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Pasta Alla Trapanese

Apr 7

Posted by admin in italian, pasta, the recipes, vegetarian | No Comments

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There are tons of versions of this out there.  The only thing I can add to this is that it’s my version and I hope you like it.

  • 250g baby plum tomatoes
  • 1 large fresh chill, deseeded
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 handful of fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup of almonds (skins on)
  • 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • black pepper to season
  • 400g penne

Cook the pasta to packet instructions.  In the meantime add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend well.  Once the pasta is ready and drained. Mix the pesto into the still hot pasta.

Source: Adapted from a number of sources
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Course: Main
Preparation: 25minutes

Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (2 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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Courgette and Greek Yogurt Pasta

Mar 17

Posted by admin in pasta, the recipes, vegetarian | No Comments

Courgette and Greek Yogurt Pasta

  • 450g fusilli or penne pasta
  • 4 medium courgettes (about 680g), coarsely shredded
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 230ml Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente (about 1 minute before the pasta is done), add the shredded courgette to the pot. Drain the pasta and courgette, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, melt the butter. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Greek yogurt and the 1 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and season the yogurt sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Add the pasta, courgette and reserved pasta water (before adding the water, there may already be too much excess water from the drained  courgettes, so judge before adding more water) to the saucepan and cook over low heat, tossing, until the sauce coats the pasta; transfer to warmed plates and serve with the extra cheese.

Source: Adapted from a Food & Wine recipe Farfalle with Yogurt and Zucchini
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Course: Main
Preparation: 25minutes

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Tomato and Sausage Risotto

Mar 6

Posted by admin in italian, pork, rice, the recipes | No Comments

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“A combination of Sausage, Spinach and creamy tomato, makes this a risotto with a difference”

  • 1 can (28 ounces) (polpa) diced tomatoes in juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 400g chipolata sausage, casings removed
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf spinach (10 to 14 ounces), washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 7 cups)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons butter

In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon (we didn’t break it up, but chopped it into pieces), until sausage is opaque and onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.
Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid).
Remove pan from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and butter; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools), and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Course: Main
Preparation: TBA

Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Pasta Soup with Peas

Jan 6

Posted by admin in italian, pasta, pork, soup, the recipes | No Comments

Pasta Soup with Peas

aka: Pasta e Piselli

This hearty soup is so quick and simple to make that it becomes addictive.

  • 90 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 25g butter
  • 1 small white onion, finely chopped
  • 70g pancetta, cut into small strips (we used a pack of cubetti)
  • 400g fresh or frozen peas
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 litre water or broth (we used chicken stock)
  • 200g tubetti, ditalini or broken spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 80g freshly grated parmesan

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan or stockpot over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and pancetta and sauté for about 6-8 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the onion is soft. Add the peas, then season with a little salt and pepper and stir for a couple of minutes to allow the peas to absorb the flavours.

Add 1 litre of water or broth, bring to the boil and cook the peas for ten minutes (5 minutes if using frozen peas). Add the pasta and cook for the time indicated on the packet, stirring often with a wooden spoon.

When the pasta is ready, stir in the parsley and serve immediately with the parmesan.

Source: The Art of Pasta by Lucio Galletto and David Dale
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Course: Starter or Main
Preparation: TBA

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Pan-Seared Chicken with Balsamic Cream Sauce, Mushrooms and Onions

Sep 20

Posted by admin in chicken, the recipes | No Comments

“This dish is actually quite easy to prepare, surprisingly low in carbs and utterly delicious.  Replacing the cream with Soya Cream we turned this into a new favourite”.

  • 1 1/2 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 of a Large Onion – Thinly sliced
  • 1 Package of Whole Chestnut Mushrooms – Halved
  • 1/2 Cup of Chicken Broth
  • 1 Cup Heavy Cream (or Alpro Soya Cream)
  • 5 Tbs. Butter – Divided
  • 1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper

Saute onions over medium heat in 2 Tbs of butter until they are nice and caramelized – About 15 Minutes. When they are a nice golden brown, remove from the heat and set aside

In a separate pan, heat the remaining 3 Tbs. of butter over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the pan. Brown on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside (Note – they will not be all the way cooked at this stage)

De-glaze the pan with the chicken stock. Use a rubber spatula to make sure you get all the chicken bits and butter off the pan. This helps to flavor your sauce

Add the heavy cream and the balsalmic vinegar and stir

Add mushrooms and a little S&P, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes

Add the chicken back to the pan, turn heat back up to medium and saute until the chicken is cooked all the way through. About 10-15 minutes

Remove chicken breasts from the pan and plate. Add the Parmesan and caramelized onions to the sauce and keep stirring until the cheese is completely melted in.

Cover the chicken breasts with the sauce and serve.

Source: peaceloveandlowcarb.blogspot.co.uk link
Servings/Yield: 2
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Course: Main
Preparation: Ready in around 30 minutes

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Game-Day Chili

Jun 30

Posted by admin in mexican, the recipes | No Comments

 

  • 1 pound ground beef chuck
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes with juice
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup beer
  • Juice of 1 fresh lime
  • 4 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Cook the beef in a large soup pot over medium heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spoon.

