicious dough.

And the next morning...
... oh well, you already know the story ;)

1.04.2015

do you wanna?

{ cherry pie bars }


dreams. creativity. inspiration. originality. authenticity.
passion. love. freedom. breaking the rules. depth. intuition. quick-witt.
i crave all of the above... and some more.

11.17.2014

the secret ingredient.

{ apple pie - guest post }


i'm so happy to bring this guest post to you today! 


7.02.2014

rouge cerise.

{ sweet cherry pie }

Blog recipes are not always planned.
(btw, blog texts are barely never planned around here, and as you can see, sometimes it can go a bit wild, as this one quite turned into an essay!)

I mean... sometimes it can be as spontaneous as 'oh, I've just made this, and it actually looks pretty cool. I should go grab my iPhone'. Sometimes this happens while I'm sitting at the table with eager guests.

And here's where an interesting thing that may intrigue many people comes about: often, people waiting on the table get a bit upset while waiting for the pictures to be taken. That is a big reason why I will post dessert, or anything that's not to be immediately served, over main courses, even though my preferences used to be otherwise (guess what, desserts are really growing on me over time!). For older people who don't use the web, me shooting the table over Christmas may even come out as a bit odd, I suppose.

As time went by, however, most of my friends got used to the fact that 'she has a cooking blog' and an unspoken agreement was established on if they are willing to eat it, they should sometimes (It's not like I'm posting every single thing I make) be willing to be a bit patient while not teasing me about it. Nowadays, I get a bit proud out of the fact that I am less teased and less conscientious about taking the damn pictures - is my 'cooking blog thing' getting a bit more acknowledged? :) I know I'm no pro cook and I'm not here to lecture you on what is right or wrong in the kitchen, but I do have a cooking blog and it makes me really happy to share recipes.

Back to the spontaneity, there's times when I've been dreaming about whipping the thing up for ages, whereas quite often the idea just crosses my mind the minute I step into the kitchen, or even whilst cooking. It's actually not uncommon for me to plan on doing something and then just decide otherwise - last minute.

That was what happened today. As I invited Catarina for lunch, my first thought was: 'let's do something wrapped in pastry crust! Like... salmon and spinach... or maybe salmon and mushrooms... what about beef wellington (and here I hit one of my ever growing 'to-do recipe list' items)... yeah, that's it and it's gonna be awesome!...' (then back in the supermarket) 'Oh wait, they have not a single good cut of beef here... What about chicken, stuffed with this duxelles thing you wrap the beef in?' (as strolling down the aisle) 'Oh, but I really feel like pastry crust... I've got to make a pie! Yeah, that cherry pie I was dreaming about yesterday (hitting another item again) sounds great. Well then, chicken and cherry it is!'

(this is what happens when you don't let it cool! We were a bit in a rush but you should wait for it ;) ) 


Sweet Cherry Pie
(para um mini pyrex e 2-3 pessoas)
- 400g de cerejas escuras doces descaroçadas
- 1 massa folhada de compra rectangular
- 1/2 chávena de açúcar
- 2 colheres de sopa de maizena
- 15g de manteiga em lascas
- 1 colher de sopa de vinho branco

1) Misturar bem as cerejas com o açúcar, a maizena, a manteiga e o vinho branco; deixar repousar um pouco,
2) Entretanto, cortar a massa em duas partes; forrar um mini pyrex com uma delas e fazer alguns furos/desenhos (para o vapor) no topo da outra metade,
3) Deitar a mistura de cerejas dentro do pyrex, cobrir com a segunda metade, remover o excesso de massa e dobrar os lados da massa de baixo por cima da do topo, pressionando ligeiramente,
4) Levar ao forno pré-aquecido a 200ºC, no tabuleiro de baixo, durante cerca de 30 min, ou até estar dourada,
5) Deixar arrefecer antes de servir.

Sweet Cherry Pie
(for a mini pyrex and 2-3 people)
- 400g dark sweet cherries
- 1 rectangular pastry crust package
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 15g butter shavings
- 1 tbsp white wine

1) Mix well cherries, sugar, corn starch and wine; let sit for a while,
2) Meanwhile, cut the pastry in two pieces; place the first inside the mini pyrex, sides up, and make cuts on the other (for the steam),
3) Pour the cherries inside the pyrex, cover with the second layer of pastry, remove any excess and fold the sides of the bottom layer over the second layer, pressing them together,
4) Bake at 200ºC on the bottom rack for about 30 minutes or until golden,
5) Let it cool before serving.

9.29.2013

Pizza pies

{ pepper, cheese and herbs tarteletes }

Still not in a German kitchen, but closer! These are the best salty pies I have ever tasted. Still Popina inspired and still fail-proof ;) You must try these, they combine pizza crust and hot creamy filling. I'll give you some advice: double the recipe - at least!


