Italian meatballs with tomato sauce

Recently we went up to Queensland for a bit of a holiday and stayed with our gorgeous friends Polly and Shane. Polly and I are in our element in the kitchen, so there was plenty of cooking to be done, which was loads of fun.

One of my favourite meals during our time there were these meatballs. Mmm mm. Prior to this event I had never really like meatballs, they seemed pointless, why not just bolognese? I know, I know, silly of me huh? I totally understand why meatballs now! These are perfect! I've made them several times since, and they are very popular.

180ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
100grams pinenuts, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
handful of parsley, basil and rosemary, roughly chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
50g fresh breadcrumbs
250g ricotta
25g parmesan, grated
zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
500g minced beef or pork

Sauce:
2 x 400g tins of tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
100ml red wine
large tbs tomato paste

Start with the meatballs - fry the onion, garlic and pinenuts in half the olive oil until soft.

In a large bowl combine the herbs, fennel, breadcrumbs, ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, egg and mince. Add the cooled onion mix and some salt and pepper. Leave the mixture in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before making into balls.

Form the balls with about 50grams of the mixture (about the size of a walnut) and then flatten a little to make it easier to cook on both sides. Make balls out of all the mixture and then you're ready to fry.

Fry the meatballs in a large pan with the remaining olive oil until golden brown. Cook in batches so the pan isn't too crowded.

For the sauce, fry the onion and garlic in a little olive oil for a few minutes till soft and add the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and then add the meatballs gently to the sauce and simmer for a further 10 minutes, covered. Allow this all to stand for 10 minutes and serve with pasta of your choice.

Sathya-rating *****

Spinach pesto - easy week night dinner

Once upon a time I lived in Amsterdam for a year to get to know my Dutch family and learn the language. I was a very poor young lady struggling to pay the rent every month while I did a traineeship in a gorgeous 5-star hotel in the city. This meal was cooked often in my tiny kitchen, as it would go a long way and didn't cost a lot to make. Its very tasty and easy and quick to prepare.

So, recently when I saw a luscious green bush of spinach on special at the store I remembered this dish and needed to eat it again. It was as good as I remembered. It must have been about 10 years since I last made it, but it was like yesterday and brought back lots of memories.

You can also prepare this with frozen spinach and it works fine. Just make sure you squeeze out all the excess water before you puree.

300g spaghetti
450g frozen spinach or a large bunch fresh spinach/silverbeet
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
large handful of parmesan, freshly grated
fresh nutmeg
salt and pepper

Defrost the spinach well and squeeze out the excess water. If using fresh spinach, wash thoroughly and remove the stalks. Pop the leaves in large pot, put the lid on and cook for a few minutes, stirring once or twice to cook the spinach.

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.

Put all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz until smooth. You'll need a lot of freshly grated nutmeg and salt and pepper. Taste to check the seasoning. Depending on the water content of the spinach you may need to add a spoonful of pasta water to break up the pesto. Use your instincts.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and toss through the pesto and serve with a sprinkling of parmesan on top.

Sathya-rating ****

Roast Pumpkin Lasagne

Between the 2 of us we've posted quite a few lasagne's and here is yet another one. I guess it shows how many different ways there are to do 1 dish! I made this one while I was at home in Adelaide recently for a large group including vegetarians. I found half a butternut pumpkin/squah in the fridge and sliced it very thinly and roasted it and included it as one of the layers. It worked so well! So many people have an infinity with roast pumpkin.

Note the empty plates and lasagne from a different angle at the bottom, everyone really enjoyed it.

½ butternut pumpkin/squash
2 sprigs fresh rosemary finely chopped
2 x 400g tins of peeled tomatoes
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 onion, diced
Handful fresh basil leaves, torn
1 packet of fresh lasagne sheets
Salt and pepper
½ tsp nutmeg
300g grated mozzarella
100g grated parmesan

Bechamel sauce
140g butter
3 tbs flour
5 cups milk
1 ½ tsp nutmeg

To begin preheat the oven to 200C.

