Classic Italian
Spelt Risotto with Mushrooms
Ingredients(serves 2-4) 1 onion finely diced ½ leek finely sliced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 200g spelt soaked for 1 hour or overnight drained 12 button mushrooms roughly, chopped 4 large swiss brown mushrooms, roughly chopped 10g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked 100g diced pancetta 100ml white wine or red wine 2 bay leaves A good handful baby spinach 4 sprigs fresh thyme 1L chicken or vegetable stock, hot 25g butter â…“ bunch chopped parsley 50g parmesan grated Olive oil 2 poached eggs for garnishing Finely sliced pancetta for garnish 1 lemon MethodIn a large saucepan, heat a little olive oil and add the pancetta, onion, leek and garlic and sauté until soft. Add the spelt and bay leaves, fresh thyme and stir, then add the wine and allow to reduce, then add the stock and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the spinach and allow to wilt. Add the grated parmesan, butter and season with salt and pepper. Finish with chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with a poached egg, shaved parmesan and crisp pancetta slices. For the crisp pancetta, place on a lined baking tray and place in the oven at 180°C until crisp.
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Pizza Pie
IngredientsPizza Filling 150-200 hot sopressa cut into chunks 250g button mushrooms cut into chunks 1 onion sliced 1 large red capsicum, sliced 1 can chopped tomatoes 1 can artichoke hearts chopped 100g pitted olives Few sprigs of fresh marjoram picked A few sprigs of fresh thyme picked 2 tbsp capers Salt and pepper to taste 100-150g bocconcini balls broken into chunks Pizza Dough 250g flour 7g dried yeast 150-180ml warm water 7g salt MethodPizza FillingPlace a little olive oil in pan and sauté the onion and capsicum until soft. Add the sopressa, mushrooms and herbs. Add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients except the bocconcini. Season to taste. Pile into the centre of the pie dish lined with pizza dough, and dot in the bocconcini and then pull the overlapping dough towards the centre. Bake in a hot oven until golden.Pizza DoughCombine together all ingredients and knead until a nice smooth ball. Cover in bowl and allow to double in size. Roll out to fit a 25cm pie dish with enough dough to over lap the sides.
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Tomato Goats Cheese Tart
Ingredients 1 x 25cm pie dish Pastry Pinch of salt 140g softened unsalted butter 40ml soda water 180g flour Filling 3 eggs 300ml cream 200g soft goats cheese (curd) Salt and pepper to taste 1 spring onion sliced 4 tbsp chopped parsley For the Tomatoes 8 medium tomatoes cut in half Brown sugar Salt and pepper Balsamic vinegar Pomegranate molasses Chilli flakes 6 shallots cut in half Olive oil To Garnish 20g toasted pine nuts 60g soft goats cheese Basil leaves Parsley/Basil to drizzle MethodPastryRub the butter into the flour add the salt and add the soda water. Roll into a ball and wrap and chill until firm. Roll out to about 2-3mm thick. Chill, and blind bake at 180°C until golden.FillingCombine together the filling ingredients and pour into the pre-baked pie base. Bake 15-20mins until set.For the TomatoesArrange the shallots and tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle a little oil, vinegar and pomegranate molasses over the tomatoes. Season with chilli flakes, salt and pepper and sprinkle with brown sugar. Roast in a hot oven until starting to colour.To ServeArrange the tomatoes and shallots over the pie. Scatter with toasted pines nuts, torn basil, dollops of goats cheese and a drizzle of parsley or basil oil.
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Spaghetti & Meatballs
Ingredients(serves 8-10) 750g veal mince 750g pork mince 2 x 1cm slices sour dough bread, crusts removed, soaked in milk to soften 10g fennel seeds crushed in a mortar & pestle 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1/3 bunch flat leaf parsley chopped 3 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped 5g chilli flakes 2 tsp dried oregano Salt & pepper 2 eggs MethodCombine all ingredients together and mix well. Roll into balls and cook in a frypan with a little oil until browned. Set aside. In a large saucepan, heat a little oil, and add 1 onion finely diced, 3 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 red chilli and 4 stalks of basil and sauté until the onion is soft. Add 3-4 cans of diced tomatoes and season with salt (or use fresh tomatoes diced if in season). Add the meatballs and simmer until the sauce reduces a little. Season to taste. Serve on cooked spaghetti, with fresh basil and grated parmesan, and a drizzle of good olive oil.
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Oven Baked Tagliatelle
Ingredients (serves 6-8) For the Pasta Sauce 375g tagliatelle, cooked & drained 1kg beef mince 3 cloves of garlic, peeled & finely diced 2 tins chopped tomatoes 200g button mushrooms, sliced 4 rashes bacon, sliced 2 large tomatoes finely diced 2 sticks of celery, finely diced 2 onions, finely diced 1 tbsp tomato paste 1 chilli, finely sliced 400ml water 1 tsp dried oregano 8 sprigs fresh thyme 2 sprigs rosemary 3 fresh bay leaves Mozzarella, grated Parmesan cheese, grated Sea salt & black pepper to taste Olive oil 100ml cream For the White Sauce 300g milk 30g plain flour 30g butter 40g parmesan cheese, grated Nutmeg to taste Salt & pepper 1 bay leaf MethodFor the Pasta SauceAdd a little oil to a deep frypan & sauté the garlic, celery, onion & chilli until soft. Add the bacon & fry for a few minutes. Add the beef mince & stir while it browns. Add the tomato paste, herbs & tinned tomatoes, water & season with salt & pepper. Add the mushrooms & allow to simmer for about 1 hour. Add the chopped tomatoes & cook for a few more minutes. For the White SauceMelt the butter & add the flour & cook for a minute. Slowly add the milk & whisk continuously so no lumps form. Add the bay leaf & allow to simmer for about 10 minutes until the flour has cooked out. Add the nutmeg, parmesan & salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.To AssembleIn a large baker add 1kg of the sauce, pasta, 100ml cream and 200g white sauce & combine together. Top with grated mozzarella & parmesan & bake at a high heat until browned. Enjoy with a fresh green salad and crusty bread.
