Tomato Mushroom Linguini

Fridge to table in 60 minutes. Doubles well and reheats well. I love to make this at the end of summer when the tomatoes are ripe and perfect. This dish showcases the tomatoes and herbs from your garden beautifully. If you don't have your own tomatoes of herbs, buy from the farmers market instead. 

Just basic, wholesome ingredients

Sauté the onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Cook for two or three minutes. 

Add the mushrooms and garlic. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Sauté on medium-low heat,until the mushrooms release their moisture.

These brown bits in the bottom of the pan are just what you want.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the white wine and scrape the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan. This will add terrific flavour to your sauce. If you don't have white wine or would prefer not to use wine, substitute with chicken or vegetable stock. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes.

Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes, string occasionally.

While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta. I like to make this dish with linguini, but you can substitute any kind of pasta that you like. Cook pasta in plenty of salted water. The Italians say that the water should be as salty as the sea. Taste the water to make sure that you have added enough salt.

See how the tomatoes have softened and released their juices. Add the herbs now. Taste the sauce and add more salt or pepper if necessary. Sometimes, tomatoes can be a bit acidic. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar to balance the flavours if the tomatoes are too acidic.

Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Reserve a cup or two of the pasta water. Increase the heat and gently stir the pasta and sauce together. The pasta will absorb the sauce. If the pasta becomes too dry, add the pasta water to the pan. Adding the pasta to the sauce instead of the sauce to the pasta produces a much more flavourful sauce. The Italians call this "il secreto"(the secret). Secrets our of the bag now.

The last step is to add some olive oil. Adding a bit of olive oil right at the end adds a lovely flavour and luscious mouth feel to the dish.

Pass some parmesan cheese and freshly grated black pepper.

Yum!

Watch Me Make It On You Tube 

Tomato Mushroom Linguini

2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 onion. diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups mushrooms, sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup dry white wine

3 cups tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup finely diced herbs(Italian parsley, basil, and thyme)

500 grams linguini, cooked and drained

1 cup reserved pasta water, if the sauce is too dry

1/2 teaspoon sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic

Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper to serve.

Sauté the onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Cook for two or three minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Sauté on medium-low heat,until the mushrooms release their moisture. Continue to cook the mushrooms until there are brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the white wine and scrape the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan. If you don't have white wine or would prefer not to use wine, substitute with chick or vegetable stock. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta. I like to make this dish with linguini, but you can substitute any kind of pasta that you like. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water. The Italians say that the water should be as salty as the sea. Taste the water to make sure that you have added enough. Add the herbs to the tomato mixture now. Taste the sauce and add more salt or pepper if necessary. Sometimes, tomatoes can be a bit acidic. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar to balance the flavours if the tomatoes are too acidic. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Reserve a cup or two of the pasta water. Increase the heat and gently stir the pasta and sauce together. The pasta will absorb the sauce. If the pasta becomes too dry, add the pasta water to the pan. 

The last step is to add some olive oil. Adding a bit of olive oil right at the end adds a lovely flavour and mouth feel to the dish. Pass the Parmesan and pepper at the table.

Buon appetito

Endorsed by son number three

Three Cheese Spinach Filo Roll

A great lunch or light supper. Serve with a green salad or sliced tomatoes.

Hello meatless-Monday. This is a really satisfying dish.
If your family likes spanakopita they will love this. Cheesy and lemony wrapped in a light crispy shell, my family loves it.



Start by sauteing the onion in oil. Cook on medium low for 5 minutes until the onions are transparent.

Squeeze all of the moisture out of the spinach.
Add the garlic and spinach when the onions are just about done.  Cook for a few minutes until all of the moisture has evaporated from the spinach.

Cook the green onions for a few minutes

Let the mixture cool a bit before adding the cheese or eggs

Add the cheese, pine nuts,lemon zest and juice, nutmeg, dill, salt, pepper and eggs

Thaw the filo pastry in the packaging in the refrigerator overnight.
Cover with plastic wrap and a clean,damp tea towel. Filo dries out really quickly. The plastic wrap and the tea tower prevents it from drying out.

Combine 3 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp melted butter. Working with one sheet at a time, brush each sheet with oil/butter mixture. Stacking the sheets on top of each other as you go.

Spoon the filling onto the pastry, leaving about an inch on each side.

Carefully roll pastry like a jelly roll. Pinch the sides together. Brush the top with the remaining oil/butter.

Using a serrated knife make slices in two inch intervals slicing half way through the roll.
This step provides a way for steam to escape during the baking process and allows for easy cutting after the roll is cooked.

Bake until golden and crispy.

Serve one or two slices with a green salad or sliced tomato.



Watch me make it on Youtube.




250 grams frozen spinach(you may use fresh spinach, Swiss chard or kale cooked and drained)
1 tbsp oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green onions chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup ricotta, drained
3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill(or 1 tsp dried dill)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts(may substitute slivered blanched almonds)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 eggs
8-10 sheets filo pastry(half of a package)Thawed overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for four or five hours
3 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp olive oil

Grilled Bruschetta Portabella Mushrooms

My family loves these mushrooms. I only make them when I can use my barbeque. There are only a few ingredients, but WOW do they have flavour! This dish appeals to vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The mushrooms are very 'meaty' and remind me of steak. If you would prefer to make vegan mushrooms, see the suggestion at the bottom of the recipe.

There are only a few ingredients. Using the best quality vinegar and oil will take this dish to another level.

Start with 6 large portobella mushroom caps. Brush the dirt off with a dry paper towel. If they are very dirty you can run them under water very briefly. Mushrooms are like sponges and will absorb any liquid that they come in contact with.
Break the stems off and scoop the gills out with a spoon.
You will have created a nice little cavity in which to put the stuffing.
Combine the marinade ingredients. Spoon the marinade over each side of the mushroom. Salt and pepper both sides. Let them sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours(the time in the marinade is flexible, just make sure they sit for a minimum of 30 minutes)

Combine the stuffing ingredients. Crumbs, tomato, onion, parsley, garlic, parmesan cheese, fresh bread crumbs and melted butter.

Spoon stuffing into mushroom caps. Sprinkle with a bit of parmesan cheese.

Grill for 15 minutes on a medium grill. Until the mushrooms are softened and the tops are slightly browned.

Enjoy this absolutely delicious dish.

My son asked me to include this picture of him enjoying the mushrooms to prove that kids also like this dish.



Watch me make it on Youtube

Grilled Bruschetta Portabella Mushrooms
4-6 large portabella mushroom caps

Marinade

• 1/4 cup cold water
• !/4 cup good quality olive oil
• 2 tbsp. good quality balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper both sides of the mushroom

Stuffing

• 3 or 4 cups of fresh bread crumbs. Depending on the size of the mushrooms. I used four cups for the six mushrooms that I made.
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes seeded and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling the top
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup melted butter

If you would like this dish to be vegan, replace the cheese with nutritional yeast and the butter with vegan margarine.