Staple2

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna one large eggplant, thinly sliced longways one large sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced longways two large zucchini, thinly sliced longways one red capsicum, diced one red onion, diced one hundred grams mushrooms, sliced one clove garlic five hundred grams passata or pasta sauce four hundred grams ricotta one egg two cups parmesan, grated one handful torn basil olive oil  one// Preheat oven to two hundred degrees. Prepare eggplant by laying slices flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Salt eggplant and put aside for twenty minutes. Rinse eggplant under cool water and dry thoroughly with absorbent paper. Return to baking tray. two// On another baking tray lined with baking paper, arrange sweet potato and zucchini slices. Drizzle with olive oil and season with cracked salt and pepper. Bake eggplant, sweet potato and zucchini for thirty minutes or until soft. May need to turn after fifteen minutes. three// Meanwhile prepare tomato layer. Add olive oil to frypan and turn on medium heat. Add garlic, onion, capsicum and mushrooms. Cook until soft and starting to golden. Add passata until heated through and mixture starts to thicken. Add torn basil and cook for a further minute. Set aside. four// Prepare ricotta layer. In a bowl combine ricotta, egg, salt and pepper and half the cheese. Set aside. five// Arrange lasagne. Line bottom of baking tray with baking paper. Beginning with eggplant, cover base with eggplant slices. Spread a third of the ricotta mixture over eggplant and then top with half of tomato mixture. Next, arrange sweet potato slices followed by the second third of the ricotta mixture and then again the remaining tomato mixture. Top with zucchini and remaining ricotta and parmesan cheese. six// Bake for thirty to forty minutes or until cheese begins to golden. Serve. Serves six.
Jun 30

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna



one large eggplant, thinly sliced longways

one large sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced longways

two large zucchini, thinly sliced longways

one red capsicum, diced

one red onion, diced

one hundred grams mushrooms, sliced

one clove garlic

five hundred grams passata or pasta sauce

four hundred grams ricotta

one egg

two cups parmesan, grated

one handful torn basil

olive oil

 

one// Preheat oven to two hundred degrees. Prepare eggplant by laying slices flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Salt eggplant and put aside for twenty minutes. Rinse eggplant under cool water and dry thoroughly with absorbent paper. Return to baking tray.

two// On another baking tray lined with baking paper, arrange sweet potato and zucchini slices. Drizzle with olive oil and season with cracked salt and pepper. Bake eggplant, sweet potato and zucchini for thirty minutes or until soft. May need to turn after fifteen minutes.

three// Meanwhile prepare tomato layer. Add olive oil to frypan and turn on medium heat. Add garlic, onion, capsicum and mushrooms. Cook until soft and starting to golden. Add passata until heated through and mixture starts to thicken. Add torn basil and cook for a further minute. Set aside.

four// Prepare ricotta layer. In a bowl combine ricotta, egg, salt and pepper and half the cheese. Set aside.

five// Arrange lasagne. Line bottom of baking tray with baking paper. Beginning with eggplant, cover base with eggplant slices. Spread a third of the ricotta mixture over eggplant and then top with half of tomato mixture. Next, arrange sweet potato slices followed by the second third of the ricotta mixture and then again the remaining tomato mixture. Top with zucchini and remaining ricotta and parmesan cheese.

six// Bake for thirty to forty minutes or until cheese begins to golden. Serve.

Serves six.

Rigatoni with chorizo, brocoli and ricotta one big brocoli head, cut into small florets one hundred and fifty grams  spicy chorizo, diced one hundred and twenty ml extra virgin olive oil four garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced three red chillies, thinly sliced  one cup white wine  four hundred grams rigatoni  salt and pepper, to season one hundred and fifty grams fresh ricotta shaved parmesan, to serveone// Cook brocoli in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for four-six minutes or until very soft. Drain, reserving cooking water, and set brocoli aside and keep warm. two// Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, then add pasta and cook for seven minutes. Drain reserving a  ladle of cooking water. three// Place a large frying pan over high heat. Add chorizo and cook for five minutes or until it begins to go crispy. Add half the oil, garlic and chili and cook for two minutes. Add white wine and bring to  a simmer.  Add cooked brocoli and crush slightly, then add remaining oil.  four// Add pasta to the chorizo mixture along with reserved cooking water. Season with salt and pepper, then stir through the ricotta. Serve with shaved parmesan.  Serves four. 
Jul 4

Rigatoni with chorizo, brocoli and ricotta



one big brocoli head, cut into small florets

one hundred and fifty grams  spicy chorizo, diced

one hundred and twenty ml extra virgin olive oil

four garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced

three red chillies, thinly sliced 

one cup white wine 

four hundred grams rigatoni 

salt and pepper, to season

one hundred and fifty grams fresh ricotta

shaved parmesan, to serve


one// Cook brocoli in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for four-six minutes or until very soft. Drain, reserving cooking water, and set brocoli aside and keep warm.

two// Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, then add pasta and cook for seven minutes. Drain reserving a  ladle of cooking water.

three// Place a large frying pan over high heat. Add chorizo and cook for five minutes or until it begins to go crispy. Add half the oil, garlic and chili and cook for two minutes. Add white wine and bring to  a simmer.  Add cooked brocoli and crush slightly, then add remaining oil. 

four// Add pasta to the chorizo mixture along with reserved cooking water. Season with salt and pepper, then stir through the ricotta. Serve with shaved parmesan. 

Serves four. 

