Salmon Salad with Pickled Red Onions and Homemade Zesty Dressing

What a summer it has been, end of July we went to Mexico and had a wonderful time. It was E's first time going and my fifth. We went deep sea fishing, snorkeled, laid around the pool, drank margaritas and enjoyed the Mexican beaches. I love Mexican cuisine when done right and I had a great time introducing E to what a real taco tastes like. We had an absolute blast with our friends, a vacation never to be forgotten.

Once we made it back home we felt we needed to clean our bodies after all that delicious (some not so healthy) food. It was too hot in our house so fortunately we were able to stay at my favorite villa that he and his family owns for two weeks. It's my favorite place in the entire world, the sense of tranqility hits you instantly the moment you pull in, birds singing, bees buzzing, bunches of roses and lavender outside the iron doors. You can't help but feel relaxed and I was so happy to be there. We made fruit and vegetable smoothies, sunbathed by the pool and took many runs around the countryside together, cherishing the last week of relaxation before E had to go back to work and leave for a two week business trip in the United States. E's grandma has her garden down the path nearby the horses and donkeys at the villa, so when I needed some vegetables or salad she told me I could go ahead and help myself. What a treat!


One night for dinner we went to my favorite Tuscan restaurant about a thirty minute drive out into the hills of Tuscany.  The restaurant is owned by a mother and son, the mother who is 4ft tall, handles the BBQ better than any man I have ever seen! First course we always take a plate of prosciutto, salami and some bruschette (antipasti). The antipasti is always accompied by these delicious pickled onions. I happen to love anything with onions and I love putting them on my salads but E is not such a fan of raw onions as much as me, although we both happen to love these pickled onions! I had to give it a try and make them at home.

Pickled Red Onions

1 large red onion 

1 cup red wine vinegar 

1\2 cup apple cider vinegar 

small pinch of sugar 

1 tsp salt 

First fill a small pot of water and boil it. Slice your onion in half and take the peel off. Slice in half again and then cut thin slices. In a bowl stir all the ingredients together except the onions. Put your onions in a sieve and pour the hot water over the onions over the sink. Then take a glass canning jar and add your onions and pour the vinegar mixture over. Store in fridge for a month.


Since we usually have a salad for lunch, I like to be creative to make them filling enough for a meal. I had salmon leftover from the night before, fresh tomatoes, fresh lettuce and an idea up my sleeve for a delicious dressing to put over the top. Unlike America where there are rows and rows of bottled dressings in the grocery store to choose from, Italy has none. They use olive oil and balsamic vinegar and that is it. Sometimes I crave a good salad dressing to spruce up my salad and make my taste buds dance. I grew up using Wishbone Italian dressing, ironic that it is named Italian Dressing because in Italy they don't even use them! Anyway, I love Wishbone Italian Dressing, as does my mother, she uses it on salads, tacos and even marinates her chicken in it! (very good) I had to figure out how I could make a homemade version that tasted similar. Let's call it my Homemade Zesty Dressing.

Homemade Zesty Dressing

1 cup olive oil or canola 

1\4 cup white wine vinegar 

2 1\2 tablespoon red wine vinegar 

1 garlic clove pressed 

2 tablespoon finely chopped red pepper 

1 finely chopped shallot

1 teaspoon salt 

Freshly ground pepper (as much as you want)

Tiny pinch of sugar 

1\4 teaspoon dried oregano 

1\4 teaspoon dried parsley 

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake, shake, shake it up! I have had it in my fridge for about three weeks now and it seems to hold up well. Actually, making it a few days ahead of time and letting it rest enhances the flavor. The taste was spot on perfect. Time to make this salad dance.

Mixed Salmon Salad with Pickled Onions and Homemade Dressing 

3 cups chopped romaine lettuce (or of your choice) 

1 medium tomato chopped 

Small handful of the Pickled Red Onions  

Half fillet of cooked salmon 

1\4 cup sunflower seeds 

Grated parmasean cheese 

Pour Homemade Zesty Dressing over the top and mix well. 

