British Traditional Recipes

The Afternoon Tea

The history of tea
The tea came to England in 1650, for medical use. It was very expensive because the exportation times from China were long. The most famous tea ritual is the one at five o’clock in the afternoon. It was born thanks to the idea of the duchess of Bedford, Anne Stanhope. One day, tired of enduring that feeling of hunger, she asked her servants to serve her a cup of tea. In 1826 the already dosed tea leaves began to be sold in small packages.

Ingredients
- 12g of black tea (leaves)
- 300 ml of milk
- 600 ml of water
- sugar
VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jZDBz0qVtM

Procedure
1.   Put one envelope in a cup
2.   Let the water boil and pour it in a cup with the envelope inside
3.   Let it in infusion for about three - five minutes
4.   Remove the envelope and pour a drop of milk
5.   Mix all with a teaspoon in order to amalgamate

English tea can be accompanied with sandwiches, scones, pastries and cakes, served in the following order: first the savory ones, then the neutral ones and finally the sweets ones. The tablecloth used must be linen and the napkins must be square.
Only blue and white porcelain cups and saucers should be used.

Berardo S. , El Karroumy S. , Cappellin L.

The Jacket Potato

The jacket potatoes are a speciality of England and British recipes. They are large-medium size and generally are cooked in the oven or on the barbecue and then filled up with ingredients. Their main characteristic is the maintenance of the peel and the cooking using an aluminum foil.

Ingredients
- 4 potatoes (medium-big)
- 100 grams of bacon
- 50 grams of Emmental cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- Parsley
VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC1lbSiXeQw

Procedure
Wash the potatoes and rub the peel well with a dishcloth. Wrap up all the potatoes with an aluminum foil. Lay down the potatoes on a baking upholster with parchment paper and put them in the oven (previously heated) at 200° for 60 minutes. Check the cooking inserting a knife before taking them out and if needed let them cook for other 10 minutes. In the meantime brown the bacon into a pan until it reaches the cooking point and cut the cheese in small pieces. When the potatoes are cooked take them out of the oven and cut them directly on the aluminum foil digging the potatoes with a spoon. Pay attention to hole the potatoes in the deep. Fill the potatoes with bacon, some parsley and cheese and let them cook for 1 hour.

D'Amico N., Pasotto G., Bronzato L.

The Full English Breakfast

The history of the english breakfast is very similar to our granparents’ breakfast who used to work in the country and needed a lot of energy during the working day. The only difference is that in the middle age breakfast wasn’t accompained with tea but with beer. Today British people use to have the full english breakfast at the weekend or during festivities or bank holidays.

Ingredients
-       One chicken sausage
-       Two slices of bacon
-       100 grams of mushrooms
-       Parsley
-       Toast bread
-       Butter
-       Two eggs
-       100 grams of pre-cooked beans
-       One tomato
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmieAqTG1wI

Procedure
Heat a non - stick pan and lay down on it the sausages. Cook for two minutes then with food pliers turn them on the another side. Continue turning the sausages every two minutes until the cooking will be uniform and then keep them warm. In same frying pan cook the bacon slice be sure to brown it on both sides then season it with salt and keep warm. Clean the mushrooms with water and dry them with a dish closth. Then cut them with the help of a knife. Wash the tomato and cut it in a half. Cook the tomato and the mushrooms in the same pan where sausages and bacon have been previously coocked. Then fry the eggs until white part looks well cooked and the egg yellow is semi-liquid. Put the eggs, the sausages, the bacon, the mushrooms and the tomato on a plate.

Isalberti M., Bonente M., Speranza L.

Ingredients
(for four people)

-       1kg roast beef
-       500ml of soup
-       500g of potatoes
-       80g of soft wheat flour (superfine flour)
-       80g of butter
-       4-5 carrots
-       1 shallot
-       265g of peas
-       Rosemary (just enough)
-       Juniper berries
-       Brown sugar
-       1 glass of white wine
-       Extra Vergin Olive oil
-       Salt and pepper
VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n-etPBXtTs&t=33s

Melotto S., Emiliani G., El Mallah S.

Procedure for the gravy sauce
In a pot melt the butter and add flour, oil, salt, pepper and rosemary mixing all with a spoon. Keep on mixing until it becomes jelly. Then add soup and alternate with flour until you obtain a creamy sauce.

Procedure for the Sunday roast
Peel and cut the potatoes. In to a bowl mix three spoons of oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, junipier, a pinch of sugar cane and use this compound to season the meat. Use 2/3 of the seasoning pouring it on the meat and the potatoes. With the help of a kitchen brush spread the seasoning on the meat and add some white wine on it. About 40 minutes before the end of cooking add the potatoes in to the pan with the remaining seasoning and wait for the final cooking. In the meantime the sliced carrots with oil until their hedges will appear roasted. In a another pan prepare a sauted shallot and peas and when they are ready serve with the gravy sauce.