Spaghetti ala Vongole

Ingredients

Spaghetti (2/3 of a pack for 2 people)

500g of Pipis (あさり). If frozen, allow to thaw fully and then place in a bowl and cover with water.

Olive oil

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1/2 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 

1 large tomato, finely chopped

1 sachet tomato paste (2 tbsp)

Large splash of white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Handful of chopped parsley

Method

Cook the pasta to al dente as per pack instructions.

While the pasta is cooking,, heat some oil in a deep frying pan and gently sauce the garlic and chilli for 1 minute. Then add the tomato and gently crush the tomato until it starts to look like a paste. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the pipis and a little of the water they've been sat in.

Cover and cook until the pipis open (fresh) or for 3 mins (if starting from frozen).

Then add the wine and stir to combine.

Drain the spaghetti and add it to the sauce along with the parsley. Stir to combine.

Serve with crusty bread.

Dumplings

Photo shows herb dumplings with Chicken Paprika Casserole

Ingredients

250g self-raising flour

140g cold salted butter, chopped into small cubes

Salt and pepper to taste 

150ml of cold water

 

Variations

Herb dumplings - add 1 tsp of herb(s) of your choice to the mix

Cheesy dumplinds - add a small nadfull of grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese to the mix

Method

Put the flour and butter into a bowl. With your fingers rub the flour and butter together until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.  Add the salt and papper (and any herbs or cheese) Slowly add the water, mixing gently with a spatula until you have a pliable dough.  You may not use all the water.

Divide the dough into pieces and roll into small balls - this recipe makes 8 or 9 balls.  Remember these will expand when cooked.

To cook, arrange the dumplings on top of a stew or casserole for the last 20 minutes of cooking time.  Allow space for the dumplings to expand.

Vegetarian Scotch Eggs

 

Ingredients

5 eggs;  4 for boiling, 1 for binding 

Olive oil 

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1 black cardamom

Salt

3/4 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup flour, plus a little more th coat the boiled eggs

A few sprigs of flat parsley (just the leaves), chopped

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus a little more tform the outer coating of the scotch eggs

2 tbsp sesame seeds

Canola or vegetable oil for deep frying 

 

 

Method 

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the eggs and boil for 8 minutes. Pour awy the hot water, cover with cold water until cool before peeling.

 

In a frying pan, dry roast the cumin, coriander and cardamon until the aromas are released, taking care not to burn (about 2 mins max). Remove the seeds into a grinder and zap until powdered.

 

Heat a frying pan and add a little olive oil. Fry the shallots and garlic over a medium/low heat until softened.. Add the spice mix and salt to taste. Cook for a further minute.

 

Return this mix to the grinder or a food processor.  Add the chickpeas and zap until you have a textured paste. Transfer to a bowl and add the parsley, flour, breadcrumbs and extra egg. Combine with a spatula, squashing any chickpeas that are stlll whole.

 

Take two trays and sprinkle some flour onto one and  breadcrumbs and sesame seeds on the other.  Roll the boiled eggs in the flour. Wet your hands, then take a quarter of the chickpea paste and flatten it on the palm of your hand.  Place an egg in the middle and then gently wrap the egg in the mixture, patting the mixture around the egg until it is completely covered and evenly coated. Then, roll in the breadcrumb mix to coat, pressing gently to ensure they stick. Repeat with the other eggs.  

 

Fill a saucepan with enough vegetable oil so that it will cover the eggs. Heat until the oil until you can add some breadcrumbs and they sizzle and rise to the surface. Using a slotted spoon slide in the eggs, cooking in 2 at a time so that the oil stays hot and the eggs don't stick to each other. Cook for 2-3 minutes, rolling the eggs gently to ensure they cook evenly. Remove from the pan and place on paper towel on a plate while you cook the other eggs.

 

Halloumi and potato bake

This recipe is for two to three people. For 4 to 6, double everything.

Ingredients

4 potatoes, skin on, chopped into three pieces each

Olive oil

Salt

1/2 a large onion thinly sliced

1/2 a large zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into semi-circles

1 small red capsicum sliced into long thin pieces

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp grated ginger

(Optional: I red chilli, deserved and chopped finely)

Black pepper

1 cup tomato passata

Large splash of red wine

Soy sauce to taste

1/3 pack of halloumi. Sliced into bite size pieces

Greek natural yoghurt.

Method 

Preheat the oven to 210C (no fan).

Place the potato pieces in a baking paper lined baking tray. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt and put in the oven. Roast until crispy (30 to 40 mins). Remove from oven and arrange the potatoes evenly on the bottom of a baking dish.

In a frying pan, add a splash of olive oil and fry the onions, zucchini and capsicum over a medium heat until soft. Then add the garlic and ginger (Optional, angle the chilli) and fry briefly. Add a little black pepper to taste. Add the pasata, the wine and a little soy sauce to taste. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour over the potatoes. Arrange the halloumi pieces evenly over the top and return the dish to the oven. Bake for 15 mins or until the halloumi starts to crisp.

Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Orange Drizzle Cake

Ingredients

170g of butter, chopped into small cubes and at room temperature

170g caster sugar (or brown sugar)

2 eggs

4 small oranges (alternatively this cake can be made with lemons - substitute 2 large lemons for the oranges)

1 cup (170g) self raising flour

Icing sugar

Method

Pre,heat the oven to 190C (no fan).

In a large bowl whisk together the butter and sugar (I use an electric mixer) until smooth. Add the eggs, the zest and juice of two oranges and whisk again until.smooth. Add the flour and slowly food the mixture together with a spatula.

Spoon the mixture into a cake tin. I use a 20cm circular silicon cake mold as it's easy to get the cake out when cooked.

Bake for 27 minutes (this is the timing that works for my oven) or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Remove to a rack to cool.

In a small saucepan, add the juice of two oranges and 1 tbsp of icing sugar. (Double the sugar if using lemons). Cook slowly over a low heat, seeking constantly with a wooden spoon until you have a runny syrup.

With a toothpick, poke 20 or so holes evenly across the top of the cake. Pour the syrup over the cake so that it is absorbed evenly across the cake.

When cool, remove the cake to a plate. Dust with icing sugar. 

Harissa paste

This is a take on the North African/Middle Eastern sauce. Delicious with stir fried vegetables and couscous.

Ingredients

1/2 an onion., roughly chopped

3 cloves of garlic

1 red capsicum, deseeded and quartered

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp caraway seeds

3 to 7 dried chillies

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

2 tbsp tomato paste

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Olive oil

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 220C (no fan). Line a roasting pan with baking paper. Roast the onion, garlic and capsicum for about 15 mins until the edges begin to char. Remove from the oven to cool.

Meanwhile, dry toast the 3 kinds of seeds in a frying pan for 1 or 2 mins. Then place in a spice grinder/blender with the chillies and zap until powdered. Add the tomato paste, salt, paprika and lemon juice and zap to a smooth paste. Remove the paste into a separate bowl. No need to wash the grinder yet!

Remove the skin from the capsicum, then put the capsicum, onion and garlic into the grinder and zap to a smooth paste.

Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a frying pan then add the capsicum paste. Fry gently over a medium heat for 3 minutes or so, then add in the spice paste. Stir and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.

Store in a sterilized jar (jam jar). This paste will keep for 3 or 4 weeks in the fridge.