Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
2 bags of baby spinach, washed
2 garlic cloves, sliced
20g butter
splash olive oil
250g ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg grated
salt & pepper
handful of toasted pine nuts
zest of one lemon
1 jar good arrabbiata sauce
Pasta tubes
In a large pan heat butter and oil. When melted add garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add spinach, pine nuts and salt & pepper. Grate in nutmeg and stir through. Cook until spinach is wilted. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Spoon ricotta, cheese and lemon rind into a food processor and season well. Blend until smooth. Grease a large ovenproof baking dish and cover the base with a thin layer of sauce. Spoon spinach mixture into a piping bag and fill pasta tubes. Place tubes in baking dish and cover with sauce and more parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes or until pasta is cooked.
Layered Pumpkin Pasta Bake
There’s nothing like comfort food…warming and comforting. I lighten this dish by serving it with a fresh salad, dressed simply with lemon and good olive oil. If you like a little spice use an arrabiata sauce instead of passata.
400g pumpkin, roasted until soft, left to cool
80g goat cheese, softened
grated nutmeg
2 amaretti biscuits, crushed
sage leaves
salt and pepper
fresh pasta sheets
parmesan, grated
1 bottle of tomato passata
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a large bowl mix together mashed pumpkin, goats cheese, nutmeg and salt & pepper until smooth. Chop some of the sage leaves very finely and add to the pumpkin. Stir in crushed amaretti biscuits. Cover the base of a small oven proof baking dish with a spoon or two of the tomato sauce, add a layer of pasta and cover with the pumpkin mix. Sprinkle with a layer of parmesan cheese and top with a couple of sage leaves. Add another layer of pasta and top with tomato sauce then spoon on more pumpkin and sprinkle with parmesan. Continue layering until all pumpkin is used. Top with pasta, cover with parmesan and a few sage leaves. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
Prawns in Puff Pastry with Champagne Sauce
This is quite rich, but lovely as an entree.
24 green prawns, peeled & de-veined with tails attached
2 sheets of puff pastry, cut into quarters
2 tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded & cut into small cubes
olive oil
Champagne Sauce
200ml Chicken or veggie stock
200ml Dry Sparkling wine or champagne
100ml cream
3 ecshallots, chopped finely
60g butter, cubed
cracked pepper
Dill, chopped
In a saucepan heat stock, wine, ecshallots & pepper, and reduce by half. Add cream and then reduce by a third. Cool slightly. Whisk in butter a few cubes at a time. Add dill and stir through.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place pastry into 8 muffin holes and blind bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and set aside. In a fry-pan, over moderate to high heat, cook prawns in oil, turning after a few minutes. Place 3 prawns in each pastry case and spoon over tomato and champagne sauce. Top with more dill & serve immediately.
Easy Brunch for Australia Day
On the eve of Australia Day I started thinking about what I could make for an easy brunch. What better way to begin a day of celebrations!
8 eggs, lightly beaten
approx 4 tbsp of cream
approx 4 tbsp Persian feta
6-8 baby truss tomatoes, halved
4 button mushrooms, sliced
thyme, basil or chives
salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Lightly grease four ramekins. Lightly beat eggs, cream, salt & pepper. Place halved tomatoes, cut side down, on the bottom of ramekins. Add herbs, feta and sliced mushrooms, pour over egg mixture and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Serve with a side of roasted asparagus and bacon (or sour dough, if vegetarian).
Father Bob’s Tomato Relish
This is my Grandfather’s Tomato Relish, loved by all…The house smells fantastic during cooking & for the following day!
3.6kg ripe tomatoes
680gm sugar
680gm finely chopped onions
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp curry powder
3 tbsp mustard powder
850mls vinegar
3 tbsp cornflour
Peel & slice tomatoes & put in pan with finely sliced onions & salt. Cover & stand overnight. Strain off liquid, then add 550mls of the vinegar & boil for 10 minutes. Add sugar & stir. Mix together remaining vinegar with curry powder & mustard powder, then pour into tomatoes. Boil for 45 minutes. Thicken with cornflour dissolved in a little water. Stir in & cook for another 10 minutes.
