Homemade Sweet Ricotta Cheese

Tags

easy recipes, homemade, making cheese at home, ricotta cheese, sweet recipes

Making Ricotta at home is very easy,  does not require a lot of techniques, and take no time at all.

As it’s known that ricotta made from the whey of other cheeses, but here I used whole milk and some buttermilk to make it.
However this sweet version contain no salt and does not use any acidic liquids or lemon juice to form it. So the shelf life for this cheese is very short 1-2 days only. Usually, I make this cheese once I want to make sweets that require cheese in it, especially the Middle Eastern sweets like Qatayef, Konafa, Pudding. It’s great also to serve this cheese with fresh fruits or preserves.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups whole milk
• 2 cups buttermilk

Directions:

1. Combine milks in a large pot and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. After 10 – 15 minutes the milk will begin to curdle. Stop stirring, but occasionally, scrap the bottom of to release curds. When you starts to see curds separate from the whey, remove from the heat.
2. Line streamer with the cheese cloth and place over a bowl. Carefully pour or spoon the contents from the pot into cheesecloth allowing the liquid to drain into the bowl. Save the forming liquids.
3. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and gently squeeze to extract any remaining liquid. Allow to set in strainer for 2 hours to drain.

هذا النوع من الجبنه رائعه جدا لحشو القطايف والكنافه والكتير من الحلويات العربيه والوصفاتةالتي تتطلب اضافة الجبنه لها

جبنة الريكوتا الحلوه

٨ كوب حليب كامل الدسم
٢ كوب بتر ملك

نخلط الحليب مع البترملك ونضعه على النار لحتى يغلي نحرك بين الحين والاخر حتى لا يلصق ويحترق
عندما ينفصل البروتين عن الماء نرفعه عن النار ونصعه بمصفاة مغلفه بقماش الجبنه وموضوعه في طبق عميق . نصب الخليط و نصفيه من الماء او عرق الحليب المتكون
ونحتفظ بماء الجبنه
نغلق قطعة القماش بالجبنه جيدا ونضغطها ونتركها لتزل باقي مائها

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Watercress& Eggplant Frittata

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breakfast recipes, brunch, eggplant, eggs recipes, frittata, grilled eggplant, suhur recipes, فطور صباحي, watercress, اطباق البيض, اطباق السحور, بقله, باذنجان مشوي, عجه, عجه بالباذنجان والبقله

Frittata with buttery sweet eggplant, the watercress is the right herb to complement the eggplant.

A frittata is a flexible dish that appears in many cuisines. In Spain it is known as a tortilla, Eggah in the Middle East. The common ingredient is eggs. From there, you are limited only by what is available or the imagination. In this recipe, the oven roasted eggplant have a nice buttery sweet flavors to add to the Eggah. To add more vitamins and minerals, I sautéed some fresh chopped watercress with the onion. Served with chopped fresh tomato and watercress salad.

A dish to enjoy anytime, breakfast, lunch, or dinner with a nice fresh tomato salad.
Also a perfect dish at the Suhur meal, a meal that resemble a breakfast eaten right before Fasting begin or a couple of hours before the sunrise. Proteinous meals is perfect to be eaten at Suhur meal, eggs recipes, beans, and vegetables are the most. While the protein keeps us full for a long time, the vegetables provide the body with hydration while they break down.

At Suhur Time. Al-Mesaharati wandering in the alleys of the old town of Jerusalem.

Another memories from Ramadan in my country: AL-Mesaharati المسحراتي.
An old traditional habit in the holy month of Ramadan, a dedicated people take care of waking up neighbors and other Peoples a couple of hours before sunrise to eat their Suhur meal, punctuated by religious songs and praises while they roaming in the streets of the town.
Not like any fancy alarmed clock, or any of the most modern communication tools. It’s the tradition that will not fade not even in our today’s modern civilization.

Watercress & Eggplant Frittata

Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant
• olive oil
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup watercresses, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoon milk
• salt and pepper

Direction:
1. Peel and slice the eggplant into about 3/4 inch rounds. Brush both sides with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast in the hot oven until golden. Turn halfway through roasting. Remove and set aside to cool.
2. In a large frying pan sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft.
3. Add the chopped watercresses, sauté for 1-2 min.
4. Cut the eggplant into cubes and add to the pan, stirring gently.
5. Beat the eggs, milk, and seasoning. Pour over the eggplant mixture. Cook on medium heat until eggs just begin to set.
6. Using flat spatula, flip the frittata to the other side, and continue cooking. The frittata will become fluffy. Cook for no longer than 1-2 minutes on low heat.
7. Serve with a fresh tomato and mint salad.

