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Lasagne

Posted in Beef, Food, Pasta, Pork, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 30 January 2025| Leave a Comment »

Just a reminder that a big lasagne is a very good thing to have. We sometimes divide it up into smaller dishes and freeze some to finish off cooking another day.

Wine Suggestion: Our personal prejudice here is for Sangiovese every time with Lasagne, though we know this is not the only grape that works. That said we couldn’t go past the Boscarelli “Prugnolo” Rosso di Montepulciano which comes from a lovely hilltop DO in Tuscany.

Lasagne – serves 8

  • 350-400g fresh lasagne sheets
  • nutmeg
  • 1 ball of mozzarella, torn

FOR THE RAGU:

  • 2-3 tbsp oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
  • 500g beef mince
  • 500g pork mince
  • 175ml red wine
  • 750ml beef stock/chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • a sprig of rosemary

FOR THE BECHAMEL:

  • 70g butter
  • 70g plain flour
  • 1 litre whole milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 100g Parmesan, freshly grated

Start with the ragu. You need to heat the oil in a large wide pan, then add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and fry gently until softend but not coloured.

Add the bacon, beef and pork and continue frying until the meat has changed colour.

Pour in the red wine and increase the heat so that it comes to the boil. Reduce the heat again and add the stock, tomato purée and tinned tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and add the bay and rosemary. Leave to cook now over a medium-low heat for about 1½ hours or until you have a rich sauce.

Meanwhile, make the bechamel. Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, add the flour and stir to make a paste. Cook for a minute, then take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Add the bay leaf, then return the pan to the heat and bring the boil, stirring constantly. Keep cooking until you have a smooth and thick sauce. Remove the bay leaf and stir in two-thirds of the grated Parmesan and season to taste.

Heat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C.

You will need a deep lasagne dish – about 20 x 30 cm.

Put a large spoonful of the ragu in the bottom of the lasagne dish and add a layer of lasagne sheets. Top with a layer of ragu and a drizzle of bechamel (not a full layer or you will run out), then another layer of lasagne sheets. Keep going like this until you have used up all the ingredients, finishing with a good layer of bechamel. Grate over a little nutmeg, then add the torn mozzarella and the rest of the Parmesan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes when it comes out of the oven so it’s easier to cut. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread if you like.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Food Stories, BBC Books, Penguin: Random House, 2024.)

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Loaded Chicken Pasta Bake

Posted in Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 5 September 2024| Leave a Comment »

We’ve made this a few times for and it’s never failed to impress. Reliable comfort food with lots of tasty additions!

Wine suggestion: we opened a velvety Côtes du Rhône red by Domaine Roche. A charming and quite sophisticated Grenache, Syrah and Carignan that we’ve enjoyed before. If you’re looking for a step up from this, their Cairanne is a joy and really shows the class of this under-sung appellation near Chateauneuf du Pape.

Loaded Chicken Pasta Bake – serves 6

  • 350g penne pasta
  • 150g streaky bacon rashers
  • 100g baby spinach
  • 80g sundried tomato strips in oil, drained and roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp chopped parsley, to serve

FOR THE CHICKEN:

  • 500g skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets
  • ¾ tsp each cooking salt and black pepper
  • 30g unsalted butter

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 30g unsalted buter
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 60ml dry white wine
  • 50g plain flour
  • 500ml full-fat milk, hot
  • 250ml double cream
  • 375ml chicken stock
  • ½ tsp each onion powder and garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cooking salt
  • 100g finely grated Parmesan
  • 250g grated mozzarella

Heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add plenty of salt. Cook the pasta according to the timings on the pack, then drain and leave to cool.

Place the bacon rashers in a large pan over a medium-high heat and cook for a few minutes until golden, then turn them over and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain on some paper towels, then chop into 1cm pieces. Discard the bacon fat in the pot.

Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes on each side, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing into 1cm thick slices.

Melt the butter for the sauce in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds before adding the wine. Simmer rapidly for a couple of minutes or until almost evaporated. Lower the heat to medium, add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and keep stirring until thickened, then add the cream and stock. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir for about 5 minutes or until thick enought to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Stir in the onion and garlic powder, salt, pepper and two-thirds of the Parmesan and mozzarella. Stir until the cheese has melted.

