How to: Pasta

Pasta has been on my hit list of things to do for some time. As far back as I remember, my mum's been making her pasta using that magnificently shine pasta press and now after so many years. It's landed itself in my kitchen.

Not sure just how happy my mum will be with me sharing this recipe, but I'm sure she'll be ok. Her spanakopita & tiropita is another story, though she said she’d share this well kept family secret soon enough. Her exact words…"Only when you’re ready", but I’m ready mum, honest!

Pasta is incredibly easy to construct…the word easy can sometimes be sifted and replaced with difficult. So let’s begin.

The Dough
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Prep-time: approx 30mins

Ingredients:
- 3 cups plain flour
- 3 eggs
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons water

How to work the magic:

1. Sift the flour into a mound on a flat surface and make a well in the centre.
2. Whisk together eggs, oil and water
3. Add ¾ of the egg mixture to the flour and cut liquid through the flour using 2 flat bladed knives or something of that nature.
4. Add the remaining liquid if needed (almost always is) to form a stiff dough.
5. Knead the dough for about 20 minutes.
6. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and use as desired.

Roll pasta either by hand or by machine (a worthwhile investment for any pasta lover)

HINT:
1. Freeze prepared fresh pasta in freezer bags or foil for up to the 3 months. Cook directly from the frozen state.
2. Different flavours and textures can be achieved by altering the basic ingredients slightly.

On this occasion I made fettuccine and lasagne cubes. I actually made 2 doses of this recipe and froze the majority, which I’m sure will go through the week.

Rolling the dough by Machine
1. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, and flatten lightly on a floured board.
2. Set the roller on the pasta machine to the widest setting and dust it with a little flour.
3. Feed each portion of the dough through the machine twice. Lay the dough flat on a board and fold it into.
4. Unfolded edge first, feed the dough through the machine 6 more times, by which time it should be smooth and silky. (if pasta is sticking then dust more with flour)
5. Change setting on machine to bring rollers one notch closer and feed paster through once only (the pasta is now getting thinner and longer)

6. Set the machine settings to one notch closer again and feed it through again.
7. Continue this until you get to the desired thickness of your pasta
8. Now either divide up to make pasta for lasagne or use a fettuccine cutter for that style.
9. You can boil it immediately or if you’re going to store it then let it dry out before putting it into freezer bags or foil.

Autumn Potato Jackets

Ok, so these aren't you typical 'winter jackets', more like a windbreaker, so let's call them Autumn Potato Jackets. Perfect!

There is any number of filling you can have with these, no rules really. I did 2 styles. One with sour cream and smoked salmon, the other with grated carrot, yogurt and a little cheese.

The theme of this blogging weekend seems to be starters of finger food specials.
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Prep-time: 35 mins

Sour cream and smoked salmon jackets
Ingredients:
-  6 tiny new potatoes
- 100g packeted spreadable cream cheese
- 2 table spoons dill (finely chopped)
- 50g smoked salmon

How to work the magic:
1. Place potatoes (uncovered) into a tray and in the oven at 170ºC for about 25-30 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes
2. Meanwhile, combine cheese and dill in a small bowl
3. Cut salmon into thin strips
4. Cut a cross at the top of the potato and gently squeeze the base of it to open the centre.
5. Fill centres with a spoonful of the cheese mixture and top with salmon and extra dill, if you so desire (I do, coz it looks great!)
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Grated carrot, yogurt & cheese jackets
Ingredients:
- 6 tiny new potatoes
- 2 carrots (grated)
- 6 table spoons of Greek style yogurt
- ½ cup mozzarella (grated)
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar

How to work the magic:
1. Place potatoes (uncovered) into a tray and in the oven at 170ºC for about 25-30 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes
2. Cut a cross at the top of the potato and gently squeeze the base of it to open the centre.
3. Fill centres with a spoonful of the yogurt, top with carrot & cheese
4. Put some vinegar on the base of the plate and plate potatoes with. Serve.
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HINT: Mix carrot and mozzarella together for a nice clash of colour. I opted against this because I was bloody hungry preparing these and in my haste I forgot =P

Little Caesar Salads

These little bundles of joy will make a great entrée for guests or the perfect side for a main.

Though they look small they’re actually quite filling, especially if you choose to add the chicken as I do.

