Recipes / Pasta dishes

Pasta Dough Tutorial

Ingredients
2 large egg + 3 large yolk + enough cold water to get 185g of wet ingredients
300gms bread flour
5.7g salt (1 tsp table salt or 2 tsp Kosher salt

Method
Set a mixing bowl on the scales & zero it out. Add 2 large eggs & 3 egg yolk + water so the total weight = 185gms precisely & 5.7gms kosher salt

Put the wet ingredients into a bowl of a mixer. Add the salt & flour & mix with a dough hook on medium-low until homogeneous. Touch the dough, if it’s at all sticky, add more flour. Knead for 5 more minutes in a mixer (assuming it’s doing a good job with this stiff dough) or 8 minutes by hand. Flour, wrap in plastic, & let rest 30 min & up to 5 hours at room temperature.

Place the flour on a clean work surface, make a well in the middle & add the eggs. Using a fork whisk the eggs whilst slowly incorporating the flour until combined & looks like a very rough dough. You may need to use your hands once most of the egg is incorporated to help it along.

Bring the dough together with your hands to form a ball. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth & pliable. Wrap the dough in cling film & leave to rest for 30 minutes, out of the fridge.

Once the dough is rested it’s time to roll it out. Cut the dough in half so it’s easier to roll out & flatten it with the palm of your hand so it will fit through the first setting on the pasta machine. Pass the dough through the widest setting once then fold one side over the other. Flatten the dough with the palm of your hand again so it will fit through the widest setting & roll it through again.

Repeat this process folding the sides in & passing it through the widest setting four Once you’ve done that pass the dough through each setting once from the widest to the second last setting (number 8).

51gms. Therefore, the shell & the air cell has a total weight of 14gms & has been excluded from the sum total of the whole egg.

The above recipe calls for two whole eggs & three yolks + water so the total weight = 185gms precisely & 5.7gms kosher salt for every 300gms bread flour

Tortellini Tutorial

Divide the pasta dough into quarters. Work with one piece at a time & keep the other pieces covered. Run the dough through a pasta roller on progressively thinner settings until you have a sheet of paper-thin pasta. (Setting #6 on a KitchenAide pasta roller attachment.)

Cut the sheet into rounds using a 3″ round cutter, spacing the rounds as close together as possible

Place 1 tsp of filling in the middle of each round of pasta.

Dip your finger in the bowl of water & run it along the edge of the round to moisten.

Fold the dough over to form a half moon, pressing the top closed & then the edges.

Draw the two corners together to form a rounded bonnet-shape

Press tightly to seal

Toss with flour, set aside on well-floured baking sheet, & cover. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, re-rolling the scraps

Homemade Mushroom Tortellini

Ingredients:
150gms shiitake mushrooms, cleaned & trimmed
150gms cremini mushrooms, cleaned & trimmed
150gms oyster mushrooms, cleaned & trimmed
2½ tbsp butter
2 small shallots, finely minced (about ¼ cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp)
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
125gms dry red wine
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
50gms grated Parmesan cheese
fresh egg pasta dough, as above

Method
Place mushrooms in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until chopped into pieces no larger than ¼ inch, 8 to 10 short pulses.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms & cook until softened & all water has been released. This may take 15- 20 minutes but is a very essential process as excess moisture is your enemy. Add shallots, garlic, & thyme & season with salt & pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low & continue cooking, stirring frequently, until mixture is dry.

Add red wine & Worcestershire sauce. Increase heat to high & cook, stirring, until no visible liquid remains. Remove from heat & stir in Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt & pepper & transfer mixture to a food processor or blender & process until smooth. Transfer to a plate & spread into a thin layer. Refrigerator to chill completely.

Lifting up the extra dough after cutting out circles for tortellini.

Meanwhile, divide dough into 4 even sections. Working one section at a time, with remaining sections tightly wrapped in plastic, roll dough through machine until sheet is just under 1/16 of an inch thick (typically second-to-last setting). For a detailed description of this process, see steps 5 through 10 of our fresh pasta recipe.

Lay dough out on a lightly floured surface. Use cookie cutter to cut circles as close together as possible, twisting each time to cut all the way through. Each sheet of dough should yield roughly 30 disks. Remove excess dough & cover with a kitchen towel to keep moist. (Excess dough can be re-kneaded & rolled again for a higher yield.)

Brushing the edge of tortellini with water.

Pick up both corners of semi-circle & bring them toward each other.

Tuck one corner behind the other & press together to complete shaping tortellini.

Using a pastry bag, ziplock bag, or measuring spoon, add ½ tsp of filling to the centre of the first disk. Lightly moisten edges of disk with pastry brush dipped in water.

Fold disk over into a semi-circle &, working from one edge & carefully pressing out any extra air, create a seal around the filling. If the dough feels like it’s sticking to the surface below, you’re using too much water.

Rolling the dough circle for tortellini into a half moon shape.
Pick up both corners of semi-circle & bring them toward each other, working slowly to prevent dough from splitting

Tuck one corner behind the other & press together. Place finished tortellini on parchment paper dusted with semolina or flour. Repeat with remaining dough. Tortellini can be frozen & transferred to a zipper-lock freezer bag for up to 2 weeks at this point.

Cook tortellini in salted boiling water until tender, approximately 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Return to pot, add olive oil or brown butter along with a splash of pasta water & cook over high heat, tossing constantly until sauce emulsifies & coats the tortellini, adding more pasta water as necessary. Serve immediately, sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Ricotta Cheese Tortellini w/ Butter & Fresh Sage

Ingredients:
Refer tortellini tutorial above

Sage butter sauce:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 whole garlic clove
10-12 sage leaves
Salt & lemon juice to taste

Method
Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter & whisk until it melts & the white foam subsides. Add the garlic & sage. Cook until the sage leaves start to stiffen. Flip & cook until the leaves are crisp & the butter is brown & aromatic. Remove garlic clove & discard. Season with lemon juice & salt.

Refer to tortellini tutorial above.

