Risoni Salad

A lovely, light tasting side salad. Try it for something a little different.

*Taken from Murdoch Books, 'Australian Family Favourites', pg 152, published 2007*

Ingredients
200g (1 cup) risoni
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
40g baby rocket leaves
1 1/2 tbs shredded basil leaves
1/2 small red onion, finely sliced

Method
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the risoni and cook for about 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain, rinse under cold water, then drain again. Put the risoni in a large bowl with the oil, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, rocket, basil and onion. Mix well, season to taste and refridgerate until ready to serve.

Serves 4 as a Side Salad

Lasagna

If you are anything like me you always say that your own mother's or Grandmother's lasagna recipe is the best. But I have found and made a recipe that did beat my mother's lasagna. It is so delicious, full of flavour, not too cheesy, not unlike something you would order at an Italian Restaurant. True. Try it...

I actually added a teaspoon of beef stock to the simmering meat sauce. I also added the tomato paste to the browning mince to intensify the flavour...

*Taken from Murdoch Books 'Australian Family Favourites', published 2007*

Ingredients
-for meat sauce-
1 tbs olive oil
750g minced meat
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1-2 tsp sugar

-for the bechamel sauce-
60g butter
3 tbs plain flour
750ml (3 cups) milk

375g fresh lasagna sheets
125g (1 cup) grated cheddar cheese

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan and brown the meat in batches. Remove from the pan. Add the remaining oil and cook the onion and celery until soft. Return the meat to the pan and add all other ingredients. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the flour and Cook for 1 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat and stir constantly until the sauce boils and thickens. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

Lightly brush a 2.5 litre (10 cup) ovenproof dish with oil. Spoon one-third of the meat sauce into the dish. Top with a single layer of the lasagna sheets, then spoon on one-third of the bechamel sauce. Repeat layering twice more, and top with the cheddar cheese.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until golden and heated through.

Serves 6

Spaghetti Bolognese

I have only ever made up my own bolognese sauce, I have never followed a 'proper' recipe. Traditional sauce for spaghetti is actually meant to take a while to 'brew' away, which I didn't realise. This recipe simmers away for 1 and a half hours. Nice. And the result was delicious. This recipe calls for red wine, which I didn't add. Instead I increased the amount of beef stock.

*Taken from Murdoch Books 'Australian Family Favourites' published 2007*

Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
500g lean minced beef
500ml (2 cups) beef stock
375ml (1 1/2 cups) red wine
850g tinned chopped tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
3 tbs finely chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
500g spaghetti
grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Method
Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the garlic, onion, carrot and celery and stir over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Increase the heat, then add the beef. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps. Add the stock, wine, tomatoes, sugar and parsley. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Season.

Just before serving, cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and serve with the meat sauce and the Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4-6

Spaghetti Nicoise

Surprisingly, this was rather delicious! And very, very tasty...

*Taken from Murdoch Book's 'Fast Food'*

Ingredients

350 g spaghetti (I used angel hair spaghetti)

4 eggs

3 x 185 g cans tuna in oil

1/3 cup (50g) pitted and halved Kalamata olives

100g semi-sundried tomatoes, halved lengthways

4 anchovy fillets, chopped into small pieces

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

2 tbs lemon juice

3 tbs baby capers, drained

3 tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, place the eggs in a saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, then cool under cold water then peel. Cut the eggs into quarters.

Empty the tuna and its oil into a large bowl. Add the olives, tomato halves, anchovies, lemon rind and juice, capers and 2 tbs of the parsley. Drain the pasta and rinse in a little cold water, then toss gently through the tuna mixture. Divide among serving bowls, garnish with egg and the remaining chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Serves 4-6

Jool's favourite Saturday Afternoon Pasta

This was a pretty tasty and easy pasta recipe. I love recipes that you don't have to go out and buy ingredients for, so this recipe was right up my alley! It had a bit of a bite to it but that was good! This recipe says it serves 4, but I halved everything and I still had heaps...

*Taken from Jamie Oliver's 'Cook With Jamie'*

Ingredients
Olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 level tsp ground cinnamon
a bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks chopped
2 x 400g tins good-quality plum (Roma) tomatoes
2 x 300g jars good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
500g good-quality rigatoni or penne
zest and juice of 1-2 lemons
a small handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

method
Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook the onion, chilli, cinnamon and basil stalks on a medium to low heat for 5 minutes until the onion has softened and is slightly sweet. Turn up the head and add your tomatoes, tuna and a good pinch of salt. Break the tomatoes up using the back of a spoon, then bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. When al dente, drain the pasta in a colander, reserving some of the coking water. Toss the pasta into the tuna and tomato sauce with the roughly torn basil leaves, a glug of olive oil, the lemon zest and juice and Parmesan and mix well together. Loosen the pasta with a little of the reserved cooking water if needed. Check the seasoning and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Pasta Shells with Ricotta, Tomato & Basil

As fiddly as these were to make they were delicious. Truly delicious. They were meant to be made using Conchiglies (large pasta shells - you know those huge ones??) Well, I couldn't find any so I just used normal large size pasta shells that you can pick up in any supermarket.

These can be served at room temperature or you can heat them in the oven and serve hot with grated Parmesan on top. This is what I did. I put cheese on top then popped them into a hot oven for about 8 minutes in individual bowls for both Lyndon and I. Yummo!!!!

