Pumpkin and Ricotta Ravioli

Ravioli Filling

Pumpkin

Whole garlic bulb

Brown onion

Ricotta

Parsley

Nutmeg

Salt + Pepper

Olive oil

Fresh Pasta

1. Preheat oven to 180 Celsius

2. Cut pumpkin into cubes (1.5x1.5" is fine), cut garlic bulb and onion in half. Marinate in olive oil, s + p, and nutmeg and bake for 40 - 45mins

3. Allow to cool. Remove garlic cloves from bulb and finely chop onion. Mash together with pumpkin to form a puree. Roughly break apart ricotta and mix through puree with finely chopped parsley

4. It helps if the pasta is a bit thicker. Fill fresh pasta with puree and seal sheets with a little water. Be careful not to break the sheets and to seal all the way around the puree, removing as much air a possible. This will stop the puree from leaking out or popping when boiled

5. Cook immediately in salted, boiling water. When ravioli floats, it's ready (about 3mins)

Sauce

Red onion - sliced

Garlic - crushed

Thickened cream
White Balsamic Condiment
Basil
Salt + Pepper
Baby spinach

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan, over medium heat. Sautee onion until translucent, then add garlic
2. Add thickened cream and season to taste. Reduce heat and allow cream to cook until it starts to bubble then add white balsamic condiment
(White balsamic condiment is amazing! I use it in almost every cream sauce. You can usually get it at a good deli. I use about 1/2 tablespoon to 1 cup cream)
3. Add roughly chopped basil, and baby spinach until wilted
4. Pour over Ravioli and serve immediately

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I had only made ravioli from scratch on one other occasion and had a ridiculous amount of pumpkin sitting in the fridge so decided to try this.

Brad's "Guaranteed Nookie" Pasta Marinara

This is one of Brad's signature recipes, and as the name suggests, he claims that nookie is almost always for dessert. But, unfortunately he fails at life when it comes to giving measurements. And his reply to this was, "measurements are for those who cook without feeling". I couldn't agree more, but that doesn't help with replicating his recipe... so give it a go if you've got "the feeling".

Calamari
Scallops
Salmon
Prawns
Whiting (or any other white fish)
Baby Octopus
Tuna
(basically any seafood u like or don't like)
Oil
Garlic
S + P
Oregano
White wine
Cream
Chilli

1. Ok first u need to cut up your fishys & mix it up
2. Heat pan
3. Oil , garilc, salt , pepper , oregano (white wine - oyster bay sav blanc if you're feeling fancy)
4. Chuck in the seafood mix and cook it up
5. Make a napoletana sauce and throw it in the pan with the seafood and add cream til pink. Add chilli
6.Mix well then add pasta (which should be cooked) into the pan with the sauce and seafood
7. Mix around so the pasta is bathed in seafood & sauce. Then serve

Bam serve with the oyster bay cab sav. Guaranteed nookie :)

 

Fresh Pasta

Fresh pasta is simple enough to make, and worth the elbow grease and time. I'm no purist, whether you use pasta flour or plain flour is up to you. Also, depending on the humidity, you might have to add more flour or a little water to get the consistency right.


(Makes about 500g pasta)


2 1/2 cups plain flour (or '00' flour)
2 eggs
5 egg yolks
Pinch of Salt


Extra flour for dusting


Pasta Machine


1. Sift flour and salt and create a well in the centre to hold whisked eggs and yolks (make sure they're at room temp.)
2. Begin incorporating flour into egg mixture until it forms a dough (just use your fingers for this). 
Once you can insert a clean, dry finger into the dough, and it comes out clean, it's the right consistency.
If the mixture is not coming together, wet you hands and continue to work dough. Repeat this until it comes together and forms a ball. 
If the dough is sticky then add a little more flour.
3. Turn onto lightly floured surface and work the dough for about 10mins, until it's smooth and elastic. This is a necessity to pasta making as it develops the gluten in the flour, resulting in a smooth texture.
4. Divide dough into 8 even pieces and cover in cling wrap. Allow to rest for about 10-15mins.
5. Only work with one ball at a time, to prevent dough drying out. Flatten into a rectangle shape and lightly dust with flour. Run through pasta machine, until between 1 to 2mm thick. Cut into desired strip thickness, leave in whole sheets for lasagne, or fill for ravioli. Cook immediately in salted boiling water until al dente (doesn't take long at all, just keep testing it).

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The first time I tried to make fresh pasta it was a disaster. But I didn't let that stop me trying again, and by the 3rd attempt I had it down pat. In fact, this is great for procrastinating.

I know store-bought pasta is incredibly convenient and cheap these days, but there's something so satisfying about making it from scratch. And it freezes really well, just boil it frozen or it turns to mush.

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake

This a constant birthday request. So it's pretty much the only time I make these. Which is a good thing, because they're so rich you'd only want to have them a couple times a year.