Bring a large saucepan of water to almost a boil & add 50gms of salt to every 5 litres of water. Bring to a boil & add tortellini. Reduce to a rapid simmer, & cook for a further minute or two. Immediately remove from water & plate adding sage butter over top of tortellini with & an additional fresh butter & la few drops of lemon juice & serve immediately

Ravioli & or Tortellini Filling Suggestions

Spinach & Ricotta Filling:
450gms spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced
450gms Whole Milk Ricotta
10g finely grated parmesan
Salt, pepper, & lemon juice to taste

Cheese Filling:
450gms ricotta
1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
zest of ½ a lemon
1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 large egg
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Italian Sausage Filling:
4 ounces (110 g) bulk Italian sausage
3/4 cup (22.5 g) packed fresh spinach leaves
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
⅓ cup (81 g) ricotta cheese
1 tsp (0.5 g) snipped fresh sage or ¼ tsp (0.2 g) dried sage, crushed
1/8 tsp (0.3 g) ground nutmeg

Mushroom Filling:
20gms dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated & drained
110gms fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp (2.75 g) salt
1/8 tsp (0.2 g) ground black pepper
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
123gms ricotta cheese

Method:

Spinach & Ricotta: In a colander, pour boiling water over the spinach to wash & wilt. dry thoroughly. In a large skillet over medium heat, oil the skillet. Add the spinach & season & a pinch, cover & cook, stirring occasionally until tender. Add the garlic & continue to cook until aromatic; include & lemon juice & cool completely.

Spinach has an extremely high water content, 90% in most instances; it will be necessary to “cook out” moisture content to avoid a soggy pasta dough. Likewise, ricotta is generally purchased in its own whey & it will be necessary to drain & discard all liquid. Line affine mesh chinois with cheesecloth, add the cheese & drain over a bowl in the refrigerator for a few hours. To extract additional whey, place ricotta between 6 layers of paper towels (3 on top & 3 on the bottom) & weigh with a Dutch oven or similar. Combine the spinach, ricotta, & parmesan & adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate until required.

Cheese: Repeat the process above for the ricotta; place 450gms into a bowl along with 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, the zest of ½ a lemon, 100gms of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1 large egg, & salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir the mixture until the ingredients are completely combined.

Italian Sausage: Cook 110gms Italian sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until aromatic & cooked through. Add 30gms of washed fresh spinach & continue to cook to expel water content. Discard any excess fat from the sausage & include 1 egg yolk with 100gms of ricotta cheese & 1 tsp of fresh sage. Stir to combine & refrigerate until required.

If Italian sausage meat is coarse, pulse in a blender until fine & then stir in the ricotta mixture.

Mushroom: Sauté mushrooms for a vegetarian filling. Soak 14gms of dried porcini mushrooms in boiling water for 15 minutes & drain them. Sauté 1 ½ cups (110 g) of fresh mushrooms in 1 tbsp (15 ml) of olive oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Slice & stir in the reconstituted porcini mushrooms, 1 tbsp parsley, & 1 clove minced garlic. Remove from heat & add:

Salt & pepper, to taste
1 lightly beaten egg yolk & approximately 125gms ricotta cheese

Linguine alla Puttanesca

A Neapolitan classic, it’s rumored that the name puttanesca comes from the brothels in the Spanish Quarters (lady of the night is puttana in Italian). Linguine with tomatoes, anchovies, & chili pepper give a kick to this dish with a scandalous name.

Ingredients
425gms whole peeled tomatoes
500gms linguine
100gms olives
100gms capers, rinsed
2 only 125gms anchovy fillets
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ only fresh red chilli
extra-virgin olive oil
salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
parsley

Method:
Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in a saucepan. Add a garlic clove, a piece of chili pepper, & the anchovies. Cook, mashing the anchovies with a spoon until they disintegrate.

Pit the olives & cut them into small pieces. Remove the garlic from the saucepan & add the tomatoes, crushing them with a spoon; add the chopped olives, & the capers. Cook for 10-15 minutes.

Cook the linguine in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain & transfer to the pan with the sauce.

Garnish the pasta with a handful of chopped parsley & serve.

Egg Yolk Ravioli

Ingredients
Pasta Dough
6 x whole eggs with a total weight of: 0.306 gms
9 egg yolks with a total weight of: 0.162 gms
Water 0.087 gms
Bread Flour: 0.900 gms
Kosher salt 0.016.4 gms

Lemon Pesto
75mls fresh squeezed lemon juice
25gms coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves & stems
25gms coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves & stems
2 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
2 tsp finely grated organic lemon zest
25gms shelled chopped walnuts
25gms shelled chopped hazelnuts
75gms grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ tsp salt
½ cup plus 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Ricotta + Egg Yolk Filling
250gms ricotta cheese
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp milk
2 tsp sherry vinegar
3/4 tsp kosher salt

Method:

Lemon Pesto: Pulse the lemon juice, herbs, garlic, & zest in a food processor until almost a paste, scraping down side of bowl as needed. Add the nuts, parmesan, & salt. Pulse until no whole nuts remain. With the motor running, add the olive oil in steady stream until well blended. Season with additional salt, if desired. Transfer to a jar, cover, & refrigerate.

Pasta Dough: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, semolina, salt, & garlic powder. Turn the mixture onto a clean flat work surface.

Make a large well in the middle of the flour pile & add the eggs, egg yolks, salt & water. Using a fork, gently start to combine eggs, yolks, & water, slowly incorporating the flour into the wet ingredients & taking care not to break the flour wall holding in the liquid ingredients. Continue mixing until the centre is thick enough that you can stir in the flour walls without the mixture spilling.

Stir until the dough comes together enough that you can knead it. Knead the dough until it is very smooth & elastic, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Separate the dough into 4 equal-sized portions. Form each one into a long rough oval shape, no thicker than ½ of an inch & no wider than 3 inches (they can be as long as needed). Seal them tightly with plastic wrap & refrigerate for 1 hour.

Ricotta + Egg Yolk Filling: For the ricotta filling, mix together the ricotta, chives, milk, sherry vinegar, & salt in a medium bowl until combined. Fit a pastry bag with a large circle tip & fill it 2/3-full with the ricotta filling. Chill until required.

Assembly: Clear a large clean surface to work on. Pass one oval of the dough through a pasta press at thickness level Pass it through again at thickness level Pass it through again at thickness level 3, & continuing until you’ve passed it through to thickness level 5, which is 1.5 mm thick. Repeat with all the ovals of pasta dough.

Take one sheet of dough & lay it on a clean work surface. Measure the width of the sheet (it should be about 4 to 5 inches wide). Starting where the width becomes consistent (i.e. not at the ends of the sheet), use measuring tape or a ruler placed next to the sheet to make a small cut on the edge of the dough every 4 to 5 inches (i.e. the width of the sheet).

