A great weeknight pasta dish with mushrooms instead of the traditional pancetta.
Wine Suggestion: this works really well with fuller-bodied dry whites, like a good Chardonnay. Tonight the Domaine de la Rochette Mont Sard Mâcon-Bussières was full of joyful apple and citrus fruits with layers of gentle smoky and creamy oak.
Mushroom Carbonara – serves 2
200g spaghetti
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
a handful of flatleaf parsley, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
40g Pecorino cheese, finely grated
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add plenty of salt and cook the spaghetti according to the timings on the pack.
Heat a large, deep frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and mushrooms and fry until lightly golden. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a few seconds, then remove the pan from the heat.
Drain the spaghetti, then tip into the frying pan with the mushrooms. Add the beaten eggs and two-thirds of the cheese and toss well.
Season to taste with salt and plenty of black pepper and serve in warm bowls with the extra cheese.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Simple Suppers, Penguin: Random House, 2023.)
We initially made this on the first day of Spring, just as the wild garlic arrived and we had a big dump of snow … Irish weather! The wild garlic has lasted quite a while this year which has meant this has been easily reprised, and enjoyed.
Wine Suggestion: we think that wines that work well with asparagus also do great with wild garlic, so opted for Höpler’s Grüner Veltliner from Burgenland, Austria. With a fresh, zippiness and citrus twist it was charming and helped us to imagine sunny weather just around the corner.
Wild garlic, broad bean & leek risotto – serves 4
300g frozen broad beans, defrosted
60g buter
1 leek, halved lengthways and finely sliced
300g Arborio rice
100ml white wine
1-1.2 litres hot vegetable stock
a handful of wild garlic, chopped
60g Parmesan, grated
Blanch the beans in boiling water for a minute, then drain and pop them out of their skins.
Melt half the butter in a large pan and sweat the leek for 3-4 minutes or until soft, then stir in the rice. When the rice is glistening, add the white wine and allow to boil and bubble up.
Gradually add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding the next. Continue until you have only a few ladlefuls left, then stir in the broad beans and the rest of the stock.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the wild garlic, three-quarters of the Parmesan and the rest of the butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the rest of the Parmesan.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Simple Suppers, BBC Books, 2023.)
We often buy little jars of peas when we’re on holidays in France. This recipe requires peas from a jar which have a distinct and lovely flavour that compliments the other ingredients. Delicious!
Wine Suggestion: Umani Ronchi’s Pecorino Vellodoro is a taste of spring from the Abruzzo region of Italy; floral & fruity with a lovely dry, refreshing minerality.
Tagliatelle with peas & prosciutto – serves 2
3 sliced of prosciutto, torn into small pieces
75g butter
1 shallot, finely diced
1 x 400g tin or jar of petits pois
250g fresh tagliatelle
35g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
Heat a non-stick frying over a medium heat, then add the prosciutto and cook until crispy. Remove the prosciutto from the pan and set aside.
Add 50g of the butter to the pan and allow to melt, then add the shallot and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the peas, including their liquid, and cook for about 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add the cooked prosciutto, then season, and remove from the heat and set aside.
Bring a large pan of salty water to the boil and cook the tagliatelle for 2-3 minutes. Put the frying pan back on the heat and transfer the taliatelle to the pan with tongs. Add an extra ladle of pasta cooking water and the rest of the butter. Add the Parmesan and toss everything together for a couple of minutes, until warmed through – you may need to add a little more of the pasta water.
Serve in warm bowls, sprinkled with more Parmesan and some black pepper.
(Original recipe from The Italian Deli Cookbook by Theo Randall, Quadrille, 2021.)
We love this easy pasta dish. If you haven’t cooked smoked salmon before you should.
Wine Suggestion: this is a deceptively rich dish and we think needs something like a fuller Pinot Gris, like Au Bon Climat’s blend with Pinot Blanc which is treated very much like a Burgundian Chardonnay and is both textured and vibrantly fresh with flavours of fresh pears, toasty creaminess and gentle spices.
