Crispy Vegetable Lasagne Pots

Hopefully this will be the only recipe with a photo reminiscent of a 70s cookbook. Finding workable light for the photos is especially hard here lately.



Crispy Vegetable Lasagne Pots
makes 4 pots - serves 2

x 1 serving basic pasta OR lasagne sheets, cut into 12 x 8cm circles
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 t chili flakes
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1 L carrot, grated
1/2 M eggplant/aubergine, finely diced
1/2 L zucchini/courgette, grated
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup vegetarian parmesan, grated
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 200C.
Oil 4 x 9cm ramekins. Set aside.
Heat a little olive oil in a pan and fry all except pasta.
Turn heat down, and cook about 20 mins. Season.
Meanwhile, boil some water.
Cook pasta. Drain.
Place 1 pasta circle on the bottom of each pot.
Layer vegetable mix & some parmesan on top.
Repeat with rest of pasta circles & mix.
Sprinkle top liberally with parmesan.
Cook in oven about 20 mins or until slightly golden.
Serve in pots with extra parmesan, if desired.

Homemade Pasta

We had to exchange a xmas gift as we were given two Peugeot pepper grinders. We've been looking for a pasta maker for some time and now we had the chance to get a nice one that we didn't have to pay for :)



As a rule I make pasta as 1 + 1 = 1 meaning 1 cup flour + 1 egg = 1 serving. By cup I mean a 250ml cup. Basically you just multiply this recipe by how many people you need to serve.

Plain Pasta
serves 1

1 cup plain flour
1 M/L egg
dash olive or vegetable oil

In a large bowl, Add flour.
Make a well in the centre. Add egg & oil.
Using a fork, Whisk egg & oil.
Slowly start whisking in flour.
When it becomes too much to use a fork, Use your hands.
Knead until it becomes a workable ball that isn't sticky.
You may need to add a little extra flour.
Place ball in a freezer bag or wrap it in plastic.
Place it in the fridge for an hour or two.
Letting it rest will help reduce 'spring back'.
*You can do these steps without a maker, using a rolling pin and knife instead, but it's much more work*
Roll out until about 1mm thick and there are no visible bumps.
Using your maker's cutting mechanism, Cut into desired type.
*OR using a knife cut into desired type*

Variations:
After mastering a plain pasta you can try experimenting with all kinds of dried herbs, spices & flavours.

Tomato & Chili - serves 1
2 t tomato paste, 1 t chili flakes plus an extra 1/4 - 1/2 cup flour.
Add all after kneading the plain dough a little.

Tomato & Chili pasta cut into spaghetti & tagliatelle.


...with some garlic lightly sautéed in white truffle oil.

Tomato Paste Risotto

Extreme pantry cooking.





Tomato Paste Risotto
serves 2-3

140g tomato paste
600ml vegetable stock
1 large brown onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
25g butter
dash olive oil
2 tbsp dried oregano
250g arborio rice
375ml/1 1/2 glasses dry white wine

In a jug stir together the tomato paste and stock.
Heat butter and oil in a large pot.
Add onion and garlic, Cook about 5 mins.
Add oregano, Stir well. Cook 2 mins.
Add rice, Stir to coat.
Add wine, Cook until it is all absorbed.
Add tomato & stock little by little.
Cook, stirring often, 20-30 mins or until rice is done.
Season. Serve with some grated parmesan if desired.

Strawberry, Cocoa & Cointreau Semifreddo

I don't add any sugar to this recipe as the strawberries and the cointreau tend to add enough sweetness. I add a tablespoon of sweetener, but if you feel like it needs some extra sugar you could add 2 tablespoons of white or icing sugar.




Strawberry, Cocoa & Cointreau Semifreddo
makes 8-10

500ml cream
3 whole eggs (pasteurised)
4 egg yolks (pasteurised)
350g strawberries, washed & hulled
1 tbsp liquid sweetener
2 t vanilla extract
3 t unsweetened cocoa powder
3-4 tbsp cointreau (or other orange liqueur)

Process strawberries. Set aside.
*if you don't use pasteurised eggs, do this in a bowl over simmering water*
Whisk eggs, yolks, vanilla & sweetener for 5 mins until pale and thickened.
*remove from heat, beat until cool*
In a seperate bowl, whisk cream until peaks form.
Fold cream through egg mix.
Add half of mix to the strawberries.
Gently fold through.
To reminaing mix, Add cocoa & cointreau.
Gently fold through.
Layer mixes in glasses.
Freeze at least 4 hours.
You may need to take them out to thaw a little before serving.

Jerusalem Artichoke & White Truffle Oil Soup

Jerusalem Artichoke & White Truffle Oil Soup
serves 3

500g jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed, diced
100g potatoes, peeled, diced
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 t+ white truffle oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
600ml unsalted water
400ml vegetable stock
100ml soy cream or cream

In a large pot over medium heat, Melt butter with 1t truffle oil.
Add potatoes, jerusalem artichokes. Stir to coat. Cook 10 mins.
Add garlic. Stir well. Cook 5 mins or until garlic fragrant.
Add unsalted water, stock. Bring to boil.
Simmer about 30 mins or until potatoes & artichokes are tender.
Remove from heat and puree with a hand blender or in a processor.
Put soup back on low heat. Season.
Add cream. Stir well. Cook 5 mins.
Serve with a dash of truffle oil and some crusty white bread.

Beetroot Hummus

Beetroot Hummus
200g tin chickpeas, drained
25g tin beetroot slices
2 tbsp+ lemon juice
1 clove garlic
100ml tahini paste
1 t sweet paprika
dash olive oil

Combine chickpeas, beetroot, lemon juice, garlic, tahini in a processor.
Process to a creamy puree.
Add oil little by little until it reaches desired consistency.
Season to taste.
Serve sprinkled with paprika.