Looking for a delightful and easy-to-remember cake recipe? This Simple 1-2-3-4 French Yoghurt Cake is a traditional favorite that’s perfect for you! With this recipe, you’ll use a single yoghurt container as a measurement for all the basic ingredients, making it a beloved choice in many households across borders.
To make this cake a bit healthier and more flavorful, I’ve reduced the fat and sugar content, added fresh raspberries and lemon for a burst of freshness, and sprinkled almond flakes for a delightful crunch.
While preparing this simple cake, I was curious about which type of oil or yoghurt to use. During my online research, I discovered some fun facts about the ingredients that might impact your choice when baking your cake:
Use neutral vegetable oil such as sunflower, avocado, canola or coconut oil. Avoid olive oil as it may bring a strong taste.
Plain yoghurt vs. Greek yoghurt – plain yoghurt tends to have fewer calories and more calcium, while Greek yoghurt has more protein and less sugar.
Flavoured yoghurt can add that extra layer of flavour to your cake. Lemon or vanilla yoghurt works best.
Your cake will come out moist and spongy, and will stay delicious for a few days. If you prefer a fluffier cake, replace the yoghurt with sour cream and substitute 1 cup of flour with potato or corn starch. Enjoy the baking experience and the tasty results! 🍋
Baking time: ~60-70 min
Ingredients & Tools
1x cup Greek yoghurt, is approximate 150gr.
1x cup sunflower oil – you can reduce to 0,5 cup
2x cup sugar – you can reduce to 1,5 cup sugar + 1sachet/8gr vanilla sugar or vanilla pod seeds
3x cup all-purpose flour
4x eggs
1x Tbsp baking powder
0,5 tsp salt
1x lemon; we need the zest and a splash of lemon juice to enrich the flavors
Optional: add 1 grated cinnamon stick
0,5 cup fresh raspberries
0,5 cup almond flakes
Topping: ice/powder sugar
Rectangle spring form ~24cm
Big bowl
Hand whisk
Bamboo/skewer stick to test readiness
Oven mitten
What to do?
Pre-heat the oven on fan mode on 175°C.
Grease and flour the cake form. This will make it easier to remove the cake.
————- Cake Batter (10min) ————-
Use the yoghurt cup as measurement formula.
Mix the yoghurt (1cup) and sugar (2 or 1,5 cup + vanilla sugar) in a large bowl and whisk manually until well combined.
Add 1 or 0,5 cup sunflower oil, and whisk well.
Add 3 cup flour.
Add 4 eggs.
Add 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) baking powder.
Add 0,5 teaspoon (tsp) salt.
Then whisk all ingredients slowly, you don’t want to overwork the batter.
Add zest and a splash of lemon juice, and mix the batter slowly.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake form, adding some raspberries after each layer. This way, the berries will not be crushed.
Finally, sprinkle 1/2 cup of almond flakes on top of the cake batter.
————- Cake in Oven (45-60min) ————-
Bake for 45 minutes.
Insert a bamboo stick into the center of the cake to check if it comes out clean.
If the stick comes out sticky with some batter, it means the cake needs more time in the oven. Then, bake for another 15 minutes.
————- Let the Cake Cool Down (30min) ————-
If the cake test comes out dry, let the cake cool off for 30min outside the oven.
Use a knife to loosen the sides between the cake and the form. Remember to use an oven mitt to hold the cake form while loosening the cake. Leave the cake in the form.
After the cake has cooled down, place a cutting board on top of it and turn it upside down. The cake should come loose easily from the bottom of the form.
As a light topping for the cake, you can sprinkle some powdered sugar.
Voilà! Your Simple 1-2-3-4 French Yoghurt Cake with fresh raspberries is ready to enjoy. Perfect for fika time. Bon appétit! 😊
It’s delicious at cold days in having a Dutch Pea soup. We call it in Dutch “Hollandse erwtensoup”. This thick and hearty soup is a beloved staple in Dutch cuisine, traditionally enjoyed during the chilly winter months. Made with tender peas, smoky Gelderse rookworst, and an array of fresh vegetables, it’s a dish that warms both the heart and soul.
Each spoonful offers a perfect blend of textures and flavors, making it a cozy comfort food that’s perfect for those days. Whether you’re savoring it by the fireplace or sharing it with friend and family, Hollandse erwtensoup is sure to bring warmth and cheer to any occasion🍲✨
Cooking time 4 portions: ~60 minutes
Ingredients & Tools
300gr green split peas
1x leek – we only need the white stalk
1x onion
1x big carrot
3x potatoes or use ¼ celeriac. In Dutch it is knolselderij
2-3 stalks celery
3x laurel/bay leaves
200gr small cube bacon pieces
1x Dutch Gelderse rookworst, a Dutch type of smoked sausage e.g. from the brand Unox
1x chicken stock block
1x big soup pan
Optional: bread
What to do?