Pasta with smoked salmon & mascarpone – serves 4
400g farfalle
200g smoked salmon
125g mascarpone
20g butter, at room temperature
zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
dill, snipped
Cook the pasta in lots of salty water until al dente.
Meanwhile, cut the salmon into short pieces with scissors and put them into a large warm serving bowl along with the mascarpone, butter and lemon zest. Ladle some pasta cooking water into the bowl to loosen to a cream, then taste and add salt if needed.
Drain the pasta, reserving some more pasta water, then tip on to the sauce and gently mix together, adding more cooking water if needed. Serve, sprinkled with dill.
(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2021.)
We are never without tins of tuna – Ortiz or Shines are great – and always in olive oil. This sauce takes a while but it’s easy and tastes delicious. The sauce is flavoured with a parmesan rind – you should always keep these as they freeze well and add great savoury flavours to dishes like this, a meaty ragú, or soups.
Wine Suggestion: A little left field and possibly only available when visiting the winery: Chateau du Hureau Blanc de Noirs 2022. A white made from 100% Cabernet Franc from Saumur because the usual vineyard of Chenin Blanc was hit by bad frosts, and the owner Philippe wanted some white to drink … plus he couldn’t resist having a play in the winery at the same time. Fresh but with a real texture with hints of phenolics. Hints of yellow plum, lightly floral, slightly nutty and touches of apple. It really came into it’s own with the food.
Linguine con tonno – serves 4 to 5
60ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 Parmesan rind
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
300g tinned tuna, well drained
500g dried linguine
freshly grated Parmesan, to serve
Put the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and some salt, then allow to soften for about 5 minutes without colouring. Add the garlic, Parmesan rind and oregano. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then add the tomato purée and cook for another minute.
Add the tinned tomatoes, season with more salt and bring to the boil, turn the heat down as low as it will go and cook for a couple of hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so. If the sauce starts to stick add a splash of water.
Add the tuna to the tomato sauce, then cook the linguine in lots of salty boiling water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Tip in the tuna sauce and mix through. Serve drizzled with your best olive oil and sprinked with grated Parmesan and black pepper.
(Original recipe from Rick Steain at Home, BBC Books, Penguin, 2021.)
We can’t get enough of St Tola, a delicious goats’ cheese from County Clare. Here it is with some courgettes and mint in a summery risotto.
Wine Suggestion: Something suitably summery and white, like Domaine Ventenac’s “Marie”. Made from Vermentino and Colombard this tastes of lemons with a hint of grapefruit plus white flowers, touches of green apples and an under-current of salty texture. Zippy and round with a fun and easy finish.
Courgette Risotto with St Tola & Mint, serves 4
1.5 litres vegetable stock
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a large bunch of scallions, very finely sliced
350g Carnaroli rice
a glass of dry white wine, Russel Norman suggests Sauvignon Blanc but we used a Vermentino-Colombard blend
2 medium courgettes, cut into quarters lengthways, then sliced into 3cm lengths
150g St Tola goats’ cheese
a large handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
a large knob of butter
the zest of ½ a lemon
Heat the stock and leave it simmering gently.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over a gentle heat. Gently sauté the scallions with a good pinch of salt for about 10 minutes, until they are soft and shiny but not browned. Mix in the rice and make sure all the grains are coated in the oil. Turn the heat up a bit a pour in the wine.
Start adding a ladeful of stock at a time and gently stirring until absorbed before adding the next one. Keep going like this for 8 minutes.
Add the courgettes and stir to combine, then keep adding the stock for another 6 minutes. Crumble half the goat’s cheese and mix it in along with the mint. Stir well and cook for another 4 minutes or until the rice is al dente. Season to taste.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and remaining crumbled goat’s cheese. Fold these gently into the risotto, then cover and rest for a minute. Serve in warm bowls with some black pepper and lemon zest.
(Original recipe from Venice by Russell Norman, Fig Tree, 2018.)
