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

Prawn Pasta

We are not a rich family, by any material means. We are blessed, though, in having enough. And every so often, we indulge a little in more expensive dishes... like this one... Due to its extraordinary prices, we don't eat a lot of sea food, although we all love it. Especially sushi... but let's not seduce our taste buds with thoughts of other delectable dishes...

It's a very simple dish, but the taste is everything but. Easy to make, quick to prepare and quite filling. And even with the expensive ingredient of prawns, the dish is actually still affordable - especially compared to take-aways or a restaurant dinner. 
We used shell pasta, to add to the "seafood" theme. Any pasta will do, please prepare according to the packet's instructions.

 
 Ingredients
100g margarine
1tbs garlic
1tbs parsley
1t lemon zest
400g prawn meat (frozen)
2 onions, chopped
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Method
1. Melt 50g of the margarine in a saucepan, or a deep frying pan, but with a lid. Add the garlic, parsley and lemon zest and fry for a minute or two.
2. Add the prawns and fry with the lid on, for about 10minutes, stirring every so often.
3. Melt 25g of the margarine in separate pan and fry the onions till nicely browned.
4. Add the cream and parmesan to the prawn mixture and stir well.
5. Cook with the lid on for another 5 - 10 minutes, stirring often.
6. Depending on how thick you want your sauce, cook the prawns with the lid on or off until done.
7. Add to the pasta and mix well.
8. Serve warm with extra parmesan, fresh parsley, lemon zest or even a twist of chilli for a kick.

And enjoy!!

Yours in oil and veggies
Risch

Stuffed Butter Chicken in the Pot

My 365 days of recipes starts today. And I do believe I have a very good start to this year of recipes!! Sunday is traditionally a day of feasting, drinking and enjoying the company of family. Our sundays are no different, and as far as we can, we enjoy cooking feasts on sundays. 

The feast for today is Stuffed Butter Chicken in the Pot. It is deliciously rich, and full of different flavours - you simply don't want to stop eating!! 

Ingredients

125g Mushrooms
1 onion
2 star anise
1tbs crushed garlic
some fresh herbs: thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary
300g margarine
1 lemon
7 pickled onions
1 cube chicken stock
500ml water
250g carrots
250g beans
500g sweet potato

Method

Finely chop together the mushrooms, onion, herbs (except rosemary). Add the star anise, garlic and rosemary.

Mix well. Stuff the whole chicken and tie the end so that the stuffing don't fall out.

Melt the 300g margarine in the pot. Add the chicken, lemon and 7 pickle onions. Cook in the margarine until the chicken browns.

Dissolve the chicken cube in the 500ml water. Add to the pot. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the vegetables, stir a little, cover and cook until everything is soft and well cooked.

And enjoy this fabulous feast!! If you want to, you can add some rice or potatoes, but this is enough for a family of 5. And believe it or not, actually a low carb - high fat - high protein meal. You will also notice that no spices, salt or pepper has been added to the recipe. Well, that is because it is not needed. You can add some, if you like, though. 

 Happy Cooking!!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Risch's Spaghetti Bolognaise

Hi everybody!!

We all know Spaghetti Bolognaise, it is after all a traditional favourite. Try my version for an alternative that will tickle your tastebuds... 

Ingredients

250g Spaghetti
1 tin 200g mushrooms
1 tin Tomato & Onion 
1 packet Tomato Paste
Salt & Pepper to taste
Grated Cheddar Cheese
2tbl soya sauce
1tbl crushed garlic
2t spice for Mince
2tbl sugar
400g Mince
Oil for frying

Method

Boil water in a pot. Once it boils, add the spaghetti and stir. Add salt. Cook until it is soft, but not soggy. Fry the mince in some oil. Add salt & pepper to taste, add the origanum, soya sauce, garlic and Spice for Mince and stir thoroughly. Fry until mince is cooked through. Add mushrooms, tomato & onion and tomato paste and sugar and mix well. You can either mix the spaghetti and mince before dishing up, or dish it up seperately. Sprinkle grated cheese over and serve! Makes 6 portions.

For added flavour, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese to taste as well.

Enjoy!!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch