YOGURT SPONGE CAKE

Dessert - Vegetarian

The yogurt container will be your measure!

1 6oz yogurt
3 large eggs, divided
1 1/3 cont. of sugar
2 1/2 cont. of flour
1 tbsp (scant) baking powder
1/3 cont. of olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.
Put yogurt in a small bowl, wash and dry the container.
In a big bowl, whisk yolks with sugar until it becomes light yellow, then add yogurt, oil and flour sifted with baking powder. Wisk carefully until you obtain a smooth batter; if it is too thick, add 1/3 or 1/2 container of milk.
Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt until they become "snow" white and stiff. Carefully fold them in the batter.
Grease and dust with flour a 10"round springform pan, pour batter in it, level the top with a spoon and dust with sugar.
Place it in the center rack of the oven and bake for 45 minutes. A toothpick, when inserted, must come out dry and clean.
Let it cool 5 minutes in the oven, then remove it and remove the side ring of the pan, to cool it completely. It would be better to remove the whole cake from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.

We use this base also to make an apple or pear cake, you just have to cube 2 apples or pears and add them to the batter befaore the egg whites.
If you make this cake as is, it is better to use a flavored yogurt; if you use it with fruit, use a matching yogurt or vanilla flavored or plain.

Lactose intolerants can use soy/rice/almond milk and yogurt.

CREAMY POTATO SOUP WITH VEGETABLES

Soup - Vegetarian

1 Onion, sliced
14 os potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 baby zucchini
1 fennel bulb, diced
2 carrots, diced
6 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
Chives, chopped - salt - pepper

Cook the diced vegetables in 5 cups of boiling, salted water, until they're done but still firm. Drain and reserve the vegetable broth you just obtained, keeping both warm.
In a deep skillet, "sautee" onions in a few tablespoons of the reserved vegetable broth until they're soft, then add the potatoes and stir; add enough vegetable broth to cover potatoes and cook, until they're done (about 30 minutes) on medium heat adding broth if needed.
Blend the potatoes in order to obtain a cream (use some more broth if you think it's too thick) and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, divide the cream in 4 individual bowls, top with the diced vegetables, sprinkle with chives and drizzle with 1 1/2 tsp of Extra virgin olive oil each bowl.

- You can also add diced caulifower and/or broccoli (1 cup each) without increasing calories significantly

- To have a complete meal, substitute 1/3 potatoes with same weight of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed or 1/2 potatoes with same weight of cannellini beans and peas (which give you proteins) equally divided.

- This soup counts around 200 calories per portion.

TASTY POTATO CROCCHETTE

Appetizer

1 lb potatoes
8 oz ham, roughly chopped
3 oz onion, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
3 oz parmigiano, grated
salt, pepper, nutmeg
2 whole eggs
flour
breadcrumbs
oil to fry

Boil and mash potatoes; in a skillet over medium heat, sautee onions in 1 tsbp of extravirgin olive oil and, when translucent, add the ham; mix well to combine and remove from heat.
In a bowl big enough, combine potatoes, ham and onion mixture, 2 egg yolks and parmigiano; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix well in order to obtain a well combined mixture.
Beat 2 eggs in a deep dish and add salt; in 2 different dishes, place folur and breadcrumbs.
Scoop the potato mixture and form "crocchette": they can be round and spherical, round and flat or cylindrical.
Roll each one in flour, then toss them in the beaten eggs and roll them in bread crumbs until they're evenly coated.
Place a deep skillet on high heat and warm 3 inches of olive oil. Deep fry crocchette, a few every time, until they're golden on all sides.
Drain and place them on paper towel; keep warm until you fry all of them and serve immediately.