Butternut Squash with Gnocchi

Pasta with more starchy goodness? Plus cheese? May I have seconds…?

Round the blogosphere, I’ve declared my love of pasta, in all its shapes and sizes, sauces and preparations. It’s that highschool crush you never got over, that novelty jumper you lovingly wear come wintertime, those warm fuzzies you get when you meet up with your bestie. Pasta gives me all the feels. In a good way. Course.

Winter time pasta offers winter veg combos which give me energy and keep the sweet tooth (mostly) at bay. Today’s concoction was a spin on the classic flavours of fresh pasta pumpkin filled. Chef Angela Hartnett goes through the process step by step in this video. Watch her hands carefully as she shapes the pasta. Italian nonne would be proud.

As for today’s lunch, here’s what I did. Taking a rough quarter of a roasted butternut squash, I warmed it though on a pan. It had enough oil from the roasting but add a little oil or butter if needs be. When the squash is a few minutes away from being toasty, I emptied a half full kettle of hot water into a pot, brought it up to the boil, then added the gnocchi, about 200g (big portions here, thank you very much). When the squash is ready, I turn off the heat, seasoned, added nutmeg, followed by several heaped teaspoons of crème fraîche. Using a slotted spoon, I transferred the gnocchi directly from pot to pan, using a little of the liquid to loosen the crème fraîche and squash mixture. Served with fistful of parmesan, in my new favourite bowl and eaten in pyjamas.

xo

Keep cooking

…and there we have it. It’s 2017.

Yikes.

I forgot about the blog.

Ugh.

I had more on my plate than expected and I, like a mega business mogul, made the decision to let some things go. Sounds silly, right? That’s because it is.

I’ve missed this reflecting and writing and communicating and creating.

And the freedom it all brings.

Here’s to 2017 – to fresh starts and delicious eats.

Xo

Daily Prompt – Hopeful

 

Pizza versus Calzone – part three

Ah, that lovely smell of pizza in the oven

 

Ricotta, spinach, mozzarella calzone

Tomato sauce, ricotta, spinach calzone

I should really do this more often, it’s been a really satisfying process, from making the dough, to stretching it and topping it with tasty veg and cheese, not forgetting pizza for leftovers 🙂

Now, on to the calzones – as you can see, my first had a gap so I covered it up, and the filling of tomato sauce, ricotta and spinach didn’t ooze out. The second was easier to shape, no gaps, but the filling of spinach, ricotta and mozzarella did melt out of one side – that’s just the homemede touch 😉

Both really hit the spot – they were well seasoned, had a nice balance of dough and filling for my tastes, and reheated well for lunches the next day.

As much as I enjoyed the pizza, it tasted so much better fresh from the oven. Still, I’d never turn my nose up at pizza for breakfast, never!

Buon appetito

xo

 

Pizza versus Calzone – part two

Pizza time!

A little late, but it’s worth the wait.

The dough recipe came from thekitchn.com, from that I made pizza, with enough left over for two mini calzones. (Calzone post tomorrow!)

After tasting the pizza I decided it needed more seasoning and maybe some more tomato sauce. Ah, I’ll just have to make some more 🙂

xo

 

 

Pizza versus Calzone – part one

After my trip to the densist, finding out that I need a filling (help!), I was ready.

Ready to make pizzas.

Calzones.

Mini pizzas and calzones with left over dough.

Stuffed dough balls with the leftover leftover dough.

Stop.

I have the wrong flour…

Ah come on!?!

I’m making pizza tarts insteaaaaaaaaaaddddd!

and the rest of the lovely oven treats tomorrow.

Feast your eyes on my roasted veggies and my tomato sauce made with passata, parsley, thyme, oregano, onion, carrot and garlic.

A domani

Xo

 

 

 

 

 

Pizza versus Calzone

 

(Illustration – Farley Katz /CN Collection)

This cartoon from The New Yorker got me thinking- when’s the last time I made a calzone, let alone eat one? And pizza? It’s been ages since I’ve made the dough. Inspired by humour and hunger, I’ll make pizzas and calzones today and tomorrow and post the results, they should be successful or, at least, ugly-but-tasty. Yuss!

The latest Batman versus Superman was a mediocre film but this battle between baked Italian goods will probably be better. You heard it here first.

Xo

 

 

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Leap, jump, saltare

Saltare in padella, sauté!

Pro Kitchen

Leap – Daily Post

Five items on a deserted island

Party central last night (went to a family gathering, ate, didn’t drink alcohol, stayed up until 2am, no FOMO over here) so lots of cups of caffeine are keeping me afloat today which is fine, but I’m in a wierd headspace, somehwere between cranky, gloomy and optimistic. Surely, writing will ease the pain! So here are my five essentials should I ever find myself on a deserted island.

• A copy of a large cook book like Giorgio Locatelli’s Made in Sicily or Marcella Hazan’s epic collection of Italian recipes, The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.  Why? To gaze on them lovingly, remember the good times and drift off into another world for a while. That, and it’d come in handy for a hard pilow or for a fire.
• An umbrella or similar. Why? I burn. And it’s shelter. Or I can use the fabric for something if it breaks.
• A knife. Why? To kill and prepare food, if needs be. I’m starting to feel more pessimistic as the list goes on. Oh no.
• Photos of my family and friends, wrapped in sticky back plastic, held together on some string and I’ll wear them around my kneck or waist or hang them up like a little clothes line.
• A blanket. Why? Gets cold at night, plus I can used it as a dress, a towel, a bed. It’s an all purpose item. That and I’ll walk around with it like Linus. Alone on the island? Probably. #allthefeels #Linus4eva

 

Five Items – Daily Post

xo

 

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Lentils! Recipes to follow later on in the week.

Recipe suggestions for lovely lentils? Tell me in the comments.

xo