WINTER IS COMING / FESTIVE FARRO SALAD WITH ROASTED PUMPKIN, DRIED CRANBERRIES AND RAS-EL-HANOUT VINAIGRETTE - SALADE FESTIVE AU PETIT ÉPAUTRE, À LA COURGE, AUX CANNEBERGES SÉCHÉES ET AU RAS-EL-HANOUT

A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things.
- George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

So the winter comes
where we belong
I feel the cold
within my heart
I see the night
deep in your eyes
the winter comes at last...
- Covenant, Winter Comes

As Winterfell characters often remark in Game of Thrones: "winter is coming".

Winter is nearing and there is absolutely no doubt about that. You can feel it in your lungs with every breath you take, smell it in the air, taste its watery sapidity, hear its broisterous complaint and deadly silence, and witness it through your eyes focused on barren landscapes and white mountain tops. Everywhere there are signs of the impending bitter season and whether you want it or not, it is only the beginning. So if you are wise enough, you'd better get your duvet jackets, wolly hats, fleece scarves and leather gloves out of the wardrobe or you'll end up frozen like an icicle...

Let us love the winter for it is the spring of geniuses.
- Pietro Aretino

December is an old friend; it reminds you of the past, together you share some laughs and tears, you feel warm-hearted though it’s freezing outside
- Mohamed Atef

Most people fear and loathe this gloomy and glacial period of the year, but not me. Wintry weather makes me gleeful and dissemilarly to a majority of the population, I never get a bad case of the blues once the trees are stark naked and the fall sunlight commences to fade. As a matter of fact, when November dies and painfully gives birth to December, glowing joy and powerful positiveness invades the very core of my soul. This is paradise!

After all I am a capricorn who was born on a frigid full moon Christmas morning (the 25th, precisely) and I have Helvetic, British and Russian blood running through my veins (and maybe a little Danish blood too). Consequently, I'm related to an ancient race of humans (the Teutons, Northmen and Slavs) reputed for having the capacity to brave the cold and being insensible to extreme meteorologic conditions - I guess this also explains my strong attraction to Northern Hemisphere countries and regions such as Great Britain, Scandinavia, Canada, Alaska, Siberia, etc... It's in my genes.

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
- Albert Camus, The Stranger

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass 

When gusts of freezing wind chill you to the bones, croaking crows break the ghastly quietude, mesmerizing starling murmurations - similar to evil clouds - hover over towns, snow heavily tumbles down like chalky rose petals and starts flirting with the plains, nature is frozen still, duck egg blue skies magically appear through the thick fog, darkness covers the countryside and a fiery sunsets illuminate the horizon, my brain becomes hyperactive, my energy is multiplied and exhilaration kicks in.

Jack Frost is my drug, my muse, my guide, my lover and my friend. He knocks me off my feet, inspires me, stimulates my intellect, helps me focus on what's important in life, puts me in a happy and romantic mood, fills me with endless hope, feeds my hunger for adventure, uplifts my spirit and gets me going.

From December though March, I savor every passing moment and enjoy the soothing comfort of my snuggly apartment, relish rustic food that sticks to the ribs (only on weekends though, otherwise I'd end up looking like a Michellin woman!) and brings a grin of satisfaction to my face, appreciate cuddling up on the settee with a cup of steaming cappuccino or spicy chai and revel in spending some cosy afternoons with my friends or evenings with my dearest. It is the time for relaxing at home and engaging in cheering activities.

Another reason for me to get all flushed and excited is the delightful array of versatile vegetables, fabulous fruits and enticing produces which make their entry on market stalls once autumn has waved us farewell. There is so much on offer that I never know what to choose when I visit my favorite "marché aux légumes" in Rive. Between fennel, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, Belgian endives, leeks, pumpkins, celeriac, carrots, treviso (radicchio), parsnips, beets, apples, oranges, pears, mandarins, pomegranates, kumquats, grapefruits, litchis, kiwis, sausages, sauerkraut, vacherin Mont d'Or and chestnuts, my heart wavers...

At my table, variety rules and I rarely serve the same legume twice in the same week, hence my fridge is chock-a-block full with greens of many colors, shapes and sizes. Not only do I adore eating those harbaceus plants, but I also have loads of fun inventing new dishes with them.