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Prep-time: 45 mins


Ingredients: 
- 2 breasts of chicken (finely chopped; need to be smaller then your average cubes)
- a loaf of sliced bread, 15 odd slices (of choice; go white for taste, wholemeal if you need a little assistance with the digestion process ;)
- 125g garlic butter softened
- 200g bacon rashers (finely chopped)
- 1 baby cos lettuce (finely shredded) normal ‘non-baby’ cos is just fine
- ½ cup Caesar salad dressing (I was pressed for time so ready made dressing would have to do)
- 150g fetta cheese crumbled (Dodoni obviously! Though Bulgarian is somewhat acceptable..)
- 2 table spoons parmesan cheese

How to work the magic:
1. Cut 8cm (approx.) rounds from the bread. Using a rolling pin flatten the bread rounds slightly.
2. Spread both sides of the rounds with garlic butter and press rounds into (unoiled) cupcake pan, thus taking a nice shape.
3. Bake uncovered at about 150ºC for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned and very crisp. Cool them after.
4. Cook bacon in fry pan, stirring until crisp. Just before the bacon’s ready to come out, sprinkle it with the parmesan cheese. Wait 30 seconds then remove and place onto absorbent paper towel.
5. In the same fry pan using any excess bacon stir through the chicken until ready.
6. Just before serving, combine the lettuce, bacon, chicken and dressing into the little bread cases.
7. Top each case with a little crumbled fetta and serve.
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I tried this as a side on the Mothers Day dinner (the night before) and it worked a treat. My sisters took care of the mains and most desserts. My better half made a fabulous caramel slice, which I’ll feature at some stage in the coming weeks so stay tuned.

Omeletta Perfecto!

Well, the last week or so really has been all about eggs. First with the Pavlova Classic, then came the Poached Egg (how to) and now an omelette; so I promise it's the last really eggy one one for a while.


The perfect omelette begins with nothing other then?....butter of course. Here I'll only show you a base omelette, of course this is one of the more versatile foods, so you can really add anything you so choose to it.


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Prep-time: 5-10mins


Ingredients:
- 1 decent table spoon of butter (plus a little extra melted for brushing)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup grated mozzarella
- 1/4 cup milk


How to work the magic:
1. So pop a table spoon of butter into the pan, making sure to maneuver it all over the pan including the raised edges of the pan.
2. Crack the 2 eggs in a bowl and add the cheese, whisk them together until the yolk and egg white just mix (this will give it a nice yellow & faint white colour).
3. You can choose to add a little water or milk and whisk it through.
4. Poor the contents into the hot pan (slightly turn it down a fraction) and move the pan around so the base of the pan is completely covered. salt & pepper to taste
5. Move the omelette around in the pan and once it's sliding around in one piece, move it to the edge and flip the edge of it on its self, then do the same on the other side, so both edges are flipped inwards.
6. Slide onto a plate, brush with a little butter so it looks nice and glossy and add a little more salt & pepper.


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To view more pictures, just click the below thumbnails:

How to poach an egg, i-Vefa style

First let me say that fresh eggs make the task of poaching much easier, thought their as certainly methods to give the egg some help to poach.

A properly poached egg should look like a nice dollop of bright white cream.

And we begin:
1. Firstly bring the egg to room temperature. You can do this by placing it in lukewarm water for a few minutes or so.
2. Now bring the water - in a deep saucepan or a chef’s pan - to boil and turn it down to barely a simmer. The saucepan should be at least 10cm in depth. (only about 5cm of water is required)
3. If the egg isn’t fresh you can either add 2 or so table spoons of vinegar to the water or I like to just pop the egg (before you crack it open) into the simmering water for no more the 10 seconds; If you’re unsure maybe do both :)

4. Then tilt the saucepan so the top/base is on about a 45° angle (see picture below) and keep it over the flame/stove top.
5. Then slowly and carefully crack the egg nice and close to the water and pop it in while the saucepan is still on the angle.
6. If it is still looks like it’s going to spread then with a wooden spoon, wave the egg white towards the yolk.
7. Keep the saucepan tilted until the egg white has set.
8. After 4 mins remove the egg with a spoon carefully not to break it.
9. Serve immediately with toast, mushrooms or eat it on its own!
10. A little salt & pepper is essential, but vuala, you have now learnt to poach an egg i-Vefa style.

HINT:
You may need to learn to crack an egg with one hand or get someone to help you…

If you require to cook more then 1 egg then you can pop the second and third egg in after step 6, just as the first sets, do the next and likewise for the next.

If you’re looking to have a breakfast gathering, then you can poach the eggs the night before and store them in the fridge. The next morning, pop them into simmering water for approximately 1 minute and they'll be revived.

After trying every which way to poach an egg and killing my fair share of eggs over several years, this was the only way that not only worked, but did so on my very first attempt! And remember, I ain’t no chef, so if I can do, so can you.