عجة الباذنجان والبقله

١ حبة باذنجان
زيت زيتون
١/٤ ك بصل مفروم ناعم
١ ك بقله مفرومه
١ م ك توم مهروس
١ م ك زيت زيتون
٤ بيض
٢ م ك حليب سائل
ملح وفلفل

نقطع الباذنجان لشرائح رفيعه بسمك ٣/٤ انش، نمسح كل قطعه بالزيت على الوجهين ونصفها بصينية الفرن لتتحمر ، نقلبها على الوحه الاخر لتكمل التحمير.
نضيف ملعقة الزيت للمقلاه وندبل البصل والتوم، نضيف البقله ونقلب لدقيقه. نضيف قطع الباتنجان المشويه بعد تقطيعها لقطع صغيره.
في طاسه، نخفق البيض والحليب والملح والفلفل ونضيفه فوق البقله والباذنجان بالمقلاة، نغطيه لحتى ينضج البيض، نقلبه على الوجه الاخر ليكمل الاستواء

Another Egg recipes:
Eggs On Hash

Herbed Eggs and Turkey Patties Sandwiches

Mushroom Oat Soup

Tags

Chicken, Chicken soup, mushroom, mushroom oat chicken soup, mushroom soup, oat soup, oatmeal, Ramadan soups, side dish, Soup recipes, شوربات رمضانيه, شوربة المشروم بالشوفان, شوربة الدجاج بالمشروم والشوفان

My family favorites soup, the oatmeal with the mushroom have their secrets to this delicious creamy soup.

As it looks, this is the first soup recipe I share with you this Ramadan. Although, soup is at our Iftar menu at daily basis during Ramadan. After a long day fasting, our body is in need for a lot of liquids, to compensate the water lose. I tried to make different kinds every time. So, for now I have some pretty good soup recipes. Unfortunately, I really have shortage in time, that I barely have time to spend at internet and blogging. Ramadan times is very difficult and most of the time go mostly toward spiritual work during fasting day or praying at night, may Allah bless us all and accept our deeds.

Ramadan is a special month to me: It’s the month of worship and forgiveness. In this month, all the doors of heaven are opened, Allah calls his worshipers: Anyone in need? Anyone asking me? So Allah will respond and answer his requests. That’s why good muslims racing to make more good deeds during this month, so they can win Allah’s charity and love. They set their goals in remembering Allah, praying — including the late night and early morning prayers — reciting the Quran, seeking knowledge, the obligation to help people, honouring one’s parents and maintaining good family relations and other acts of worship, it’s the spirit of Ramadan.

In this soup recipe, I didn’t use any thickening agent, no cream nor flour. The cooked oatmeal was enough to add the creaminess and a moderate thickness to the soup, the way my family prefers it the most.
I used a pre-cooked chicken. It’s a good way to use up your leftover roasted chicken. But you can add non cooked chicken in the first step with the onion. Cook it half way then add the mushroom. Continue with the recipe as I will describe it below.

Mushroom Oat Soup.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped finely onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups finely chopped fresh mushroom
• 3/4 cup oat old fashioned
• 6-7 cups chicken stock, or water
• 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper

Direction:
1. Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil, then add the garlic, mix and sauté for 1 min.
2. Add the butter then mushroom, sauté for 5 min on medium heat, stir to not let it burned.
3. Add the oat mix well, then add the stock or water. Lower the temperature to medium low and let boil, simmer at low heat for 1/2 hour.
4. add the cooked shredded chicken pieces and parsley, mix let boil together for a couple of mins.
5. Serve with a lot of parsley on top.