Fusilli freddi alle verdure

One could say I'm easily amused but there are many things that I see and learn everyday living under the Tuscan sun that make my heart sing. The grey doves that travel in pairs and chirp a beautiful song together. The wild poppies growing alongside an abandoned villa. The group of men who sit outside the cafe every evening looking out to the road together. The elderly lady who lives across the way who is outside feeding her chickens or hanging her sheets outside to dry. The brightly painted door in the alleyway. Of course I can't forget to mention the fields of bright, beautiful, golden sunflowers that begin to bloom at the end of July. It seems as though I'm living in a picture book at times.

Today I'm planning on visiting my two friends, California and Gianco (and by friends I mean horse friends) We have some plums left in the kitchen that are too soft for our liking, but I'm sure the horses and donkeys won't mind. I often visit them, as the villa is down the street from our house. The donkeys start to wale if I'm giving the horses too much attention. Don't worry, I save enough treats for the donkeys too. I love them all so much and it brings me so much joy when I see them.

I'm trying to empty our fridge out before we leave on our trip this Friday. For lunch I prepared a cold pasta dish using whole wheat fusilli with kale, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, grilled eggplant dressed in a olive oil and balsamic vinegar topped with grated ricotta salata. Perfect picnic lunch meal.

Fusilli freddi alle verdure 

(fusilli cold with vegetables)

serving; four

4 oz whole wheat fusilli 

half a bunch of kale 

6 sun dried tomatoes 

5 artichoke hearts (canned in olive oil)

1 medium eggplant 

ricotta salata 

olive oil 

balsamic vinegar 

salt and pepper

While you boil the water for your pasta, take the kale and cut out the stem and slice the leaves into two inch pieces. Dice up the sun dried tomatoes, the artichoke hearts and set aside. Heat a grill pan and cut the eggplant into thin slices. Grill the eggplant on both sides until they have beautiful black grill marks. After cooled, dice them in pieces as well. Once the water is boiled, add your salt followed by the fusilli and the kale pieces. Cooking times vary but my pasta box said 9 minutes until cooked. Strain the pasta with the kale and place in a bowl followed by all the ingredients. Dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Once cooled, sprinkle with the ricotta salata. 

All you need is love .... and frittatas

Sitting here listening to the Beatles having an espresso after lunch and I'm feeling really guilty I haven't posted on here in months. I have no excuse except for the fact I can sometimes be a perfectionist and pick at all the things I think I should fix until I just don't do it anymore. This ends today! I have been making several delicious meals and I promise they will make their way on here.

It's the end of July and a lot has been going on since April. My aunt came to visit here in Tuscany and we had a wonderful time going all over Italy. Florence, Siena, Rome, Milan, E's vineyards and around here in town. It was such a great time being able to share my life here with someone from my family, we had a fabulous time! After she departed, E and I took a four day trip together to Venice. It was so dreamy and in our opinion, the most romantic city we have ever gone to. Paris, eat your heart out! We got lost on the streets, explored the shops, and took a gondola ride. There is certainly a reason they call it the city of lovers. Three weeks ago I took a solo visit to Portland to visit my family and friends since I haven't seen anyone in nine months. Had a great two week stay spending time with all my family and friends. All was good when I cam back home until my luggage was lost for seven miserable days. The downside of traveling internationally. Although, all I really have needed lately is my bikini as it is officially beach season!

It feels as if the town is alive with all the people hanging at the beach. Tourists from Germany, Netherlands, Britain and more are flooding the area to take in the Tuscan seaside beauty for holiday. E's parents and friends have a private beach membership so I go there from time to time during the week. Weekends, E and I usually go to the beach or our villa nearby to relax, sunbath, swim or play tennis. The best time of the year for me is when it's hot and sunny out. I try to be out enjoying it as much as possible.

We are getting ready to leave for vacation at the end of the week to Portland for a few days and then Mexico. We are over the moon excited! E needs a good long vacation. It's bikini season so I have been making light meals and one thing I love to do when I don't know what to make for dinner is look what's left in the fridge and make a frittata. What is a frittata you ask? I guess I could describe it as an open faced thin omelet. It's very popular here in Italy. I remember the first time my dad made our family a frittata for brunch many years ago. We all were impressed by the fancy name and it soon became one of our favorite brunch meals. My dad is an amazing cook and I think of him often when cooking because I learned a lot of skills from him unintentionally. Thanks, dad! Here's my recipe for a quick frittata that will be sure to impress.