Stir in the spinach, chicken, sundried tomato, most of the bacon and all of the pasta. Pour into a 30 x 22cm baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, then the mozzarella and bacon. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.

Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving sprinkled with parsley.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2023.)

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Tomato, Olive, Mozzarella & Artichoke Tart

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 19 August 2024| 2 Comments »

We love a good pizza … but there are times we just can’t be bothered lighting our little pizza oven and getting it up and running … or the weather defeats us! This is essentially pizza toppings on pastry and makes a great substitute. Plus we got to use the jar of artichokes we’d lugged from Spain last holiday.

Wine suggestion: a wine we’d also brought home from our holiday, Luis Moya Tortosa’s Kimera, an old-vine Grenache from Navarra. Minerally, vibrant and expressive.

Tomato, mozzarella, black olive & artichoke tart – serves 4

  • 2 x 320g ready-rolled puff pastry sheets
  • 300g tomato sauce (you can make your own or use a good brand)
  • 2 x 125-150g mozzarella balls, sliced
  • a handful of pitted black olives, halved
  • 8 to 10 artichoke hearts from a jar, halved
  • 60g Parmesan, finely grated
  • a handful of basil leaves

Heat the oven to 230C/Fan 210C.

Unroll the puff pastry sheeets onto a couple of baking trays and prick them all over with a fork.

Spread the tomato sauce over the pastry, then top with the mozzarella, olives and artichokes. Add half the grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, then sprinkle with the basil leaves and the rest of the Parmesan and serve immediately. It’s as easy as that!

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Simple Suppers, Ebury Publishing, 2023.)

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Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 27 January 2024| Leave a Comment »

We’ll never tire of this classic!

Wine Suggestion: Italian reds work with tomato pasta sauces as they tend to be a little bit more acidic which compliments the acidity of the tomatoes. Given how light the spinach and ricotta are a light chianti or a young nebbiolo will work well.

Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni – serves 5 to 6

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 6 tbsp tomato purée
  • 170ml white wine
  • 2 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 1½ tsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 10g basil leaves, roughtly torn, plus extra to serve
  • 250g cannelloni tubes
  • 50g finely grated Parmesan
  • 125g grated mozzarella

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 250g frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
  • 500g ricotta
  • 30g finely grated Parmesan
  • 100g grated mozzarella
  • 1 egg
  • 1 large clove of garlic
  • a little grated nutmeg
  • ¾ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

First make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and oregano. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato purée and stir for a minute. Stir in the wine, then turn the heat up hight and simmer until almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes, stock, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 35 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and whizz the sauce until smoooth, then stir in the basil leaves.

Squeeze the defrosted spinach with your hands to get rid of as much water as possible. Put the spinach in a bowl with the rest of the filling ingredients and mix well with wooden spoon.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Spread about 375ml of the sauce across the base of a large baking dish (about 23 x 32 cm).

Put the filling into a piping bag (or you can use a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe the filling into the tubes until full, then place them in the baking dish.

Pour over the rest of the tomato sauce, making sure to cover all the tubes. Cover with foil, then bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then sprinkle with the Parmesan, then the mozzarella. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Garnish with extra basil leaves and Parmesan and serve with a green salad.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmilan, 2022)

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Torta di rigatoni

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 7 June 2023| 2 Comments »

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.)

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Cannelloni alla sorrentina

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 27 April 2023| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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Spicy Chicken Bake with a Blue Cheese Dressing

Posted in Cheese, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10 April 2023| 1 Comment »

There’s a few different ingredients in this Ottolenghi dish but they are worth seeking out. We’ve served this to friends a few times and it’s very popular. Serve with steamed rice and corn tortillas.

Wine Suggestion: A juicy red with gentle, warm, velvety spices is what we’d recommend, like a Grenache blend from the Southern Rhône. Romain Roche’s Cairanne is a current favourite; so smooth and effortless, but with great depth and expression. All velvety southern French sunshine and joie de vie.

