This year we are really lucky with our crop of tomatoes! We planted them into the soil this spring in two week intervals where during this gap, in May we experienced the last thunderstorms and the wind damaged some of them.  This event caused us to be afraid that we would  be without tomatoes this summer so we planted more. Beginning one month ago, we have been harvesting full boxes every week, different kinds. This small cherry tomatoes are my favorite,  kissed by the sun and sweet as strawberries. This time of year we have a lot off guests in the garden and  the favorite selection for antipasto in The Almond Bar is our Bruschetta Pantesca. The mix of the sweet tomatoes with the salty Capers are just divine, when served  with a glass of Prosecco you’ll  make someone happy!

Bruschetta Pantesca
The recipe is for approximately 20 to 25  bite sized bruschetta (you might want to double the recipe for they disappear as fast as you make them!)

Initial preparations; preheat oven to 400F (200C), then place one, or two bottles of prosecco on ice!

Ingredients:
20-25 small slices of Italian white bread
1 clove garlic (peeled)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound (400-500 g) cherry tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Capperi di Pantelleria, rinsed and soaked
3 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 filets of anchovies in oil (drained)
2-3 teaspoons of Origano di Pantelleria
pinch of sugar to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle on top to finish:
1 teaspoon dried Origano di Pantelleria (dried oregano) which is harvested in June and use the teaspoon for the entire recipe not one Bruschetta

Method:
Rinse and divide the tomatoes, (core them if not using cherry tomatoes) and cut them into small dices.

Cut each anchovy in 5 parts mix together with tomatoes, oil, sugar, capers and basil .
Season with salt and pepper.Preheat the oven on 400 F (200 C) grades.

Slice bread into thin disks and brush a little olive oil on each bread slice place on a oven tray and toast until golden, about 5 min. When toasted remove from the oven and rub the toasted bread slices with the garlic clove just to provide the taste, then, set a side.

Just before serving, ad a spoon or two of the tomato mix on each bread slice,  sprinkle with some oregano. Next arrange on a platter. Set glasses and napkins out on the serving table along with the prosecco in a ice bucket pop the cork and start making people happy!

Capperi di Pantelleria http://shop.underthealmondtree.com/
Origano di Pantelleria http://shop.underthealmondtree.com/
Dinnerplate from http://newkamman.com/ 

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Caramelized red onion tart
Serves 6 as appetizers or make bite sized pieces as a cocktail snack for 6 people
Ingredients
5 large red onions about (500 grams)
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup (0.6 dl) olive oil
1 bay leaf
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Origano di Pantelleria (oregano)
Salt and pepper
9-10 oz (275 grams) of puff pastry
12 black olives (preferably oven or sun dried)
2 Tablespoons of Capers from Pantelleria ( rinsed and drained) http://shop.underthealmondtree.com/
6 anchovy filets
1 egg for brushing the pastry edges

Method
Cut the onion in thin rings or slices, chop the garlic finely and saute in a hot skillet with the olive oil. When the onions have softened, add the balsamic vinegar, sugar, bay leaf and half of the oregano.
Let the onions simmer on lower heat so that the sugar will caramelize.
Season with salt and pepper

Cut the anchovies into smaller pieces.

Place the puff pastry on nonstick oven paper, spread the caramelized red onion mix. Add olives, capers and the pieces of anchovies and fold up an edge of the pastry and brush with the beaten egg.

Bake at 400 F (200 C) for about 10 min.
Sprinkle some extra Origano di Pantelleria (oregano) just before serving

My dear and beautiful friend Lisa is visiting from Sweden, so this week we celebrated with many aperitivo gatherings- hors d’oeuvres in the garden.
This recipe is a perfect cocktail snack or can be served as an appetizer.

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Harvesting the flowers must be done in the early morning when they are freshly open. As the sun grows stronger they close. By mid morning they have twisted themselves closed, making it difficult to fill them. If you are not an early riser, of course you can just brush them off, dip them into batter and fry and eat with a good salt like artisanal unrefined salt from Sale Natura http://www.salemarinoartigianale.it/index.html, then it doesn’t matter if they’re closed. If you are like me, you will love filling them with some goodies like cheese, almonds, anchovies and oregano. Remember stuffing the flower is MUCH easier to complete when they are harvested while open.

Zucchini flowers with anchovies and oregano

Ingredients
20  large zucchini flowers
34-66 ounces (1 -2 liters ) of Extra Virgin olive oil ( frying medium)
(Make sure to choose a vessel /saucepan that has a thick bottom and sides that are high enough)
A baking sheet covered with paper towels or news paper for the flowers to drain upon after frying.
Tongs or a slotted spoon to turn the flowers over while frying and to remove them from the oil.
one clean dry pastry brush or brand new small soft paint brush

Filling
You can stuff the flowers with anything just make sure it doesn’t have a lot of liquid or oil in the content for the flower petal is very sensitive. Stuffed zucchini flowers is a great way to take leftovers and dress them up! Please omit the nuts from the filling below if you have nut allergies or if you are preparing the flowers to bring or serve at a gathering or party where you do not know if people are allergic to nuts.

30 raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1 good pinch pepperoncino (dried chile flakes)
7 ounces (200 grams) coarsely grated mozzarella
1.8 ounces ( 50 grams) coarsely grated Parmesan
20 basil leaves finely chiffonade (shredded)
2 pinches of dried oregano from Pantelleria
1 ounce (30 grams) of raw pine nuts
5 fillets of anchovies preserved in oil

Batter
5 Tablespoons all purpose flour (you can use a all purpose gluten free flour 1 to 1 exchange)
1/3 teaspoon baking soda or bicarbonate
10 Tablespoons soda water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

To serve
Salt flakes and fresh lemon wedges

Method
Using the pastry or clean paint brush clean the exterior of the flowers.
Optional: next you can gently take out the pistil using a tweezer or carefully use your hand.
Mix all ingredients for the filling together in a bowl excluding the anchovies
Separately cut the anchovies fillets each in 4 equally sized pieces.
Holding the flower gently, fill the inside using a small spoon or your fingers, work gently and careful for avoid the flowers you want the flower to remain intact. Only fill the flower 3/4 full.
With your finger make a little hole where you place the piece of anchovy.

Fold and close the petals gently. Finish with a twist of the petals to make a tight seal. Place aside on a tray. Repeat the process until all the flowers are filled and ready to fry.

Mix flour, bicarbonate and  whisk together with the sodawater and olive oil until smooth (should have the consistence similar to a pancake batter). Let the batter rest while heating the oil. Pour your frying oil to heat. Brush the flowers one by one with the batter attempts to reinforce the closure of leaf and on top with a little batter. Fry the flower until golden, let drain shortly on paper towels.
Serve with salt flakes to sprinkle and some fresh lemon.

Carlo and Pino, having a break after working all day with making a new barbecue construction in the garden.

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