Categories
Italian Mediterranean Pasta Soups Vegetarian

Winter minestrone

Method: A great lunch for the winter months – warming, filling and healthy. Kale, an under-appreciated member of the cabbage family, is packed with bet-carotene, folate and vitamin C so should keep the sniffles at bay! Heat some olive oil in a large soup pan and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Fry […]

Categories
Fish Italian Main course Pasta

Tagliatelle with prawns and brandy

Method: Normally, I would only advise drinking brandy but here it’s used in this very tasty pasta dish! Cook the tagliatelle in a large pan of salted water until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, fry the shallots and walnuts in olive oil in a large frying pan for a few minutes. Add the garlic and […]

Categories
Italian Main course Pasta Vegetarian

Pasta with tomatoes, butter beans and ricotta

Method: Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente. Heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and add the pancetta. Fry over a medium heat, stirring until crispy. Add the garlic and chilli and fry gently for a few minutes. Next, add the butter beans and fry, […]

Categories
Italian Main course Pasta Ravioli fillings Starters Vegetarian

Ravioli with walnut sauce

First make the walnut sauce: The walnuts need to be shelled which is quite painstaking but necessary to remove the bitter flavour. There are two ways to shell them: 1. Cover them with boiling water, leave to stand for 3 minutes and drain. Rub in a clean tea towel which will remove some of the […]

Categories
Italian Main course Pasta Salads Vegetarian

Roasted Cherry Tomato and Rocket Salad

Preheat the oven to 190C.  Arrange the halved tomatoes cut side up in a roasting tin, drizzle 2 tablspoons of the oil over them and sprinkle with the garlic and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 mins turning once. Cook the pasta until al dente. Put remaining oil in a large bowl […]

Categories
Italian Main course Pasta Pork

Sausage pasta with capers, olives and feta

Remove sausage meat from skins. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the sausages, breaking them up with a wooden spoon.  Add the tomato puree, stir well and fry for 1-2 mins. Add the white wine, let it sizzle and die down then add the tomatoes. Break them down with a fork, […]

Categories
Italian Main course Pasta Vegetarian

Tomato and butter spaghetti

This recipe was cooked for us by our good friend Marino Benedetti who owns a hotel in Malcesine, Lake Garda. It is a great quick lunch or tea dish. Tip the tomatoes into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer quite rapidly until well reduced – it should almost become a thick, tomato […]

Categories
Italian Main course Pasta Vegetarian

Tortellini with potato and mint

Make the pasta: Sieve the flour into a food processor and add the eggs, egg yolks, salt and oil. Pulse the mixture until it looks like fine breadcrumbs then mix on a higher speed until it starts to come together. If it looks too dry, add another egg yolk. Dust a clean worksurface with flour […]

Categories
Fish Italian Main course Pasta

Smoked salmon and creme fraiche pasta

Cook pasta until al dente in plenty salted water.  While the pasta is cooking, heat a frying pan and melt the butter and add the smoked salmon. Fry over a medium heat for a few minutes then add the peas. Stir through then add the creme fraiche. Heat through quite gently until peas are cooked […]

Categories
Italian Main course Pasta

Penne with tomato, courgette and peppers

Cook the pasta in a large pan of well salted boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan and add a couple of tbsp olive oil. Add the pancetta and fry over a fairly high heat until slightly crispy and most of the fat has been rendered. Remove the pancetta pieces from […]