Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

For a quick and easy meal, this is perfect. Especially if you're not that hungry. But make no mistake, just because it is so simple, it does not mean that it compromised on taste... 

This is comfort food, with class.

Ingredients

500g spaghetti

2L         water

2t         salt, or to taste

120g margarine

2t         whole black pepper corns

½ cup chunky cottage cheese

300g bacon (optional)

250g mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1         onion, diced (optional)

2t         garlic, crushed (optional)

⅛t     nutmeg

parmesan to taste

Method

1 Let the water come to a boil, add the salt and spaghetti and cook to al dente. Strain, but keep the water.

2 Fry the bacon in 30g margarine until crispy. Set aside.

3 Fry the mushrooms (and garlic if you want) in 30g margarine until browned. Set aside.

4 Fry the onion in 30g margarine until lightly browned. Set aside.

5 Melt 30g margarine in a small saucepan and add the pepper corns. Toast for about 1 min (you should smell the pepper toasting), then grind with a mortar & pestle. Add the other peppers and nutmeg, if you want to. Set aside.

6 Mix the bacon, mushrooms, onion and pepper. Add it to the spaghetti with the cottage cheese and mix well.

7 Serve with grated parmesan as garnish and enjoy!

Notes: - ground black pepper and/or ground white pepper can also be added, just keep in mind that the intensity of the pepper increases as it cooks and stands.

- Only add the nutmeg if you use mushrooms

For a printable PDF version of the recipe, click here: Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Asparagus Frittata

 Breakfast can be quite challenging... especially on weekends... when you're not in the mood for toast or porridge, the kids are nagging, and you are not in the mood for hours in front of the stove or even 30 minutes of hard work. 

That's what I love about Frittatas. It's filling, easy to make, little effort and healthy! Plus, you can make it with almost anything you have on hand. The possibilities are endless. Basically if you have cheese and eggs, you're halfway there. 

I've had this tin of asparagus in my cupboard for ages, wanting to make a quiche. But this morning I decided to make the frittata instead. 

This is very delicious and I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine did.

Ingredients

8 Eggs

1 Onion

1 tin Asparagus, 430g

100g Cheddar Cheese

1 rind Plain feta cheese

2tbs Plain yogurt

2tbs Mayonnaise

50g Butter / Margarine

½ t salt

¼ t ground black pepper

¼ t dried origanum

½ t dried thyme

¼ red pepper

¼ yellow pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C

2. Chop the onion, yellow & red peppers and cut the feta cheese into blocks

3. Melt the butter and fry the onion and peppers lightly, doesn't need to brown

4. Open the tin of asparagus, drain very well and add to the onion and peppers.

5. Continue to fry on medium heat, stirring regularly

6. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk well.

7. Add the herbs, salt and pepper and whisk.

8. Add the mayonnaise and yogurt and whisk.

9. Grate the cheese and add to the egg mixture. Mix well.

10. Level the onion mixture in the pan, and add the egg mixture.

11. Dot the mixture with feta cheese and put in the oven.

12. Bake for 15-20 min until it is set and the sides are beginning to brown.

13. Remove from the oven and cut like a pizza.

Serve warm with coffee, or orange juice or milk and enjoy an amazing breakfast!

For a printable PDF version of the recipe, click here: Asparagus Frittata

Yours in oil and Veggies

Risch