5 Ways to Fix Over-Salted Food: "used in this lentil recipe"
- Add a starch. Stir in some cooked (unsalted) rice, barley, quinoa, pasta or couscous.
These salt-thirsty ingredients will absorb quite a bit from a sauce.
Depending on the dish, simmer or bake it for a bit with a splash of liquid to meld the flavours and allow the grains to absorb the excess salt.
If it’s a soup, curry or other saucy dish, you can add large chunks of potato to soak up excess salt then discard when tender.
- To desalt vegetable stew add the rice, more water, more fresh veggies, a cut up sweet apple, 2 teaspoons of sugar (one at a time to taste if it worked), and the juice and entire insides of 2 oranges (minus seeds)
...add 2 dollops of plain yogurt and the contents of another orange.
- When faced with an over-seasoned dish, your first move should be to try to balance out the flavors.
Typically, this is done by playing with sugars and acids.
Try adding a squeeze of lemon or a spoonful of sugar to your dish, then taste test again and proceed from there.
Depending on the dish, switch up the acid and sugar sources - sub in vinegar for citrus, or honey in for sugar.
- Rice, beans, or any other other neutral grain will help round out the flavor.
- Parsley, or other very leafy stuff. Specifically, I've noticed that adding parsley to a dish that's too salty works wonders. It's good for almost any sauce you're making, as well as pasta or casserole.
Lemon or Lime – A few drops of an acid like lemon or lime juice will help even out the saltiness of a dish.
Choose between the two depending on the flavor of the actual dish.
Only use a few drops and then taste after each addition to figure out how much you need to fix the dish you’re cooking.
Vinegar – Vinegar is also an acid, which means it does a good job of helping to cut through too much saltiness in food.
Like the lemon juice and lime juice, adding a minimal amount to the dish, as you stir and taste is key since vinegar has a very strong taste and you don’t want to alter the flavor too much.
White Granulated Sugar or Brown Sugar – For mixed dishes and dishes like chili, a small spoonful of brown sugar or regular ‘ole white granulated sugar can quickly fix the problem of too much salt.
While the sweetness of sugar can balance out the sodium, adding too much can make your dish too sweet, so keep an eye on how much you’re adding and taste it frequently to adjust the amount you need to add.
Oil – For sauces, marinades, and salad dressings, adding a little bit of oil can help cut down the saltiness.
This goes back to the same principles that help cut the salt in soup dishes: dilution.
Since most dressings and marinades are oil based, adding more oil will dilute the recipe and help manage oversalting.
Sour Cream – Another option for soups and mixed dishes is to add something creamy.
Sour cream and heavy cream are generally used for this, as they can thicken up soups without changing the flavor profile too much.
It can also work wonders for mashed potatoes and similar dishes, since the sour cream weakens the salt flavor, and also adds the creaminess that you want in mashed potatoes.
'via Blog this'
Thursday 9 February 2017
Brandy-roasted chicken with mushroom pearl barley.
Recipe by Donna Hay published in the Mail Online.
SERVES 4-6
1 x 1.8kg whole chicken
4 cloves garlic, crushed
125ml brandy (Calvados)
60ml olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper
50g unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, extra, sliced
30g dried mixed mushrooms, rehydrated in 250ml boiling water
500g fresh mixed mushrooms
210g pearl barley
125ml dry white wine
375ml chicken stock
Preheat the oven to 200C (400F/gas 6).
Place the chicken, garlic, brandy, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat.
Place in the fridge for 1 hour to marinate.
Secure the chicken legs with kitchen string.
Heat a large nonstick frying pan over a high heat and cook the chicken, breast-side down, for 5 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Melt the butter in the pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened.
Strain the dried mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and add to the pan with the fresh mushrooms.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the barley and wine and cook for 1 minute or until the wine is absorbed.
Add the reserved mushroom liquid and stock and stir to combine.
Transfer to a baking dish and top with the chicken.
Cover with aluminium foil and roast for 55 minutes.
Remove the foil and roast for a further 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
Serve with the mushroom pearl barley.
Substitute for Brandy:
- Water, white grape juice, apple cider or apple juice, diluted peach or apricot syrups.
Substitute equal amounts of liquid.
SERVES 4-6
1 x 1.8kg whole chicken
4 cloves garlic, crushed
125ml brandy (Calvados)
60ml olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper
50g unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, extra, sliced
30g dried mixed mushrooms, rehydrated in 250ml boiling water
500g fresh mixed mushrooms
210g pearl barley
125ml dry white wine
375ml chicken stock
Preheat the oven to 200C (400F/gas 6).
Place the chicken, garlic, brandy, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat.
Place in the fridge for 1 hour to marinate.
Secure the chicken legs with kitchen string.
Heat a large nonstick frying pan over a high heat and cook the chicken, breast-side down, for 5 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Melt the butter in the pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened.
Strain the dried mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and add to the pan with the fresh mushrooms.
Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the barley and wine and cook for 1 minute or until the wine is absorbed.
Add the reserved mushroom liquid and stock and stir to combine.
Transfer to a baking dish and top with the chicken.
Cover with aluminium foil and roast for 55 minutes.
Remove the foil and roast for a further 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
Serve with the mushroom pearl barley.
Substitute for Brandy:
- Water, white grape juice, apple cider or apple juice, diluted peach or apricot syrups.
Substitute equal amounts of liquid.
Pasta Frittata.
Pasta Frittata Recipe - NYT Cooking:
Pasta pancake (frittata).
Leftover Pasta Reborn as a Pie!
Creamy and solid at the same time, the pasta frittata is more substantial than a regular frittata, but no less versatile.
“Substitute almost any cheese for the Parmesan (or leave it out altogether) and toss in any cooked vegetable or meat.
Make it your own.
A handful of parsley stirred into the mix is nice.
The key to extreme enjoyment is to make sure that some ends of pasta pieces protrude from the top of the mixture when you put it in the oven.
They will become crunchy, giving the leftover pasta yet one more pleasant dimension.
It is best to use fairly low oven heat to keep the eggs from overcooking, but as long as you remove the pie the moment the eggs no longer look runny, it will be fine.”
100g spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine or other long pasta (or about 1/2 pound cooked pasta)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced pancetta, bacon or prosciutto, optional
6 eggs
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (our cheese of choice here is Gruyère - Gruyère is a nutty cheese that melts well)
Some frittata recipes don't use any cream or milk (1/4 cup), but we find that doing so adds a lovely creaminess and protects the eggs from becoming rubbery.
