PENNE PASTA BAKE WITH PEAS, PANCETTA & RICOTTA

I am rarely cooking new recipes nowadays. It is impossible to cook when my toddler Olympia is awake as she constantly wants to be carried or is hanging onto my legs. Plus it is the last thing I want to do when she is having a nap. As a result, I have just been rehashing old recipes and cooking lots of baby recipes which thankfully my elder daughter Arabella is a huge fan of too, such as salmon and broccoli pasta in a cheese sauce, or jacket potatoes with a filling. 

Anyway I decided it was time to up my game, stop being lazy and cook a family dish that we can all eat and I can then freeze the leftovers - I started with a mac and cheese, then a cottage pie and on Sunday I cooked this recipe from Waitrose website.

Ingredients for 6 people:

500g dried pasta (I used penne)
Around 200g pancetta
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (I left this out)
500g ripe vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
110g frozen peas
250g tub of ricotta cheese
50g Parmesan, grated
25g fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200C / gas mark 6.

Prepare and cut all the ingredients.

Dry fry the pancetta in a frying pan for around 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Then remove with a slotted spoon and place to one side.

Using the same pan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until it begins to soften and then stir in the chilli (if using) and tomatoes for around ten minutes until it starts to form a sauce. Then mix in the pancetta.

Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the packet's instructions - mine took ten minutes until al dente. For the last 4 minutes, add the peas and then drain.

Finally mix all the ingredients together and pour into a baking dish.

Spoon the ricotta evenly over the top, then scatter with Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the top layer of pasta is golden and crusty. To serve sprinkle with basil and drizzle with olive oil.

This was really good, I loved the combination of flavours and the fact it was cheesy but not overpowering. Olympia, my 15 month old, adored it and I think it's so important that she sees us eating the same thing as her. Not surprising my husband enjoyed it so much, he ate for 2....resulting in not much left to freeze for Olympia for next week!!

FAY'S SAUCY SICILIAN MEATBALLS

It has been quite a shaky weekend after the terror attack on Friday. I have always been quite blasé in the past and never expected anything like this to happen in the little bubble of London where we live. I was at my daughter's school attending a PTA meeting when we heard the news of an explosion just down the road. The school and police were amazing and we were in lockdown within minutes. I felt completely safe and looked after however as time has passed, reality has sunk in, and our family have realised what a scary world we live in. 

Anyway I have been trying to explain to my 9 year old Arabella that we can't let the baddies win and instead we need to make the most of each moment and practise an "attitude of gratitude". Therefore it was a weekend of indulgence......Diner Style Chilli on Friday night, afternoon tea at the Langham on Saturday and then these meatballs on the Sunday (plus lots of donuts, ice cream and sweets in between)! This recipe is from Fay Ripley's first book, it took about an hour and ten minutes to make and is baby friendly.

Ingredients for 4 people:

For the meatballs:
60g fresh breadcrumbs
500g lean minced beef
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, finely grated
50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated (plus more for serving)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 medium eggs, beaten
Plain or spelt flour for coating
Olive oil

For the sauce:
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
Olive oil
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
250ml low salt vegetable stock
2 tbsp red split lentils

To serve:
400g pasta or mashed potato or fresh baguette

Put the breadcrumbs, mince, garlic, thyme, lemon zest, Parmesan and nutmeg in a big bowl. Beat the eggs and then mix them in. Using a spoon and your hands, form into balls (about two bites in size) - mine were far too big but I don't think it mattered. Roll in flour and put in the fridge until needed.

Meanwhile make the sauce. In a large pan, fry the onion, celery and carrot over a high heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Next add the chopped tomatoes, puree, stock and lentils and gently simmer for about 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 180 C (fan) / 200 C / gas mark 6.

Whilst the sauce is cooking, fry the meatballs in a splash of olive oil, turning until brown on all sides. Keep them moving by shaking the pan so they don't stick. In an ovenproof dish / pan, mix the tomato sauce with the meatballs and then pop into the oven for 25 minutes. Ideally you want to put a lid on the dish / pan but I didn't have one - I don't think it mattered but keep your eye on the food as you don't want it to burn. Don't forget to cook your side if you are having one - we did pasta and it took 10 minutes in salted boiling water.

Once the pasta and meatballs are ready, serve them with a sprinkling of cheese or even a topping of sour cream. Not surprisingly I went for the cheese!

These were really good - not your usual Italian meatballs as you can clearly taste the lemon and thyme which goes wonderfully together. We all really enjoyed them especially Olympia - she actually preferred the meatballs to the pasta which I was most pleased about as I often worry she does not eat enough red meat. I loved the fact the sauce is packed with vegetables too. Another successful recipe from Fay. We froze the leftovers for Olympia although I was thinking I might have them myself with some garlic bread - a perfect autumnal supper.