Soak the peas overnight to soften them. Some brands may require soaking for 2 days to soften them. How to know if they are soft enough? You can give them a gentle squeeze. If they yield easily without feeling hard or grainy, they are ready to go. It’s like checking avocados for ripeness, but less hipster and more practical.
————- Next Day ————-
Do not discard the pea water.
Put the peas, bacon, laurel leaves and a splash of pea water into the pan, and bring it to boil. The water level should be 2 cm above the top of the ingredients. Add boiled water if needed.
Remove the foam and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the peas are soft.
Stir the soup regularly to prevent it from burning at the bottom.
If they are not soft yet or easy to smash, then simmer the peas longer until they are. Add a bit of boiled water if needed to keep the liquid level right.
————- Vegetables ————-
Once the peas have transformed into a cloudy creamy soup consistency, we are ready for the vegetables.
Cut up all the vegetables into small bite sizes and add them to the pan.
Add the bouillon block as well.
Cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
You can add boiled water to achieve the soup consistency you prefer. However, the Dutch pea soup should be thicker than fluid.
————- At the end ————-
Slice the Dutch Gelderse sausage thin, into nice bite-size pieces.
Once the soup consistency is right and the vegetables are tender, add the sausage and simmer for about 10min.
Your soup is ready to serve.
A hearty slice of bread pairs deliciously with Dutch pea soup, like a trusty companion ready to soak up every drop of the velvety goodness.
Bon appétit! Enjoy your traditiona Hollandse erwtensoep 🙂
Hong Kong pineapple bun, also known in Cantonese as Bo Lo Bao is a very classic bread pastry. This bun is very popular and iconic in Hong Kong bakeries and is a perfect delight for a Fika time. Fika is a Swedish tradition for a coffee moment accompanied with cake or cookies that can serve upto seven kinds of cookies on a tray. However, Fika is not really relevant in my recipe but since my partner is Swedish, I’m using the terminology Fika all the time for every Coffee & Pastry moment 😊.
Bo Lo Bao is soft and lightly sweet and it’s topped with a golden-brown sweet crumbly crust. The softness of the bread is created by the Chinese Tangzhong (water roux) technique of heating flour and water into a gel paste that is then added to the bread dough. This will improve the texture of bread in making the dough softer and fluffier.
Despite the name, Bo Lo Bao does not contain any pineapple nor flavours. The name rather refers to the look of the characteristic topping crust which resembles the skin texture of a pineapple. It may sound unlogic if you can’t see the image resemblance….. me neither but just take that as historic food story.
Let me know how your Bol Lo Bao baking turned out and enjoy your Fika moment!
Baking time: ~3 hours, time includes about 2 hrs in rising the dough. Serving ~16 buns
Ingredients & Tools
Kitchen scale
Saucepan
Whisk
Small bowl for cooling down Tangzhong
Plastic wrap
Kitchen towel
Big bowl for mixing the bread dough
Big bowl for mixing the topping
Small bowl for egg wash
Mixer for dough and topping
Baking paper
Baking brush
Tangzhong roux
25gr patent flour
125gr water
Dough
360gr patent flour
70gr sugar
½ tsp salt
25gr fresh yeast or 7gr instant yeast – I used fresh yeast
120gr milk on room temperature
1 large egg on room temperature
Tangzhong roux
30gr softened unsalted butter
Topping
125gr patent flour
90gr sugar powder
50gr softened unsalted butter
15gr custard powder
1 egg yolk on room temperature
1 Tbsp milk
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
Egg wash
1 egg yolk to brush the topping for a golden-brown crust topping
What to do?
————- Prepare Tangzhong ————-
Add 25gr patent flour in saucepan and slowly add 125gr water while stirring.
Heat over medium-high and constantly keep stirring until mixture turns into a thick gel paste
Transfer the gel paste into a small bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. This is to prevent the paste getting dry.
Let the Tangzhong cool down to room temperature.
————- Prepare Bread Dough ————-
In a big bowl, put 350gr patent flour + 70gr sugar + ½ tsp salt.
Dissolve the fresh yeast block by crumbling in the saucepan with 120gr milk and stir on low temperature until lukewarm. If you use instant yeast, you can just pour it into the big bowl mixture.
Then, add the egg and Tangzhou into the big bowl
Mix the mixture on low speed for ~5min until everything is combined.
Add 30gr butter into the mixture and mix on medium speed for ~5min until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, then add a bit more flour at a time.
Finish the dough off by kneading the dough by hand, then shape it into a smooth big ball.
Re-use the big bowl or take a clean one. Sprinkle some flour in the bowl and place the dough ball in and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rest and rise on a warm spot, in a sunny or room temperature spot for 1 hour.