Next peel the butternut pumpkin and cut into large thin slices. Place on a baking tray and sprinkle with olive oil, rosemary and salt and pepper. Place in hot oven for 15-25 minutes till roasted and set aside till you build the lasagne.

In a large pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion and garlic and fry on a medium heat till soft. Add the tins of tomatoes and season and stir. Allow to simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes till nice and thick. Add the torn basil leaves and stir through. Set aside.

To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter over low heat until foaming then add the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. When thick, simmer for 2 minutes. Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Lightly oil a lasagne pan and start with a little of the tomato sauce spread over the bottom. Lay the lasagne sheets on top. Next pop the roasted pumpkin in one layer and top with more lasagne sheets. Then the tomato sauce with a sprinkling and mozzarella and parmesan then the lasagna again. Continue, in this order with the layers, finishing with béchamel, top with the parmesan and mozzarella and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Leave for 10 minutes before cutting and serve with a well dressed green salad.



S

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Cannellini Beans

This pick may look simple and not at all exciting, but I tell you what, that pot of dinner up there was oh so good! Adam, The Amateur Gourmet also raved about it as one of his favourites, Lydia Bastiniach recipes. I hadn't tried anything from his site before, and thought this recipe looked simple and right up my alley so I made it a few days later. Half way through making it I wondered how good it could really be, but once I stuck my spoon in the bowl, scooped some out and out it in my mouth my tastebuds were satisfied. Actually, better than satisfied, they were mighty happy! Tony claims its one of the best pastas I've made, but I think we've all heard that before! To be honest, these broad comments haven't been coming as thick and fast lately, so that does mean he really enjoyed. Give it a go, you won't regret it.

500g macaroni
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped (keep the oil)
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I assume that's chilli flakes? That's what I used)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 tsp salt
1 handful fresh parsely, chopped
fresh pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large oan of water to the boil and cook pasta according the the instructions.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so. Next, add the chilli flakes and toast for another 1/2 minute.

Then add 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes and spread them out, let them sizzle, toast for a minute. After a minute, ladle in 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, keep it simmering, until the liquid reduces by half.

Finally, stir in the cannellini beans, 1/4 tsp salt and approx 1 and 1/2 cups more pasta cooking water. Bring it to a boil, stir together, and cook "at an active simmer" for 4 minutes.

When the pasta is done, drain and add it to the pan with the tomatoes etc. Add the parsley, then off the heat add about 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and a final tablespoon of olive oil and fresh pepper before serving.

S

Easy Weeknight Dinner - Comforting Pasta Bake

Once upon a time, a girlfriend cooked us dinner while we were chatting and drinking wine. I didn't pay a lot of attention, but it was a nice and simple comforting meal. Pasta would have to be my all time favourite (aside from chocolate that is). You can do it in so many different ways and add anything like you like really. It always leaves you with a full belly and smile on your face (and yes, of course, the need for a good work out at the gym the next day).

This pasta bake is so simple, that part of me thinks I shouldn't even post it on here, but I'm going to anyway cos each of our kitchens does its own thing, from complicated to easy. If you want to see loads of pasta recipes go and check out Once Upon a Feast Presto Pasta blogging event.

1 500g jar of pasta sauce (I love Paul Newmans range)
500g frozen spinach and ricotta ravioli
Handful of grated cheese
Salt and pepper
Basil

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Spray an ovenproof dish with oil and spread a little of the pasta sauce on the bottom (about 1/2 a cup). Add the frozen ravioli on top and pour over the remaining pasta sauce. Tear over a few basil leaves and roughly stir through trying to make each piece of ravioli have some sauce on it.

Top with grated cheese and place in the hot oven for 20 -30 minutes till bubbly and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes and serve with green salad and bread.

S

Nigella's Carbonara

Nigella’s latest TV shows are on here in Sydney at the moment. She is gorgeous. I love her. Best of all, her recipes have always pleased me. I cannot recall one that has ever failed me.

That means a lot, as I could tell you several others whose recipes often fail! I’m not sure why this is. I think it’s because she’s my type of woman! She writes her recipes like you’re standing there with her in the kitchn. I’ve always thought the 2 of us would have a great time over a bottle of wine with something nice to nibble on.

