Spanish Orange Cake

My bags are packed! Only 24  hours left 'till long awaited holiday. First stop Bangkok, then Vienna and after that Bosnia. I won't be able to comment for 3 weeks; please excuse me!

This cake is made from whole oranges. I made something similar before ( Greek Orange Cake), so I expected it to be good.  No butter and no flour, but it's surprisingly moist and aromatic. The secret is in cooked oranges!

Ingredients:
2 oranges (organic, 280-300 g)
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
300 g almond meal
1 tsp baking powder

Method:
Wash oranges and place them in a pan; cover with water and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. Take out, cut discard pips and process it into paste.
Preheat oven to 170*C,prepare 22 cm cake tin.
In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick and fluffy. Add orange paste, almond meal and baking powder.  Fold in, transfer to cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes.
After cooling, sprinkle with icing sugar and decorate with orange skin curls.
(Mine has cream cheese icing on top)

Španski kolač sa cijelim narandžama

Putne torbe spakovane! Sutra pocinje dugo ocekivani odmor. Prvo zaustavljanje Bangkok, zatim Bec i napokon Bosna. Tri sedmice necu biti u mogucnosti komentirati na vase postove; opravdajte me :-)

Ovaj kolac je pravljen od cijelih narandzi. Pravila sam nesto slicno prije (Grčki kolač sa narandžama), pa sam ocekivala da bude dobar. Bez brasna je i bez maslaca, ali je iznenadjujuce vlazan. Tajna je u kuhanim, pasiranim narandzama.

Potrebno:
2 narandze (neprskane, 280-300 gr)
4 eggs
1 solja secera
300 gr badema, samljevenih
1 k praska za pecivo

Nacin:
Stavite narandze u lonac, pokrijte vodom i kuhajte oko 1 sati 30 minuta. Izvadite, prohladite, isijecite i izvadite kospice. Ispasirajte narandze u sjeckalici.
Ukljucite rernu na 170*C, pripremite 22 cm obruc za kolace.
Umutite jaja sa secerom u gustu pjenu. Dodajte ispasirane narandze, mljevene bademe i prasak za pecivo. Uspite u obruc i pecite oko 45-50 minuta. Malo prohladite, zatim pospite secerom u prahu i ukrasite koricom narandze.
(Moj ima povrsinski sloj od zasladjenog krem sira)

Steamed Pork Buns (Dim Sim / Dim Sum)

This is an easy  and quick version of famous Chinese Pork buns. Traditionally, Dim Sums are made with yeast dough and leftovers from grilled pork. These are nothing less delicious and quick.

Ingredients:

Dough-

2 1/2 cups SR flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup water

Filling-

250 g pork mince

1 small onion, diced

1 tbs oil

3-5 garlic cloves, crushed

1 piece of ginger (2-3 cm), grated

1-2 tbs soy sauce

2-3 tbs Hoisin sauce

pepper to taste

Method: 

Heat oil, saute onions, garlic and ginger. Add mince and cook until change colour. Add sauces and seasoning, and let it evaporate until half juices gone. Cool slightly.

Make soft dough, divide into 8. Roll out each into a circle. Fill with a spoonful of cooled mixture and enclose edges, making a ball. Place each ball onto a piece of baking paper.

Bring your steamer to boil; place prepared dough onto steamer with some space between (they will grow), cover and steam for 12-15 minutes. Take out carefully and serve with soy sauce (optional).

Dim Sim / Kineski napareni hljeb sa punjenjem od svinjetine

Tradicionalno, Dim Sim se pravi sa kvascem i preostalog grilovanog mesa (svinjetina) i 'pece' se na pari u bambusovim posudama. Ovo je brza verzija, koja ne zaostaje za ukusom u odnosu na originalne. Za one koji nemaju 'steamer' (posuda  za pecenje na pari), predlazem da iznad kljucale vode u loncu stave neku resetku ili cjediljku i poklope odgovarajucim poklopcem.

