Spinach and Corn Ravioli in Cream Sauce

Fresh from a visit to my favourite Italian joint , and my mind was bubbling with new ideas.....
I always did put off the thought of cooking a ravioli at home. I preferred to play it safe ,using dried pasta..ofcourse I dont have a pasta making machine at home , but I normally cooked with a Penne,Fussili or a Lasagne ...never ventured out in the unknown territory of Ravioli ,Gnocchi, Canneloni or any other pasta that would otherwise be made at home , with available resourses.
But today was different..I just couldnt get off the taste of the creamy lightly garlic flavoured Barbaresca sauce, and the soft ravioli perfectly complementing it.
So keeping all my reservations aside ,I decided to try making a ravioli at home , ofcourse with my own twists and tastes!

Ingredients:
For the ravioli dough:
1 Cup Maida/refined flour
1 tsp Namak Shamak
1 tsp Oil
Water as required

For the ravioli stuffing:
1/2 Cup Spinach leaves, blanched in hot water
1/2 Cup Boiled Sweet Corn Kernels
1/2 Cup Grated Paneer
1/2 tsp Mixed Italian Herbs
1/4 tsp Namak Shamak

For the Cream Sauce:
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp Chopped Garlic
1 tbsp Chopped Onion
1 tsp Mixed Italian Herbs
1/2 tsp Crushed Pepper
1 tsp Chilly Flakes
1/2 tsp Namak Shamak
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream
1/2 Cup Milk
2 tsp Maida / refined flour
1 tbsp Grated Cheddar Cheese
2 tbsp Grated Parmesan
Chopped black olives and coriander leaves for garnish.


Knead a stiff dough with the maida, oil and water and cover with a damp cloth for 1/2 hour.

For the stuffing, place the corn and paneer , in a mixer and coarsely grind them.Add chopped blanched spinach to it.
Transfer in a plate and add the herbs and salt.Mix and keep aside.

Roll 2 large chapati's / roti's out of the dough.
On one roti , place small amount of the filling,1/2 inch apart. Cover the entire roti with small filling portions ,as shown.

Neatly and carefully cover this with the second roti.

Press the edges and the spaces between the rows of the filling.
Cut using a pizza cutter or knife .

Our ravioli taking shape!

 

 

Pinch the edges of the cut ravioli to seal perfectly.
Use a fork for this purpose, it will decorate the edges , along with sealing them.

Pinch and pinch ,to seal them

Boil 3-5 cups of water in a large pot , and add 3 tsp salt to it.
Once the water boils , add the cut ravioli's one by one into the water.

In jump the beauties...just to float back!

Once the ravioli floats on top , it is cooked.

Here they are, cooked and ready to go!

Drain the cooked ravioli in a plate and drizzle some olive oil to prevent sticking.

For the sauce, heat olive oil in a non stick pan , and add chopped garlic.

Fry for a minute and add chopped onion and fry till its translucent.
Now add maida and fry on medium flame ,mixing continuously for 2 mins or till it gives out the cooked aroma.
Now lower the flame and add milk , stirring rapidly to prevent any lumps.
Add the cream and stir.
Add the herbs,chilly flakes,salt and pepper and stir.
Add cheddar cheese and simmer for a min.(You can add white wine at this stage , if you like)

Cheese and creamy...yumm!

Now add the boiled ravioli and gently fold in the sauce.
Transfer in a serving plate , garnish with chopped olives and coriander.

Top the hot pasta with grated parmesan.
Perfect with a glass of white wine.

And here it is, delicious ravioli!



T

This is our entry for the contest

Hosted at
http://www.simplysensationalfood.com/2012/11/announcing-event-lets-cook-one-pot-meals.html 

Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

This one is a classic Italian dish. Alfredo is an Italian sauce made several ways. Alfredo Sauce is a delicious, creamy and velvety white sauce sometimes made with cheese and garlic.

Its very easy to make and it is a meal by itself.

Ingredients:

1 cup        Bite sized chicken pieces
2 cups      Fettuccini
1/2 cup     Milk
2 tsp         Finely chopped garlic
1 tsp         Maida
1/2 tsp      Namak Shamak
1 tsp         Mixed Italian Herbs
1 tsp         Finely chopped green chillies
2 tsp         Olive Oil
1/2 cup     Grated Cheese (preferably Parmesan)

Method:

Boil water in a pan and add the fettuccini to it. Cook till al dente. Drain the pasta and drizzle a little olive oil over it.

