Despite being nicknamed “fan tong” (a cantonese term for rice bucket) since I was a child, I’ve found myself slowly expanding my love for carbohydrate from rice to pasta. This realisation came about when I was re-organising my pantry  in the past weekend and uncovered partially empty boxes of dried pasta in various shapes and sizes which I intend to deal with some time in the future, hehe!

In the meantime, I went out and bought more pasta! (Sounds like a pasta hoarder in the making?)

This time is I’ve added the instant lasagna sheets by San Remo to my pasta collection. It’s worth noting that they are WHOLEMEAL!

Well, I gotta stay on track with my healthy New Year resolution somehow.

Speaking about San Remo… I would like to bring your attention to….

A COMPETITION hosted by SAN REMO whereby the three lucky winners will receive…

1. An invitation to attend a three course Diamonds Dinner (VIP style!) with the Australian Netball Diamonds (the winnners can bring along a friend) – worth noting that if the winners are located outside of South Australia, the prize also includes return flights, a night’s acomodation and breakfast in Adelaide; and
2. One year’s supply of San Remo pasta; and
3. San Remo pasta pot, cap and apron.

(Emily: I was informed that the dinner is going to be prepared by Adam Swanson – one of the Chefs from the show Ready Steady Cook and the owner and Executive Chef of Zucca Greek Mezze).

 All you have to do is to CREATE YOUR OWN SAN REMO PASTA DISH that you would serve the Diamonds before their big game and submit your recipe with a photo of your dish BEFORE OCTOBER 2!! Please click here for more information.

To enter, visit the promotional entry page on www.facebook.com/sanremopasta and “Like” the Facebook page to be eligible to enter. It is open to anyone within Australia.

click here for a full size image

So if you have a kick a#* recipe for pasta, risotto or lasagna, now it’s the time to shine…..and you may even be rewarded for it!

Last but not least, here’s another photo of my lasagne.

What do you think? Are you woMAN enough to handle the amount of cheese in there? Mind you, the “white sauce”  is actually ricotta and eggs, resulting to a texture like quiche. Oh so yum!

Mixed Capsicum & Ricotta Lasagna

(adapted from the packet of San Remo Wholemeal Lasagna)

Servings? The packet specifies 4 to 6. I think the portion is suitable for 4 people.

Ingredients:

• 250g San Remo Wholemeal Lasagna (it comes with ten (18cm x 12cm or 7 inches x 5 inches) sheets which I’ve only used up only three.)
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 2 brown onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 capsicum (any colour you like – I’ve used 2 green capsicum and 2 roasted red capsicum bought from the deli)
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 4 tbsps tomato paste (100g /4 oz)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 750g / 26 oz smooth ricotta cheese
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves (I’ve used about half of the bunches you get from Coles/Woolworths)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (seriously who’s counting?)

Methods:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 356 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Slice onion and chop garlic.

• Slice capsicum.

• Heat oil over a medium low heat in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
• Add capsicum. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Slice basil and add into a mixing bowl. Then empty the ricotta into a mixing bowl. Crack 3 eggs in the empty ricotta carton and lightly beat them. Mix basil, ricotta and eggs until well combine. Season with salt and pepper.

• Assembly – pour 1/2 cup of the capsicum sauce into a lightly greased (or baking sheet lined) baking dish. Alternate layers of lasagna, capsicum sauce and ricotta, ending with ricotta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Please the packet recommends to allow 4 layers but I’ve ended up with just two. I depends the size of your baking dish really. I have a fairly small one.
• Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until cooked through (test if cooked by pricking with a fork). Let the lasagna stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Packet tip – For perfect lasagna, make sure that lasagna sheets are completely covered with the capsicum sauce and ricotta. Important to retain a high level of moisture.

With that being said, I ran out of the capsicum sauce towards the end (you may be wondering how can this be possible with just 3 sheets)….Well I’m paranoid about undercooked lasagna sheet (my rule of thumb is to have more moisture than less)  plus I have added too much capsicum sauce at the bottom layer…suffice to say I ran out of the capsicum sauce and what I’ve done was adding a mixture of 3 tbsps of chilli-sundried tomato pesto (I had some leftover in the fridge) with some water to achieve the pasta sauce consistency. If not replace the the pesto with some tomato paste if you some leftover.

