This recipe is so simple it belies its deliciousness. Everything in it is store cupboard and I’ve been making it for years because my friends think it’s the best spaghetti they have ever had, including in Italy, which is high praise indeed. It’s my dinner party staple but equally works as a quick supper for two.
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I made this delicious coconutty Sri Lankan curry for two of my friends that had been blown away by it on their holiday there and it sounded so good I had to make it. It’s mostly stored cupboard which I love and packed with lots of delicious flavours like ground fennel, garam masala and cumin. I serve it with my Dal recipe, chapatis which I buy frozen from the Indian frozen food section in the supermarket or my local Indian shop. I also sprinkled it with curry leaves fried till they were crispy, my ginger fries and chopped fresh coriander leaves on top to serve.
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I thought I’d put this on the blog last year and I forgot. It’s my really colourful refreshing Vietnamese inspired salad that is really tasty and healthy and full of fresh veg, herbs and noodles with added hot fried chilli prawns which can be cooked on a bbq and If I want to make a lower carb version I use zero noodles (there are lots of makes…) which have no carbs and are available in most supermarkets, Asian shops and online.
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This recipe for Cioppino actually originates from Italian emigrants in San Francisco in the late 1800s. They would put in whatever the catch of the day was, so feel free to put in what ever seafood you can get or prefer. It’s packed with the flavours of chilli, fennel, bay, orange zest and wine. There are lots of versions of it and I took the best bits of all the recipes I found. It’s traditionally served with toasted sourdough or a crusty baguette, but I think it’s delicious with a side order of fries and a salad too.
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This delicious pasta recipe is like a creamy, spicy, cheesy version of a classic sugo recipe.It’s a great meat free dinner or dinner party dish, with a salad. You can make it with any pasta you fancy but it works particularly well with a big ass chunky pasta. I made it with papadelle, but also look forward to making it with manicotti, calamarata or any large pasta.
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The flavours of this really sum up Italy for me, it’s a really fresh delicious pasta recipe which dates back to the sixties in Rome, the area where my Italian family come from. There’s lots of versions but my favourite has ground fennel in it which I love, I grind the seeds in my coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle so it’s super fresh. Its the perfect dinner for al fresco dining and you can add a burrata on top, or fried capers. I just serve it with a salad.
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I might be late to the party but I’ve just discovered this unbelievably light creamy caviar d’aubergine which is an excellent alternative to baba ganouch. If you like that you will love this. It’s great with roasted sourdough, or on crisp breads or with crudités with an aperitif or as a starter.
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This spaghetti recipe from Puglia looks simple from the ingredients, but it’s all about the technique. The trick is the spaghetti has to crisp up and scorch a bit because this is what gives it its unique flavour and texture. It’s cooked in a similar way to a risotto with the liquid added bit by bit till the pasta is cooked. It’s one of those recipes you wonder how you missed it, if you haven’t already tried it. The pasta goes red from the tomato and absorbs all the flavours from the chilli and garlic and it’s utterly delicious.
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This recipe is brilliant if you fancy a bit of sweet and sour and don’t fancy meat. The tofu goes super crispy and the rich sauce is packed with the flavours of ginger, garlic, chilli and soy. My friend Steve made it with a small tin of pineapple chunks in juice and added a tablespoon of the juice. He said it tasted better than traditional sweet and sour sauce. You can serve it with rice if you prefer, and it’s the perfect vegan homemade takeaway .
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This spaghetti recipe is a traditional Italian recipe which is like a lot of Italian recipes, it’s really simple but nails it with its flavours. I bought my mushrooms at Morrison’s as they have a brilliant selection of veg, fruit and herbs. The spaghetti al nero I got from my local Italian deli, but it’s equally good with standard spaghetti. It’s essentially vegan except for the spaghetti al nero which is made with squid ink, so to get the same vibe you could use black rice noodles. For the Parmesan lovers like myself, you can add lots of freshly grated Parmesan. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you can find a vegan parmesan in your local supermarket or health food shop.
It’s perfect for a dinner party served with a salad and some crusty bread or for a date night as it looks really beautiful.
