Rigatoni ti amo!

I have never been a great fan of penne. There is just something really disappointing about it whenever I have it. Or maybe it's just that it is the most popular of pasta shapes and because of that it doesn't feel that exciting. Rigatoni on the other hand is a whole different story. I could have rigatoni every time I have pasta and I wouldn't regret it. Especially if they were my Mum's new favourite - Rigatoni con Balsamico! I am not sure where the recipe comes from originally, I got it from my Mum some time ago and I know she has introduced some minor changes, so here it is:

Rigatoni con Balsamico

enough rigatoni for two

1 Tbs + 75g unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tin chopped tomatoes

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

7-8 leaves fresh basil, chopped

salt, pepper and pecorino (I had parmesan and it worked)

Melt 1 Tsb of  butter in the pan and add the garlic. Fry for a minute until the garlic softens a bit and then add chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and add basil. Reduce heat and boil of the sauce until it resembles a light syrup.

Boil the rigatoni according to the instructions on the packet. When it's ready get rid of the water and add 75 g of butter to it and stir well until the butter melts. Mix the sauce with the pasta. Add 2 tsp of balsamic vinegar at the end and stir well. Serve with some grated cheese on top. Enjoy!

Note that there is NO oil in this recipe. The butter seems to make all the difference and I'm constantly surprised with how much of a difference it makes. Yum!

Brownies!

Potato Salad

I'm back to having a camera. I've also just started research for my dissertation. These two facts of my life don't mix too well. Especially if you consider that the more academic work I do the more I time I tend to spend thinking about food. Last week I got a package with the shiny new piece of technology and then the veg-box came containing new potatoes. Bye-bye dissertation, hello potato salad!

New Potato Salad

1/2 kg of new potatoes (washed but not peeled)
1/2 red onion
about 15 mini gherkins
3 Tbs mayonnaise
1 Tbs yoghurt
1 1/2 tsp English mustard
2 tsp gherkin brine
olive oil
fresh rosemary, salt and pepper

Boil the new potatoes until ready to eat. Drain them and put them aside to cool completely and then put them in your salad bowl. Chop the onion into small cubes and slice the gherkins in halves (or smaller if you wish). Chop the fresh rosemary. Add everything to the potatoes.
In a separate bowl mix mayo with yoghurt, mustard and gherkin brine (to taste). Add some olive oil and mix well until all ingredients blend together. Season with some salt and pepper and then pour into the salad. Mix well and enjoy.

(the amounts are estimates as I didn't really pay that much attention to them - if you think it needs to be more saucy make more of the dressing)

Weekend Pottery

Puppies!

  

Bernese Mountain Dog puppies at Tickbern kennel. Bred by Jim Cooke.

Lemon and Mascarpone Tartlets

It was Charlie's birthday last week and he didn't want a cake (well, he did but he wanted it for the party later in the week). I personally believe you can't have a birthday without a cake. So I made lemon and mascarpone tartlets and served them after dinner with a raspberry-champagne sauce. Perfect sunny-day birthday treat.

Lemon and Mascarpone Tartlets (based on Simon Rimmer's recipe)

You will need:

3 small tartlet baking dishes

1 sheet of sweet shortcrust pastry

150 g  mascarpone

1 cup caster sugar

2 lemons, juice and zest

2 eggs

For the sauce
1 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup of prosecco/cava/champagne (I used prosecco)

1 cup fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 180C. Bake the pastry blind for about ten minutes and let it cool while you make the lemon filling.

Beat the mascarpone, caster sugar, lemon juice and zest together in a bowl until very smooth. Beat in the eggs until well combined. Pour the mixture into the tartlet dishes and bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and cool. Once they are cool put the tartlets in the fridge, as they are best served cold.

For the sauce, bring the sugar and champagne to the boil in a saucepan, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the raspberries and set aside to cool completely. When it cools blend the raspberries with champagne in a blender until smooth, then pass through a sieve.
Serve the tartlets with the sauce on top (and a candle if they are a birthday present).

I haven't got a camera at the moment and it makes me a bit sad. I do have a pile of film to develop though and that makes me a bit happier. Just like risottos - they make me happier too.

Risotto with home-made pesto and courgettes. Yum.