Light Meals and Weekend Treats from an English Woman in Berlin
I don’t actually need an excuse for an Aperitif but I always find that the summer months are the perfect opportunity to do so. I love nothing more than on a warm evening to put together a few little snacks, like these Mozzarella, Olive and Tomato Crostini and to serve with an ice-cold Aperol Spritz. I always think that we don’t do the Aperitif as often as we should, and I think that is largely down to just having the time to do so….
Some days all you need is a bowl of pasta. I feel a little sorry for pasta these days. The ‘clean eating’ crowd have made it almost a sin to enjoy this much loved easy and simple ingredient. These guys have more or less put pasta under the same category of bad foods as frozen ready-meals. But pasta has been serving the Italians, and Mediterranean diets, perfectly well for a very long time. For me this is a key ingredient, it crops up on my meal plan once, or twice, a week as it is so versatile and is perfect for a quick yet delicious meal. This Pappardelle with Pork and Sage Meatballs…
Who doesn’t love Italian food? It is simple and versatile while relying on the use of good quality ingredients. Tomatoes are fresh, garlic is compulsory and there is no fear in adding glugs of good olive oil to the pan! And Berlin is in no short supply of Italian food. Delicatessens such as Salumeria da Pino offer a selection of fresh pastas, olives, wine and cheese for those wanting to pick up quality ingredients to take home. A favourite place of mine to eat out in Berlin is Donath’s on Schwedter Straße. A laid-back restaurant with the varied menu written on the wall: they serve up pasta dishes, good quality fish and a selection of delicious cheeses….
Ah, tomato bread salad! A classic Tuscan favourite of mine. This recipe has popped up again this weekend thanks to the fabulous summer sunshine! Whether you are having a BBQ, chilled out dinner in the garden with friends or a quick dinner on the balcony before heading out for an aperolspritz, this is the perfect dinner! It is also a good side dish which is perfect for this BBQ weather at the moment!…
When you think of meat in Florence you typically think of beef thanks to the hugely popular dish Bistecca alla Fiorentina. But on my recent visit to Florence I came across plenty of other cuts of meats at the local food markets and this was then shown on the restaurant menus. …
I was in Florence last week. Beautiful city! And the food and wine are especially good to enjoy! One thing I did notice was that bread is served with more or less every meal course and a lot of Italians were using the bread to soak up any leftover pasta sauce or juices from their plate. Piles of bread and plenty of olive oil are probably my downfall! I just can’t help but to dig in for more.
I do try and keep my bread down to a minimum but sometimes you just need that bread on the side. I stick to bread when I am serving a soup or a simple salad in order to avoid too many carbs!…
Happy Friday! Kick start the weekend with this fish recipe. Easy to make and light to eat – what 
better way to end the working week?
I baked the salmon with cherry tomatoes and olives. But what really makes this dish is my italian style tartar sauce. I love fish with this creamy sauce and it only made sense to give this Italian style dish that extra kick. Basically if the Italians did fish and chips then this would be it!
…