Heirloom Tomato & Basil Frittata with Roquefort

Serving size; two

4 cage-free eggs 

1/4 cup milk 

1-2 heirloom tomatoes

1/2 cup of Roquefort cheese 

small bunch of fresh basil 

salt and pepper 

In a large mixing bowl put your eggs, milk and salt and pepper and whisk well. Finely chop some fresh basil and and sprinkle it in your egg mixture along with a couple of small crumbles of Roquefort. Slice your heirloom tomatoes and set aside. Take your 10" pan and wipe with olive oil so your egg mixture won't stick to the pan. On medium heat pour the mixture in the pan for about 5 minutes until the very bottom is cooked a bit. Don't touch it! Let it rest. Then place your heirloom tomatoes slowly on top of the frittata. The reason I did this is so that the tomatoes remain on top so you can see the beautiful colors. Another 5 minutes until fully cooked. If your frittata seems as if the top is not cooking well, I put it under the broiler in the oven for a few minutes. To serve, top with a few sprinkles of Roquefort and some fresh basil. I like to accompany the frittata with a fresh green salad for a complete meal. 

Bruschetta Italiana

April showers brings May flowers, right? I hope so. Over here we have been experiencing very indecisive weather lately, Sunday was warm and beautiful and today it's cold and grey. I thought I moved away from indecisive weather when I left Portland, did it follow me here? 

In a little over a week my Aunt will be visiting me here and she is the first family member to make the trek out here and I am so overly excited for her to be here! She has never been to Italy and I can't wait to show her all I know. My Aunt is the best party-hostess around, she always gives 110% when it comes to parties and it shows, they are absolutely fabulous. I was thinking about Easter and how it is this month and thought I would share a little recipe of mine for a nice quick appetizer. Whenever I host a dinner party I love to have plenty of appetizers for the guests to munch on while I am finishing the dinner meal to keep them occupied (and to keep them out of my kitchen) I am one of those people that don't really like people hanging in the kitchen disturbing my organized system. Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciate the offer though. Am I alone on this? Am I the mean kitchen cook lady?

Back to food. 

One of my favorite things to serve for an appetizer is bruschette; little portion sized toasted bread with different toppings. This particular time I had chosen a pesto, goat cheese with herbs and a tomato spread. After I was done I had noticed I had unintentionally displayed it to resemble the Italian flag. Seriously, it was not intentional. I only wish I had done it on purpose so I could take credit for the creativity points. 

Bruschetta Italiana

1 baguette cut into slices and toasted until brown under the broiler at 400°F (200°C)

Goat Cheese Spread 

roll of goat cheese (in any shape) 

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil 

1 tablespoon dried oregano 

salt and pepper for seasoning 

Mix all the ingredients together until combined.

Pesto Spread 

Large bunch of fresh basil leaves 

1 oz Pecorino cheese 

2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1/2 ounce of pine nuts 

2 garlic cloves 

7 tablespoon olive oil 

salt for seasoning 

You can either use a mortar and pestle or a food processor. Grind all the ingredients well except for the olive oil. After is it finely incorporated together, slowly add the olive oil. 

Tomato Spread 

1 small package of red grape tomatoes 

1 small package of yellow grape tomatoes

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

salt and pepper

Cut the tomatoes into little pieces and add the olive oil, salt and pepper and stir until combined. 

Cheesecake con pomodoro al profumo di arancia

Ciao everyone! I am back here to tell you all how well the event went Friday. The morning was busy making all eight cheesecakes, six small for the judges and two large ones for the guests who will arrive after the judging takes place. It was such a wonderful day watching the rest of the finalist prepare their dolci and meeting everyone. It was an honor to be a finalist and I still can't believe how lucky I was to be involved in such an important event. There were journalists, photographers and not to mention the guest of honor, Loretta Fanella. Loretta is a well known pastry chef here in Italy who has worked with the Italian Master Chef, Carlo Cracco, who is a judge on Master Chef Italia and a very highly rated chef in Europe.