If using leftover cooked pasta, chop it up.
If using dried pasta, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it.
Cook pasta until barely tender, somewhat short of where you would normally cook it.
Drain, and immediately toss it in a wide bowl with half the butter or oil.
Cool it a bit.
Heat oven to 180C.
Put remaining butter or oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet, and turn heat to medium-high.
If you are using meat, add it, and cook, stirring occasionally until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. (If not using meat, proceed.)
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk or half and half until fully combined.
Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Combine pasta with ingredients, along with salt and pepper (less salt if you are using meat).
Pour into skillet, and turn heat to medium-low.
Use a spoon if necessary to even out top of frittata.
Cook undisturbed until mixture firms up on bottom, then transfer to oven.
Bake just until top is set, about 10 minutes.
Be careful not to overcook it.
Remove, and serve hot or at room temperature.
Once you've made a few frittatas and are comfortable with the technique, you'll be able to adjust the ingredients according to the season and your taste: blanched dark greens in the fall, for example, or roasted winter squash later in the year.
Usually it starts on the stove and ends in the oven, where it develops a nice, golden finish.
'via Blog this'
Pasta pancake (frittata).
Leftover Pasta Reborn as a Pie!
Creamy and solid at the same time, the pasta frittata is more substantial than a regular frittata, but no less versatile.
“Substitute almost any cheese for the Parmesan (or leave it out altogether) and toss in any cooked vegetable or meat.
Make it your own.
A handful of parsley stirred into the mix is nice.
The key to extreme enjoyment is to make sure that some ends of pasta pieces protrude from the top of the mixture when you put it in the oven.
They will become crunchy, giving the leftover pasta yet one more pleasant dimension.
It is best to use fairly low oven heat to keep the eggs from overcooking, but as long as you remove the pie the moment the eggs no longer look runny, it will be fine.”
100g spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine or other long pasta (or about 1/2 pound cooked pasta)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced pancetta, bacon or prosciutto, optional
6 eggs
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (our cheese of choice here is Gruyère - Gruyère is a nutty cheese that melts well)
Some frittata recipes don't use any cream or milk (1/4 cup), but we find that doing so adds a lovely creaminess and protects the eggs from becoming rubbery.
If using leftover cooked pasta, chop it up.
If using dried pasta, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it.
Cook pasta until barely tender, somewhat short of where you would normally cook it.
Drain, and immediately toss it in a wide bowl with half the butter or oil.
Cool it a bit.
Heat oven to 180C.
Put remaining butter or oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet, and turn heat to medium-high.
If you are using meat, add it, and cook, stirring occasionally until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. (If not using meat, proceed.)
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk or half and half until fully combined.
Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Combine pasta with ingredients, along with salt and pepper (less salt if you are using meat).
Pour into skillet, and turn heat to medium-low.
Use a spoon if necessary to even out top of frittata.
Cook undisturbed until mixture firms up on bottom, then transfer to oven.
Bake just until top is set, about 10 minutes.
Be careful not to overcook it.
Remove, and serve hot or at room temperature.
Once you've made a few frittatas and are comfortable with the technique, you'll be able to adjust the ingredients according to the season and your taste: blanched dark greens in the fall, for example, or roasted winter squash later in the year.
Usually it starts on the stove and ends in the oven, where it develops a nice, golden finish.
'via Blog this'
Sunday 5 February 2017
Yellow Split Pea soup.
Yellow Split Pea soup Recipe on Food52:
This is a simple soup.
It does take some time to cook and will require regular stirring but there is very little preparation and few ingredients.
Its a comforting, cheap meal that freezes well.
I'll come back to this recipe!
200g dried yellow split peas
140g carrots, chopped
1 onion
2 tablespoons vegtable oil
1 liter vegetable stock
2-3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Soak the dried yellow split peas overnight in cold water.
Drain and rinse the split peas.
Heat the oil.
Gently fry the carrot and onion together in a large sauce/stock pan.
This is not to brown but just to add flavor.
When the onions start to become translucent add the drained split peas and the vegetable stock and bay leaves.
Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes then simmer until the split peas are cooked through.
Now I find that the times differ - I'm not sure why.
Sometimes it takes 45 minutes for the split peas to soften, other times more than an hour.
Use your judgement here but you may need to top up the stock so the soup doesn't boil dry and stir regularly!
Fish out the bay leaves.
Puree the soup with a blender or stick blender.
If too thick you may need to add a little more stock.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
'via Blog this'
This is a simple soup.
It does take some time to cook and will require regular stirring but there is very little preparation and few ingredients.
Its a comforting, cheap meal that freezes well.
I'll come back to this recipe!
200g dried yellow split peas
140g carrots, chopped
1 onion
2 tablespoons vegtable oil
1 liter vegetable stock
2-3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Soak the dried yellow split peas overnight in cold water.
Drain and rinse the split peas.
Heat the oil.
Gently fry the carrot and onion together in a large sauce/stock pan.
This is not to brown but just to add flavor.
When the onions start to become translucent add the drained split peas and the vegetable stock and bay leaves.
Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes then simmer until the split peas are cooked through.
Now I find that the times differ - I'm not sure why.
Sometimes it takes 45 minutes for the split peas to soften, other times more than an hour.
Use your judgement here but you may need to top up the stock so the soup doesn't boil dry and stir regularly!
Fish out the bay leaves.
Puree the soup with a blender or stick blender.
If too thick you may need to add a little more stock.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
'via Blog this'
Friday 3 February 2017
Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Pumpkin & Quinoa Gluten Free.
Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Pumpkin & Quinoa Gluten Free Recipe:
Marinade
3 garlic cloves
2cm piece of ginger
1 small brown onion
½ cup coriander leaves
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cinnamon
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cracked pepper
1 tbs sea salt
1 kg lamb shoulder, deboned, cubed and trimmed of fat
2 cups chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
300g butternut pumpkin cut into medium cubes.
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
Pinch of sea salt
Combine all marinade ingredients in a food processor and blitz to form a paste.
Combine the lamb and marinade in a bowl and let the meat marinade for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Heat a heavy based casserole pot over medium to high heat. Drizzle a little olive oil in the pot then add lamb and marinade and stir occasionally for 5 minutes or so until lamb is browned.
Add the chicken stock and lemon juice, place the lid on the pot and place in the oven for 2 hrs.
