Baby Spinach and Gorgonzola Frittatas

Serves 1


2 or 3 eggs
1 cup of baby spinach
25g gorgonzola
100g porcinis
salt and pepper
olive oil
parmesan


I make my frittatas a little differently...


Put a glug of olive oil in a pan (use a pan with a metal handle as we finish the frittatas off in the oven) and saute the mushrooms and spinach with a clove of finely chopped garlic. 

Separate 1 egg and whisk the white until doubled in volume. Lightly whisk the remaining eggs and fold the white into them. This makes them extra light. Add salt, pepper and parmesan to taste.

Make sure the oil in your pan is hot. Add your egg mixture. Place under the grill (not too close as it will burn) and let it brown on top. Remove from the oven and crumble the gorgonzola over the top of the eggs to melt.

Slide slowly onto a plate. I recommend serving with sliced parma ham and a side salad of tomato, fresh basil and fennel, with an olive oil and white wine vinegar dressing.

Hot Cross Buns

Image by Clare Bloomfield

Its Easter time again :)


I love Easter. All that chocolate makes my heart sing. 


Hot Cross Buns are eaten normally on Good Friday. Get the family together and spend a wonderful evening preparing the buns. It takes so little time to prepare and the results are really rewarding.
 
For the dough...

150ml milk
50g butter
zest of an lemon and an orange
2 packets of dry yeast (20g)
4 cardamon pods - cracked
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp groung ginger
400g cake flour or 00 flour
1 egg


Warm the milk & butter in a saucepan. Add the zest of the orange & lemon together with the cardamon pods. Allow to infuse with the warm milk. When milk has cooled doen beat in the egg. Add the dry ingredients and spices to the milk mixture. Knead the dough either by hand or use a mixer if you have a dough hook. If your doughs too dry add a little warm milk. Knead until you have a shiny consistency.


In a warm place allow the dough to rise. Punch down the dough and roll out into 12 – 16 balls. Roll into bun shape and place onto your baking tray (don't forget to grease!). Cover with a dishcloth and leave for about 45 mins to rise again – almost double.  Score the top of the bun with the imprint of a cross. 


The Cross


3 tablespoons of cake flour
½ tsp castor sugar
3 tablespoons of water – running consistency (you may add more if necessary) 


With a teaspoon dribble the flour mixture onto the bun in the shape of a cross.


Bake in a 220 C oven for 15 – 20 mins. Remove from the oven and glaze with the sugar coating...

The sugar glaze
1 tblspn castor sugar
1 tblspn hot water


Enjoy and have a wonderful Easter!

   

Easy Pasta Sauce... Asparagus Pesto and Fresh Garden Peas

Serves 6


A handfull of asparagus
1/2 cup of pine nuts (pecan or macadamia also work)
2 handfulls of baby spinach (diced)
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of grated parmesan
Glug of olive oil
Fresh lemon juice to taste
Salt and pepper
Cup of peas


Remember to always wash your asparagus well.. especially the heads as they tend to catch sand. Steam or boil (about 5 mins in a pot of salty water) until tender. Roughly chop. 


In a food processor blend the asparagus, pine nuts, spinach and garlic. Blend for about a minute. Add parmesan, olive oil, fresh lemon juice to taste, salt and pepper. 


Boil a cup of peas until soft. 


Toss the peas, pesto and pasta together with a drizzle of olive oil and parmesan shavings.

Let's talk a bit about pasta

Fresh pasta


I just LOVE fresh pasta and will always chose it over its dry counterpart, when possible. It is more expensive (or if you make it a lot more work), but especially for special occasions... soulfully worth it!! :)

Use a big pot with plenty of water - pasta needs space to swell and move around. Throw in a good pinch or more of salt (only do this when the water is boiling though... otherwise it takes longer to heat).

Toss the pasta into the boiling water and give it a bit of a stir to make sure no lose ends are sticking to the bottom of the pot. Fresh pasta only takes a few minutes (2-4). Drain the pasta in a large colander.

