on
500g/17oz/6 cups of corn or rice (GF) pasta tubes
1 large bunch (55g/2oz/4 cups) of fresh coriander (cilantro)
30g/1oz/½ cup of fresh parsley
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
100g/3½oz/¾ cup of pine nuts, ground in a food processor
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Brush a char-grill pan with a little of the oil. Place the rosemary and chicken breasts in the pan and cook until the chicken is crispy and cooked through (about 10 minutes). Discard the skin, then slice the chicken breasts diagonally into bite size pieces. Discard the rosemary.
While the chicken is cooking, boil the pasta in a pan of salted water until just tender. Drain and refresh under hot water. Toss in a bowl with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Mix in the chicken pieces.
In a food processor, blend the remaining oil with the coriander (cilantro), parsley, garlic and pine nuts until smooth. Stir the coriander (cilantro) pesto sauce into the pasta, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve immediately.
Gnocchi with Walnut and Lemon Sauce
This was a fun and economical dish that we adored making in Lucca (Italy) when we were staying in the mountains during spring.
Serves 4 (or 6 as a starter)
SAUCE
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed (GF) chilli oil and extra virgin olive oil to taste
100g/3½oz/¾ cup of finely chopped walnuts
Grated rind and juice of 3 large lemons
2 teaspoons of caster (superfine) sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
15g/½oz/¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley
GNOCCHI
1kg/2.2lb/7 cups of floury potatoes
1 large free-range egg
200g/7oz/scant½ cups of potato flour
85g/3oz/1/3 cup of (DF) margarine
15g/½oz/½ cup of chopped oregano leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra flour for dusting
1 teaspoon of salt
15g/½oz/½ cup of shredded fresh basil leaves
First make the sauce. Cook the garlic in olive oil mixed with the chilli oil (8 tablespoons for 4 people, or 12 tablespoons for 6 people) for a few seconds. Stir in the walnuts and lemon rind and cook for a few more seconds. Add the lemon juice and sugar, salt, pepper and parsley. Keep the sauce warm.
Now make the gnocchi. Peel the potatoes and boil until soft enough to mash. Drain and mash with all the gnocchi ingredients. Allow to cool.
Dust your hands with flour and shape the mixture into walnut size pieces. When the pieces are the correct shape and size, press the back of a fork a little way into the gnocchi to slightly indent and decorate.
Bring a very large pan of water to the boil with a teaspoon of salt and then drop the gnocchi into the water in batches and cook for just 30 seconds. Drain and keep warm in a serving dish.
Pour the sauce over the gnocchi. Serve piping hot, sprinkled with the shredded basil leaves.
Crab Cream Fettuccini
Fresh or frozen crab is always available in good supermarkets so you can serve this pasta any time of the year with a tossed green salad, or stir-fried sugar-snaps and dwarf (green) beans.
Serves 4
2 orange peppers, cored and seeded
375g/12½oz/4½ cups of corn and parsley (GF) fettuccini
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 bunch of spring onions (scallions), trimmed and sliced
1 mild red chilli, seeded and chopped
2 stems of lemon grass, trimmed and finely chopped
455g/16oz/2½ cups of fresh or frozen prepared crab meat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
The juice of 1 lemon
200ml/7fl oz/¾ cup of coconut cream
Extra oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
First, finely slice the peppers. Then cook the pasta following the packet’s instructions in boiling salted water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the peppers until slightly softened, then add the garlic, onions, chilli and lemon grass and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the crab meat and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the lemon juice and then the coconut cream.
Bring to the boil and remove from the heat.
Drain and refresh the pasta under hot water and then return to the pan. Toss in extra oil, salt and pepper.
Serve the pasta immediately on hot plates with the crab cream and sprinkle with coriander (cilantro) leaves.
Seafood Linguine
Now, at last, we can enjoy this fabulous Italian dish with fresh pasta, thanks to The Stamp Collection range of pasta. Sadly, it is not gluten-free but is fabulous for wheat-free gourmets!
Serves 4–6
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/3 bottle of Italian red wine
340ml/12fl oz/11/3 cups carrot or vegetable juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium or hot red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
400g/14oz can of chopped tomatoes
4 bay leaves
1 large sprig of fresh oregano
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