Pesto Sauce (Basil)

This has got to be my favourite Italian sauce. It's fresh (meaning no cooking involved!), ultra tasty and super easy to make!

The mix of flavours bursting with every bite from the earthiness of basil, nutty flavour of pine nuts, and the vintage appeal of parmegiano. And who can miss the kick of garlic! Such simple ingredients to make this most satisfying sauce.

Another great thing about pesto is that it can be stored so easily and used in numerous ways.

Of course the most traditional (and my favourite) is with pasta.

You can also use it with chicken, fish, potatoes, stuffings....the options are endless.

I've made pesto a few times and this has to be my best yet.

1 large handful of fresh basil leaves

1 cup parmigiano reggiano (freshly grated)

1/2 cup pine nuts (lightly toasted)

1 clove of garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients together all at once, slowly adding the olive oil in last (mix in less or more as you can choose the consistency you prefer)

I usually mix my pesto up in a food processor but if you have a pestle and mortar go for it! :)

Yummm! Enjoy, however you decide to serve it up!

Homemade Pasta

I have been meaning to make homemade pasta for a very long time. I don't know why I've left it so long since I am obsessed with pasta. I even got a pasta machine for Christmas 2010!

I guess this just goes to show how time really can pass us by. So no more stalling! I made my first small batch of homemade pasta (fettuccine noodles to be exact) this week. After a bit of struggling with stickiness, breakage, re-kneading and re-rolling, I must say I am quite impressed with my homemade pasta

The homemade pasta recipe is very simple. It will take some practice to get to know the consistency you want but after using the pasta machine this understanding should come quite quickly


500g (1lb) flour *
5 eggs

* I used sifted all purpose flour since that is all I had in my cupboard, but I've read that using semolina or extra fine flour such as 00 works best. 00 flour is also lower in gluten than all purpose

Instruction:
- Place the flour on a clean counter top or bowl. Make a well in the center and break the eggs into the well. Using a fork, beat the eggs, gradually pulling in the flour until the dough begins to form a homogeneous mass.
- Dust the work surface with flour and begin kneading the pasta dough.
If the dough is too dry or crumbly, drizzle with a little room temperature water. When the right texture has been reached, form a ball and wrap in plastic and place to rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes
- Roll out the dough using a roller pasta machine (as per the machine's instructions). Keep the dough dusted lightly with flour at all times to prevent from sticking. Fold up and roll a second time and put through the roller again a couple times until it becomes smooth. Continue to roll each sheet, gradually decreasing the setting until you've reach the desired thickness.
- To make ribbon noodles there are a couple ways to do this; roll up the sheet like a jelly-roll, and slice to desired width to make noodles, or use the cutter attachment of your pasta machine. If you use the machine make sure the sheets have enough flour dusting otherwise you could have a sticky situation

Fresh pasta only needs about 2-5 minutes, depending on thickness, of cooking in vigorously boiling salted water

Coat your homemade pasta with your favourite pasta sauce. One of my favourites is Fettuccine Alfredo

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Sage Manicotti with Roasted Red Pepper Bechamel

I have been been having a tough time getting back into the kitchen since our big move last year. All the stress I guess? But I certainly can feel it all coming back! :)
I made this dish yesterday for a dinner party. I was so excited to have my 'mojo' back in the kitchen I started doing a happy dance and sliding back and forth along the floors 'Risky Business' style. ha! No joke!

My plan was to make a Roasted Butternut and Red Pepper Manicotti with Bechamel sauce (still a delicious idea), but along the way I thought why not added the red pepper to the bechamel!? Don't you just love it when that happens? You have a clear plan in mind and half way through there's a new spin to the dish you're creating. This is one of my favourite thing about cooking; there are no rules and many suprises!

Spinach Fettuccine with Pesto and sautéed mushrooms

It's simple, it's fast, it's tasty. What more can you ask for?