While some of my experiments are only worth being metioned on my Facebook page (where I speak about my daily meals), some of the recipes I put together are just too exquisite not to be fully shared on my blog. It is the case with one of my latest creations to date: a festive "Farro Salad With Roasted Pumpkin, Dried Cranberries And Ras-El-Hanout Vinaigrette" inspired by my fondness for Middle Eastern, North-African and Mediterranean cuisine.

This unique, luscious, sweet and savory, hearty, spicy and colorful main course is a real showstopper. Indeed, nothing captures the attention more than a glorious bouquet of flavors as well as a harmonious combination of aromas and textures - the roasted and soft pumpkin, nutty and crunchy farro, sour and chewy cranberries, fragrant dill, heady mustard, deeply toasted sesame seeds, pungent citrus zest, creamy tahini and exotic ras-el-hanout spice come together just marvelously.

A hors-d'oeuvre which is perfect for any occasion - be it lunch, supper, a picnic, your family's Yuletide banquet or New Year's Eve Party - and will please both vegetarians and carnivores alike - it can be served per se or as accompaniment to meat, fish, cheese, tofu or seitan.

Give it a try, you'll be conquered!

Farro Salad With Pumpkin, Dried Cranberries And Ras-El-Hanout

Recipe by Rosa Mayland, December 2013.

Serves 2.

Ingredients For The Salad:
550g Pumpkin, roasted (see recipe) and cut into 1cm/0.39inch cubes
250g Raw farro, cooked (see recipe)
1 Onion (small), chopped finely
The zest of 1 organic lemon
3 Tbs Sesame seeds, toasted
4 Tbs dried cranberries
Fresh dill, chopped, to taste
Ingredients For The Vinaigrette:
1 Clove garlic, crushed
2 Tbs Tahini paste
1 Tsp Semi-strong mustard
1 Tsp Ras-El-Hanout
6 Tbs Olive oil
3 Tbs Lemon juice
1 Tbs Apple vinegar
Fine sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Method:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the Vinaigrette.
2. In a big salad bowl, put all the ingredients for the salad and add the vinaigrette.
3. Delicately combine.
4. Plate the salad and sprinkle with extra dill.

Remarks:
Choose a type of pumpkin that can be roasted (potimarron, butternut squash, blue Hokkaido, sugar pie, red kuri, tan cheese, etc...).
Both the farro and pumpkin can be used either warm or at room temperature.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as main course alone or accompanied with fish, meat, pan-fried tofu, seitan steaks or cheese and pair with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

Salade De Petit Épautre À La Courge, Aux Canneberges Séchées Et Au Ras-El-Hanout
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Décembre 2013.

Pour 2 personnes.

Ingrédients Pour La Salade:
550g de Courge, rôtie au four (voir recette) et coupée en dés de 1cm
250g de Petit épautre (cru), cuit (voir recette)
1 Oignon (petit), haché finement
Le zeste d'un citron bio
3 CS de Graines de sésame, torréfiées
4 CS de Canneberges séchées
Aneth fraîche, hachée, selon goût
Ingrédients Pour La Vinaigrette:
1 Gousse d'ail, écrasée
2 CS de Tahini
1 CC de Moutarde mi-forte
1 CC de Ras -El- Hanout
6 CS d'Huile d'olive
3 CS de Jus de citron
1 CS de Vinaigre de pomme
Fleur de sel, selon goût
Poivre noir, fraîchement moulu, selon goût

Méthode:
1 . Dans un bol moyen, mélanger ensemble tous les ingrédients pour la vinaigrette .
2 . Dans un grand saladier, mettre tous les ingrédients pour la salade et ajouter la vinaigrette.
3 . Mélanger délicatement.
4 . Garnir les assiettes avec la salade et saupoudrer avec un peu d'aneth.

Remarques:
Choisissez une courge qui peut être rôtie (potimarron, butternut, courge musquée, etc...).
Le petit épeautre et la courge peuvent être utilisés légèrement chauds ou à température ambiante.

Suggestion d'accompagnement :
Servir comme plat principal seul ou accompagné de poisson, de viande, de tofu poêlé, de steaks de seitan ou de fromage. Ce plat se marie bien avec un Chardonnay, Pinot Noir , Riesling, Pinot Grigio ou Sauvignon Blanc.

