A traditional roast with a Mediterranean touch

Do you want to add a Sicilian touch to your traditional roast? Why not? Either you are having turkey, beef or pork for your Sunday dinner, I would like to suggest you a different and very tasty way of cooking the potatoes that will match just perfectly with any meat.

I am talking about this lovely Mediterranean flavored side-dish, perfect to spice up your meal. It is juicy, tasty and creamy. It makes me think of one of my favorite tv shows: "Blue Bloods" (on Cbs), where the Reagan family gather every sunday for lunch. This would be the perfect dish to serve!

Very easy to make, you just need the right ingredients. For 4 people I usually consider 8 medium sized potatoes, plus 2 onions, a can of peeled tomatoes, salt, oregano, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil.

Preparation: 
1. Preheat the oven at 200 C°;
2. Peel the potatoes, wash them under running water and cut them in big pieces. 3. Peel the onions as well and chop them in thin slices.
4. At the bottom of an oven tray spread some olive oil, place the potatoes and the onion and add the can of peeled chopped tomatoes.
5. Mix all the ingredients very well, then add abundant salt, oregano, a pinch of black pepper and some more oil on top. 6. Place in the oven for about 35-40 minutes (depending on how big the pieces of the potatoes are), but remember to check them and turn them after 15-20 minutes, and then again after 30 minutes.

These are usually the potatoes that you buy here in western Sicily with the chicken roast, so some of you may have recognised them. If you want to propose a new recipe with an old ingredient this is definetely the perfect solution. Enjoy! :-)

Filled bell peppers: gorgeous Mediterranean taste

Do you know how to make some bell peppers filled with cheese and olives? This is a typical Sicilian side-dish and it has definetely got a great Mediterranean taste. There are several fillings for these vegetables, but I like to do a simple one, not long, nor difficult.


Ingredients & preparation for 4 people:
2 bell peppers
80 gr. green pitted olives
150 gr. Sicilian primo sale cheese
4-5 ts breadcrumb
3 ts tomato sauce
e.v. olive oil
oregano
salt


1. Cut the bell peppers in half, remove the inside and the seeds and wash them under running water.
2. Switch the oven on at a temperature of about 180° C.
3. In a bowl or a large dish put the breadcrumb and mix it with the olive oil, the tomato sauce, a pinch of salt and the olives cut in halves or even better in slices. Sprinkle with abundant oregano.
4. Now cut the cheese in cubes.
5. In an oven dish, put a drizzle of oil at the bottom and with a spoon start filling the pepperoni one at a time, first with the breadcrumb mix and then topping with the cubes of primo sale cheese (or any other tasty cheese you like).
6) Place them in the oven dish and let them cook for about 30 minutes or so. Better if you check after 20 minutes and see how the cooking is going, the cheese must melt and the bell peppers have to be quite soft.

Serve them when they are getting warm, it will be the perfect moment because you can appreciate the different flavours of the dish without burning your mouth. This is a typical Mediterranean recipe, also perfectly suitable for vegeterians and I really hope you can enjoy it!