Add a little olive oil to your pot (especially if its hot) so the pasta doesn’t stick. Throw in the pasta and add a little more olive oil. Add the sauce, toss and serve immediately.
Dry pasta

I think its worth spending a little more money and buying a good quality Italian pasta. Again, using a large pot and plenty of water - bring to the boil and add some salt.

Dry pasta takes longer to cook. Depending on the type of pasta between 12 and 15 mins. The time it takes to cook pasta is also dependent on whether you like it el dente (the Italian expression to describe pasta that has been cooked firm, but not hard) or not. Its interesting that pasta is considered lower GI when its el dente than when its what I would call “over done”. But really, the choice is yours.

The best way to check how cooked the pasta is is to taste it. You can also see by the texture and the colour (but this depends on the type of pasta as well as the brand).

Chicken curry in a hurry!

Serves 2


I love chicken curry - its such wholesome food. This recipe is really quick and easy. Most of the ingredients I keep stock of in my pantry. 


Penut oil
Chicken breasts
Green curry paste
Lime leaves
Green beans
Coconut milk
Basmati rice


Its preferable to use a wok, but if you don't have one a flying pan will do. Throw in a tablespoon or so of penut oil and 2 thinly sliced (strips) chicken breasts. Toss around the pan until it begins to brown. Reduce the heat and add 2 - 3 teaspoons of green curry paste (available at most supermarkets), 2 handfulls of fine green beans (diced) and a couple of lime or lemon leaves. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix about half a cup of chicken stock and throw into the wok. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in a cup or so of coconut cream. 


Serve with rice - basmati is best. 

Photo from fabfoodpix.com

How to prepare Risotto

I call risotto a "labour of love". Its one of the most delicious dishes when cooked properly, but it is time consuming. It needs your full attention for the full half hour it takes to cook. The trick is to keep the rice moving. Consider it your half hour of arm toning and stir the rice continually from the time it goes in the pot until its cooked and you'll make a beautiful risotto! Risotto is best eaten immediately. 


Left over risotto makes the best pan fried fritters. Served with thinly sliced parma ham and a fresh green salad -  Yum!


How to prepare risotto

The best most commonally available risotto is Arborio, from Northern Italy.

You'll need...
1 cup of Arborio rice (serves 4)
500ml of chicken stock or vegetable stock (powder or cube)
half onion very finely chopped
3 tbl spoon olive oil
1 cup of white wine

In a heavy based pot add the oil (be careful not to over heat olive oil) add the onion and fry for 1 or 2 minutes .
Throw in the rice, stirring until translucent for a couple of minutes. This gives the rice a lovely crispy texture. Add a cup of wine and stir – when the wine has reduced and been absorbed into the rice, add the stock a cup at a time, making sure that you allow the liquid to reduce. This process should take about 25mins.


Season with good sea salt and cracked black pepper, a good handfull of parmesan cheese and olive oil or a blob of butter. Remember risotto is served al dente.

Some serving suggestions:


One cup of blanched frozen peas and a handful of fresh chopped mint. Grate the zest of one lemon, add fresh basil & rugola.


Sautéed mushrooms & diced crispy bacon.
  

Fettuccine with mushrooms in a light cream & white wine sauce

Serves 2

One packet fresh fettuccine (Fresh pasta is readily available in most supermarkets and makes a big difference to the quality of your cooking - especially with a delicate sauce such as this)


2 handfuls of fresh mushrooms (porcini, button, portobello - your choice)
A glug of olive oil
Knob of butter (best not to use margarine)
Freshly chopped oregano – one small handful
A cup of cream
A cup of white wine (its for the pot so use cheap cooking or leftover wine)

Start with the sauce...

In a pan add the olive oil and butter. Add the chopped mushrooms (keep them nice and chunky so that you can taste the mushroom) and sauté them for a couple of minutes with the oregano. Add the cup of wine and allow to reduce on a low heat to about half its volume - maybe 5-6 mins. Take off the stove and add the cream – set aside.

For the pasta...

Bring a pot of water to the boil and add a good pinch of salt. Add the fettuccine – fresh pasta takes about 5 mins. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Serve immediately

Garnish with parmesan shavings and fresh chopped oregano. Yum!!