Ravioli fillings

This is an extension on the Spicy Squash Tortelloni I made last year. I bought a ravioli press from Lakeland Limited which helped immensely and then the second time I tried these I had bought the pasta machine attachment for my Kenwood chef which made making the pasta sheets a lot quicker and easier.

First you need to make pasta dough, the second time I made the ravioli, as I was making four different fillings, I added different flavours to the pasta dough to change the colour, add a tablespoon of pesto to make green, a tablespoon of sun dried tomato paste to make it red, tablespoon of olive tapenade to make it black. Once the dough is kneaded and ready leave it in the fridge whilst you make the fillings:

Spicy Squash and Ricotta - I used the spicy squash recipe from above but added 2 tsp cumin seeds to the mix as well and added some courgette to the squash I had peeled. Then I mashed it all up and added a tub of ricotta to it and put it in the fridge.

Goats chesse and sundried tomato - 2 logs of soft goats cheese, 10 pieces of sundried tomato - put into a food processor and mix together adding salt and pepper to taste, put in fridge to cool.

Boursin mushroom - chop one onion finely and one 500g portion of mushrooms (preferably chop in the food processor to get very fine) mix with a 200g French Roule to make a creamy garlic mushroom mix, put in fridge to cool.

Mozerella, courgette and onion - fry onions and courgettes in a pan (probably 3-4 courgettes and 1-2 medium onions) and then chop 2 balls mozerella finely and mix in as well, leave to cool.

Pulled Beef - the day before or in the morning put a joint of beef (a cheap one will do) into a slow cooker or a very low oven with a bottle of red wine, a couple of sticks of celery and an onion chopped into two and leave to stew for 6-8hrs. Once it is cooked remove from the juice but do not discard. Place the beef on a chopping board and pull apart into strings of meat, once it is all pulled apart add it to a pan with some of the cooking juice and reduce down. Add a jar of tomato pasta sauce and again reduce down. Leave to cool.

Take the pasta and roll into sheets, do not take it to the thinnest sheet level, but one just before to leave it a little thicker and more elastic. Each portion of pasta dough made as per the recipe above can be cut into 4 and will make 4 sheets which each make one portion of 12 ravioli so 48 pieces of each.

Once you have the sheet made, flour both sides and flour the press. Place the sheet over the press and gently push the white piece into the pasta to form the cups for the fillings. Add just under a teaspoon of whichever mix into the cups. Take an egg wash (egg mixed with milk) and paste the remaining pasta sheet with it so when you lay it over the top of the pasta with filling and roll over the top of the press it forms a good seal. Tip the pieces out of the press and cut further with a knife if needed. Place the pieces of ravioli on a floured plate and allow to dry for an hour.

To cook place in boiling water for around 6-8 minutes and serve with a flavoured butter.

Stilton and Courgette Carbonara

Yes, I know, its courgettes again, but in my defence I have a lot of them, makes you inventive!

• 1 pk cooking bacon
• 1 leek (sliced thinly)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 12 assorted mushrooms (I used normal and chestnut, chunky chopped)
• 4 medium sized courgettes (sliced lengthways once then chopped so half moons)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 tub ricotta cheese
• 1 tub low fat creme fraiche
• 2 tbsp double cream
• 200g stilton (crumbled)

Saute the leek and garlic in a pan. Add the bacon.

Once bacon cooked add the mushrooms and courgettes and thyme.

Saute for around 5 mins until soft.

Then add ricotta, creme fraiche and cream and put on a low heat until bubbling. If sauce too thick add a little water.

Finally add stilton and stir.

Boil pasta and then add to pan and mix well.

5 a day chocolate brownies aka the ones with the courgettes

From a recipe adapted from Ottolenghi cookbook (with my own special addition!)

• 100g pecan nuts (bashed)
• 200g unsalted butter
• 280g plain butter
• 300g dark chocolate (Green and Blacks cooking chocolate is ace)
• 2 eggs
• 230g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 100g chocolate chips (or I used a Green and Black's chocolate bar bashed up)
• 40g mini marshmallows (I used Dr. Oetker Mini mini marshmallows and they dissolved)
• 300g grated courgette (honest, I'm not kidding, makes the brownies healthy and moist!)
• Tub Betty Crocker Fudge Icing

Brush a baking tin with melted butter (swiss roll tin) and preheat oven to 170 degrees.

Put a pan of water on the hob to boil. Put butter and chocolate in a heatproof glass dish and balance on top of pan of water so water is heating bowl gently, stir from time to time. Keep pan on a low simmer and allow butter and chocolate to melt but not get too hot. Once melted remove bowl from pan.

In large bowl whisk together sugar, eggs and vanilla just until they are combined, then add melted chocolate mix and flour and mix. Finally add all other ingredients nuts, marshmallows, chocolate pieces and courgette (I promise you can't taste the courgette, it dissolves completely and makes the brownies stay really moist) and mix well.

Empty mixture out into tray, bake on centre shelf of oven for about 25mins (don't be afraid to cook for longer), brownie is ready when you put a knife in centre and pull out and some mix is on the knife but it looks a little cooked and not raw. Take out of oven and allow to cool (will keep cooking).

