Saturday, September 13, 2008

LONG PASTA with VEAL and ORANGE SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 tbsps olive oil
1/2 brown onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 branch celery, diced
2 tbsps chopped thyme
500 gms cubed asserole veal (or beef)
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 tbsp plain flour
1/2 cup dry while wine
1 cup beef stock
2 cups Italian-style tomato sauce
Salt and ground black pepper
400 gms long pasta
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
parsley

How to cook:

Preheat oven to 180'C. In an oven-proof dish heat half the oil and fry onion, carrot and celery for 5 mins. In the same pan, heat remaining oil. Stir in thyme then the meat and brown for 5 mins. Stir in orange zest and flour, then add wine and bring to a boil. Add stock, tomato sauce, and cooked vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, stir well, then cover and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour ( 2 hours if you use beef). Cook pasta in a large amount of salted boiling water for about 9 mins.
When cooked, add a cup of cold water to the pasta pot and drain. Add garlic and parsley to sauce and either spoon sauce over pasta.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

SMALL PASTA WITH PISTOUNADE AND BLACK OLIVES

Ingredients:

500 gms small pasta of your choice
100 gms olives stuffed with capsicum
2 tbsps pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
1 cup basil leaves
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsps freshly grated parmesan
2 tbsps small black olives
salt
ground black pepper
few extra basil leaves for garnish

How to cook:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook pasta for about 9 minutes until al dente. When cooked, add a cup of cold water to the pasta pot and drain in a colander.
While pasta is cooking blend green olives, pine nuts, garlic, basil and olive oil almost to a puree but not quite, as it is pleasant to have some crunchy pieces. Mix this preparation with the cooked pasta and season with pepper.
Serve pasta and sprinkle with parmesan. Garnish with basil leaves and dot with black olives.

Anellini


Medium-small, ridged, tubular pasta cut in thin rings

Monday, September 1, 2008

PERFECT PASTA TWIST

Ingredients:

1 260 gm can Vienna saugage, cut in tidbits
1 310 gm can Spaghetti meat sauce
1 cup fresh tomatoes, boiled, seed and chopped
1 medium size green bell pepper, diced
1 small size red onion, diced
2 tbsps fresh basil, chopped
250 gms pasta twist, cooked al dente
1 cup parmesan cheese

How to cook:

Simmer Spaghetti Meat Sauce and add vienna saugage tidbits, fresh tomatoes, bell pepper, onion and fresh basil leaves. Stir until blended. Pour over cooked pasta and toss gently. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Acini di pepe


The smallest variety of pastina, acini di pepe is tiny, pellet-shaped pasta and is made with wheat flour