Serves 4
100g dry pasta per person (fettuccine or spaghetti)
1 packet of baby marrows
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
150ml cream
1Tbs dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
This recipe is quite quick so the first thing to do is bring a large pan of water to the boil for your pasta. I usually make this recipe with fettuccine or spaghetti.
Wash and finely slice the baby marrows. I like to cut them in eighths lengthways, but however you prefer is fine. Throw them into a hot pan with a good glug of olive oil. Toss them over every now and again until they're nicely browned. Add your finely chopped garlic and toss for a few minutes. Turn down the heat and add the mustard and cream. Simmar for a few minutes.
Toss your sauce into a pot of cooked pasta (you may want to add a little more olive oil). While its still hot separate an egg and throw in the yolk. The heat will cook it just enough to leave you with a beautiful rich glaze to your sauce.
Add plenty of black pepper and parmesan and enjoy.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Vegetarian Pasta
This is a lightly cooked and pureed sauce. You can make this sauce all year round using vegetables in season.
Fine Green Beans with Potato
1 packet of fine green beans
2 potatoes – peeled and diced
garlic
good salt and fresh ground black pepper for seasoning
Bring 500ml of water to the boil in a pot. Throw in diced potatoes and boil until almost soft. Add in the beans until both are soft. Drain and leave to stand for a minute or 2.
In a frying pan with a good glug of olive oil fry the garlic until lightly browned.
Roughly blend the cooled potato & beans, add the olive oil and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Tossed over the cooked pasta, topped with good quality parmesan shavings.
Fine Green Beans with Potato
1 packet of fine green beans
2 potatoes – peeled and diced
garlic
good salt and fresh ground black pepper for seasoning
Bring 500ml of water to the boil in a pot. Throw in diced potatoes and boil until almost soft. Add in the beans until both are soft. Drain and leave to stand for a minute or 2.
In a frying pan with a good glug of olive oil fry the garlic until lightly browned.
Roughly blend the cooled potato & beans, add the olive oil and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Tossed over the cooked pasta, topped with good quality parmesan shavings.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Winter Basics
Winter is most certainly upon us! I love the change in season.... Joburg's red skyline, cozy fireplaces, hot chocolate and hearty home cooked meals. So much to look forward to :)
Before we can cook, we need to shop! Here are some guidelines of basics that I must have in my cupboard at all times...
- Dry pasta (1 packet feeds between 4 – 6 people). I like to keep a good variety - penne; spagetti; farfalle (bow ties); fettuccine; rigatoni
- Anchovies
- Bottled basil pesto
- Olive tapenade
- Parmesan (I like to buy whole blocks)
- Tinned whole tomatoes
- Good quality olive oil
- Tinned artichokes
- Tinned tuna
Thursday, April 28, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Hot Cross Buns
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!
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!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
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).
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).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)