Add the onions, carrots, bell pepper, jalapeño peppers, and garlic to the pan and cook until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add diced tomatoes (with juice) and cook 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup water and beans, beer, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, about 40 minutes. If chili is too thick, add water to thin. Serve hot, with cilantro scattered on top (if using).

Source: mypanera.panerabread.com
Servings/Yield: 10
Difficulty: Easy
Course: Main
Preparation: Prep 15 minutes, Cook 60 minutes

Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Sausage penne with lemon, sage, and mushroom

May 13

Posted by admin in pasta, pork, the recipes | No Comments

“This was a great quick pasta, with great flavour, may be a little dry though for everyones liking”.

  • 350g penne
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 450g pork sausages
  • 500g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 15 sage leaves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp half fat creme fraiche
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 4 tbsp parmesan
Cook the pasta according to pack instructions, reserving a cup of the cooking water when you drain it.  meanwhile pour the oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat.
Squeeze the meat from the sausages straight into the pan breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon.  Fry for 8 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and golden, set aside on a plate.
Tip the mushrooms into the hot pan and fry for 5 minutes until golden.  Return the sausage meat to the pan, then add the pasta, a good splash of the reserved water, lemon zest and juice, sage, creme fraiche and mustard.
Stir everything together well, scraping up any tasty bits of sausage from the bottom of the pan.  Season and serve with a scattering of parmesan reggiano.
Source: Waitrose Magazine, January 2012
Servings/Yield: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Course: Main
Preparation: Ready in around 30 minutes
Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Courgette and Rice Flip Pie

Feb 24

Posted by admin in greek, rice, the recipes, vegetarian | No Comments

“This is based on an intriguing, delicious Greek dish that I came across in a battered old copy of Mediterranean Vegetable Cookery by Rena Salaman.  The rice steals the water from the grated courgettes and plumps up as the two cook together inside the pie.  It’s as tasty as it is cunning”.

  • 500g courgettes, coarsely grated
  • 75g long-grain white rice, uncooked
  • 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 75g hard goat’s cheese or mature cheddar, grated
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • A handful of dill, chopped
  • A good handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 250g ready-made filo pastry
  • 75g unsalted butter, melted
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 190˚C. Mix the courgettes, rice, onion, cheese, eggs, olive oil and chopped herbs together in a large bowl.  Season with plenty of salt and pepper.
Take a sheet of filo pastry, brush with a little melted butter and use it to line a smallish ovenproof dish, about 1.5 litre capacity, placing the pastry butter side down.  Let and excess hang over at the ends.  Add another buttered sheet on top and continue until you’ve used all but one sheet of the pastry.
Tip the filling into the pastry-lined dish.  Fold over the pastry ends to enclose the filling, dabbing with a little more melted butter to keep the pastry together.  Take the remaining sheet of pastry, crumple it lightly in your hands to give anicely textured finish and place on top of the pie, tucking in the edges around the sides.
Dab a little more butter over the surface and bake for 45 minutes until golden.  Serve hot or warm.
Source: River Cottage Veg
Servings/Yield: 4
Difficulty: Easy-Medium
Course: Main
Preparation: Ready in around an hour

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Mom’s Hockey Puck Meatloaf

Dec 20

Posted by admin in beef, british, the recipes | No Comments

“A greatly improved version of this timeless classic, I was surprised to find a meatloaf that was this good, and not as rich as the one I was used to.”

  • 1kg ground beef
  • 1 large red onion, chopped
  • 2 slices of bread, made into crumbs
  • 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 1 medium egg
  • 2 tbsp brown sauce
  • 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 50-100g parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 180˚C Mix all the ingredients together until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.  Add more breadcrumbs if you need them. Form the mixture into a loaf shape.
Place the mixture in an ovenproof dish or a loaf tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 50-60 minutes until the centre is firm.
Source: Hairy Bikers’ Best-Loved Recipes
Servings/Yield: 4-6
Difficulty: Easy
Course: Main
Preparation: Ready in around an hour twenty

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Broccolini with Pine Nuts & Butter Beans

Nov 10

Posted by admin in the recipes, vegetarian | No Comments

“Arguably a side dish as much as a main meal, this is a great treat regardless of the quantity”

  • 200g broccolini, chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 can butter beans, drained (drained weight 235g)
  • 20g pine nuts
  • 4-6 tbsp single cream
  • 2 large handfuls parmesan, finely grated
Steam broccolini for 5-7 minutes until tender. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, fry the butter beans for a few minutes until browned.  Add the pine nuts and fry until lightly browned, remove from the heat and stir in the cream.  Toss the broccolini with the beans and add the parmesan, season well.
Source: Stonesoup.com – 5 Ingredient Recipes
Servings/Yield: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Course: Main/Side
Preparation: Ready in 10 minutes

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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