Spicy chicken bake with blue cheese dressing – serves 4

  • 15 dried cascabel chillies, stems and seeds removed
  • 15g dried chipotle chillies, stems and seeds removed
  • 3 limes, 2 tbsp juice and 1 cut into wedges to serve
  • 150g celery, peeled and very thinly cliced
  • 1 red chilli, roughly chopped with seeds left in
  • 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 450g cooked rotisserie chicken, discard the skin and roughly tear into large pieces
  • 20g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
  • 5 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 150g buffalo mozzarella, roughly torn

FOR THE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING:

  • 150g soured cream
  • 100g cream cheese
  • 100g Roquefort cheese or Gorgonzola, finely crumbled
  • 1 tbsp whole milk

Put the chillies into a small bowl and pour boiling water over to cover. Weigh down with a saucer and set aside for 10 minutes.

Put the lime juice, celery and a pinch of salt into a small bowl, mix well and set aside to pickle.

Drain the chillies and roughly chop. Put into a food processor with the fresh chilli, garlic and tomatoes, then blitz until smooth.

Heat the oven to 240C, or as high as your oven goes.

Put the oil into a large, shallow cast-iron pan and place over a medim-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and deeply browned. Add the whizzed chilli mixture, 100ml of water and 1½ tsp of salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Add the cooked chicken and another 100ml of water and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander and two-thirds of the scallions.

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the blue cheese dressing along with a pinch of salt and mix to combine. Reserve half the mixture and dollop the rest over the chicken mixture. Top with the torn mozzarella and bake for 15 minutes or until browned and bubbling. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Stir the rest of the scallions into the pickled celery and spoon half over the chicken bake. Serve the rest of the celery, the blue cheese dressing and lime wedges on the side.

(Original recipe from Ottolentghi Test Kitchen Extra Good Things by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Conchiglioni Stuffed with Kale, Spinach and Ricotta

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 12 February 2023| Leave a Comment »

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

  • 250g kale, stalks removed
  • 100g spinach
  • 1 green chilli, roughly chopped
  • handful of parsley leaves
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 250g ricotta
  • 50g Parmesan, grated
  • ½ nutmeg, grated
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 200g conchiglioni
  • 750ml slow-cooked tomato sauce
  • 125g ball of mozzarella

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.)

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Chicken with Mozzarella, Parma Ham and Pesto Potatoes

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 February 2023| Leave a Comment »

If there are children around there’s nearly always a half-used tub of pesto. Too expensive to go to waste, and a good reason we’re always on the lookout for anything other than pesto pasta. This dish is a bit of summer in winter.

Wine Suggestion: Choose a fun and fresh red, preferably with a moderate alcohol. Fortunately we had a red blend from the Sebestyén family in the Szekszárd region of south-eastern Hungary. Their Szekszárdi Cuvée is a delightful blend of Kékfrankos, Merlot and Cabernet Franc; youthful, fresh and characterful.

Chicken with mozzarella, Parma ham and roast pesto potatoes, serves 4

  • 125g ball of mozzarella cheese (not buffalo), sliced
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 24 basil leaves
  • 4 slices of Parma ham
  • 24 cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 450g baby potatoes
  • 3 tbsp pesto
  • 2 tbsp thick balsamic vinegar

Heat the oven to 190C/Gas 5.

Grease a baking sheet.

Season the mozzarella slices with salt and pepper.

Slice a small pocket in each chicken breast (we asked our butcher to do this) and fill with a slice of mozzarella and 6 basil leaves. Wrap each piece of chicken in a slice of Parma ham and set onto the greased baking sheet. Scatter the tomatoes around the chicken.

Drizzle everything with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then roast for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until cooked through, about 20 minutes, then drain and toss with the pesto.

Put the chicken, potatoes and tomatoes onto warm plates and drizzle the tomatoes with the thick balsmic vinegar.

(Original recipe from Herbs by Judith Hann, Watkins Media Ltd, 2017.)

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Barbecued Buttermilk Chicken, Charred Broccoli, Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil & Pine Nuts

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 September 2022| 2 Comments »

This is a totally different barbecue recipe from Geniveive Taylor’s fantastic new barbecue book – Seared. The buttermilk makes the chicken super tender, so it’s worth marinating it the day before if you can.

Wine Suggestion: A round, fresh white was in order here with a bit of body to stand up to the barbecued flavours, so we chose an oaked Rioja for something a bit different. A bargain in any language, the Urbina Blanco Crianza 2014, yes that is correct … 8 years old, is released when ready and despite its age is fresh and vibrant, with layers of tertiary development, butter, toast and nuttiness alongside the melon, cirtus and jasmine flavours. It reminded us of a complex white Burgundy.

