Leek Quiche

        I don't know if you have noticed, but I have quite a sweet tooth. I do enjoy cooking savory food, but, when I'm receiving guests, the ideas for the dishes I'm going to prepare are always sweet things: a Mississippi mud pie, salty caramel cupcakes, dulce de leche brownies... When I'm already planning the fourth pie, my mom reminds me: "But what about the savory food?". Then, I start a mental exhausting search for something easy, different, delicious and savory: quiche always wins.

      I have a pretty good relationship with quiches: they're practical, quick, full of flavor and have that Wow factor (is that right?), that for me is fundamental.  To start the many to come quiche recipes, I choose my family's favorite: Leek Quiche. 

For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 100g butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.
2. Add the butter and break it into the flour, rubbing it in. 
3. Pour in the heavy cream into the flour mixture.
4. Use your hands to bring the dough together. Try to moisten all of the flour bits.
5. On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough for a few moments adding flour if necessary.
6. Shape the dough into a ball or a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Allow it to rest in the fridge while you make the filling.

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon onions, grated
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 50g parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 leeks
• 1/2 cup chive
• Salt 
• Pepper

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour and milk together until all of the flour dissolves. Set it aside.
3. Cut the leek into slices. In a medium sauce pan, bring some water to boil and add the slices of leek, let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. In another pan, melt the butter. Add the grated onions and brown them.
5. Add the flour and milk mixture to the pan, lower the heat and let ir cook until it is thick, then add salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, egg yolks, chives and leek. Mix it all together.
6. Roll out the dough in a well-floured work surface.
7.  Carefully lift down and place into the 9-inch pie plate.
8. Use a fork to pierce the unbaked crust. 
9. Bake the crust in a preheated oven (375 degrees F) for 10 minutes.
10. Then, pour the filling into the pre-baked crust and bake the quiche for 15-20 minutes.

The Best Burger

  

         I'm addicted to a few things: cream cheese, Barbra Streisand, sleeping late on Sundays, The Hunger Games, far too long baths and How I Met Your Mother. If you never watched this show before, that for me is the best of all times (forgive me, FRIENDS, but you abandoned me first), you might be a little lost reading this post. Anyway, yesterday, I was watching a fourth season episode in which Marshall (Jason Segel) was recalling his first day in NY, the day that he ate the best burger in the city. He could never find the burger again, therefore, he had this big hole in his heart; so his friends, Marshall and Regis Philbin (yeap, this is a crazy show) start a search for the Best Burger in New York City. The best part of it all, the part that made me crave for burgers is the Marshall's monologue about the Burger: please, do watch.

        This is the best burger that I've done and it is quite simple: no flour of any kind, cream cracker's crumbles, nothing that interferes with the meat's texture and flavor; just seasoning that enhance those qualities. 

Classic Burger

(recipe adapted from Grandma's Best Recipes)

• 2 lb/ 900g rump steak or top round, freshly ground
• 2 small onions, grated
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• Pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix it all together. That easy.
2. Shape into 4-6 equal-size burgers, let them chill for about 30 minutes
3. You can grill them right away or freeze them for later.

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Have a sweet day!

Bruschettas

     Bruschettas, that is my ultimate comfort food! You take them of the oven and the cheese is melting, you sprinkle some basil leaves, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and bite it: "Crunch", followed by an inevitable "Huuumm". The world suddenly is a better place! Not only they are absolutely delicious, they are also easy and practical: we usually have all the ingredients we need at home, no need to rush to the supermarket.
     Yesterday I made those for some friends that visited us, along with a Cheesecake (that I owned a couple of them) and this Crumble. But the favorites of the night were the Bruschettas! Wanna know the best part? I didn't have to slave myself in the kitchen and miss all the party: I left them ready to go to the oven and all I had to do was bake them, place them on a nice tray and sprinkle the little basil leaves! A piece of cake!

Bruschettas

• 2 Campagne breads (if you can find it, use some Italian Bread)
• Olive Oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 300g cherry tomatoes
• Pepper
• Salt
• Grated Mozzarella (it is also fabulous if you use slices of Brie) 
• Basil

1. Slice the cloves.
2. Cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters or slices.
3. In a pan, fry the garlic (don't let the burn) and then add the cherry tomatoes and them for a few moments. Add the salt and pepper and turn of the heat.
4. Cut the bread into thick slice, drizzle it with some olive oil and cover them with the grated mozzarella.
5. Place the tomatoes over the mozzarella and bake until the cheese melts.
6. Take them of the oven, drizzle a little bit more of olive oli and sprinkle some basil leaves.