If you want to make a simple pasta dish but with a different twist than the usual, go for spinach pasta! I love spinach pasta. Not only does it give a pasta dish a lovely depth but the colour is also so appetizing.

This is a 10 minute dish! Yup, you heard me right, 10 MINUTES!
You will need:

1 packet of fresh spinach fettuccine
As much pesto as you like (I put about 3 large spoonfuls)
2 handfuls of button mushrooms, halved
1/2 tbsp each of olive oil and butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Put a large pot of water on to boil and heat a large skillet on medium-high heat
2. If you haven't got pesto already prepared this is the time to make it (view link for pesto above). Fastest method is just throw it into the food processor (as opposed to mortar and pestle)
3. Melt the butter with olive oil in the skillet, then place in mushrooms and sauté until starting to brown (3-4 minutes). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté for another minute or so
4. The water is probably boiling by now. Cook pasta as per instructions
5. Combine pesto with pasta and plate it topped with the mushrooms

TIP (Sautéing mushrooms): Using a large pan for the mushrooms is important because the mushrooms must be place in a single layer, otherwise they will release juices and steam instead of getting nice and brown.

TIP (Sauce stick to pasta): To make sauce stick to the pasta always keep a little bit of the pasta water with the pasta

It's been way too long since I've submitted anything to Presto Pasta Nights. I've missed it so much! So here I go.....my entry for the next Presto Pasta Nights hosted by Claire at Chez Cayenne

Homemade Pizza

We went to some friends for dinner and hockey night a week ago. We were treated with homemade pizza! We love pizza! It's probably our favourite "treat" meal. They even had a stone slate! I have to get one!!!
But get this... I have never made homemade pizza! I've made pizza from bread bases (ie Ciabatta Pizza), but never made the dough from scratch. I know, shocker right?

We usually buy the Dr Oetker Restaurante Pizza. It's the dish we usually have at the end of the week when I'm tired and just don't feel like cooking. But, uuuummm, hello!! why don't we have it on nights when I do feel like cooking and have homemade pizza?? Duh! I don't know where my foodie head has been floating off to in the past.
So this weekend I went for it. Wow! It was so quick and easy. It was actually quicker and easier than making the effort of getting my coat and shoes on, walking to the shop, waiting in line and buying a frozen pizza.

PIZZA DOUGH
1 (8g) package active dry yeast

• 1 cup warm water (cooler than bath water but warmer than room temperature)
• 2 cups all purpous flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar (optional, I read sugar makes the crust a bit puffier)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl mix water with yeast. let stand for about 10 min, then add olive oil

2. In a large bowl combine flour, salt and sugar

3. Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture, then pour in wet mixture. Stir together well until a dough forms. Cover with a cloth to let rise for about 30min, or until dough has doubled in size. Meanwhile heat the oven to 375 F (190 C, gas mark 5)

4. Roll dough out (or toss it in the air and pretend you're an Italian cooking in your own pizzeria, like I did) onto a floured surface until it's round and about 1-2 cm thick. Place on a pizza baking sheet (or stone slate if you're lucky enough to have one already)

5. Top with tomato sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice and bake in the oven for 20-25 min, until reached desired golden colour crust and top

I didn't have any tomatoes or sauce on hand but I had some sundried tomato alfredo sauce leftover. Why not eh? I made a sundried tomato alfredo pizza with mushrooms, spinach and mozzarella. Yum yum yum yum!!

Traditional Lasagne

This lasagne could not have turned out any better!! I mean just look at it! I used to make my lasagne with a topping of mozzarella thinking it would make the lasagne more cheesy and lovely and gooey than using a more traditional parmesan cheese topping. How wrong was I!??! The traditional done by the Italians should stay just how it is....duh, of course!