————- Prepare Bun Topping ————-
In another big bowl, put 50gr butter and mix it until the butter turns into a creamy consistency
Then, add 90gr sugar powder and mix until it turns into a creamy consistency.
Then, add 1 egg yolk + 15gr custard powder + 1 Tbsp milk and mix all together.
Then add ¼ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp baking soda + 125gr patent flour and mix until it turns into a thick paste
Put the paste in a plastic wrap and shape it into a small log, like a sausage
Let the topping rest until the dough is ready after 1 hour rise.
————- Start making the buns ————-
The dough should have risen. Punch a finger into the dough and it should slowly bounce back
Take the dough out of the bowl and divide in equal pieces. Personally, I like smaller buns especially mini sizes. The smaller it is, the tastier it gets with an equal balance of the crunchy sweet topping 😊
Gentle shape every piece into a ball and cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 15min.
Put each ball on a baking sheet with space in between to let it rise for another 40 minutes.
During the last 10min, pre-heat the oven on 175°C fan function. I use fan function as I have two trays I want to bake in the oven at the same time. If you only have one tray, pre-heat the oven on 190°C on upper & lower heat function.
Then, cut the topping in equal pieces as the number of buns. Don’t throw away the plastic, I prefer to re-use it rather taking a new sheet of plastic.
Shape each piece into a ball.
Wrap each ball, piece by piece in the plastic and flatten into a round shape and cover it on top of each bun
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and brush the top of the bun. This will bring a gold brown crust in the baking process
Bake the buns for ~15min but do check a bit before as you don’t want them to be burnt or bake it a bit longer if you like to have your buns more gold brown.
For next day consumption, heat the bun short on low heat in the oven or microwave.
Let me know if there are any improvements can be made. Thank you & bon appetite 😊
Refreshing healthy quinoa salmon salad is delicious for all seasons but especially in the summers when you make the dressing from fresh lemon juice and honey. However, making this salad will take a bit of effort in multitasking in preparing the ingredients but you will for sure love it at your first bite.
A suggestion is to make a double portion and keep one portion for max two days in the fridge. I prepare most ingredients for 2 consecutive meals in one go but do the salmon, cucumber, tomatoes, and dressing separately when I eat it the next time again. This will save you time in making the salad from scratch. You can keep the cooked quinoa & pan-fried vegetables after it cooled off for max 2 days in the fridge. Make sure you keep it in a contained box.
Quinoa seeds are rich in fibers, protein, vitamin B and nutrients and is lower in calory than rice. When you add a small piece of salmon on your salad, it brings a healthy tasteful light meal for your body.
Cooking time 1 portion: 35min
Ingredients & Tools
60gr tri-colour quinoa (60gram per person or 1/3 cup)
8 stalk green asparagus or a handful sugar snaps
4-5 shitake mushroom
1 toe garlic
½ fresh yellow lemon juice
1 tsp extra verge olive oil
1 tsp liquid honey
Olive oil & butter to pan fry the vegetables
Pepper & salt to taste
125gr salmon with skin
4 cherry tomatoes
8cm cucumber
Optional garnish: roasted sesame seeds or garden cress
1 pot to cook quinoa
1 big glass/ceramic bowl
1 bowl/cup for dressing
1 frying pan
Kitchen paper towel
What to do?
————- Cook Quinoa ————-
Boil water in the water boiler.
Put 60gr or 1/3 cup quinoa in the pot and pour gentle boiling water in with 1,5 cm water above quinoa level.
Boil the quinoa with the lid on medium-low heat and let it simmer for about 12 minutes.
Once all water is evaporated, switch off the heat and put the pan aside. Stir through the quinoa and let the heat steam off.
Scoop the quinoa over into a big glass bowl to let it cool off further.
————- Prepare Vegetables ————-
Rinse 8 asparagus stalks under the tap.
Dispose the end (this part is often hard and not nice to eat) and cut the asparagus sideways in bite sizes.
Remove any dirt from 4 shitake with a brush or rub dirt away with a kitchen paper towel.
Cut shitake in medium-thin slices including the stalks.
Chop 1 toe garlic very fine.
Heat the fry pan with a bit of olive oil mixed with a bit of butter.
Fruit the garlic in the pan and add the asparagus and shitake in the pan. If you like crunchy vegetables, pan-fry it short and try one if it’s to your texture.
Sprinkle salt & pepper to taste and scoop the vegetables in the quinoa bowl to cool off.
Bear in mind, the heat in the vegetables is still in a cooking process. You might not want to cook it too long if you like it crunchy
————- Panfry Salmon————-
Re-use the fry pan without cleaning and add a bit butter on medium-low heat.
Dry the salmon off with a kitchen paper towel and put the skin side on the pan.
On the skin side, you can cook it the longest to make it crispy and easy to remove if you don’t like to eat that part.
