This posh pasta dish is the ideal foil for a summer menu dilemma.

HAND-CUT PASTA WITH PROSCIUTTO, ASPARAGUS AND BABY COS

INGREDIENTS

• 250g fresh lasagne sheets, cut into 2cm-wide strips
• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 spring onions (with bulbs), white bulbs and green tops thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
• 1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock
• 20g unsalted butter
• 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagonal
• 1 baby cos lettuce, leaves torn
• 5 prosciutto slices, torn
• Grated parmesan, to serve

• METHOD

  • 1
    Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep frypan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the white spring onion and cook gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the wine, increase the heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by half.
  • 3
    Add the chicken stock, butter and asparagus. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, then toss through the drained pasta. Add lettuce and prosciutto, and season to taste. Toss gently until lettuce has wilted.
  • 4
    Divide among 4 serving bowls, then top with green spring onion and parmesan. Serve immediately.

PASTA SALAD WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, BASIL OIL AND PECORINO

Try and find the best-quality heirloom tomatoes you can for this simple pasta.

INGREDIENTS

• 400g wholemeal rigatoni or other wholemeal short pasta
• 2 large handfuls basil leaves
• 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 300g mixed heirloom tomatoes*, halved or cut into wedges
• Shaved pecorino*, to serve

• METHOD

  • 1
    Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions. Drain, then rinse well under cold water.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, blanch basil in boiling water for 10 seconds, then rinse under cold water. Drain well, then squeeze out excess water. Place basil in a food processor with oil and pulse until basil is finely chopped.
  • 3
    Place the pasta and tomatoes in a large serving bowl. Season, then gently toss to combine. Drizzle with the basil oil, scatter with pecorino, then serve.

  • NOTES

    -

    * Heirloom tomatoes are from selected greengrocers and growers’ markets. Pecorino is a hard sheep’s milk cheese from delis; substitute parmesan.

PASTA HANDKERCHIEFS WITH MUSHROOM RAGU

Fresh pasta topped with buttery, herb-flecked mushroom ragu - serve this and your guests won't even know it's meat free.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups (400g) ‘00’ flour
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• Semolina, to dust
• 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 eschalots, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
• 1/2 tbs thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 600g mixed mushrooms (such as pine, portobello, king brown, chestnut or slippery jack), roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
• 20g unsalted butter
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

• METHOD

  • 1
    To make the pasta, place the flour in a mound on a clean work surface and make a well in the centre. Pour in the eggs and 1/2 tsp salt, then, using your hands, gradually incorporate the eggs into the flour to form a soft dough. Knead for 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Enclose dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  • 2
    Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, then enclose 3 portions in plastic wrap and set aside. Starting on the thickest setting of your pasta machine, run the dough through 2-3 times, folding it in half each time, until smooth and elastic. Continue rolling the dough through the settings 2-3 times, reducing the thickness each time, until 2mm thick. Place pasta sheet on a semolina-dusted tray and cover with a clean tea towel while you roll remaining dough portions.
  • 3
    Dust each sheet of pasta with semolina, then, using a sharp knife, slice each sheet into rough triangular shapes that resemble handkerchiefs. Dust again with semolina and set aside.
  • 4
    To make the mushroom ragu, heat the oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Add the eschalot, garlic, parsley stalks and thyme, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Increase heat to high and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, then add the wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
  • 5
    Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for a further 4-6 minutes, then add the butter and stir to combine. Season and remove from the heat.
  • 6
    Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving a little cooking water. Add pasta to the ragu and toss to combine. Return the pan to high heat and cook, tossing, for 1 minute or until heated through. Add a little cooking water, if necessary, to loosen.
  • 7
    Divide pasta among bowls and garnish with parsley leaves, lemon zest and freshly ground pepper to serve.

CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP

With pepitas for crunch and dried cranberries for sweetness, this creamy pumpkin soup is extra special.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 600g pumpkin, peeled, chopped
• 1 potato, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 leek (white part only), chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
• 1/2 cup (125ml) pure (thin) cream
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted
• Dried cranberries and finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve

• METHOD

  • 1
    Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add garlic, vegetables and nutmeg, then toss to coat. Add stock and 2 cups (500ml) water, then bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Cool slightly.
  • 2
    In batches, transfer to a blender and whiz until smooth. Return soup to the saucepan and place over low heat. Stir in cream, then season. To serve, ladle into bowls and top with seeds, cranberries and parsley, then drizzle with extra oil.

Try this Italian strawberry and rhubarb cobbler

STRAWBERRY AND RHUBARB COBBLER

Try this Italian strawberry and rhubarb cobbler, it's to die for! This super easy dessert is light on ingredients and easy to make, just add cream!

INGREDIENTS

• 400g strawberries, hulled, halved
• 500g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces
• 3/4 firmly packed cup (170g) brown sugar
• 21/2 tbs cornflour
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• Pure (thin) cream, to serve
• 3 cups (450g) self-raising flour
• 110g thick Greek-style yoghurt
• 1/3 firmly packed cup (80g) brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 150ml extra-virgin olive oil

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 180°C. Combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, cornflour, vanilla pod and seeds, and orange zest and juice in a 20cm x 30cm ovenproof dish and set aside for 30 minutes to soften.
  • 2
    For the topping, place all ingredients in a food processor and whiz until smooth. Remove vanilla pod from strawberry mixture, then dollop the batter over the fruit.
  • 3
    Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and cooked through. Cool slightly. Serve cobbler with cream.

Recipes

CHOC GANACHE BOWLS WITH LYCHEES AND MACADAMIA

For a simple but completely rewarding dessert, you can't go passed these choc ganache bowls. We won't tell how easy they are to make if you don't.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup (250ml) pure (thin) cream
• 1 tbs glucose syrup
• 1/3 cup (50g) roasted chopped macadamias
• 8 lychees, peeled, stones removed
• 1 kaffir lime leaf, finely shredded
• Sea salt flakes, to serve

• METHOD

  • 1
    Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Place cream and glucose in a saucepan over medium heat. When cream starts to bubble around the edges, pour over chocolate. Stir until melted. Divide ganache between two 1-cup (250ml-capacity) dishes and smooth the surface. Chill for 2-3 hours until just set.
  • 2
    Top with macadamia, lychees and kaffir lime. Sprinkle with a little salt to serve.

  • NOTES

    -

    Ganache will need to chill for 2-3 hours.

Nice Recipe I like it

ROAST LAMB STEW WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

All the flavours of roast lamb, baked into a hearty stew. Serve over buttered cous cous for the ultimate winter warmer

INGREDIENTS

• 2.5kg boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed, cut into 7cm chunks
• 2 onions, each cut into 8 wedges
• 3 carrots, cut into 5cm chunks
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 5cm chunks
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 cup (250ml) dry white wine
• 2 cups (500ml) lamb or beef stock
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1/3 cup (80ml) good-quality balsamic vinegar
• 6 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
• 2 long rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• Roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, to garnish

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat the oven 220°C.
  • 2
    Place the lamb, onion, carrot and celery in a large roasting pan and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss with olive oil and roast for 20 minutes, turning once, until the lamb and vegetables are lightly browned.
  • 3
    Reduce the oven to 160°C.
  • 4
    Remove the pan from the oven and drain off any fat. Add the wine, stock, tomato paste and vinegar. Scatter the garlic, rosemary and bay leaves over the meat and vegetables. Season with more salt and pepper and mix to combine. Cover the pan with foil, then roast for a further 2 hours or until the lamb is tender.
  • 5
    Increase the oven to 180°C.
  • 6
    Remove the lamb with tongs and place in an ovenproof serving dish. Strain the vegetables and cooking liquid through a colander into a large bowl, discarding the vegetables. Stand liquid for 5 minutes, then skim off any fat from the surface.
  • 7
    Pour liquid into a saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until reduced by one quarter.
  • 8
    Pour sauce over the meat, then return to the oven for a further 15-20 minutes, turning twice, until the sauce is well reduced and lightly coats the lamb. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.