SUMMER'S GONE: HOLD ON TO THAT HOLIDAY FEELING BY COOKING RICOTTA GNUDI WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE - FINI LES VACANCES: FAITES DURER L'ÉTÉ, EN CUISINANT DES GNUDI À LA RICOTTA ET À LA SAUCE TOMATE

The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color.
- Natalie Babbitt "Tuck Everlasting"

No summer in the winter time
Will keep you warm like a funeral pyre
And nothing like an august night
Drenched in your loving
- Danzig "Dirty Black Summer"

Sticky, static, sultry and stuffy August, oh how I loathe thee! Without respite, your hellish waves of scroching heat wash over us like tsunamis of blistering air. From morning to evening, we suffocate and are drenched in sweat. There is no escape fom this sweltering nightmare and the only thing we can do is accept our fate and curse the heavens above for giving us an unsavory foretaste of the purgatory.

Nonetheless, despite this month's unpleasant promiscuity, a part of me loves this barren, yet exquisite time of the year. Actually, there's something desperately romantic, majestically melancholic, deeply nostalgic and profoundly dramatic about August as it marks summer's last breath and announces the arrival of a new season I intensely cherish.

This is the last stretch before the great god of autumn makes his gloriously thunderous entry in a whirlwind of rusty leaves and fiery hues, thus casting a funereal spell of golden death and marvelous decay wherever he goes.

Thankfully, the torture doesn't last long and once we enter the third part of August, the weather becomes more friendly and imperceptible, yet unmissable signs of fall can be detected everywhere: the mornings get crispier and dawn mist repossesses the land, the sky turns a sharper shade of blue, sunsets are much more crimson than they were a fortnight ago, swallows are ready to leave while flocks of crows noisily reclaim their realm, trees begin to turn colors and mushroom as well as game hunting takes off on a shy note.

Some days in late August at home are like this, the air thin and eager like this, with something in it sad and nostalgic and familiar...
 - William Faulkner "The Sound and the Fury"

The fitful breeze sweeps down the winding lane
With gold and crimson leaves before it flying;
Its gusty laughter has no sound of pain,
But in the lulls it sinks to gentle sighing,
And mourns the Summer’s early broken spell, -
“Farewell, sweet Summer,
Rosy, blooming Summer,
Sweet, farewell!”...
- George Arnold

Of course, for most people, August represents the mournful end of the holidays and the abrupt comeback to reality. Not only does the weather tend to turn grey and cold, and people's tans start to fade, but their spirits and gleefulness too.

Ephemeral traveller, wave fairwell to purposeless fun, butterfly-esque frivolity, childish innocence, futile daydreaming, sunny smiles, gorgeous aimlessness and heathenly decadence for those things belong to the past; from now on, gruesome seriosity, tiresome monotony and mortiferous ennui is all you'll know!

Once the kids go back to school and vacationers metamorphose themselves into operative citizens, obedient robots, fast paced, busy and über-humorless workers again, life returns to "normal" and cheerful face expressions are replaced by crispated scowls, general irritation is once more at it's peak and everybody's rebounding with their boring old routine.

All we have left are our memories. We hang on dearly to those remnants of happier moments, because they help us go through all the gloom and long hauls that await us. They are our very own bubble of oxygen when we so desperately need to breathe and our light in the dark when we loose sight of hope...

Life is a combination of magic and pasta. 
- Federico Fellini

So, in order to prolong that exhilarating feeling of joy and well-being, I've decided to blog about a traditional Tuscan speciality which is reminiscent of the hotter and leisurely days: "Ricotta Gnudi With Fresh Tomato Sauce".

Gnudi, pronounced "nood-ee" with a silent "g", derives from the dialect of Tuscany. The word "gnudo" (singular form) means "naked" in English. This name refers to simple dumplings that are similar to gnocchi (contrarily to the latter, they contain no potato as this ingredient is replaced by ricotta) and are basically rustic cheese ravioli without the pasta wrapper.

Gnocchi del Casentino (or strangolapreti, strozzapreti, ravioli nudi - other ways of designating this product) might not look pretty or extremely inviting, but their deceptive appearance should not stop you from trying them. Refusing to sample this humble, yet famous fare would be a blasphemy for gnudi are overwhelmingly heavenly and quite addictive. As a matter of fact, once you've tasted those little culinary gems, you won't be able to live without them anymore (it has become a classic at my place).

Made with the ripest of seasonal tomatoes, fragrant olive oil, fresh pink garlic, aromatic lemon zest and Parmesan that exude the south, this comforting and delectable dish brings a ray of Mediterranean sunshine to the table and uplifts your mood within seconds. There's no better cure for post-vacation blues!

Ricotta Gnudi With Fresh Tomato Sauce

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine.