Bake on each side until the salmon is cooked.
————- Salad dressing ————-
Meantime while baking the salmon, squeeze ½ fresh lemon juice in a small bowl/cup.
Add 1 tsp extra verge olive oil
Add 1 tsp liquid honey and mix it well.
————- Mix the Salad ————-
Cut 4 cherry tomatoes in quarters and add into the quinoa bowl.
Unseed 8cm cucumber and cut in bite sizes and add in the bowl.
Add the dressing in the bowl but not everything. This is to keep a last splash for the salmon.
Mix all ingredients in the bowl.
Add the salmon on top and splash the remaining dressing sauce over the salmon.
Optional: garnish on top with garden cress or roasted sesame seeds.
I would like to hear your feedback once you tried this salad 😊 Bon appetite!
Fascinating and intense Marrakech can be love at first sight or a one-time experience. This is my first visit in Marocco and to be honest I have a mixed bag of feelings going there. However, I feel very excited to explore this cityand get my impression on how the vibe is in Marrakesh.
On our arrival, our trip already started with a bumpy adventure around midnight. We booked a taxi service via booking.com, all went good with a bit of chaotic coordination regarding which driver will drive whom, as there were other passengers than us with transfer bookings. The driver dropped us at a taxi point and called our Riad for pickup by foot. Once arrived in the Riad, we realised we are dropped at the wrong place. Adventurely, we arrived at the right place with good people helping us as well as uninvited pedestrians from the streets who strongly urge themselves in leading you the way while you use your gps to get there. Of course, no surprise at all they rudely ask for money for their ‘genuine help’ services. Luckily, tired and all, this first taste of cultural experiences didn’t scare us off yet.
Staying for 3 full days in Marrakech, we decided to take things easy and explore on the go as we didn’t have must do’s. There are excursions in the rural of Marrakech and in my opinion, those would be nice to book if you stay here for more than 3 days and maybe to getaway from this busy city.
Practical tips before planning or during your trip
Ensure you don’t book your holiday during Ramadan. There might be limited shops or restaurants open.
Stay over in a traditional Moroccan house with an inner courtyard (Riad) instead of a hotel. It’s like B&B.
Pre-book airport hotel pickup to avoid distress of ‘pushy’ taxi drivers and negotiation hazards. Especially whenyoustayinthemazeofMedina,bookyourtransferdirectlyviayourRiad. They charge about MAD220 per car. Riad’s can be hidden in small alleys where a taxi cannot reach, and some drivers have no idea where to find it. You can also call your Riad to pick you up at a taxi point closeby. I heard a taxi ride cost about MAD70-100.
Ignore locals who approach you initiatively offering help to guide you to your destination. Sometimes, they even call you out if you turn into a street, they inform that the road is closed (in French ‘ferme’) and ask where you want to go. It’s hard to know if the person is genuine or not and often it ends up in a game they play to get money at the end. Just say ‘la choukran sīdī’, means ‘no thank you sir’andkeep walking.
If you need help with directions, suggest you to ask cafe/restaurant staff or shop owners. You can also try ask locals for help who you may think are genuine but bear in mind they may not speak English.
Start with sightseeing around 9-10am until you have lunch to avoid the afternoon heat. Post-lunch, take a rest in your hotel and restart your wander after 19pm.
For nicer and popular restaurants, I highly recommend making table reservations.
Traffic is insane. Be alert and cautious all the time when you walk-on and cross over the streets. Scooters drive crazy, even in the small alleys of the souk. You can easily be hit if you don’t watch out. Seems, a lot of drivers don’t care as they are in a rush.
We did Marrakech by foot to explore the city and cannot share much on how much a taxi ride cost. For sure you have to haggle, and I heard from other travellers that a short ride cost approx. MAD30-50.
If you fly back home from Marrakech airport, make sure you read the airline check-in procedure when you receive an email. For example, Ryan Air does not accept mobile boarding pass and will fine you on the airport if you cannot present an old school paper boarding pass. Also, make sure you go to the check-in counter first to get your paper boarding pass stamped before you go to the departure immigration hall. You must do this, even if you do not have any check-in luggage: at least for Ryan Air flights.
At the airport, there is a sign that cash is not accepted at the tax-free or only in Euro bills. Fortunate, they do accept cash in euros or dirham at the kiosks and cafés behind the customs.
Marrakech is a busy and touristic city but it’s still a Muslim country. There are no specific rules here. Suggestion is to dress with modesty out of respect. As a female traveler or travelling together with my partner, I like to avoid any kind of uncomfortable catcalling or ‘street harassments’. Those beautiful Instagram pictures with short skirts (above knee), booty pants and strap tops are deceiving as they paint an inaccurate picture on what is appropriate women wear in Marrakech. To avoid unpleasant pervy male gaze, it’s better to cover up your shoulders, legs until knee and cleavage. This may not stop catcalling necessarily but it will minimise unwanted attention. For male, short pants and t-shirt or polo shirts are fine. However, in rural Morocco you better wear long pants. It is disrespectful to be showing off too much skin.