 

شوربة الشوفان والمشروم
١/٢ ك بصله مفرومه ناعم
١ م ك زيت زيتون
١ م ص توم مدقوق
١ م ك زبده
٢ ك مشروم طازج مفروم ناعم
٣/٤ ك شوفان الحبوب المامله
٦-٧ ك مرقة دجاج او ماء
١ ك دجاج مطبوخ جاهز مقطع قطع صغيره
٢ م ك بقدونس مفروم طازج

نقلب البصله بالزيت على النار نضيف التوم لحتى يتدبل
نضيف الزبده والمشروم ونقلبع حتى يتدبل المشروم لمدة ٥ د على نار هاديه
نضيف الشوفان ونخفف الحراره ونقلبه بتلزيت مع المشروم لمدة ١ دقيقه
نضيف الماء ونتركه لحتى يغلي نوطئ الحراره ونتركه يطهو لمدة ١/٢ س على نار هادئه جدا
نضيف الدجاج المطهو والبقدونس ونحركه نعدل الملح والفلفل

Turnip Pickle

Tags

beets, homemade, How to, middle eastern style pickles, pickles, resering vegetables, salt brine cocentration, tips for pickling vegetables, turnip pickles, turnip recipes

A Middle Eastern style turnip pickles that is healthy, easy, delicious and fun to make at home.

I like pickles.
And who doesn’t?!?!

If you are a pickle lover, then you will like making it at home too. It’s easy and fun to try making your own favorite pickles.

Pickling is one way to preserve the seasonal vegetables and enjoy them all seasons, usually brine is used to marinate and store the vegetables with added salt to produce acidic solution.
In middle east there is a wide variety of pickles, all made from many vegetables. Some of the vegetables that used to pickle is olives, cucumber, turnip, beets, cauliflower, pepper, lemon, cabbage, eggplant….

Middle eastern style pickles is commonly used as a side dish accompanied by many different food and main dishes, it’s an essential part of the Mezze table, and highly liked specially during Ramadan. The preparation of pickles starts a week before Ramadan starts, so it will be ready on time.

Is pickles healthy? Pickles are also a healthy snack. They are low in fat, calories and sugar. They are a good source of fiber that aid in digestion. Pickles also contain valued nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, iron and antioxidants.

Pickling Methods and ingredients: Many get creative with the methods and ingredients in making pickles. Brine may be simple that only contain water and salt with the addition of sugar to enhance the fermentation process like when pickling cucumber, carrots, and turnip. For any recipe using water and salt brine, I usually use 1 tablespoon salt for every one cup of water. Acidic solution, usually vinegar, are also used to marinate and store the vegetables like pickled cabbage (the recipe coming soon). Another middle eastern well known brine is using olive oil like Makdoos pickles (the recipe coming next).

Spices, salt, herbs and many other ingredients are used in making pickles and it gives a special taste to the vegetables.

Here are some tips when making pickles

• Always choose fresh vegetables, it makes a big difference.
• Use canning or pickling salt (not iodized table salt!). Pickling salt has no additives. Iodized salt have anticaking agent that makes the brine cloudy also the iodine contents may change the color and texture of the vegetables as well as possibly leave sediment at the bottom of the jars.
• Use commercial white vinegar with at least 5% acidity. While cider and malt vinegar can add flavor subtleties, they also darken light-colored vegetables.
• Use only soft water (water with low levels of minerals and chlorine). Hard water (water with high mineral levels) can lower brine acidity, possibly affecting food safety.
  To soften hard water, boil for 15 minutes, then allow it to stand covered for 24 hours. Remove any surface scum that forms. Carefully ladle the water from the pot without agitating the bottom sediment.
• Use stainless-steel, glass, or ceramic bowls. Avoid containers and utensils made of copper, iron, zinc, or brass (these materials may react with acid and salt).
• Make sure all jars are sterilized before you pickle in them. Bacteria can ruin a whole batch and even make you sick.
• To allow pickles to mellow, wait at least 1-2 weeks before using.

Turnip Pickles

Turnip pickles is one of my most liked pickles. It has a distinctive flavor, with it’s pretty pink color that comes from using beets with turnip. It’s usually liked with Falafel and Shawarma sandwiches which adds a nice tangy flavor to the sandwich, also it may be decorated on top of Humus and Labni (yogurt cheese) dishes.

•    3 medium-sized turnip
•    1 medium size beetroot
•    1 tablespoons sugar
•    3 tablespoon course pickling salt
•    2 tablespoon white vinegar
•    3 cups water

1- Bring the water to a boil, cool, then add vinegar,  sugar and salt. Stir till they dissolve.
2- Wash turnips well, peel, slice off top and base. Cut turnips and beetroot into slices.
3- Place turnip and beets between them as layers in sterilized jars. Add water with the vinegar over till it covers them. Seal with some olive oil on the top.
4- Close jars well, leave for 20 days before use.