A dish for when you arrive home tired from work and realise you have almost nothing in the cupboard to eat … except pasta, a lurking packet of pancetta and a block of parmesan (a staple in our most fridges).
Wine Suggestion: A simple, dry Rosé caught our fancy, to reflect the long day and store-cupboard cooking. A reliable and refreshing wine-rack staple is the Domaine Gayda Flying Solo Rosé. Made from Grenache and Cinsault in the Languedoc by Tim Ford, an old friend, this is refreshing and has a classic textural character that allows it to be drunk with food like tonight, as well as sipped and enjoyed in the sunshine on its own.
Life-saving creamy pancetta and Parmesan pasta – serves 2
77g pack of pancetta cubes (that is one half of the two pack they come in)
2tbsp olive oil
600ml chicken stock
200g fusilli pasta
75ml double cream
30g Parmesan, finely grated
a handful of basil leaves, shredded
Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan, then add the pancetta and cook until crisp.
Add the stock and pasta, bring to a simmer, then cook until tender (start testing a little before the suggested timings on the pasta pack).
Stir in the cream and Parmean and simmer for a couple of minutes, then season really well with plenty of black peper.
Stir in the basil and serve.
(Original recipe by Janinie Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, June 2019.)
We were lucky to be gifted some top quality Persian saffron by our friend Miriam and therefore couldn’t go past this recipe, and with asparagus still available we couldn’t resist doing this despite it edging into summer.
Wine Suggestion: As this is quite rich, but also has the fresh vegetables, it lends itself to a deftly handled new world Chardonnay. Au Bon Climat is our go to choice and their Wild Boy is a perfect expression with a good blend of butter, ripe fruits and a flinty, salty core.
Saffron risotto with spring veg – serves 4
1.2 litres vegetable stock (we use Marigold Swiss Bouillon)
½ tsp saffron threads
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
a knob of butter
1 onion, finely chopped
350g risotto rice
150ml dry white wine
50g freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to serves
FOR THE VEGETABLES
175g frozen broad beans, blanched and popped out of their skins
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
a knob of butter
2 small leeks, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 tbsp dry white wine
1 bunch of fine asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm pieces
100g frozen peas
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp chopped chives
juice of ½ lemon
Bring the stock to a gentle simmer in a saucepan.
Heat a sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add the saffron and heat for a minute, shaking the pan, until the threads are dry and fragrant.
Add the oil and butter to the saffron, then tip in the onion and add plenty of seasoning. Sauté for 5 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Stir the rice into the onion and cook for 1 minute to coat the grains in the oil, then pour in the wine and bubble for a minute, stirring.
Add a ladle of stock to the rice pan and stir until completely absorbed. Keep adding a ladle of stock at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding another.
After 10 minutes, and at the same time, start cooking the veg. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and butter, then add the leeks and garlic. Season with salt and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until tender. Pour in the wine and allow to bubble down.
Add the asparagus and a splash of the stock from the risotto and simmer for a couple of minutes, until bright green and tender but still crisp. Add the broad beans and peas and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs and lemon juice; season to taste.
While this is happening, continue cooking the risotto, adding stock as necessary. After about 25 minutes the rice should be al dente. Remove from the heat, stir in the Parmesan and season to taste.
Divide the risotto between warm plates and spoon the veg into a well in the centre, then scatter over some more Parmesan and serve. We like a drizzle of best olive oil over the top too.
(Original recipe from More Midweek Meals by Neven Maguire, Gill Books, 2022).
You too can make a pasta cake like this on a Monday, trust us. Who knew it would be so easy to get cooked rigatoni to sit upright in a cake tin? The results are fun and although it will fall apart when you start serving, you can get your insta photo beforehand.
Wine Suggestion: Something fun, red and Italian like Umani Ronchi’s Rosso Conero Serrano. A blend of smooth Montepulciano and vibrant Sangiovese, this wine is fun and easy, but tied together with energy and vitality.