Barbecued buttermilk chicken, charred broccoli, mozzarella, tomato, basil & pine nuts – serves 4-6

  • 800g chicken thigh fillets
  • 300ml buttermilk
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
  • 250g cherry vine tomatoes
  • a big bunch of basil, roughly chopped
  • 50g grated Parmesan
  • 50g fresh breadcrumbs
  • 50g pine nuts
  • 250g mozzarella, torn

Slash the chicken thighs with a sharp knife taking care not to cut the whole way through. Place in a shallow dish in a single layer.

Mix the buttermilk, garlic, mustard and sugar together with plenty of salt and black pepper. Pour over the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Light your barbecue for direct and indirect cooking (half with coals and half without).

While the barbecue is getting hot, blanch the broccoli in lots of boiling salty water for a couple of minutes. Drain well and toss with the olive oil and some seasoning. Set aside.

Cook the chicken thighs over indirect heat for about 30 minutes or until they reach 60-65C inside, turning regularly. Move them a little closer to the fire and keep cooking until they reach 74C.

When the chicken is almost cooked, grill the tomatoes and the broccoli for about 10 minutes over the fire, turning until nicely charred on all sides.

Transfer the chicken, broccoli and tomatoes to a heavy roasting tin. Add the basil and gently toss to mix. Sprinkle over the Parmesan, breadcrumbs and pine nuts. Top with mozzarella adn drizzle over a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. Set the tin directly over the fire for 15 minutes to melt the cheese.

Serve with crusty bread or some baby roasted potatoes.

(Original recipe from Seared by Genevieve Taylor, Quadrille, 2022.)

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Veggie Pasta Bake

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 30 August 2022| Leave a Comment »

Easy and full of veg. Great for a weeknight, and if your kid is like ours they will eat anything with pasta and cheese!

Wine Suggestion: keep it simple with a juicy red from a warmer climate. The Cline Family Cellars have star with their Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel which has a joyful balance between vibrant and complex red and black fruit, velvety tannins and a easy drinkability.

Veggie Pasta Bake – serves 4

  • 1 red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 yellow pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 aubergine, finely chopped
  • 1 courgette, finely chopped
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • a handful of roughly chopped basil
  • 300g pasta – we used fusilli
  • 150g mozzarella ball, drained and finely chopped (you don’t need the expensive buffalo stuff for this)
  • 2 tbsp pesto
  • a handful of grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.

Put the peppers, aubergine, courgettes and onion into a large roasting tin and toss in the oil. Season well with salt and pepper, then cook in the oven for 45 minutes, turning a couple of times, until the vegetables are soft and golden brown.

Add the cherry tomatoes, tinned tomatoes, garlic and basil and return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in lots of boiling salty water. Add 4-6 tbsp of the pasta cooking water to the cooked vegetables to make it a bit more saucy.

Drain the pasta and tip into the roasting tin with the veg. Add the mozzarella and pesto and stir well to combine. Top with the Parmesan and return to the oven for a final 10 minutes to melt the cheese.

(Original recipe from BBC Food)

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Melanzane Parmigiana

Posted in Barbecue, Cheese, Food, Italian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 June 2022| Leave a Comment »

Today was a sunny Sunday so we grilled aubergine slices on the barbecue, made this delicious veggie bake, and ate it outside. Happy days! Serve with garlic or crusty bread and salad.

Wine Suggestion: We think youthful, fruity reds are a joy with this dish and can’t pass up a chance to open a good Beaujolais. For this dish Domaine Rochette’s Régnié, a cru that is often overlooked and unfairly so. Bright and almost crunchy fruit that shouts just as much of sunshine as the Parmigiana.