In the centre between the markings, use the pastry bag to pipe a circle of ricotta filling that’s about 2 inches in diameter. Use a spoon to gently transfer one of the egg yolks into the ricotta well. Use the pastry bag to pipe one more circle on top of the initial circle, thus walling-in the egg yolk. Repeat between every marking. Once you have all your filling placed, dip your finger (or use a pastry brush) in a glass of water & gently run it along the exposed pasta dough, re-dipping as-need to keep your finger lightly damp (this will help the dough seal). You don’t want a lot of water on the dough, just a trace.

Lay a second sheet of dough over the first (if you have an extra set of hands, this will make it easier).

Using your fingertips, press very firmly around each mound of filling to seal it in, taking care not to accidentally push down on the filling (which can break the seal between the layers of dough). Then press outward toward edges of the dough, pushing out any air pockets. It’s very important to get any air out of the raviolis, otherwise it can cause the raviolo to burst when cooking.

For square ravioli, use a pizza cutter to cut the sheet across into individual raviolo. For round raviolo, you can use a large (4 to 5-inch circular cookie cutter.)

Repeat the above process with the remaining filling & dough until all the ravioli have been assembled.

Makes about 10 to 12 individual 4 to 5-inch square raviolis. About 2 ravioli is good for one person, depending on your appetite!

To Cook: Bring 2 litres of salted water to a boil & reduce to a slow simmer. Add 2 ravioli & cook 4 minutes for al dente & 5 minutes for a softer pasta, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan or each other

Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the ravioli from the water & plate. Garnish with ½ cup of the pesto, some grated lemon zest & parmesan

Pasta alla Norma

Ingredients
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
400gms eggplants, trimmed, split into half lengthwise, & cut into half moons or wedges
kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp red chilli flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
425gms whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
500gm rigatoni or penne
Handful fresh small basil leaves, or roughly torn large leaves
100gms ricotta cheese, finely grated

Method:
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add as much eggplant as fits in a single layer & season with salt. Cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until eggplant is well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer eggplant to a plate & reserve. Repeat with remaining eggplant, adding olive oil as necessary, until all eggplant is browned.

Add any remaining olive oil & increase heat to medium-high. Add garlic, oregano, & chilli flakes, & cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but garlic is not browned. Add tomato paste & cook, stirring until evenly incorporated & tomato paste starts to fry. Add crushed tomatoes & their juice. Bring to a low simmer, & cook until liquid is thickened into a sauce-like consistency. Season to taste with salt.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil & cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Add sauce to pasta & toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency. Add eggplant slices & toss to combine.

Drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, garnished with grated ricotta & torn basil leaves. Serve pasta immediately

Pappardelle Cacio e Pepe: (Italian: [ˈkaːtʃo e pˈpeːpe])

What Is Cacio e Pepe? Cacio e pepe hails from Rome & the surrounding region. In local dialect, cacio e pepe translates to “cheese & pepper,” & its ingredients are just that — cheese, black pepper, & pasta. But because the ingredients are so simple, the specifics of each really matter.

The cheese should be freshly-grated Pecorino Romano, a hard sheep’s milk cheese that also originates from the area &, while similar to Parmesan, is saltier. The black pepper should be freshly cracked & plentiful so you can taste its heat & fruitiness, but not so much that it’s overpowering. In terms of the pasta, dried spaghetti, bucatini, & tonnarelli — a square-shaped spaghetti that also goes by the name of spaghetti alla chitarra — are all traditional choices.

What cacio e pepe should not include is butter, cream, or olive oil. Some will argue Parmesan can be used in place of some or all of the Pecorino, but tradition suggests otherwise.

Ingredients
5 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
⅓ cup ice water
1 pound dried spaghetti, bucatini, or tonnarelli pasta

Cheese Paste: Making such a basic pasta seems like it should be easy, but a lot that can go wrong. Some recipes will instruct you to grate the cheese directly into the hot pasta & toss; that will cause the cheese to clump. Sure, it works, but there has to be an alternative.

The solution is a cheese paste. A couple of years ago, I learned that Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen was having the same frustrations I was. She found success with a cheese & pepper paste that she then tossed with the pasta, & I found it to be the perfect solution as well. Our version is even easier, & results in smooth & creamy cacio e pepe every time.

How to Make the Very Best Cacio e Pepe: Make a cheese & pepper paste: Use a Microplane to finely grate the cheese into a snowy mound in a large bowl. Add fresh-cracked pepper & whisk the two together with ice water. Using cold water prevents a clumpy, separated sauce, since the cheese won’t start melting until it hits the hot pasta. What you’ll have in the bowl is a thick, mostly smooth paste that’s frosting-like in consistency.

Save the pasta water: Cook the pasta to al dente & save a cupful of its starchy water to help marry the cheese paste & pasta together. You’ll want to work quickly while the pasta is piping hot so that it immediately melts the cheese paste, so don’t worry about getting every last bit of water off the pasta when you drain it. Plus, the excess water will actually help loosen the paste & transform it into a sauce.

Toss with a fork: Use the same fork you used to whisk together the cheese paste to toss the pasta with the paste. I find a fork to be the easiest, most useful tool for vigorously stirring & tossing everything together, so there’s no need to reach for another utensil.

Method:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Using a microplane, finely grate 200gms Pecorino Romano cheese into a large bowl to get about 2 ½

cups. Transfer ½ cup to a small bowl to use as garnish.

Grind the black pepper & make a cheese paste. Coarsely grind enough black pepper to get 1 tbsp & use a fork to mix it into the large bowl of cheese. Drizzle in 80mls ice water & use the fork to whisk it into the cheese mixture, then press the mixture against the side of the bowl, as needed, to form a thick, mostly smooth & lump-free paste; set aside.

Cook the pasta. Add 500gms dried pasta to the boiling water & cook until al dente, approximately 10 minutes.

Toss the pasta with the cheese paste. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta & working quickly, immediately add it to the large bowl of cheese paste & use the fork to vigorously stir & toss the pasta with the cheese paste, adding 1 tbsp of the reserved pasta water at a time to loosen the paste until it evenly coats the pasta in a creamy sauce.

