Everything Started with Colored Potatoes.....and Ended Up with Colorful Gnocchis!!!

Yes....everything started with colored potatoes.....

On Saturdays, we go to the Farmers Market. We like to go there because we find everything we like such as Swiss chard, fresh berries, and good potatoes. The first time we ate colored potatoes, it was in Chiloe , and that was more than 20 years ago. I never thought that I will eat them again here in Canada.

Therefore, we bought some coloured potatoes, and my husband asked me....Why don't we make some colourful gnocchis with goat cheese and pumpkin sauce?......The result was very good from a taste point of view; nevertheless, it was not as colourful as we expected.....

 

 

Just a "normal" gnocchi dish....

When we cut them, we noticed that it was an explosion of colours in our dish....

 

 

 

 

 

Our First Colored Gnocchis 

Therefore, we have decided to make it once again, making them very colourful and appealing to the senses.....

We started all over again....We went to the Farmers Market, bought coloured potatoes, pumpkin, goat cheese, but this time we included beets and spinach......

And here is the result.....................

As you present this dish on the table

 

 

 Full of color, funny and yummy!!

The kids just love it!!.....we presented this dish as a painter's palette for them......

 

  

  

 

 

  A simple dish with wonderful ingredients

This colorful, simply, tasty, and home made gnocchis post is dedicated to TITO...el Blog!!  Tito is a wonderful person that makes us laugh with his stories, and shares with us wonderful recipes. I always say to him that he should have a TV program named "Cooking and Laughing with Tito!".....it will be a hit. Not only he dedicated a great Cocido Gallego to me because of the colours of my blog, but also he has made my Pimientos en Aceite de Oliva which has made me very proud....Thanks Tito!! ....I hope you will enjoy the colours of this dish!!.....

Here goes the recipe:

2 pounds of blue potatoes
2 pounds of red potatoes
2 pounds of white potatoes
1 beet
1 bunch of spinach
Eggs
Parmiggiano reggiano cheese
Flour
Salt
Nutmeg
1 chopped onion
1 pound of pumpkin (or more as you wish)
Pepper
Olive oil
1 spoon of white wine
1 cup of cream
200 grams of goat cheese
Sage leaves

You can use your own gnocchi recipe . Here is what I do (my proportion is for a cup of cooked mash potatoes):

Blue gnocchis
Peel the blue potatoes, and cook them. Once they are cooked, make mash potatoes. Measure one cup of mash potatoes (cold), put in a bowl and mix with 1 egg, 2 spoons of Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, salt, nutmeg, and flour as needed to make a dough that holds together, but do not stick in to your hand. Make the gnocchis, and set aside to dry them.

Red gnocchis

Peel the red potatoes, and cook them. Once they are cooked, make mash potatoes. Measure one cup of mash potatoes (cold), put in a bowl and mix with 1 egg, 2 spoons of Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, salt, the juice of half beet (I used a juice extractor), nutmeg, and flour as needed to make a dough that holds together, but do not stick in to your hand. Make the gnocchis, and set aside to dry them.

Green gnocchis

Peel the white potatoes, and cook them. Once they are cooked, make mash potatoes. Wash the spinach, cook it "al dente", and let it cool.  Blend the spinach with one egg in a blender. Measure one cup of mash potatoes (cold), put in a bowl and mix with  2 spoons of Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, salt, nutmeg, the mix of egg and spinach, and flour as needed to make a dough that holds together, but do not stick in to your hand. Make the gnocchis, and set aside to dry them.

For the sauce:

Cut the pumpkin in pieces, and cook it in the oven until fully cooked. Let it cool. Blend the pumpkin with the cream in a blender. Set aside.

In a pot, heat olive oil and cook the chopped onion  until is translucent (with the sage). Add the spoon of wine, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Let the alcohol evaporate. Discard the sage. Add the pumpkin with the cream. Incorporate the goat cheese in pieces. Taste for salt, pepper and nutmeg. Let it simmer at low heat for 6 minutes.

Cook the gnocchis in three different pots with boiling water and salt (to avoid mix in colours). When they get up to the top of the water, take them out and place them in a big bowl. Once they are cooked, mix them with the sauce, serve them, and add Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese if you want. Enjoy this colourful, tasty and healthy dish!!

Recetas Con Higos Secos.....Espero Les Guste....

Higos Secos con Ricotta y Almendras en Masa Filo

Hace mucho tiempo, en casa de una amiga, probe la siguiente receta ...... y me fascino !!..... Es cremosa, deliciosa, sabrosa, y hasta me hizo olvidar que yo estaba comiendo una tarta con higos secos. Hace tiempo no la hacia y queria recordar su sabor.... 

