Chestnut Trofie with Pancetta, Mushrooms & Radicchio

It may seem a strange and rather wintry dish for a day when the temperature has soared into the late 20s and everyone is seeking shade and a place to cool down. On the face of it chestnuts conjure up thoughts of Christmas and burning log fires. But to a certain extent, everyday suppers tend […]

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San Marzano Tomato Sauce for Pasta

It was while I was wandering around Waitrose today that I saw packs of San Marzano tomatoes. I’d no particular plans for supper and thus couldn’t resist buying these famous Italian tomatoes to make a pasta sauce. Although actually when I got home, I saw these came from Spain! To be honest, it is a […]

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Penne with Italian Sausage, Tomato & Red Pepper Sauce

When I checked back in the list of recipes on the blog, I was surprised to find that I hadn’t given this recipe before. There are similar ones but not quite made in this way – a dish that I cook often and has become a family favourite. Although it can be made with any […]

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Basic Tomato Sauce for Pasta

Making a tomato sauce for pasta must be one of the first things most people learn when they start cooking. I actually often do a much more basic one than I did tonight, with just a shallot, olive oil, a tin of tomatoes and seasoning. But sometimes it’s nice to take things a bit further […]

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Black Squid Ink Pasta with Salmon & Slow-roasted Tomatoes

I love salmon and try to eat it once a week, not only because I like it but because it’s full of healthy fatty acids so is good for me. I always buying organic as the poor salmon has been much abused by the fish farming industry in recent years and most specimens are chemically-infested, […]

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Beetroot Ravioli with Goats’ Cheese & Walnuts

I was at the local Twickenham Farmers’ Market last Saturday and saw a ‘Seriously Italian’ stall selling fresh pasta. I’ve bought their pasta before and it truly is ‘seriously good’ as well as ‘seriously Italian’. There were a few interesting filled pasta choices but in the end – after consultation with Jonathan – I went for […]

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Fregola with Sausage & Tomato Sauce

I first came across fregola in the summer. My lovely local Italian restaurant, Masaniello, uses it to thicken their wonderful fish stew. When I asked what it was, the waiter described it as small pasta, a bit like large couscous. And once you eat it, you understand the description because it has a silky softness […]

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Easy Pasta Bake

Some days don’t go as planned; some days feel as if some mischievous imp is playing havoc with your plans. I was supposed to go to book group tonight to discuss planning for the next 3 months but after a day of delayed work delivery, dying printer (which resulted in having to visit a PC […]

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Penne with Salmon & Arrabbiata Sauce

I was cooking for just myself tonight and took a portion of organic salmon out of the freezer in the afternoon to defrost. I eat salmon about once a week. Partly because I love it and partly because it’s a great source of healthy fish oils. I do always buy organic though as some of […]

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Pasta with Roasted Tomato & Cream Sauce

The decision about what to rustle up for a quick and easy mid-week supper is often determined by what’s lurking in the fridge. Today there were 4 medium-large tomatoes and half a pot of single cream. I often make a sauce with fresh tomatoes to go with pasta in the week for a simple supper, […]

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