• 1 recipe of Bolognese sauce
• 1 recipe of Bechamel sauce
• 3 large sheets of Fresh lasagne noodles (or 200g pre-cooked lasagne noodles)
• 3/4 cup (70g) freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:
- Turn oven on to gas mark 6 (400 F)
- Prepare lasagna sheets as per package instructions (if using pre-cooked kind). After they've soaked dry them on a kitchen towel, pat them dry on each side
- Start the lasagna with a layer of the noodle sheet(s) on the bottom of your baking dish, now a layer of 1/3 of the bolognese sauce, then a layer of 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Repeat layers, finishing with the bechamel sauce. Top with the parmesan cheese
- Bake in the centre of the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 15 minutes before serving

Enjoy alone or with a side of caesar salad and some garlic bread.
This lasagne got me plenty of "mmmmmmm's", so the recipe will definitely be a keeper and repeated and repeated and repeated.....yumm!

The Real Deal of Italian Cooking

I have just discovered a most amazing website for all us food and cooking lovers. Especially for Italian food and cooking lovers, of which I am definitely one! If past lives do exist I think I must have been Italian at once upon a time.

Anna Maria Volpi's website has great recipes, advice and wonderful stories explaining the truth behind Italian food. Did you know Alfredo sauce doesn't 'really' exist in Italy? Not the way we (other nations) know it anyway. The man 'Alfredo' does exist. He was from Rome and created a simple pasta dish to please his pregnant wife who had lost her appetite. The dish consisted of fettuccine noodles, parmesan and lots of butter. And this is how pasta alfredo came to be! However if you were to ask for it in any restaurant in Italy they wouldn't know what you are talking about. This is such a home cooking simple combination that Italians don't really consider it a dish. Who knew?!

You can read more on this story here.

Do you know what makes me think I was possibly an Italian in a past life? I have been making the real deal of Fettuccine Alfredo for years, probably since I was as young as 14 years old. I've never known anyone else who eats it, and had the same thought as the Italians, that it was a simple, home cooked, quick fix dish that wasn't necessarily worth mentioning. This just goes to show that no matter how simple and quick something is to make doesn't mean it can't be a most amazingly popular dish!

I am so please to have found this website. I really believe that knowing the origin of the dishes one prepares can make a huge difference in the outcome. Thank you Anna Maria!

Although making a dish as traditional as possible is a great thing, in the same breath, there is definitely nothing wrong to play with a recipe. On that note, please feel free to try my ultra creamy Alfredo sauce here.

Bruschetta

I know what you may be thinking.....Summer has come to an end (well, in London anyways) so what is this light summery dish doing popping up on my blog? Well, as I mentioned in my previous post, I had lost inspiration to cook....which for some could mean losing the will to live....I hope you know I'm kidding.

Also you may notice from my posts that season doesn't seem to affect what I feel like cooking. If I feel like making stew or dumplings in the middle of summer I must let it be. And if I feel like making bruschetta [pronounced - bru'sketta] come fall or winter, same rules (or not rules, really) apply! It's extremely difficult for me to ignore my cravings.

I'll get on with it now and tell you how I made this bruschetta.....well I wanted it to be simple and traditional with no modern flares, especially since I'd never made bruschetta before. I found a great recipe from a fellow food blogger Elise at Simply Recipes. Her recipe was just what I was looking for, sweet and simple and full of traditional flavour.

I made a couple changes however. We love garlic so I put a 1 small clove extra, and my boyfriend is not a huge fan of anything too vinegary so I put a tad less balsamic.

I prefer my bruschetta a bit chunky so I did the same as Elise and chopped my tomatoes by hand instead of using a food processor.

I will add a little suggestion that if you find the chopped tomatoes are too watery (even after you have removed all the juicy bits from the tomatoes), you can put them into a sieve for a minute.

This is a gorgeous snack. Or you can make it a meal like I have and serve it up with other bits and pieces. I made a side of sauteed parmesan prawns to go with it and it was a brilliant combination!

Tomato and Anchovy Linguini

This a very tasty pasta. Great for a light summer dinner and it is probably the simplest pasta I've made in a long time.