Several things she is creating in this latest series have me interested but carbonara is the first one I’ve made. Mainly because I had everything at home, and it was exactly what I felt like. I consider myself quite a carbonara expert as an old friend used often requested it. It’d been a few years though, but it all came flooding back. I don't I used wine or vermouth in the one I used to make, but this works really well and is a welcome addition.

Nigella’s recipe works nicely and there’s no chance of scrambling the eggs if you follow her instructions. Nigella didn’t use mushrooms BTW, that was my call. I know there's lovers and haters so do as you please, it'd be tasty with out them too.

500 grams fettuccini
2 cups diced bacon
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 tsp olive oil
¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 eggs
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
¼ cup cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta and cook the according to the packets instructions.

In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon and mushrooms in the oil until crispy but not crunchy. Pour over the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble away so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty wine-y syrup left. Remove the pan from the heat.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, and pepper.

When the pasta is done, remove approximately ½ cup of the pasta water before you drain it.
Put the pan with the bacon cubes back on the heat and add the drained pasta, tossing well to coat with the syrupy bacon and mushrooms.

Remove the pan from the heat again and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if you feel like it needs it. Grind over some more pepper and grate over the nutmeg to serve.


S

Another take on Lasagne

There are so many ways to make lasagne and everyone has their own personal favourite. Being a true Libran, I sway and sometimes like my lasagne with this style cheese sauce and sometimes the traditional béchamel. I like béchamel as it creates such a gorgeous silky texture, but sometimes I cannot be bothered with all that stirring in the preparation.

This recipe includes the way my Mum does the cheese component in her lasagne. Its quick, its easy, and its really tasty and especially cheese. Mmm.

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
700 minced beef
2 cans of tinned tomatoes, diced
½ cup red wine
1 tsp dried oregano
Dash of worcestershire sauce
375g fresh lasagne sheets
300 grams cottage cheese
1 large handful of grated cheddar cheese
100 grams grated parmesan
2-3 tbs milk
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onion over medium heat until softened. Add the mince and brown well, breaking up any lumps with a fork. Add the tins of tomatoes, wine, worcestershire and oregano, and season. Bring to a simmer for 15-30 minutes.

In a bowl mix the cottage cheese, cheddar, parmesan, milk, parsley and salt and pepper to make a cheese spread.

Preheat the oven to moderate 180.Start with a thin layer of meat sauce over the base and top with a thin layer of cheese spread. Lay the lasagne sheets on top, gently pressing to push out any air. Continue the layers, finishing with cheese spread. Bake for 30-45 mins or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

S

Fettucini with Sweet Tomato Sauce & Baked Ricotta

IM BACK!! I have not posted for 2 months! And it has been very frustrating! Over the last two months I've had a lot of changes in my life. I lost my job as my employer developed terminal cancer and closed down the practice. When I finished up there in late October I took two weeks off and went to Queensland to visit my brother and his wife who are expecting their first baby in April. Then I started a new job which has much much longer hours than my previous job! And on top of that Andy started a new job as a truck driver, travelling all over Australia - so I'm home alone a lot more - thus no one to cook for! :-( But I'm on Xmas holidays now, and so is Andy - so I finally finally was able to cook last night. And so this was the choice. Andy requested pasta, and I'd had my eye on this Jamie Oliver recipe for some time...

It was really really simple. I feared it would be a bit bland once I actually started putting the ingredients together. But it was delicious. Really filling, yet very light. Andy described it as refreshing. Didn't take long. Incredibly simple. And really yum served with hot crusty garlic bread..

450 gram piece of ricotta cheese

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 flat teaspoon of dried oregano
1 flat teaspoon of chilli flakes
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
a knob of butter
2 x 400g tins of good quality plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
455g fettucini
a handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
2 handfuls of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius. Rub the ricotta all over with the olive oil, salt, pepper, chilli and oregano. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 minutes until golden and firm. In a pan, slowly fry the onion and garlic in the butter and a good drizzle of olive oil. Cook for four minutes until sweet and softened. Add the tomatoes, simmer gently for about 15 minutes, then break the tomatoes up with a spoon. Add the balsamic vinegar and the sugar and stir until you have a fine tomato sauce.