Torta di rigatoni – serves 4
butter, to grease the tin
4 tbsp breadcrumbs
325g rigatoni pasta
handful of basil leaves, finely chopped
250g mozzarella, cubed (buy a block of mozzarella, not buffalo)
50g grated Parmesan
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and bashed
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
a handful of basil leaves
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Line the base and sides of a loose-bottomed, 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment, then butter and coat in the breadcrumbs.
Get the sauce going first. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, then add the garlic clove and cook for about a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, most of the basil leaves and season well with salt. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in lots of boiling salty water until al dente. Drain well, then mix with the chopped basil, half the mozzarella, some black pepper, half the tomato sauce (throw away the garlic) and half of the Parmesan. Leave to cool until the pasta is cool enough to handle.
Place the rigatoni upright in the cake tin. Pour over the remaining tomato sauce, then scatter over the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before attempting to release from the tin, then scatter over a few basil leaves to serve.
(Original recipe by Gennaro Contaldo IN BBC Good Food Magazine, April 2020.)
You need to take your time over this one but it’s an excellent thing to do on a rainy day.
Wine Suggestion: A bright, youthful, vibrant red Italian red came to mind immediately for this. We didn’t have anything to hand from the Sorrento/Naples area so crossed over to the Marches for Umani Ronchi’s Rosso Conero Serrano. A delightful blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese it stepped in admirably with an elegant red-fruited core and fine tannins.
Cannelloni all sorrentina – serves 4
First you need to make a batch of fresh egg pasta. If you have never done this before a youtube video will be helpful.
400g 00 flour
4 eggs
Make a mountain of flour on a large wooden board. Make a crater in the centre and break in the eggs.
Use a fork to break the egg yolks and gently whisk before starting to incorporate the flour by knocking it into the eggs. When you have added enough flour that the eggs will no longer run away, you can start using your hands and continue to mix, bring the flour and eggs together into a soft scraggy ball.
Knead the pasta until the dough starts to soften and smooth out – at least 5 minutes. If after the first few minutes the ball is still dry and flaky, flick just a few drops of water onto the board and knead them into the dough. You may need to do this a couple times, but don’t add too much, keep it to a couple of drops each time.
Once the dough is smooth, firm but pliable, leave it to rest, covered with a cloth or cling film for a at least 30 minutes.
Clamp a pasta machine onto a suitable table and put to the widest setting. Divide the pasta dough into 4, take a quarter and put the other 3 back under the cloth. Flatten the dough into a patty and put it through the rollers. Fold the strip of dough like an envelope and pass it through again, evelope again and pass again. It will be the size of a small book.
Set the machine at two and pass the dough through, but don’t fold this time. Do the same with the third setting, and so on until you have rolled it through all the settings and have a long strip, you can cut this to make it more manageable. Dust with some flour if it feels sticky.
Repeat this method with the other lumps of pasta. Cut the pasta into 12 sheets, each 20 x 10cm.
FOR THE SAUCE:
6 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
a pinch of chilli flakes
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
a few fresh basil leaves
FOR THE FILLING:
300g ricotta, drained
2 eggs
200g mozzarella, drained overnight and diced
3 heaped tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
60g Parmesan, grated, plus extra for the top
a few fresh basil leaves
grated nutmeg
First make the sauce. Warm the olive oil, garlic and chilli in a large, deep frying pan. When the garlic is fragrant, add the tomatoes, basil and a pinch of salt. Break the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
To make the filling, mash the ricotta in a large bowl, then beat in the eggs. Add the mozzarella, parsley and Parmesan and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Bring a large pan of salty water to the boil and prepare a large bowl of cold water. Drop a few pasta sheets into the boiling water, leave for 1 minutes, then lift out and into the cold water for 20 seconds, then lay on clean tea towels.
To roll the cannelloni, put 2 spoons of the filling at the top of the longer edge of each pasta sheet and roll closed.
Spread a little tomato sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish, arrange the cannelloni on top, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan and a few basil leaves, then pour over the rest of the sauce.
It helps to rest the dish now for at least 2 hours or even overnight.
Preheat the oven to 200C and bake for 30 minutes.