(Feed 2 people)

250g linguini

2 beef tomatoes - chopped

1 can (50g) anchovies - drained

3 garlic cloves - chopped

2 1/2 tbsp Olive oil

1/2 tsp sugar

pepper to taste

Instructions:

1/ Cook pasta as per instructions (make sure to add some salt to the water)

2/ In a pan cook garlic and anchovies with olive oil for a minute or so (do not allow garlic to brown). Add chopped tomatoes and sugar. Cook on medium heat until reduced to a sauce. Anchovies should be completely dissolved into the sauce. Add pepper to taste.

You could add some salt to the sauce if you feel the need but as anchovies are quite salty already you may not need to.

3/ Toss linguini in the pan with the sauce until all noodles are completely coated

I served with my homemade focaccia bread

This will be my entry for this week Presto Pasta Night round up, hosted this week by the founder herself, Ruth Daniels of Once Upon a Feast

Olive Focaccia

My first attempt at making bread and I have to say I am quite pleased.
I took some to my work office to share and get some more feedback. It was a hit!

I used a recipe from my Good Housekeeping Cookery book but somehow measured something wrong and it started off with way too much liquid for the amount of flour so I kept adding flour to balance it out and it turned out pretty darn good considering. So here is my recipe

1 sachet (7oz) of dried yeast

550g (20oz) strong plain white bread flour

325ml tepid warm water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp salt

100g black olives - sliced or roughly chopped

Instructions:

1/ Pour 150ml of the warm water into a jug and sprinkle dried yeast on top. Leave for 10 minutes until foamy

2/ Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the yeast liquid, olive oil and remaining warm water. Mix all together into a soft and smooth dough (add more flour if necessary)

3/ Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until dough becomes smoother and elasticated, then place dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise for about 1 1/2 hrs or until dough has doubled in size

4/ Lightly oil 2 shallow baking tins. Knock back the dough and knead on a lightly floured surface for 1 minute. Add the olives and knead again until evenly combined

5/ Divide th dough in half and shape each half into the oiled shallow baking tins. Coven with a damp towel and let rise for 30min-1hr, or until dough is puffy

6/ Using your fingertips, make dimples all over both dough surfaces. Drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt. Bake in the oven at 200 C (gas mark 6) for 25-30 minutes or until golden (but not too browned or it will harden)

7/ Transfer focaccia to a wire rack and sprinkle with a bit more olive oil. Leave to cool, with a cloth covering it if you prefer a softer crust

TIP: To make bread extra soft place an oven proof bowl full of water at the bottom of the oven while the bread is baking

Serve with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Enjoy!

Fettucini Alfredo with Pan Fried Scallops and Prawns

My boyfriend has gone away for a week and whenever he's away I take the opportunity to eat as much seafood as I can since he's not a big fan. I know...crazy right? But shellfish is not commonly used in the cuisine of many Eastern European countries of course (many land locked countries). However! it's only a matter of time before I eventually convert him, heh heh!


This seafood indulgence has to be one of my favourites. Mix a creamy sauce, pasta and shell fish and I am in heaven!!
Another reason this is such a treat for me is because scallops cost and arm and a leg here in the UK. I think it might even be the first time I've had them since living here....over 5 years is way too long!

(FEEDS 2 PEOPLE)
200g fresh fettucini noodles
4 large fresh trimmed scallops
8 raw large king prawns (shelled and devained)
1 cup double cream
1 spring onion (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (crushed)
4-5 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Couple pinches of nutmeg
1 cup parmesan shavings
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
ALFREDO SAUCE
- Melt butter in a saucepan, add 1/4 of the crushed garlic and the spring onion. Saute for a minute on a low-medium heat, but be careful not to allow the garlic to burn. Keep strring.
- Pour in the double cream and allow to bubble slightly. Once starting to bubble turn down the heat and add the parmesan and nutmeg. Stir until cheese has metled. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside

