Seasonal
The days are getting cooler and it's time for warming winter meals...
Some recipes for you to enjoy.
Baked pasta shells filled with cheese
A definite family favourite - cheesy pasta shells with a simple tomato sauce, baked until crisp, golden and gooey.
Ingredients
16 conchiglioni rigati (large pasta shells)
1 quantity of Salsa di Pomodoro
3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 ball of mozzarella, sliced
For the filling
150g/5oz ricotta
1 ball of mozzarella cheese, very finely diced
2 tbsp freshly grated parmigiana
16 large fresh basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful fresh basil, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200C. Cook the pasta shells in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well (make sure you empty the shells of water) and leave to cool.
To make the filling, mash the ricotta with a fork, stir in the diced mozzarella, parmesan and some salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Shape the mixture into 16 balls, wrap each ball in a basil leaf and place in a cooled pasta shell.
Pour a layer of the tomato sauce over the bottom of an ovenproof dish and place the filled shells on top. Pour over the remaining tomato sauce, sprinkle over the parmesan and top with slices of mozzarella. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for five minutes. Serve immediately.
Black Truffle Risotto
Serves 4 entree
30g black truffles
1.5 litre of vegetable stock or chicken stock, simmering
250 g vialone nano rice
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
250ml dry white wine
50 g unsalted butter, diced
50 g finely grated parmesan, grated
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Using a fine cheese grater, grate two thirds of the fresh truffles into a mixing bowl, add the cheese and butter and mix together. Heat the oil and add the onion and cook over low heat until soft but not brown. Add the rice and stir until it becomes opaque. Add 1 cup of wine to the rice and stir until absorbed. Add a ladleful of the boiling stock. Stir continuously while adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the stock before each new addition. Cook in this way until the rice has absorbed all the stock and is tender. Add the salt and pepper, remove the pan from heat and stir in the truffle mixture. Allow to rest 1 minute, spoon into individual plates, shave the remaining fresh truffles over each plate.