Meanwhie, bring a large pan of salted water to teh boil and cook teh fetuccini according to the packet instructions. When cooked, drain and reserve some of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with teh tomato sauce and add a little of the reserved water to loosen if necessary. Correct the seasoning carefully to taste, and then, working quickly, add most of the basil and parmesan cheese. Place into a warmed bowl, rip over some extra basil and grate over a little extra parmesan. Either crumble the baked ricotta over the pasta, or serve it at the table with a spoon in it and let everyone crumble some over their plates...

E.

Mid-Week Pasta

a

10 slices of pancetta
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 lemon (juice and zest)
4 tomatoes, diced
Mushrooms, sliced
Handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
Small handful grated parmesan
Pasta

Put the slices of pancetta under a hot grill allow to get crispy (this should only take a minute or 2). Once completed allow to sit on some paper towel and once cool, roughly chop.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to instructions.

Meanwhile, heat a glug of olive oil in a large fry pan and gently fry the onion, garlic and the zest of half a lemon until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 5 minutes.

When the pasta is cooked and drained, put it back in the pan and add the lemon juice, crispy pancetta, the mushrooms etc from the fry pan, basil, parmesan and salt and pepper and stir well.

S

Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

I recently had a gorgeous and very pregnant friend of mine over for dinner with some others. I wanted to make something comforting, easy and not complicated or overly expensive. I decided on cannelloni. I then thought maybe I should check if there are things she cannot or will not eat. The answer was ricotta. I'd already bought everything for the cannelloni, so I invited some friends over later in the week and we enjoyed this meal with a nice bottle of Barossa Shiraz, salad and garlic bread.

1 onion, chopped
Zest of half a lemon
3 bunches English spinach, trimmed, shredded
300g ricotta cheese
250g packet cannelloni pasta
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 440g can peeled whole tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preheat oven to 200°C. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Add spinach. Cook for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Process in a food processor with ricotta and oregano until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and stir thru the egg and lemon zest.

Make sauce by heating the oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes. Add remaining sauce ingredients. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until sauce thickens.

Lightly grease a 2-litre capacity casserole dish. and spread 1/3 of the sauce over base of dish. Spoon spinach and ricotta mixture into cannelloni tubes. Place into dish. Spoon over remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and tender.

S

Chicken Marengo

AI’m sure many of us have a stash of recipes we’ve put aside to make, and never made them? My pile keeps getting bigger, it’s quite silly really. This is one of those recipes. No idea where it came from, but my it was worthwhile making it as Tony said it’s his favourite of all the meals I’ve cooked him. What the! I’ve put a lot of time, attention and detail into other meals and haven’t even heard a grunt.

The story goes that this dish was Napoleon’s must-have meal when he went to battle. His cook threw it together after Napoleon defeated the Austrians in 1800 in the Italian town of Marengo. It’s said that Napoleon enjoyed it so much, he declared that the dish should be served after every battle. I’m not sure whether to leave this story in with the link to Tony. He’ll think he’s Napoleonic now.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 chicken breast, cut into chunks
flour
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
400 rams crushed tomatoes
250ml chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
2 portobello mushrooms, diced
juice of 1 lemon
extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup basil, torn

Fry the onions and garlic in vegetable oil until soft.

Coat the chicken with flour, salt and red pepper flakes. Add the pieces of chicken to the pan with the oil and fry until browned on all sides.

Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and allow to simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.

Separately, melt butter in a saucepan and fry the mushrooms until tender. Sprinkle the mushrooms with lemon juice.

Add the mushrooms and the basil to the tomato sauce and mix well.

I served this with spinach and cheese tortellini which was a great combination or you could serve with bread.

S

Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta

A few months ago I was on the Atkins Diet and was not allowed to eat carbs. Dave and Monique, our dear in laws, cooked this pasta dish for me and Andy. Being on Atkins I was not permitted to eat it, but it looked so good that I had a serve of the sauce, without the pasta. I nearly died - it tasted so good! You know how now and then you taste something that is just phenomenal? Bursting with flavour? You can actually feel your tastebuds dancing?? Well this is one of those dishes!