There were five finalist including me that made fabulous desserts I couldn't wait to taste! Rose-tomato macaroons with vanilla rum and raspberry (Macaron alle Rose con confettura di Pomodorini Vaniglia e Rum al Profumo di Lampone), Tomato Cake Pops with a hint of pepper (Cake Pops al Pomodoro Piccante), Candied Tomato Crumble with yogurt gelato, Tomato Chocolate Cake (Tomato Cake) and my Tomato-Citrus Cheesecake with aroma of orange. All were such creative ideas. It was nice to get to know all the ladies and most of them were food bloggers too.

(photo by Andrea Gattini)

First place went to restaurant owner, Roberta Piazza (pictured right), with her divine Candied Tomato Crumble. I am beyond thrilled to tell you all that my dessert took second place! I was shocked and incredibly happy! Third place went to Silvia Iacoponi who made the Cake Pops. After the contest was finished the guests arrived and gathered around the front of the store while Loretta presented her 'cooking show' where she showed and explained to all how she made her dessert with tomato. She made a Plum Cake with Tomato served with a lavender and a raspberry cream. Afterwards the guests were able to taste all the finalist's desserts with tomato. Unfortunately I had to leave early because E was really sick at home, but I heard that everyone loved the cheesecake and wanted the recipe. Happy news to hear.

It was such a fun event and I feel fortunate to have been involved, especially with what little experience I have cooking and baking. I couldn't have done it without the help of E's mom. Here is my recipe for my 2nd place prized Chessecake con Pomodoro al Profuma di Arancia! (Pictured are the one person servings I made for the contest)

Cheesecake con Pomodoro al Profumo di Arancia 

Serving size; six 

Cheesecake filling;

3/4 cup (175 g)  fresh ricotta 

3/4 cup (175 g) Philadelphia cream cheese

3/4 cup (200 g) heavy cream 

2/3 cup (150 g) caster sugar 

2 egg yolks (organic fresh eggs are necessary!)

3 gelatin sheets 

about 2 cups of graham crackers (200 g biscotti)

7 tablespoon (100 g) butter 

Tomato filling;

3 cups (750 ml) tomato sauce 

(as natural as you can find without any seasonings)

1/2 cup (150 g) caster sugar

Zest of 2 oranges

Zest of 1 lemon

9" springform pan

Glaze;

I used a product from Mediterranea Belfiore which is unavailable online unfortunately, but it is basically a light sauce with tomato, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar. You can use any glaze you would like or even an orange marmalade on top.

Garnish;

Blood orange cooked in whole form in pot of water for 30 minutes.

(sliced once cool)

First you want to take your gelatin sheets and cover them completely in cold water and rest in a bowl for 15 minutes. Then you need to get your tomato filling started because you need time to let it cool after cooking. In a medium pot on medium heat, pour your tomato sauce in along with the sugar, zest of two oranges and one lemon. Stir frequently for the next 15 minutes. This is necessary so that the aroma of orange and lemon are released. Take one sheet of gelatin and a little but of water over the stove for 1-2 minute until completely melted and dissolved, then mix in with tomato sauce. Pour the sauce into a large bowl to cool. 

While your tomato filling is cooling it's now time to make the crust. In a food processor grind all the cookies until fine and transfer into large bowl. Melt butter on the stove and pour over cookies and mix until it feels damp. Pour the cookie mixture in your 9" springform pan and press until compact. Place in fridge while you start your cheese filling.

For the cheesecake filling you want to first whip together the egg yolks and 2/3 cup sugar for 4-5 minutes until light colored yellow and becomes somewhat creamy. It is important to use fresh and organic eggs because you will not be cooking this cheesecake, therefore it has raw eggs. Whisk together the ricotta and cream cheese with the egg yolk mixture until very creamy with no lumps. In a separate bowl whisk with an electric mixer the heavy cream until it peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture and set aside. Now heat the other two gelatin sheets with a little water over the stove until dissolved (takes less than 1 minute) and slowly whisk into the cheese mixture a little at a time. Set aside.

Once your tomato mixture has cooled and has become a bit thicker, spoon a layer on top of the cookie crust. (Set in fridge for 15 minutes if you have time before adding cheese filling) Take your cheese filling and spread it gently over the top of the tomato layer. Rest in the fridge for 2-3 hours to set before serving. 

I decorated with the glaze and slivered blood orange pieces right before serving. 

ENJOY!