Leave the dish to rest for 30 minutes before serving with a green salad.
(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin:Fig Tree, 2021.)
Stuffed pasta shells with spinach, ricotta chilli and lemon. Tomato sauce underneath and lots of Parmesan on top.
Wine Suggestion: An old favourite from the Adriatic coast of Italy, Sartarelli’s Tralivio Verdicchio Superiore, which comes from their low-yielding, oldest vineyard. A bit of body and texture plus a twist of almonds and citrus; playing along very nicely with the lemon, ricotta and earthy spinach, and enough acidity to complement the tomato.
Stuffed pasta shells with chilli, spinch and lemon – serves 2
175g giant pasta shells
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
a pinch of dried chilli flakes
200g spinach, chopped
125g ricotta
½ lemon, zested
400g jar of tomato pasta sauce or you can use some home-made sauce if you have it
Parmesan
Heat the oven to190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
Cook the shells in lots of salty water until al dente, then drain.
Heat the oil in a pan and gently cook the garlic and chilli for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, then stir in the ricotta and lemon zest. Season well.
Spoon the tomato sauce into the base of a large baking dish. Use a teaspoon to stuff the pasta shells with the spinach mixture, then place in the dish in a single layer. If you have any leftover mixutre you can spoon it over the top.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling and golden.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, March 2019.)
We love a lemon spaghetti and it’s our go to dish when there’s nothing for lunch. This one has cream because we had some lurking in the fridge from another dish.
Spaghetti with creamy lemon sauce – serves 4
2 lemons
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
220ml single cream
1 egg yolk
350g spaghetti
a small bunch of thyme
Bring a large pot of water to the boil.
Meanwhile, finely zest the lemons and put into a deep frying pan, then add the olive oil and gently fry over a medium heat for a few minutes.
Pour the cream and egg yolk into the pan and mix well, then reduce the heat and cook gently for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add plenty of salt to the pasta water, then add the spaghetti and cook according to the pack timings.
Finely slice a third of the lemon.
Drain the pasta in a colandar but keep a little of the cooking water. Squeeze the juice of the remaining lemons into the sauce and season to taste with salt and black pepper, then tip in the pasta. Add a splash of the pasta cooking water, then add the lemon slices and toss to coat. Sprinkle generously with thyme leaves and serve.
(Original recipe from A Table for Friends by Skye McAlpine, Bloomsbury, 2020.)
Comfort food at its best. Don’t be tempted to strain the chicken broth of fat, it adds to the flavour and don’t skimp on the salt. You can use the poached chicken meat for sandwiches, or something else.
Alpabetto in Brodo – serves 4 (the recipe makes double the quanity of broth needed and it will keep in the freezer)
800kg chicken thighs (skin on and bone-in)
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 carrot, peeled and halved
1 stick of celery, halved
1 bay leaf
a few peppercorns
200g alfabeto
grated Parmesan, to serve
Put the chicken into a large heavy pan, cover with 2.5 litres of cold water and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and use a slotted spoon to spoon off any scum.
Add the vegetables, bring back to the boil, then turn the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Strain through a fine sieve, pressing down on the veg and chicken to extract all the flavor. You won’t need the chicken after this but you should strip the meat from the bones and keep it for something else.
Bring 1 litre of the broth to the boil, add the alfabeto and cook until al dente. Ladle into bowl and add grated Parmesan.
(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2021.)
So fregula is fregola, pearl couscous, giant couscous, mograbia(h) as well as some other names, but it is essentially tiny pasta balls. We’ve cooked with it before but this time Jules bought it by accident and we had to find a recipe to use it up. Somewhat like a risotto, but the texture is a touch more unctuous. Quite a rich and flavoursome dish.
Wine Suggestion: This dish requires a powerful red with a fresh core of acidity. Taking inspiration from a Risotto Milanese pairing we opened a Pira Luigi Barolo Serralunga from 2018. Youthful and expressive aromatics of leather, violets & wild berries plus hints of tar. This flowed into an energetic and refined palate with elegant, but persistent tannins; almost lifted and light, but with a deep core of rich fruits.
