Meet my Parisian friend Caroline!
My husband has a second family: his best friends. You might think I'm talking about 2 or 3 guys, but in reality my husband best friends is a group of about 15 crazy people. They all met in business school and when he introduced me, I must admit I was feeling a bit impressed. I was the only "intruder"... But fortunately it's the best group I could dream of!
Caroline is part of it but I don't feel anymore she's my husband friend. She's got an authentic personality, able to laugh at loud as much as to cry of emotion for birth announcements or friends wedding. Her cooking is like her personnality, full of love and generosity. When she hosts you for dinner you can be sure that everything will be home made and that she will prepare enough food to feed an entire family even if you're only 2.
Today Caroline is opening her familial cooking book to share a simple pie recipe with a great hand made pastry.
You're living in the XVIIth, in "Les Batignolles"; what do you enjoy most in this area of Paris?
I feel like living in a village, with no large avenues, only small streets, independant little shops and nice restaurants. We do everything by walking and don't feel anymore to be living in a big city. It's not touristic at all, but a lovely "living" neighbourhood full of authenticity and charm.
Could you recommand another region or city to people visiting France and wanting to see something else than Paris ?
I would recommend the "Drôme provençale". Imagine biking strolls in the middle of vines, small villages, earing the cicadas and authentic people talking with a lovely accent, drinking rosé on the terrasse of a beautifull old house..... And if you give it a try you need to visit the Vaison la Romaine arenas, an antique theatre from the 1st century.
What would be your perfect Parisian week-end?
Saturday would be reserved for a good terrasse with girl friends followed by a shopping session. And Sunday would be a cocooning day with my man, with a breakfast served in bed, followed by some sport, a stroll in Paris to end with an exhibition or a moovie.
What do you enjoy most in cooking?
I love baking more than cooking. My favorite thing is to prepare cake, especially for my man. I love seeing his smily face infront of a good cake for breakfast. But when I host friends I love taking the time to cook a complete meal. And what I love most than anything else is family recipes! For my 30th birthday my mum offered me a book with all the recipes coming from her, my grandmother and my great grandmother. A real treasure.
Caroline's good tips in Paris:
Chez Lena et Mimile : for a perfect lover dinner (nice terrasse, calm place with desserts coming from the amazing Pierre Hermé)
Désordre Urbain : for their nice clothes and accessories selection
Le petit désordre: a little decoration shop where I could buy everything....
Caroline's recipe : familial leeks pie
Caroline is doing her own pastry so you can decline her recipe with any kind of vegetables.
Market check list for 6 people :
- 3 leeks
- 1 onion
- 2 eggs
- 1 glass of milk (20 cl)
- 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
- 80 grs of grated comté (or another hard cheese)
For the pastry :
- 200 grs of flour
- 100 grs of butter
- 20 cl of water
Prepare first your pastry mixing first the flour and the butter with your fingertips. Add then the water and make a ball. Put it into the fridge while you prepare the leeks.
Cut the leeks into slices of about 2cm and wash them carefully (leeks are full of ground). Steam them for about 5 min and drain them well.
Cut the onion into slices and cook it with some olive oil in a hot frying pan.
Mix together the eggs, milk, cream and cheese (you can also add some cream cheese) and season to taste with papper and salt.
Roll your pastry into a mold and prick it all over with a fork. Put the leeks and oignons on the top of it and cover with the eggs/milk/cream preparation.
Bake for about 25 min at 200°C / 390°F
