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♥ Anna Franchi ♥

@theworldisyourcookpot

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🌍 Frequently cooking my way #aroundtheworld
🇮🇹 Frequent #italianrecipes - it’s what I know best!
🌾🚫 Frequent #glutenfree recipes - family needs must!

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WITCH’S G&T! 💙🧙‍♀️💜

Totally spellbound by our Friday night G&T! It looks like it’s come straight out of a witch’s cauldron! 😝

No magic spells needed here though. The ‘magic’ is in the use of butterfly pea flower, a natural botanical native to Southeast Asia, that turns a deep indigo-blue when mixed with water. I made a lovely sugar syrup with it which added a touch of sweetness to the G&T.

Warning: Science lesson incoming … 🧪😉

The crazy colour changing ‘magic’ is because the anthocyanin pigments in the flower react to pH levels and when you add acidic ingredients like lemon or lime juice, it changes the colour from blue to a vibrant magenta/purple. All natural, not a single chemical in sight!

Cheers and Happy Halloweekend! 👻

My contribution to #boneappetitcollab hosted by our spook-loving insta friends Claire @thecultiveater, @thecultiveater_at_halloween and Alba @albacooksnbakes.

#theworldisyourcook #halloweenvibes #halloweekend #halloweencocktails by @theworldisyourcookpot

LETTUCE SOUP 🥬🥣

It’s at this time of year that I start craving the comfort of a homemade soup! Flicking through @michel_roux_jr ‘s ‘Cooking with the Masterchef’, my chosen book for this month’s #onebookthreerecipes challenge, I came across this classic French soup.

Michel explains that his grandmother used to make this soup with the outer dark-green leaves of a round lettuce that were not as palatable as the sweet inner hearts used for a salad so as not to waste them. It really is a wonderfully simple way to transform leftover lettuce into a smooth, silky and budget friendly soup. Loved it and will definitely make again.

A big thanks to our hosts this month, @whennonnocooks and @jolana_bar_and_grill.

Ingredients:

100g dark outer lettuce leaves
1 tablespoon butter
300g potatoes, peeled and diced
200g ripe tomatoes, quartered
1.4 litres boiling water
Salt and pepper
Crème fraiche (optional)

1. Tear the lettuce leaves into pieces if large, then sweat in the butter.

2. Add the diced potato and tomatoes. Continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the water. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

3. Season to taste, then blend until smooth. Delicious hot or cold, with or without a good spoonful of crème fraiche. Add a garnish of lettuce hearts and a little chopped tomato if you like.

#theworldisyourcookpot #lettucesoup #soupinspo #soup by @theworldisyourcookpot

ALGERIAN TLITLI 🇩🇿

ALGERIA was the randomly chosen country for this month’s #aroundtheworldin80dishes. 🌍 Another country whose food I’m not too familiar with, apart from the staples that are similar to Moroccan cuisine, but a little bit of googling and and I had soon narrowed it down to a couple that really stood out and TLITLI was one of them. It’s a fabulous dish consisting of chicken drumsticks or thighs, beef meatballs, vegetables and chickpeas in broth, served over orzo pasta and garnished with boiled eggs and parsley.

It is a centerpiece dish reserved for special family gatherings, weddings and religious holidays like Eid or Mouloud.

Seeing as it was Sunday, and we usually treat ourselves to something a little more special, TLITLI became lunch!

It can be prepared in a traditional white sauce (marqa beida) scented with cinnamon, ghee and onions, or a red sauce (marqa hamra) enriched with tomato paste and ras el hanout, turmeric and cayenne pepper. It was a tough choice but I went for the latter and so glad I did as it was incredibly flavoursome and delicious - although wouldn’t mind trying the white one day too!

Big thanks to our wonderful hosts this month, @thecultiveater and @teffe_kocht. Next month we’re off to Singapore 🇸🇬… excited already!

