Well it is hot hot hot now. Summer has really arrived quickly this year. DD asked me to make a rice salad as she says it is just too hot to eat.
So, a lifetime ago when I was studying in Rome I worked as an au-pair for a year. This is a recipe I learnt then. I have no idea how traditional it is, the bought stuff is totally different, but this I learnt and this my kids (and DH) love! My inlaws now also make this. In the years before there were fridges it would not have been possible.
So ingredients:
500g rice. Salt to taste.
Canned Tuna.
Canned beef.
Wurstel sausage.
Boiled eggs.
Maionese.
Sweet corn.
Grated parmesan cheese.
Tomatoes.
Mozzarella.
Butter or oil.
I throw everything I can in the fridge before starting to reduce cooling time.
Cook the rice in salted water till "al dente" (just cooked). Cool.
Cook the wurstel sausages ( I slice and cook in a little butter. Cool.
Cook the sweet corn. Cool.
Add mayo.
Add boiled eggs cut up.
Add all other ingredients.
I add the mozzarella last and if leaving for later just add to what I know we will use within two days.
Stir it all together well and cool. At least a couple of hours.
Keeps well in fridge. I add tomatoes and mozzarella after if I want to keep it more days. You can add cucumbers, lettuce, ham, pickles, olives etc etc as you like.
Quick and easy. Great to eat when it is really hot!.
Nearly 40°C here today. This is something they will eat without moaning that it is "too hot" !
Let me know what you think of this!
It is that time of the year. We just don't what season it is supposed to be any more. However the plants are doing what they think they should and nature is going on, doing its own thing.
Flowers all around before the summer heat dries everything out. I just wanted to share a few photos:
The magic of the olive flowers trapped in a spider web. They look so like stars!
A special thought goes to my Bil Antonio as these are Gigli di Sant'Antonio which he and his wife planted in front of their beautiful house.
Greetings and enjoy Spring!
Mild weather and sunny days. Feels like Spring although weather should be cold again next week it seems!.
First Wild asparagus.
Asparagus plant.
What is called "lingua di cane" in dialect: dog's tongue! It does look a bit like one.
Mimosa.
Plum blossoms.
"Pirainu" wild pears.
My celery cut off is growing.
Cat going for a walk with DH!
Exploring where the hens are.
Hens!
A man with his Dog!
Walking through the olives.
See you soon!
The weather has recently been cold with rain, hail and snow. Most unusual for us.
I started feeding the birds from my window. Although it is hard to take a photo I managed to snap this one.
There are several who come. Most are blue tits but others arrive as well.
My doll collection is still growing. I found Mulan on Ebay. Description said she was dirty and ok for "spare parts!" Well I just couldn't allow that! I put in an offer for half of the small amount they were asking and it was accepted within minutes. I wondered just how dirty and poor condition she was!
She arrived yesterday. Actually the only thing wrong was her matted hair!
A wash and combing session soon fixed that. Boo lent her a clean dress until I have time to make her something especially for her!
Here she is:
Isn't she beautiful now? I think she is really happy to have arrived here!
Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?
No silver bells and cockles shells here but some zucchini and tomatoes!
Not my garden either but the tiny piece of land which belongs to the house across the road. No-one lives there and as we have had the the key for many years, this year when DH cleaned it I finally persuaded him to plant something useful instead of leaving it empty.
It just grows wild otherwise and there were often adders there so it is far better to keep it cleared. The old man gave us the key originally and his sons have changed locks and given us the new keys after he passed a few years ago.
Last year the owners didn't even come down here at all, the year before just for a week in October to get some olive oil. They would like to sell the house but there is no market and it is in really bad shape, so it is just sitting there eating money in taxes since the old man died. The usual village story. The old folks pass, there are no jobs and the young people have nearly all emigrated.
As the children grow they prefer more interesting seaside resorts so parents no longer come here on holiday. This is not a tourist place.
Anyway, we planted just a few zucchini and tomato plants and have been blessed with a great yield. I still have the flowers everyday for the "frittelle" (I have a photo recipe here on my blog)
It is amusing as it is now no longer the season so I am the only one on the street who still has some.
Today I made some sauce again with our very own tomatoes. I know we have the ones DH grows with my inlaws, but somehow to actually go into the garden and pick them is so much more satisfying! There is nothing sprayed on them and the only work is to take down a couple of pails of water. I save water when rinsing etc so it is also ecological, water is precious here.
It was amusing that the other day I actually gave my Mil some tomatoes as she didn't have any and was going to buy some!
We went to Sersale this morning. Look at the view from up there!
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Such deep valleys!