Remove pot from oven, stir in the pumpkin and return to the oven for 30 minutes.
In the meantime prepare the quinoa by rinsing under water to remove grittiness.
Place in a pot with water and salt, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until moisture is absorbed.
Remove from heat and place a paper towel between the pot and lid to absorb moisture.
Fluff with fork.
Remove lamb tagine from oven and adjust seasoning if necessary, scatter with coriander leaves and serve with quinoa.
Marinade
3 garlic cloves
2cm piece of ginger
1 small brown onion
½ cup coriander leaves
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cinnamon
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cracked pepper
1 tbs sea salt
1 kg lamb shoulder, deboned, cubed and trimmed of fat
2 cups chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
300g butternut pumpkin cut into medium cubes.
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
Pinch of sea salt
Combine all marinade ingredients in a food processor and blitz to form a paste.
Combine the lamb and marinade in a bowl and let the meat marinade for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Heat a heavy based casserole pot over medium to high heat. Drizzle a little olive oil in the pot then add lamb and marinade and stir occasionally for 5 minutes or so until lamb is browned.
Add the chicken stock and lemon juice, place the lid on the pot and place in the oven for 2 hrs.
Remove pot from oven, stir in the pumpkin and return to the oven for 30 minutes.
In the meantime prepare the quinoa by rinsing under water to remove grittiness.
Place in a pot with water and salt, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until moisture is absorbed.
Remove from heat and place a paper towel between the pot and lid to absorb moisture.
Fluff with fork.
Remove lamb tagine from oven and adjust seasoning if necessary, scatter with coriander leaves and serve with quinoa.
Thursday 2 February 2017
Fennel and potato salad, roasted leeks and crispy chickpeas.
Ingredients
440 g tin chickpeas, rinsed, drained and dried
juice and finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tsp sumac
2 tbsp extra–virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper
2 slim leeks (see Note), white and pale green part only
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled, halved
280 g (4 small) kipfler potatoes, scrubbed, halved lengthways
1 baby fennel, fronds reserved
4 cups picked watercress
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Combine half the chickpeas, lemon rind, ½ teaspoon of sumac and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Season to taste and toss until evenly coated. Spread on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and place on the oven tray, along with the leeks. Transfer the ingredients to the oven and roast for 20–25 minutes until the chickpeas are golden and crisp and the leek and garlic are soft and tender. Remove from the oven, unwrap the garlic and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the potato and boil gently for 14–16 minutes until tender. Drain well and allow to cool for a few minutes.
For the dressing, mash the roast garlic with a fork into a paste. Add 1½ tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of sumac. Season to taste, mix until well combined and emulsified.
When the leeks are cool enough to handle pull away the tough outer layers and slice into 2 cm-thick rounds. Finely slice the fennel and place in a bowl with the watercress. Add enough dressing to lightly coat. Divide watercress between plates then arrange the potato, raw chickpeas and cooked chickpeas on top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, serve immediately.
Note:
- Slim leeks are regular length but only about 5 cm in diameter.
If unavailable you can use normal leeks but they will take an extra 5–10 minutes in the oven.
440 g tin chickpeas, rinsed, drained and dried
juice and finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tsp sumac
2 tbsp extra–virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper
2 slim leeks (see Note), white and pale green part only
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled, halved
280 g (4 small) kipfler potatoes, scrubbed, halved lengthways
1 baby fennel, fronds reserved
4 cups picked watercress
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Combine half the chickpeas, lemon rind, ½ teaspoon of sumac and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Season to taste and toss until evenly coated. Spread on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and place on the oven tray, along with the leeks. Transfer the ingredients to the oven and roast for 20–25 minutes until the chickpeas are golden and crisp and the leek and garlic are soft and tender. Remove from the oven, unwrap the garlic and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the potato and boil gently for 14–16 minutes until tender. Drain well and allow to cool for a few minutes.
For the dressing, mash the roast garlic with a fork into a paste. Add 1½ tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of sumac. Season to taste, mix until well combined and emulsified.
When the leeks are cool enough to handle pull away the tough outer layers and slice into 2 cm-thick rounds. Finely slice the fennel and place in a bowl with the watercress. Add enough dressing to lightly coat. Divide watercress between plates then arrange the potato, raw chickpeas and cooked chickpeas on top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, serve immediately.
Note:
- Slim leeks are regular length but only about 5 cm in diameter.
If unavailable you can use normal leeks but they will take an extra 5–10 minutes in the oven.
Spiralised zucchini puttanesca.
For those of us trying to find alternatives to pasta, a spiraliser, which looks a bit like a giant serrated pencil sharpener and shreds chunks of veg into wonderful strands of ‘vegetti’, has become one of the must-have pieces of kitchen equipment.
Ingredients
4 anchovies, from a jar or tin, drained and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
¼-½ tsp chilli flakes or fresh chilli, deseeded and finely diced
2 tbsp olive oil
200 g tinned chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
50 g pitted black olives, sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 large zucchini (about 200g), spiralised
Instructions
Over a gentle heat, fry the anchovies, garlic and chilli in the oil for 2-3 minutes. Press the anchovies against the pan with a wooden spoon to form a paste. Then add the tomatoes, capers, olives and oregano, and cook gently for 20-30 minutes without a lid.
About 5 minutes before the sauce is ready, steam, microwave or boil the spiralised zucchini for 2-3 minutes, so that it is still slightly al dente.
Serve the sauce on top of the spiralised zucchini along with a light salad.
Note
Other spaghetti alternatives:
- Konjac-based low-carb noodles.
- Finely sliced cabbage, steamed or boiled green beans, shredded lengthwise (available in some supermarkets, frozen is fine).
Ingredients
4 anchovies, from a jar or tin, drained and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
¼-½ tsp chilli flakes or fresh chilli, deseeded and finely diced
2 tbsp olive oil
200 g tinned chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
50 g pitted black olives, sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 large zucchini (about 200g), spiralised
Instructions
Over a gentle heat, fry the anchovies, garlic and chilli in the oil for 2-3 minutes. Press the anchovies against the pan with a wooden spoon to form a paste. Then add the tomatoes, capers, olives and oregano, and cook gently for 20-30 minutes without a lid.
About 5 minutes before the sauce is ready, steam, microwave or boil the spiralised zucchini for 2-3 minutes, so that it is still slightly al dente.
Serve the sauce on top of the spiralised zucchini along with a light salad.
