Zucchini and puff pastry roses

I haven't posted for nearly a month, I realize, because the few days off I had during the Christmas holidays  were maily spent in Rome. Few recipes will follow in the next days...

But of course I had the pleasure to have family and guests for lunch or dinner during week ends, and this post, and the others which will follow in the future, take inspiration from these festive dishes.

This appetiser, anyway, can be made any time of the year, it is deliciuos with a glass of cold prosecco to welcome your friends before a meal or during a cocktail reception.

You know I like finger food and bite size recipe. 

4 ingredients, very little fuss, and a great appeal.

Puff pastry shoud is better served warm and fragrant, so prepare these roses few hours in advance, keep them refrigerated and put them in the oven half an hour before.

Ingredients for about 20/22 roses

1 square store bought puff pastry about 38X25 cm (15x10 inches)

1 green zucchini (medium) 

150 gr/ 7 oz provolone (mild one) in one piece

1 egg yolk

Preheat your oven 160°C / 320 F

Wash your zucchini an slice it very finely. The thiner the better.

Slice the cheese as well into long, thin  stripes.

 Cut your puff pastry in half (obtaininig 2 long rectangles), and then in small pieces about 4 cm high (1.5 inches) and 12 cm (5 inches) long.

Put 5-6 slices of zucchini on one piece of the puff pastry, and then put some cheese on them.









Roll the pastry around the zucchini and the cheese.




 



 Slightly open the petals.

Close the bottom well.

 The original recipe suggests to put the roses on parchment paper and then in the oven. I prefer to put them in a very small silicone moulds (about  3-4  cm / 1-1.5 inches large) on a oven tray so that they do not collapse when cooking. 

Put them 30 minutes in a convection oven 160°C/ 320 F.

Serve warm with or without the little moulds.

Zucchini frittata

Up to 20 years ago, frittata was very common in my region: a cheap and easy to prepare lunch or dinner.

If you serve it with a green salad it is a very low calories meal as well.(2 eggs each only!!!!).

The best one at making frittata in my family is my father: his version of frittata with onions is famous among my friends.

In this recipe I put some pancetta cubes as well, the smaller, the better, because I wanted to give a little more taste to it.

If you prefer the vegetarian version avoid the pancetta and use fresh mint leaves instead of parsley.

Ingredients for each person

2 large eggs
1 table spoon grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil/some butter to grease the pan
1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
salt and pepper
25 grs / 1ouce pancetta (in small cubes)

How to:

1) In a non-stick pan, pour 2 tablespoons of oil, the cubed pancetta and let it warm up. Add the sliced zucchini and let them cook until the zucchini are nicely soft and slightly browned . Season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Take off fire.








2) In a bowl mix the eggs with the chopped parsley and the parmesan cheese. Beat well.  







3) Pour  the cooked zucchini in the mix, add another pinch of salt, pepper and the eggs, already well beaten. Stir very quickly for a second. 
Add some more oil or butter in the pan, and over a medium heat, pour the mix in the pan.
Once the omelette starts to clot, shake lightly the pan in order to detach it from the pan.


Close with a lid and let it cook  in 1-2 minutes until it is no longer liquid.



Then, turn the omelette tossing it or turning it upside sliding it on the lid or onto a large plate. Add the remaining oil, or butter, in the pan and brown the other side.

Ready!!

If you are eating it warm, just divide it into large pieces, but as you can eat it as a cold starter, put the frittata on a piece of kitchen paper to drain all the oil. Press slightly.

When completely cold, cut it into small square piece and serve with a glass of white wine.