Pasta al forno con tonno- Tuna bake

It's a balmy Sunday evening and my sister is due home tomorrow as she is currently in hospital with the arrival of our family's first bambino. 

I couldn't help myself. It's like instinct takes over. How can I help I ask myself, as I glance over and discover my favourite brand of tuna and pasta in her pantry (originally put there by me). This would have to be helpful, right? Coming home, and finding a ready made, relatively nutritious meal just waiting to be reheated.

It's almost embarrassing that I didn't go to more effort, and that I am actually posting this recipe. But, once again the best things really don't need to be complicated. Stick to good quality ingredients, such as: Italian tuna in olive oil, fresh mozzarella, basil and good quality pasta. Combined with the correct cooking times, and you have a winning simple dish.

This `pasta al forno`, is basically an Italian version of a tuna bake. I am not typically a pasta bake kind of person, but it is perfect for the purpose of making something in advance. My instincts would also lean towards using penne pasta, however I used casarecce in this, as I took advantage of what was in the pantry.  

It is a written rule in Italy that any form of cheese should never be mixed or topped on seafood. However, when it is canned tuna the rule can be bent a little, and fresh mozzarella is permitted to be added. 

Bake this, and I'm sure that you will agree. This is the perfect summer meal, bursting with classic Italian flavours!

                                

What you need:

700 ml of Italian tomato passata. Homemade is even better.

500gm pasta. I used casarecce from Garofalo 

2 x 160g Italian tuna in olive oil. I used Delicious

250g fresh mozzarella

handful of fresh basil leaves

4-5 cloves of organic garlic

good splash of extra virgin olive oil

Sicilian sea salt

How to make:

1: Boil water in a large pot. Add a good amount of salt to the pot. Add the pasta and stir well. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. If it suggests 12 minute cooking time, drain the pasta at 10 minuets. As it will continue to cook when baked in the oven, you do not want soggy pasta. Drain the pasta and set aside.

2: Lightly smash the whole olive cloves and add to the olive oil. Cook over a light heat, this will infuse the oil with the favour of the garlic. Remove the whole gloves. 

3: Drain slightly the oil from the tuna and add to the pan. Add also a handful of basil leaves. Stir well until it has heated through.

4: Add the tomato passata, salt to taste. Summer for 20 minutes.

5: Add the pasta to the sauce, and stir through to make sure the pasta is coated evenly. Chop the mozzarella into large chunks, and add the chunks to the pasta mix. Lightly stir through.

6: Add the pasta to a large baking tray, typically used for lasagne. Keep in the fridge or bake immediately. Bake for 20 minutes.

#pasta #tonno #tuna #tunabake 

Ragù alla bolognese (bolognese sauce)

I can see Italian's now throwing their hands in the air "ai ai ai that's not how you make it"!!  
Yes, there are many ways to make bolongese sauce, and admittedly I change the way in which I make it from time to time.  Today, I simply decided to share with you the way in which I made it today, trust me there were no complaints!  This recipe has the fundamentals of how I usually make my sauce, and is perfect for winter!

The first known reference to "ragu alla bolognese" dates back to the late 18th century originating from Bologna.  It is traditionally served with tagliatelle pasta. There is so much love, care and attention needed when making ragu. My theory is that if I go to the effort needed to make the sauce, then I always make my own fresh tagliatelle pasta. 
Last year I gave my Italian friend a `care pack`, which included a container of my ragu, pasta and some other items. On Sunday he invited his Mother over for lunch, and unbeknownst to me served my sauce and pasta. His Mother took a mouthful, there was silence,  then her eyes welled with tears as she said that this pasta takes her back to her childhood, when her Nonna used to cook the same tasting sauce. Filled with aromatic spices. I still get a little chocked up thinking about that special moment. That food can play such an important part of our memories, emotions and encounters.  

On a visit to Bologna it confirmed that using a variety of meats is the key to making a more complex sauce, and traditionally it was made using predominantly veal.

I have tried and loved many sauces, from the North to the South of Italy (the sauce becomes lighter and more tomato based further south).  Each sauce is different, and each household holds a secret! 

This is a robust sauce, that I feel respects the origins and authenticity!  Serve with fresh homemade pasta, top with freshly grated parmigiano cheese and enjoy with red wine. Bliss! 

What you need:
500g mince beef
250g mince veal
250g mince pork
four juicy Italian pork sausages 
two x 400g tomato pulp tins (made in Italy)
1/2 cup olive oil
one onion
two carrots
two celery stalks
5-6 gloves garlic
handful fresh parsley
handful fresh sage
handful fresh oregano
large sprig of rosemary 
1-2 tablespoon fresh grated nutmeg
three bay leaves
500mls red wine
three cups beef stock (homemade)
two tablespoon tomato paste/concentrate
salt and black pepper to taste

How to make:

1: First you need to make the 'sofritto' (the Italian term for combining evenly chopped pieces of carrot, onion, celery, garlic and parsley to a pan).  Cooked the vegetables in the olive oil until soft.  TIP: add a little salt which will help slow down the cooking process and result in perfectly soft, translucent onions.

2: Add the mixed meats to the large saucepan and lightly brown.  Continue to stir and make sure meat is evenly cooked through.

3: Add the herbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper- stir through.

3:  Add the wine and cook for a further five minuets.

4: Add the remaining ingredients.  Cover and simmer, occasionally stirring for two hours.  Make a day ahead to allow the flavours to deepen!

rooftop view over Bologna

pasta making with Stephanie

Besciamella (bechamel sauce)

Bechamel sauce is creamy white sauce that with a little practice is so easy to make.  Although the recipe originates from France and is evident in many French dishes, it is also used for many Italian dishes- notably lasagne!

There is a tale that the famous white sauce was introduced to France by the great chefs of Italian born, Queen Catherine de Medici.  In Italian lore, all of the good foods that France has is due to her.  

The secret to a creamy and lump free sauce is to slowly add warm milk to the roux (equal parts butter and flour). Also the nutmeg enhances the delicate flavour. 

What you need:
100g butter
100g flour
one litre warm milk
fresh grated nutmeg
salt and fresh black cracked pepper

How to make:

1: Start by making a roux.  Melt butter on a low heat.  Once the butter has melted, take the saucepan of the heat and add the flour, combine thoroughly.  

2: Return to low heat and cook for a further one minute.  This is to cook the raw flour taste out. Make sure the mixture remains a light colour- it should not turn brown.

3: Add roughly 100 ml of warm milk to roux and quickly whisk (making sure there are no lumps).  Once you have a smooth creamy consistency continue adding small amounts of warm milk and whisk.   

4: Add the remaining milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk and simmer the sauce on a low heat while.  Stir the sauce continually, with a wooden spoon.  The sauce will take about 5 minuets to thicken.  Once ready remove from heat!