*Taken from 'Allegro Al Dente - Pasta & Opera'*

Ingredients

6 ripe tomatoes (I used Roma/Plum)

2 tbs olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

salt to taste

1 tsp sugar

300g (10 oz) fresh ricotta (I used 200g)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 conchiglie (large pasta shells)

Fresh basil leaves

Method

Dunk tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds, then peel off skin, cut in half, squeeze to remove seeds and chop remaining flesh. Heat olive oil, add tomatoes, garlic, salt and sugar and cook until tomatoes are soft and sweet.

Beat ricotta with a wooden spoon until light, adding salt and pepper as you go.

Cook pasta shells in plenty of salted, boiling water until al dente. Do not overcook or they will tear easily when stuffed. Drain pasta, tuck a basil leaf into each shell, and half fill with ricotta. Top with a spoonful of tomato sauce.

Serves 4

As I used smaller pasta shells I found it easier to put the ricotta into them via the use of a piping bag.)

La Pappa Per Il Bebe

A simple sauce for the baby

I made this very simple pasta sauce for Monet last night. It took her some convincing to eat (she is very fussy!) but it was honestly delicious. I served it over dinosuar shaped pasta and topped with a little fresh grated cheese... Unfortunately, I didn't get to take a photo!

*Taken from the cookbook 'Allegro Al Dente - Pasta & Opera'*

Ingredients
3 ripe tomatoes
2 tbs water
1 tsp butter
1 basil leaf

Method
Dunk the tomatoes into boiling water for a few seconds, then peel off skin. Cut in half, squeeze out the seeds and chop remaining flesh to a pulp.

Combine the pulp in a small pot with water, butter and basil leaf and cook very, very gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cooked pasta, heat through and serve.

Serves 1 toddler.

Spaghetti with Red Onions, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Balsamic Vinegar and Basil

Oh my this was delicious. Really delicious. So delicious Lyndon even ate it cold. I did add bacon to the basic recipe but I am sure it would have been just as tasty without it.

*Taken from Jamie Oliver's 'Return of the Naked Chef'*

Ingredients

455g/1 lb dried spaghetti

1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped

olive oil

3 bacon rashes, finely chopped (optional)

2 handfuls of semi sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped

3 tbs balsamic vinegar (I used 2)

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 handfuls of basil, torn (I used 1 big handful)

1 small handful of Parmesan or pecorino, grated

Method

While cooking the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente, slowly fry the onion (and bacon) in a couple of lugs of olive oil for 5 minutes until soft and tender. Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar and throw in your drained pasta. Season and toss together with the basil. Serve with grated Parmesan or pecornio.

Serves 4

Pasta with Creamy Cabonara Sauce

I have made this recipe so many times, I have lost count. I first got my hands on this recipe via Lyndon's mother. I am unsure where she got this recipe from but let me tell you that it is very cheap and very easy to make. I love that. I used Lasagnette pasta, but usually use fettuccine...

Ingredients
2 tbs butter
1 onion, finely chopped
3 rashes bacon, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
300 mls pouring cream
3 tbs finely grated Parmesan
500g pasta, cooked

Method
Melt butter in a non-stick frying pan. Add onion and bacon and cook until onion is soft and bacon is cooked. Remove from heat. Beat together the egg, cream and Parmesan.

Drain cooked pasta and place into pan with the onion and bacon. Add the egg mixture. Gently toss pasta and sauce together over a low heat for 5 minutes, or until sauce is just thickening. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Sicilian Spaghetti Al'olio

A different way to serve spaghetti, that's for sure. It was rather tasty and very easy. Both Lyndon and Monet liked it.

*Taken from Karen Martini's 'Where The Heart Is'*

Ingredients
500g fresh spaghetti (I used dried)
1/2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, very finely sliced
2 small red chillies, very finely sliced
2 handfuls spinach, chopped
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, torn
1 lemon, juiced and zested
salt flakes and freshly ground pepper
10 thin slices sourdough baguette, fried in oil until crisp and seasoned, then pulsed in a food processor until crumbled
Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (I used Parmesan)

Method
Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.

Heat half the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and chilli and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add spinach, parsley and lemon zest and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. Add pasta to frying pan with lemon juice and remaining oil. Add sourdough crumbs and toss to combine. Check seasoning. Serve immediately with the parmigiano reggiano.

Serves 4

Angel-Hair Pasta with Butter, Soft Goat's Curd, Chervil and Chives

To begin with I have to say that I could not find any fresh Chervil ANYWHERE so substituted chervil for fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley. After all, Chervil is a French Parsley so I figured Italian was just as good, yes? And goat's curd? Well, I'm pretty sure the marinated fetta I bought wasn't goat's but it was absolutely delicious.... A very quick and easy dinner!

*Taken from Karen Martini's 'Where The Heart Is'*

Ingredients
150g unsalted butter
500g fresh angel-hair pasta (I used dried angel-hair spaghetti)
1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
3/4 cup chervil, coarsely chopped
150g fresh soft goats curd or marinated soft goats fetta, crumbled
salt flakes and freshly ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
shaved Parmesan (optional) to serve

Method
Cut butter into small cubes and set aside at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until al dente. Drain, then add butter and toss to combine. Stir through chives, chervil and goat's cheese. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately, scattered with Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 4