Serve with additional grated cheese & black pepper. Serve immediately, topping with the reserved grated Pecorino & a few coarse grinds of black pepper.

Authentic Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara & its name has an interesting history. The term “carbonara” is derived from “carbonaro”, the Italian word for “charcoal burner”. There are several theories about how the dish got its name:

Some believe that the dish was first made as a hearty meal for Italian charcoal workers1. In parts of the United States, this etymology gave rise to the term “coal miner’s spaghetti”. It has even been suggested that it was created as a tribute to the Carbonari (“charcoal men”), a secret society prominent in the early, repressed stages of Italian unification in the early 19th century.

The exact origins of the dish & its name are obscure, & most sources trace its origin to the region of Lazio. The name “carbonara” is first attested in 1950, when it was described in the Italian newspaper La Stampa as a Roman dish sought out by American officers after the Allied liberation of Rome in 19441. It’s worth noting that the names pasta alla carbonara & spaghetti alla carbonara are unrecorded before the second World War.

Ingredients
500gms spaghetti
200gms guanciale
4 whole eggs (55gms each + 1 egg yolk)
100gms grated Pecorino Romano
cracked black pepper

Method:
Add sufficient water to a large saucepan & bring to a boil.

Cut the guanciale into small pieces & cook in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 – 3 minutes. Stir occasionally so that it cooks evenly. The more the guanciale cooks, the more its fat will render & enhance the carbonara sauce. The degree of cooking is by no means set in stone, it depends entirely on your preference, as some like their guanciale well cooked & others prefer it soft. Remove from heat & reserve.

No need for oil: guanciale contains a high ratio of fat to meat & as the fat renders, the guanciale will release more than sufficient fat to lubricate your skillet. If you want, you can add a tbsp of pasta water & emulsify. This will create a sauce to season the spaghetti. Remove from heat & set aside.

The general rule is 1 litre of water for every 100gms of pasta & 10gms of coarse salt; however, numerous pasta dishes call for a pasta water that is very starchy & it will be necessary to limit the cooking liquid to achieve this.

I’m not going to measure this component; the rule that I apply is to ensure that the pasta is fully covered by water for the pasta to expand during the cooking process without overcrowding the saucepan.

“Use common sense rather than a rule!”

Cook the spaghetti al dente. The term “al dente” is an Italian phrase that literally translates to “to the tooth”; however, it can easily be confused with pasta that is so undercooked it is almost unpalatable. In cooking, it describes the texture of pasta that is cooked to be firm to the bite, but tender. Be careful, the degree of viables can be minute in cooking, this is a perfect example.

Using a spider, remove the spaghetti from the pasta water & reserve the latter. Do not wash the pasta

under cold water to stop the cooking process, we want to use all the starch in the pasta to create a homogenous emulsification with the guanciale fat in the saucepan.

To prepare the pecorino cream, add the whole eggs, 2-3 tbsp of hot pasta water to temper the eggs & pecorino romano cheese to a mise en place bowl & combine; The consistency of your pecorino cream should be reasonably thick, add more cheese if required, no one is going to complain.

Avoid any salt, the cured guanciale & the cheese both have sufficient to adequately season your carbonara.

Return the guanciale to a low to moderate heat & fold in the spaghetti to fully incorporate the guanciale & its flavoursome rendered fat. Heat through, remove from heat & continually fold pasta to release excessive heat prior to adding the tempered egg, pasta water & pecorino cream mixture.

The above is very much a crucial moment in the cooking process of your spaghetti carbonara, heat control is imperative, if the carbonara exceeds 70-72ºC, you have successful added scrambled eggs to your carbonara; this is the last thing you want to do.

Using a “digital read thermometer” reduce heat to 65ºC then add your pecorino cream & fold through the spaghetti. Season with cracked black peppercorns, create a pasta nest on a plate & add additional pecorino cheese to garnish. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti Carbonara is a beloved dish that has sparked passionate debates & conjectures due to its rich cultural significance & the variations in its preparation. Here are some key points that fuel the debate:

Origins: The origins of Carbonara are a subject of debate. Some claim it’s an Italian dish, while others argue it’s an American dish born in Italy. This debate over its origins fuels the passion & conjecture around the dish.

Ingredients: The choice of ingredients in Carbonara is a contentious issue. Traditionalists insist on using guanciale (Italian cured pork cheek), pecorino cheese, eggs, & pasta water. However, variations of the recipe use cream, bacon, or garlic, which can cause uproar among purists.

Cultural Significance: In Italy, food is a source of pride & national identity3. Any perceived deviation from traditional recipes, such as the use of cream in Carbonara, can spark heated debates.

Global Variations: As the dish has spread globally, it has been adapted to local tastes & available ingredients. These adaptations can sometimes be seen as culinary heresies in Italy, further fuelling the debate.

Academic Claims: Bold statements by food historians, such as the claim that Carbonara is more American than Italian, have stirred controversy & added to the debate.

In essence, the passion for Spaghetti Carbonara stems from its cultural significance, the pride in culinary traditions, & the differing opinions on its origins & ‘correct’ preparation method. This passion is a testament to how food can stir emotions & become a topic of national identity & pride.

Pasta all’Amatriciana

Ingredients
125gms guanciale, cut into strips
425gms whole peeled tomatoes
½ fresh red chili
50mls dry white wine
sea salt, to taste
500gms spaghetti (or bucatini)
100gms grated Pecorino Romano.

Method:
Sauté the guanciale on a medium heat, until the fat component is translucent & aromatic. The guanciale will render it’s fat content as you sauté; remove & keep at room temperature as this is an excellent addition to the dish as we layer different elements of fat to enhance flavour to our Pasta all’Amatriciana.

Add the white wine & reduce by ⅔ of volume, crush the whole peeled tomatoes with your hands & add to the sauté pan with ½ red chilli. Continue to reduce the sauce over a low simmer to infuse & concentrate the flavours.

Cook the spaghetti or bucatini, whatever your preference “al dente,” drain & reserve 100mls or so of the starchy pasta water & add to the sauce. Fold the pasta into the sauce & season with sea salt & a generous amount of cracked black pepper.

Heat the rendered guanciale fat with 25gms of butter & fold into the Pasta all’Amatriciana

Top with a copious amounts of shaved or grated pecorino romano, garnish with Italian flat leaf parsley & serve immediately.

