Instead I turned to an old favorite of mine, easy and super quick to prepare, a lifesaving staple for your fridge. This is what happens when compound butter goes umami.

If you’re a first-timer and have never made crackers at home, this is an easy, no-fuss recipe to start with.

Back home I unpacked the delicacies we had bought and – of course – our pasta craving hadn’t slowed down a bit, so I decided to serve dinner guests homemade Tortellini. Or were these called Cappelletti?

Of course there is always an exception to the rule, in this case: the coffeetable-worthy “THAI STREET FOOD” by Asian food guru David Thompson. Breathtakingly beautifully photographed, I had been eyeing the grilled pork skewers for weeks…

But what really sets this typical weekday dinner apart is the linseed oil. You are supposed to drown the hot, peeled potatoes – seasoned only with some flakes of Fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt – in this golden liquid and mash them until you just can’t help yourself and simply eat it all up.

Compared to our pizza process which kicks off at least 24 hours before we can indulge in our first piece, this here can be prepared in 2 hours, no-fuss.

My version is everything most restaurant versions keep missing… and a bit more, I think. A finger lickin’ good dressing, tiny pieces of crisp bacon, spicy chicken with a hint of Indian flavor (ok, ok, my touch, remember: my kitchen) and soft Avocado cubes add to this classic and I wouldn’t want to miss them in my salad bowl anymore.

Today’s recipe is my successful attempt to replicate the memorable appetizer we once had at one of our favorite restaurants here in Munich – white asparagus gone panna cotta. Incredible easy to prepare and a welcome twist to the usually sweet panna cotta versions.

Show me a neat – doable – pasta shape and I’m sold. It doesn’t take much to twist my arm and that’s what happened when I first laid hands on a dear friend’s book.

Besides its super simple and quick preparation this recipe is an absolute crowd pleaser, whenever I brought it to a bbq or similar event, even eggplant critics were convinced.

Will you be easier to convince? Let’s see: It’s a perfectly hearty snack, easy to make ahead for a picnic or beergarden visit and it keeps well in the fridge. You do have craftspeople in your house? This is the perfect snack for them, year-round.

I’m a convert ever since and can’t believe, that there are people out there, that haven’t heard about this time-saving shortcut to mayonnaise.

Since he taught us his Gazpacho recipe a few weeks ago we’ve come to realize how many bland and mediocre lookalikes we’ve had before. Tasty, ripe tomatoes are a must, but well balanced seasoning is equally important.

Taste-wise they are a close relative to Falafel and my favorite way of eating these Panisses is inside a pita bread together with sliced tomatoes/cucumbers, cole slaw and a spicy yogurt sauce. Already a regular on our table.

But Ricotta gnocchi, where have you been all my life? This variation is even easier to prepare than the former two mentioned, taste-wise open to all kinds of flavors, and – I kid you not – they take less than 15 minutes to prepare before you can release them for a little swim in softly bubbling saltwater.