Serves 2.

Ingredients For The "Fresh Tomato Sauce": 

6 Ripe tomatoes, deseeded and chopped finely

60ml (1/4 Cup) Olive oil
4 Garlic cloves (I used fresh pink garlic), chopped

1 Tsp Tomato paste

1 Tsp Castor sugar

Fine sea salt, to taste

Ingredients For The "Gnudi":

250g (8.8oz - 1 cup + 1 Tbs) Ricotta
1 Large egg, beaten to blend
1/4 Tsp Freshly ground black pepper

The zest of 1 organic lemon
45g (~ 1/4 Cup + 1 Tbs) finely grated Parmesan (or Grana Padano), plus more
1/4  Tsp Fine sea salt
47g (1/4 Cup + 1 Tbs) All-purpose flour, plus more
Fresh basil, to taste

Method For The "Fresh Tomato Sauce:
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until it is crispy and pale brown, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar, then season with a little salt.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the sauce is slightly thick and the tomatoes have disintegrated, about 20 minutes.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Method For The "Gnudi": 
5. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, pepper, zest, Parmesan and salt until well combined. 6. Add the flour. Stir until just combined and the mixture forms a ball (it will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels too wet).
7. Dust a baking sheet generously with flour.
8. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape the dough into quenelles (football shapes). Place them on the baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 16).
9. Cook the gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (the gnudi will quickly float to surface - continue cooking or the gnudi will be gummy in the center).
10. Using a slotted spoon, divide the gnudi among the plates/bowls. Top with the tomato sauce and more Parmesan, plus a little chopped basil.

Remarks:
If you have no fresh tomatoes, then you can use 1 (28 0z) can chopped tomatoes.
You can even replace the tomato sauce with "Sage Brown Butter Sauce".
The sauce can be made 3 days ahead (cover and chill) or frozen for up to 3 months.
For more flavor, I fried my gnudi in a little butter just before plating them.

Serving suggestions:
Serve this dish together with a green salad and some minerally rosé or northern Italian white.

Gnudi À La Ricotta Et À La Sauce Tomate
Recette adaptée du magazine Bon Appetit. 

Pour 2 personnes. 

Ingrédients Pour La "Sauce Tomate": 
6 Tomates mûres, épépinées et hachées finement 
60ml d'Huile d'olive
4 Gousses d'ail (j'ai utilisé de l'ail frais rose), hachées 
1 CC de Concentré de tomate
1 CC De sucre semoule/cristallisé fin
Sel de mer fin, selon goût 
Ingrédients Pour Les "Gnudi": 
250g de Ricotta fraîche
1 Gros œuf, battu
1/4 de CC de Poivre noir, fraîchement moulu 
Le zeste d'un citron bio 
45g de Parmesan (ou de Grana Padano), râpé finement 
1/4 de CC de Sel de mer fin
47g de Farine blanche
Baslic frais, haché

Méthode Pour La "Sauce Tomate":
1. À feu moyen, chauffer l'huile dans une casserole moyenne. Ajouter l'ail et le faire rôtir pendant environ 2 minutes, tout en remuant régulièrement, jusqu'à ce qu'il soit croustillant et bien doré (brun pâle).
2. Ajouter les tomates hachées, le concentré de tomate et le sucre, puis assaisonner avec un peu de sel. 
3. Porter à ébullition, puis réduire le feu et laisser mijoter doucement pendant environ 20 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la sauce soit onctueuse
4. Goûter et rectifier l'assaisonement.

Méthode Pour Les "Gnudi": 
5. Mélanger la ricotta, l'œuf, le poivre, le zeste de citron, le parmesan et le sel dans un grand bol et bien mélanger. 
6. Ajouter la farine. Mélanger jusqu'à obtention d'une consistance homogène et molle (ajouter un peu de farine - 1 CS à la fois - si le mélange est trop humide). 
7. Saupoudrez une plaque à pâtisserie généreusement avec de la farine. 
8. À l'aide de 2 grosses cuillères à soupe, former des quenelles. Les placer sur la plaque et les saupoudrer avec un peu de farine supplémentaire (vous devriez en obtenir 16). 
9. Cuire les gnudi dans une grande casserole d'eau bouillante salée pendant 5-6 minutes, en remuant occasionnellement, jusqu'à cuisson complète (les gnudi vont rapidement flotter à la surface - poursuivre la cuisson afin qu'ils soient parfaitement cuits et tendres).
10. À l'aide d'une écumoire sortir les gnudi de l'eau et les répartir dans les assiettes, puis ajouter la sauce tomate et saupoudrer avec un peu parmesan râpé ainsi qu'avec du basilic haché. 

