the dough for 15–20 minutes. Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Now cut into 4 pieces and pass each one through the pasta machine starting with the thickest side (notch 1) first and moving to the thinner side until you have a long thin pasta sheet. Continue with the rest until you have four sheets.
Place one sheet on a floured surface, mix the cream cheese with the wilted spinach and season with salt and pepper. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the sheet, leaving enough space between them to make individual ravioli.
Brush the whole sheet with egg white to glue the two sheets together. Place the second on top and press firmly with your index fingers to form a circular shape around each filling.
Use a cookie cutter larger than the filling to cut through each one. Drop the filled ravioli in salted boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes until the pasta is al dente. Remove and gently pat dry.
For the sauce: heat the butter and sage until the butter has melted. Heat it for a further 2 minutes or so, watching it very closely, until it becomes a slightly dark golden brown colour with a nutty aroma. Serve the ravioli with a drizzle of the butter and a topping of toasted pinenuts.
PESTO CHICKEN PENNE
I FIRST MADE THIS DISH AS A PICNIC FOR A SIGHTSEEING TRIP AROUND CAPE TOWN WITH A VISITOR FROM KENYA, AND WE ENJOYED IT ON THE BEAUTIFUL CHAPMAN’S PEAK DRIVE WITH ITS BREATHTAKING VIEWS. IT HAS SINCE BECOME A STAND-BY MEAL FOR LAST-MINUTE DINNERS, LIKE WHEN BRIAN UNEXPECTEDLY BRINGS A FRIEND OR TWO HOME FROM WORK.
PREPARATION TIME: 10 MIN
COOKING TIME: 20 MIN
SERVES 3–4
500g penne, cooked al dente
salted water
45ml olive oil
PESTO CHICKEN
30ml oil from homemade pesto (see recipe on 157)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 chicken fillets, cut into strips
salt and freshly ground black pepper
15ml dried Italian herbs
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
60–90ml homemade pesto
juice and zest of 1 small lemon
Parmesan shavings, to garnish
fresh basil, to garnish
METHOD
Cook the penne in salted water and half the oil until al dente. Drain, drizzle with the remaining oil to prevent from sticking, and set aside.
Heat 15ml of the pesto oil in a large saucepan and sauté the garlic for a minute. Add the chicken strips and season with salt, pepper and dried Italian herbs. Sauté for 5 minutes until almost cooked through, and drizzle with the remaining oil to prevent sticking.
Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes. Combine with the cooked penne and enough basil pesto to coat the mix. Add a squeeze of lemon and the zest. Finish with Parmesan shavings and basil leaves, and serve warm or cold.
Siba’s tip…
My homemade pesto recipe has a naughty ingredient – chilli – which brightens and heats it up.
GAZPACHO
I LOVE THE SMELL AND FEEL OF FRESH, RIPE TOMATOES. THEY REMIND ME OF MY YOUNGER DAYS, HELPING MY MOTHER PICK THEM IN HER BEAUTIFULLY LUSH BACKYARD GARDEN. THEN WE’D WASH AND PREP THEM FOR SALADS OR TOMATO RELISHES AND SOUPS. THIS TIME I’M USING THEM IN AN EASY, UNCOOKED, COLD SPANISH GAZPACHO SOUP WHICH IS MY CHOICE SUMMER SOUP WHEN I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING TASTY AND REFRESHING. I SERVE IT IN A GLASS ALONGSIDE MY CANAPÉS.
PREPARATION TIME: 10 MIN
NO COOKING TIME
SERVES 6
250g very ripe fresh tomatoes
1 clove garlic
½ celery stick, optional
5ml fresh basil, stems removed plus extra to garnish
¼ small red onion, sliced
1 red pepper
30ml olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
juice of a lemon wedge
60ml water
salt and pepper, to taste
SERVE WITH
10 ice blocks, crushed
METHOD
Place all the ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth.
Pour into glasses, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with basil. Pour the remainder into a jug with the crushed ice and garnish with more basil.
Siba’s tip…
For your gazpacho to have a beautiful colour, it’s important to use bright red and ripe tomatoes. To ripen tomatoes at home, place them in a perforated paper bag for a day or two. For a bit of spice, heat 15ml oil and sauté 5ml of smoked paprika for up to a minute and add it to the blended mixture. You can also roast the garlic clove in its peel in a preheated oven at 200°C for 10 minutes until it softens. Then remove the peel and continue with the recipe. This imparts less of a sharp garlic flavour.
NOT-SO-COLD ‘GAZPACHO’
THIS IS ALMOST THE SAME GAZPACHO RECIPE AS THE ONE ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT IT’S MADE WITH LIGHTLY ROASTED RIPE TOMATOES, INSTEAD OF FRESH ONES, TO GIVE IT A SLIGHTLY COOKED AND SWEETER FLAVOUR, AND IT’S OF COURSE WITHOUT THE CRUSHED ICE. I LOVE DIGGING MELBA TOAST INTO IT.
DOUBLE CHEESE STRAWS
I NORMALLY USE THE ROLLED, FROZEN PUFF PASTRY THAT’S AVAILABLE IN SUPERMARKETS TO MAKE THESE. THEY’RE EASY TO RUSTLE UP AND SCRUMPTIOUS.
PREPARATION TIME: 10 MIN
COOKING TIME: 15 MIN
MAKES