Fregula with sausage and saffron – serves 4
1 clove of garlic
6 tbsp olive oil
120g sausage meat, crumbled – try to find meaty Italian sausages if you can
4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
a small piece of chilli
1 litre stock – meat or veg – we used turkey stock
350g fregula (see note above)
a few strands of saffron
60g pecorino, grated
Put the stock into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Smash the garlic clove but leave it whole, then put into a deep frying pan with 3 tbsp of the olive oil. Fry gentluy over a medium-low heat.
Add the sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme and chilli, and fry, stirring, for a couple of minutes.
Add the fregula to the sausage and stir for a minute. Then start adding the stock, a ladelful at a time, the same as you would if cooking risotto. Keep both pans simmering as you keep going like this. Start tasting the fregula after 12 minutes and cook until al dente. You are looking for a loose rather than stiff consistency.
Add the saffron, pecorino and 3 tbsp of olive oil and serve.
(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin:Fig Tree, 2021.)
Who can resist a stuffed pasta shell? In this one the joy is the balance between fresh ricotta, iron-rich kale, and a rich tomato sauce.
Wine Suggestion: We’d suggest the open, accessability of a youthful Barbaresco from Piedmont, as opposed the depth and moodiness of a Barolo. We have at hand Pico Maccario’s rendition that has a sense of fun which is sometimes lost by winemakers trying to make the next best thing … and we applaud them; wine is to be drunk and enjoyed too.
Conchiglioni stuffed with kale, spinach and ricotta – serves 4
Blanch the kale in lots of salty boiling water, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and straight into a bowl of iced water. Repeat with the spinach but cook for just 30 seconds.
Squeeze all the water out of the spinach and kale and put into a food processor. Add the chilli and parsley, then whizz for a few seconds. Scrape out into a bowl and add the ricotta, 30g of the Parmesan, the numeg, and lemon zest. Stir well to combine, then transfer to a piping bag.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200 Fan/Gas 7.
Bring a large pan of salty water to the boil and cook the pasta for 10 minutes – it should be a little more than al dente. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle.
Pour the tomato sauce into a medium-sized baking dish.
Pipe the kale mixture into the pasta shells and settle them snugly into the tomato sauce, pushing them down a little. Tear the mozzarella over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan.
Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes, then serve with a green salad.
(Original recipe from Slow by Gizzi Erskine, HQ, 2018.)
We love a pasta dish with just a few ingredients and this one is light and fresh and conveniently uses tinned tomatoes.
Wine Suggestion: Despite the cream which may suggest an oaked white, this actually works best with an unoaked, textural white instead. Something like the brilliant Dissidents Cassandre, a Vermentino from Maison Ventenac in Carbades which both lifts and expands the flavours, plus the fresh nuttiness cuts through the light cream.
Rigatoni with tomato, cream and pesto – serves 4
200ml double cream
300g tinned tomatoes, drained weight
2 tbsp pesto
350g rigatoni
40g Parmesan
Pour the cream into a saucepan, add the drained tomatoes and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto.
Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in lots of salty water until al dente, then drain and tip it into a warm serving bowl. Sprinkle the pasta with the Parmesan, then spoon over the sauce and serve.
(Original recipe from The Silver Spoon Pasta, Phaidon, 2009.)
We’re clearing out in January, rather then dieting. This recipe used up the last of a side of smoked salmon and its simplicity is perfect.
Wine Suggestion: We think Verdicchio is under-rated as a grape and for food combinations like this where you have a creaminess, combined with some Omega fatty acids and citrus zest it is the business. Tonight our choice was Sartarelli’s Tralivio which balances fruit weight with an almost saline minerality.
Tagliatelle with Salmon and Mascarpone – serves 4
400g tagliatelle
200g smoked salmon, snipped with scissors into short strips
125g mascarpone
20g soft butter
zest of 1 lemon, plus more to garnish
a few sprigs of dill, snipped
Cook the tagliatelle in lots of very salty water until al dente.