Note
Other spaghetti alternatives:
- Konjac-based low-carb noodles.
- Finely sliced cabbage, steamed or boiled green beans, shredded lengthwise (available in some supermarkets, frozen is fine).
Skinny eggplant ‘lasagne’.
An excellent low-cal, low-carb Mediterranean-style vegetarian meal for anyone missing pasta.
Ingredients
50 g raw spinach (or defrosted frozen spinach), chopped
50 g parmesan, grated
100 g cottage cheese (or ricotta, but note it has more calories and less protein)
½ red capsicum, deseeded and finely chopped
200 g mushrooms, chopped
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
300 ml passata
1 tbsp olive oil
200 g eggplant, sliced lengthwise in ½ cm strips
12 cherry tomatoes, halved, or 6 larger tomatoes, chopped
50 g cheddar, grated
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Finely chop the spinach and mix it with the parmesan and cottage cheese in a bowl, and season to taste. Place the chopped capsicum and mushrooms in a separate bowl along with the garlic, herbs, passata and olive oil. Season well.
Spread half of the veg mixture over the bottom of a rectangular ovenproof dish or tin, followed by alternating layers of sliced eggplant and the cheese and spinach mix. The last layer should be eggplant.
Pour the rest of the veg mixture over the top and dot with the cherry tomatoes. Cover the dish with foil and bake it for approximately 30 minutes or until the eggplant feels soft and thoroughly cooked. Remove the foil and sprinkle grated cheddar over the top of the lasagne. Put it back in the oven for another 10–15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned. Serve with a crunchy green salad.
Note
- You could add Quorn or minced meat to the tomato mix if desired.
- if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Ingredients
50 g raw spinach (or defrosted frozen spinach), chopped
50 g parmesan, grated
100 g cottage cheese (or ricotta, but note it has more calories and less protein)
½ red capsicum, deseeded and finely chopped
200 g mushrooms, chopped
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
300 ml passata
1 tbsp olive oil
200 g eggplant, sliced lengthwise in ½ cm strips
12 cherry tomatoes, halved, or 6 larger tomatoes, chopped
50 g cheddar, grated
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Finely chop the spinach and mix it with the parmesan and cottage cheese in a bowl, and season to taste. Place the chopped capsicum and mushrooms in a separate bowl along with the garlic, herbs, passata and olive oil. Season well.
Spread half of the veg mixture over the bottom of a rectangular ovenproof dish or tin, followed by alternating layers of sliced eggplant and the cheese and spinach mix. The last layer should be eggplant.
Pour the rest of the veg mixture over the top and dot with the cherry tomatoes. Cover the dish with foil and bake it for approximately 30 minutes or until the eggplant feels soft and thoroughly cooked. Remove the foil and sprinkle grated cheddar over the top of the lasagne. Put it back in the oven for another 10–15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned. Serve with a crunchy green salad.
Note
- You could add Quorn or minced meat to the tomato mix if desired.
- if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Michael Mosley’s secret weapon.
Easy health hack: a late breakfast is Michael Mosley’s secret weapon : SBS Food:
"The plain-speaking doctor on why fasting is easier (and healthier) than you think, why we all need to ditch low-fat diets and the perks of eating Mediterranean-style."
The breakfast solution:
It was healthier to skip breakfast!
“If you go for longer periods without food, 10 or 12 hours at a time, your body goes into what’s called negative protein balance, and instead of producing new proteins it starts to get rid of the old, broken-down ones.”
Why Mediterranean matters:
But if you think that means fettuccini and pane di casa on high rotation, stop right there.
According to Mosley, the true Mediterranean diet (and the one used in the trial) is based on lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, fish and full-fat yoghurt.
A crusade against carbs:
Refined, starchy carbs like bread, pasta, potatoes, processed cereals and white rice are omitted, because they rapidly convert into sugars in the blood.
Reassuringly, an element of decadence is embraced through the inclusion of full-fat cheeses, yoghurt, butter, eggs, olive oil and avocado.
Taking his own advice:
So, what exactly does a fasting day look like for Mosley?
“I’ll have scrambled eggs with a bit of smoked salmon, plenty of tea, coffee and water, a low calorie miso soup at lunch with some vegetables, then in the evening I’ll have a big pile of vegetables with some salmon or steak,” he says. “It’s not a starvation diet by any means.”
...helping him lose 9kg in 12 weeks and reverse his type 2 diabetes, which he was initially diagnosed with back in 2012.
Mosley approves of dense, dark rye bread.
As for pasta? “If you pre-cook it, cool it, then reheat it, it becomes what’s called resistant starch, which reduces how much sugar your body absorbs,” he says.
“When you make a smoothie it mashes up a lot of the fibre, which is the critical thing to slow the absorption of sugars, so I think you’re better off eating whole vegetables and fruit,” advises Mosley.
'via Blog this'
"The plain-speaking doctor on why fasting is easier (and healthier) than you think, why we all need to ditch low-fat diets and the perks of eating Mediterranean-style."
The breakfast solution:
It was healthier to skip breakfast!
“If you go for longer periods without food, 10 or 12 hours at a time, your body goes into what’s called negative protein balance, and instead of producing new proteins it starts to get rid of the old, broken-down ones.”
Why Mediterranean matters:
But if you think that means fettuccini and pane di casa on high rotation, stop right there.
According to Mosley, the true Mediterranean diet (and the one used in the trial) is based on lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, fish and full-fat yoghurt.
A crusade against carbs:
Refined, starchy carbs like bread, pasta, potatoes, processed cereals and white rice are omitted, because they rapidly convert into sugars in the blood.
Reassuringly, an element of decadence is embraced through the inclusion of full-fat cheeses, yoghurt, butter, eggs, olive oil and avocado.
Taking his own advice:
So, what exactly does a fasting day look like for Mosley?
“I’ll have scrambled eggs with a bit of smoked salmon, plenty of tea, coffee and water, a low calorie miso soup at lunch with some vegetables, then in the evening I’ll have a big pile of vegetables with some salmon or steak,” he says. “It’s not a starvation diet by any means.”
...helping him lose 9kg in 12 weeks and reverse his type 2 diabetes, which he was initially diagnosed with back in 2012.
Mosley approves of dense, dark rye bread.
As for pasta? “If you pre-cook it, cool it, then reheat it, it becomes what’s called resistant starch, which reduces how much sugar your body absorbs,” he says.
