Creamy Leek and Mushroom Pasta with Pancetta
Ingredients:
250g tagliatelle
50g pancetta, cubed - leave this out if you want a veggie meal
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
350g mushrooms, sliced
20g dried mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
grated pecorino or parmesan (optional)
Oodles of freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and just cover with boiling water. Leave to steep for thirty minutes.
Fry the pancetta in a little olive oil until browned. Add the leeks and garlic and sweat gently until the leeks are softened. Set the leeks and pancetta aside, increase the heat and add the chopped mushrooms and a little salt and fry making sure that all the liquid from the mushrooms has been boiled off. Return the leeks and pancetta to the pan along with the dried mushrooms and their water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 - 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta reserving a little of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix through using a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen it if necessary. Season with plenty ground black pepper.
Serve with crusty bread and grated pecorino.
First made: 4th February 2014
250g tagliatelle
50g pancetta, cubed - leave this out if you want a veggie meal
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
350g mushrooms, sliced
20g dried mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
grated pecorino or parmesan (optional)
Oodles of freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and just cover with boiling water. Leave to steep for thirty minutes.
Fry the pancetta in a little olive oil until browned. Add the leeks and garlic and sweat gently until the leeks are softened. Set the leeks and pancetta aside, increase the heat and add the chopped mushrooms and a little salt and fry making sure that all the liquid from the mushrooms has been boiled off. Return the leeks and pancetta to the pan along with the dried mushrooms and their water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 - 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta reserving a little of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix through using a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen it if necessary. Season with plenty ground black pepper.
Serve with crusty bread and grated pecorino.
First made: 4th February 2014
Pesto Tatini
We spent many years holidaying in Castellina in Chianti on a small agriturismo property which cultivated grapes (for fabulous Chianti) and olives (for the best olive oil ever). We got to know the owners, Franco and Grazia, very well over the years and they shared much of the produce from their vegetable garden with us including the copious amounts of basil. Franco is the pesto maker of the family and, one day, as he was walking into his kitchen with a bucket full of fresh basil, I grabbed a notebook and a pencil, followed him and said, "Show me"! He did. And I've been using the recipe ever since.
This year, I grew basil on the balcony - it grew like a weed as it does in warm climates. Consequently, we're not short of pesto this winter. It's all in the freezer waiting for days when we want a light meal or I can't be bothered cooking much after work. I froze most of it in quantites large enough to make pesto pasta but some I froze in ice cube trays for adding to soups and stews - they're really useful and that way we get the lovely taste of summer all winter. It still even smells gorgeous as it thaws - ah, il profumo d'Italia!
Here it is, exactly as it was told to me:
Ingredients:
100ml olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 large handfuls of basil
a standard shallow soup bowl full of parmesan
Cooking Instructions:
Put everything in the food processor and whizz. If it's too dense, add a little water.
Franco said, "Use your eyes - look at the consistency and colour."
Freeze in small pots or ice cubes for future use.
Pesto Pasta
Boil 200g pasta in plenty salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a cupful of pasta water. Add a little (3 or 4 tbsps) of the pesto and mix through using the water as you need to.
Serve with stacks of crusty bread.
This year, I grew basil on the balcony - it grew like a weed as it does in warm climates. Consequently, we're not short of pesto this winter. It's all in the freezer waiting for days when we want a light meal or I can't be bothered cooking much after work. I froze most of it in quantites large enough to make pesto pasta but some I froze in ice cube trays for adding to soups and stews - they're really useful and that way we get the lovely taste of summer all winter. It still even smells gorgeous as it thaws - ah, il profumo d'Italia!
Here it is, exactly as it was told to me:
Ingredients:
100ml olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 large handfuls of basil
a standard shallow soup bowl full of parmesan
Cooking Instructions:
Put everything in the food processor and whizz. If it's too dense, add a little water.
Franco said, "Use your eyes - look at the consistency and colour."
Freeze in small pots or ice cubes for future use.
Pesto Pasta
Boil 200g pasta in plenty salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a cupful of pasta water. Add a little (3 or 4 tbsps) of the pesto and mix through using the water as you need to.
Serve with stacks of crusty bread.
Pasta Sauce
The thing about pasta sauce is that I make it from what I have in the fridge so it's never the same twice and I never, ever go out to buy the ingredients to make it the same way again. Consequently, this page could get a tad boring unless, of course, you're looking for ideas to use up all that stuff in your fridge.
This is my best shot at a basic recipe that would work with variations of what it is you've got.
Possible Ingredients:
Olive oil
Onion or pepper or celery, peeled and finely chopped
Garlic, finely chopped
Mushrooms, sliced
Frozen peas
Chilli
Capers
Sliced black olives - I always have a jar in the fridge
Ricotta, Philly, any cream cheese
Cream
Tomatoes, fresh or tinned, diced or Passata
Courgettes, diced
Fresh herbs - basil, oregano
Pesto - red or green
Lardons, bacon, cooked ham - or not, if you prefer
Cream
Salt
Freshly ground balck pepper
Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, Grana Padano, even Manchega, grated
200g pasta
Cooking Instructions:
It's up to you on the ingredients - mix and match - whatever you've got, whatever you fancy - what it is you like!
Sauté the vegetables that need it, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until it's as you want it. You might need a splash of water.
Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water until ready and save a cup of the pasta water in case your sauce needs it to mix through.
Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and mix through using the pasta water as required for consistency.
Serve with crusty bread.
Recent mixes - yellow pepper, mushrooms, cooked ham, garlic, green pesto, ricotta
- lardons, tinned tomatoes, ricotta, black olives, onion, green pesto, tomato pureé
- celery, bacon, fresh tomatoes, basil, ricotta, cream
- garlic, onion, tinned tomatoes, frozen peas, Philly
Have fun!
This is my best shot at a basic recipe that would work with variations of what it is you've got.
Possible Ingredients:
Olive oil
Onion or pepper or celery, peeled and finely chopped
Garlic, finely chopped
Mushrooms, sliced
Frozen peas
Chilli
Capers
Sliced black olives - I always have a jar in the fridge
Ricotta, Philly, any cream cheese
Cream
Tomatoes, fresh or tinned, diced or Passata
Courgettes, diced
Fresh herbs - basil, oregano
Pesto - red or green
Lardons, bacon, cooked ham - or not, if you prefer
Cream
Salt
Freshly ground balck pepper
Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, Grana Padano, even Manchega, grated
200g pasta
Cooking Instructions:
It's up to you on the ingredients - mix and match - whatever you've got, whatever you fancy - what it is you like!
Sauté the vegetables that need it, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until it's as you want it. You might need a splash of water.
Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water until ready and save a cup of the pasta water in case your sauce needs it to mix through.
Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and mix through using the pasta water as required for consistency.
Serve with crusty bread.
Recent mixes - yellow pepper, mushrooms, cooked ham, garlic, green pesto, ricotta
- lardons, tinned tomatoes, ricotta, black olives, onion, green pesto, tomato pureé
- celery, bacon, fresh tomatoes, basil, ricotta, cream
- garlic, onion, tinned tomatoes, frozen peas, Philly
Have fun!
Tagliatelle with Gorgonzola and Brocolli Sauce
Ingredients:
Olive oil for frying
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, finely chopped
50ml sherry or white wine (I had sherry)
100g Gorgonzola (or Dolce Latte, or any blue cheese)
100ml cream
200g green tagliatelle
200g frozen brocolli florets
salt and pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Sauté the onion and garlic until soft and beginning to colour. Pour in the sherry and let it bubble to deglze the pan. Lower the heat and crumble in the cheese - just let it melt. Once it's gooey, add cream as necessary to make a thickish sauce that will stick to the pasta.
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil and add the pasta, adding the brocolli for the last few minutes, until al dente. Drain, saving a little pasta water for the sauce, and add to the sauce.
Mix well adding pasta water (or cream) as necessary to coat the pasta.
Serve with freshly ground black pepper, a grating of Pecorino and fresh crusty bread or a salad, or both.
First made: 4th January 2013
Olive oil for frying
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, finely chopped
50ml sherry or white wine (I had sherry)
100g Gorgonzola (or Dolce Latte, or any blue cheese)
100ml cream
200g green tagliatelle
200g frozen brocolli florets
salt and pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Sauté the onion and garlic until soft and beginning to colour. Pour in the sherry and let it bubble to deglze the pan. Lower the heat and crumble in the cheese - just let it melt. Once it's gooey, add cream as necessary to make a thickish sauce that will stick to the pasta.
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil and add the pasta, adding the brocolli for the last few minutes, until al dente. Drain, saving a little pasta water for the sauce, and add to the sauce.
Mix well adding pasta water (or cream) as necessary to coat the pasta.
Serve with freshly ground black pepper, a grating of Pecorino and fresh crusty bread or a salad, or both.
First made: 4th January 2013
Cheesy Pasta Sauce
This is quick and delicious, just great for during the week.
Ingredients:
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
olive oil for frying
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1/2 tub ricotta (or Philadelphia)
fresh basil, chopped - you guessed it, I used a pesto 'ice-cube' - you could use a tablespoon of bought pesto
salt, pepper and a little sugar if the tomatoes are bitter
200g pasta
Cooking Instructions:
Sauté the onion in olive oil until soft and translucent adding the garlic after a couple of minutes.
Add the tomatoes and pesto and seasoning.
Bring to the boil then simmer until you have a thickish sauce.
Add the ricotta, bring back to the boil and simmer until the sauce is reduced as you want.
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
Add the pasta to the sauce, mix and serve with plenty of crusty bread - we had ciabatta flashed in the oven to warm it up.
First made: I've been making this forever so I don't really know!
Ingredients:
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
olive oil for frying
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1/2 tub ricotta (or Philadelphia)
fresh basil, chopped - you guessed it, I used a pesto 'ice-cube' - you could use a tablespoon of bought pesto
salt, pepper and a little sugar if the tomatoes are bitter
200g pasta
Cooking Instructions:
Sauté the onion in olive oil until soft and translucent adding the garlic after a couple of minutes.
Add the tomatoes and pesto and seasoning.
Bring to the boil then simmer until you have a thickish sauce.
Add the ricotta, bring back to the boil and simmer until the sauce is reduced as you want.
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
Add the pasta to the sauce, mix and serve with plenty of crusty bread - we had ciabatta flashed in the oven to warm it up.
First made: I've been making this forever so I don't really know!