Pasta alla Gricia

Ingredients
350gms rigatoni
200gms guanciale, 2cm cubed
110gms Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Place the guanciale over medium heat & sauté until aromatic & translucent & fat component has been rendered. Set aside the guanciale

In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a rapid simmer & cook rigatoni “al dente.” Reserve 200mls of the pasta water to make the cream.

Drain the pasta directly into the sauté pan & fold to incorporate the pasta with the guanciale rendered fat & add the grated pecorino cheese.

Add 100mls of pasta water, the pecorino will melt, without forming threads or lumps & you will create a delicious pecorino cream. Add the reserved guanciale & additional pasta water if required.

Season with sea salt & cracked black pepper & don’t be shy to include additional Pecorino Romano prior to serving your Pasta alla Gricia!

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Ingredients
350gms spaghetti
8 garlic cloves, peeled & sliced
1 or 2 fresh red chilies, sliced
6 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.
fresh parsley, to garnish

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, a classic Italian pasta is simple but indeed flavoursome; the Italian translation simply means garlic & oil, The pasta water’s starch combines with the olive oil to make an emulsion which is dominated by both the garlic & olive oil. Chillies, parmesan, & parsley are not traditionally used in this dish, but to do so will add depth & complexity to your Spaghetti Aglio e Olio.

Method:
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring the salted water to a rapid simmer & cook the pasta “al dente.” Drain & reserve 250mls of the pasta water.

Sauté the sliced garlic & chillies on medium heat in extra virgin olive oil until fragrant, add the reserved pasta water, 200mls only & reduce to infuse flavours. Season with salt & cracked black pepper & fold in the spaghetti to coat. If additional pasta water is required, please do not hesitate; you want to create an emulsion sauce or cream that evenly coats the pasta.

Top with parmesan cheese & garnish with parsley.

Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients

Spinach & Ricotta Filling:
50ogms spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced
450gms Whole Milk Ricotta
10g finely grated parmesan
Salt, pepper, & lemon juice to taste

Béchamel Sauce
200gms butter
200gms all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
500 mls milk
500 mls culinary cream
½ medium onion, studded with 2 cloves
½ tsp nutmeg

Method:

Béchamel Sauce
Melt the butter in a small, heavy based saucepan over low heat. Add the flour in increments of 50gms & whisk to fully incorporate. The flour will absorb the butter; however, & initially, the butter will dominant & the roux will be very liquid. Continue to add the flour & eventually you will create a thick dry paste once all the flour is incorporated, season with salt & ground white pepper.

Cook over low heat, stirring, for a full 2 minutes to cook out the starch in the flour. Remove from heat & let cool.

Heat the milk & cream mixture to poaching temperature, approximately 84ºC with the studded onion & grated nutmeg & slowly add to the cooled roux, approximately 100mls at a time. Let the roux take up & absorb the liquid prior to adding additional while stirring constantly. Repeat the process until all liquid has been incorporated & you have a sauce that is both smooth & silky & naps the back of a spoon. Remove & discard the studded onion once the flavours have been infused.

Assembly:
Place two or three tbsp of béchamel on the bottom of a casserole dish, then lay down the first layer of lasagna sheets & cover with the spinach & ricotta filling.

Add the béchamel sauce & finish with two or three tbsp of grated Parmigiano. Repeat the process until all filling & lasagna sheets have been used. You are going to have ample béchamel sauce left over, it freezers well, place in a ziplock bags & use when required

Top the last of layer of béchamel sauce with Parmigiano & mozzarella cheese & panko breadcrumbs to create a crust during cooking.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180° C for about 30 minutes, until golden. Let spinach lasagna cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

The Classic Lasagna Bolognese

500gms ground beef
250gms pancetta

200gms carrot, chopped
200gms celery, chopped
200gms onion, chopped

425gms tomato purée or peeled
125mls dry white wine
125mls whole milk
vegetable stock
olive oil or unsalted butter
salt & pepper

For the Roux:
150gms all-purpose white flour
2 large eggs
50gms spinach

For the béchamel:
200gms butter

200gms all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
500 mls milk
500 mls culinary cream
½ medium onion, studded with 2 cloves
½ tsp nutmeg

Method:
Prepare the ragù (meat sauce): cut the pancetta into ¼” cubes & sauté in a pan.

In another pan, add 3 tbsp of butter & soffritto & cook sweat & vegetables become fragrant. Add the minced beef & cook until well browned, 25-30 minutes. Add the wine & continue to cook to reduce all liquid.

Add the tomato purée, cover, & simmer slowly for around two hours, adding vegetable broth as needed & ½ cup milk to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

For the lasagna sheets: Cook lasagna sheets in a large saucepan of boiling water according to directions. Remove sheets carefully from water with a spider & place on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.

Wash the spinach under cut water & immediately immerse in salted simmering water for 20 seconds, remove with a spider, drain & purée in a immersion blender or food processor.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

For the béchamel: Repeat process for above Spinach Lasagna recipe.

Grease baking dish with butter & top with a layer of the lasagna sheets, then a layer of sauce, then the béchamel, & top with spoonful of Parmigiano. Repeat process until the ingredients are finished. Cover the final layer with béchamel, pats of butter, & bake for around 30 minutes. When golden brown, remove from oven, rest for 30 minutes or so & serve.

This Italian comfort food, which originated in Emilia-Romagna, has been reinterpreted in just about every region, as well as beyond Italy’s borders

Preparing lasagna at home is a gesture of true love, involving many long, laborious steps, plus a hefty dose of patience, especially if making the pasta yourself. Mistakes are allowed as the dish is actually quite complex & perfection is never easy to achieve.

10 Most Common Lasagna Mistakes:

1. Should you want to make the pasta at home, spread the pasta rather thin & simmer in water with a drizzle of oil to prevent the sheets from sticking to the each other, or cook one sheet at a time & once drained place it in cold water to stop the cooking process.

2. If you buy fresh egg pasta, the process is the same as for homemade pasta. If you buy packaged dried sheets then you absolutely must cover them well with the filling, without leaving a single corner exposed.

3. There shouldn’t be too much or too little filling. Too much between one layer & another will keep you from ever getting a perfect slice. Too little & all you’ll taste is pasta.

4. Do not put large pieces of vegetables or meat in lasagna for the same reason as above. To get a perfect lasagna, the filling should be finely sliced or even creamy.

