Goats Cheese Cannelloni With Cherry Tomatoes

 

Ingredients

• 400g/14oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 125ml/4fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 400g/14oz ricotta
• 300g/10½oz goats' cheese
• 300g/10½oz parmesan (or a vegetarian alternative), grated
• 200g/7oz baby spinach
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 12 12cm/5in x 10cm/4in sheets fresh pasta

                To serve

• parmesan shavings
• green salad leaves, dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4.
   
2. Place the tomatoes into a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Add the thyme and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
   
3. Place the ricotta, goats' cheese and parmesan into a clean bowl and mix well.
   
4. Add the spinach and garlic and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
   
5. Lay the pasta sheets onto a clean work surface. Place a line of the cheese and spinach mixture along the longer edge of each pasta sheet, then roll up like a cigar.
   
6. Drizzle the cannelloni rolls with a little of the oil that the tomatoes have been sitting in, then pour the remaining oil into the bottom of an ovenproof dish that will hold all 12 cannelloni.
   
7. Place the cannelloni tubes into the dish and place the tomatoes evenly over the top.
   
8. Transfer to the oven to bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
   
9. To serve, place three cannelloni onto each of four plates. Sprinkle with parmesan shavings and place a spoonful of dressed mixed green salad leaves alongside.
   

Tagliatelle With Cavolo Nero, Chickpeas And Pecorino

Ingredients

• large handful cavolo nero, or kale
• 100ml/3½fl oz olive oil
• 2 lemons, zest only
• ½ lemon, juice only
• 200g/7oz cooked chickpeas
• 500g/1lb 2oz fresh tagliatelle pasta, or similar
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 100g/3½oz pecorino or other hard cheese, finely grated

Preparation method

1. Bring a deep saucepan of water to a rolling boil and blanch the cavolo nero for one minute. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, chop finely.
   
2. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and fry the cavolo nero in it for a few minutes, over a moderately high heat, stirring constantly.
   
3. At the same time, bring a pot of water to a boil and drop in the pasta to cook for two or three minutes until just tender.
   
4. Drain the pasta and stir it into the kale with the lemon zest and juice, the chickpeas and half of the grated pecorino. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
   
5. Serve the pasta in deep bowls with more cheese scattered over.
   

Pico De Gallo

       Pico De Gallo

Ingredients:

3 large tomatoes, chopped 
1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped 
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
3 tablespoons lime juice 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Chop all vegetables.
2. Stir together all ingredients; serve with tortilla chips.

* Great to use leftovers on scrambled eggs, marination for chicken, inside a quesadilla or as a fat-free salad dressing!

Cheese Fondue

          Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

2 clove garlic, minced 
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon flour 
1 cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 cup grated mozzarella 
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 fresh basil leaves, slivered

Dippers: 1 loaf crusty Italian bread that has been cut into 1-inch cubes; 
1 cup cherry tomatoes; 
8 ounces of cleaned and trimmed button mushrooms cut into small cubes.

Directions:

1. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over sun dried tomatoes in a small bowl, and leave to soften for 10 minutes. 
Remove tomatoes from water and chop into small pieces.

2. Rub inside of fondue pot with cut side of garlic. 
Next, heat cream in pot until it begins to boil. Toss cheese with flour, 
and then add slowly to pot, stirring the whole time. Add tomatoes and basil leaves to mixture and stir until smooth.

Serve with dippers.

Chickpea and bulgur salad with mint

  

            Chickpea and bulgur salad with mint

Ingredients:

Fine bulgur, rinsed 150g
Chickpeas, drained and rinsed 400g
Red onion, finely chopped 100g
Toasted sesame seeds 30g
Cloves garlic, crushed 30g
Olive oil 75ml
Lemon juice 40ml
Parsley, finely chopped 60g
Mint, coarsely chopped 30g
Sea salt 10g
Black pepper 10g
Paprika 10g

Preparation:

1. Place bulgur in a bowl and pour in boiling water and leave it to soak until it doubles in volume. Place chickpeas in a bowl with the onion, sesame seeds and garlic, and mix with olive oil and lemon juice.
2. When bulgur is cool, remove any excess water and add to the chickpeas. Add the chopped parsley and mint to the bowl. Toss well, season with salt, pepper, and sprinkle the paprika over before serving.