Nasello Romesco Rustica (Hake fillet with romesco crust and Zucchini)

By Matthew Luca

This dish really shows off the influences that food brings across the Mediterranean by combining favours from Spain into Italian cuisine. Originally inspired by Chef Angela Hartnett's recipe I love the romesco's rustic edge on top of something so delicate.

Ingredients

150g breadcrumbs

50g almonds

2 red peppers (cut in half and cleaned out)

1 clove garlic (chopped)

 4 fillets Hake

1 Aubergine (Zucchini)

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt & pepper for seasoning

Method

Lay the red peppers on a baking tray and season with salt, pepper and drizzle some olive oil, cook in the oven at 100c for 2 hours to dry out, when done leave to cool. (You could skip this step but the texture of the romesco crust would be a little wetter

In a food processer add the peppers, breadcrumbs, almonds and garlic and blend together. set romesco crust aside ready for use.

In a pan on a high heat add a little olive oil and season the hake fillets with a little salt, fry skin side down for 3 minutes until skin is crisp and golden, turn over the hake and cook for a further 2 minutes. Transfer to a baking tray if not using an oven proof pan and add the romesco crust on top. Cut the aubergine into slices and add to the baking tray/pan and cook on 220c for 4-5 minutes until a knife passes through the flesh of the fish with no resistance. Plate as pictured (above) and pour over some of the remaining juices from cooking.

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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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Farfalle aglio limone

By Matthew Luca

Farfalle or otherwise known as "Butterflies". This dish gives you that magical feeling in your stomach. Sometimes when you make a beautiful thing what's the point to hide it, the simplicity and elegance of taste is all about enhancing the champion of this dish "Fresh Pasta".

Ingredients

Pasta dough or ready made Farfalle

50g butter

1 sprig rosemary

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

salt to season and some for the pasta water.

Balsamic glaze (optional)

Method:

If making fresh pasta, roll out a flat sheet to as thin as possible, square off around the edges and cut into 1.5 inch wide ribbons, using a pasta wheel, cut into rectangles around 3-4 inches long and pinch in the middle to form the farfalle, leave to dry for around 5 minutes before cooking.

In a heavy based saucepan, fill half way with water, season with a little salt and bring to the boil. add the farfalle and cook on a gentle boil for around 8-10 minutes until aldente. Strain away water through a sieve and set aside ready for serving.

In a pan on the lowest heat, add the butter, rosemary and garlic then let melt stirring occasionally for around 10 minutes (do not let the butter or garlic burn) remove from heat occasionally if required. 

To plate add a gentle zig-zag of balsamic glaze on the plate and arrange the farfalle on top, spoon over a little of the melted garlic butter, grate over a little lemon zest and parmesan, garnish with fresh parsley or sage leafs.

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Panna Cotta

by Matthew Luca

One of my favourite desserts is Panna Cotta and I'm surprised it does not appear so often in Italian restaurants because its actually quite simple to make.

Ingredients

650ml double cream

250ml full milk

150g caster sugar

4 leafs gelatine

1 vanilla pod (or 1 tbsp. vanilla extract)

Method

In a bowl of cold water submerge the gelatine leafs and leave to soften for 5 minutes.

In a large heavy based pan add the cream, milk, sugar and seeds scrapped from the vanilla pod. cook on a high heat stirring occasionally until just before boiling point (do not let it boil). remove from the heat, add the gelatine leafs one at a time into the hot mixture stirring in until dissolved and then let the mixture cool stirring occasionally. When cool transfer mixture to a measuring jug or a water jug (I tend to pass the mixture through a fine sieve into the jug to remove any possible lumps), place in fridge for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (until you see the vanilla seeds are not sinking to the bottom and holding in position) now that the mixture has thickened pour into moulds, I use a plastic ricotta cheese container as its the perfect size and smooth on the inside, you can also pour the mixture into dessert or wine glasses as pictured below (this is less fussy). leave to set in the fridge for around 3 hours before serving.

Serving suggestion: if your planning on serving the panna cotta as pictured above and you want to turn the dessert onto a plate you'll need a separate bowl with hot water where you'll dip your mould 3/4 into hot water for around 10 seconds until the panna cotta frees itself and then place a plate over the top and flip upside down.

Balsamic strawberry sauce

Ingredients

400g strawberry (cut in halves)

1 tbsp cornflour or plain flour

75g caster sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and put on a moderate high heat, stirring gently until combined and strawberries have softened slightly and a sauce is forming, remove from the heat and leave to cool, (Tip) leave in the fridge to chill before serving on the panna cotta.

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Pizza Salami

By Matthew Luca

Not even the Godfather could refuse a slice of a classic Italian Pizza, the traditional thin crispy base topped with tomato, mozzarella and casereccia salami is beautiful. No wonder its one of the worlds favourite foods but this recipe goes back to the true origins of pizza where its not perfectly round, a little crispier than your usual takeaway and that's how I like it. I baked this pizza on a stone but equally you can use a pizza tray.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients (For 2 Pizza bases) what's the point to make only one :-)
300g strong white bread flour or 00 flour
7g Fast acting dried yeast
210ml warm water
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons Peanut Oil or Olive Oil (plus extra for greasing)

Method
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and make a well in the middle. Pour the yeast into a measuring jug along with the warm water, stir and then pour into the centre well of the flour, then then add the oil. Using a fork mix the flour towards the centre of the bowl until crumbly. The using your hands combine together to form a dough.
On a floured surface, knead the dough for around 5 minutes until elastic, cut the dough ball in half and knead each ball for another 1 minute each. using a couple of bowls or deep baking tray, lightly cover the dough balls with some oil and lightly grease the bowls or deep baking tray. Place the dough balls in the tray or bowls and cover with cling film and leave to prove for around 1-2 hours.