Potrebno:

Tijesto-

2 1/2 solje samodizajuceg brasna

1/2 k soli

1 solja vode

Fil-

250 gr mljevene svinjetine

1 manji crveni luk, sjeckan

1 K ulja

3-5 cena bijelog luka, protisnutog

1 komad (2-3 cm) djumbira, sitno rendanog

1-2 K soja sosa

2-3 K Hoisin sosa (Kineski slatkasti, tamni sos) - nije neophodno

biber prema ukusu

Nacin:

Zagrijte ulje, proprzite luk, djumbir i bijeli luk. Dodajte meso i przite dok ne promijeni boju. Zacinite i ubacite soseve, zatim ostavite da polovina tekucine ispari. Prohladite.

Umijesite tijesto i podijelite na 8. Razvucite svaki dio u krug i filujte sa punom kasikom fila. Zatvorite ivice stiskajuci prstima, pa svaku pripremljenu lopticu stavite na komad ne-prijanjajuceg papira. Zagrijte vodu u posudi do kljucanja, postavite tijesto sa papirom na resetku (sa razmakom- narast ce, a ako se dodiruje ostace zalijepljeno), poklopite i pecite iznad pare oko 12-15 minuta. Ponovite postupak radije, nego da pretrpate posudu!  (Ja sam 'pekla' po 3 sa dosta razmaka i odvojene papirom). Pazljivo izvadite i sluzite sa soja sosem

Hummus Dip / Homus

Super healthy, super quick and super tasty! Please serve it with vegetable sticks and non-fat rice crackers.

Ingredients:

1 can chick peas (reserve some liquid)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 lemon, juice (to taste)

1/4 cup tahini

salt and pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil ( as much or little as you want - I put 2-3 tbs)

1/2 tsp cumin powder

Method:

Place everything in a food processor and run it until smooth (add liquid from can, to desirable texture).

Serve in a bowl, with some oil on top and with a sprinkle of paprika (optional).

Homus

Super zdravo, super brzo i super ukusno! Servirajte sa pruticima povrca i nemasnim krekerima od rize.

Potrebno:

1 konzerva slanutka / leblebije (sacuvajte malo tecnosti)

1 ceno bijelog luka, protisnuto

1 limun, sok (prema ukusu)

1/4 solje Tahini paste

so i biber prema ukusu

Djevicansko maslinovo ulje, onoliko koliko ga zelite - ja stavim 2-3 K)

1/2 k kima u prahu

Nacin:

Stavite sve u elektricnu sjeckalicu i ukljucite da se sve pomijesa i stvori u pastu. Dodajte tecnosti iz konzerve ako zelite vise tecno. Servirajte u posudama, sa malo ulja na povrsini i posuto paprikom (po zelji)

Bosnian Mushroom 'Pita'

Have you tried Bosnian pita? My favourite (for last few years) is mushroom 'pita'. Here's how to make it!

Ingredients:

Dough / pastry-

2 cups plain flour, sifted

3/4 tsp salt

220 ml water

How to prepare and stretch pastry!

Oil and flour for stretching

Filling-

1 tbs oil

800 g mushrooms, (medium sized are best), sliced

1 garlic cloves, crushed

2-3 tbs sour cream (or thickened cream)

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Make dough (as stated in link), cover and let it rest.

Preheat oven to 190*C; prepare baking dish.

Heat oil in a pan, add mushrooms, garlic and cream. Saute until most of liquid evaporated; season to taste and then let it cool.

Stretch dough, fill with prepared mushrooms. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden-brown. Serve with some extra sour cream on top (or with drinking yogurt).

Pita Šampinjonka

Jeste li probali pitu sa gljivama / šampinjonima? To je moja (u posljednje vrijeme) najdraza pita.  

Evo kako je pravim!

Potrebno:

Tijesto-

2 solje brasna (znaci 500 ml), sitno/ meko za pitu, prosijano

3/4 k soli

220 ml vode

Kako pripremiti i razvuci tijesto!

Ulje i brasno za razvlacenje

Fill/ Punjenje-

1 K ulja

800 gr sampinjona (oni srednje velicine su najbolji), isjeckani

1 ceno bijelog luka, protisnuto

2-3 K vrhnja (kiselo ili slatko)

so i biber prema ukusu

Nacin:

Umijesite tijesto i ostavite odmarati, kako je opisano u linku.

