Hungarian Smarni

Back home I see my grandparents almost every day, but since we live so far away from them now we can only talk on the phone, skype or if they visit us. When I don't see them for a long time I miss them, I miss talking to them, eating all the delicious food my grandmother makes for us, talking to them, watching movies together...

I was so excited when they told me that they are coming to see us. I was counting the days with my sister. They have been here for nearly two weeks now and we have done so many things and one of them was that I made Hungarian "smarni" with my grandmother. Originally, this is an Austrian dish regularly made by Hungarians too, just a little differently. We like to eat this with apricot jam (which is also home-made by my grandmother) and it is heavenly !! 

INGREDIENTS: 

10 dkg semolina (búzadara) 

2,5 dl milk 

3 eggs
pinch of salt
orange zest
lemon zest
4 tbs of oil

optional:

caster sugar

raisins (mazsola) (the amount you prefer)
apricot jam

Start by separating the egg whites from the egg yolks. Mix the semolina, the milk and the egg yolks in the bowl, and let it sit for minimum an hour.  Pour some milk on the raisins in a cup (until it covers them) so they can soften. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and add to the batter. Heat up 4 tablespoons of oil in a big pan, and pour in the batter (but make sure to turn it down to medium heat when you start frying the batter). Let one side fry like a thick pancake and then start folding it in half, and cutting it to little pieces with a wooden spatula. Repeat until the batter falls into little crumbles and get golden brown. When ready, grate some lemon and orange zest on it and also add your softened raisins. When it is done put it on a plate and optionally add a little bit of caster sugar on top (this is how I prefer this to be served) and also the apricot jam.

My grandparents are leaving soon and I am sad, because they have to go back to Hungary, so I won't see them for a while, but I am also happy, because it was so nice to see them and spend some time together.

If you decide to try out this Hungarian Smarni then take a picture of it and upload it to instagram or twitter and also don't forget to tag me in the photo.

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Carbonara

There are so many times when I want to eat something filling but I'm too lazy to spend lots of time in the kitchen. These times I make an easy carbonara pasta, just like I did this weekend. I was tired from my week at school and I just wanted to eat something delicious so I made this quick and yummy dish. This pasta is also my little sister's favourite so she was more than happy when she came in to the kitchen and saw what I was making for lunch. 

I actually don't like this pasta in restaurants so I just make it  here at home the way I like it and now you can also make it if you feel like. It is a simple pasta so I recommend using a cheese with stronger taste like parmesan. 

INGREDIENTS:

0,5 kg pasta

2 cloves of garlic

5-6 stripes ham or bacon

250 ml cream

1 egg
salt and pepper

your choice of cheese ( I used parmesan)

Add some salt to boiling water, and cook the pasta in it. In a large saucepan on a medium heat fry your garlic and then add the sliced ham or bacon and let it fry also. Pour in the cream and add salt and pepper. Let that simmer for a 0,5-1 minute and to make it thicker add 1 egg. Strain the cooked pasta and put it in the saucepan and mix together the sauce and the pasta. Let it fry for a few more minutes (I also like to save half a mug of the water that I made the pasta in and pour it in the saucepan, but this step is optional). Put the pasta on a plate and grate some parmesan cheese on top and you are done. 

On a lazy weekend definitely try my carbonara recipe and if you do then make sure to write a comment or take a picture of it and upload it to instagram or twitter and also don't forget to tag me in the photo (instagram: @breakfast_at_katas , twitter: @breatkatas).

Easy and tasty appetizers

Before your guests arrive you make the soup, the main course and you definitely put time and effort into making the dessert. But there is always that question: what treat should I greet them with? You don't want to give them something that fills them too much, but everyone likes to eat a little something with their welcome drinks. For this week I decided to show you two easy and tasty appetizers. If you are in a rush this is perfect because these are ready in no time and they look like you've put a lot of effort into making them. 

1st sandwich 

2 slices of brown bread (with sunflower seeds)

olive oil

7 cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

basil

salt and pepper

(it makes two bread slices)

Toast the bread slices and drizzle some olive oil on top of them. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the chopped garlic cloves until they are a bit brown and then add the sliced cherry tomatoes and the basil. Let them fry until the tomatoes become soft and then season it with salt and pepper. Put it on top of your bread and put a basil leaf on top of the bread for decoration.

2nd sandwich

2 brown bread (with sunflower seeds)

olive oil

2 slices of salmon 

arugula (rukkola)

almond (peeled and sliced)

(it makes two bread slices)

Toast the bread slices and drizzle some olive oil on top of them. Put one slice of salmon on each bread and then squeeze some lemon juice on top of it. Add the arugula and also some peeled and sliced almond on top.

If you make these appetizers then I guarantee that your guests won't be disappointed. So if  you do try this amazing and easy recipe then make sure to write a comment or take a picture of it and upload it to instagram or twitter and also don't forget to tag me in the photo .(instagram: @breakfast_at_katas , twitter: @breatkatas)

Arroz doce

For my first real Portuguese recipe, I decided to make arroz doce which is a delicious dessert. Whenever I go to a portuguese restaurant I always order this to finish a great meal. It is sweet and cinnamony. This recipe has a little bit of a twist, because I used 

sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar and I have no regrets, it tastes amazing. If you want to make a portuguese dessert, but you don't want something too complicated, then this is the recipe for you. Also if you come to Portugal you must try arroz doce. 