In another pan, heat the olive oil. Now add the chopped garlic and chopped chillies. Saute and then add the chicken pieces. Cover and cook till the chicken is cooked. Now add the Maida and saute for 3 to 4 mins. Pour the cold milk and stir till the sauce thickens. Add the salt, the herbs and a half of the grated cheese. Now add the fettuccini and mix in the creamy sauce.

Serve garnished with the remaining cheese.

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Sherry Mushrooms

Sundays are supposed to be lazzzzy!!!!

Well.. mine are not.

For me Sundays mean "Completion of Pending Tasks." And those include fulfilling promises!

I have been promising to make chicken breast for sometime and my son was quick to remind me once again.

So I thought.. Why not go the whole mile? Lets cook something elaborate, something worth all the efforts.

And it worked. Got thumbs up from hubby and kiddo. 

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Breast:

300 gms          Chicken breast (I used Godrej)

1/2 tsp             Soya Sauce

1/4 tsp             Pepper Powder

1/2 tsp             Orange Zest

2 cubes            Cheese (You can use mozzarella)

1/4 cup            Coriander leaves

1/2 tsp             Chilli flakes

1 tsp                Olive Oil

1/4 tsp             Namak Shamak

2 to 3              Mushrooms

For the Sherry Mushrooms:

10 to 12          Mushrooms

1/2 tsp            Ginger Garlic Paste

1/2 cup           Sherry

1/2 tsp            Vinegar

1/2 tsp            Chilli Flakes

1/2 tsp            Italian Mixed Herbs

1/4 tsp            Sugar

a pinch            Namak Shamak

1 tsp               Olive Oil

Method:

For the Stuffed chicken breast:

Prepare the chicken breast by marinating it with pepper powder, orange zest, soya sauce and salt. Keep aside for 1 hr.

Mix together the cheese, chopped mushrooms, chilli flakes, coriander leaves and a pinch of salt for the stuffing.

Take the chicken breast and suff it with the mixture. Seal the edges with a toothpick if required. Drizzle a little olive oil and grill for about 7 to 8 mins. Remove after it get a nice crust.

For the Sherry Mushrooms:

Prepare the mushrooms by marinating them in the sherry, chilli flakes, italian herbs, salt, ginger garlic paste and the sugar.

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the marinated mushrooms and cook till the sauce thickens.

Serve with Orange slices on a bed of Purple Cabbage. 

Roasted Bell Pepper Salsa

 

 

Oh.... I just love the Bell Pepper for their vibrant colors more than for anything else. Those Reds, Yellows and Greens just makes a dish more appealing. They impart an unique but a subtle taste and that's what I like about these veggies. 

Since my son loves his pastas and pizzas, I have to keep certain sauces handy. Also I prefer home made ones to the bottles ones so here is something I tried and which definitely turned out to be so much better than its ready made counterpart. 

And now for the best part.... this salsa can be bottled and stored in the fridge for upto 7 to 8 days.

Instead of simply cooking the peppers here I have roasted them. Which I think imparted a certain subtle smokiness and at the same time brought out the sweet flavor of bell peppers. Plus, the sweet scent of roasting peppers is magical. This Roasted bell peppers salsa is great on anything from pizza to salad and of course the pasta. Bell Peppers are a good source of vitamins A and C. Whether you roast your own or use them from a jar, these roasted peppers will definitely brighten you day with their sunny colors...

Ingredients:

1            Yellow Bell Pepper

1            Red Bell Pepper

1            Tomato

1 tbs      Olive Oil

6 to 7     Garlic Cloves

1/2 tsp   Thyme

1/2 tsp   Oregano

1 tsp      Red Chilli Flakes

1/2 tsp   Namak Shamak

1/2 tsp   Sugar

Method:

Cut and deseed the Bell Peppers. Drizzle some olive oil on it and grill them till the skin darkens little. Remove and cool a little and peel the skin.

Now roughly chop the bell peppers and the tomatoes.

