23 September 2012

Squid rings with Pancetta and Small Tomatoes

This is very quick recipe, in 15 minutes you can really impress someone!

For two People
Two small squids
Half a pack of small tomatoes
One pack of Pancetta (Italian pork already cut in small cubes)
One small shallots
Olive oil, salt and pepper

Add some olive oil to a non sticking pan, turn the heat on and start chopping the shallots very finely.
Once the oil is hot, add the shallots and fry until soft and golden (it will take just few minutes).
Chop the tomatoes, add and stir for 3-4 minutes, then add the pancetta cubes until they are cooked (they should take about 5 minutes).
In the meantime, cut the squid into rings, add and cook for 3-4 minutes (if you cook them for too long, they will become rubbery and inedible).
Serve immediately.

If you want, you can add noodles. One nest per person is enough, cook them according to the instructions, when the squid is ready, plate, return the pan to the heat,  and stir briefly the noodles. Plate them with the squid.

Buon appetito!!












Green Lasagne

Ingredients for 6 people
One box of Lasagne Sheets
500 grams of Ricotta Cheese
400 grams of Fresh Spinach
100 grams of Ham
Mushrooms, 200 grams.
One small shallot

For the Besciamella Sauce:
50 grams of unsalted butter
50 grams of plain flour
Grated nutmeg (half of teaspoon)
Salt&Pepper
Parmesan cheese to finish

Switch on the oven at 185 degrees Celsius.

Put the kettle on (this is the quickest way to cook the spinach), add the spinach to a bowl and then pour the boiling water on top. Leave for 5 minutes and drain.
Add the cooked spinach, the ricotta and the Ham to a food processor with a knife blade attached, switch on and get everything mixed.

For the sauce, add the butter and the flour to a small pan, turn the heat on until they combine, keep stirring and add the milk. Stir until everything turns into a liquid sauce. Taste and add salt, pepper and the nutmeg. Transfer the sauce into another small container and use the pan to cook the mushrooms. Add some olive oil and turn the heat on, once the oil is hot, add the shallots and fry them off until they are soft and golden, then add the mushrooms and stir for 5 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste.

You can either make 6 different portions, using the foil small trays, or cook a big one.
Add one sheet of lasagne (cut one into two pieces if you are using the small trays), and add the mushrooms as first layer, together with a couple of spoons of besciamella. Add another sheet of lasagne, the ricotta-ham-spinach and continue until the ingredients run out.
Finish with the lasagna, add a spoon of besciamella and grate some parmesan on top, otherwise it will get burnt.
Add into the oven for 30-35 minutes.
Buon appetito!