(Makes 1 cake, or 12 cupcakes)

160g good quality 70% dark chocolate
160 unsalted butter
5 eggs, separated
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup almond meal
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt


50ml espresso shot (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 160 Celsius. Grease a 22cm-round tin well. Or line cupcake tin with patty cases
2. Stir dark chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until chocolate is nearly all melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until chocolate is completely melted. Allow to return to room temperature. Add coffee in now if wanted
3. Beat egg yolks, vanilla and sugar, until pale and fluffy. Fold in melted chocolate and almond meal
4. Beat egg white and salt to soft peaks. Fold into chocolate batter in two batches. Pour into pan and bake for 45mins. Or 15-20mins for cupcakes.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before icing. Try to avoid refrigerating this cake if possible. It tastes best at room temperature




Dark Chocolate Ganache


125g good quality dark chocolate
1/3 cup thickened cream


1. Melt ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth and glossy. Allow to come to room temperature before icing. Do not refrigerate before icing. 

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I found the original recipe for this cake in one of Mum's cookbooks, and changed it up a bit. Depending on my mood, I'll sometimes add roughly chopped chunks of chocolate to the cake batter before baking, to worsen the sin. Top with Vienna Almonds for a delicious flourish too.

Miso Butter Scallops

Possibly my favourite scallop recipe of all time. And it really couldn't be simpler. 


Miso Butter

White miso paste
Unsalted butter - room temperature

1.  Combine 1 part miso paste to 3 parts butter and mix well. Refrigerate until required




Miso Butter Scallops


Doz. scallops
2 tblspn miso butter
Freshly cracked white pepper
Eschallots - julienne


1. Melt butter in a pan over high heat, until bubbly and slightly browned
2. Toss in scallops and cook for 1-2mins each side. No more or you risk over cooking them
3. Plate up and serve with freshly cracked white pepper, eschallots and butter from the pan

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My favourite bit of this recipe is the cooked miso in the bottom of the pan after the scallops are cooked. It turns this lovely golden brown colour and has an excellent flavour. So I usually get a slotted spoon and fish these bits out to serve on top of the scallops.

 

Caramelised Onion Tart with Fresh Goats Cheese

The following recipe for the caramelised onions is a fantastic basic recipe. And makes for an excellent condiment that stores well in the fridge.



Caramelised Balsamic Onions 
(One batch)


3-4 large red onions - sliced
3 tblspn brown sugar
3 tblspn balsamic vinegar
Olive oil

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan on medium heat
2. Add onions and sweat off. You do not want to fry, or brown them. This takes a while, but be patient
3. Sprinkle over brown sugar and allow to melt and begin to caramelise, between 2-5mins. Reduce heat to low
4. Add balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for a further 5mins




Ok, so I cheat a little with the tart and just buy frozen puff pastry. There's one brand in particular, that I absolutely love and will include a link, or info, when I remember it's name.


Tart
(Serves 4)


100g fresh goats cheese (chèvre)
Parmesan or Pecorino - grated
Fresh parsley - roughly chopped
1 pkt frozen butter puff pastry (non-sweetened)


1. Oil a shallow baking dish (doesn't matter if it's square or round. Still tastes the same) and line with puff pastry. Puff pastry tends to shrink, as well as puff up, when baked so allow for shrinkage.
2. Blind bake in an oven as per package instructions
3. Remove from oven, add desired amount of caramelised onion to base, break goats cheese over the top and a handful of parmesan or pecorino. Return to oven
4. Bake for a further 10-15mins, or until puff pastry and parmesan are golden brown. Garnish with parsley and enjoy. Makes a great started or accompaniment. 

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I think this was another lazy invention. I had some spare caramelised onions in the fridge and leftover chèvre, which isn't exactly cheap, but a weakness of mine. I always make this with the intention of having leftovers, but that's just wishful thinking in my family...

THE Best Steak Diane Sauce. Ever.

Oh yeah. That's what I said.

(Serves 2)

Olive oil
50g Butter
2-3 Garlic cloves - finely chopped
Salt and pepper
2 Steak cuts of choice (I prefer a thicker cut with lots of marbling)
1/2 cup Thickened cream
2 tblspn Worcestershire sauce
2 tblspn Brandy
1 tblspn Wholegrain Mustard
Handful Parsley - chopped


1. Rub steaks with olive oil and garlic + season
2. Heat fry pan, add butter and cook until it bubbles. Cook steaks to liking in butter and remove from pan. Set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add brandy, cooking for 1min. Add cream, worcestershire, and mustard. Add more s + p if required. Wait until cream starts to simmer then add parsley. Remove from heat.
4. Serve over steak with fresh parsley to garnish.


NT. I absolutely love caramelised balsamic onions with this too.

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No real story here. My mum use to cook this all the time, so it's more of a comfort food for me. You absolutely need some form of carbs here, to lap up the sauce.

My Version of Paella

In other words, the lazy man's paella.