“When you make a smoothie it mashes up a lot of the fibre, which is the critical thing to slow the absorption of sugars, so I think you’re better off eating whole vegetables and fruit,” advises Mosley.
'via Blog this'
Fermented food recipes.
BBC Two - Trust Me, I'm a Doctor, Series 6, Episode 1 - Fermented food recipes:
Fancy making your own fermented foods and drinks?
Why not try these recipes courtesy of Simon Poffley, Gaba Smolinska Poffley, Anna Drozdova and The Fermentarium.
Just remember that if you’re making your own fermented foods it’s important to prepare them safely so as not to encourage the growth of ‘bad’ bacteria.
This means using the right equipment and ingredients, following a recipe and storing the food at an appropriate temperature for the correct amount of time.
If you are unsure, seek expert advice.
Recipe:
- Milk Kefir
- Vegetarian kimchi
- Kombucha
- Cabbage and apple sauerkraut
- Homemade cottage/farm cheese
Fancy making your own fermented foods and drinks?
Why not try these recipes courtesy of Simon Poffley, Gaba Smolinska Poffley, Anna Drozdova and The Fermentarium.
Just remember that if you’re making your own fermented foods it’s important to prepare them safely so as not to encourage the growth of ‘bad’ bacteria.
This means using the right equipment and ingredients, following a recipe and storing the food at an appropriate temperature for the correct amount of time.
If you are unsure, seek expert advice.
Recipe:
- Milk Kefir
- Vegetarian kimchi
- Kombucha
- Cabbage and apple sauerkraut
- Homemade cottage/farm cheese
Monday 30 January 2017
Sunday 29 January 2017
Friday 27 January 2017
Diet.
Intermittent fasting is not a diet, it’s a pattern of eating.
It’s a way of scheduling your meals so that you get the most out of them.
Intermittent fasting doesn’t change what you eat, it changes when you eat.
16:8
This involves daily fasting for 16 hours.
Sometimes this is also referred to as an 8-hour eating ‘window’.
You eat all your meals within an 8-hour time period and fast for the remaining 16 hours.
Generally, this is done daily or almost daily.
For example, you may eat all your meals within the time period of 12:00 am and 8:00 pm.
Generally, this means skipping breakfast.
You generally eat two or three meals within this 8-hour period.
5:2 fast
Dr. Michael Mosley popularized this variation in his book ‘The Fast Diet’.
This involves 5 regular eating days and 2 fasting days.
However, on these two fasting days, it is permitted to eat 500 calories on each day.
These calories can be consumed at any time during the day – either spread throughout the day, or as a single meal.
Here are the nine top tips, briefly:
Drink water
Stay busy
Drink coffee or tea
Ride out the hunger waves
Don’t tell anybody who is not supportive that you are fasting
Give yourself one month
Follow an LCHF (a low-carb, high-fat - you minimize your intake of sugar and starches: potato, rice, bread, pasta) diet between fasting periods. This reduces hunger and makes fasting much easier. It may also increase the effect on weight loss and type 2 diabetes reversal, etc.
Don’t binge after fasting
It’s a way of scheduling your meals so that you get the most out of them.
Intermittent fasting doesn’t change what you eat, it changes when you eat.
16:8
This involves daily fasting for 16 hours.
Sometimes this is also referred to as an 8-hour eating ‘window’.
You eat all your meals within an 8-hour time period and fast for the remaining 16 hours.
Generally, this is done daily or almost daily.
For example, you may eat all your meals within the time period of 12:00 am and 8:00 pm.
Generally, this means skipping breakfast.
You generally eat two or three meals within this 8-hour period.
5:2 fast
Dr. Michael Mosley popularized this variation in his book ‘The Fast Diet’.
This involves 5 regular eating days and 2 fasting days.
However, on these two fasting days, it is permitted to eat 500 calories on each day.
These calories can be consumed at any time during the day – either spread throughout the day, or as a single meal.
Here are the nine top tips, briefly:
Drink water
Stay busy
Drink coffee or tea
Ride out the hunger waves
Don’t tell anybody who is not supportive that you are fasting
Give yourself one month
Follow an LCHF (a low-carb, high-fat - you minimize your intake of sugar and starches: potato, rice, bread, pasta) diet between fasting periods. This reduces hunger and makes fasting much easier. It may also increase the effect on weight loss and type 2 diabetes reversal, etc.
Don’t binge after fasting
Potato, leek and ham hock soup.
Serves 4
50g butter
1tbsp olive oil
2 banana shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 leeks, sliced
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 large or 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
A large sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
180g pack shredded ham hock (Waitrose)
750ml-1ltr chicken stock
A handful of parsley and/or tarragon
Bread to serve
Melt the butter and oil and sauté the shallots, leeks and celery for 8-10 minutes until soft.
Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the potatoes, thyme and bay leaf and cook for 1-2 minutes with the buttery vegetables.
Stir in the ham hock, pour over the chicken stock and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through.
Season and sprinkle over the herbs and serve with the bread.
Scrumptious!
Thursday 26 January 2017
Miso.
BBC - Food - Miso recipes:
Miso paste is a hugely useful pantry staple.
Miso, like yogurt, is a live food packed with bacteria that’s good for you.
The are lots of varieties of miso.
When buying miso, choose the unpasteurised, live, enzyme-rich product that will need to be stored in the fridge.
This type is loaded with beneficial microorganisms.
After opening, the texture, colour and flavour may change so keep an eye on it.
Some can be kept for quite a long time without any concerns or variations to quality.
Buyer's guide
The range of miso varieties available can be daunting for the novice buyer, but many supermarkets and most specialist shops in Britain will stock a basic selection.
The most common types are:
- Light-yellow miso (Shinshu miso), which ranges in colour from light yellow to yellow-brown.
It's the most common type of miso and is relatively mild in flavour.
It's very versatile and can be used in all types of dishes.
- Red miso (often sold as aka miso), which actually ranges from red to dark brown in appearance and has a strong, salty flavour.
It too is very versatile and suited to all types of dishes, from soup to dressings and dips and in cooked dishes.
- Sweet white miso (usually sold as shiro miso) is sweeter and lighter in taste, colour and texture.
It's always smooth in texture and is more suited to use in salad dressings, spreads and marinades.
It's fermented for a much shorter time (two to eight weeks) than other miso types, which are usually fermented for three years or more.
- Light-yellow or red miso should not be substituted in recipes that call for sweet white miso.
- Another type of miso, called hatcho miso, is perhaps the most highly regarded (and expensive) miso.
