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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 […]

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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 […]

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Italian Main course Pasta Vegetarian

Butter and cheese spaghetti

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente.  Grate the cheeses while the pasta is boiling. Drain the pasta, reserve 4 tbsp of the cooking water. Put the reserved water and the butter back into the hot pan and simmer gently over a low heat. Stir until the butter melts. Remove from the […]

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Italian Main course Pasta

Pasta with roasted squash and creamy mushrooms

Heat the oven to 200C. Put the squash in a small roasting tray and add about 2 tbsp of the olive oil, salt and pepper and the thyme or sage. Mix well with your hands and roast for 20-25 minutes until soft and slightly charred around the edges. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in […]

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Italian Main course Pasta Ravioli fillings Starters Vegetarian

Butternut squash ravioli with sage butter

Place the squash in a roasting tray, skin side down. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle on the fennel, chilli, oregano, salt and pepper. Rub this mixture into the squash. Roast in a hot oven (abot 200C) for 20-30 minutes or until the squash is cooked (see Cook’s tip). Once cooked, scrape the flesh […]

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Italian Main course Pasta Pork

Pasta with sausage, fennel and chilli

Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and add the sausages. Fry over a medium heat for a few minutes until browned all over. Remove from the pan, leave to cool slightly and then cut into bite sized pieces. Add the garlic to the same pan and gently fry for a minute or two […]

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Italian Main course Pasta Vegetarian

Cacio e pepe (spaghetti with cheese and pepper)

Cook the spaghetti in plenty salted water until al dente. Once it is cooked, drain it leaving behind a little of the cooking water. Return to the pan and add the cheese, pepper and salt to taste. Toss well to mix then moisten with olive oil if you like. Serve straight away with a glass […]

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Italian Main course Pasta Pork

Pasta with sausage, mustard and creme fraiche

This is a real winter warmer pasta dish; you need good quality sausages with a high meat content. First slit the skins on the sausages and break the sausage meat into little bite sized pieces

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Fish Italian Main course Pasta

Linguine with crab and chilli

Cook pasta in plenty salted water until al dente.  Meanwhile gently fry the chilli and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes. Turn up the heat and add the wine. Allow to bubble and reduce by half. Add the crab meat and season. Reduce the heat and allow to warm through before checking […]

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Fish Italian Main course Pasta

Linguine with tuna and tomatoes

Cook the linguine in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente.  In a large frying pan gently fry the garlic and chilli in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a few minutes. Add the tuna, capers and tomatoes and mix through. Cook for a few more minutes on quite a high […]