Once proved, pre-heat the oven to 200c, lightly flour a work surface and press the dough outwards from the middle of the dough ball turning in a circular motion until thin and a good size for your pizza. Lay the dough on a pizza baking tray or hot stone and bake in the oven for 2-3 minutes just until the base becomes firm and a little crisp to touch (especially the centre of the pizza base). remove from the oven and this is when you put on your desired topping. (You could cook this pizza without part baking the base but this method will bring consistency without the risk of a soggy bottom/base)

Pizza Sauce Passata

Ingredients

1/2 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

pinch of salt & pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

20 red wine or water

Method

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and cook on a moderate high heat stirring continuously for around 3 minutes, use a potato masher to press down any tomato chunks and continue stirring, if the mixture is too thick add a little more wine or water but otherwise thick is good and rustic. Take off the heat ready for spreading on your pizza base

Pizza Salami

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Passata sauce

10 slices of salami

5 cherry tomatoes (halved and seeds squeezed out)

1/2 mozzarella ball

Rocket leafs (garnish)

Grated parmesan (Garnish)

Truffle oil or Olive oil (for drizzling)

Method

Spread some Pizza Passata on your pizza base using the back of a spoon, tear up some mozzarella and spread evenly, add some cherry tomatoes, salami and freshly chopped basil and bake in the oven for a further 5-8 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with rocket leafs, parmesan and a light drizzle of truffle oil.

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Bayin Branzino con Mascarpone Tagliatelle

By Matthew Luca

This recipe was inspired by the new Bayin foods Oil range (Now available in SuperValu) where I wanted to incorporate the use of Peanut oil and Sesame oil into this Italian dish. I found that substituting traditional olive oil for sesame oil in the pasta dough introduced a delicate flavour and aroma that would only enhance the natural taste of the tagliatelle while bringing the dish together. Their peanut oil was introduced in the handmade pesto giving a real edge and noticeable difference which was sublime.

Ingredients:

Pasta Dough (Click here for recipe) using The Bayin Sesame oil instead of truffle oil

250g Mascarpone cheese

100g Spinach

100ml White wine

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 heaped tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste (seasoning)

4 fillets of Seabass (Branzino)

1 tablespoon of Bayin sesame oil

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Method:

Roll out a sheet of pasta dough as thinly as possible, then cut into tagliatelle size thin ribbons, bunch up around 8-10 ribbons to form a nest and set aside to dry for around 30 minutes prior to cooking, one nest per person serving.

For the sauce add the Mascarpone, wine, nutmeg and parmesan to a saucepan and heat on a medium temperature until the sauce is silky, taste as season accordingly then add the spinach and stir gently until the spinach wilts, take off heat and set aside ready for the pasta.

Ina large heavy based pan fill 3/4 with water, add a teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil, when boiling add the tagliatelle and boil for 6-8 minutes, the texture should be aldente, if you find the pasta still to tough give it an extra couple of minutes on the boil, strain the water when ready then add to the mascarpone sauce and mix together.

Now for the Branzino (seabass) In a frying pan on a high heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, season fish lightly with salt and place skin side down in the pan, cook for 1-2 minutes until skin is crisp and golden and then turn the fish over, reducing the temperature a little and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until cooked trough then serve. Topped off beautifully with some fresh Pesto (see recipe below).

BAYIN PESTO (for fish)

Ingredients

50ml Bayin Peanut Oil

Large Hand full of Basil leafs (chopped)

2 Sage leafs (chopped)

2 dill sprigs (chopped)

1 tablespoon almonds

1 tablespoon pistachio

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon grated parmesan

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

In a dry pan gently heat up the almonds and pistachios until hot and aromatic, finely chop and place in a small mixing bowl or Pestle and mortar. Add the herbs, lemon zest, parmesan, pepper and Bayin peanut oil and mix together well, if the pesto looks to dry add a little more peanut oil.

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Zucchini Mascarpone Spinaci

by Matthew Luca

If your wondering what you can do with a Zucchini (Courgette) then hopefully this recipe will inspire you just as my imagination did with me. It's the perfect start to any meal and while visually striking its simplicity will surprise you.

Ingredients (serves 4)
250g Mascarpone cheese
100g Spinach (chopped)
4 Zucchini / Courgette
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leafs (picked from stems) plus extra sprigs for decoration


Method
Cut the Zucchini (courgettes) into 3 inch high cylinders, carefully remove the core (middle) with a knife. Cut 12 slices from another zucchini and cut out small circles to fit in the base of the cylinders to seal.
In a mixing bowl add the mascarpone, thyme leafs, garlic, salt & pepper, plus chopped spinach and mix thoroughly. Carefully place the cylinders on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and then fill with the mascarpone & spinach pushing down to ensure its packed with the filling and slightly overfilled on the top. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes on 200c then serve.

I have plated mine with a base of green pesto and scattering of artichoke, tomatoes, olive and thyme sprigs plus a few deep fried zucchini (courgette) slices that created the circles on top.

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