Roasted Vegetable Stack
Inspired by a recent visit to one of our favourite dining places on the NSW North Coast – The Riverbank Cafe at Gladstone – I came home desperate to make my own veggie stack. This is what I came up with served with my usual slow cooked tomato sauce…
1 eggplant, sliced
1 small kumara, very thinly sliced
1 red capsicum, cut into long fat strips
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
a few semi dried tomatoes
1 slow cooked tomato (I cook these halved with oil in a very low oven for a couple of hours)
olive oil
salt & pepper
grated parmesan cheese
feta cheese
basil pesto
Char-grill all veggies after seasoning & tossing in oil. Start layering veggie in a bowl & sprinkle grated parmesan between each layer. Between a couple of layers add a spoon of pesto.
Top the stack with a slice of feta, then a slow cooked tomato half & more parmesan. Put in a medium oven to heat & slightly melt the feta. Spoon tomato sauce around the base of the stack & serve immediately.
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
This was the first choice of everyone in our family for their birthday dinner when we were growing up.
2/3 cup carnation milk
650g minced meat
1 medium onion, finely chopped
salt & pepper
Sauce
1 can tomato soup
2 tbsp brown sugar
juice of 1 lemon
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 red capsicum, chopped
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
2 tbsp corn relish
Combine the meat ingredients in a large bowl & mix well. Form into balls using a little plain flour to shape. In a fry pan with a little oil, brown the meatballs in a pan until golden, remove from pan & place in casserole dish. Cook capsicum & celery over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Pour off oil & stir in remaining ingredients. Pour sauce over meatballs. Cover & bake for 45 minutes.
Caramelised Onion, Roasted Tomato & Persian Feta Tart
Fantastic produce always yields amazing results! These tomatoes were from Ricardoes Tomatoes Port Macquarie near Mum & Dad’s place… delicious.
2 sheets of good quality puff pastry
6 large onions, sliced
Persian feta (Southcape)
12 baby tomatoes
salt & pepper
olive oil
Over low heat cook onions in a covered saucepan with some oil, salt & pepper for a couple of hours, stirring occassionally. When cooked, remove lid for 5-10 minutes & cook till liquid evaporates. No sugar is needed if cooked long enough & onions will turn brown and become very sweet.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease & line a tart tin with the puff pastry & blind bake for 10-15 minutes. Spread caramelised onion over base, top with tomatoes & cook to 10 minutes. Remove from oven & top with feta & cook for a couple of minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with shredded basil or sprigs of thyme.
Tomato & Thyme Tart
Inspired by a Good Taste recipe I did my usual & fiddled.
8 Roma tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
a few sprigs of thyme
salt & pepper
1 sheet of puff pastry
Preheat oven to 220 degrees.
In a large fry pan heat butter & oil, add tomatoes cut side down, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes. In a small greased round cake tin place thick slices of garlic & small sprigs of thyme. Place tomatoes sliced side down on top of garlic & thyme. Cover tomatoes with pastry & cook in oven for 12-15 minutes. Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes before turning upside down onto serving plate. Drizzle with Maggie Beer’s Vino Cotto.
Slow Cooked Tomato Pasta Sauce
Rich & Delicious! Also wonderful spooned over chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto
2 brown onions, chopped finely
Olive oil
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250ml vodka
2 large tins chopping tomatoes, juice drained
190-250ml of cream
grated parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In an ovenproof fry pan, heat oil & fry onions, chilli & garlic until fragrant. Add vodka & cook until reduced by half. Add tomatoes & stir. Cover & place in oven for 1-1 1/2hrs. Return to stove top & add cream, parmesan, salt & pepper.
Just Wanna Cook! 