This rich, dark, thick variety is made only from soya beans and a special type of koji.
Other types you might see are mugi miso, which is made from barley and soya beans.
It often has a chunky texture and is good in soups and stews.
Genmai miso (brown rice miso), made from brown rice and soya beans, has a rich, earthy, slightly nutty flavour.
Korean grocers will sell a spicy type of bean paste called kochu jang (or gochujang), which is flavoured with red chilli and is great for giving a kick to sauces and marinades.
Miso paste is a hugely useful pantry staple.
Miso, like yogurt, is a live food packed with bacteria that’s good for you.
The are lots of varieties of miso.
When buying miso, choose the unpasteurised, live, enzyme-rich product that will need to be stored in the fridge.
This type is loaded with beneficial microorganisms.
After opening, the texture, colour and flavour may change so keep an eye on it.
Some can be kept for quite a long time without any concerns or variations to quality.
Buyer's guide
The range of miso varieties available can be daunting for the novice buyer, but many supermarkets and most specialist shops in Britain will stock a basic selection.
The most common types are:
- Light-yellow miso (Shinshu miso), which ranges in colour from light yellow to yellow-brown.
It's the most common type of miso and is relatively mild in flavour.
It's very versatile and can be used in all types of dishes.
- Red miso (often sold as aka miso), which actually ranges from red to dark brown in appearance and has a strong, salty flavour.
It too is very versatile and suited to all types of dishes, from soup to dressings and dips and in cooked dishes.
- Sweet white miso (usually sold as shiro miso) is sweeter and lighter in taste, colour and texture.
It's always smooth in texture and is more suited to use in salad dressings, spreads and marinades.
It's fermented for a much shorter time (two to eight weeks) than other miso types, which are usually fermented for three years or more.
- Light-yellow or red miso should not be substituted in recipes that call for sweet white miso.
- Another type of miso, called hatcho miso, is perhaps the most highly regarded (and expensive) miso.
This rich, dark, thick variety is made only from soya beans and a special type of koji.
Other types you might see are mugi miso, which is made from barley and soya beans.
It often has a chunky texture and is good in soups and stews.
Genmai miso (brown rice miso), made from brown rice and soya beans, has a rich, earthy, slightly nutty flavour.
Korean grocers will sell a spicy type of bean paste called kochu jang (or gochujang), which is flavoured with red chilli and is great for giving a kick to sauces and marinades.
Turmeric Tea.
Turmeric Tea Recipe - NYT Cooking:
Turmeric milk is a simple infusion of warm milk with turmeric that exists with countless variations in homes across India, where it's known as haldi doodh.
The drink might include black pepper, and a touch of jaggery or honey to sweeten it.
This hybridized version lies somewhere closer to a masala chai with a dose of black tea and a spoon of fresh grated ginger.
The recipe makes two dainty portions, or one robust one, but it's in the spirit of things to play with the ratios to suit your own taste, to use your sweetener of choice and even to replace the milk entirely with almond or cashew milk.
Cooking with powdered turmeric is less messy than with fresh, and won't require gloves to keep your fingers from staining.
Qption 1:
Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric (or a 1/2-inch piece fresh turmeric, peeled and grated)
4cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 cardamom pod
1 cinnamon stick
3 black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 cup milk (or nut milk)
1 black tea bag
In a small pan over low heat, add the water, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns and honey.
Bring to a simmer, then pour in milk, and add the tea bag.
When milk is steaming, use a spoon to taste, and add more honey if you like.
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer right into a cup, and drink while hot.
Qption 2:
Turmeric Tea Recipe:
This one is very simple and very effective.
As you acquire a taste for turmeric tea, you may find you can tolerate and enjoy increasing the amount of turmeric you use.
- my Today's option and I unexpectedly enjoyed the tea!
Ingredients:
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of clove
pinch of nutmeg
tsp fresh ginger (optional)
pinch of fresh ground black pepper (optional)
- As much turmeric as you can handle! Start with a teaspoon and go up from there.
1-2 cups of water (I use regular milk)
Raw honey to sweeten
Milk sub of choice (I went with fresh coconut milk, but almond and hemp would both be delicious - I use regular milk)
Slow and steady stove top method:
Simmer herbs and water together for 10 mins.
Strain out and add honey and milk.
Fast and furious blender method:
Boil water in your kettle and add to blender (a blender with gradual speed increase will reduce likely hood of pressure from steam of boiled water exploding out of your blender).
Add in spices and blend until smooth and unified in colour.
Strain out tea and add milk and honey.
Qption 3:
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients:
4 cardamom pods
400ml unsweetened milk (oat, coconut, almond or anything you like - I use regular milk)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp runny honey
- Bash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar and put them into a small saucepan with the milk, turmeric and cinnamon.
Heat gently until almost boiling, no hotter – if you are using a non-dairy milk, it may split.
- Pour into a mug – or strain it if the cardamom seeds bother you – and, once it has cooled a little, stir in the honey.
Make sure you don’t spill any, as the lovely yellow colour can be rather persistent.
Note:
Allowing the milk to cool a little before you add the honey will stop the heat damaging the honey’s nutrients.
I also make a peppy morning version with a little grated ginger.
- Turmeric Tea Recipe:
- BBC Two - Trust Me, I'm a Doctor, Series 5, Episode 3 - Does turmeric really help protect us from cancer?:
'via Blog this'
Turmeric milk is a simple infusion of warm milk with turmeric that exists with countless variations in homes across India, where it's known as haldi doodh.
The drink might include black pepper, and a touch of jaggery or honey to sweeten it.
This hybridized version lies somewhere closer to a masala chai with a dose of black tea and a spoon of fresh grated ginger.
The recipe makes two dainty portions, or one robust one, but it's in the spirit of things to play with the ratios to suit your own taste, to use your sweetener of choice and even to replace the milk entirely with almond or cashew milk.
Cooking with powdered turmeric is less messy than with fresh, and won't require gloves to keep your fingers from staining.
Qption 1:
Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric (or a 1/2-inch piece fresh turmeric, peeled and grated)
4cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 cardamom pod
1 cinnamon stick
3 black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 cup milk (or nut milk)
1 black tea bag
In a small pan over low heat, add the water, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns and honey.
Bring to a simmer, then pour in milk, and add the tea bag.
When milk is steaming, use a spoon to taste, and add more honey if you like.
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer right into a cup, and drink while hot.