Money Exchange
Avoid exchanging money at the airport. Withdraw money from a bank ATM or exchange in town. There are a few reliable exchange booths that take 0% commission. We changed at ‘Bureau de Change‘, I’ve seen a few in Medina and I heard ‘Hotel Ali‘ at the Jemaa El-Fna square is also a good place.
Things To Do
Get lost in the maze of narrow streets and alleys of Marrakech historic old town Medina. You will find colourful souks (open from about 10am-22pm), artisan shops and historic buildings. I was surprised, that the overly persistent vendors were not that aggressive as I had in mind. Probably, time and experience has changed their sales method.
To get different impressions of Marrakesh other than Medina (old town), take a stroll at neighbourhoods of Kasbah (Jewish quarter, popular for spices) and the new town Gueliz. All can be done by foot within 30 minutes.
Stroll at the big square Jeema El-Fna. Life starts here from 19pm with lots of food & juice stalls and market shopping.
Pre-book a comfortable (touristic spa) hammam experience with a massage. Nice Spa houses may be fully booked. A traditional authentic hammam may not meet your expectations in relaxation. Often, there is zero aesthetic in bath houses and the service and amenities (bathrobe, towels, shampoo, shower gel, hairdryer, locker) may be less. Personally, I experienced an authentic Moroccan hammam & scrub in The Netherlands, and I must say I quite liked the adventure. After having a Hammam Scrub in a Spa house of Marrakech, I prefer the authentic style. In the Spa, they don’t really speak English either and don’t inform you on the HOWs beforehand and you pay much much more (approx. MAD350 pp). When you book for two persons, they even put you together in a treatment room with one resource instead of one each. Certainly, it may be cleaner and seeing a star sky ceiling would bring you a nicer feeling, but it all depends on what you personally prefer.
House of Photography, (historical) photos and portraits of people living in Marrakesh. End your museum visit at the roof terrace cafe, where you can have a nice chill out or have a delicious lunch menu for €15 pp including a drink. This building has the highest roof terrace in the area and gives a clear view over Marrakesh.
Bahia Palace, showcases Moroccan architecture and beautiful gardens.
Le Jardin Secret, situated in Medina with beautiful gardens and historical architecture. It’s a place that has kept ancient structures intact.
Jardin Majorelle, exotic gardens designed by Jacques Majorelle and later restored by haute couture fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
Some 4-5 star hotels offer non-guests a day pass to make use of their swimming pool area. The price often includes a lunch and a towel for use.
Kasbah districtMedinaJeema El-Fna SquareJeema El-Fna SquareMedinaMedinaBahia PalaceBahia PalaceLots of stray kittens & cats in this cityMedinaLocal marketMedinaMedinaMedina
Where to Eat
There are plenty of eateries, restaurants and cafes in Medina, Kasbah and Gueliz. You can find local places and lots of places adjusted to ‘tourist/expats’ service, hygiene & exterior acceptance resulting in a higher price range. Places where I visited:
Le Jardin Restaurant Marrakech (Medina): nice trendy atmosphere and getaway from the heat in the garden area. They have a roof terrace but we hided in de garden to cool off. From the garden, there is a staircase up to a little local women boutique shop ‘Noria Ayron’ where they sell beautiful dresses and jump suits.
L’Mida Marrakesh (Medina): trendy cafe restaurant serving fusion Moroccan food. Make sure you book a roof terrace table for dinner. Service is excellent but the food can take a while if the place is too crowded.
Cuisine de Terroir (Medina): nice ‘local’ place with its charms. Good service, great value and yummy food. A proud place recommended by TripAdvisor & Guide du Routard. They have a roof terrace but if you prefer a bit ‘cooler’ temperature, I think a table downstairs on the ground floor is better. However, it may be noisier from the street.
La Famille (Medina): a lushy cosy inner courtyard place serving vegetarian lunch. Booking is highly recommended.
El Fenn Hotel (Medina): have a sunset cocktail at this amazing hotel roof terrace bar restaurant. Cocktails cost about MAD130-160 but definitely a nice place to enjoy design & a trendy vibe with good service.
Le Kilim (Gueliz): great service & delicious food. Really liked the tajine chicken and vegetable plate with full flavours in each veggie.
Le Palace (Hivernage): recommended as an absolute must go by a friend, especially booking a table at ground floor with art-deco design. Downstairs is a clubbing scene but also have dining tables. However, food is not authentic French as they also serve pizza and pasta. If you like to have a chic dinner in an ‘expat’ scenery in a cramped space with volumed up clubbing music and don’t mind bad acoustic, this may be your place to be.