Melanzane Parmigiana – serves 4 to 6

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing over the aubergines
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 8 large sage leaves, finely chopped
  • 4 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp golden caster sugar or granulated sugar
  • 6 large aubergines, sliced very thinly, lengthways
  • 100g Parmesan, finely grated
  • 85g white breadcrumbs
  • 50g pine nuts
  • 2 x 125g mozzarella balls, torn into small pieces
  • a handful of basil leaves

Get the sauce on first. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or a wide saucepan, then add the garlic, thyme and sage and cook for a few minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, vinegar and sugar, and simmer gently for about 25 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, light your barbecue – a gas barbecue is particularly good for this as it’s easier to control the heat, you don’t want the aubergine to char before it’s softened. If you don’t have a barbecue (or if it’s not barbecuing weather) you can use a griddle pan instead.

Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil, then barbecue in batches until softened and lightly charred.

Mix 25g of the Parmesan with the breadcrumbs and pine nuts, and set aside.

Spread a little of the tomato sauce over the base of a large baking tray or lasagne dish. Top with a layer of aubergine slices, then season well. Spoon over some more sauce, then scatter over some mozzarella, Parmesan and bssil leaves.

Repeat the layers and finish with a layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle over the cheesey breadcrumbs. You can bake the dish now or stick it in the fridge for up to 24 hours and bake when you’re ready.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is crispy and golden and the tomato sauce bubbling. Rest for 10 minutes, then serve with salad and bread.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food).

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Tomato Salad

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 21 September 2021| Leave a Comment »

We know you don’t need to be told how to make a tomato salad, but this one was particularly nice so we thought we would share.

Tomato salad – serves 4 as a side

  • 700g mixed tomatoes, slice large ones into thick slices and halve tiny ones
  • a generous handful of basil leaves
  • a small handful of parsley leaves
  • 1 heaped tbsp chopped oregano
  • a handful of watercress
  • ½ a red onion, thinly sliced
  • balsamic vinegar
  • good olive oil
  • a ball of top quality buffalo mozzarella

Put the tomatoes into a large bowl with the herbs, watercress and onion. Drizzle over some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then season with salt and pepper. Toss well together, then transfer to a platter.

Top with torn mozzarella and drizzle with a little more oil.

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Aubergine Parmigiana Lasagne

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 10 September 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is like a cross between a lasagne and a parmigiana. If you have a gas barbecue it makes a very easy job of griddling the aubergines in big batches which attracted us to this dish in the first place as the barbecue was on a good run. Nice with some crusty bread.

Wine Suggestion: Light, crunchy red wines just seem to fall into place with lasagne, or aubergine and tomato. This was no different. Tonight to good effect, our favourite Loire red, the Chateau du Hureau Saumur Champigny Tuffe.

Aubergine Parmigiana Lasagne – serves 6

  • 3 large aubergines, thinly sliced lengthways
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 250g mozzarella, drained and coarsely grated
  • 50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • a bunch of basil, leaves picked and roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
  • 8 dried egg lasagne sheets

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • ¼ tsp golden caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 3 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

Make the sauce by warming the olive oil and garlic in a large pan for a minute or until golden, go gently or the garlic will brown and turn bitter. Add the sugar and red wine vinegar and allow to bubble up for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Season with salt and return to a simmer. Bubble gently for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a gas barbecue or a griddle pan to a medium-high heat. Brush the aubergine slices with oil on both sides and season with a little salt. Griddle or barbecue in batches until softened and slightly charred. Don’t let the heat get too high or they will char before they are softened.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Lay a third of the aubergine slices over the base of a large baking dish, then spoon over a third of the sauce. Scatter with a small handful of both cheeses (but not too much as you want most of it for the top) and half the basil, then top with 4 lasagne sheets. Repeat once more, then finish with a layer of aubergines topped with the rest of the sauce and scattered with the remaining cheese.

Place the dish in the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes then serve with the rest of the basil sprinkled over.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Leeks with Orzo, Lemon & Herbs

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 12 January 2021| Leave a Comment »

Leeks usually end up in a soup or supporting other ingredients in a pie or something, but they are the star of the show in this veggie main course dish by Gill Meller. Here they are cooked in olive oil with orzo pasta, lemon, rosemary, parsley and cheese and it is most certainly a “leek dish”. By all means serve as a side dish too if you like. 

Wine Suggestion: We chose a wine to lift the winter mood; with friendly fruit, a nutty and stony twist and hints of sunshine – the La Sonrisa de Tares. A Godello from Bierzo which brought a smile to our faces.