Sin embargo, como muchos de ustedes, yo cocino cuando puedo ...... y a veces eso significa que es a altas horas de la noche. Por lo tanto, cuando creo que estoy lista con todos los ingredientes, la ley de Murphy está siempre presente para decirme que algo no está en su lugar. Yo lo tenía todo, incluyendo mi deseo de hacer y comerlo, cuando me doy cuenta que no tenía crema de leche (después de las 9 pm .... no hay tiempo para ir al supermercado de nuevo :(....). Por lo tanto, tuve que hacer mi propia versión con mi  "crema espesa "....... Aquí está la receta (y cómo lo transforme): 

1 paquete de pasta de hojaldre congelada 
300 gramos de higos secos (yo use menos, y la cantidad a utilizar es de acuerdo al tamaño de su fuente de horno) 
2 tazas de crema (10%) (tuve que hacer 2 tazas de leche con 2 cucharadas de fécula de maíz para hacer una "crema espesa") 
3 huevos 
1 / 2 taza de almendras en rodajas 
40 gramos de azúcar (yo usé azúcar morena, puede utilizar más o menos dependiendo de su gusto) 
1 cucharadita de semillas trituradas de anís y cardamomo  

Semillas de 1 / 2 vainas de vainilla 
Azúcar moreno para espolvorear 

En un bol, cubrir los higos con agua hirviendo. Ponga a un lado y cuele cuando se han rehidratado. Cortar los tallos, y cortarlos en rodajas. Reservar. 

Receta Original: Coloque la crema de leche en una olla con las semillas de anís y  cardamomo. Se deja hervir a fuego lento durante 7 minutos. Colar la crema, y desechar las semillas. Mezclar con el azúcar y la vainilla, y probar el dulzor. Dejar enfriar. 

Mi versión: Mezclar la leche con dos cucharadas de almidón de maíz. Calentar hasta que empiece a espesar. Ponga a un lado para enfriar (lo puse en el congelador para acelerar el proceso). Colocar esta crema fría en una olla con  las semillas de anís y cardamomo. Se deja hervir a fuego lento durante 7 minutos. Colar la crema, y desechar las semillas. Mezclar con el azúcar y la vainilla, y probar el dulzor. Dejar enfriar.

Cocine la pasta de hojaldre en una fuente de horno de acuerdo a las instrucciones, hasta que esté cocinado a medio hacer. Sacarlo del horno. 

Mezclar los huevos con la crema fría. Añadir las almendras rebanada, y revuelva.Coloque esta mezcla sobre la masa de hojaldre que esta a medio cocer.Decorar con los higos como desee. Coloque en el horno precalentado a 370F durante 25 minutos, o hasta que esté completamente cocido (prueba del palito).Cuando está casi listo, espolvorear con azúcar morena y poner bajo la parrilla del horno durante dos minutos. Dejar enfriar y disfrutar!

Mi "crema espesa"

Pasos.....

Se sirve un pedazo?

Me encanta la repostería de Oriente Medio ..... la mezcla de miel y nueces es muy atractiva para mí. Antes de hacer estos pasteles hice Spinakopitas, por lo tanto, tenía algunas hojas de masa filo que me sobraron, las que he utilizado para crear estos pastelillos. Estoy muy contenta con el resultado. Se comieron al desayuno, y con el café. 

220 gramos de ricotta 
2 cucharadas de almidón de maíz 
1 huevo 
1 / 2 taza de almendras rebanada 
7 higos secos 
35 gramos de azúcar (más o menos dependiendo de su gusto) 
10 hojas de masa filo 
Mantequilla derretida y aceite de oliva para cepillar la masa filo 
Miel 

En un bol, cubrir los higos con agua hirviendo. Ponga a un lado y cuele cuando se han rehidratado. Cortar los tallos, y cortarlos en pedazos. Reservar.

Mezclar la ricota con el almidón de maíz. Aquí la ricotta es muy acuosa, por lo tanto, he usado el almidón de maíz para que se seque antes de ponerlo en el horno. De esta forma, no se saldrá en la coccion. Si utiliza una ricota seca, entonces probablemente no sería necesario el almidón de maíz. 

Añadir el azúcar, y probar el dulzor. A continuación, agregue el huevo y almendras a la mezcla de ricota. Añadir los trozos de higo, y revuelva. 

Tome una hoja de filo, y con una brocha aplique la mezcla de mantequilla derretida y el aceite de oliva, y doble por la mitad (en el lado más largo). Tendrá un rectángulo largo. Coloque el rectángulo de pasta filo en frente de usted. Coloque una cuchara llena de la mezcla de higos y ricota (más o menos dependiendo de usted), a principios del rectángulo, pero en el centro, dejando 1 / 3 de cada borde libre de la mezcla.Doble los lados hacia el centro a lo largo del rectángulo. A continuación, enrollar el relleno en la masa de hojaldre en forma de cigarros. Cepille con la mezcla de mantequilla derretida y el aceite de oliva. Poner en un horno precalentado a 375 F por 20 minutos o hasta que estén doradas. Dejar enfriar y poner la miel en la parte superior ..... Que lo disfruten! 

