Spaghetti with Italian Sausage Meat & Parsley Pesto

The beauty of this spaghetti recipe is that it is very easy to make and has a wonderful taste. The sausage meat / pesto sauce combination creates a burst of flavours in the mouth. This parsley pesto is also a cheaper twist to the traditional basil pesto.

Ingredients:
- 300gm spaghetti
- 1 large mild Italian sausage, casing removed and meat finely crumbled
- 1 tablespoon butter

For the Pesto:
- 4 tablespoons fresh parsley coarsely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts toasted
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper

Method:
Pesto Preparation:
Combine parsley, garlic and pine nuts in the olive oil and blend using a food processor until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sauté the sausage meat in butter until just browned.

Pasta Preparation:
Boil the tagliatelle in plenty of water until cooked to the desired doneness. Drain and pour one cup of cold water over the cooked tagliatelle to stop the cooking. Drain and return to the pot. Pour over the parsley pesto and toss to blend in flavours. Stir in the sausage meat and toss once again. Serve immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese and freshly grated pepper.

Succulent Roast Lamb Chops and Veg

Serves 2

Ingredients:
- 2 lamb chops
- 4 potatoes cut in wedges
- 2 carrots thinly sliced
- 100 gm Brussels sprouts
For the sauce:
- 100ml vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Worchester sauce
- 1 tablespoon HP sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons flour
- salt & pepper

Method:
Combine together the sauce ingredients leaving the flour to the end to thicken the mixture forming a paste. Brush the sauce over the lamb chops making an even coating. Place the chops in a floured cooking bag. Season the veg and place in the cooking bag with the lamb chops. Close the baking bag and pierce holes in it as instructed on packaging. Place all in a roasting pan. Bake in a hot oven for approximately 45 minutes until the lamb chops are cooked to the desired doneness.

Low Cal Carrot Cake

This is a healthy cake. In reality I used to not fancy carrots at all and till some time ago they were rarely on my shopping list. Was also hesitant to try this cake at first but have to say that I had to change my opinion in the regard of carrots.

Serves 20 portions

Ingredients:
- 200gm flour type 00
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 250gm carrot very finely grated
- 25gm castor sugar
- 2 tablespoons walnuts chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 4 tablespoons oil

Method:
Sieve the flour and baking powder together. Add the carrot, sugar, walnuts cinnamon, zest and vanilla essence and mix well. Beat in the eggs and blend in the oil. Stir well to combine. Spoon the mixture into a greased cake tin. Bake in a preheated oven (180°C fan forced) for approximately 45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Turn out and cool on a wire rack. To decorate, dust with icing sugar before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Apple Walnut Cake

This is a very easy cake to do. It’s the mix all up in one bowl and bake type of cake and takes just over an hour to make and bake. Well at home it’s eaten up just as fast. I like to serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:
- 200gm flour type 00
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 200gm cooking apples peeled, cored and sliced thinly
- 50gm castor sugar
- 2 tablespoons walnuts chopped
- 2 tablespoons mixed fruit
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 4 tablespoons oil
For the Icing:
- 40gm butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 20ml milk

Method:
Icing Preparation:
Combine the icing ingredients and cook for 1 minute till sugar is melted.

Sieve the flour and baking powder together. Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, walnuts and mixed fruit and mix well. Beat in the eggs and blend in the butter. Stir well to combine. Spoon the mixture into a greased cake tin. Bake in a preheated oven (180°C fan forced) for approximately 45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Turn out and cool on a wire rack. Poke holes in the cake and pour icing mkixture over the cake. Store in an airtight container.

Risotto Zucchini e Porcini (Courgette & Mushroom Risotto)

Serves 2

Ingredients:
- 250gm Arborio rice
- 200gm zucchini diced
- 100gm mushrooms sliced into thick chunks
- 100gm pancetta diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 200ml dry white wine warmed
- 600ml hot vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons parmeggiano freshly grated
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons oil
- some parsley finely chopped
- salt and pepper

Method:
Heat half of the butter and oil in a large heavy-based saucepan till the butter starts to foam*. Add the onion and saute until it softens. Remove from the pan and put aside**. Heat the remaining butter and oil in the pan. Add the rice and heat through over moderate flame, stirring constantly, until shiny. Return the onion to the pan. Stir in the zucchini. Follow with the bacon and mushrooms, stirring constantly to blend in the tastes and avoid any sticking. Increase the heat and start pouring in the wine slowly. Then add the stock slowly allowing the liquid to be absorbed into the rice before adding more***. The risotto is ready once the the texture is creamy but each grain is still firm to the bite in the centre. Add the cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Leave to rest with the lid on for a few minutes then stir once and serve immediately. Garnish with parsley.

Notes:
* Butter gives a better taste but burns more easily. Oil is so added to stop the butter from burning so quickly.
** The onion should be removed from the heat else it burns when frying the rice.
*** The stock added should be hot to keep the temperature of the risotto constant.