I decided to recreate it last night. Dave and Mon had shared the list of ingredients with me, but I hadn't asked measurements. I put it together with guesstimations and I think it turned out pretty close to perfect. I ate two bowls worth! And I cannot wait to get home tonight to have a third! I added quite a bit of chilli as I like my meals very hot. But you can, of course, add as much or as little as you like. mmm.

I really felt that no matter how many photographs I took, it did not do justice to this magnificent meal. So you'll just have to try making it yourselves!

500g penne pasta

Olive oil

175g bacon, chopped into small squares

1 bunch of spring onion, finely sliced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon paprika

4 mushrooms, sliced

3 teaspoons fresh chilli, chopped

1 jar Leggo's Sundried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Stir Thru Sauce

400ml cream

Fry off the bacon until crispy and to your liking. Set aside draining on paper towel.

Boil pasta as per directions on the pack.

In a large fry pan, fry off spring onion and garlic until soft in a small amount of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for a minute or two. Add the sundried tomato stir thru sauce. Add the paprika and chilli. Allow to heat until it begins to simmer. Add the cream and stir. Allow to simmer for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing to thicken.

Drain the pasta and place back in the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir through. Add the bacon. Serve.

E.

Creamy Asparagus & Fontina Pasta

a

Something very unusual happened last night, I was given an early minute. It’d been a pretty yuk day, so when I got home all I wanted was something tasty and comforting. Me? Comfort-eater? No! Where’d you get that idea from!?

With nothing definite in mind, I pulled a few things out of the fridge while gossiping on the phone to a dear friend and came up with this. And yes, if you’re wondering, it hit the spot! Yum.

200ml evaporated milk
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 rashers bacon, diced
Asparagus, chopped into pieces
Handful of grated fontina cheese
3 tomatoes, diced
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried mint
Salt & Pepper
300grams fresh casarecci

Fry off the bacon, till nice and crispy and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to instructions. (You don’t need to use fresh pasta, of course).

Next, fry the garlic in a little oil for a few seconds, add the asparagus and stir. To this, add the evaporated milk, oregano, mint and season. Allow to simmer and reduce a little.

When the pasta is ready, drain and set aside for just a second. Add the grated cheese, crispy bacon, diced tomatoes to the pasta sauce and stir.

Check the seasoning of the sauce and when you’re happy with it, add to the pasta and stir thoroughly and serve.

S

Farfalle with Carbonara and Spring Peas

Yesterday was a public holiday here in Adelaide. Andy was playing computer games on my mobile so I couldn't get any conversation out of him at all. Eventually, after talking to myself for an hour, I started thinking about food and what I should cook for dinner. The decision was made to do a pasta, and Andy pulled himself away from his game long enough to say he wanted Carbonara. Carbonara is something I have never cooked before, although my sister in law Catherine has cooked it for me on a few occasions and it has always been perfect and delicious. But I have always been told to mix it up and serve it quick or it will be like scrambled eggs. I think for that reason, I have always avoided cooking it. I found a few basic recipes for Carbonara, but decided to go with a Jamie Oliver version which was a little different. It was really yummy and so simple. The flavours are so subtle and the peas really do burst in your mouth. I'm already looking forward to having the left overs this afternoon.

455g farfalle

1 egg

100ml double cream

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 rashes of pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, rouchly sliced

3 handfuls of fresh podded or frozen peas

2 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves picked

2 handfulls of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the farfalle and cook according to the packet instructions. Whisk the egg in a bowl with the cream, salt and pepper. Put your panchetta or bacon into a second pan and cook until crispy and golden.

When the farfalle is nearly cooked, add the peas for the last minute and a half. This way they will burst in your mouth and be lovely and sweet. When cooked, drain in a colander, saving a little of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the pancetta and stri in most of the mint, finely sliced - if the pan isn't big enough, mix it all together in a warmed bowl.

