Italian favourites
Mushroom Risotto
For mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
200g fresh mushrooms
1 tsp thyme
For the risotto
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
200g rice for risotto or Carolina rice
100ml dry white wine
800ml vegetable broth
For finishing
100 g grated parmesan
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
Cut the mushrooms into slices.
Put 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan and add the onion and salt. Sauté until onion caramelises.
Finally, add the mushrooms and sauté along with the thyme. Sauté until mushrooms wilt.
After they wilt, place them in a bowl.
For the broth: Put 850ml hot water along with 1 cube vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. After the water boils, lower the heat until the broth dissolves.
In the medium pot where you sautéed the mushrooms, add 1 tablespoon butter and sauté the onions along with the salt for 3 minutes, until tender.
Pour in the rice and stir for another 2 minutes.
Pour the wine and stir for 2 minutes or until half evaporates.
With a tablespoon pour 1 cup of the broth, stirring continuously for 4 minutes, into the rice until absorbed. Continue the same process for about 16 minutes, until the rice is tender, but also remains ‘al dente’, and the mixture becomes creamy.
Remove the risotto from the heat. Add the roasted mushrooms, cheese, cold butter, pepper and herbs. Stir well and serve while hot.
Piscialandrhea
For the dough
1 sachet yeast
300g all-purpose flour
100 g Greek flour
1 teaspoon salt
250g lukewarm water
4 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
For topping
4 tablespoons olive oil
400 g chopped canned tomatoes
6-8 anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon capers
100g small black olives, pitted
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Oregano for sprinkling
For baking
1 tablespoon fine semolina or breadcrumbs
For the dough: In a bowl place all the ingredients for the dough in the order given in the recipe.
Knead until you have a uniform dough. The dough should stick slightly to the hands. Grease your hands and make the dough like a ball.
Then put the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Leave it for 2 hours in a warm environment or until it rises.
Cut a parchment paper with a diameter of 35 cm. and place it in a round baking pan with a diameter of 30 cm.
Then grease the parchment paper with olive oil and sprinkle it with semolina or breadcrumbs.
After the dough has risen (after 2 hours), place the dough on the parchment paper greased with olive oil.
Brush your fingers with olive oil and roll out the dough to create small holes like puddles.
Your dough will be ready when it becomes round, with a diameter of 30 cm.
Cover it with a clean kitchen cloth and leave it for half an hour in a warm environment or until it rises again.
Place the chopped tomatoes in a bowl. Add the salt and mix it well with the tomatoes.
Mix the capers and thin garlic cloves with the anchovy oil so they don’t burn during baking.
Preheat oven to 200C.
After preparing the dough (it has risen a second time) and the ingredients, place the tomato over the whole surface of the dough.
Place all ingredients except oregano on top of the dough.
Bake for 25 minutes until you have a baked dough and a pinkish crust.
Just before serving, add the oregano on top.
Recipes provided by the Lidl food academy. Stasikratous 34, Nicosia 1010. https://www.lidlfoodacademy.com.cy/