SHELLFISH & PASTA
- Cook pasta as per instructions (Tip: water boils faster if it's salted). When pasta is cooked drain but reserve a little bit of the pasta water

- Melt 3 tbsp butter with the remaining of the crushed garlic cloves
- Cut a semi deep slice down the back of each prawn (this will butterfly the prawns when they cook
- In a bowl mix the scallops and prawns with the melted garlic butter. Allow to sit for a few minutes
- Heat olive oil in a pan and add scallops. Cook for 4 minutes on each side.
- When scallops are about 2 minutes from being done add the prawns. Cook prawns until they are pink, turning them over as necessary

DISH UP
- Mix sauce with the pasta. If necessary, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the pasta and sauce a bit. Divide up onto 2 plates and top with scallops and prawns. Yummm!!!!

I am also sharing this dish with the week's round up of Presto Pasta Night, hosted by Kait of Pots and Plots. Check it out and I'm sure you won't be disappointed with all the lovely pasta dishes being shared.

Market Ravioli

I love borough Market in London. Going to a market is one of my favourite ways to spend an afternoon. I could spend hours looking at all the gorgeous and different types of foods and ingredients. From gourmet meats and fresh produce to quality Italian cheeses and spanish olive oils, there is so much to indulge!

My latest Borough Market treat was a very fresh pumpkin and goats cheese ravioli from La Tua Pasta.
I wanted to taste the pumpkin and goat cheese filling as much as possible so didn't want to cover the pasta with any sauces. Instead I just drizzled extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with some salt & pepper, crumble bacon, parmesan and fresh chopped basil. Very tasty!!

This will be my entry for this weeks Presto Pasta Night (#114) hosted by Kitchenetta of Got No Milk.
I don't send one in every week but I certainly keep my eye on weekly round-ups! Gives such inspiration. I love all the imagination everyone shares. It really is worth a peek!

Tasty Tasty Crab Pasta

I'm a lover of seafood! Especially shellfish. Mmmmm...yummy scallops, prawns, crab, the lot!..... Living in London can make this difficult because shellfish are all the most pricey. So having any of this for my meals is an extra super duper treat! What can I say? I can't help my expensive taste ;) 'tee hee'
I was brought up by the sea where we are spoiled for choice with affordable seafood of all kinds.


I realized recently that I haven't eaten crab lobster in ages! And how silly of me, canned crab is definitely affordable :) Does it have to be fresh to be good? Of course not. The canned crab tasted just as nice in the dish I made! Mmmmmm, Crab heaven! Or as my boyfriend would ironically say with his adorable accent 'CraP heaven' hahahaha...I don't think so!
His english is perfect but he really needs to work on his B's and P's. hahaha!


It's time for another Presto Pasta Night! I love reading the round-up every week. So many creative and delicious pasta dishes. Where will I ever find the time to try them all?
So this is my entry for the weeks Presto Pasta Night, which is being hosted this week by Ruth at Once Upon a Feast

This meal is so quick and easy to make. It will have to be one of my regulars from now on! How could I not have thought of it before!? I'm really happy about this one :)
This recipe was inspired by a really nice site I found called cdkitchen.com. I used the basic idea but adjusted a few measurements and added a few ingredients (lemon, chili, dill).

(Feeds 4 people)
350g fresh fusilli pasta
6 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup parmesan
2 x can (170g each) crab meat (drained and slightly chopped)
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried chili flakes
black pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Cook pasta as per instructions (adding salt to the water)
- In a pan saute garlic with butter. Do not allow the garlic to brown. Add milk, pepper and chili flakes. Heat until bubbling (about 3 min). Add parmesan, dill and lemon juice. Heat again for about 1-2 minute, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly, then stir in crab meat and heat for a further couple minutes.
- Stir pasta into the sauce in the pan

Any pasta would be fine with this dish however I find the fusilli noodle capture allot of the crab and saucy goodness between it's ridges :)


I sprinkled some chives on top as garnish. It also tastes nice with some extra parmesan sprinkled on top :)

Enjoy!