Absolute must drink are the fruit juices. They are full of flavour and taste natural. At the evening market stands at Jeema el-Fna square, a small fresh orange juice cost MAD5 and another type of fruit from MAD10.
El Fenn Hotel Roof Terrace Bar & RestaurantL’Mida RestaurantHouse of Photography: Berger Tribe WomenLe Jardin Restaurant
My Impressions of Marrakech
I love Moroccan food but the variations on the menu are limited. It’s always the same dishes on the menu. Tajine, pastille chicken and fresh fruit juices or smoothies are our favorites.
Beautiful Moroccan architecture.
Too much commotion in traffic, even in small ‘pedestrian’ alleys. Heavy pollution with smog and noise everywhere, except for when people sleep at night.
Be respectfuland people will act the same.
Medina – authentic local hammam bath houseShare this:
Simple grated zucchini spicy mint pasta within 30 minutes. It’s a quick & easy recipe with refreshing mint and spicy flavours. This recipe goes perfect with spaghetti, linguine, fettucine or fusilli. In general, any kind of pasta goes well but these are my favourites to cook in a ‘semi-dry sauce’.
My first time eating this zucchini pasta was at my friend’s home and I loved it! Her friend from Greece was on visit and cooked for us a quick meal as it was quite late for dinner 😊. She learnt cooking this simple pasta from a family in Sardinia while she explored the island. A typical home-made pasta that feeds people’s soul with happiness.
For the refreshing taste, I use Greek dried spearmint (dyosmos). I got this from my friend after having this superlicous pasta experience, supplied directly from the farmers and no chemicals. The flavours are close to fresh peppermint but it packs a more potent punch with spicy notes and is milder than peppermint.
In addition, I will use shallots, oyster mushroom and lemon juice in my recipe for the extra texture and flavours. In the original home-made ‘Sardinian’ recipe, it contains only garlic, chili, zucchini and parmigiano topping. You can omit all additional ingredients and keep to the original flavours. The cooking method and steps are the same.
You can also make this pasta vegan and gluten-free, it all depends on what ingredients you like to cook with.
Cooking time for one regular portion: less than 30 minutes
Ingredients & Tools
Pasta for 1 person
½ grated zucchini aka courgette
1 chopped garlic toe
A little bit of thin sliced spicy chili. If your chili is hot spicy, use much less as you like to have a nice balance between mint & spicy flavours.
1 overfull tsp cut dried mint leaves or extra to taste
Salt
1,5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Topping: fine grated parmigiano cheese
Pan for pasta
Colander
1 big bowl
Vegetable grater (ultra coarse grater)
1 big mug
Additional ingredients for the extra texture and flavours
½ chopped shallot
¼ fresh lemon juice
50gr or 2 handful shredded oyster mushroom
What to do?
————- Boil the pasta ————-
Pre-boil water in the water boiler for 70-80°C. If you don’t have a temperature regulating boiler, no problem. Just boil the water.
Spread the pasta in the pan and pour in the boiling water.
Put a little bit salt in the pan and cook for 10min. It’s better to check your pasta package on how long it needs to be boiled. Cooking time may differ for different brands.
Very important – do not pour oil in the pasta and stir the pasta from time to time.
————- Prepare ingredients ————-
While boiling the pasta, rinse the zucchini and cut in half for 1 person. No need to peel the skin.
Grate the zucchini in a big bowl.
Chop 1 garlic toe.
Chop ½ shallot.
Shred 50gr (2 handful) oyster mushroom or tear along the stem.
Cut ¼ of a lemon.
————- Start cooking ————-
Once the pasta is boiled for 10min, fill 1 mug full of pasta water and keep aside for later.
Drain the pasta in a colander and let it be.
Re-use the pan and heat the pan with 1,5 Tbsp olive oil.
Sizzle the garlic and add the shallots. Make sure that the garlic does not burn, avoid brown-ish colouring.
Add the zucchini in the pan and sprinkle some salt.
Stir ingredients until the zucchini gets a bit soft and add the oyster mushroom and chili.
Stir ingredients and simmer light for a few minutes. Add extra salt to taste.
Once all is soft and most liquid is evaporated. Turn the heat low.
Above the sink, swirl ½ cup pasta water in the colander to make the pasta loose as it might stick a bit.
Toss the pasta in the pan, add 1 overfull tsp dried mint or extra to taste and stir all ingredients for another 1 min.
If you find the pasta ‘sauce’ too dry, you can pour in a little bit of the remaining pasta cooking water in the pan to make it moisty.
Squeeze ¼ lemon juice into the pasta and stir quick & short. Switch off the heat.
Serve the pasta on the plate and sprinkle grated parmigiano cheese on top.
