Real Spaghetti Carbonara

by Matthew Luca

If you give an Italian a carbonara with cream then it's vito for you.

People often have a fear when using eggs in cooking although they really shouldn't, its authentic Italian cooking at its best.

Ingredients

6 Egg Yolks (keep the whites as you can use this for other amazing recipes like my Pavlova)

2 tbsp. parmesan cheese

250g Spaghetti

200g bacon lardons or pancetta

sprig of rosemary

1 onion (finely diced)

2 cloves of garlic (crushed, using garlic press or finely chopped)

1 tbsp. olive oil

bunch of parsley (chopped)

Parmesan to garnish

Black pepper

1 tbsp. salt

Method

In large pot of boiling water, add the salt and spaghetti and cook for around 10 minutes until tender but aldente.

In a frying pan add the olive oil, pancetta or bacon lardons, rosemary, onion, garlic and fry until bacon is browned and crisp, then turn heat down to lowest setting.

In a mixing bowl add the egg yolks, 2 tbsp. parmesan and whisk until combined and silky.

when the spaghetti is cooked, using pair of kitchen tongs lift the pasta out of the hot water and into the frying pan with the bacon etc as this keeps a little hot water within the pasta to ensure a glossy finish to the sauce, immediately pour over the egg yolks, mix in to the spaghetti to ensure an even coat as this gives carbonara its creaminess. (if the pan is too hot the eggs will scramble).

Garnish with fresh parsley, parmesan and good grind of black pepper.

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Pappardelle Maiale Balsamico

By Matthew Luca

Nothing beats homemade pasta and this dish packs a tommy gun. The over elaborate cut of the Pappardelle combined with the pulled balsamic pork holds a rustic charm that you would kill to try.

Ingredients
Pasta Dough (or pack of Pappardelle)
Italian Pulled Pork
Rosemary Sprig
Some fresh thyme and Parsley (chopped) for garnish.
1 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method
Roll a large thin sheet of pasta on a well floured surface using 00 flour. Cut out a large rectangle shape and then cut into long 2 inch wide ribbons (1 side with a knife and the other with a pasta wheel cutter).
In a high sided saucepan bring some water to the boil, add a little salt and olive oil, then cook the pasta for 10 minutes.
Drain off excess water through a sieve when cooked and return pasta to the saucepan, add some pulled pork and a bit of the pork cooking stock and cook on a high heat while gently stirring/mixing the pasta for 2 minutes until hot. Sprinkle in some fresh thyme and parsley and serve immediately.

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Arancini Marinara (Italian Rice Balls with Marinara Sauce)

By Matthew Luca

Like most people who make a risotto your often wondering what to do with all the leftover rice. Italians have mastered this for years and created a firm favourite "The Rice Ball". Stuffed with mozzarella they are served in various different sizes but the ones you hear people talk about the most are baseball sized that can be found in restaurants and deli's from Palermo to New York. Originated in Sicily and translated Arancini means "Little Orange" because of the size and colour after frying.


Ingredients
250g risotto rice (follow cooking instructions on packet) preferably cook in chicken stock and a clove of garlic added to the water for flavour, cook aldente)
100g Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 mozzarella ball (diced)
2 eggs (1 beaten for egg wash)
100g breadcrumbs
150g plain flour
1 litre olive oil or vegetable oil for frying
Salt & pepper for seasoning as required

Method
Allow risotto rice to cool once cooked aldente, add one egg to the rice and combine with the rice. Add the parmesan and combine again. Grab enough rice in your hand to form a ball and push a piece of mozzarella in the centre, dip rice ball in flour, then coat in egg wash and finally coat in breadcrumbs. Repeat process with the remaining rice and leave balls to firm in the fridge for 20 minutes prior to cooking.
In a large heavy based pan or deep fryer heat to 180c or until a piece of bread takes around 15 seconds to brown and crispy. deep fry the rice balls for around 4-5 minutes until golden brown, set on some kitchen paper/towel to drain of any excess oil before serving.

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients
1 tin chopped tomatoes or Passata
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic (chopped)
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes or half fresh red chilli chopped (de-seeded)
half teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
few sprigs chopped basil
100ml red wine

Method
Add all ingredients into a saucepan on a moderate high heat and cook stirring constantly for around 5 minutes, press tomatoes with a potato masher. remove from heat and pass through a fine sieve into another saucepan using the back of a spoon to press through any lumps. You should be left with a smooth textured sauce ready for serving.


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Risotto Pisello Menta (Pea & Mint Risotto) Recipe

by Matthew Luca

Risotto can be difficult to get right but if you do it's just amazing, so don't be nervous tackling this recipe, the combination of a few simple flavours really makes this stand out in a fresh and vibrant way.