Please let me know how you go and if this works for you as it did for me :)

My poched egg pics:

 

Pavlova Classic

The pavlova is an Aussie and NZ classic dessert, which is named in honour of the famous Russian ballerina  Anna Pavlova, thus it should be presented in the image of curvy dancing figure.. (click here to learn more about interesting story that is, Anna Pavlova). Since we're on the topic of history, click here to learn more about the pavlova and it's origins..is it an Aussie or a Kiwi?...

This dish means so much for so many people, all unique and all just as meaningful as the next. Though the reason why I challenged myself with this classic is more of a humorous one, it has just as strong a meaning to me as the next aussie.

Being from Greek origins, pavlova was not a usual dessert that would be served on our table growing up or any parties we'd have. One day Sheila my old neighbour and dear friend came over for the usual new years bash we've always had at my folks house and brought along, what she introduced as 'just a Pav'.

This unveiling of the aussie pav was met with an odd silence from my mum & co. We were just about forced to taste this cake to be polite and much to our surprise...yum! My mum got the recipe off her and well here it is...

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Total pre-time: 1 1/2 hours (not including cooling)

Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 egg whites (about 160ml)
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 2 table spoons vanilla sugar
- 2 heaped table spoons of corn flour
- 3 table spoons of white vinegar
- 1 cup Bulla cream
- 6 passionfuit pulp (tined should work just as well, though fresh passionfruit are 2 eles down, why not!)
- 1 punnet stawberries, hulled & halved
- half a Cadbury Flake crushed (optional)

How towork the magic:
The Meringue -
1. set oven to 130°C.
2. place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form.
3. gradually add the caster sugar and vanilla sugar, whisking well until the mixture is stiff and nice'en glossy.
4. add the corn flour and vinegar and whisk until combined.
5. shape the mixture into a nice round shape keeping about a 10-13cm in height on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.
6. reduce oven to 115°C and bake for 1hour 30minutes. When ready allow the meringue to cool in the oven completely.
The topping -
1. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Spread over the pavlova, top with passionfruit, strawberries and flake and serve immediately.
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HINT:
- When the meringue stiff and glossy it should have tripled in volume.
- It is important not to increase the oven temperature so the meringue puffs up as required and creates that fabulous crisp shell. If you you're in a hurry and want to turn up the heat to hurry the process, I'd suggest making Eton Mess using ready made meringue or simply choose another dessert.
- Store your pavlova, undressed, in an airtight container on the kitchen bench (at room temperature) and it'll be good to serve up for several days later.

This pavlova attempt came as a result of a work colleague challenging me to a pav-off. For argumnts sake it was declared a draw, but well done Zackary.

My pics:

Triple Cheese Croutons

This is quite a magnificent entree if I don't say so myself. Like anything that tastes great, don't over indulge so when serving it up to guests, be sure to be strict on the one portion per person, after all, you don't want it to steal the show from the main you're going to serve...

Though my pics of this don't do it justice, the complimenting burst of flavour you get from a mouthful is...*gulps thinking about it*

No more waiting :)

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Total prep-time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
- a traditional sesame seed coated French stick
- olive oil (for brushing)
- hand full of baby spinach
- grated parmesan cheese (for dusting)
- 2 pieces of ricotta cheese, roughly 10cm x 3cm (depending on how many you're looking to make. 1 piece of ricotta per piece of bread)
- 2 pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese, cut similar to ricotta (or to choice)

How to work the magic:
1. Cut as many pieces of the French stick as required, and brush both sides generously with olive oil; you can use less 'overpowering' oils, but extra virgin is best!
2. Place the bread in a pan (no additional oil required) on very low heat (same theory as the standard croutons) and wait until golden brown on one side then flip
3. Once turned, begin placing the mozzarella and ricotta on the bread, then sprinkle with a generous amount of parmesan cheese
4. Once the mozzarella begins to melt, the bottom side should be ready (just test the bread is crispy all around). Remove and place on plate or platter of choice
5. Time to turn up the heat and throw in the baby spinach (let this go in the oil & flavour of the croutons, no need for additional oil)
6. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove and place small amount on the ready croutons and sprinkle pinch of parmesan for presentation.

Enjoy!

These little babies hold for a while though should really be served and eaten within the 15 odd minutes.

They sound more complex then they really are, once you have the ingredients the method is up to you, mix and match to taste, mushrooms would be a super additions for example.

HINT: lemon & pepper on the ricotta before it goes on the crouton as well as a little while it's resting.

Want to make normal croutons? then click here.