Now you need to add the egg and cream mix to the pasta. What's important here is that you add it while the pasta is steaming hot. This way the residual heat from the pasta will cook the egg, but make sure they do not resemble scrambled eggs. The egg will actually cook enough to give you a silk smooth sauce. Toss together and loosen with a little of the reserved cooking water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with parmesan and the rest of the mint leaves and serve as soon as possible.

E.

Vegetarian Lasagne

My youngest sister Salome was here in Sydney recently. She's a vegetarian and a little fussy with what vege's she likes so I made this and she loved it.

It was nice and easy to make, not as treacherous as some vege lasagne's I've done in the past that my boy desperately wants me to make him soon, so you may see it here soon, as I do like to please in the kitchen.

3 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
100g unsalted butter
100g (2/3 cup) plain flour
1 litre (4 cups) full-fat milk
Good pinch of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup good-quality pesto
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 large handfuls frozen (defrosted) or baby spinach
300g fresh lasagne sheets
300g grated mozzarella
100g grated parmesan
Optional: 8 vine-ripened cherry tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 5cm deep, 20 x 30cm baking dish.

Drain the tinned tomatoes, reserving juice.

Mix the drained tomatoes and the spinach together with the egg and set aside.

Place the tomato juice in a pan with butter, flour and milk.

Whisk over low heat for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Cook 2 minutes further and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and pesto.

Place a quarter of the sauce in the prepared dish and cover with a sheet of lasagne.

Add a little more sauce half the mozzarella, half the drained tomatoes & spinach and a lasagne sheet.

Repeat this layer.

Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with parmesan. (Optional - Dot vine-ripened cherry tomatoes on top).

Bake for about 35 - 45 minutes or until cooked through and golden on top.

Allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with salad.

S

Tomato and Basil Pasta

This is another old staple in my easy and quick working night dinners. There are not many people who don't scoff it down. Those who don't aren't worthy in my opinion.

Its mouth-watering perfection to me, probably cos its a got a few fav ingredients and its so easy.
A lot of people have an issue with the fact that its wholemeal pasta. I promise you, its better than with normal pasta. Its been tried and tested many times over. I find cooking the wholemeal pasta for a few minutes more than the instructions advise works a treat.

I am adding this to the Presto Pasta Night over here http://onceuponafeast.blogspot.com/ so maybe this will have the honours like Liz's Blue Vein Pasta (which is delicious BTW).

500gram wholemeal spaghetti
5 tomatoes, diced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 to 2 large handfuls of basil leaves, chopped
3 or 4 big glugs of good quality extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 to 2 handfuls of parmesan, depending on what you like
Optional: diced bacon

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta.

Combine the diced tomatoes, garlic, lemon, basil, olive oil, and pepper in a bowl and put aside.

If you are serving this with bacon, fry the bacon till crispy and also set aside.

Drain the pasta when ready and transfer back into the pot. Pour the tomato mix back over the drained pasta and toss through. Add some salt, the parmesan cheese and a little more olive oil if necessary.



Serve with or without crispy bacon on top and enjoy.

Warning: this is addictive!


S

Blue Vein Agnolotti

This is another fabulous dish Sathya kindly bought home with her when she moved back to Australia, after many years living in the UK. I am a huge, to say the least, fan of blue vein cheese. Blue vein is one of the main foods I crave. So when Sathya presented me with this dish, I could have kissed her! It is so simple, but so full of flavour! Perfect for a winters night at home, snuggling on the couch in front of the telly.

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 tins chopped tomato

1 packet Agnolotti pasta, (I use spinach & ricotta) or your favourite pasta

175g blue vein cheese

175g bacon, chopped and fried

Parmesan to top

In a saucepan, fry off onion until transparent. Add the tinned tomatoes and simmer for a good forty minutes to cook away the main liquid and leave you with a chunky tomato sauce.

When the sauce is almost ready, cook the pasta. Meanwhile, chop and fry the bacon in a fry pan. Chop the blue vein cheese into 1cm blocks.

Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to the pot. Add the tomato sauce and the blue vein cheese. Mix and allow the blue vein to begin to melt through the pasta.

Serve and top with the bacon and parmesan cheese.

I'm placing this pasta on a fellow bloggers page, for THE PRESTO PASTA NIGHT ROUNDUPS.

