Cheese Pastry

Total cooking time: 40 min.

Preparation time: 25 min.

Ingredients:

Dough Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 cups warm water (plus or minus due to the consistency of the dough)
• pinch of salt

Cheese Mixture:

• fetta cheese (40%)
• ekkawi cheese (60%)
• 1 egg

Recipe for Dough:

1. Mix flour and salt by hand, then add remaining ingredients and knead the dough for 4 minutes.
2. In the bowl, sprinkle some flour, then place the dough and close it. And then leave to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Pastry Recipe:

1. Raise the dough, then roll it and cut into circles. Then add the stuffing in the middle of the circle.
2. Close the dough in the form of pie and then place on an oiled tray, and paint from the top with oil.
3. I added some black seeds to the top, but due to the oil they fell down upon baking.
4. Enter the tray to a preheated oven to 180 ° C for 10 minutes.
5. When the dough starts to get red, paint it again with oil and then re-enter into the oven again to get a crunchy taste.

Bon appetit!

Sfouf (arabic cake-like dessert)

Sfouf is an arab dessert. It looks like cake, and is baked just like a cake. But due to its different ingredients it tastes a little bit different.

Serves: a big tray

Total cooking time: 35 min.
Preparation time: 10 min.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups semolina flour
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk (preferably full fat)
• 1 cup water 
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp curcuma
• pinch of salt

Recipe:

1. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix them well.
2. Start adding the oil first, while whisking.
3. Then add the milk and water slowly while whisking also.
4. After you've added all the ingredients keep whisking for at least 5 minutes to assure all the ingredients are well dissolved.
5. Paint the baking tray with some butter to assure that the cake will not stick to it.
6. Pour the batter in the baking tray (make sure it is not full).
7. you can decorate it with some nuts on its top.
8. Bake at 180 °C for around 25 min and test with a toothpick if done.
9. When done, let it get some redness from above. 

Bon appetit!

Grilled Steak on Stove

This recipe contains a well done grilled steak on the stove, the mashed potatoes, and the sauteed vegetables with the fresh cream.

Serves: 2 persons

Total cooking time: 30 min.
Preparation time: 15 min.

Ingredients for Steak:

• 500 gr steak 
• Salt
• Vegetable oil
• pepper

Ingredients for mashed potatoes:

• 4 medium potatoes peeled and cut
• butter knob
• salt

Ingredients for vegetables:

• fine green beans
• mushrooms
• butter knob
• salt
• oregano

Steak Recipe:

1. First you have to take the steak to room temperature to unfreeze totally. 
2. Salt and season them with pepper at least an hour before cooking.
3. Paint the grill pan with vegetable oil.
4. Heat the grill pan on high temperature and on large stove eye to distribute heat.
5. Before placing the steak, transfer the pan to medium heat, then add the steaks.
6. Keep the steak for 2 min till it take some color, then flip it to the opposite side.
7. Keep flipping it each minute or two.
8. To get a well done steak, test it with a toothpick to check how tender it is.
9. Turn off the stove, then keep at least 2 minutes to continue cooking.

Potato Recipe:

1. Boil the potatoes with a sprinkle of salt.
2. Mash the potatoes while hot with a sprinkle of salt, and a knob of butter (as desired).

Vegetables Recipe:

1. In a pan place a knob of butter.
2. When it melts, add the beans and the mushrooms with a pinch of salt.
3. When their water dries out, let them fry a little, then add the fresh cream. Add as much as u need their consistency and their stock.
4. Let them boil a little then remove the pan. 

Serve the steak, mashed potatoes, and the vegetables sauce together.

Bon appetit!

Spinach Pastry

Total cooking time: 40 min.

Preparation time: 25 min.

Ingredients:

Dough Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 Cup warm water (or as needed)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 Tbsp dry yeast
• ts salt
• ts sugar

Spinach Stuffing Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo spinach, chopped and clean
• 1/2 tbsp salt
• Medium onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• Tbsp sumac
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• Pomegranate molasses to taste

Recipe for Dough:

1. Mix flour and salt by hand, then add remaining ingredients and knead the dough for 4 minutes.
2. In the bowl, sprinkles some flour, then place the dough and close it. And then leave to rest for 40 minutes.

Recipe for Filling:

1. In a bowl, put spinach then add the salt and scrub well with your hand.
2. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Pastry Recipe:

1. Raise the dough, then roll it and cut into circles. Then add the stuffing in the middle of the circle without placing the gravy so as not to affect the dough when you close it.
2. Close the dough in the form of pie and then place on an oiled tray, and paint from the top with oil, and enter into a preheated oven to 190 ° C for 10 minutes.
3. When the dough start to get red, paint it again with oil and then re-enter into the oven again to get a crunchy taste.

Bon appetit!

Farfalle Pasta with Alfredo Sauce

Total cooking time: 20 min.

Preparation time: 10 min.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups farfalle pasta
• 200g free-range chicken diced into cubes
• a knob of butter
•  mushrooms
• diced green pepper
• 100 ml fresh cream
• dried basil
• dried rosemary
• 1/2 a nutmeg, grated
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Recipe:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add farfalle pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, then drain.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add salt, pepper and garlic salt.
3. Add the chicken, season them with basil, rosemary, and nutmeg. Then stir 5 minutes until they are done.
4. Add the mushrooms and the green pepper, and let them wilt.
5. Add the fresh cream and let all the components mix together.
6. Add the cheese to thicken the sauce.
7. Add pasta to sauce. Use enough of the pasta so that all of the sauce is used and the pasta is thoroughly coated. Serve immediately.

Bon appetit!

Oven Potato Wedges

Serves: 2 persons

Total cooking time: 60 min.

Preparation time: 10 min.

Ingredients:

• 500 gr baking potato
• salt
• dried oregano
• dried basil
• olive oil or vegetable oil

Recipe:

1. To prepare and cook your potato wedges, preheat your oven to 200˚C. 
2. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil.
3. Scrub the potatoes clean. Cut the potatoes into chunky wedges. Add to the pan of boiling water and parboil for 8 minutes. 
4. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for a couple of minutes.
5. Transfer to a roasting tray (preferably covered with a parchment baking paper) and add a good lug of olive oil and a pinch of salt, oregano, and basil. Toss together so all the wedges are coated in the oil then spread out in one layer. 
6. Cook in the hot oven for 30 minutes until golden, crisp and cooked through. Delicious served with steak or chicken.

Bon appetit!

Orange Cupcakes

Serves: 10-12 cupcakes

Total cooking time: 30 min.
Preparation time: 10 min.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 2 ts baking powder
• 1/2 ts orange zest
• 1/2 ts vanilla

Recipe:

1. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix them well.
2. Start adding the liquid ingredients while whisking.
3. After you've added all the ingredients keep whisking for at least 5 minutes to assure all the ingredients are well dissolved.
4. Pour the batter in the cupcake molds (around 2/3 full).
5. Bake at 180 °C for around 15 min and test if done.

Bon appetit!