Pasta

Garlic Scapes

/ sbaskitchen / Leave a comment

Don’t you just love it when you discover something new!

I’ve been growing garlic, successfully, for a few years now, and still I’m learning…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I’ve realised that I now grow both hard neck and soft neck garlic, I don’t know the type though, as I’ve purchased the originals from farmer’s markets and providors. How I know that I have hard neck and soft neck garlic, is that the hard neck garlic sends up a long solid green stalk with a bud on the top called a scape.  Initially I used to leave these in place, allowing them to flower, and then, in turn, produce small bulbils.  I loved this idea, and often gifted people the little bulbils, telling them they would need a couple of years before they were of a size to produce garlic as we know it.  Then I discovered that scapes could be used in the kitchen – really? Continue reading →

Bacon & Eggs!

/ sbaskitchen / 4 Comments

It’s been all about pasta lately. You see, I have a new stand mixer purchased after the one that my mum and dad gave us for a wedding present finally decided enough was enough after 35 years of constant use!  In addition to purchasing the new mixer we also purchased some of the attachments to go with it – namely the pasta roller and the tagliatelle cutter – I was just a little excited!

Roast Pumpkin Ravioli
Beetroot & Blue Cheese Ravioli
Roast Pumpkin Ravioli with Burnt Butter Sauce and Crispy Sage
Beetroot & Blue Cheese Ravioli
Beetroot Tagliatelle

I also have a new pasta tree, I used to hang my pasta on the handles of wooden spoons and rolling pins precariously balanced on objects around the kitchen, as it was rolled

Beetroot Pasta

Pasta on a rolling pin that is balanced on top of jugs that are on top of cake tins!

Continue reading →

Ravioli Ignudi (Naked Ravioli)

/ sbaskitchen / 2 Comments

These delicate little pillows of ricotta and Swiss chard / silverbeet were given their wonderful name because they are not blanketed in fresh pasta like the ravioli that we all know and love.  This dish is fast becoming a favourite in our home – it is delicious, surprisingly simple to make, very economical and has very few ingredients.  I love making it because it means I get to make use of produce from our vegie patch.  It is so rewarding to take your basket and fill it with the ingredients needed to prepare your next meal…

Ravioli Ignudi - 20

Ravioli Ignudi (Naked Ravioli)

Ingredients

  • 300 g ricotta
  • 400 g Swiss chard, leaves only
  • 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup gluten free flour blend
  • 90 g unsalted butter
  • 16 whole fresh sage leaves
  • Salt

Directions

  1. Bring a large saucepan filled with salted water to a boil.
  2. Add the Swiss chard and boil until tender, about 5 minutes.
  3. Drain thoroughly, wrap in a cloth and squeeze until the chard is very dry. Chop very finely.
  4. Gradually combine the Swiss chard with the ricotta. Add about two-thirds of the Parmesan, the nutmeg and egg yolks. Mix thoroughly.
  5. Scoop up a small quantity of the mixture with a spoon and, with well-floured hands, form it into a little oval pillow about 3cm long.
  6. Dredge the little pillow lightly with some of the flour and set aside.
  7. Continue forming little oval pillows with the remaining ricotta mixture.
  8. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil.
  9. Meanwhile, melt the butter with the sage leaves in a frying pan and keep warm.
  10. When the water reaches a rapid boil, add the ravioli, a few at a time, and cook until they rise to the surface (as you would for gnocchi).
  11. Remove the ravioli with a slotted spoon, draining well, and place them into the warm melted butter and sage.
  12. Continue cooking the remaining ravioli in the same manner.
  13. Arrange the ravioli in a serving dish and drizzle with the melted butter and sage. Dust with the remaining Parmesan and grind over a little black pepper.

Notes:

  • I like to bake some tomatoes and add them together with a few shards of crispy prosciutto to the plate when serving, just for colour, flavour and texture.
  • We also like to crisp some of the Ignudi up a little in the butter.
  • While I have used my Gluten Free Flour Blend, this recipe was originally made with normal wheat plain flour, so either can be used, depending on dietary requirements.
  • Adapted from a lovely old book, Tuscany – The Beautiful Cookbook (1996) L De Medici, p78.
  • I make my own soft ricotta style cheese.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

slide1-2

Links