We are back! Yes, we are!!
It took us sometimes to get our ideas back on track, but we have finally made it.
We are terribly sorry for the disappearance, we were extremely busy on a couple of projects we have been working on for the last couple of months. Both of which are very close to our heart and we have spent a lot of time developing. Now we just need to hope that all comes to plan…ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO SHARE THE WORD WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!!
The first of our project is a Food tour, we mentioned about it a few weeks back. We thought we could do that alongside the blog, but we were mistaken. Trying to jiggle work, blog and food tour became a bit of a problem. We had to take a break from one of them. Sadly, that could not have been our full-time job, even though, I can tell you, that would have been our preferred choice 
I will write more about our food tour in our next post!
Our second little project was to start a supper club in our apartment. Supper Clubs are becoming more and more popular and I love the idea of them. If you are not familiar with the concept, what happens is that you go and eat at someone’s home, you pay a contribution towards the dinner, that covers the cost of the dinner, and a little bit more. The host will cook for you and, in our case, will eat with you as well. In the past, some, had successfully made it into a business, for us this is just a fun thing to do over the weekends or when we feel like. Amsterdam is one of Europe most visited cities, it’s no surprise that people wants more from their holiday than simply go to a museum and to a local restaurant. I guess our aim is to make them live like a local for a day (or an evening).
Of course it is not aimed at tourists only, as everyone could join. We allow a maximum of 6 people to join our dinner parties. One because our apartment is pretty small, and two because we like to keep the atmosphere as intimate as possible. It’s a great way for those that live in the city already to getting to know each other, and try an alternative type of evening. The food is king, the idea is that people need to feel that are having a good foodie experience.
During ours we serve a mix of our signature cuisine, which a mixture of Italian and Vietnamese. We serve wine, dessert and our homemade Italian liquor, soooooo good! Well, if you/or any of your friends happen to visit Amsterdam you know what you should suggest them to do
For our come back we are going as classic as classic can possibly be: Bake Pasta (pasta al forno)
Ingredients
- Rigatoni pasta: 600g (21 oz)
- Eggs: 4
- Grated Parmesan: 4 tbls
- Mozzarella: 400g (14 oz)
- Tomato puree: 1lt (4.2 cups)
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Onion: 1 large
- Extra virgin olive oil: 2 tbls
- Basil: your taste
- Salt: a pinch
- Minced meat: 400g (14 oz)
- Fresh bread crumb 150g (0.7 oz)
- Eggs: 2
- Grated Parmesan: 150g (0.7 oz)
- Parsley: 1 bunch
- Nutmeg: a dash
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Salt: a pinch
- Pepper: a dash
- Milk: 1lt full (4.2 cups)
- Flour: 100g (0.5 oz)
- Butter 100g (0.5 oz)
- Salt: a pinch
- Nutmeg: a dash
Method
- In a large bowl mix the minced meat , the Parmesan cheese, the chopped parsley and the fresh breadcrumbs
- Add the egg and season with salt and pepper. Knead the dough with your hands to obtain a smooth mixture. Cover it with plastic food wrap and put aside.
- In a large non-stick frying pan add the oil and the garlic cloves. Cook for a couple of minutes/.
- Pour the tomato puree, add salt and pepper and simmer for at least an hour on low heat
- Meanwhile , from the meat mixture make about 60-70 small meatballs.
- After one hour, pour the meatballs in the tomato sauce you are making. Season with salt and peppe. Cook at low heat for another 25 minutes . At the end add the basil leaves and turn off the heat.
- Boil the eggs, about 10 minutes, cool them under cold water and shell them
- Cut the eggs into wedges, cut the mozzarella in cubes, set aside
- Heat butter into a pan, when it’s melted add the flour, stir fast to avoid the creation of any lumps.
- Add slowly the heated milk. Stir until the cream becomes thick and smooth (about 10 minutes). Add more flour is it’s too liquid
- Season with salt and nutmeg
- Boil the pasta and drain half way through cooking.
- Mix the pasta with the tomato sauce and meatballs, previously prepared
- On a baking tray place a layer of pasta top with half of the sliced egg, half the mozzarella cubes and half of the remained Parmesan
- Now proceed with the second layer
- Create another layer
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes (180C/350F)
- Set the oven on the Grill mode and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- When cooked, set aside for 10 minutes before serving
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