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While making bread at home is no big deal to some people, I still have this inexplainable reservation or maybe ‘fear’ towards making my own bread. I have had homemade breads many times, often generously gifted from friends.  I love the freshness in homemade breads and find them to be unexpectedly addictive. While I’m pretty sure there is no butter in my friends’ bread recipes (or  perhaps they could lie about them), I can somehow taste the butteriness”  in homemade breads. I guess my tastebuds could have been playing tricks on me.

Since baking a bread is my self-induced handicap, along with my inability to overtake a heavy vehicle on a highway or riding a bicycle (don’t laugh!), I have to find ways to get around it like making pizza on toast or in this instance, a makeshift crust using  ingredients from the breakfast compartment of your pantry i.e. oats, bran cereal and eggs. No yeast, no waiting for the dough to rise nor kneading the dough – factors which make me feel lazy at the thought of making bread!

Mini Pizzas with Homemade ‘Oaty’ Crust

(roughly adapted from Hungry Girl by Lisa Lillien)

Make about 9 mini pizzas

Prep time: 20 minutes

Bake time: 30 minutes

Ingredients for Crust:

• 1 cup instant oats
• 1 cup bran cereal
• 3 eggs
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano (any italian spices of your choice)

Ingredients for Toppings:

• 1 tomato, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup shredded cheese
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Oil (I’ve oil spray)
• 1 tbsp pizza sauce (or tomato paste added with some italian spices, pasta sauce or pesto)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degree C / 356 degrees F.
• Combine all the crust ingredients in a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles damp breadcrumbs.
• Work the dough over a parchment paper. Please note the mixture is a little sticky so moisten your hands with some oil.
• Sandwich the dough between 2 parchment paper and flatten to your desired thickness with a rolling pin.
• Use a cookie cutter to create the mini pizza crusts and place on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Alternatively, you can make one large pizza in order to save time.
• Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Set aside.
• To complete the pizza: Spread the pizza sauce over the crusts followed by cheese, tomato slices, and black pepper. Then spray a thin layer of oil over the toppings before baking
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

• Coconut Milk, Melon with Sago Dessert (椰汁蜜瓜西米) *budget eat
• Black Glutinous Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk Drizzle
• Pandan Sponge Cake with Shredded Coconut Frosting

Baking with Fruits & Vegetables

• Mini Pavlovas with Pineapple and Pastry Cream
• Pineapple, Tomato & Brie Galette with Polenta Crust
• Cranberry & Almond Loaf (Made with Olive Oil)
• “Soft” Sweet Potato with Pecans Cookies
• Sweet Potato Crackers
• Easy Walnut & Zucchini Loaf
• Strawberry Crumble
• Avocado and Lime Topped with Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)
• Apple & Blueberry Wholemeal Muffins
• Strawberry, Apple & Rhubarb Galette
• Pumpkin Pecan Pie with Cornflakes Crust
• Strawberry Crunch Muffins
• scroll down for banana recipes under “overripe bananas”
  

Cheese

• Mixed Capsicum & Ricotta Lasagna
• Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Smoked Chicken and Sundried Tomatoes
• Cheesy Cornflakes Pancakes *budget eat
• Mac ‘n’ Cheese Pancakes 2.0 *budget eat
• Ricotta Kisses (Baci Di Ricotta)
• Ricotta Pancakes
• Haloumi Cheese Platter (Quick Brunch Idea)

Chocolate

• Chocolate Fudge Cake with Coffee Syrup
• Chocolate Bits Brownie Slice
• Chocolate Croissants
• Coconut, Chocolate & Hazelnut Cookies
• Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (Nutella) & Fairy Bread
• Pecan and Cranberries Brownies with White Chocolate Studs
• Licorice Allsort Slice
• Coconut, Turkish Delight & White Chocolate Macaroons
• Chocolate Pinwheels
• Mocha Vanilla Twists
• Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Inspired by Ferrero Rocher

Drinks

• Berry Smoothie with Blueberries, Mulberries & Strawberries
• Strawberry Limenade
• Ginger, Lime & Honey Tea