Leeks with Orzo, Lemon & Herbs – serves 4

  • 200ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 3 leeks, sliced into 1cm rounds
  • 250g orzo pasta
  • 100g pecorino (we used Parmesan), finely grated, plus extra to serve
  • a handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 450ml vegetable stock
  • 125g mozzarella cheese

Heat the oven to 190C/170 fan/375 F/Gas 5.

Put a large, wide, heavy-based casserole over a low heat. Add the olive oil and when it has warmed, add the garlic and rosemary. Allow the garlic to sizzle for a minute or so, then add the leeks, orzo, half of the grated pecorino, the chopped parsley and the lemon zest. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir gently but try not to break the leeks up too much.

Pour over the vegetable stock, then stir again and use a wooden spoon to push the leeks down into the stock. Tear over the mozzarella cheese and scatter over the remaining pecorino. Season the top with some flaky salt and extra black pepper, then bake for 35-45 minutes or until the stock has been absorbed and the top is golden.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving with a bit more pecorino if you like.

(Original recipe from Root Stem Leaf Flower by Gill Meller, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2020.)

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Marinated Figs with Mozzarella & Prosciutto

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 16 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Marinated Figs with Mozzarella & Prosciutto

A fig salad for lunch; tasty indeed. It’s fig season, so they shouldn’t cost the earth and this is a great combination.

Marinated figs with mozzarella & prosciutto – serves 2

  • 4-6 figs, quartered
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp runny honey
  • 50g rocket
  • 1 ball mozzarella, torn into pieces
  • 6 slices prosciutto
  • a small handful of basil leaves

Whisk the vinegar with the mustard, then gradually whisk in the olive oil, honey and seasoning. Put the figs on a plate and spoon over the dressing, then leave aside for 20 minutes.

Spread the rocket, mozzarella and prosciutto over a platter. Spoon over the figs and the dressing and finish with the basil leaves.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, September 2018)

 

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Caprese Pasta Salad

Posted in Food, Italian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 1 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Caprese pasta salad

We regularly have a caprese salad (tomatoes, mozzarella & basil) for lunch in the summer months. This pasta version is a good one and makes it a bit more substantial.

Caprese pasta salad – serves 4

  • 200g orecchiette, cooked and rinsed under cold water, then drained again
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 150g baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 150g bocconcini (mini mozzarella) or a ball of mozzarella, torn into small pieces
  • a bunch of basil, shredded

Put the cooked pasta into a serving bowl with the olive oil, red wine vinegar and tomatoes, then season and toss.

Add the avocado, bocconcini and basil. Toss again gently and serve.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, July 2018.)

 

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Chicken with Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 20 November 2018| Leave a Comment »

 

Chicken with tomatoes, mozzarella & basilWe love easy ideas like this for adding extra interest to some chicken fillets mid-week. Serve with warm crusty bread and green salad.

Wine Suggestion: your choice of youthful, lighter Italian red; our choice tonight was the refined and under-rated Poggio ai Ginepri Bolgheri Rosso, but almost chose a Chianti. Both would be good.

Chicken breasts with tomatoes, mozzarella & basil – serves 4

  • 4 chicken skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
  • 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes
  • 10 basil leaves, plus a few extra to garnish
  • 3 x 125 mozzarella balls, drained and sliced (don’t use buffalo mozzarella for this)

Slash each of the the chicken breasts four times with a sharp knife, cutting to the middle.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and gently fry the garlic and chicken for 2 minutes on each side or until golden all over.

Tip in the cherry tomatoes with the basil and season with salt and pepper.

Cook, uncovered, over a medium heat for 12 minutes, turning the chicken breasts over halfway through.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill to its highest setting.

Take the pan off the heat and put the mozzarella slices on top of the chicken breasts. Grind over some black pepper and put the pan under the grill for a minute or until the cheese starts to melt.

Pour some sauce onto each plate, top with a piece of chicken and garnish with the extra basil.

(Original recipe from Pronto! by Gino D’Acampo, Kyle Books, 2014.)

 

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Blistered Peppers, Pomodorini, Mozzarella & Pesto

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 September 2018| Leave a Comment »

Blistered peppers, pomodorini, mozzarella & pesto

Flavours of late summer and something different to use up fresh pesto. We loved this dish, so light but really tasty. Serve with salad and bread.