Roasted chilli, zucchini and ricotta crostinithree long red chillies olive oil, for drizzling twelve slices sourdough baguette (or any  crusty bread you like)   one clove garlic, halved two hundred grams ricotta one zucchini, thinly sliced  twelve pieces prosciutto one cup mint leaves sea salt and cracked black pepper one// Preheat oven to two hundred degrees. Place the chillies on a small baking tray and drizzle with oil. Roast for ten minutes or until the skins have split. Allow to cool completely. Remove the skins and seeds and finely chop. two// Heat a char-grill pan over high-heat. Drizzle the bread with oil and rub with the garlic. Cook for one-two minutes each side or until charred. three// Spread the bread with the ricotta, top with the zucchini, prosciutto, mint leaves and the chopped chilli and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Serves four-six. 
Sep 9

Roasted chilli, zucchini and ricotta crostini

three long red chillies

olive oil, for drizzling

twelve slices sourdough baguette (or any  crusty bread you like)  

one clove garlic, halved

two hundred grams ricotta

one zucchini, thinly sliced 

twelve pieces prosciutto

one cup mint leaves

sea salt and cracked black pepper 

one// Preheat oven to two hundred degrees. Place the chillies on a small baking tray and drizzle with oil. Roast for ten minutes or until the skins have split. Allow to cool completely. Remove the skins and seeds and finely chop.

two// Heat a char-grill pan over high-heat. Drizzle the bread with oil and rub with the garlic. Cook for one-two minutes each side or until charred.

three// Spread the bread with the ricotta, top with the zucchini, prosciutto, mint leaves and the chopped chilli and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Serves four-six. 

Cheese and spinach ravioli with spicy tomatoesfifty grams butter half a teaspoon dried chili flakes two cloves of garlic, thinly sliced five hundred grams mixed cherry tomatoes, halved  one quarter cup chicken stock  half a cup ricotta  one quarter cup goat`s cheese  one egg yolk  one quarter cup finely grated parmesan hundred and twenty five grams frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained sea salt and cracked black pepper  thirty two gow gee wrapper  shaved parmesan, to serve one// Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter, chili and garlic and cook for one minute. Add the tomato and stock and cook for five-eight minutes or until tender. Set aside and keep warm. two// Mix to combine the ricotta, goat`s cheese, egg yolk, parmesan, spinach, salt and pepper. Place two teaspoons of the mixture into the centre of a gow gee wrapper. Brush the edges with water, top with another wrapper and press the edges to seal. Repeat with remaining mixture and wrappers. Cook the ravioli in a saucepan of salted boiling water for three-five minutes or until cooked through. Top with the sauce and shaved parmesan to serve. Serves four. 
Oct 17

Cheese and spinach ravioli with spicy tomatoes

fifty grams butter

half a teaspoon dried chili flakes

two cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

five hundred grams mixed cherry tomatoes, halved 

one quarter cup chicken stock 

half a cup ricotta 

one quarter cup goat`s cheese 

one egg yolk 

one quarter cup finely grated parmesan

hundred and twenty five grams frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

sea salt and cracked black pepper 

thirty two gow gee wrapper 

shaved parmesan, to serve 

one// Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter, chili and garlic and cook for one minute. Add the tomato and stock and cook for five-eight minutes or until tender. Set aside and keep warm.

two// Mix to combine the ricotta, goat`s cheese, egg yolk, parmesan, spinach, salt and pepper. Place two teaspoons of the mixture into the centre of a gow gee wrapper. Brush the edges with water, top with another wrapper and press the edges to seal. Repeat with remaining mixture and wrappers. Cook the ravioli in a saucepan of salted boiling water for three-five minutes or until cooked through. Top with the sauce and shaved parmesan to serve.

Serves four. 

Vegetable lasagnetwo eggplants, cut lengthways one red onion, roughly chopped two capsicums, cut in large pieces  two zucchini, sliced in rounds five hundred grams pumpkin, cut into thin slices one tablespoon olive oil five hundred ml passata handful of fresh basil, chopped handful of baby spinach leaves five hundred grams ricotta  pinch nutmeg/pinch cinnamon thirty grams parmesan four hundred gram tin lentils, rinsed and drained one// Preheat the oven to two hundred degrees Celsius. Grill the eggplant on a bbq or grill pan until soft. Combine the onion, pumpkin, zucchini and capsicum with olive oil, salt pepper and a little cinnamon. Put on a baking tray/dish and roast for thirty minutes or until soft, then remove from the heat. two// Fold through the lentils, passata and basil. Layer the eggplant to line the base or a large baking dish. Top with half of the roasted vegetables. Place another layer of eggplant over the top then proceed with the final vegetable filling. Finish off with the final layer of eggplant. three// Combine the ricotta, nutmeg and a handful of baby spinach leaves into a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the eggplant followed by a light grating of parmesan. Bake for thirty or forty minutes until golden and heated through.  Serves six.   
Jan 26

Vegetable lasagne

two eggplants, cut lengthways

one red onion, roughly chopped

two capsicums, cut in large pieces 

two zucchini, sliced in rounds

five hundred grams pumpkin, cut into thin slices

one tablespoon olive oil

five hundred ml passata

handful of fresh basil, chopped

handful of baby spinach leaves

five hundred grams ricotta 

pinch nutmeg/pinch cinnamon

thirty grams parmesan

four hundred gram tin lentils, rinsed and drained 

one// Preheat the oven to two hundred degrees Celsius. Grill the eggplant on a bbq or grill pan until soft. Combine the onion, pumpkin, zucchini and capsicum with olive oil, salt pepper and a little cinnamon. Put on a baking tray/dish and roast for thirty minutes or until soft, then remove from the heat.

two// Fold through the lentils, passata and basil. Layer the eggplant to line the base or a large baking dish. Top with half of the roasted vegetables. Place another layer of eggplant over the top then proceed with the final vegetable filling. Finish off with the final layer of eggplant.

three// Combine the ricotta, nutmeg and a handful of baby spinach leaves into a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the eggplant followed by a light grating of parmesan. Bake for thirty or forty minutes until golden and heated through. 

Serves six.