​I am always on the lookout for dairy free or gluten free cakes. I have extended family members who have either food intolerance and when I have parties I don't like anyone to miss out on dessert.
 
I find cakes particularly difficult to make without dairy or flour, they tend to come out less than ideal, so when I find something I love, I have to share it here.

This is a Nigella Lawson cake and over the years I am trying more and more of her recipes, as one, they tend to be easy, and two, and more importantly, they taste great. This cake is something that you can serve to anyone, it is rich, it melts in your mouth, and it doesn't miss the dairy or flour.

​If you want to make it into an everyday cake for guests who don't have a intolerance to flour, then replace the ground almonds with 125g plain flour, I haven't tried it, but Nigella suggests it in her book. But in all honesty I like this squidgy cake as is.

I like to serve it with raspberries and ice cream (lactose free ice cream, if needed), and I like it warm or cold.

Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson's cookbook 'Nigellissima'

Serves 8-10

150ml regular (light) olive oil
50g dutch cocoa powder
125ml boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
150g ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 pinch of salt
200g caster sugar
3 x 60g eggs

Preheat your oven to 170C. Grease a 22cm round springform tin with a little oil and line the base and sides with baking paper. 
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Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl and whisk in the boiling water until you have a smooth, chocolatey, still runny (but only just) paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then set aside to cool a little.
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In a small bowl, combine the ground almonds with the bicarbonate of soda and salt.
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Put the sugar, olive oil and eggs into the bowl of a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment (or hand held with whisk attachment) and beat together vigorously for about 3 minutes until you have a pale aerated mixture.

Turn the speed down a little and pour in the cocoa mixture, beating as you go. Now slowly add in the ground almond mixture. Scrape the sides, and carefully fold with a spatula to ensure it is all incorporated well.

Pour the mixture into your prepared tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very centre, on top, still looks slightly damp. a cake tester should come up mainly clean but with a few sticky chocolate crumbs clinging to it.
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Allow to cool for 10 minutes, before removing the sides of the tin. Leave to cool completely or eat warm with some ice cream and raspberries.

Find the recipe at www.whatscookingella.com/chocolate-olive-oil-cake.html
​Pin it: au.pinterest.com/pin/399413060693772639/

It's been a few weeks since I last looked at my website. I am currently on holidays in Croatia and I have not really cooked in 5 weeks, well I made spaghetti bolognese once and I made a batch of chocolate, chocolate chip cookies,  but that is about it. With one week to go before I go home, I can't see any cooking happening in the next week either.

Tonight is the first night I have some free time, time where I have nothing to do, my husband is out catching up with some friends, my kids have found some Polish friends to hang out with, so it is just me tonight. So here I am.

So tonight I thought I'd share a recipe I made over our Australian summer when our tomatoes from our garden were ripe and delicious. ​

​​Why I thought of this recipe is because I am in the middle of tomato season in Croatia, and can I tell you home grown tomatoes, picked red from the vine, nothing compares to it. The flavour is just amazing.

This recipe is easy, it is full of flavour, it is like bruschetta that is mixed through pasta. I love it as it is fresh, it is tasty and it perfectly showcases fresh ripe tomatoes.

The only thing you cook, is the pasta. You just toss hot pasta through the diced up sauce and you get something really special.

If you are growing your own tomatoes, or you just have some sitting on your kitchen bench, try this, it won't disappoint.

Recipe adapted from Bill Granger's Cookbook 'Bill's Food'

Serves 4

1kg vine ripened tomatoes, peeled 
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
300g spaghetti
1 cup lightly packed basil leaves, torn

To serve, freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
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​To peel tomatoes, score a small cross into the top of the tomato. Place in a heatproof bowl that is larger than the tomato. Fill the bowl with boiling water from the kettle to completely cover the tomato. Allow to sit for 30 seconds to a minute, then remove from heat and peel away the skin. It should come off easily.

Halve the tomatoes, and press halves to squeeze out seeds and excess juice. Chop tomato flesh roughly, place in a sieve over a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Leave to drain for half an hour.
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Place drained tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, garlic, chilli and pepper into a large bowl and stir. Leave for 20 minutes, for flavours to combine.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water, as per packet instructions. Drain well. Toss the pasta through the tomatoes and the freshly torn basil leaves. 

Serve immediately with parmesan cheese.

Find the recipe at www.whatscookingella.com/fresh-tomato-pasta.html 
​Pin it: au.pinterest.com/pin/399413060693753157/

​​I'd love to know what you think about this recipe, and please let me know if you have made it, I do like to get feedback. Name and comment only required.