Presto Pasta Night 100 !!!

For those of you who don't know, I AM A PASTA ADDICT! You will discover after following my blog for a while (although I do try to give a variety of dishes for you all of course). I remember my parents telling me I'd turn into a noodle one day. Well, it hasn't happened yet but perhaps I wouldn't be surprised! haha!
I just wanted to let you all know the post for the 100th Presto Pasta Night is ready for your viewing here! So many delicious dishes. Add yours in any time if you'd like. It's done weekly, which I think is great not having to impatiently wait around too long to read everyones next recipes and ideas :)
Here's the info for this weeks Roundup

"Flavours of the Mediterranean" Pasta Bake

Olives, mushrooms, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, feta....doesn't this sound like a nice mix! My mouth is watering thinking about it.
This recipe of mine is tried and true. It's so easy and tasty. Great to make when you don't feel like making a huge effort with your meal but want impressive flavours.



I'm also sharing this with PRESTO PASTA NIGHTS and hope more of you can also join into this great pasta exeprience! Just click on the link to find out more.

250g conchiglie (small pasta shells)
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup (1 x 280g jar) artichokes antipasto (or marinated), chopped into bite size chunks. NOTE: Reserve the oil for flavouring other dishes in future! :)
1 cup (1 x 280g jar) sun-dried tomatoes antipasto (or marinated), chopped into bite size chunks. NOTE:  same as above; reserve the oil
2 1/2 cups button mushrooms (halved)
1 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3-4 large hand fulls of fresh baby leaf spinach
1 tbsp dried oregano
Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Cook pasta as per package instructions, and make sure to add a good amount of salt to the water
- Mix all ingredients together (including pasta, but only 3/4 of the feta) in an oven proof dish.
Make sure to mix spinach in while pasta is still quite warn so that it starts to slightly cook and wilt, and making it easier to stir it in
- Use some of the oil from the jarred sun dried tomatoes to mix into the pasta dish. This will add great flavour
- Add the oregano, salt and pepper
- Top with the remaining feta cheese
- Bake in oven at gas mark 5 (375 F) for 20-30 min, until feta starts to brown a little

It's Friday! 'Ciabatta Pizza'

My boyfriend and I love pizza. We categorize pizza as a treat so we usually end up having it on a Friday night while watching a good movie. This recipe is such a nice change from the common order in or frozen store bought pizza and SO SIMPLE to make!

The fun thing about making your own pizza is chosing yourself what toppings you mix and how much you want of each one. This was mine...



(Feeds 2 people)

1 large loaf of ciabatta bread
2 tbsp garlic butter
3 tbsp tomato sauce
3 tbsp red pesto (I used roasted red pepper pesto)
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 an orange pepper - chopped (I'm not a big fan of green)
1/4 small onion - chopped
1/2 smoked sausage - sliced very thin and cut quarterly
1 large mushroom (or 2 small) - halved and sliced

Instructions
- Cut ciabatta loaf in 2 even size pieces, then slice each open sideways (to make 4 open pieces)
- place ciabatta pieces in the warm-hot oven for about 10 min to toast them slightly
- Meanwhile mix tomato sauce and pesto together in a bowl and cut all your topping ingredients as mentioned above
- Spread 1/4 tbsp of garlic butter on each piece of ciabatta
- Spread tomato sauce mixture evenly on each piece of ciabatta
- Then sprinkle on half the mozzarella
- Evenly distribute your toppings on each ciabatta
- Finish it off by sprinkling the remaining mozzarella over top of each
- Place pizzas on a racked baking pan
- Cook in the oven at 400 F (gas mark 6) for approximately 15min or until top is starting to turn golden.
Keep an eye on it. If you noticed the top starts turning colour too soon turn the temperature down a bit (as all ovens vary)