Wine Suggestion: We’d suggest a juicy Tempranillo with a touch of oak, like the Paco Garcia Rioja Seis; a modern style that doesn’t need food unlike some other Rioja wines. Very happily served alongside a dish like this.

Blistered peppers, pomodorini, torn mozzarella & pesto – serves 2

  • 2 large red peppers
  • 12 pomodorini or baby plum tomatoes
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1  ball of buffalo mozzarella, torn into chunks
  • 4 tbsp fresh pesto

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Cut the peppers in half lengthways, remove the seeds and rub all over with a little olive oil and seasoning.

Toss the tomatoes with some olive oil, seasoning and the garlic .

Heat a heavy oven-proof pan until hot. Put the peppers, cut-side down, into the pan and sear until blackened along the edges. Turn them over and add the tomatoes to the pan, then roast in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Put the tomatoes inside the peppers along with the chunks of mozzarella. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, then return to the oven until the mozzarella has started to melt. Put a tablespoon of pesto on each stuffed pepper before serving.

Serve with salad and bread.

(Original recipe by Alastair Hendy in Olive Magazine, August 2014.)

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Parmigiana di Melanzane e Pepperoni con Prosciutto di Parma

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Italian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 20 August 2018| Leave a Comment »

Parmigiana di Melanzane e Pepperoni con Prosciutto di Parma

We love this Italian dish that bursts with summer flavours. It takes a while to prepare but the rich flavours are really rewarding and it is straightforward to prepare. You will need a big dish as this is a generous portion for 6 but it makes delicious lunchbox leftovers. Kids like it chopped up a bit and stirred through pasta too. Serve with a green salad and you will definitely need bread to help clean your plates.

You can assemble the dish up to a day in advance and bake for 40 to 45 minutes when ready to serve.

Wine Suggestion: this is a robust dish and needs an equally robust and fresh red wine to match. Our choice tonight was made by an old friend Laura, the Gianni Brunelli Rosso di Montalcino; fresh youthful and elegant and yet with a powerful backbone.

Parmigiana di Melanzane e Peperoni con Prosciutto di Parma – serves 6

  • 4 red peppers
  • 2 aubergines
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot, peeled
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1½ x 700g jars passata or sugocasa
  • 3 tbsp fresh chopped herbs including parsley, tarragon and chives if possible
  • 2 good handfuls of basil leaves, torn
  • 140g prosciutto
  • 140g Parmesan
  • 3 x 100g balls mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan 180C.

Put the peppers onto a baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes or until the skins are soft and blackened in places.

Trim the ends of the aubergines and slice them lengthways into 1cm thick slices. Put the aubergines in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Put a saucer on top and weight down with a tin of tomatoes (or something similar). Leave for about 20 minutes.

Remove the roasted peppers from the oven and either put them into a bowl covered with cling film or into individual sealed sandwich bags to cool for 20 minutes or so.

To make the sauce, peel and chop the onion and roughly chop the carrot and celery stick. Whizz these in a food processor until finely chopped. Crush the garlic on a board with some salt.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the carrot and celery mixture for a few minutes or until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the passata. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes until thickened. Stir in the chopped herbs and basil leaves. Season to taste and set aside.

Brush the aubergine slices with the rest of the oil and cook in batches on a griddle pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until softened and browned (you can cook under a grill if you haven’t got a griddle pan).

Lay all of the slices of prosciutto together on a board, then slice finely. Finely grate the parmesan and slice each mozzarella ball into 6.

When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the stalks and seeds. The blackened skins should also peel off easily. Slice the peppers into rough strips

To assemble the dish begin by spreading a layer of sauce over the base of a large casserole dish or roasting tin. Layer half the aubergines, a third of the mozzarella and a third of the prosciutto on top. Follow this with another third of the mozzarella, a third of the grated Parmesan and prosciutto and another handful of basil leaves.

Spoon over half of the remaining tomato sauce and top with all of the peppers. Layer over the rest of the mozzarella, prosciutto, aubergine and another third of the Parmesan.

Finally spoon over the rest of the sauce and finish with the remaining Parmesan and a drizzle of oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until browned and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

(Original recipe by Valentina Harris in BBC Good Food Magazine, January 2001.)

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