#theworldisyourcookpot #tlitli #algerianfood #algerian_food by @theworldisyourcookpot

RED ONION, FENNEL & CHILLI TARTE TATIN, my second recipe from @michel_roux_jr ‘s ‘Cooking with the Master Chef’ cookbook for this month’s #onebookthreerecipes challenge hosted by @whennonnocooks and @jolana_bar_and_grill.

A gorgeous savoury tarte tatin made up of caramelised vegetables with a spicy kick from the chilli on crispy @jus_rol (in my case) gluten free puff pastry! Serve up a slice as a side dish or serve on its own with a nice crisp side salad. Heaven!

Ingredients:

250g ready-made puff pastry (GF if needed)
3 red onions
3 fennel bulbs
4 mild red chillis
100ml olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
Salt and pepper
60g caster sugar
2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
50g grated parmesan (optional)

1. Roll the pastry out into a circle large enough to cover a small ovenproof frying pan or tatin dish of about 20cm in diameter.

2. Preheat the oven to 190C. Peel the onions and slice into thick rounds. Remove the outer sections of the fennel and cut each bulb into six pieces, removing some of the woody core.

3. Take the stalk off the chilli but leave it whole. Cut a slit down the length so the juices can escape and flavour the vegetables.

4. Put all the vegetables into a roasting tin, with the onions laid flat on the bottom of the tin. Pour over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add the crushed coriander seeds, salt and pepper and roast in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes.

5. Directly in the frying pan or tatin dish, mix the sugar with three tablespoons of water. Quickly bring to the boil and cook, without stirring, until golden-brown.

6. Arrange all the vegetables in a decorative pattern in the frying pan or tin and press down tight. Sprinkle with the thyme and parmesan.

7. Cover with the puff pastry and tuck in at the edges between the vegetables and the sides of the pan. Prick the pastry with a fork and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden-brown and fully cooked.

8. Leave to cool for at least five minutes before turning upside down onto a serving dish.

#theworldisyourcookpot #tartetatin #savourytart #vegetarian by @theworldisyourcookpot

CHILLI & COCONUT FRIED TIGER PRAWNS 🌶️🥥🍤

These naturally gluten free crispy bites are so deliciously moreish! Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and just bursting with flavour. Perfect with a weekend aperitif! 🥂

Haven’t tried in the air fryer, but imagine just as good!

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

24 raw peeled tiger prawns
150g desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons chilli flakes
Salt and pepper
150g cornflour
2 egg whites, beaten
Vegetable oil for deep frying

1. Spread the desiccated coconut and chilli flakes onto a plate and season with salt and pepper.

2. Spread the cornflour onto another place and put the egg whites in a bowl.

3. Dip the prawns into the cornflour first, then the beaten egg whites and finally coat in the seasoned coconut and chilli.

Deep fry until golden, drain on kitchen paper and serve piping hot with some lime wedges or a sweet chilli dip.

#theworldisyourcookpot #glutenfree #glutenfreeappetizer #gffood #prawnlovers by @theworldisyourcookpot

CANTONESE BARBECUE STYLE STEAK DINNER, my first recipe for this month’s #onebookthreerecipes from @michel_roux_jr’s ‘Cooking with the Masterchef’ cookbook.

Marinated beef sirloin cooked over high heat on the barbecue, served with egg fried rice and stir fried veg! Super simple but really delicious and made a nice healthy change from the usual steak dinner … not a fried chip in sight! 😉

According to the book, Michel would often serve pieces of this beef as little canapes at Le Gavroche! Fab idea! 👌

Big thanks to our hosts this month @whennonnocooks and @jolana_bar_and_grill .

Marinade for 2 steaks :

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon clear honey
1 tablespoon dark, soy sauce (or GF soya sauce if needed)
4cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
½ tablespoon coarsely ground black or white pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (GF if needed)
1 tablespoon sesame oil

1. Mix all the ingredients together to make a marinade and cover the beef steaks with the marinade and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours but no more than 12.