 

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the finely chopped garlic, when lightly brown toss in the tomatoes and the bell peppers. Add the salt, sugar, the herbs (You can also add the mixed italian herbs) and saute till done.

Cool and store in a glass jar.

This salsa can be used as a dip or as a sauce for pasta or as a pizza topping.

Chicken and Olive Crostini

I always love appetizers , whenever I eat out , especially Chinese or Continental. But have quiet limited options here in Nasik , and , reluctantly have to shift to main course. If given a choice and variety , would really feast just on appetizers , ofcourse not all of them can be deep fried , else , a single eat out would mean a month of diet and gym struggle!

Was watching a food show on an international lifestyle channel , where they were featuring best restaurants , and there was this restaurant which served only appetizers ( i say , necessity is the mother of all inventions) . Guess there are many more like me , but I have'nt heard about a restaurant like it in India. Neways , so back to food , appetizers is what I wanted to make and did not want it to be the deep fried ones either and quick too. So i came up with this Crostini.

Nothing fancy about it. Crostini is an Italian word , which means small little toasts. Crostini is an italian appetizer made with small toasted bread , drizzled with olive oil and served with a topping.
So its quiet clear now that anyone can come up with a variety of crostini.

I wanted to make it quiet simple and quick , so I used a shortcut ... just shallow fried some chicken nuggets from my deep freeze drawer, but yes , i did work on my bread seasonings and toppings though!

Ingredients:

5 slices of bread , cut in circles
3 tsps Olive Oil
2 tsp finely chopped Garlic
1 tsp Chilly Flakes
1/4 tsp Namak Shamak
1 Medium Onion sliced
1 small Capsicum sliced
5 -6 Green Olives
2 Cubes grated Processed Cheese
2 tsp Mixed Herbs
1 tsp Ground Pepper
5 Chicken Nuggets Shallow fried

Method:

Mix the chopped garlic and chilly flakes with olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt and apply evenly over the bread slices
Grill the bread till golden brown and crisp.
Arrange the chopped onions and capsicum over the toasted slices and top it with mixed herbs.
Place chicken nugget over each bread.
Top it with a green olive and pierce it with a toothpic to hold the toppings in place.
Put grated cheese over them and grill them in oven till the cheese melts.( I had to control my cheese intake , so just had a small sprinkle  but for kids and those lucky few who can still afford to eat cheese without worrying about calories , please load them with cheese !)

Serve warm with ketchup and some Vegetable Mayo Salad.

Quick Coco Coffee Dessert

Ever craved for a Tiramitsu , and wanted it just at home , and wished some magic happened and it emerged in front of you?
Well, you can make the magic happen , with just the ingredients at home and here emerges a dessert just like the Tiramitsu you had the other day at your favourite Italian joint.

I have used the Hide and Seek biscuits which the kids love so much and are easily available!

Ingredients:

1 packet             Hide and Seek biscuits(coffee flavor)

1 packet             Hide and Seek biscuits(choco chip flavor)

200 gms             Malai Paneer

1/2 cup               Powdered Sugar

2 cups                Sweetened Whipped Cream

2 tsp                   Drinking Chocolate

a few                  Choco sticks

1/2 tsp               Vanilla essence

1 cup                  Milk

1 tsp                   Instant Coffee Powder

2 tsp                   Sugar

1 tsp                   Brandy

Method:

Mix the milk, coffee powder and the sugar and keep aside.

Blend the paneer and the powdered sugar together till smooth. Now add the sweetened whipped cream, vanilla essence, brandy and mix till smooth.
Take a square cake tin. First use the Hide and seek coffee flavor biscuits. Dip the biscuits in the milk coffee mixture and layer the base of the tin. Next make a layer of the cream, paneer mixture. Take the Hide and Seek choco chip flavor biscuits. Dip these one by one in the coffee mixture and make a layer on top of the cream layer. Now make a final layer of the paneer cream mixture and chill the tin in the fridge for 2 hrs.

Remove the desert and decorate it with choco sticks. 

Pasta with Meat Balls

This is basically an healthy recipe for people like me who are on a perpetual diet. Well, not diet exactly but people who like to eat healthy. 