Disasters

• From Kashata to Granola
• Cranberry Scones

Eggs

• Egg and Potato Curry
• All In One Omelette
• Scrambled Black-Truffle-Infused-Eggs
• Sunny Side Up Eggs with Red Peppers & Smoked Chicken

Everday Ingredients

• Make your own strawberry syrup
• Make your own baking powder
• Make your own barbecue sauce

Fizzy Drink Cooking

• Sponge Cupcakes with Sparkling Apple Juice

Leftover Ideas

• Leftover Rice: Cheesy Rice Cakes with Smoked Chicken and Sundried Tomatoes
• Leftover Rice: Easy Thai Fried Rice *budget eat
• Don’t Waste: Chicken & Vegetables Noodles *budget eat

Lemon / Lime

• Apricot & Lime Polenta Cake
• Sticky Lemon Pudding (Jill Dupleix’s recipe) *budget eat

Mushrooms

• Plain Toasts with Mushrooms & Spinach Salad * vegetarian
• Portobello Mushrooms Spaghetti Bake
• Noodles with Chinese Kale & Shitake Mushrooms

No-Cooking Required

• Fairy Bread

Noodles

• Laksa with Tofu Puffs & Bean Sprouts
• Chicken and Vegetables Satay Noodles
• Ketchup Noodles
• Don’t Waste: Chicken & Vegetables Noodles *budget eat
• Noodles with Chinese Kale & Shitake Mushrooms

Overripe Bananas

• College Guys’ Banana Bread
• Banana, Oatmeal Cranberry Muffins
• Banana Butterscotch Pudding *budget eat
• Cinnamon Sugar-Crusted Walnut Banana Bread
• Banana & Coconut Pancakes with Palm Sugar Syrup

Other

• Clarified Butter
• Up ‘n’ Bake Wholemeal Peanut Butter Cookies
• Stained Glass Biscotti + Christmas Tree Decoration
• Roti Jala (Net Crepes)

Party Ideas

• Mini Pizzas with Homemade “Oaty” Crust
• Oven-Baked Chicken and Vegetable Nuggets
• Dabo Kolo (Ethiopian Fried Snacks) *budget eat
• Potato & Peas Stuffed Pastry (Frugal Entertaining) *budget eat
• Sesame Glazed Sausages *budget eat

Polenta

• Apricot & Lime Polenta Cake
• Polenta-Crusted Potatoes (Donna Hay’s Recipe)

Poultry

• Spinach & Chicken Curry
• Cider Apple Chicken with Mushroom Sauce
• Minced Chicken & Potato Curry
• Five-Spiced Chicken Meatballs with Leek and Goji Berries
• Chicken and Vegetables Satay Noodles
• Japanese Chicken and Vegetable Curry
• Tagliatelle with Spicy Thai Basil Chicken
• Chicken, Cabbage & Cellophane Noodles Dumplings
• Spicy Long Beans with Chicken
• Oven-Baked Chicken and Vegetable Nuggets
• Crunchy Southern “Deep Fried” Chicken (NotQuiteNigella’s recipe)
• Chicken Fajita Pasta
• Mustard Chicken Wings (Jill Dupleix’s recipe)
• Noodles with Chicken Eggy Sauce
• Chicken Dumplings (Jiaozi)*budget eat
• Asian Chicken, Corn & Noodle Soup
• Grilled Chicken Thigh Fillets
• Grilled Chicken Nibbles with Homemade Tangy Barbecue Sauce
• Malaysian Chicken Curry (Coconut based Curry)
• Braised Chicken Rice
• Spicy Basil Chicken (Gka-Prow Gai)

Quinoa

• Stuffed Peppers (Capsicums) * vegetarian
• Pumpkin, Lentils & Quinoa Salad (with Roasted Garlic & Chilli) * vegetarian
• Chickpeas & Quinoa Salad  * vegetarian

Red Meat

• Colourful Pasta Salad with Skinless Sausages (lightly dressed with harissa vinaigrette)
• Ginger & Shallot Beef with Broccoli
• Lamb Meatballs, Snow Pea Sprouts with Shacha Sauce
• Curried Meatballs with Lentils (shortcut version)
• Lamb Meatballs & Lentil Rice with Garlicky Tahini-Yoghurt Sauce*budget eat
• Black Beef Dry Curry
• Beef with Lemongrass & Chiles Stir Fry
• Lamb Meatballs with Tahini-Yoghurt-Harissa Swirl
• Thatched Lamb and Eggplant Pie
• Beef Mince Curry & Indian Fried Breads (Poori)