2. Cook over hight heat on a BBQ or in a non-stick pan to caramelise.

#theworldisyourcookpot #steakdinner #steak #cantonesebbq by @theworldisyourcookpot

GF PASTA E CECI ALLA NAPOLETANA (NEAPOLITAN STYLE GF PASTA & CHICKPEAS) … the type of dinners I cook a lot of in between cooking all the fancy stuff! 😉

PASTA E CECI is a deliciously creamy and comforting Neapolitan soup-style pasta dish.

A typical ‘cucina povera’ dish, where gorgeous, flavourful meals are made from humble, inexpensive and readily available ingredients. As a child, my mum used to make traditional Neopolitan soup-style pasta dishes at least once or twice a week; pasta with beans, pasta with potatoes, pasta with lentils, pasta with peas, pasta with cauliflower, pasta with pumpkin … believe me, the list is endless! This was always my absolute favourite however and still is! I love how simple it is and how the starch from the pasta and chickpeas melts into a smooth velvety coating. Pure comfort food, perfect for this time of year! 🍂🍁

Recipe👇 (serves 4)

Ingredients:

400g dried chickpeas
1 large garlic clove
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
A handful of fresh flat leaf parsley
300g pasta mista (the odds and ends and broken bits left in pasta packets - again, zero waste!)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. The night before, soak the chickpeas in a bowl of fresh water with a teaspoon of baking soda. This softens the chickpeas, making them easier to digest.

2. The next day, rinse the chickpeas, place them in a large saucepan with plenty of cold water, and bring to the boil. Cook on low heat for an hour and a half or until they are tender.

3. Once the chickpeas are ready, top up with some extra water if needed, add the extra virgin olive oil, the garlic clove and salt.

4. Bring everything to a boil and add the pasta and the parsley. Cook the pasta for the required time, allowing the cooking water to reduce as much as possible. However, if the pasta is still undercooked but the water has dried up, simply add a little more at a time. Serve with a little black pepper and an extra sprinkling of parsley.

#theworldisyourcookpot #pastaececi #cucinanapoletana #italianfoodporn #cucinapovera by @theworldisyourcookpot

ZUCCHINI E CAROTE ALLA SCAPECE (SWEET & SOUR COURGETTE AND CARROT SALAD)

Zucchini alla Scapece is a classic Neapolitan side dish of fried zucchini rounds marinated in vinegar, fresh mint and garlic but I also love adding carrots to it as a little twist! It makes the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats and fish!

My contribution to this month’s #theingredientcollective collaboration hosted by @whennonnocooks and @thecultiveater where the star ingredient is CARROTS! 🥕🧡🥕

Recipe👇(serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 courgettes, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon capers
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A few mint leaves for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the courgettes and carrots in batches until golden brown.

2. As they are ready, remove them to a serving dish with a slotted spoon, leaving any oil in the pan.

3. Season with salt and pepper and scatter the sliced garlic over the vegetables.

4. Add the vinegar, honey and mint to the pan and bring to the boil, then immediately pour this over the vegetables and gently toss to mix.

5. Leave the dish to stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.

To serve, scatter with the capers and garnish with mint leaves.

#theworldisyourcookpot #recipesharing #recipeshare #carrotrecipes by @theworldisyourcookpot

With a little bit more time on my hands this week, I really wanted to revisit Thailand, our destination for last weekend’s #aroundtheworldin80dishes so I’ve sneaked a bonus entry in (sorry Claire @thecultiveater and Mandy @ma_ndy1905, we’re getting you to do a bit of overtime this month! 😜)

PAD KEE MAO (DRUNKEN NOODLES), another popular Thai street food made with wide rice noodles, lots of garlic and fiery Thai bird’s eye chilies, Thai basil and young peppercorns.

Despite the name, no alcohol is used in the dish but they supposedly get their name from the popular theory that the spicy dish is traditionally eaten late at night after a drinking session or used as a hangover cure the next day! It beats a Maccy D any day! 😉

Recipe by @hotthaikitchen but adapted to make it #glutenfree

#theworldisyourcookpot #drunkennoodles #thaifoodstagram by @theworldisyourcookpot

Cooking for one tonight as hubby’s out! Thankfully not something I do too often.