5. If using parchment paper, remember to remove it once the lasagna is cooked. Otherwise, it will get wet & ruin the base. It’s better to grease an oven dish or to streak it with béchamel sauce.

6. Don’t overdo it with the béchamel, a necessary ingredient in many recipes, particularly for the consistency it lends to the taste, but one which can ruin the dish if there’s too much of it.

7. Lasagna should be cooked for at least 45 minutes in a hot oven at 190°C, though it really depends on the number of layers. To prevent an overcooked surface & an undercooked centre, cover with aluminium foil halfway through the cooking process.

8. Particularly when using store-bought dry pasta, be careful when cooking the corners. Cover them well with the filling & add a drizzle of water or milk to soften them once in the oven.

9. Though it may seem obvious, any meat or vegetables in the filling must be cooked first. Vegetables can even be simply blanched, but putting them raw into the filling is highly risky.

10. Don’t eat it now. Like a good eggplant parmigiana, baked pasta should always be left to rest. Forget about eating it fresh out of the oven … it’s actually better the next day!

Penne Boscaiola

Ingredients
30gms dried porcini mushrooms
180mls dry white wine
6 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, 170gms, cut into thin strips
450gms mixed fresh mushrooms
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
200gms onions, sliced
6 only cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 x 425gms whole peeled tomatoes, crushed

450gms dried tubular pasta, such as penne or rigatoni
180mls heavy cream
minced fresh parsley leaves (about ½ medium bunch)
30gms freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Method:
In a small heatproof bowl or measuring cup, combine dried porcini mushrooms with white wine & microwave until wine is steaming-hot. Alternatively, heat wine & mushrooms in a small saucepan until steaming. Set aside & let soak until porcini are fully softened, 10 minutes. Using your hands, lift porcini from wine & squeeze well to remove any excess liquid; reserve porcini-infused wine. Chop soaked porcini coarsely.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or large sauté pan, cook bacon over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate.

Add fresh mushrooms & chopped porcini to pot with rendered bacon fat & return to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are browned, about 8 minutes. Add a splash of olive oil at any point if pot becomes too dry.

Add onion, garlic, & thyme & cook, stirring, until onion & garlic are softened & lightly golden, about 6 minutes; again, add olive oil as needed if pot becomes too dry. Season with salt & pepper.

Add bacon back to pot, then add crushed or puréed tomatoes. Pour in porcini-infused wine through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any sediment. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to maintain a bare simmer. Season with salt.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta & cook until just shy of al dente. Drain pasta, reserving about 2 cups of pasta-cooking water.

Add cream to pasta sauce along with drained pasta. Bring to a simmer, adding reserved pasta-cooking water as needed to thin sauce, until pasta is al dente & sauce forms a creamy sheen that coats pasta. If sauce ever becomes too thick, add more pasta water to thin it out. Remove pasta & sauce from heat & stir in parsley & cheese. Serve, passing more cheese at the table.

Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Ingredients

Gnocchi
454gms russet potatoes
¼ tsp baking powder
1 cup (106g) King Arthur Italian-Style Flour
¼ cup (28g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 large egg yolks
½ tsp table salt
pinch of nutmeg

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
1 cup (227g) heavy cream
¼ pound (113g) Gorgonzola cheese
coarsely ground black pepper
fresh sage leaves
walnut pieces or chopped walnut halves

Method:
To make the gnocchi: Bake the potatoes until soft. Peel the warm potatoes & press them through a ricer, or mash them Weigh approximately 266gms potato & reserve remainder for other purposes.

Mix the baking powder with the flour, & sprinkle over the potatoes.

Add the cheese, yolks, salt, & nutmeg, mixing just until everything comes together in a smooth ball.

Place the dough on a floured work surface, cover, & let rest for 30 minutes.

Take about a third of the dough, & roll it into a rope about the thickness of a finger.

Cut 3/4″-long pieces. Using a gnocchi board or the back of a fork, roll the individual gnocchi to create ridges on one side, & a little space in the middle.

Place the gnocchi on a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with flour, cover lightly, & chill until ready to cook. Gnocchi may be stored in the refrigerator up to a day, & in the freezer for several months.

To cook: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a slow boil, & add the gnocchi.

Once gnocchi float to the surface, cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain cooked gnocchi, & toss with sauce.

To make the gorgonzola cream sauce: Bring the heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat & keep simmering until the cream is reduced in volume by about a third.

Add the cheese in pieces. Stir until all the cheese melts & the sauce becomes smooth.

Toss with pasta & sprinkle servings with pepper & walnuts. Garnish with sage leaves.

Gorgonzola cheese:

Origin & History: Gorgonzola is a veined Italian blue cheese, made from unskimmed cow’s milk. It’s believed to have originated in the town of Gorgonzola, Milan, acquiring its greenish-blue marbling in the 11th century.

However, the town’s claim of geographical origin is disputed by other localities1. Another possible place of origin is Pasturo nella Valsassina, known for its natural caves that stay at the perfect temperature to make Gorgonzola and many other cheeses. There’s a Lombardy legend of Gorgonzola’s origin where a cheese maker added new fresh curds to a vat and left it open all night. He apparently forgot about the curds because he was in a rush to meet his lover. He attempted to fix his mistake and added fresh curds to the vat and a few months later he was surprised with a new bluish mold that had grown on his cheese.

Flavour Profile: Gorgonzola has a distinct flavour and soft texture, often described as creamy and crumbly in both body and rind. Its flavour could be nutty, sweet & sharp as you would expect from a blue, with slightly salty aftertastes. The blue-green marbling in the cheese gives it a distinctive spicy flavour. The intensity of the flavour can vary depending on the age of the cheese, with younger cheeses having a milder taste and older cheeses having a stronger, more complex flavor4.

Processing: To make Gorgonzola cheese, whole pasteurized cow’s milk is combined with penicillium roqueforti cultures, enzymes, rennet, and salt. The milk begins to curdle immediately, and within 20 minutes, the curds are gently cut into small pieces. The whey is drained, and the curds are transferred into round molds. The salted wheels are held in a warm environment for 3 to 7 days, after which they are transferred to a cold room, around 9-10ºC with 95% humidity, where each wheel is punctured numerous times with thin skewers, which allows oxygen to circulate throughout the cheese, helping to produce its characteristic blue veins. A saltwater solution is applied to the cheese, which is what produces the rind & aged for 2 to 6 months

Baked Gnocchi

Ingredients:

Gnocchi
500g waxy potatoes peeled
1 ⅓ cup plain flour
50g unsalted butter
1 tbsp sea salt

200gms fresh tomatoes, roughly diced
100gms kalamata olives, pitted & finely diced
200gms assorted mushrooms, cremini, porcini & portabella, finely sliced
1 whole leek, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, finely diced
100mls chicken stock
75mls culinary cream
150gms fresh mozzarella
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup basil leaves loosely packed

Method:
Preheat a fan forced oven to 200°C.