Once cooled spread icing on top (if required), then cut into pieces (I usually do around 18 pieces) and don't tell people they have courgettes in until they have eaten them, then watch their faces!!

Cheese and Asparagus Strudel

Adapted from a recipe from Silver Palate cookbook

Makes 2 strudels, each gives around 10 pieces, if you don't need this much strudel, either halve the receipe to just make one, or freeze one when its on its baking sheet prior to cooking. As always optional ingredients in italics.

• a bunch of asaparagus (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 2 medium sized leeks (sliced thinly)
• 150g gruyere cheese (grated)
• 200g cheddar or double gloucester (grated)
• 3 normal sized courgettes (diced)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• 2 tbsp chopped oregano
• salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 packets ready rolled puff pastry
• Milk for sticking and glazing

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.

Put a spoon of butter in a chefs or saute pan, saute the leeks gently then add the asparagus and courgette, cook until soft.

Add all ingredients to bowl (except the puff pastry and milk) and season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper. Mix ingredients well with hands (messy but fun!).

Butter a baking sheet.

Flour a work surface and get puff pastry out of packet, lay on surface and gently roll out so that the piece is around 50cm wide by 30cm long. Place half of mixture on pastry and spread out so it is 2cm from each side and the bottom edge, but it is 10cm from top edge. Paint milk along all the edges. Roll the pastry over approximately 2 or three times to make a large sausage shape about 10cm long and 50cm wide. Very carefully (its very delicate and may need two of you) lift the pastry onto the baking sheet, and if it will not fit on the sheet properly make a horseshoe shape. Paint top with milk.

Repeat above instructions for second packet of pastry.

Cook in oven for 30-40mins until golden brown on top.

Charlie's summer garden minestrone

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 onions
• 3 leeks
• 3 cloves garlic
• 500g cooking bacon
• 1 packet fine/green beans (1/2 inch pieces)
• 4-5 courgettes (diced)
• small bunch assorted kale and broccoli leaves (chopped)
• 10-12 mange tout (1 cm pieces)
• 2 large potatoes (diced)
• 1 full celery (sliced)
• 6 carrots (cubed)
• 4pt vegetable stock
• 250g small pasta
• 3 tins chopped tomatoes
• 4tbsp tomato puree
• 4tbsp fresh basil
• 4tbsp cutting celery
• celery salt and pepper

Adapted from a recipe from my cooking oracle, my mum, who I think got it from my Uncle.

Ingredients in italics optional.

Warning, I make a LOT of soup, lots left over to freeze :) But you need a really big pan!

Fry chopped up bacon together with onions, leek and garlic.

Add beans, courgettes, leaves, mange tout, potatoes, celery, carrots. Sweat off for 10mins.

Add tomatoes, puree, herbs, seasoning and stock.

Add pasta and cook for as long as possible, serve with crusty ciabatta and parmesan.

Chargrilled Garden Vegetables

• 1 large fennel bulb
• 1 large aubergine
• 1 red pepper
• 3 green courgettes
• 2 yellow globe courgettes
• 6 baby leeks

For the dressing

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Extras if want to make it more salady

• 1/2lb fresh mozzarella
• 1/2 cup pitted black olives
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil

Mix the dressing ingredients together put in large closeable bag (eg. zip lock)

Prepare the veg as follows and add to the dressing bag. Cut fennel bulb in half long ways and add both halves. Slice aubergine into thick long slices about 2cm thick. Cut sides away from pepper so have 4 large flat pieces. Cut courgettes in half, then slice each half longways to get long slices about 0.5-1cm thick. Slice the globe courgettes into circles the same. Just add the leeks at the end.

Ensure all veg get coated in dressing, then can leave in fridge till ready to grill later.

When grilling the veg, keep the remaining dressing from the bag as you will use it later.

Start with the fennel first and place cut side down on the grill, over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible for 5-7 mins. Turn the fennel over and grill for another 3 mins, then move over indirect heat, with lid closed as much as possible, until crisp and tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 12 to 15 mins. Remove from grill and leave to cool.

Place other veg on grill, and cook until chargrilled on each side but not overdone.

Cut away the hard triangular core of the fennel and then cut the remaining into 1/2 inch pieces. Cut the other veg into similar sizes and place all in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss all pieces in dressing. Either serve like this or add the salad ingredients as well.

Adapted from Weber's Charcoal Grilling - the art of cooking with live fire by Jamie Purviance http://www.amazon.co.uk/Webers-Charcoal-Grilling-Cooking-Live/dp/0376020474/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248604136&sr=8-1

Baked Courgettes

This one was sent to me by my mum and all credit goes to her :)

• Courgettes (doesn't matter how many)
• 1-2 garlic cloves per courgette
• Parmesan cheese (fresh, grated)
• Cheddar cheese (grated)

Set the oven at 180 - 200oC

Cut the courgettes up into 2-3cm chunks and put in plastic bad with whole unpeeled cloves of garlic.

Pour in glug of olive oil and shake around.

Tip out onto baking tray (put the garlic in the middle) and roast in oven for about 25mins or until the courgettes are going brown.

Squeeze the garlic, mix with the courgettes, squashing the courgettes as you do so.

Mix in some parmesan cheese (fresh) and put in an oven proof dish (can freeze at this point).

Sprinkle with grated cheddar and bake until brown.