Remarques:
Si vous n'avez pas de tomates fraîches à disposition, alors vous pouvez utiliser 1 boîte de tomates hachées.
Vous pouvez même remplacer la sauce tomate avec du "Beurre Noisette À La Sauge". 
La sauce tomate peut être fabriquée 3 jours à l'avance et conservée au frigo ou congelée (3 mois max.). 
Pour plus de saveur, j'ai légèrement frit mes gnudi dans un peu de beurre - juste avant de les servir.

Suggestion d'accompagnement: 
Servir ce plat avec une salade verte et une bonne bouteille de vin blanc minéral ou rosé pas trop doux (tous deux italiens, de préférence).

Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine
ingredients
16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more
3 cups homemade Pomodoro Sauce or tomato sauce
Preparation
Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).
Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 30).
Cook gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).
Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.
- See more at: http://www.celinescuisine.com/italian-food/ricotta-gnudi-with-pomodoro-sauce/#sthash.SyxX18a9.dpuf

Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine
ingredients
16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more
3 cups homemade Pomodoro Sauce or tomato sauce
Preparation
Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).
Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 30).
Cook gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).
Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.
- See more at: http://www.celinescuisine.com/italian-food/ricotta-gnudi-with-pomodoro-sauce/#sthash.SyxX18a9.dpuf

Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine
ingredients
16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more
3 cups homemade Pomodoro Sauce or tomato sauce
Preparation
Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).
Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 30).
Cook gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).
Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.
- See more at: http://www.celinescuisine.com/italian-food/ricotta-gnudi-with-pomodoro-sauce/#sthash.SyxX18a9.dpuf

Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine
ingredients
16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more
3 cups homemade Pomodoro Sauce or tomato sauce
Preparation
Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).
Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 30).
Cook gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).
Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.
- See more at: http://www.celinescuisine.com/italian-food/ricotta-gnudi-with-pomodoro-sauce/#sthash.SyxX18a9.dpuf

LEMON AND RICOTTA DELIGHT - ENTREMET AU CITRON ET À LA RICOTTA

Oh, the summer night
Has a smile of light
And she sits on a sapphire throne.
- Barry Cornwal 

Summer is made for fun, not for labor. It is a time of the year that obliges us to slow down, loosen up and embrace life to the fullest. Hence during the hotter days, when our solar star is illuminating the Northern hemisphere with its blazingly fiery, yet soothingly warm and rejuvenating rays, exhausting chores should be banned as it is a blasphemy to be emprisonned in a steaming hot box while slaving at work or on a school bench.

After going through a particularly rough and gloomy winter and spring, we merely have one desire: to limitlesly enjoy the season and feed on as much sunlight as humanly possible, because autumn comes always faster than expected and our beloved Sol's luminescence has the power to heal our soul like no other medicine does/can.

Summer breeze makes me feel fine 

Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind

- "Summer Breeze" Type O Negative (originally written by Seals And Crofts)

Fell into a sea of grass
And disappeared among the shady blades
Children all ran over me
Screaming "Tag... you are the one."

- "Summertime Rolls" by Jane's Addiction

Birds singing joyfully. Lush green pastures. Travelling near and far. Camps, bonfires and sausages on a stick. Late nights with friends. Parties, picnics and barbecues in the wild, at the beach, by the lakeside or pool. Music festivals and midnight concerts. Bonding. Delightful romances. Bikinis, sunglasses, tank tops, flip flops and shorts. Water fun. Basking. Sun kissed hair and tan lines. Ice creams, slushies, refreshing drinks and cafe terraces. Bodies caressed by the balmy breeze. Feeling invicible and forever youthful. Sitting under the shade of a parasol or of a tree. Canicular temperatures. Moist and humid air. Blissfully blue skies, puffy cumulus clouds and rumbling storms. The smell of wet concrete after the rain. Memories by the thousand.

Heavenly, isn't it? Yes? So don't forget to make it all count! Indulgence and joy are vital for our well-being and extremely precious, thus we should not waste our earthly existence never putting ourselves first and forgetting how to be merry.