(serves 4)

1 cup Calasparra rice (or Arborio)

2 cups chicken stock (500ml)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 tsp saffron

1 Spanish Chorizo - sliced

400g chicken thigh fillets - diced

1 red onion - diced

3 garlic cloves - crushed

1 red capsicum - chopped

1 can Italian cherry tomatoes

150g asparagus

2 tsp sweet paprika 

2 tsp smoked paprika

Fresh thyme

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1. Combine stock, wine and saffron together in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Set aside.

2. Heat large pan or paella pan on high heat. Brown chorizo, remove and set aside. Add enough olive oil to coat bottom of pan and fry chicken, until brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside.

3. Sweat onion, garlic and capsicum in pan. Add tomatoes and paprika and cook for about 1min, or until fragrant. Season to taste. Return chicken and chorizo to pan and combine.

4. Add rice and stir through for about 2mins. Pour saffron-infused stock over mixture. DO NOT STIR PAELLA ANYMORE!! Traditional paella is suppose to have a smokey, crusty, slightly burnt base. 

5. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for about 20mins (Arborio can take a little longer. Up to 30mins). Add asparagus on top and allow to cook for a further 2mins.

6. Remove from heat, cover with a tea-towel and rest for 10mins. This allows the flavours to marry and develop. Remove tea-towel and allow to rest for another 5 to 10 mins (depending on how patient you are). Garnish with fresh thyme and serve. A fresh squeeze of lemon on top wouldn't go astray here either.

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I took inspiration for this from an old Valencian recipe. However, I was lacking in snails and rabbit in my fridge, so replaced them with chorizo and chicken. I was also far too lazy to make a sofrito. And the rest was just a combination of whatever I had laying around. It may not be a TRUE paella... but beggars can't be choosers. Plus it tastes gooooood.

Wasabi and Snow Pea Salad

Salad

150g snow peas – topped, tailed and cut in half

Handful of macadamias

Handful of baby rocket (baby spinach or water cress are also nice)

Half an avocado – cubed

Dressing

3 tsp wasabi paste

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp sugar

Grapeseed oil

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

½ tsp white pepper

1. Make dressing (It’s a wasabi dressing, so it’s meant to be hot. Add more or less depending on how heat-tolerant you are). Start by mixing wasabi paste, lime juice and sugar until combined (my utensil of choice is a fork). While stirring, add grapeseed oil slowly to best incorporate it. Add vinegar and pepper and set aside.

NT: A basic salad dressing is a 1:3, acid or vinegar to oil ratio. In this case the wasabi paste mixture is your acid, so just triple that amount for grapeseed oil. It doesn’t have to be exact; I add a little less oil because I like this dressing to be thick.

2.  Toss salad with dressing and serve. Simple but delicious.

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This salad was inspired by a similar one my Aunt made. But I couldn’t remember all the elements, or the dressing, save for its colour and the heat. So I made this one up. A particular favourite of mine now. It literally takes 5mins to prepare. And if you’re more organised than I am, you can soak your snow peas in cold water after you’ve topped and tailed them. I just feel they become crunchier for it, though I could just be imagining it.

Spanish Baked Eggs

(makes 2 serves)

Capsicum Salsa

1/2 Spanish chorizo - diced
1/2 red onion - diced
1 garlic clove - crushed
1/2 red capsicum
splash red wine vinegar
1 tin Italian cherry tomatoes
salt/pepper 

1 tsp smoked paprika

olive oil

4 eggs
1 tsp sumac


1. Prepare the salsa.

2. Fry chorizo until it starts releasing it's juices and browns a little. Add a little olive oil, then add red onion, garlic and capsicum
3. Sweat onions
4. Add paprika, salt and pepper to taste
5. Add red wine vinegar and cook off
6. Add 1/2 can of cherry tomatoes + juices + squish tomatoes
7. Put into individual pans 

(I have the Maxwell Williams Microstoven Gratin Dishes)
8. Flatten out salsa on bottom. Leave a couple centimetres space between top, and create two slight indents just off-centre. Then gently break eggs into said indents. Add salt, pepper and sumac on top
9. Preheat oven to 170 Celcius(I have a fan forced oven)
10. Cover in foil and bake for approx 10mins, or until whites are cooked through. Remove foil and add an extra 5mins if you don't like runny yolks

11. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, a splash of olive oil, and toasted sourdough (I'm incredibly biased towards sourdough).

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This particular recipe was inspired by a breakfast I had at one of my favourite cafes in Hobart, Tricycle. Which is a quirky little café in Salamanca that has a small collection of vintage tricycles adorning the ceiling. I also love the assortment of mismatch souvenir teaspoons, served with their coffee or teas.  

I’ve been known to cook large amounts of the salsa and store it in the fridge so all I have to do it literally crack some eggs on top and chuck it in the oven for a deliciously satisfying, and low fuss mid-week dinner or hungover brunch.