Category: mozzarella

chorizo pasta bake

I was passing through Waitrose in need of a lemon Fanta after a great nine holes, when one of their recipe cards caught my eye. And this is me having a bash. There’s lots of disparate parts here. but I’m a sucker for a pasta bake, and one of my favourite meats chorizo has a look in too.

The results were nice, but could’ve been a lot better. The elements were tugging at each other, rather than coming together harmoniously. If I did it again, I’d get the chorizo sweating early in with the tomato sauce, to get a more developed flavour out of it. I’d also be adding a little stock to thin the sauce out, encouraging everything to blend and get a bit more moisture to the whole dish. Finally I’d be slicing the aubergine and pepper before griddling, getting more smoky flavours throughout. Can’t really see what good the basil leaves are doing that early on either. A good first draft though, see you next time. Below is the method on this effort.

Chorizo pasta bake:

1 aubergine, halved

1 red pepper, halved

200g rigatoni

1 tin tomatoes

Handful of basil leaves, torn

1 ball mozzarella, torn

200g chorizo, diced

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.

Griddle the aubergine and pepper until charred on both sides.

Meanwhile, heat the tomatoes and add the basil leaves.

Dice the veg and pour the tomatoes, pasta, chorizo and veg into a baking dish.

Tear over the mozzarella and bake for 15 mins.

balsamic vinegar food mozzarella prosciutto rocket strawberry

strawberry rocket salad

What a Summer stunner. The marvellous Simon had made this for us the previous week and it was fantastic, so I had to have a go myself. It originates from this month’s Waitrose magazine.

It kinda shouldn’t work, but when you load your fork with a little of everything – crunchy shallot, bitter rocket, salty prosciutto, sweet strawberry, soft mozzarella and tangy balsamic dressing – it explodes in the mouth for a perfect combination.

Strawberry rocket salad:

450g strawberries, hulled and sliced

10 slices of prosciutto

100g rocket

200g buffalo mozzarella, torn into bite-sized pieces

2 shallots, peeled and sliced

For the balsamic dressing:

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

black pepper

Whisk the vinegar, oil and plenty of pepper together in a large bowl.

Toss the strawberries, shallots and rocket leaves with the dressing.

Arrange the ham and cheese on the plates, then spoon some salad over the top.

balsamic vinegar food mozzarella tomato

insalata caprese

My wife and I adore this salad. I’m not sure when we first had it but I strongly recall dining on this one sun-drenched afternoon on the shores of Lake Como. I suspect every time thereafter I’m trying to recapture that little bit of sunshine.

As with many of my favourites, it celebrates and unites it’s ingredients, sumultaneously making the most of them and allowing each to sing. It can’t really be called a recipe, it’s just sliced tomatoes (room-temperature), torn up mozzarella, basil leaves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. But it’s the choice of components that makes this; you’ve got to have the ripest, juiciest tomatoes; the milkiest, most tender mozzarella; peppery basil; and sweet-sharp vinegar. For me it’s the vinegar that completes the dish. The one I tend to use is frighteningly expensive, but pours like syrup and tastes divine.

No matter what time of year it is, this is summer.

broccoli food mozzarella pastry sausages tomato

sausage and broccoli tart

Post author By Gary @ BigSpud
Post date April 5, 2009
No Comments on sausage and broccoli tart

This wonderful little creation is a result of a supplement from olive magazine, courtesy of cathyella’s generous subscription present 🙂

There are a number of elements to it, all made separately and then brought together on the tart. Purple sprouting broccoli is blanched for 2 mins and refreshed in cold water to arrest the cooking. Good quality Italian sausages are deskinned and torn into pieces, then fried in crushed fennel seeds until browned. And then a puff pastry square, ready made. I chucked on some cherry tomatoes (Tesco do an amazingly flavourful tin of them), some of the broccoli, some sausage pieces, then a little parmesan and torn-up mozzarella. After 15 or so minutes in the oven for the pastry to brown and rise, I topped it with basil and dressed with balsamic vinegar. Really tasty, and looked the part too.