Ragu Bolognese (Bolognese sauce)

This is one of te key recipes of classic Italian cuisine - every Italian mother and grandmother has a slightly different version, and of course swears by it! Here is mine;)

Ingredients:
- 200 gr minced beef (or 100gr of beef and 100 of pork, for a tastier, if less light, version)
- 1 clove of garlic, still covered in skin
- extravirgin olive oil
- four tablespoons plain tomato sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- half teaspoon of concentrated tomato paste
- a pinch of salt
- 2-3 dried juniper berries (you can find them in the spices section in any large supermarket)
- a few cloves

Cover the bottom of a deep pan with a one-centimeter layer of olive oil, add the garlic clove, and heat gently. Before it becomes too hot, add in the minced meat, and let brown slightly. Before the meat starts drying, stir in your tomato sauce, cloves, berries and tomato paste, mix well, and cover with a lid. Let the sauce cook slowly on low heat for about 30-40 minutes. E' pronto!

This sauce can be used on its own on pasta (possibly fresh egg pasta like tagliatelle) or as the key ingredient for yummy lasagne - this recipe for another post. Enjoy!

Linguine with prawns and cherry tomatoes

Ingredients (for 2 people)

200 grams egg pasta (tagliatelle or linguine)
100 gr king prawns, peeled
200 gr cherry tomatoes (organic if possible!)
crushed dried chili peppers, a big pinch
extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled but whole
fresh basil (5 leaves)

1. Heat half a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan with the 2 cloves of garlic and chili until the garlic starts gently frying (not burning!). Add in the prawns and let them become golden.
2. Cut the tomatoes in half and add them in. Cover with a lid and lower the heat. At the last moment, stir in the basil leaves (they shouldn't cook too much).
3. Boil your pasta according to the package instructions and drain when al dente.
4. Add the pasta to the sauce in the pan, and increase the heat, mixing constantly until all the extra liquid is absorbed and the pasta is well mixed with the condiment.

Enjoy!

Aubergine and goat's cheese Pasta Gratin

This is a main dish that is super easy to make and that everyone loves. It's vegetarian but absolutely full of flavour! A surefire success for a potluck dinner;)

Image credits: thecomfortabledish.com

Ingredients

500 gr orecchiette or penne pasta
2 large aubergines
300 gr cherry tomatoes
150 gr goat's cheese
fresh basil
50 gr grated parmesan cheese
50 gr pitted black kalamata olives (ok, these are greek, but they're so tasty!)
extra virgin olive oil

1. Cut the aubergines in 2 length-wise, make a few longitudinal cuts in the pulp, and wrap them in tin foil.
2. Cook them for 40-50 minutes in the oven at 180°C, until the pulp is completely soft.
3. With a spoon, take out the pulp from the skin, and mix it with the goat's cheese, oil (to taste) and a pinch of salt with the help of a food processor.
4. Cook the pasta following instructions on the packaging, drain it, and mix it in a large bowl with the aubergine cream, the cherry tomatoes cut in quarters, 2 tablespoons of olives and the basil.
5. Pour everything in a large oven pot, and garnish with some more olives, basil, a generous drizzle of grated parmesan and some olive oil.
6. Place in the oven again at 180°C, until you see the surface becoming golden and crispy.

Enjoy!