Jane’s London After Mid-Night Garlic Pasta ! ©
After a night out in London, many years ago, friends will remember, this is what I used to cook for them , back in Hereford Square! Thos e were the days!
Easy
4 persons
Ingredients
200-250g Pasta shells
1 tsp salt for pasta water
50 g butter
50 g plain flour
500 ml milk
100 g grated parmesan or other cheese
1 heaped tsp tomato puree
1-2 cloves crushed garlic crushed
2 tbs chopped parsley
salt pepper
Method
Place serving dish and plates in oven to warm. 50.C.
1. Put large saucepan of water onto boil. Add 1 -2 tsp salt. When boiling add pasta and cook until ‘al dente.’
2. Melt butter in smaller saucepan, add flour, cook for two minutes until frothy, add tomato puree and then add cold milk, all at once. Stir continuously with whisk until thickened.
3. Boil for two minutes, and remove from heat, season and add cheese and crushed garlic. The sauce should be thin, like fresh cream, if it is not, add a little more milk just before pouring over the pasta.
4. When pasta is cooked, drain thoroughly in colander, by shaking the pasta two or three times and place in warmed serving dish.
5. Pour over sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
6. Serve immediately.
Spaghettini all’aglio, olio e peperoncino ©
Easy
4 Persons
Ingredients
250g spaghettini No 3
2 tsp salt for pasta water
6-8 cloves of garlic finely diced
3 dried chili
1-2 tbs finely chopped parsley
1 tsp salt
3 tbs olive oil
Method
1. Fill a medium saucepan with water, add salt and put onto boil.
2. Peel garlic and chop finely, together with a little salt. Don’t squeeze, or put in blender! The more garlic the better!
3. Finely chop parsley.
4. Place olive oil, garlic and chilies in frying pan, to await pasta.
5. When water has come to the boil, add pasta, stir to separate and cook until pasta is “al dente”( see cookery terms) drain well in colander and add to frying pan along with garlic and chili. Toss rapidly over high heat for two minutes, just enough for the smell of garlic to emerge, with out colouring the garlic. Add parsley and serve immediately in warmed serving dish or individual plates.
Parmesan is not usually served with this in Italy, as it takes away from the taste and makes it heavy, but it is up to you.
Quick and excellent!
Greek Stuffed Tomatoes ©
Wonderful ripe summer tomatoes from the kitchen garden!
Perfect for stuffing with rice and herbs.
Easy
6 Persons
Preparation time : 1/2 hour
Cooking time 3/4 hour
Ingredients
12 medium sized ripe summer tomatoes
12 tbs spoons ‘Basmati’ rice
1 bunch finely chopped fresh mint or dried
3 medium sized onions grated
salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar
4 tbs olive oil
3 chilies
1 tin or 4 grated tomatoes
2 tbs grated rusk ( Greek: Galeta )
2 tsp Mahlepi, opt. See link below.
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 200. C.
2. Wash tomatoes thoroughly and place in ‘Oven Proof’ dish.Take each one and cut across the top of tomato with a serrated knife, not quite cutting through to the end and open up the lid. ( Stalk end should be downwards, in the palm of your hand as you cut each tomato. )
3. Using a sharp teaspoon, scoop out the tomato pulp from the inside carefully so as not to split the sides of the tomato and place in bowl leaving about 2 mm thickness of tomato flesh. Break up any large chunks that are in the bowl.
4. Grate onions on the large holes of your grater and sauté in a little olive oil, until transparent, 4 mins. Add basmati rice , which you have previously rinsed under running water and sauté together with onions for 2 mins.
5. Add to the onions and rice some of the tomato pulp, to make a sloppy consistency.
6. Season well and add chopped mint ( dried mint gives a stronger mint flavour) and a little extra oil and 1 tsp sugar. Taste for salt. The stuffing needs to be well salted.
7. Sprinkle the tomato shells with a salt and using a small spoon fill to just below the top with the rice mixture, to allow rice room to swell.
8. Any remaining filling, pour in between the tomatoes.
9. Close with the tomato lids and drizzle with some extra olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with grated rusk and Mahlepi spice.
10. Place 2-3 scored chillies, in between the tomatoes to sharpen the flavour. Pour in between tomatoes a little extra grated fresh tomato, or use a tin to ad more liquid.
11. Bake in pre- heated oven at 200. C. for half an hour then using a spoon, spoon some liquid over the the rice, which will now show, from the baking dish. Cook another 1/4 of an hour, until lightly browned on top. Test a little rice for doneness.
N.B. It is important that the tomatoes are nice juicy, summer, well ripened Mediterranean tomatoes, in order to attain the best results. If you choose to make the dish at another time of year, add an additional tin of chopped tomatoes for a better taste.
Be generous with the salt, it is important to really bring the flavors out. Stuffed tomatoes are also nice cold.
Mahlab – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Choose nice ripe medium sized tomatoes.
Using a teaspoon, empty out tomato centres into a bowl.
Sauté onions in a little olive oil and add basmati rice.
Sauté for another two minutes.
Mix all ingredients together. Taste for salt, by dipping your finger in. Make sure it is well salted, or your tomatoes will be bland. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil.
Salt tomatoes and then fill with rice mixture.
Close lids, add any left over stuffing around the tomatoes. Sprinkle with grated rusk and “Mahlepi” and add chilies.
Drizzle with a little olive oil and place in pre-heated oven.
Final result!
What's Cooking In Jane's Kitchen 