Italian

Italian Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Croutons

This is a fresh and tasty salad. It’s simple to make and doesn’t include too many ingredients. It’s crunchy, tangy, filling and really gives you those Italian vibes. The crispy croutons take it to another level and a great way to use up some stale bread. I always put my tomatoes in a bowl with…

Roasted Squash Gnocchi

I saw this recipe on a cooking programme and really wanted to try it. I had to add more flour to mine. The squash is really sticky but flouring your hands when kneading really helps. I was so pleased as it made 4 portions for the 2 of us. I froze 3 portions down by…

Burrata and Tomato Salad with Parmesan Croutons and a Tomato Dressing

I love tomatoes this time of year as they are so sweet and juicy. I learnt a tip while watching Raymond blanc that if you keep the tomatoes at room temperature and salt them and herbs and leave them for at least 30 minutes I don’t mind the seeds but you can always drain them…

Easy All in One Scallop and Asparagus Risotto

I love risotto but I hate the whole process of adding a ladel of stock at a time, this way is just as good as I tested both ways. I actually think this method tastes much better as the risotto has a better texture and it means it can now be a quick mid week…

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Parsley, Anchovies, Olive Oil, Parmesan and Breadcrumbs Recipe

So it was one of those nights where I got in late and the boys were out playing Petanque. I was going to order a takeaway and as it was mid-week and I’m trying to watch my weight I decided to have a rummage to see what I could knock myself up in 10 minutes….

Whole Wheat Italian Pasta and Goat’s Cheese Salad with a Lemon and Tarragon Dressing Recipe

I often make store cupboard salads as you can add in what you fancy. We always have capers, sun dried tomatoes, walnuts and olive’s in our cupboard and really that is the basis of the salad. This is my go to salad when I have some leftover herbs and cheese knocking about in the fridge….

Whole Wheat Pasta and Fresh Tomato Veal Ragu Recipe

Our diet has changed recently as Paulie has been poorly. After a CT scan we discovered our diet is too low fat and we need to eat more fibre and roughage! So we did some research and we have made a few changes, Paulie eats granola in the mornings now, we add beans to salads…

Homemade Pizza Challenge – Fresh Tomatoes or Tinned Tomatoes? Oven Tray or Pizza Stone? – Both Recipes Tried and Result’s Are In!

I have wanted to try and make our own pizza for ages, as it is one of the first recipes a lot of people start with on their cooking journey. On our first attempt we used passata for the tomato base and baked the pizza in the oven on greaseproof paper. After trying the…

Homemade Fresh Tomato and Basil Pizza Sauce Recipe

This pizza sauce is a recipe that is a result of Paulie and I’s pizza challenge. We first made a pizza sauce using passata and once we tried it, we thought it was very sweet, salty and rather claggy. So we decided to have a go at making our own with fresh tomatoes. This recipe…

Homemade Freezable Thin and Crispy Pizza Dough Recipe

This recipe was easier than I thought it would be and turned out great! Paulie and I did a bit of a challenge with our pizza’s which I will post after this. I loved the lightness of the dough and it froze down so well that I am going to double the recipe next time…

Saltimbocca Style Veal with Parma Ham, Sage and Lemon served with Frites

We love the italian philosophy simple recipes that showcase really good ingredients. I often order veal when we eat out and we managed to get some from our local butcher. It was difficult to choose which veal recipe to do but in the end it was obvious, we have a gorgeous sage plant growing on…

Homemade Beef Ragu and Spaghetti Recipe

I love dried porcini mushrooms and one of my favourite Paulie dinner’s which uses them is his beef or veal ragu. This was a joint effort as I made the pasta and he made the ragu and both elements were as yummy as one another. I love the rich tomato sauce which soaks up the…

Homemade Pasta Dough 2 Different Recipes and Techniques

So I have my usual way of making pasta 1 egg per 100g of flour but Paulie got The Greedy Italians book for his birthday, in the book Carluccio has a pasta recipe which incorporates semolina flour into the dough itself. I usually only use semolina on a tray to keep the strands separated so…

Baked Gnocchi, Cavolo Nero, Black Pudding and Pancetta with Creamy Sauce

Last nights Thursday dinner was a concotion of what we had in the fridge with some added beautifully fresh Cavolo Nero. I do believe this is an under used veg as unlike spinch which wilts, Cavolo Nero holds its shape and bite but is still tender enough not to be chewy.We are lucky to have…