Ukljucite rernu na 190*C. Pripremite pleh.

Zagrijte ulje, ubacite gljive, vrhnje i bijeli luk i dinstajte. Vecina tecnosti treba da ispari; zacinite prema ukusu, promijesajte i ostavite hladiti.

Razvucite tijesto i filujte. Pecite oko 30 minuta, ili dok ne postane zlatno-zuta. Servirajte sa malo vrhnja po povrsini (ili sa tecnim jogurtom).

Devilled Eggs / Mimosa Eggs

A retro recipe that was very popular  some time ago, but originated in ancient Rome (more or less same version). Still loved in my family...Mostly served as entry or  'meze'.  ('Devilled' means heavily spiced; has nothing to do with Devil!)

Ingredients:
4-6 eggs (usually 1 for each person), boiled for 8 minutes (with some salt)
2-3 tbs mayonnaise
salt and white pepper
Tabasco or mustard (or both), to taste

Method:
Boil eggs, but no longer than 8 minutes, or yolks' outside will become grayish- green. Cool eggs, then carefully peel them.  Halve them (or cut into 3, as I like to do) and remove yolks. Place yolks in a small bowl, add mayo and season to your liking. Mush it really well (for smoother consistency, pass everything through a sieve), place in a piping bag and replace yolk spaces with a decorative swirl. Refrigerate (covered with plastic wrap) if not serving immediately.



Mimoza Jaja / 'Devilled Eggs'

Jedan retro recept, koji je bio popularan prije izvjesnog vremena, ali zapravo potice jos od Rimskog doba (u manje-vise istoj verziji). Jos uvijek rado pravljen i konzumiran u mom domu...servirano kao predjelo ili meze. (Naziv 'devilled' nema nikakve veze sa devilom; prakticno znaci tesko zacinjeno).

Potrebno:
4-6 jaja (obicno 1 jaje po osobi), kuhana 8 minuta u zasoljenoj vodi
2-3 K majoneze
so i bijeli biber 
Tabasko ili senf (ili oboje), prema ukusu

Nacin:
Kuhajte jaja, ali ne duze od 8 minuta, ili ce zumanjak postati sivo-zelen sa spoljne strane. Ohladite i ogulite pazljivo jaja. Prepolovite ih (ili rasijecite na 3 dijela, kako sam ja to ucinila) i odstranite zumanca. Stavite ih u manju posudu sa ostalim zacinima i dobro izradite viljuskom (mozete smjesu protjerati kroz manju cjediljku, ako zelite sasvim glatku masu bez grudica). Smjestite zatim u poslasticarsku vrecicu i punite prostor preostao od zumanjaka. Pokrijte plasticnom folijom i smjestite u frizider, ukoliko ne zelite servirati odmah.

Crispy Parmesan Zucchini

First day of Spring in southern hemisphere! Enjoy this quick-and-easy recipe with it!

Ingredients:

Zucchinis

1-2 egg white, beaten lightly

Parmesan, grated

Bread crumbs 

Salt and pepper 

Olive oil

Method:

Cut zucchinis lengthwise into 4. Mix well with egg whites, to coat. Mix equal parts of parmesan and bread crumbs into a bag. Place zucchinis inside and shake it.  Place them onto baking try; season to taste (careful with salt), spray with olive oil and bake for 12-15 minutes at 180-190*C.

Hrskave Tikvice sa Parmezanom

Prvi je dan proljeca na juznoj polu-lopti! Uzivajte u njemu i ovom brzom i laganom receptu ( i vi gore na sjevernom dijelu) !

Potrebno:

Tikvice

1-2 bjelanca, lagano umucena

Parmesan, sitno rendani

Krusne mrvice / prezla

So i biber

Maslinovo ulje

Nacin:

Izrezite tikvice po duzini na 4 dijela. Izmijesajte ih dobro u umucenim bjelancima. Pomijesajte mrvice i parmezan u jednoj vrecici i ubacite tikvice. Protresite dobro, zatim prebacite tikvice na tepsiju. Zacinite po ukusu (pazljivo sa solju), nauljite po povrsini i pecite 12-15 minuta  na 180-190*C.