APFELSTRUDEL

Apples. Apfelstrudel is a kind of apple pie from Austria. You can find apple pies everywhere. Many countries have their own recipes. I tried this Apfelstrudel and I found it really good. If you like apples and if you like apple pies, believe me, you will love it.

Ingredients:

2 apples
1 puff pastry sheet
Some flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup raisins
2-3 ounces unsalted butter
Some lemon juice
Some breadcrumbs
Some milk
Some confectioner’s sugar

First we will start preparing the apples. We will peel them and then we will cut them in little slices. Then we will put the apple slices in a sieve that will be inside a big bowl. We will add the granulated sugar and mix well. Leave the apples there for an hour. This will make the apples lose some of their juice.
Once the apples have been there for an hour, remove the juice from the bowl and put the apple slices in the same bowl. Now we will add the vanilla extract, the cinnamon and the raisins. Mix well and reserve.
And now we will prepare the puff pastry. I use frozen puff pastry because it is very useful. You have to thaw it first and then extend it with a rolling pin. It is a good idea to use some flour to make this.
Once the puff pastry is ready, we will put the sheet in a greased oven tray. On top of the sheet we will put the apple mixture. Add some breadcrumbs now. We will add the butter and the lemon juice. The butter will be spread over the apples. Then we will close the puff pastry with the apples inside. Brush the pastry with some milk and take it to the preheated oven to 350ºF for 30-35 minutes. Once again, when using your oven, you have to be careful. Check it because every oven is different. Once it is done, let it cool for a while and dust it with some confectioner’s sugar and serve. And enjoy it! You will love it.

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BOQUERONES AL AJILLO

Anchovies! Another delicious tapa from Spain. Easy, delicious and very rewarding. And of course, garlic and olive oil.

Ingredients:

12 anchovies
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
Some salt to taste
1 cayenne pepper
Some extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon parsley

Anchovies are delicious. If you can get fresh anchovies, that will be great. You will have to clean them thoroughly. Remove head, bones and guts from the anchovies. It is not difficult. When you are cleaning them, do not forget to remove a sort of spine they have on their back. If you get them frozen, they will normally be a bit cleaned. However it is a good idea to check and clean them properly. After cleaning the anchovies, dry them thoroughly.
Once the anchovies are clean, we will prepare the garlic and the cayenne pepper. We will heat some extra virgin olive oil in a pan and then we will sauté the garlic and the cayenne pepper. Very lightly.
Then we will add the anchovies. We will cook them for some minutes. Make sure you turn them over so that they are properly cooked. It will not take long.
Finally we will only have to add some chopped parsley and serve. When you serve them, just add some extra virgin olive oil and some salt to taste. And enjoy your boquerones!

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LASAGNA

Pasta! A dish with lots of possibilities. I will cook a simple Lasagna. But of course, if you use your imagination, you can create your own Lasagna. It is a bit of work, but it is worth it. Let’s cook it.

Ingredients:

9 lasagna slices
Some drops of oil for cooking the pasta
A pinch of salt for cooking the pasta
½ lb ground beef
Some tomato sauce
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped green pepper
¼ cup chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon oregano
Some salt to taste
Some freshly ground black pepper
6 cheddar cheese slices
1 cup ricotta cheese
Some olive oil
Some milk
Some flour
A pinch of nutmeg
Some grated cheddar cheese
Some grated parmesan cheese
Some grated romano cheese

First we will make our pasta. We will heat quite a lot of water and prepare the lasagna slices. Remember to put some oil and salt in the water. Once the pasta is cooked, after having cooked it according to the package directions, drain it and reserve.
Now we will prepare our tomato and ground beef sauce. You can start from scratch if you want but I will start using some tomato sauce previously prepared, at least in part.
First I cook the ground beef a bit. When it starts to get cooked, I add the tomato. To the sauce I normally add some chopped vegetables. They have to be really finely chopped. The vegetables I add are onion, green pepper, red pepper and garlic. Do not forget to add some spices to the sauce. Thyme, rosemary and oregano are perfect for the sauce. Put some black pepper and salt to taste too.
Once the sauce is ready, we can start layering our lasagna. First we will take a greased tray and we will put a layer of lasagna slices. On top of that we will put a layer of our tomato and ground beef sauce. Then we put the six cheddar cheese slices. Now another layer of lasagna slices. Then we will spread the ricotta cheese. On top of it, we will put another layer of the tomato and ground beef sauce. And then another layer of lasagne slices.
Now we will prepare the béchamel sauce. We will put two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and when it is a bit hot, we will add three tablespoons of flour. We will stir continuously. Then we will add some milk, little by little. We can add the nutmeg now. We will add more milk if we see that our sauce needs it. We want a creamy sauce, not too thick. When it is done, remove it from the fire. Finally we will top our lasagna with the béchamel sauce. We will put the cheddar, the parmesan and the romano cheeses on top of the béchamel and the lasagne is ready for the oven. This must be preheated to 375ºF. Our lasagna will be ready in 10 or 15 minutes. You only will have to enjoy it.

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