Qption 2:
Turmeric Tea Recipe:
This one is very simple and very effective.
As you acquire a taste for turmeric tea, you may find you can tolerate and enjoy increasing the amount of turmeric you use.
- my Today's option and I unexpectedly enjoyed the tea!
Ingredients:
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of clove
pinch of nutmeg
tsp fresh ginger (optional)
pinch of fresh ground black pepper (optional)
- As much turmeric as you can handle! Start with a teaspoon and go up from there.
1-2 cups of water (I use regular milk)
Raw honey to sweeten
Milk sub of choice (I went with fresh coconut milk, but almond and hemp would both be delicious - I use regular milk)
Slow and steady stove top method:
Simmer herbs and water together for 10 mins.
Strain out and add honey and milk.
Fast and furious blender method:
Boil water in your kettle and add to blender (a blender with gradual speed increase will reduce likely hood of pressure from steam of boiled water exploding out of your blender).
Add in spices and blend until smooth and unified in colour.
Strain out tea and add milk and honey.
Qption 3:
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients:
4 cardamom pods
400ml unsweetened milk (oat, coconut, almond or anything you like - I use regular milk)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp runny honey
- Bash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar and put them into a small saucepan with the milk, turmeric and cinnamon.
Heat gently until almost boiling, no hotter – if you are using a non-dairy milk, it may split.
- Pour into a mug – or strain it if the cardamom seeds bother you – and, once it has cooled a little, stir in the honey.
Make sure you don’t spill any, as the lovely yellow colour can be rather persistent.
Note:
Allowing the milk to cool a little before you add the honey will stop the heat damaging the honey’s nutrients.
I also make a peppy morning version with a little grated ginger.
- Turmeric Tea Recipe:
- BBC Two - Trust Me, I'm a Doctor, Series 5, Episode 3 - Does turmeric really help protect us from cancer?:
'via Blog this'
Wednesday 25 January 2017
Anelletti Al Forno. Oven Baked Pasta.
Anelletti Al Forno (Ring-shaped Pasta With Meat Sauce, Peas And Cheese) – Sicilia
1. Make Soffritto/odori/battuto (onions, celery, and carrots in a 1:1:1 ratio)
gently sauteed in olive oil:
- 1 onions finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2. Make the Ragu
add to Soffritto:
- 250 grams Ground meat (ground veal or a mix of minced veal and pork)
- half glass (1/2 cup) red wine (or marsala)
- 250 mls tomato sauce (passata)
- 1 bay leaf
- salt
- chili pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 200 grams peas
let the Ragu cook for 20 mins at medium heath.
3. Boil the pasta (I use Fusilli Short) in salted water to a very al dente consistency, drain.
Mix cooked pasta with the ragù until coated and well-combined.
If the mixture is a bit dry or sticky, add some liquid (milk or broth or just some water).
Mix generously with grated Parmigiano/cheddar/pecorino cheese.
- 150 gr grams anelletti/“little rings” pasta (or risoni pasta - also Orzo - “big rice"- a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice, OR Stelline Pasta - any soup pasta.)
- 100 grams Sharp provolone cheese tastes very similar to cheddar or parmesean.
4. Assemble the Pasta:
Cover generously the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil and breadcrumbs,
line pan with slices of fried eggplant,
spread over the top half the quantity of ragù with pasta,
place on top some fontina cheese (gruyere, gouda cheeses may be substituted for fontina cheese) or...mozzarella,
spread the rest of the pasta over the top and press it down firmly.
top with the remaining breadcrumbs!
- 1 eggplant, fried
- 15 grams breadcrumbs
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C-200°C for 30-45 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
Serve a slice of Anelletti al forno and enjoy!
Tip: use a kitchen scissors to cut through the top layer of cheese and pasta, and then use a spatula or a knife to cut through to the bottom or the pan.
----------
OR Make the Ragu differently:
Heat 4-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and sautèe the celery, onion and carrot previously diced;
sweat over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent and soft but not browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add minced beef over a high heat, stirring to keep the meat from sticking together until browned.
Add the wine and when it has evaporated, add salt and pepper, then the tomato paste and passata and bay leaves.
Mix well, put a lid on and let it simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
And the video of Anelletti Al Forno from:
- BBC iPlayer - Rick Stein's Long Weekends - 10. Palermo: OR
- BBC - Rick Stein's Long Weekends: Series 1 - Palermo - Animmex: watch from 22:45!
There are tens of hundreds of baked pasta recipes across Italy!
Another recipes of Pasta al forno:
- Pasta al forno (Baked Pasta) | Memorie di Angelina: with short, dried pasta such as penne or rigatoni and bechamel sauce.
There are many versions of pasta al forno, many of which are vegetarian.
A typical southern baked pasta dish is zitoni al forno con le polpettine, known among Italian-Americans as Baked Ziti.
But to mind, this version will always be the pasta al forno, the one to master first before trying anything else.
About: Pasta al forno (Sicilian baked pasta).
One of the typical dishes of the Sicilian tradition, also called “pasta al forno” (literally, pasta in the oven), is prepared with “anelletti”, special shape of paste in a ring-like form, that was used to be prepared on Sundays and holidays.
The tradition says that the first such Timballi/Timballo were introduced by Arabs and soon become widespread all over the island for their easiness of transportation.
In addition to the classic recipe with a meat and peas ragout, Sicilian usually add diced hard eggs, fried aubergine, cheese and diced ham.
It is similar to a casserole and is sometimes referred to in English as a pie or savory cake.
Anna Del Conte wrote that Béchamel is the most consistently used ingredient in timballos.
1. Make Soffritto/odori/battuto (onions, celery, and carrots in a 1:1:1 ratio)
gently sauteed in olive oil:
- 1 onions finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2. Make the Ragu
add to Soffritto:
- 250 grams Ground meat (ground veal or a mix of minced veal and pork)
- half glass (1/2 cup) red wine (or marsala)
- 250 mls tomato sauce (passata)
- 1 bay leaf
- salt
- chili pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 200 grams peas
let the Ragu cook for 20 mins at medium heath.
3. Boil the pasta (I use Fusilli Short) in salted water to a very al dente consistency, drain.
Mix cooked pasta with the ragù until coated and well-combined.
If the mixture is a bit dry or sticky, add some liquid (milk or broth or just some water).
Mix generously with grated Parmigiano/cheddar/pecorino cheese.