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time."
- John Lubbock

It is for this reason I have decided to take it easy with my blog (posting less recipes and focusing on publishing more wordless photography essays) and relax a little throughout the holiday season. Unfortunately, I'm financially unable to go on a vacation or visit places (nothing new, though LOL), so that's the only way for me to relish this magnificent period of frivolousness by frolicking around, cultivating idleness, getting in touch with my inner child and looking after myself...

So, without further ado, I would like to introduce you to an estival entremet I am particularly fond of serving to P., but also to my friends and guests. It is a dessert treat which I have been baking for quite a while (at least 10 years) now and which I have (yet) not grown tired of eating on a regular basis.

This simple and somewhat old-fashioned "Lemon And Ricotta Delight" is ambrosially citrusy, exhaliratingly nutty and pleasantly refreshing. The moist and slightly crumbly cake layer pairs wonderfully well with the lusciously smooth cheesecake topping. Without doubt, a gloriously indulgent and irresistible delicacy!

Lemon And Ricotta Delight
Recipe freely adapated from Coopération magazine.

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients For The Cake:
2 Eggs
120g Unsalted butter
80g Castor sugar
70g Ground hazelnuts
170g All-purpose flour
A pinch of fine sea salt
1 Tsp Baking powder
Ingredients For The Ricotta Topping:
250g Ricotta
The zest and juice (7 Tbs) of 1 organic lemon
40g Castor sugar
3.5 Gelatin sheets

Method For The Cake:
1. Line an 18cm springform pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the edges.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C (350° F).
3. Beat the butter together with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Incorporate the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 
5. Fold in the hazelnuts, flour, salt and baking powder just until your get a smooth mixture. 
6. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan, on a wire rack.
9. Once at room temperature, level the cake.

The Method For The Ricotta Filling:
10. Soak the gelatin in cold water for about 5 minutes to soften.
11. Whisk the ricotta together with lemon zest, lemon juice and the sugar.
12. Squeeze the gelatin, place it in a pan and let it melt over low temperature, while stirring.
13. Pour the ricotta mixture over the gelatin (not the contrary), mix well and then pour the filling over the cake.
14. Refrigerate until firm, about 2-3 hours.
15. Unclasp the sides of pan, remove the cheesecake and serve.

Remarks:
You can replace the ground hazelnuts with almonds and the lemon zest and juice with lime or orange zest and juice.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with a berry coulis or compote (for ex. blackberry).


Entremet Au Citron Et À La Ricotta
Recette adaptée du journal Coopération.

Ingrédients Pour Le Cake:
 2 Oeufs
120g de Beurre non-salé
80g de Sucre semoule
70g de Noisettes moulues
170g de Farine blanche
1 pincée de sel de mer fin
1 CC de Levure chimique
Ingrédients Pour La Garniture À La Ricotta:
250 g de ricotta
Le zeste et le jus (7 CS) d'un citron bio
40 g de Sucre semoule
3.5 Feuilles de gelatine

Méthode Pour Le Cake:
1. Chemiser un moule à charnière de 18cm avec du papier sulfurisé et beurrer légèrement
les bords.
2. Préchauffer le four à 180° C.
3. Battre le beurre en pommade avec le sucre.
4. Incorporer les oeufs un à un.
5. Incorporer les noisettes, la farine, le sel et la levure chimique afin d'obtenir une pâte fluide.
6. Verser cette pâte dans le moule à charnière et lisser la surface.
7. Faire cuire pendant 30-35 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la pointe d'un couteau insérée au centre du gâteau en ressorte propre et sèche.
8. Sortir le gâteau du four et le laisser refroidir le dans le moule.
9. Une fois refroidit, égaliser le dessus du cake.

Méthode Pour La Garniture À La Ricotta:
10. Faire tremper la gélatine dans de l'eau froide pendant 5 minutes.
11. Bien mélanger au fouet la ricotta avec le zeste et le jus de citron ainsi que le sucre.
12. Presser la gélatine, la mettre dans une casserole et la laisser fondre à feu doux, tout en remuant.
13. Verser le mélange à la ricotta sur la gélatine (et pas le contraire!), puis en napper le gâteau froid dans son moule.
14. Laisser prendre au réfrigérateur pendant au moins 2-3 heures.
15. Démouler et servir.

Remarques:
Les noisettes moulues peuvent être remplacées par des amandes moulues et le zeste ansi que le jus de citron par le zeste et le jus d'une orange (respecter les quantités).

Idées de présentation:
Servir aved un coulis ou une compote de baies (je recommande le coulis de mûres).