Indescribable experience in Sevilla during Easter week, I just can’t describe it and will try to share my holy week (Semana Santa) journey by photos and videos I took. I’m not religious myself but no doubt this is an incredible experience to see this live in Andalucia! The dedication & powerful synergy in the Semana Santa processions is one thing not to be missed here in Sevilla.
Young and old people march along the paths to the church, an entire week of processions by different brotherhoods. Some give away candies during the march, often by children and some give away religious cards like Jezus or Maria. It was amazing in seeing how Spanish folk start walking the procession at a young age and keep the traditions.
On this post, I will also share my favorite foodie places, roof terraces and some shopping and sightseeing spots. For shopaholics, bear in mind, most shops may be closed during festivals.
MalagaEl Mesón de Cervantes MalagaSevillaSevillaSevillaSevilla
Watching various Catholic brotherhoods marching on every procession is a remarkable experience. The people marching in Catholic pointed hats (capirotes) & robes are called Nazarenos. In the old days, Nazarenos represents penance. Some historians believe that the capirote dates back to the time of the Spanish inquisition (1478–1834). Sinners had to wear a capirote and walk along the streets as a form of public humiliation to do penance and to absolve from their sins.
Today, only Catholic brotherhoods wear the capirotes. Thecostumes still represent penitence but those wearing these robes are not doing penance anymore and its now more a majestic representation once they were. Nowadays, the brotherhoods proudly lead the pasos to their church or cathedral holding large crosses and tall candle lights.
Each march can last for hours, some starts from 15-ish and ends around or past midnight supported by family or friends on the side to give them water & food.
Az-Zait SevillaSevillaEnjoying my take away coffeeCathedral de SevillaSevillaSevillaSevillaWagon carriersSevillaSevillaAbantal SevillaAbantal Sevilla
When you observe the details, you will notice that carrying the wagon and the walk movement between Malaga & Sevilla are different. The brotherhoods in Malaga carry the wagon around the wagonlifting the weight on their shoulders and swing a bit while walking. With the brotherhoods in Sevilla, they lift the wagon underneath on their neck and take small steps moving forward. You may have watched the YouTube video I shared on top of this post.
I’ve seen the necks of the wagon carriers, bruised, skin damaged and they have a red glowing hump at their base of their neck. I’ve been told that the wagon weighs more than 1000kg and not to forget, the warm temperature in Sevilla adds up on the hard work they offer. During the day it can be around 27°C and marching slowly in robes and coned hoods covering their entire head is a high appreciated dedication. At least it is my impression and opinion ☺️
Their devotion for their religion is sky high. Some hard core brothers march barefoot, a devotion to be closer to Jezus and share the pain and suffer. I’m not sure if this is the correct reason as I’ve been told by a Spanish man and I think it makes sense but you never know.
Personally, the most thrilling part is the orchestra; powerful drums & trumpets making your heart pounding and witnessing a brotherhood marching slowly and leading the pasos holding large crosses, lanterns or lit candle lights🕯️
Hotel Alfonso VIIIC. BetisFor those who reserved for procession watchingTaking a rest from liftingStrong wagon carriers
Where to eat
In Sevilla there is no lack of great tapas bars nor restaurants. Every corner you pass by, you can eat or have a drink. I share a few of my favorite places when I visit Sevilla every single time.
Gastronomic Bib Gourmand Az-Zait restaurante. I enjoy my dinner here from my heart. The service is friendly and impeccable and quality versus price is marvelous. A-la-carte 3-course including wine, table water and high quality of brandy as digestive approx €60 per person. You can also opt for a menu.
Have a tapas in the oldest tapas bar in Seville dated from 1670, El Rinconcillo.
PETRA, a small trendy tapas restaurant with splendid service & tasty food.
Very popular tapas bar & restaurant in an apartment hotel complex, Espacio Eslava.
Have a Fika (coffee & sweet) at Hotel Alfonso VIII on their patio in the inner garden. Their interior design and architecture are marvelous.
Have a sunset drink at Mariatrifulca. Get a table on the rooftop on the river side as you will get an amazing view looking over the river & the old center. Drink prices are decent, approx €3,5 for wine.
Hotel Casa de Indias by Intur. The time we visited was only accessible for hotel guests. It may be because of Covid period.
Nice local boutiques
Ofcourse there is the fancy Spanish El Corte Inglés shopping warehouse but how about browsing in local (artistique) boutiques? Sharing a few streets but there are more. I browse in the smaller streets of the yellow area. When you keep yourself away from the main stream shopping area you will see a lot of small nice boutiques.
Calle Cerrajeria
Calle Don Alonso el Sabio
Calle Lineros
Where I like to hang out
Plaza España & park. At the square or in the shadow of the outdoor building site, there are regular good flamenco street performance. Probably in late morning or early/ late afternoon to avoid the hot temperature.
