Pão de ló de laranja (Portuguese Orange Sponge Cake)

This can be served as a light treat or as a desert. It's best to only put a couple on a plate, otherwise you'll want to eat them all!! ;)

Isso pode ser servido como um lanche levinho ou como uma sobremesa. E' melhor colocar só alguns quadradinhos no prato, senão você vai querer comê-los todinhos!! ;)

Ingredients:(Ingredientes:)

8 eggs (8 ovos)

500 grams sugar (500 gramas açúcar)

250 grams flour (250 gramas farinha com fermento)

3 oranges (3 laranjas)

2 full teaspoons of backing powder (2 colheres de chá cheias de fermento em pó)

(Alternatively, if you want to make a larger or smaller amount, the eggs and the sugar must have the same weight, and the flour should be half the weight of the sugar.)

(Alternativamente, se você quiser fazer uma quantidade maior ou menor, os ovos e o açúcar devem ter o mesmo peso, e a farinha deve ser metade do peso do açúcar.)

Method:(Método:)

1) Turn on the oven to 375 degrees (gas mark 4). (Ligue o forno a 375 graus - gás 4)

2) Lightly grease cake pan well and cut some greaseproof paper to fit on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. (Unte bem o tabuleiro e ponha papel manteiga no fundo e nas laterais)

3) Seperate the egg whites from the yolk. (Separar as claras das gemas)

4) Mix flour with 2 large teaspoons of baking powder. (Misture a farinha com 2 colheres de chá bem cheias de fermento em pó)

5) Scrape off orange skin EXTREMLY thin and place into a bowl. (Raspe a casca da laranja em pedacinhos muito pequenos e coloque em uma tigela)

6) Squeeze the juice of a large orange. (Esprema o sumo de uma laranja)

7) Mix yolks with sugar and orange skins thoroughly. (Misture as gemas com o açúcar e a raspa da laranja)

8) Add sifted flour and orange juice in little quantities. (Adicione a farinha peneirada com o fermento e acrescente o sumo da laranja aos poucos)

9) Beat the egg whites until white and stiff, then SLOWLY add to the mixture. (Bata as claras até ficarem em ponto de suspiro e adicione-as DEVAGAR à mistura)

10) Pour into cake pan and place in oven. (Ponha a mistura no tabuleiro e no forno)

11) Before removing from the oven, squeeze another orange and add some sugar. (Antes de retirar do forno, esprema outra laranja e adicione açúcar a gosto)

12) Remove cake from oven when a toothpick comes out clean after inserting into cake. Add sugar + orange mixture over the cake whilst still hot. (Retire o bolo do forno depois que inserir um palito no bolo e ele sair limpo. Adicione a mistura de açúcar + laranja sobre o bolo enquanto ainda estiver quente)

13) Allow to cool and eat!!! (: (Deixe esfriar e coma!!!)

Pumpkin/Squash and Feta Gratin

This dish can be served either as a starter or as a main course (just bear in mind that you eat different amounts during each and that squash is relatively filling; I used a medium-sized squash and it was just enough for 4 persons although we probably wouldn't have minded stuffing yourselves just a bit more :P).

I am just copying the recipe from the cooking book I used, and adding a few personal comments.

Ingredients (serves 4-8):

2 kg (4 1/2 lb) winter squash - pumpkin will do, but butternut, red kuri, crown prince or onion squash are much better;

60g (2oz) butter;

150g (5 oz) Feta cheese, drained and chopped or crumbled [I suggest you just crumble it with your hands];

85 g (3 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

110 g (4 oz) breadcrumbs;

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil;

salt and freshly ground pepper;

AND, my own addition,

about a handful of walnuts.

Halve the squash if it is a whole one, then remove the fibrous mass of seeds. Cut into long slices about 2.5-3.5cm (1-1 1/2 inches) thick [if you are using a whole sqaush you might also want to cut it in half length-wise]. You can cut the skin from the slices now, or after the initial cooking, which I think is marginally easier and quicker [I would actually say a lot easier]. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then add the squash slices (you may have to cook them in two batches). Bring back to the boil and then simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until the flesh is just tender (but not soggy) [do really keep an eye on the time and test it with a fork]. Drain thoroughly, then remove the skin, if you haven't already [bleach the squash under some cold water if you want to cool it down quicker].

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Use a generous knob of the butter to grease a shallow ovenproof dish (I use a 35cm/14 inch gratin dish). Arrange the squash in it, scattering the crumbled feta over the squash as you go. Dot with the remaining butter, then season with salt and plenty of pepper [tried with no pepper at all and it was still amazing :P]. Mix the Parmesan with the breadcrumbs [real breadcrumbs are better than the ones you find in British supermarkets]and scatter evenly over the squash [my advice: the more the better :)]. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, turning the dish around half-way through cooking if necessary [I have added some chopped walnuts to the recipe but I only add then half way through so they don't get too burnt], until evenly browned and crisp on top. Serve hot or warm.