Posts by The Culinary Chase
pastitsio (greek lasagna)
Pastitsio is a Greek-style lasagna that was influenced by a recipe from the 16th century. Pasticcio di Maccheroni was a creation for the Grand Duchy of Ferrara and was very popular with Italian nobility. During that time, the Balkans and the Greek coastal regions were occupied by the Republic of Venice.
Read Moremini shortbread tarts
Shortbread, for me, is always a Christmas holiday treat. Baking these during the month of December makes it very special. I was going through my blog looking for inspiration for dinner when I stopped at my recipe for thumbprint cookies. I love these!
Read Moresheet pan lasagna
Lasagna is the quintessential Italian comfort food. Originating in Naples, it’s been around since the middle ages. Traditional lasagne has layers of meat ragù, béchamel sauce, lasagne sheets, and cheese. Up until a few years ago, this layered approach was the standard.
Read Morelemon sponge pudding
Are you a lemon fan? If yes, then you are going to absolutely LOVE this dessert! A light and fluffy sponge pudding with the most decadent lemon sauce hiding on the bottom. That’s why this dish is sometimes called lemon surprise pudding. It’s a classic vintage winter dessert that my mom and her mom used…
Read Moreparsnip and carrot soup
The fridge needed cleaning. I am always amazed at how much stuff accumulates at the back of the refrigerator! Things get shifted (read pushed) around and the old stuff finds its way to the back of the bus. The crisper drawers, well I have an excuse in that area for stuff being pushed to the…
Read Morereverse puff pastry pizza
We love homemade pizza. Who doesn’t? And many have their favourite ways to prepare one but none, in my humble opinion, are as ingenious as a reverse puff pastry pizza! This is a Jamie Oliver creation. I recall the first time watching The Naked Chef when it first aired back in 1999. We were living…
Read Moreno-knead bread
As I prepare this post, I am on my third try at no-knead bread. The first attempt was relatively good but I felt the instruction of ‘hot water’ was a bit suspect. The result? The bread was smaller than I thought and I doubted it would rise. And, I was right in my assumptions. The…
Read Moresteamed chicken dumplings
The humble dumpling has been around for centuries and was considered the perfect way to stretch a small amount of meat to feed more people. Many cuisines worldwide include dumplings in some form be they stuffed, boiled, or steamed. Filled dumplings have been around in China for more than 1,800 years! While some recipes call…
Read Morethai omelette with minced chicken
Food memories. They are more sensory than any other memories. I remember first watching the food series, Kylie Kwong: Heart and Soul in 2003. Kylie’s style was eclectic with a touch of bohemian. When she demonstrated her Chinese homestyle eggs, I was intrigued. Back then, as a westerner living in an Asian city, the omelette…
Read Morezucchini frittata
Typically a frittata is cooked in a skillet and finished off in the oven. It’s an easy clean-up with just one cooking vessel. However, I’m going to make you dirty one more cooking pan…gasp! 🙂 I have been making frittatas for years.
Read More