Category Archives: Our Kitchen

Chilli Pesto Chicken Farfalle

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If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you may have noticed that I have an obsession a preference for pasta with cream sauces. This is another one of those dishes! The chorizo and chicken in this dish go really well together. The creamy tomato pesto sauce tames the spiciness of the chorizo and red chillis. The result is a tasty dish with a velvety texture. I used Unearthed’s Chorizo de León, which is a Spanish oak-smoked cured pork sausage with a spicy kick. I find farfalle (bow tie) pasta suits this dish best but any short, sturdy pasta will do.

Farfalle15

Farfalle1

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Tortiglioni in a Rosé Sauce with Pancetta

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This pasta dish is best with a short, sturdy pasta such as tortiglioni or rigatoni. The pancetta and onions flambéed in vodka infuse the sauce with extra flavour. If you are a flambé novice, you will soon get over your fear as this recipe is easy to make. The creamy tomato sauce works well with some spicy heat and you are in total control of how much chilli you wish to add to the dish.

Collage Tortiglioni

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Fusilli with Greek-Inspired Sauce

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This Greek-inspired sauce looks vibrant, tastes delicious and is easy to make. You can spoon it over pasta (I used fusilli here, but any pasta will do), rice or even couscous. It’s a great way to incorporate courgettes into your diet, if you don’t like them on their own.

Fusilli

This sauce includes some of my favourite Greek ingredients, such as Kalamata olives, feta cheese and Olive Branch’s Red Wine Vinegar with Cretan Thyme Honey. You can use any red wine vinegar but the one from Olive Branch is my secret ingredient. It is made with the juices of Liatiko and Kotsifali grapes, which are then aged in oak barrels for 4 years.

But here’s the secret… the grapes are mixed with Cretan thyme honey. The bees feed on the thyme plants so the honey picks up their aroma, which gives the red wine vinegar a tangy, sweet taste.

The result is a succulent sauce, packed with freshness and flavour! Here’s how:

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Penne with Ham and Peas in Tomato Cream Sauce

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Looking for a delicious pasta dish that won’t cost a pretty penne? This recipe for Penne with Ham and Peas in Tomato Cream Sauce is so quick and easy to make. All you need is some ham, tomato sauce, frozen peas, cream and some pasta! You can use any other pasta shape, although I don’t recommend long noodles such as spaghetti or linguini. Pasta shells work well too.

Penne

Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter
125g thickly-sliced ham
375ml (1-½ cups) tomato sauce
125ml (1/2 cup) single cream (half and half or table cream)
150g (1 cup) frozen peas
500g penne pasta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
35g (1/3 cup) freshly grated Parmesan

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Pabs’ Fab Guacamole

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I love avocados! Their rich and buttery texture is irresistible. So when I spotted the fresh vibrant ones at Gog Magog Hills Farm Shop, I knew I just had to take them home. So what does one make with 3 beautifully plump avocados? Guacamole, of course!

Guacamole

Avocados

I waited a few days for the avocados to ripen. On the fifth day, I knew they were ready for my husband Paulo (aka Pabs) to get his hands on them and make his great guacamole recipe. Pabs is an old nickname of Paulo’s, from his college days (props to his buddy Ali!). I can only assume it evolved from Pablo, the Spanish version of his name. It seemed appropriate to revive this old name for this Mexican dip!

Ingredients

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Deep Dish Red Pepper Explosion Pizza!

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Who says tomatoes are a vital to a good pizza? Red pepper paste, particularly the one from Olive Branch, is the new tomato sauce. There are no tomatoes on this pizza, just lots of delicious red peppers (red pepper paste, roasted red peppers from a jar and fresh red peppers) as well as mushrooms, green and black olives, onions and mozzarella. Many of these ingredients are leftovers from the Cheese and Mushroom Frittata recipe so it’s an ideal dish to make in the same week.

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I make fresh pizza dough in my breadmaker (it only takes 45 minutes) but ready-made dough or store-bought (pizza crust mix) could do. My trick is to leave the dough to rise in the breadmaker for about an hour then not knead, flour or roll the dough after I remove it. This results in a fluffy and thick crust ideal for a deep dish pizza. Remember to coat your hands with some olive oil so the dough doesn’t stick when you handle it.

Dough

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Cheese and Mushroom Frittata

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A frittata is an omelette of Italian origin that is thick, almost like a crustless quiche. It’s perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner. You can put almost anything in a frittata and it’s a great way to use up any leftovers. My favourite ingredients are mushrooms, onions, red peppers, cheese and parsley. These ingredients not only go very well together, they lend a beautiful vibrant colour to the dish!

Slice

It looks like a lot more work than it actually is. Here’s how to make this colourful and tasty frittata.

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Tuna, Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Dijon Dressing

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Don’t feel like cooking over a hot stove?

With just a little chopping and whisking you’ll have a protein-packed salad that is healthy and filling.

My husband and I usually have this as our main meal but it can be served as a starter for 4 people.

chop

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