To make the gnocchi, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Quarter potatoes to reduce surface area so they cook more evenly. Place the peeled potatoes into the water, reduce heat to a simmer & continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Dust your work surface with flour, then pass the hot potatoes through a potato ricer & let the potato fall evenly over the flour on the bench.

Melt the butter & drizzle evenly over the potato & sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of salt.

Slowly work the flour & potato together using a pastry scraper, until you have a firm dough.

Knead the dough gently for 2 minutes then divide into quarters & roll each piece to make a long thin log about 1cm thick in diameter.

Using a lightly floured knife, cut each log into 2.5cm lengths.

Fill 2/3 of a large saucepan with water & place over high heat to bring to a boil.

Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water then place the gnocchi into the pot. When the gnocchi rise to the surface, wait a further 1 minute, then gently remove them from the water using a slotted spoon. Ensure the gnocchi is well drained before placing it onto a large baking tray.

To prepare the sauce, sauté mushrooms in olive oil for 8-10 minute to release their juice & continue to cook until completely evaporated, add the finely diced leeks & garlic cloves & cook to sweat & fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes to break down & fold in the kalamata olives. Add the stock & reduce by ⅓ over a slow simmer. Fold in the culinary cream & continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Season with salt & cracked black pepper.

Pour over the gnocchi & gently fold in.

Tear the mozzarella & place on top of the gnocchi, then place into the preheated oven to bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven & allow to sit for 5 minutes, then drizzle over the olive oil & garnish with fresh basil leaves to serve.

One of the keys lessons I’ve learnt over the years is to feel your way into cooking. recipe are only ever a guide. cooking from the heart is the most inspiring way to create your favorite dishes. Good produce needs so little doing it, so don’t overcomplicate things.

Roman Semolina Gnocchi (Gnocchi alla Romana)

Ingredients:
6 cups milk
Kosher salt
1 ½ cups semolina flour
8 tbsp unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for grating
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

Method:
In a large saucepan, heat milk over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally to prevent scorching, until steaming. Season well with salt. While whisking constantly, sprinkle in semolina in a fine shower to prevent lumps; the mixture will thicken & become difficult to whisk. Once all semolina is added, lower heat to medium-low, switch to a stiff rubber spatula or wooden spoon & cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until a sticky, dough-like mass forms & begins to pull away from sides of saucepan, 10 to 15 minutes; make sure to stir deep into corners & all over bottom of saucepan to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.

Stir in 4 tablespoons of butter until melted & thoroughly incorporated. Stir in cheese until melted, add egg yolks & combine well.

Scrape semolina dough into a buttered rimmed baking sheet. Using a wet rubber spatula or wet clean hands, press & smooth semolina dough into an even layer about ½ inch thick. It’s okay if the dough does not fully reach all edges of the baking sheet, as long as it’s even throughout. Press plastic wrap against the surface & refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 220°C. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter or similarly sized glass, cut semolina into rounds. Butter a large baking dish or ovenproof skillet. Using a thin metal spatula, add each semolina round from the baking sheet & arrange in an overlapping pattern in the prepared dish or skillet.

Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter & drizzle all over semolina gnocchi. Grate Parmigiano-Reggiano generously over the semolina gnocchi & bake until are sizzling & evenly golden brown & serve

Macaroni Cheese

Ingredients:
1.2kg Queensland blue pumpkin peeled & cut into small chunks
15gms fresh rosemary roughly chopped
5gms sea salt
5gms freshly ground black pepper
100mls extra virgin olive oil
50mls lemon juice
400gms large macaroni
250gms fetta
300gms cheddar cheese grated
100gms panko breadcrumbs

Cheese sauce
160gms unsalted butter
160gms plain flour
1.75 litres milk
250mls culinary cream
1 tsp nutmeg grated
300gms parmesan grated

Method:
Line a roasting tray with baking paper, add the pumpkin, chopped rosemary, salt flakes & black pepper, drizzle with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil & lemon juice. Roast at 200C for half hour until the pumpkin starts to colour & is tender.

Melt the butter in a medium sized Dutch oven or saucepan & take to nut brown, reduce heat & add the flour, mixing well to combine. Remove from the heat & allow to cool. Heat the milk to a slow simmer & add in increments of 200mls to the roux, whisking vigorously to combine. The roux will absorb the milk eventually creating a liquid with a lower viscosity after each addition

Add the culinary cream & continue to cook & whisk until you have achieved a silky sauce consistency where it coats the back of a spoon. If necessary, pass the sauce through a chinois prior to adding the nutmeg & grated Parmesan. Stir continuously until the cheese has melted & taste the sauce & season with sea salt & white pepper if necessary; however, easy on the salt; I suggest it may not be required.

Parmesan cheese is made by immersing the cheese wheel in salt water with a salinity of about 36% for about 20-23 days. This process gives Parmesan its signature salty flavour. However, the overall saltiness of the final product, at 1000 milligrams per serving, stems from the entire cheesemaking process

Cook the macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, drain & place in a large mixing bowl Add the cheese sauce to the macaroni & mix thoroughly, then add the pumpkin & toss through gently, break up the fetta & add to the macaroni. Pour the macaroni mixture into an oven proof dish, top with the grated cheddar mixed with panko breadcrumbs & bake at 200ºC

Lasagna Napoletana (Lasagna w/ Sausage, Mozzarella, & Meatballs)

Ingredients:
1¼ kgs pork spare ribs
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
12 medium cloves garlic, finely minced, divided
½ tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups dry white wine
425 gms whole peeled tomatoes
Parmesan rind
1 bunch fresh basil
400 gms mild sausage, in the casings (see note)
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
2 large eggs
200gms Parmesan cheese, divided
½ cup picked fresh parsley leaves

vegetable oil, for frying
400gms whole-milk ricotta cheese (see note)
500gms fresh or dried lasagna sheets

1 tbsp unsalted butter
300gms mozzarella cheese, cut into large dice
300gms mozzarella cheese

Method:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position & preheat oven to 180°C. Season ribs with salt & pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add ribs & cook until well browned. Turn & cook other side, transfer to a plate & set aside.