Ingredients (serves 4)
250g Risotto rice
1 red onion (finely diced)
3 cloves garlic (skin off)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
150ml white wine
100g frozen peas
1 bunch fresh mint (half of bunch chopped)
1 litre chicken stock (plus a kettle full of boiling water on standby)
75g parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra for drizzling) (optional: truffle infused oil for drizzling)
Salt & Pepper

Method
It a large heavy base pan on a high heat, add the olive oil, garlic and onions, stir and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and oregano and cook for a further 1 minute.
Add the risotto rice and stir until the liquid in the pan has been absorbed, when the rice begins to stick to the bottom of the pan pour in the stock, season with salt & pepper, stir and leave to cook for around 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally, when the stock is three quarters absorbed in to the risotto rice remove from the heat and taste the rice to see if its cooked (at this stage it should be quite grainy, we're looking for aldente ) so put back on the heat and add around 100ml of boiling water at occasional intervals stirring continuously until the rice becomes cooked correctly but the risotto remains loose (not dry) this should take around 3-4 minutes.
When your happy with the texture of the rice add in the peas, chopped mint, stir for around 1 minute. add the parmesan and stir, then your ready to plate. Serve with some fresh mint leafs and a drizzle of oilive oil.

For a walk through watch the recipe video below.

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Soft Amaretti

By Matthew Luca

A great accompaniment to an espresso or cup of tea. They can also be a quirky alternative to meringue in desserts. This recipe is for a bigger batch so you can store some away for when Nona comes for tea.

Ingredients

Icing Sugar for dusting

1 Vanilla Pod

8 Egg whites

700g Caster Sugar

600g ground almonds

50ml Amaretto Liqueur

Method

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until firm, scrape seeds from the vanilla pod and place in the bowl. Slowly mix in the almonds, sugar and liqueur until combined.

On a non-stick baking tray (lightly greased) or on greaseproof paper place 1 teaspoon of the mix and repeat the process leaving about 1 inch between them.

In a preheated oven 180c cook on the middle shelf for around 10-15 minutes until lightly golden.

when taking out of the oven allow to rest for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack, Then add a generous dusting of icing sugar.

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The Italian Burger

By Matthew Luca

The Idea was to create an Italian inspired burger and this recipe will not disappoint. The Burger is so succulent with the combination of steak mince and sausage meat and the beautiful Italian flavours of tomato, garlic and basil that sing through this dish like Pavarotti.


Ingredients
400g Steak mince
200g Sausage meat 60%
16 rashes of smoked pancetta rashes
100g Sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
Half a Red Onion (chopped)
1 egg
2 cloves Garlic (chopped)
1 Red onion sliced
handful of Basil (chopped)
handful of Parsley (chopped)
Salt & Pepper
4tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Large Vine Tomatoes (sliced)
4 large Basil leafs
4 teaspoons Green Pesto
Mayonnaise
Lettuce leafs
Teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 ball Mozzarella cheese
4 Italian Mini Panini breads or burger buns

Method
In a large mixing bowl add the mince, sausage meat, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped parsley and chopped basil with 1 egg, season with salt and pepper.
Using your hands combine the mince together and then form into patties (Burgers) and place on a chopping board. Wrap the burgers over the top with smoked pancetta and tuck loose ends underneath.
In a medium hot pan place 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the burgers for 4 minutes on each side. flip the burger with the pancetta facing up and place some Mozzarella cheese on each burger then cover the pan with a lid and lower the temperature, leave for a few minutes until the cheese has started to melt, remove from the stove and set aside.

To make Caramelised Onions, add the sliced onions into a small pan, along with the butter, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of sugar, leave on a low heat for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally until soft and caramelised.

Now for the mini panini bread, spread green pesto on the base of the bread, then some mayonnaise, cover with sliced tomatoes, top with lettuce leafs then carefully place the burger on top. Lay a basil leaf on top of the burger and then the caramelised onion. Put a little more mayonnaise on the inside of the top panini bread and place on top of the burger.

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Chicken alla Milanese

By Matthew Luca

Chicken / Pollo alla Milanese

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 Medium sized Chicken breasts
150g Breadcrumbs
200g plain flour (seasoned with salt & pepper)
3 large eggs (beaten)
12 cherry tomatoes or 4 large plum tomatoes (cut, diced)
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Handful of chopped Basil
Handful of chopped Parsley
2 cloves Garlic
Bag of Spinach
Bag of rocket leafs
Half a lemon
Salt & Pepper
2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
500ml of olive oil
400ml water
Cling film


Method:
Pressing the chicken: Place Chicken breasts/fillets onto a chopping board and lay inside up, with a sharp utility knife score the chicken along the thicker parts being careful not to cut all the way through until fillets begin to flatten out.
Place fillets between two sheets of cling film allowing a 4 inch gap between each piece of chicken. Carefully using a rolling pin or meat tenderiser beat the chicken until flat or 1/2 inch thick and then turn over and beat the other side until a little bigger, being careful not to hit to hard and pierce the chicken.

The Marinade: In a large mixing bowl place the flattened chicken into the blow and add 4 tablespoons of olive oil, juice of half a lemon, season with salt and pepper and rub into the chicken until coated and then cover the bowl with cling film and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Coating: Line up 3 large bowls, 1) seasoned flour 2) beaten eggs 3) breadcrumbs,
remove the chicken from the marinade and cover each breast with flour, then egg wash followed by a coating of breadcrumbs and set aside.