Higos y Ricota en Masa Filo en forma de Cigarro

Para que vea el relleno.....

Dry Figs Recipes.....I Hope You Like Them....

Dry figs with Ricotta and Almonds in Phyllo Dough

Long time ago, in a friend's home, I tried this pastry......and I felt in love with it!!.....It was creamy, yummy, tasty, and even make me forget that I was eating a tart with dry figs. I have not make it this recipe in a long time, and I wanted to remember its taste.....

Nevertheless, as many of you, I cook when I can......and sometimes that means late at night. Therefore, when I think I am ready with all the ingredients, Murphy's law is always present to tell me that something is not in place. I had everything, including my desire to make and eat it, when I notice that I did not have whipping cream (and it was after 9pm....no time to go to the supermarket again  :(....). Therefore, I had to make my own version with my own "thick cream".......Here is the recipe (and how I transformed it):

1 package of frozen puff pastry

300 grams of dried figs  (I use less, and you will see how much will use according to the size of your oven dish)

2 cups of cream (10%) (I had to make 2 cups of milk with 2 spoons of corn starch to make a "thick cream")

3 eggs

1/2 cup sliced almonds

40 grams sugar (I used brown sugar, you can use more or less depending on your taste)

1 teaspoon of each anise, and cardamom crushed seeds

Seeds of 1/2 vanilla beans

Brown sugar to sprinkle

In a bowl, cover the figs with boiling water. Set aside and drain them when they are re-hydrated. Cut the stems, and slice them. Set aside.

Original recipe: Place the whipping cream in a pot with the crushed anise and cardamom seeds. Let it simmer at low heat for 7 minutes. Strain the cream, and discard the seeds. Mix with the sugar and vanilla beans, and taste for sweetens. Set aside.

My version: Mix the milk with two spoons of corn starch. Heat it until starts to get thick. Set aside for cooling (I put it in the freezer to speed up the process). Place this cold cream in a pot with the crushed anise and cardamom seeds. Let it simmer at low heat for 7 minutes. Strain the cream, and discard the seeds. Mix with the sugar and vanilla beans, and taste for sweetnes. Set aside.

Cook the puff pastry in an oven proof dish according to the instructions, until is half way cooked. Take it out from the oven.

Mix the eggs with the cold cream. Add the slice almonds, and stir it. Place this mix over the puff pastry that is half-way cooked. Decorate with the figs at your desire. Place it in a pre heated oven at 370F for 25 minutes, or until is fully cooked (stick test). When is almost ready, sprinkle with brown sugar and use the broiler for two minutes. Let it cool and enjoy!! 

My "thick cream"

Steps.....

Do you want a piece?

I love pastries from the Middle-East.....the mix of honey, nuts and honey is very appealing to me. Before making this pastry, I made Spinakopitas; therefore, I had some phyllo pastry sheets leftovers that I used to create this pastry. I'm very happy with the result. We ate it for breakfast, and with coffee. 

220 grams of ricotta

2 tablespoons of corn starch

1 egg

1/2 cup of slice almonds

7 dried figs

35 grams of sugar (more or less depending on your taste)

10 phyllo dough sheets

Melted butter and olive oil to brush the phyllo dough

Honey

In a bowl, cover the figs with boiling water. Set aside and drain them when they are re-hydrated. Cut the stems, and slice or chopp them. Set aside.

Mix the ricotta with the corn starch. Here the ricotta is very watery; therefore, I used the corn starch to dry it before I put it into the oven. thus, it will not run out. If you use a dry ricotta, then you probably would not need the corn starch.

Add the sugar, and taste for sweetness. Then, add the egg and almonds to the ricotta mix. Add the fig pieces, and stir it.

Take one phyllo sheet, brush it with a mix of melted butter and olive oil, and fold it in half (in the longest side). You will have a long rectangle. Put the phyllo dough rectangle in front of you. Place a full spoon of the figs and ricotta mix (more or less depending on you), at the beginning of the rectangle, but in the middle, leaving 1/3 of each border free of the mix. Fold in the sides to the centre along the rectangle. Then, roll up the filling in the phyllo dough in a cigars shape. Brush it with a mix of melted butter and olive oil. Put in a pre-heated oven at 375 F for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool, and put honey on top.....Enjoy it!!

Ricotta and Figs in Phyllo Dough in Cigars Shape

For you to see the filling.....