Tarteletes de Pimento, Queijo da Ilha e Ervas Aromáticas
Ingredientes:
Massa da Base:
- 220g de farinha
- 1 colher de chá de fermento seco
- 1/3 de colher de chá de sal
- 2 colheres de sopa de azeite
- 1 ovo
- 80ml de água quente
Recheio:
- 1 pimento vermelho, sem sementes e cortado em tiras finas
- 1 pimento verde, sem sementes e cortado em tiras finas
- 1 cebola, cortada em gomos finos
- 2 colheres de sopa de azeite
- ½ colher de chá de sal
- pimenta preta
- moinho de sal e alecrim e limão
- 1 colher de café de massa de alho,
- um pé de salsa, picado,
- 100g de queijo da ilha ralado

- um iogurte grego

Preparação:
1) Misturar a farinha, o fermento e o sal numa tigela,
2) Formar um buraco no centro e deitar o ovo, o óleo e a água,
3) Amassar à mão até obter uma massa macia,
4) Deitar numa superfície polvilhada com farinha e trabalhar com as mãos durante alguns minutos, a massa deve continuar mole mas não pegajosa,
5) Dividir em 6 a 8 pedaços e estender cada um com o rolo da massa,
6) Forrar formas de tartelete com a massa, reservar,
7) Aquecer o forno a 190ºC,
8) Misturar os pimentos e a cebola com azeite, sal e pimenta e levar a assar coberto com uma folha de alumínio durante 20 minutos, escorrer e reservar,
9) Juntar o alho, as ervas e metade do queijo ralado aos pimentos, mexendo sempre, reservar,
10) Misturar o iogurte e quase todo o restante queijo e espalhe no fundo das tarteletes,
11) Espalhar os pimentos no interior das tartes e polvilhar com o restante queijo,
12) Levar ao forno a 170ªC durante 25 minutos.

Pepper, Cheese and Herbs Tarteletes
Ingredients:
Pizza crust:
- 220g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 egg
- 80ml warm water
Filling:
- 1 red pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced
- 1 green pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- black pepper
- salt, thyme and lemon lidl spices
- ½ tsp garlic paste
- parsley, chopped
- 100g strong flavoured cheese

- 1 greek yogurt

Preparation:
1) Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl,
2) Make a hole in the middle and pour the egg, the oil and the water,
3) Knead until obtaining a soft dough,
4) Work with the hands over a slightly flour-dusted surface, the batter must remain soft but not sticky,
5) Divide in 6 or 8 parts and roll to thin circles,
6) Put each circle inside a tartelete mould, put aside,
7) Heat oven to 190ºC,
8) Mix peppers and onion with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes, covered. Drain and put aside,
9) Add garlic, herbs and half the cheese to the peppers, mix well,
10) Mix yogurt and almost all remaining cheese and put a spoon inside each tartelete,
11) Spoon the pepper mixture over and sprinkle some cheese on the top,
12) Place in the oven at 170ºC for 25 minutes.

9.27.2013

Schokoladen!

{ chocolate pie with pear and hazelnut }

Sexta e sábado foram realmente produtivos na cozinha, por isso continuo a saga do churrasco no fim-de-semana com uma receita doce!
Esta é mais uma receita feita com chocolate Pantagruel, neste caso o de 70% de cacau, que como disse há uns dias, é o meu chocolate preferido para cozinhar e também para petiscar ;).



Tarte de Chocolate, Pêra e Avelãs
Ingredientes:
Massa da Base:
- 225g de farinha
- 25g de cacau em pó
- 125g de manteiga fria aos cubos
- 75 de açúcar amarelo refinado
- 1 ovo
Massa do recheio:
- 45g de manteiga à temperatura ambiente
- 90g de açúcar amarelo refinado
- 1 ovo
- 1 + ½ colher de chá de fermento
- 90 de farinha
- 200g de chocolate Pantagruel 70%
- 175ml de natas
- 40g de avelãs picadas grosseiramente
Coberturas:
- 20g de avelãs, picadas grosseiramente

- 1 pêra

Preparação:
1) Picar todos os ingredientes da base, excepto o ovo, num robô de cozinha, até obter migalhas,
2) Juntar o ovo e mistura novamente, até obter uma massa,
3) Retirar e formar uma bola,
4) Estender com um rolo da massa numa superfície enfarinhada e cobrir uma tarteira pequena de fundo amovível, reservar no frigorífico,
5) Levar as natas ao lume até levantar fervura,
6) Deitar sobre o chocolate partido em pequenos pedaços e mexer até estar bem dissolvido,
7) Incorporar as avelãs,
8) Para o recheio, misturar a manteiga e o açúcar com uma batedeira até obter uma mistura homogénea,
9) Adicionar o ovo e o fermento com o batedor de varas,
10) Envolver a farinha delicadamente com a mão,
11) Envolver o chocolate derretido na massa delicadamente,
12) Retirar a base do frigorífico e deitar o recheio no interior,
13) Cortar a pêra em 12 fatias e dispor sobre a tarte em círculo,
14) Polvilhar com as avelãs e levar ao forno a 170ºC durante cerca de 25 minutos.