Dear readers: Belated Christmas wishes! Here are some easy xmasy recipes…

Been cooking so much over these last 15 days that I don’t know from which recipe to start… moreover I still have to write about the 5 day gastronomic tour in Trentinara which left us with some extra kilos and a delicious taste in our mouths… yet about all this later on! Now have a look at the following recipes ideal as a starter especially when you have friends invited over for lunch or dinner…

Potato & salami patties
Serves 8 (as a starter)

• 400g potatoes
• 400g cauliflower
• 100g salami
• 50g pecorino cheese, grated
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• breadcrumbs
• salt & pepper

Peel the potatoes and cut into small cubes. Clean the cauliflower and cut into florets. Steam vegetables for about 20 minutes. When tender mash them together until they become a fine mash. In the meantime finely chop the salami and grate the pecorino cheese. Add salami, cheese, and 2 eggs to the mash. Season with salt & pepper. Moisten your hands and prepare the mixture into peach-sized balls. Pass them in the beaten egg yolks then into the breadcrumbs. Pat them with your hands to form individual sized patties. Fry them in hot oil from both sides until brown. As a healthy alternative you can put them into the oven until brown from each side. Serve with some sweet fruity chutney.