May is almost over and Summer season is at the door. Any occasion is welcome to stay outside, in the open air, for enjoying nature and its fragrances. Besides, it is also the best time of the year for filling a basket with good simple food, perhaps bringing a blanket, a book, some music after having chosen a cosy green glade for a picnic. Among appetizers, different kinds of fresh cheese, bread and fresh salalds, a flan of new potatoes should be perfect for the convivial situation. 

Let’s start preparing the dish by boiling, peeling and mashing some new local potatoes (500gr). Then, chop some sparrows (n. 8) and cook them gently in extra virgin olive oil with a couple of cloves of garlic, rosemary, fresh bacon, half glass of white wine. Sparrows have to stay crisp in order to hold their natural flavour, so it is recommended to cook them only for 7/8 minutes. Once they are done, remove garlic, add mashed potatoes, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, a couple of soup spoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, one egg, some extra virgin olive oil. Make a flan and cover its surface with a sprinkle of poppy seeds. Place it in the oven for about 20 minutes (220°C) or until you see it becoming golden color.

Serve the flan with season vegetables as side dish. For this occasion, I have steamed some carrots, which then have been left to marinate with an emulsion (made with drops lemon, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper) and aromatized with chopped parsley and cumin. As for the wine pairing with this tasty dish, I may suggest a glass of an elegant, fruity South Africa Chardonnay wine (Drostdy-Hof). 

Buon Appetito and have a good week-end!