Initially I had a misconception that pastas are unhealthy, but then its actually the cheese and the butter that makes it fattening. So here is a healthier version of pasta with loads of veggie and of course the chicken.

Ingredients:

1 bowl          Boneless Chicken

10 - 15         Garlic Cloves

1/2 tsp          Pepper Powder

2 small         Tomatoes

1/2 each       Red and Yellow Bell Peppers

1/2 cup         Mushrooms

1 tsp             Chilli flakes

1/2 tsp          Mixed herbs

1 tsp             Olive Oil

1 cup            Farfalle Pasta

2 tsp             Cheese

Method:

For the meat balls I have used chicken mince but you can use mutton also. Also I have boiled the balls but they can be fried also

To the boneless chicken add about 5 to 6 cloves of garlic and the pepper powder and mash it in the mixer.

Apply some oil on your palms and make small balls. Heat water in a vessel and when it starts to boil lower the heat and add the balls slowly. Cook for 10 to 15 mins. Drain and keep the water.

In the same water put in the Farfalle Pasta and cook till done but not overcooked. Drain and drizzle just a little oil.

In a Pan heat the Olive oil. Add the chopped garlic and saute. Next add the tomatoes, Mushrooms, the bell peppers, chilli flakes, mixed herbs and mix well. Now add the pasta and toss well.

Serve in a plate, garnish with cheese and cilantro.

This our entry for

Around the World - Italian

Veg Pasta in Red Sauce

When it comes to making Pasta. The usual reaction we get it OMG.......

Well, cooking pasta is really not that tedious if you have the right ingredients and if you make the right preparations.

Pasta is generally a simple dish, but comes in large varieties because it is a versatile food item.Traditionally fresh pasta was produced by hand, sometimes with the aid of simple machines, but today many varieties of fresh pasta are also commercially available in supermarkets.

Common forms of pasta include long shapes, short shapes, tubes, flat shapes and sheets, miniature soup shapes, filled or stuffed, and specialty or decorative shapes.

Today I have used penne pasta which is long and tube shaped. I have also used a lot of veggies. So its healthy and filling.

Ingredients:

Penne Pasta                             3 cups

Tomatoes                                   2

Baby Corns                                4 to 5

French Beans                            7 to 8

Cauliflower / Broccoli               10 to 15 florets

Carrots                                       1

Red / Yellow Bell Peppers        1/2 each

Olives                                          8 to 10

Garlic                                           8 to 10 cloves

Olive Oil                                      2 tsp

Namak Shamak                        1/2 tsp

Butter                                          1tsp

Maida                                          2 tsp

Cold Milk                                    1 1/2 cup

Tomato ketchup                         1/2 cup

Mixed Herbs                               2 tsp

Chilli flakes                                 2 tsp

Cheese                                       1 cup

Method:

Boil the veggies except the Bell Peppers in salt water till half cooked. Drain and keep aside. In the same water boil the pasta till done (don't overcook it, take one and just try to break it with a spoon if it cuts easily its done). Drain it in a sieve and hold the sieve under cold water. Now add the olive oil to the drained pasta and keep it aside (the olive oil is used so that the pasta does not stick).

Chop the garlic and the tomatoes. 

In a Non stick pan add butter and put in the garlic. Saute till it turns a little golden. Now add the maida and keep in roasting it in the butter till it becomes a little brown. Pour in the cold milk and keep on stirring till it becomes smooth sauce. There should not be any lumps.

As soon as the sauce begins to boil add the chopped tomatoes. Cover in cook for 2 mins. Now add the tomato ketchup, the chilli flakes, the herbs and the salt. You can add a little sugar for the little sweet and sour taste.

Add the boiled veggies first and then the Bell Peppers and the Olives. Let the sauce simmer for sometime and then put in the pasta.

Mix very nicely so that the sauce is incorporated the penne pasta.

Grease a oven proof container and pour in the pasta. Layer grated cheese on the top, place the container on a high stand and grill till the cheese turns brown.

You can add a little cheese to the sauce also to make it a little more cheesy, but for those who are calorie conscious skip the cheese totally. Believe me it tastes as good.

You can decorate it with more Olives and Bell Peppers.

This is our entry for

Around the World - Italian