simple panini with homemade focaccia

A couple of weeks ago, I shared my latest guilty pleasure:

homemade focaccia,

great for appetizer with a little olive oil for dipping.

It also make great panini:

so tasty with fresh pesto 

(I make my own: basil, roasted pine nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, salt and pepper),

tomato, mozzarella, (ham if you are into meat...)

Just slice the focaccia, spray some pesto,

and layer tomato and cheese.

It tastes good like that but to take it to the next level,

warm it up in a panini press:

the same one we use to make Croque Monsieur and toasted quesadilla....

And then it is truly ready to be eaten....

The fresh mozzarella doesn't melt,

so Miss C. and Brick Master like to use shredded mozzarella for the gooiness

But Mon Cheri and I enjoy it that way,

maybe slightly more authentic....

These panini make great sandwiches,

upping our lunches,

keeping us daydreaming to next summer or the summer after....

Happy day!

a little homemade focaccia

While we had to postpone our Italian vacations this summer,

we have been enjoying some traditional food 

like taralli, drinking espresso in the front yard, lots of homemade pizza

 and some classic movies: Roman Holidays, la Dolce Vita,

a Room with a View (visiting the sites from our couch!)

and now homemade Focaccia:

Baking bread is a great cool weather activity as it warms up the house,

but right now it is the last thing I want! (hello 30 days in a row above 90!)

Since I have found out that I can use our outdoor pizza oven (propane),

I have been making at least weekly.

With this recipe from Gimme some Oven,

it is ready in less than 2h from dissolving yeast to slicing the warm bread!

Isn't it gorgeous, just out of the oven?

We serve it quite simply with a little olive oil, some herbs and

 maybe some shredded Parmesan, delicious!

The perfect appetizer to a glass of vermouth for aperitif!

Happy day!

homemade taralli, or eating Italian snacks while dreaming of vacations!

This summer we were originally planning on going to Italy (and France of course!), but instead we are staying home, eating Italian snacks and drinking wine, not a bad combination!

Mon cheri has been teaching the kids his family recipe for these delicious taralli, and they did a pretty good job. It is very similar to this one from She Loves Biscotti.

They have anise seeds which adds a nice flavor.

They are quite different from the ones you can buy,

I love both!

I hope we can go visit Florence next year,

it has been so long since I was a student there...

Until then, vine and crackers!

Happy Holiday weekend!