Seafood

• Crispy Squid with Garlic Mayonnaise – a recipe from Nigella Express
• Sweet Chilli Prawns
• Vietnamese Prawn & Egg Salad Rolls
• Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (sort of version)
• Prawns with Coconut & Chilli Sambal
• Coconut Prawn Curry
• Prawn & Asparagus with Spicy Sauce
• Smoked Salmon & Asparagus Pizza

Special Ocassions

• Chinese Hazelnut Cookies – Chinese New Year

Stale Bread/Croissont

• Caramel Croissont Pudding
• Low Fat Molasses Cake *budget eat

Toasts & Sandwiches

• Tiger Toasts
• Pineapple & Peas Pizza Toasts * vegetarian
• Cornflakes Crusted Grilled Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich * vegetarian
• Panko Crusted Grilled Cheese & Tomato Sandwich * vegetarian

Vegetables/ Squash/ Pulses

• Spicy Red Lentil * budget eat * vegetarian
• Corn Chips Salad * vegetarian
• Maple Syrup Flavoured Homemade Baked Beans * vegetarian
• Sweetcorn Chowder with Cheesy Toasted Tortillas * vegetarian
• Laksa with Tofu Puffs & Bean Sprouts
• Four Beans Mix with Mushroom Curry * vegetarian
• Tofu Puffs with Chinese Kale (Gai-Lan) & Carrot * vegetarian
• Spicy Carrot Coconut Curry * budget eat * vegetarian
• Spicy, Sweet & Savory Brussels Sprouts * vegetarian
• Roasted Pumpkin Brown Rice Salad * vegetarian
• Polenta-Crusted Potatoes (Donna Hay’s Recipe) * vegetarian
• Roast Squash With Coriander Pesto * vegetarian
• Chickpea Curry *budget eat * vegetarian
• Lentil Curry (Dhal) *budget eat * vegetarian
• Malaysian Sambal Kangkong (Water Spinach)

There’s something wonderful about Italian cuisine; simple, healthy and delicious. It’s a pity that many pasta dishes (I’m pointing to those served in small eateries and cafes) are being misrepresented. Often, they are bland and unexciting like frozen tv dinners and if you think about it, they can be pricey too!

To be clear, I’m neither a food snob nor believe in making everything from scratch and organic (though, that’d be nice).  But when it comes to Italian food, I think we should at least try making our own pesto for it’s easy cooking process as compared to pasta & pizza dough making. Oh wait, the basic basil pesto doesn’t even require any cooking! Sure, you need to cook the pasta to toss with the pesto but it’s no harder than salad making right?

While basil pesto doesn’t need further introduction, I like to share with you my favourite pesto recipe to date – roast squash with coriander pesto. It is a concoction of two of my favourite  ingredients – squash (of any kind) and coriander with a touch of the Middle East (because of cumin). So look no further, this is a recipe worthy to be a keeper!

Roast Squash With Coriander Pesto

(adapted from Jill Dupleix)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 onion or butternut squash

2tbsp olive oil

4tbsp fresh coriander leaves

2 garlic cloves

2tbsp toasted pine nuts

Sea salt

1tsp cumin seeds

½tsp ground cumin

1tbsp lemon juice

150ml virgin olive oil

Extra coriander leaves

Extra toasted pine nuts

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.

2. Scrub the squash but do not peel. Cut each squash into 6 or 8 thick half-moon wedges, coat in olive oil and place “sitting up” on an oiled baking tray. Bake for 40 to 50min until tender and lightly scorched on the tips.

3. Pound the coriander, garlic, toasted pine nuts, sea salt, cumin seeds, cumin, lemon juice and a little of the olive oil in a mortar with a pestle, or in a food processor, until you have a mushy paste, then slowly pour in the remaining olive oil, stirring well.

4. To serve, drizzle the squash with the pesto and scatter with the extra coriander leaves and pine nuts.  To serve as a meall, toss in cooked pasta if you like.