- 150 gr grams anelletti/“little rings” pasta (or risoni pasta - also Orzo - “big rice"- a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice, OR Stelline Pasta - any soup pasta.)
- 100 grams Sharp provolone cheese tastes very similar to cheddar or parmesean.
4. Assemble the Pasta:
Cover generously the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil and breadcrumbs,
line pan with slices of fried eggplant,
spread over the top half the quantity of ragù with pasta,
place on top some fontina cheese (gruyere, gouda cheeses may be substituted for fontina cheese) or...mozzarella,
spread the rest of the pasta over the top and press it down firmly.
top with the remaining breadcrumbs!
- 1 eggplant, fried
- 15 grams breadcrumbs
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C-200°C for 30-45 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
Serve a slice of Anelletti al forno and enjoy!
Tip: use a kitchen scissors to cut through the top layer of cheese and pasta, and then use a spatula or a knife to cut through to the bottom or the pan.
----------
OR Make the Ragu differently:
Heat 4-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and sautèe the celery, onion and carrot previously diced;
sweat over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent and soft but not browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add minced beef over a high heat, stirring to keep the meat from sticking together until browned.
Add the wine and when it has evaporated, add salt and pepper, then the tomato paste and passata and bay leaves.
Mix well, put a lid on and let it simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
And the video of Anelletti Al Forno from:
- BBC iPlayer - Rick Stein's Long Weekends - 10. Palermo: OR
- BBC - Rick Stein's Long Weekends: Series 1 - Palermo - Animmex: watch from 22:45!
There are tens of hundreds of baked pasta recipes across Italy!
Another recipes of Pasta al forno:
- Pasta al forno (Baked Pasta) | Memorie di Angelina: with short, dried pasta such as penne or rigatoni and bechamel sauce.
There are many versions of pasta al forno, many of which are vegetarian.
A typical southern baked pasta dish is zitoni al forno con le polpettine, known among Italian-Americans as Baked Ziti.
But to mind, this version will always be the pasta al forno, the one to master first before trying anything else.
About: Pasta al forno (Sicilian baked pasta).
One of the typical dishes of the Sicilian tradition, also called “pasta al forno” (literally, pasta in the oven), is prepared with “anelletti”, special shape of paste in a ring-like form, that was used to be prepared on Sundays and holidays.
The tradition says that the first such Timballi/Timballo were introduced by Arabs and soon become widespread all over the island for their easiness of transportation.
In addition to the classic recipe with a meat and peas ragout, Sicilian usually add diced hard eggs, fried aubergine, cheese and diced ham.
It is similar to a casserole and is sometimes referred to in English as a pie or savory cake.
Anna Del Conte wrote that Béchamel is the most consistently used ingredient in timballos.
Tuesday 24 January 2017
Pasta al forno Siciliana.
Pasta al forno Siciliana recipe - Telegraph:
This mouth-watering recipe for a typical Sicilian Sunday lunch was passed on to the London-born food writer Tessa Kiros, who lives in Tuscany having travelled, and cooked, all around the world.
The recipe is very versatile, and it’s delicious warmed up later.
Eat it, as the Sicilians do, with a green salad.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1.2kg (2lb 10oz) minced beef
1/2 tsp chopped oregano
1/2 tsp chopped thyme
1 bay leaf
250ml (9fl oz) red wine
500ml (17fl oz) tomato passata (puréed tomatoes)
200g (7oz) frozen peas
450g (1lb) rigatoni pasta
150g (5½oz) thinly sliced ham, torn up
250g (9oz) mozzarella, roughly chopped
About 4 tbsp grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and sauté the onion until golden.
Add the garlic and sauté until it smells good, then add the minced beef.
Brown the beef over quite a high heat, stirring often to break up any lumps.
Stir in the oregano, thyme and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper.
Stir through the wine and when that has been absorbed add the passata and 250ml (9fl oz) water.
Cover and simmer for an hour, stirring now and then.
It must be a lovely loose ragù, so add a little water towards the end of the cooking if necessary.
Toss in the peas and remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni for a couple of minutes less than the instructions on the packet. Drain.
Scoop a couple of ladlefuls of the ragù on to the bottom of 30 x 22 x 6cm (12 x 8½ x 2½in) baking dish.
Add half the pasta, pressing it along to level it.
Ladle over half the remaining ragù and top with all the ham.
Scatter half the mozzarella over, then follow with 2 tbsp of Parmesan.
Now add the rest of the pasta and press it down firmly.
Scrape out the rest of the ragù over the top.
Scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until it is a bit crusty on top here and there, and golden around the edges.
Scoop out portions and serve with extra Parmesan.
'via Blog this'
This mouth-watering recipe for a typical Sicilian Sunday lunch was passed on to the London-born food writer Tessa Kiros, who lives in Tuscany having travelled, and cooked, all around the world.
The recipe is very versatile, and it’s delicious warmed up later.
Eat it, as the Sicilians do, with a green salad.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1.2kg (2lb 10oz) minced beef
1/2 tsp chopped oregano
1/2 tsp chopped thyme
1 bay leaf
250ml (9fl oz) red wine
500ml (17fl oz) tomato passata (puréed tomatoes)
200g (7oz) frozen peas
450g (1lb) rigatoni pasta
150g (5½oz) thinly sliced ham, torn up
250g (9oz) mozzarella, roughly chopped
About 4 tbsp grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and sauté the onion until golden.
Add the garlic and sauté until it smells good, then add the minced beef.
Brown the beef over quite a high heat, stirring often to break up any lumps.
Stir in the oregano, thyme and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper.
Stir through the wine and when that has been absorbed add the passata and 250ml (9fl oz) water.
Cover and simmer for an hour, stirring now and then.
It must be a lovely loose ragù, so add a little water towards the end of the cooking if necessary.
Toss in the peas and remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni for a couple of minutes less than the instructions on the packet. Drain.
Scoop a couple of ladlefuls of the ragù on to the bottom of 30 x 22 x 6cm (12 x 8½ x 2½in) baking dish.
Add half the pasta, pressing it along to level it.
Ladle over half the remaining ragù and top with all the ham.
Scatter half the mozzarella over, then follow with 2 tbsp of Parmesan.
Now add the rest of the pasta and press it down firmly.
Scrape out the rest of the ragù over the top.
Scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until it is a bit crusty on top here and there, and golden around the edges.
Scoop out portions and serve with extra Parmesan.
'via Blog this'
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