zucchini and spinach pasta

This super green pasta was an unexpected delight. I had some white zucchinis fresh from the garden and was looking for ideas when I stumbled on this recipe by Adam Liaw published in The Sydney Morning Herald’s goodfood section. I used wholemeal (BioNature) linguini – delicious! Sauté 2½ cups of baby spinach leaves in 2-3…… Continue reading zucchini and spinach pasta

sausage and ricotta pasta bake

This is what I call comfort food! Eve made this from a very popular NYT recipe by Melissa Clark. Heat your oven to 220ºC (425F). Heat some olive oil in an ovenproof pan or skillet over medium-high. Crumble 350g (¾ of a lb) of Italian sausage (we used pork and fennel sausage) into a skillet…… Continue reading sausage and ricotta pasta bake

red lentil pasta + salad

Red lentils are an excellent source of protein and this vegetarian pasta is satisfying and so full of flavour. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 finely diced onion, 1 finely diced carrot and an equivalent amount of finely diced celery. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add…… Continue reading red lentil pasta + salad

prawn and zucchini pasta

A delicious meal even with store-bought pasta. The flavour of this pasta dish is greatly enhanced by using the prawn (shrimp) heads and shells. Peel raw green prawns, approximately 6 to 8 per person. Slice the prawns in half lengthwise and set aside. Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta and when…… Continue reading prawn and zucchini pasta

home-made pasta with home-made pesto

Pasta isn’t really too difficult to make, but somehow I hardly ever get around to it. Having just made a pesto, though, it seemed fitting to have a home-made pasta with it. The result was definitely worth it! For the pesto wash a bunch of basil and make sure it’s as dry as possible. This…… Continue reading home-made pasta with home-made pesto

squid ink linguini with tomato chilli prawns

A delicious and dramatic-looking meal. Finely chop 2 or 3 brown shallots, 2 cloves of garlic and 1 long red chilli. Gently fry them in some olive oil until soft. Add ½ a cup of white wine and allow this to evaporate before adding a can of peeled chopped tomatoes and seasoning to taste. Allow to simmer…… Continue reading squid ink linguini with tomato chilli prawns

roast vegetable lasagna

A delicious layering of roast vegetables, pasta and fresh ricotta with napoli sauce and grated pecorino. For this lasagna I used eggplant (aubergine), pumpkin, onions, peppers, zucchini and  fennel. Whichever vegetables you choose, cut them into thin slices and lay them on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and bake in…… Continue reading roast vegetable lasagna

giant fusilli with chorizo and mushrooms

Cooked by my son, this pasta dish has a wonderful balance of flavours. Bring enough salted water to boil for a 500g (1 lb) packet of giant fusilli. Soak 2 tablespoons of dried sliced porcini mushrooms in a little boiling water. Meanwhile skin and dice a good quality aged chorizo and fry in a pan…… Continue reading giant fusilli with chorizo and mushrooms