Cook: Add 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil in to a large pan and place the chicken Milanese onto medium heat for 3-4 minutes cooking on each side until golden brown. If your unsure when the chicken is cooked you can use a temperature probe or cut the fillet to see if cooking is complete. When ready let rest on a board for 2 minutes before serving.

The Sauce: While the chicken is cooking in another pan cut the cherry tomatoes and place in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, and the balsamic vinegar, crushed clove of garlic and put on a high heat until the tomatoes begin to soften (1-2 minutes), then slowly add 400ml of water along with the tomato puree and some fresh basil, stir in the tomato puree to make a good sauce consistency, with a masher press the tomatoes into the sauce to release their natural taste into the sauce, cook for a further 2 minutes, stir and season to your liking with salt and pepper.

To accompany: In a 3rd pan place the spinach on a medium heat along with 1 clove of chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and some salt & pepper, begin to wilt down the spinach until its half wilted.

To Plate: Place some tomato sauce in the middle of the plate followed by a portion of wilted spinach, cut the Chicken Milanese in half and stack the 2 pieces on top of the spinach. to garnish add a few rocket leafs, a light shaving of parmesan cheese, Parsley and drizzle over a little olive oil.

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Make your own Pasta dough

By Matthew Luca

The true test of Italian cooking is the ability to make a good pasta dough, Pasta can be formed into a variety of shapes and styles and even flavoured using oils. When I learned how to make pasta the first time I would use a pasta rolling machine to make the sheets but my preferred method now is to use a long rolling pin just like Nona's in Italy have done for decades. This ensures you put your passion into the food and leaves you feeling humbled because it's something entirely hand crafted. As I say "Put the romance into the roll".

Ingredients
285g of 00 grade flour or pasta flour
1 teaspoon of fine table salt
3 Large eggs
2 tablespoons of Truffle Oil (Olive oil can be used as a substitute) I find the truffle oil adds a nice flavour and can be purchased from a good supermarket.

Method
In a large mixing bowl or work surface pour in the flour, make a well in the middle and add the eggs and oil.

Fold in the flour from the outside in towards the well and combine the mixture. begin to knead the dough together until it's strong and elastic when stretched. This may take up to 5 minutes. If the dough is to wet add a little more 00 flour, too dry add a drop more oil.

Cut the dough in half and form into 2 balls, wrap tightly with cling film and leave to firm in the fridge around 30 minutes until ready to use. Pasta dough will keeps for around 24 hours in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 4 weeks.

I have suggested to make 2 balls of pasta dough as it's easier to roll out the smaller amounts in the pasta machine or by hand. When rolling by hand ensure the surface is dusted with 00 flour and although time consuming it's fun, Pasta should be rolled each side until almost transparent and thin. You can then cut and fill ravioli's, tortelli, Pappardelle and tagliatelle etc by hand. Spaghetti will require use of a pasta machine. If rolling using a machine, ensure the rollers are coated with a light dusting of flour and roll from grade 6 down to 2.

To Cook:
Fresh pasta should be cooked on a light boil for around 10 minutes if done by hand, machine rolled pasta will cook in around 3-4 minutes if at grade 2, grade 1 will cook within 30 seconds to 1 minute but very thin.

Tips
To make smaller or larger amounts of pasta use the method of 1 egg per 100g of pasta flour.



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Focaccia with Rosemary and Garlic

By Matthew Luca

I Cant help but love the feeling and aroma baking focaccia brings to the home, you can involve the whole family in the process and although it may seem to take a while its a labour of love best treated with a relaxed an non-rushed approached. This classic Italian bread is so versatile any time of year and can be served or mixed with a variety of ingredients. At Christmas I would often bake a few extra and prove them near the open fire ready for the family to arrive on Christmas day.

Ingredients

500g strong white flour plus a bit extra for dusting

75g dried yeast

4 tablespoons of olive oil plus extra for drizzling

1 tablespoon of table salt

1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt

300ml warm water

Freshly chopped rosemary for sprinkling.
3 Cloves Chopped Garlic

Method

In a large mixing bowl sift in 500g of flour together with the yeast and mix.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the warm water, table salt and 4 tablespoons of olive oil and combine from the outside in and mix together until a sticky dough forms.

Lightly dust a worktop or dust another mixing bowl and knead the dough from outside to centre then press down firmly from fingers to the heel of your hand and repeat the process as many times as necessary to form an elastic type dough (10 minutes minimum).

Place the dough in a well oiled baking tray or large bowl and cover with cling film tightly and put in a warm area of the kitchen or perhaps over a radiator so that the dough begins to prove/rise for approximately 1.5 hours.

Preheat the oven to 220c (gas mark 7) and transfer the dough onto a baking tray if proved in a mixing bowl. shape the dough a little if required remembering to not press down too hard on the dough. Cover again with cling film and leave in a warm area again for a further 30 minutes.

Remove all cling film from the baking tray and sprinkle over some sea salt, Garlic and rosemary and with your finger tips lightly press down on the dough to form indentations. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Once baked remove focaccia and place on a wire rack and carefully drizzle over some olive oil to form a glaze.

Best served warm and in slices along with some Olive oil and Balsamic vinegar for dipping.

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