The most darling month is here and we wanted to change up the way we celebrate love. How about an old fashioned home-made breakfast for two instead of the typical dinner date? We think it would be wonderful to wake up to the smell of freshly baked cake and fresh orange juice. Perhaps a chocolate and sea salt bruschette?

Maria Goretti surely agrees! We happened upon her beautiful new book “From my kitchen to yours” and we can’t wait to cook through it. We love that it has monthly menus based on seasonal offerings at the local market. Yes, the good old mandi. It’s refreshing to know that the veggies and fruits that one cook with in February, are actually wait-a-minute available in February!

We borrowed three recipes from her book to help you with your special breakfast menu. We also curated a little list of breakfast essentials that will help you plate and serve in our signature style!

This Valentine’s Day, whip up a delicious breakfast for two with the following recipes:

I. STRAWBERRY HEARTS

TART PASTRY – INGREDIENTS

1. 160gm flour
2. 1 Pinch salt
3. 80gm butter, chilled cubes
4. 3-4 tbsp chilled water

CREAM FILLING – INGREDIENTS

1. 276gm cream cheese
2. ¼ cup hung yoghurt
3. ½ cup sugar
4. ½ tsp vanilla essence
5. 1 pinch cinnamon powder
6. 1 packet strawberries, hulled and chopped into big pieces

METHOD

1. Sift the flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Add the chilled cubes of butter and cut into them with a pastry knife till they resemble coarse breadcrumbs.
3. Use your finertips to lightly crumble the mixture.
4. Add the water and stir with a fork to gather the mixture.
5. Gather the pastry into a ball and let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. (I have used a basic recipe, without egg and sugar. Since the cream cheese filling is very rich, it is all right to keep the crust simple).
6. Roll out the pastry on a smooth floured surface with a thickness of about 1/6^th of an inch.
7. Cut out small circles and make individual tarts, or else making one big 7-inch tart. You can also just cut out the hearts with a cookie cutter.
8. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree Celsius, for 5-8 minutes, till slightly brown.
9. Let the baked heart tarts cool down. Keep them in an airtight tin and store in a dry place.
10. Before serving, mix all the ingredients for the cream cheese filling, except the strawberries, and keep the filling in the refrigerator.
11. Serve with a dollop of the prepared cream cheese filling and garnish the tarts with loads of strawberries.

Our Rustic Wooden Chopping Board doubles up as a perfect tray to serve these delicious Strawberry Hearts on.

II. RAGI PANCAKE WITH MUSHROOMS

 RAGI PANCAKES – INGREDIENTS

1. ½ cup ragi
2. ¼ tsp baking soda
3. ¼ tsp baking powder
4. 1 egg
5. ½ cup yoghurt
6. Salt, to taste
7. Pepper, to taste
8. Vegetable oil, for frying

METHOD

1. In a heated non-stick pan, add the vegetable oil.
2. Add the garlic when the oil heats up a little and then add the sliced mushrooms.
3. After the mushrooms are cooked and the water released dries up a bit, add the chilli flakes and the mustard. Stir well.
4. Take the mixture off the fire and add the yoghurt.
5. Add the spread on the surface of the ragi pancakes and serve.

MUSHROOMS – INGREDIENTS

1. 1 tbsp vegetable oil
2. 5-6 cloves garlic finely chopped
3. 100gm mushrooms, sliced
4. ¼ tsp chilli flakes
5. 1 tsp mustard
6. 1 tbsp yoghurt

METHOD

1. 1 tbsp vegetable oil
2. 5-6 cloves garlic finely chopped
3. 100gm mushrooms, sliced
4. ¼ tsp chilli flakes
5. 1 tsp mustard
6. 1 tbsp yoghurt

 III. BRUSCHETTA WITH CHOCOLATE AND SALT

DULCE DE LECHE – INGREDIENTS 

1. 1 can condensed milk
2. Water

METHOD

1. Make 2 holes in the lid of the can of condensed milk.
2. Immerse the can ¾ in a vessel of water.
3. Bring the water to a boil, on a medium flame, and let it simmer for 2 and ½ hours.
4. Keep adding hot water if the level of the water decreases.
5. Allow the water to cool down.
6. Transfer all the contents to a clean dry container 

BRUSCHETTA WITH CHOCOLATE AND SALT – INGREDIENTS

1. 1 baguette
2. 40gm butter
3. 100gm dulce de leche
4. 100gm cooking chocolate
5. ¼ tsp chilli flakes
6. Sea salt, a sprinkle

METHOD

1. Cut the baguette into 10 slices, about ¼ -inch thick.
2. Smear with butter.
3. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 175 degree Celsius for 5 minutes.
4. Take out the slices and smear with the dulce de leche and pile each piece with chocolate.
5. Bake for another 5-7 minutes at 175 degree Celsius.
6. Take out the slices and sprinkles with chilli flakes and a little sea salt.
7. Serve immediately.

Nestle your freshly baked breads in our Parisian inspired bread box.

Speaking of her passion for food, Maria said, “I have actually loved food all my life. In my past life, I must have been born in a country that had no food, because frankly, I am eternally hungry and my near and dear ones will vouch for that!”

With a yummy mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes, desserts and even go – to beverages, we are certainly turning to this book every month. Buy it here.

And find the perfect Dining and Entertainment essentials here.

Special thanks to Om Books International.

P.S: Our new collection of Pajamas styled by Malaika Arora Khan would be just the thing we’d wear to this breakfast party.