Add onions to Dutch oven & cook, scraping up any browned bits, & stirring frequently until just beginning to brown. Add 8 cloves garlic & continue cooking until onions & garlic begin to sweat & are aromatic. Add chilli flakes & oregano & cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, incorporate wine & cook until nearly completely reduced.

Add tomatoes, Parmesan rind, ¾ of basil & pork spare ribs to Dutch oven & bring to a simmer. Cover with lid slightly ajar & place in the oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rib bones can be easily removed from the meat, about 3 hours. Add sausages & continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven & increase oven temperature to 200°C.

Transfer ribs to a bowl, & let stand until cool. Remove rib meat from bones & discard bones; roughly shred meat & transfer to the bowl of a food processor.

Process until it forms a finely shredded paste, scraping the sides of the processor as necessary. Transfer mixture to a large bowl & season to taste with salt & pepper.

Add bread, eggs, 75gms of Parmesan, remaining garlic cloves & parsley & process until a smooth paste is formed. Transfer to bowl with meat & fold by hand until homogenous.

Form mixture into ½-inch balls using wet hands. You should end up with about 60 meatballs.

Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over high heat until it reaches 180°C. Add as many meatballs that can fit in a single layer. Cook without moving until well browned on first side, turn & cook until browned all over (meatballs will be very delicate). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate & repeat until all the meatballs are cooked.

Combine ricotta with 1½ cups sauce in a medium bowl. Cook lasagna sheets in a large saucepan of boiling water according to directions. Remove sheets carefully from water with a spider & place on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.

Remove the sausages from the sauce & slice into thin disks. Butter the bottom & sides of an oven proof lasagna pan. Spread a ladle of tomato based sauce on bottom of pan & top with a layer of lasagna sheets.

Spread ⅓ of ricotta mixture over the lasagna sheets, followed by ⅓ of meatballs, ⅓ of sliced sausage, & ¼ of mozzarella, Top with another ladle of sauce & a generous grating of Parmesan cheese.

Repeat two more times until you have used all ingredients, meatballs, sausage, & ricotta mixture. Top final layer of lasagna sheets with remaining sauce & cheeses. Tear basil leaves & sprinkle over the top & drizzle with olive oil.

Cover tightly with aluminium foil & bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil & continue baking until golden brown & fragrant. Remove from oven, allow to rest for ½ hour & serve.

Rigatoni w/ Seafood, Olives, & Capers

Ingredients:
500gms Rigatoni

2 litres court bouillon

Aromatics
thyme
oregano
bay leave
parsley
garlic, whole, bruised
cracked black peppercorns

50 mls Lemon juice
6-8 capers, crushed
1 large onion, cut roughly
1 large carrot, cut roughly
1 celery stalk, cut roughly

3 tbsp olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¼ cup capers
80mls white wine
2 tbsp lemon juice
black peppercorns, whole

220gms peeled & deveined prawns
220gms sliced calamari
220gms scallops

100mls culinary cream
1 cup pitted olives, sliced
2 only egg yolks
fresh parsley, for garnish
additional lemon juice to finish
salt & pepper, to taste

Method:
Peel & devein prawns, reserving the shells for the court bouillon. Combine the prawn flesh with the calamari & scallops & season with salt & pepper & refrigerate until required

To prepare the court bouillon:
Thoroughly wash the prawn shells to discard any intestines from the prawns. Lightly crush the shells with a tenderizing mallet or similar.

Wash & cut the mirepoix roughly, it is not essential to peel as the vegetables will be discarded after the court bouillon has been prepared.

Add the prawn shells & mirepoix of vegetables, bruised garlic, black peppercorns, white wine & lemon juice & aromatics to 2 litres of cold water & slowly bring to a slow simmer.

“Importantly, a court bouillon, like most stocks has to be treated with care; the objective is to bring the water to a very slow simmer where only minimal movement is evident; a high heat will cloud the stock”.

Continue to cook on a slow simmer for 20-25 minutes, skimming off any scum during the cooking process.

Remove from heat, strain & discard solids. Pass the court bouillon through a fine mesh chinois lined with cheesecloth, repeating this process twice more as you want a very clean, almost consommé style stock. Let cool & reserve.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the seafood in batches to maintain a constant heat, tossing occasionally to ensure all seafood kisses the heat & cooks evenly. Remove the last of the seafood & any pan juices & reserve both.

Add remaining olive oil to the saucepan, heat over a moderate flame & add garlic, capers & olives & cook until fragrant. Return the reserved pan juices from the seafood with the lemon juice, white wine & 100mls of the court bouillon & reduce by ⅔. Add the seafood back into the reduced stock with 100mls of the culinary cream & cook to heat for a further 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, temper egg yolks with 50mls of the sauce & incorporate back into the pasta sauce mixing well while maintaining constant movement until heat disperses from the sauce to avoid splitting.

Cook rigatoni al dente according to instructions, drain & add immediately to the sauce & toss to coat the pasta & evenly distribute the seafood & capers

Finish with torn fresh parsley & a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice, season with salt & cracked black peppercorns & serve immediately.

Pasta al Limone

Ingredients:
70gms unsalted butter
finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus fresh juice to taste
1 medium clove garlic, minced
sea salt
450gms fresh spaghetti
30gms grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
freshly ground black pepper
additional lemon zest for garnish

Method:
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat until foaming. Lower heat to low, add lemon zest & garlic, & cook, stirring, until fragrant.

In a medium sized saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta until just shy of al dente, remove from heat reserving 240mls of the pasta water & discard remainder.

Add pasta to butter mixture, along with half the reserved pasta water. Increase heat to medium-high & cook, stirring & tossing to coat, until pasta is glazed in a satiny, emulsified sauce.

Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese & toss & stir rapidly until sauce thickens; if it becomes too tight & dry at any time, add more pasta-cooking water to loosen. Add lemon juice to taste, starting with 1 tablespoon (15ml), then adding more until desired tartness is reached. Season with salt & pepper & serve immediately.