Once Upon A Feast is one of my personal favourite blogs and she has wisely begun collating fabulous pasta dishes, and I believe this one is a great contendor!

You can see it all for yourself at http://www.onceuponafeast.blogspot.com/ and find many other delightful recipes! Pasta and otherwise...

E.

Indiah’s Favourite

I have wonderful little girlfriend called Indiah, who I used to hang out with all the time before I moved to Sydney.

Whenever we were choosing where to go for dinner or what to cook Indiah would scream Spaghetti Bolognese!

It is her absolute favourite.

Now, the first time I had Indiah at my place I asked her what she wanted for dinner and she of course, answered Spaghetti Bolognese. Being brought up vegetarian I had never eaten Spaghetti Bolognese, let alone made it or even seen it made.

My old friend, Google, helped me out and I combined a few recipes and came up with this one.

Thankfully, my gorgeous little Indy loved my Spaghetti Bolognese and said it was one of the best ever, which was proved by her always asking me to make it.

I hope you enjoy it as much as Indiah and I.

2 onions, finely diced
500g mince
2 tins tomatoes
1 tsp honey
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
Salt & Pepper
Glass of red wine

Fry the onions till soft. Add the mince and brown well, making sure to stir well and breaking up any lumps.

Next, add the 2 tins of tomatoes, wine, honey, chilli (more if you like it hot), paprika, oregano, and a fair bit of salt and pepper.

Bring up to heat and allow to simmer, a high-ish simmer, for minimum 30 minutes, stirring regularly. You can do this for an hour or 2 if you have time, like on a lazy, cold, hungover Sunday afternoon.

Season to your taste.

If you have any fresh herbs like basil. rosemary or oregano, chop up a little and stir through. Its not necessary though.

Boil the pasta according to instructions and drain and stir through the sauce and serve with a little parmesan.

Please note I used fettuccine as I didn't have any spaghetti at hand, for all you traditionalists.

S

Quick Working Night Pasta

Miss Laura mentioned this easy dish to me a few months ago and I make it when I come home from work exhausted and starving.

This is enough for 2 and all of us make it differently. I like saucy pastas so add more than, say, Laura would.

The other bonus of this tasty recipe is its not that bad for you.

Good one!

Ingredients:
200g of egg fettuccine
2 tomatoes, diced
1 lemon
1 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped
3 tbs greek yogurt
1 tbs dijon mustard
2x 125g tins of salmon in springwater

Boil large pan of water and cook pasta according to instructions.

Whilst this is happening, mix yogurt, mustard, tomatoes, drained salmon, juice of lemon and a little lemon rind, and salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and mix the two together and serve.

S

Classic Lasagne

My mother in law gave me a new recipe book and when I opened it, I opened it to page 175, Classic Lasagne. So I decided it was a sign and made it my first dish. I received the book less than a week ago and I've already cooked the lasagne twice. It is delicious and creamy and silky and yummy!

3 tablespoons oil

30g butter

2 large onions, chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 sticks celery, chopped

1200g minced beef

2 cups italian passata

1 cup red wine

4 tablespoons chopped parsley

375g fresh lasagne sheets

130g parmesan, grated

Bechamel Sauce

140g butter

3 tablespoons flour

5 cups milk

1.5 tsp nutmeg

Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Cook the onion, carrot and celery, stirring, over medium heat until softened. Increase the heat, add the mince and brown well, breaking up any lumps with a fork. Add the tomato passata, wine and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce teh heaat and simmer for 35-40 minutes.

To make the bechamel sauce, melt the butter over low heat until foaming then add the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. When thick, simmer for 2 minutes. Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Preheat the oven to moderate 180. Grease a 2 litre ovenproof dish. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce over the base and top with a thin layer of bechamel. If the bechamel has cooled and become too thick, warm it gently to make spreading easier. Lay the lasagne sheets on top, gently pressing to push out any air. Continue the layers, finishing with bechamel. Grate the parmesan, sprinke over the sauce and bake for 45 mins or until golden brown. Leave for 15 mins before cutting.

E.