Setas de Sevilla, the mushroom sculpture and it has a rooftop walk (ticket required). Or have a take away coffee or ice cream and sit on a bench enjoying the view from the platform (one staircase up from the streets).
Wander around in Triana center. It’s less crowded and also nice to see the other side of the river.
Walk along on the other side of the river at Triana on Calle Betis. It is an excellent viewpoint to contemplate some of the most famous landmarks of Seville, the Torre del Oro (bull fighting arena) and the splendid Giralda. There are also a lot of bars and restaurants where you can have a nice cold drink and enjoy the old town of Seville from a distance.
Mercado de Triana – covered market selling vegetables, fish and meat. There are some small tapas bars or restaurants where you can enjoy a tasty lunch. A nice one is at Cerveceria Loli. However, service can be slow and the food may be served luke warm.
Stroll in the yellow areas of the centre in “Feria and Casco Antiguo”.
Calle Alfareria – pottery workshops that have been multiplying for centuries and where some wonderful decorated patios are located.
Special
Nothing fancy, it’s more like a cultural centre where you can have a beer and watch free flamenco performances, poetry or photography exhibitions in an old coal warehouse. This place, La Carboneria is hidden behind a big wooden door with a patio in the back. Opening times from 19pm. Suggest to go much later in the evening or check their agenda.
Sevilla is a charming city where I never get bored. Nice people, plenty of gastronomy and tasty food bars, and wonderful architecture in almost every street in the old center. I hope you will enjoy Sevilla as much as I do and if you have nice places you like to share, please do ♥️
If you like to watch other short videos of the procession, you can click on the links below.
Mjuk pepparkaka aka Swedish soft “pepper cookie” is a soft ginger pepper cake and is often served around Christmas period. When I first time ate it, it was during a family Christmas dinner with all other authentic Swedish delights to celebrate together. From all these delights on the table, I liked the old-fashioned home baked soft “pepper cookie” the most. At the first bite, you taste soft punchy flavours of cardamon, cloves and cinnamon. The texture is fluffy like a sponge cake with a refreshing fruity taste of berries. I just loved it, especially when it’s still warm and soft, just fresh coming out from the oven. This cake is very easy to bake. Let me know how your baking went on the Swedish Mjuk Pepparkaka 😊
Cooking time: approx. 1hr
Ingredients & Tools
100gr butter
Extra butter to grease the cake form
Breadcrumbs
2,5 tsp cinnamon powder
1,5 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp cardamon powder + ½ tsp very fine grinded cardamon seeds (personal preference). Or 1,5 tsp powder. Or 1,5 tsp grind seeds
1 tsp cloves very fine grinded (personal preference). Or 1,5 tsp cloves powder
3dl (3 cup) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1dl (1cup) lingon berry jam, I buy them at Ikea
Hand mixer
Pestle & mortar
Baking spatula
1x small pan
2x big bowl
1x small bowl for spice mix
1x cake form ~26cm
1x thin wooden stick picker / wooden chopstick
What to do?
————- Melt the butter & pre-heat oven————-
Melt 100gr butter in a small pan and let it cool off.
Pre-heat the oven on 175°C on fan function.
Grease the cake form with butter.
Pour a little bit of breadcrumbs in the cake form and shake it well until every butter surface is covered in breadcrumbs. Throw away excessive breadcrumbs.
————- Prepare spice mix ————-
Use 1x small bowl to mix the spices and if desired grind seeds in pestle & mortar
Add 2,5 tsp cinnamon powder
Add 1,5 tsp ginger powder
Add 1 tsp cardamon powder + 0,5 grind very fine cardamon seeds. This is my personal preference.
1 tsp very fine grounded cloves. This is my personal preference.
————- Prepare flour mix ————-
Use 1 big bowl
Add 3dl all-purpose flour in the bowl.
Add 2 tsp baking powder in the bowl and stir with the flour mix.
————- Start baking ————-
Use another big bowl, a hand mixer and a baking spatula.
Break 2 eggs in the bowl and add 2 dl sugar. Use the mixer on medium speed until the it gets a light fluffy consistency.
Add 125gr Greek yoghurt in the bowl and mix with medium speed.
Then add the spice mix in the bowl and stir the batter with a spatula.
Add the +1dl lingon berry jam (a little bit more than 1 cup) and stir slowly the batter with the spatula.
Add ¼ of the flour mix in the bowl and continue stirring with the spatula. Repeat the process until the flour mix is all used. Make sure that there are no flour clumps in the batter.
Finally, add the melted butter bit by bit and stir the batter with spatula.
Pour the batter in the cake form and bake in the oven for 35min.
Once done, push a thin wooden stick into the cake to check if it comes out dry. If the stick comes out wet, then the cake is not ready yet and require longer time in the oven.
Hope you like this Swedish soft pepper cookie and don’t find it too much work 😊