And seeing as there’s an extra Tuesday in the month, I reopened @iamginodacampo’s ‘Hidden Italy’, my book of choice for September’s #onebookthreerecipes and tried to find something quick and easy and something I knew I’d have the ingredients for.

So here we are … SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH TOMATOES, GARLIC, CHILI AND ROCKET!

Just fried up some garlic, added a few pinches of chilli flakes, added my fresh tomatoes and softened them up for a few minutes. Then added white wine and simmered for a few minutes, and once my GF @barilla spaghetti were cooked, I drained and tipped them into the tomato pan and stirred through a handful of rocket leaves and voilá … simple but chef’s kiss good! 👌🍝

Thanks to our hosts @sfornelli.amo and @jcs_cooks for doing some ‘overtime’ this month with the extra Tuesday! 😝

#theworldisyourcookpot #spaghetti #cookingforone #pastalover❤️ by @theworldisyourcookpot

Life’s been super busy this week! Moved my daughter into Uni accommodation on Friday for the first time – and the whole rollercoaster of emotions that goes with that, especially as we’ve now become empty nesters! 😔 Also working on a new project at church which is taking up every minute of my spare time but cooking is my therapy and I didn’t want to miss out on a virtual trip to THAILAND today with the #aroundtheworldin80dishes gang!

I love Thai food. I love the sweet, spicy, salty, sour flavours that make it what it is, and in the circumstances, a quick and easy dish it had to be! Come in PAD KRA PAO GAI (THAI CHILLI BASIL CHICKEN)!

This is a classic, fast-paced Thai stir-fry dish made with minced or small diced chicken pieces, garlic, red chili peppers, and a generous handful of aromatic Thai basil. Served on a bed of rice and topped off with a fried egg. It took about 15 minutes to rustle up – just what we needed this week and it ended up being our last meal at home before taking our daughter up.

Thanks to Clare @thecultiveater for being the host with the most and @ma_ndy1905 for co-piloting beautifully too! Can’t wait to find out where we’re going next … hopefully a much calmer month! 🙏

#theworldisyourcookpot #thaifood #thaibasilchicken #thaifoodstagram by @theworldisyourcookpot

CIAMBELLINE AL LIMONE E VINO BIANCO (LEMON AND WHITE WINE BISCUITS) from @iamginodacampo’s ‘Hidden Italy’ cookbook.

Thought I’d finish on something sweet this month! My third and final recipe for this month’s #onebookthreerecipes are these delicious, crunchy, ring-shaped biscuits made with dry white wine, olive oil and lemon zest … perfect with a hot brew but equally perfect dunked in some dessert wine as an after dinner treat!

Very simple to make. I substituted the flour for gluten free self-raising flour and they were just great!

Big thanks to our hosts this month for doing such a great job, @sfornelli.amo and @jcs_cooks.

Ingredients (makes around 35):

500g self-raising flour (GF if needed)
160g caster sugar, plus 4 tablespoons for coating
1 teaspoon baking powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
140ml dry white wine
100ml extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt in a large bowl and lightly mix. Stir in the wine and oil using a wooden spoon until well combined.

2. Gather the dough and knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes or until smooth.

3. Break off small pieces of dough. Using the palms of your hands, roll each piece into a sausage shape about 6cm long and 2cm thick. Bring the ends together to make a ring shape. Press the ends together to seal. Repeat for the remaining biscuits.

4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Put the 4 tablespoons of sugar on a plate and dip a dough ring in the sugar, coating one side only. Lay the ring, coated-side up, on one of the lined sheets. Repeat for the remaining biscuits, placing them 3cm apart and using both baking sheets.

5. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and leave on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

#theworldisyourcookpot #italianbiscuits #glutenfreebiscuits #cookingwithwine by @theworldisyourcookpot