Meanwhile, tip the salmon strips into a large warm serving bowl along with the mascarpone, butter and lemon zest. Add a ladleful of the pasta cooking water to loosen it all to a cream, then taste and add salt if needed.
Drain the pasta, reserving some water, then tip into the bowl with the sauce and toss gently, adding more cooking water if needed. Serve sprinkled with the dill and some more lemon zest.
(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2021.)
Don’t judge this just by the look as it just looks like well cooked cabbage … and it is … but we’re addicted. Lifted to another level by the vinegar, this is our new favourite side.
Stewed Cabbage – serves 4
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
60g pancetta, chopped (optional)
1 small Savoy cabbage or half of a large one (about 600g)
2 heaped tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Put the oil, onion and pancetta (if using) into a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add some salt if you are not using pancetta. Cook gently, without browning, for about 15 minutes until soft.
Slice the cabbage into wedges and remove the tough core. Shred the leaves finely and rinse in a colander. Add the wet cabbage to the pan, then the butter, and stir for a few minutes until the butter melts. Stir through the vinegar and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and leave to cook for 60 to 80 minutes, stirring occasionlly, until completely soft and wilted. Add a splash of water if it looks dry at any point.
Season to taste with salt and serve.
(Original recipe from Stagioni by Olivia Cavalli, Pavillon, 2022.)
We love the colour of this dish – a delicious bowlful of goodness.
Wine Suggestion: This demands a simple, earthy red like Morisfarms Mandriolo, a Sangiovese dominant wine from the Maremma on the Tuscan coast. The Moris family have lived on their farm for over three hundred years and their gentle care and organic approach to winemaking comes from their love of the land. A thoughtful wine.
Risoni di Cavolo Nero – serves 2
handful of hazlenuts
150-200g cavolo nero
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
garlic
2-3 anchovies in oil
a pinch of chilli flakes
700ml home-made chicken or vegetable stock
½ lemon
240g orzo
2 tbsp mascarpone
finely grated Parmesan, to serve
Heat the oven to 150C fan.
Toast the hazelnuts in the oven for 15 minutes, then set aside.
Strip the cavolo nero leaves from the stalks, then roughly chop the leaves and rinse them in cold water. Discard the tough stalks.
Put the oil, garlic and anchovies in a pan and heat gently for a few minutes until the anchovies have melted. Add the chilli and cook for another minute, stirring. Add the cavolo nero and cook for 3-4 minutes until just wilted. Discard the garlic and transfer to a blender. Add a splash of stock and a squeeze of lemon juice, then blend to a smooth liquid.
Put the rest of the stock into the same pan and bring to the boil. Add the orzo and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stock has been absorbed by the pasta, add a splash of water if it drys up too soon. Add the green purée and cook for another 2 minutes – you are looking for a risotto-type consistency. Finely grate in the zest of ½ a lemon and stir in the mascarpone. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice if needed.
Serve with the toasted hazelnuts crumbled on top, some finely grated Parmesan and a good drizzle of your best olive oil.
(Original recipe from Stagioni by Olivia Cavalli, Pavillon, 2022.)
We love simple ideas like this one for mid-week inspiration. We used ready-made spinach gnocchi, try and find a decent brand if you can.
Gnocchi with mushroom and paprika butter – serves 3
50g butter
400g chestnut mushrooms
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 tsp chopped rosemary
½ tsp hot smoked paprika
500g pack gnocchi
100ml sour cream or crème fraîche
grated Parmesan, to serve
Heat a small knob of the butter in a pan, add the mushrooms and ½ tsp salt, and cook until soft and golden.
Add the rest of the butter, garlic and rosemary, then cook gently for 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the paprika and season with black pepper, then keep over a low heat while you cook the gnocchi.
Drain the gnocchi and tip into the mushroom pan. Toss everything together and serve in warm bowls with a dollop of cream, lots of black pepper and some Parmesan.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, October 2019.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 