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Potato & Cheese Pizza
Ingredients (makes 8 pizzas) 1x400g tub bocconcini 300g smoked cheese, grated 3 potatoes, very finely sliced 100g speck, finely sliced 4 sprigs rosemary, chopped ½ bunch thyme 100g unsalted butter, clarified 1 small garlic clove Olive oil ½ bunch spinach ¼ bunch parsley Salt & pepper 2 onions, sliced For the Dough 10g dry yeast 750g 00 flour 10g salt 500-600ml warm water MethodFor the DoughCombine together all ingredients & knead until a nice smooth ball. Cover in bowl and allow to double in size. Divide into 8 portions and roll out into thin rounds.Blanch the spinach & parsley quickly in boiling water, drain & squeeze out excess water. Puree in a Vitamix/food processor with salt to taste & add enough clarified butter to puree the mix. Set aside. Sauté the onion until caramelised and set aside. Toss the potato slices with a little olive oil, salt, pepper & a little fresh thyme & cover & place in the microwave & cook for about 2-3 mins to soften slightly. Chop the rosemary & thyme add the clove of crushed garlic & mix with enough olive oil to make a drizzling oil. Season with salt & set aside. On each pizza base spread a layer of the spinach sauce. Sprinkle over smoked cheese. Layer the sliced potato & then dot over broken bocconcini balls. Place a few thin pieces of speck over the top & cook in the pizza oven until golden & the base is cooked. Drizzle herb oil & sprinkle with caramelised onion. Sprinkle chilli flakes if you like it spicy, or a little squeeze of lemon if desired. Serve hot.
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Lamb Salad
Ingredients Salad BBQ lamb, sliced (see pizza recipe) 1 red onion, sliced 2 tomatoes, sliced in rounds ¼ bunch parsley, leaves picked ½ bunch mint, leaves picked 2 radishedrocket ¼ iceberg lettuce, roughly chopped 1 witlof 50g kalamata olives 1 cucumber peeled & sliced 1 celery heart, leaves picked & chopped 1 tin chickpeas rinsed 1 red capsicum sliced Dressing 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp dried Greek oregano 3 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp chopped parsley 3 tbsp olive oil Pepper & sea salt MethodUse the Veggie Twister slicing blade to cut radish. Place salad ingredients in a mixing bowl & gently toss with the dressing. Arrange in a bowl with slices of lamb.DressingCombine all ingredients in a shaker and pour over salad.
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Homemade Pasta
Ingredients 200g ‘00’ pasta flour 1 egg 1 egg yolk Pinch of salt Water MethodPlace the flour on your work surface & make a well in the centre. Add the salt, egg & egg yolk & add a little water. Mix together to form a dough & knead for a few minutes until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap & chill for half an hour. Cut the dough into 2 pieces & flatten it with your hands. Dust with flour & using a pasta machine roll out until smooth, beginning on the widest notch progressing down to the finest notch. As the pasta sheets increase in length you will need to cut the lengths to make them more manageable. Use enough flour on the pasta so that it does not stick as you roll it out.
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Pizza Wheels
Ingredients (makes 22-24)For the Dough 20g dry yeast 750g flour 20g salt Warm water For the Filling 150-200 hot sopressa cut into chunks 250g button mushrooms cut into chunks 1 onion sliced 1 large red capsicum, sliced 1 can chopped tomatoes 100g pitted olives roughly chopped ½ bunch fresh oregano roughly chopped 2 tbsp capers Salt and pepper to taste 100-150g bocconcini Method For the Dough Combine together all ingredients and knead until a nice smooth ball. Cover in bowl and allow to double in size. Roll out to a large rectangle and top with filling and dot over the broken bocconcini. Roll into a scroll and cut into 1 inch slices. Arrange into an oiled shallow cast iron pan and place in a hot oven at 180 and bake until golden (about 30-40 minutes) For the Filling Place a little olive oil in pan and sauté the onion and capsicum until soft. Add the sopressa, mushrooms and herbs. Add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients except the bocconcini. Season to taste.
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Olive Bread
Ingredients 500g flour 10g dried yeast Pinch salt 300ml warm water 1 tsp cumin seeds crushed 1 onion sliced 4 tbsp parsley/coriander, chopped ½ tsp paprika 1 green chilli finely sliced Spring onion Salt and pepper 130g pitted green olives, sliced MethodHeat a little oil in a pan and sauté the onion until soft. Add the paprika, cumin spring onion, parsley, salt, pepper, green olives and chilli and set aside to cool. Combine the flour, yeast, water, pinch of salt to form soft dough. Cover and allow to prove until doubled in volume. Form into 8-10 balls. Make a small hole in the bottom of the ball and stuff with a teaspoon of the olive mix. Roll into round discs and bake in a hot oven for about 15mins or on a pizza stone. Serve with Moroccan turkey meatball tagine.
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