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of water
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 tablespoon  of salt
210g of rice
480 ml of milk
100g of sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
cinnamon

Get a saucepan and bring your water, butter, salt to a boil. Then add the rice and on a medium to low heat let it cook for 25-30 minutes (until the rice cooks and absorbs the water), then add the warm milk (boil it a few minutes before). Let this cook for 5 more minutes and then add the sweetened condensed milk gradually while steering the mixture. In a separate bowl take your egg yolks and a few tablespoons of the rice mixture and quickly whisk them together so the eggs don't cook. Pour the mixtures back to the saucepan and let that simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste it and if you feel that it could be sweeter then add more of the sweetened condensed milk. Let it cool completely and put it in the fridge to chill and serve it with cinnamon on top. 

I hope you feel inspired to make this portuguese recipe and if you do then be sure to write a comment or take a picture of it and upload it to instagram and don't forget to tag me in the photo .(@breakfast_at_katas).

Cream soup with Hungarian galuska

The last few weeks had been rainy and cold here in Portugal. You can really feel that autumn is here and winter is coming. These days I just want to stay at home, lay on the couch with a comfy blanket, watch a movie and eat a hot soup. I adore cream soups whether it is tomato, mushroom or zucchini. Most often I like to make zucchini cream soupe with Hungarian galuska. It is perfect for this weather and the galuska makes it even better. My grandmother started making this soup for me and my family when I was small, and so this was one of the recipes she taught me when I started cooking. 

On cold winter days I recommend you to try this recipe and I promise it'll definitely warm you up. 

INGREDIENTS:

Soupe:

2 zucchinis

2 medium sized potatoes
1 onion

salt and pepper

3-4 tablespoons of cream fresh or cream (tejföl)

4 cups of water

Galuska:

1 egg

50g of butter

5 tablespoons of flour

pinch of salt  

We are going to start by making the galuska. Take a bowl and put in the egg, butter, flour and a pinch of salt. Mix that well and set it aside.

Chop up the zucchinies, potatoes and the onion. Grab a big pot and heat up (medium to high heat) some oil and fry your onions for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and fry them for another 2-3 minutes and then add the zucchini and let it soften for about 2 minutes while steering constantly (don't forget to season your vegetables with salt and pepper). Pour in 4 glasses of water (if later on, you feel like your soup is too thick then add more water) and let it cook for about 30 minutes (until the potatoes are cooked and softened). Get a blender and blend the vegetables and the water together. You should get a creamy consistency. Then taste it and if you need to, then put more salt and pepper.  Put 3-4 tablespoons of cream fresh in the soup, stir it well, and put it up on a high heat. When it starts to boil then start adding the galuska batter into the soup with a teaspoon. Let the soup cook for another 2 minutes and you are ready to serve.

If you decide to give this tasty cream soup a try then make sure to write a comment or take a picture of it and upload it to instagram or twitter and also don't forget to tag me in the photo .(instagram: @breakfast_at_katas , twitter: @breatkatas)

Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate pudding is a delicious and chocolaty dessert that you can never get enough of. Personally, I love all desserts that involve chocolate, so a chocolate pudding is a perfect dessert for me. I know I'm not the only chocolate lover, so I want to show you an easy recipe which you can make whenever you feel like treating yourself to something sweet and tasty. My family loves it when I make this pudding, because they don't have to wait too long until it's ready and it is yummy either warm or cold. It is also great if you 

have  guests coming, because you can make it the day before and leave it in the fridge overnight and the next day you can enjoy a cold and heavenly dessert. 

INGREDIENTS:
80g of sugar
40 g of coco powder
3 tablespoons of flour
520 ml milk
90g dark chocolate 
4 egg yolks
vanilla extract


TO DECORATE:
peeled and sliced almonds
white chocolate

In a saucepan mix together the sugar, coco powder and flour. Then add the  milk and the chocolate, and start cooking it on a medium heat until everything is dissolved (don't worry if you have lumps in your pudding because we'll strane it). After that, remove from the heat. 

Next we are going to temper our eggs by taking a little bit of the chocolate mixture and adding it to the egg yolks while you are whisking them constantly (so that the eggs don't cook). Mix that well and pour it in the saucepan to the rest of the chocolate mixture. Then put the saucepan on a low heat and let it cook for 1,5-2 more minutes. Strane your mixture so there are no lumps. Pour your pudding into little cups and let them cool completely and put them in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. 

To decorate you can sprinkle some peeled and sliced almonds and some grated white chocolate on top of the pudding.

I hope you feel inspired to make this recipe and if you do then be sure to write a comment or take a picture of it and upload it to instagram and don't forget to tag me in the photo .(@breakfast_at_katas).

Zucchini and bacon pasta

If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life it would probably be pasta. It is one of the easiest and most delicious dishes. I make pasta for my family a lot because the pasta is done in 10 minutes and when you are making the sauce you can get creative. My trick is to put all my favourite vegetables in tomato sauce with some bacon or ham and that is it. I believe that you can never go wrong with pasta.

INGREDIENTS: 
250g pasta
1 clove of a garlic
1 zucchini
250g tomato souce 
3 strips of bacon (or ham)
salt, pepper and oregano 

Add some salt to boiling water, and cook the pasta in it. Meanwhile heat a large pan and fry your garlic in some sunflower oil until they are golden brown. Then add your zucchini and season them with some salt and pepper to your taste. When the zucchinis are a bit brown and soft then put them on one side of the pan and put the bacon (I used bacon which didn't have too much fat) on the other side and fry until they are golden brown. Mix the zucchini and the bacon together in the pan. Add your tomato souce and for a really nice taste, some oregano. Fry that for a few minutes and then add your cooked pasta into the pan along with a few tablespoon of pastawater. Let it fry for a while (a few minutes) and then serve it on a plate and add some cheese on the top. You are ready to serve. 

( this makes 4 servings) 

This pasta recipe is easy but has a little twist with the zucchini. I hope you make this recipe for your family and if you do please leave a comment or upload a picture on instagram with the #katasbreakfastpasta. (@breakfast_at_katas).