Eating fruit is very healthy, which is why cooks and chefs like Ina Garten work their magic to turn a regular fruit salad into an irresistible treat. In one of the episodes of Barefoot Contessa Eat Like a Pro, Garten reveals that her secret to a scrumptious fruit salad lies in Limoncello. Anyone who enjoys tipsy desserts will surely love to add this tip to their cooking bag of tricks.

Why Ina Garten Recommends Limoncello

Garten said in the 2018 episode of her show that, when she needs a quick dessert that’s sure to impress, she often finds the answer in her liquor cabinet. There are many types of liquors that pair incredibly well with different types of desserts, including the creamy and chocolatey Baileys, flavourful Rum, and, in this case, Limoncello. This Italian lemon liqueur made with lemon zest, spirit, and simple syrup adds both sweetness and freshness to a fruit salad. Garten also uses this amazing liqueur for other desserts, such as her famous Limoncello cheesecake squares.

A Quick Dessert Solution

Ina Garten’s fruit salad calls for sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and a sliced banana. The berries are mixed with a bit of sugar and Limoncello and left to sit for a bit before the banana is gently folded in. The salad is then topped with a mixture of Greek yogurt combined with a spoonful of honey, a dash of lemon curd, and a sprinkling of pure vanilla extract. Topped with a fresh mint sprig for flavor and aesthetics, the quick dessert is ready to serve within minutes!

Enjoy Whatever the Season Brings

Although Garten’s recipe calls for specific berries, fans who loved the dessert idea made it their own by using whatever fruit was in season at the time. The results are still amazing and will surely elevate any get-together that features the Limoncello-infused fruit salad.

Undoubtedly, one of the most quintessential dishes people enjoy all throughout Libya is Macroona Imbakbaka. It has some of our favorite things: tomato, chicken, and pasta. Add in flavorful spices to the mix, and you have a scrumptious stew-like dish that will keep you wanting more and more. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients

• 1 chicken, cut and quartered.
• 1lb pasta of your choice
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• ⅔ cup tomato paste
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 ½ tablespoon of Bzaar
• 11 cups of water (will be used in parts)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Prepare Macroona Imbakbaka Like They Do in Libya

Step 1

Grab a pot and put it on medium-high heat. Add the oil and sauté the onions. Then, add the chicken and let it brown for a few minutes.

Step 2

Lower the heat, then add the bzaar, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Combine everything well and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. After that, raise the temperature back to medium-high and add 7 cups of water. If you want to speed things up, you can pre-boil the water before pouring it into the pot.

Step 3

Bring the tomato mixture to a boil, then lower back to medium-low heat and cover the pot with a lid. Let it simmer for about 25 minutes (or until the meat is cooked through).

Step 4

Once the meat is cooked, add the pasta. To get the traditional a-la Libya dish, break the pasta into 2-inch parts. Bring the heat back up to medium-high, add the remaining water, and let it boil. Crush the garlic cloves and add them to the pot together with the jalapeno. Stir occasionally, so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Step 5

When the pasta is ready, serve and enjoy while still hot like they do in Libya.