Napoli

I have just come back from Naples to visit my family and I have, as always, been eating a lot during my stay.
My mum has cooked a lovely dinner to welcome me. The delicious Pasta Al Forno alla Siciliana, Roast beef, Zucchini alla Scapece e dolci.

The ingredients of Pasta all Siciliana are: Aubergine, mozzarella, tomato sauce, pasta (the so called mezzanelli type), parmesan and basil.
First of all cook a tomato sauce garlic, olive oil and tomatoes. Then fry the aubergine cut in thin slices.
Finally cook the pasta for only 5 minutes as it needs to be quite "al dente" as it will also cook further in the oven, and we Italians, don't like soft pasta!!
Cover the bottom of a pot with the fried aubergine add half of the pasta a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan, some chopped basil and mozzarella and some more tomato sauce. Cover with the other half of the pasta top it with some sauce and cook in the oven at 200 degree for about 20- 30 minutes.

When cooked a slightly cooled down, if you feel confident, and you have mum's resolve and nerves, you can place it upside down on a plate as if it was a cake. gorg!

Tricky manouvre!!!

Zucchini alla Scapece

This is a very simple but tasty dish.
Cut the courgettes in thin slices and fry.
Place in layers  with garlic, mint and drops of vinagair.
Put in the fridge until ready to serve.


and to finish gorgeous pasta mignon,  (little cakes)  including the traditional Rum Baba`.

My sister and I took my mum to an old restaurant in Borgo Marinari.
It is not a Michelin- star restaurant but coming from England it felt like one!
It is located by the sea, near the Angioin Castel dell'Ovo, surrounded by boats and "scugnizzi" diving in the sea. We ate lots of sea dishes. Really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere.

We had Risotto alla Pescatore (Risotto with shellfish, octopus and prawns) , zuppa di pesce (soup of seafood), Mezzanelli al Provolone and grilled fish. Really enjoyed it!

Time to go back to England, sad but with a full belly! And until the summer ....Arrivederci!