VALENTINA, PUTNEY

Last weekend we wanted to do a family activity, however it is quite hard to find something relatively inexpensive, local and suitable for a baby, a tween and two adults! After much deliberation, we settled on a trip to Battersea Park as there is mini golf and a great playground. We decided the winner of the golf, could choose the restaurant for lunch. I wanted to go to Tendido Cuatro but Bella was desperate for us to try Valentina which is her favourite restaurant near her father's house. In the end Pascal won and he went for Bella's choice.

Valentina started as a small family delicatessen in East Sheen in 1991 however it soon expanded into a restaurant as well and now there are 8 branches in London and Surrey.  

We went to the one in Putney and I was impressed as soon as I walked in as there were tasters of mortadella and mozzarella on ciabatta in the entrance...I love a bit of free food. The Valentina concept reminds me of Carluccio's with the blue and white colour scheme and the gorgeous appetising food on display. I wanted to pull up a chair there and then!

There was a fantastic musician playing to the diners and it was a pleasure to listen to him while we perused the menu. There was a lot to choose from - antipasti, salads, pizza and pasta. There is also a children's menu for £6.50. It was a spacious airy restaurant with an outside terrace that looked very inviting.

We decided to share the pizza fritta to start which is fried dough sprinkled with rock salt and rosemary and served with garlic aioli. This was really good - even the baby liked it although we had to wipe off the salt. We were fighting over the last bits. It made a great change from garlic bread.

For mains Arabella had her usual all time favourite, spaghetti carbonara served English style with cream. I have to say I had serious food envy. It was a huge portion with big chunks of bacon and a heavenly creamy, cheesy sauce.

Pascal had the veal Milanese with spaghetti in a tomato and basil sauce. Like Arabella, it is his all time favourite dish. However unfortunately he wasn't very impressed. The veal was greasy and there was too much sauce on his pasta.

I ordered the Cappella Romana which is al forno tagliatelle with Italian sausage meat, cherry tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan and wrapped with smoked speck ham. I have mentioned in my blog before that I love Parmesan and I really hate it when you aren't allowed to keep the cheese at your table. The waiter very kindly covered my pasta with Parmesan but it still wasn't enough. My dish was lacking something - I am not sure what as to me it sounded like the ideal pasta recipe - sausage, cheese, ham and tomato but it wasn't as good as I was expecting. I think it needed more cheese! It wasn't bad but I just didn't love it and didn't finish my plate which is unheard of for me.

We had no room for pudding unfortunately, I had my eyes on the Italian pastries in the deli but decided to give it a miss and tuck into some ice cream at home. I was surprised when the bill came, it was nearly £70 for 3 of us which I thought was extremely steep considering we had only had one starter, no alcohol (just water and a Diet Coke) and no puddings. 
However the service was very friendly and efficient, the music was fantastic and we had really enjoyed half the meal. 

I wouldn't rush back but if a friend wanted to go, I wouldn't say no. Maybe I am just spoilt because there are so many good Italians around London. Having said that I am keen to try the deli......especially the pastries!

Valentina Putney

75 Upper Richmond Road,
London
SW15 2SR
Tel: 020 8877 9906
Email: putney@valentinafinefoods.com

MUSHROOM & TARRAGON LASAGNE

Years ago I had the most amazing mushroom lasagne at Carluccio's restaurant however it was then removed from the menu and much to my disappointment, never returned. As I had leftover lasagne sheets from my Spinach, Ricotta & Pesto Lasagne, I thought I would finally try and make my own mushroom one. This is a recipe from Olive magazine and it took around 1 hour 40 minutes to make although you can make it and cook it later or the next day.

Ingredients for 4 people:

4 shallots, finely chopped

Butter

500g mushrooms, sliced (we used closed cup but you can use whatever you like)

1 bunch of tarragon, leaves stripped and chopped (about 15g)

3 tbsp flour

500ml milk

200g mascarpone

6-9 lasagne sheets (depending on the size of your dish)

4 tbsp Parmesan, grated

To serve:

A green salad

Preheat the oven to 180C / fan 160C / gas mark 4 and prepare the ingredients.

In a large frying pan, fry the shallots in a knob of butter until they are soft but not too dark. Add the mushrooms and some more butter, and cook whilst turning continuously. There will be a large pile, however they do reduce. Fry the mushrooms until they are cooked through and golden brown.

Turn up the heat, add the tarragon and cook for another couple of minutes. 

Meanwhile melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan, stir in the flour and make sure it is absorbed before adding the milk over a low heat. Pour in the milk a little at a time until you have a smooth sauce which will gradually become thicker. This took us about 10-12 minutes. 

Season well and stir in the mascarpone. Finally fold into the mushroom mixture.

Next it is time to assemble the lasagne. Start with a layer of pasta, add a third of the mushroom mixture and then repeat to make three layers finishing with a layer of the mushroom sauce. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan and then cover with foil and cook in the oven for 45 minutes. Finally take off the foil and brown the top for a further 10 minutes.

As my husband and I were cooking this, he repeatedly told me how he didn't like milk, he wasn't keen on mascarpone and he much preferred tomato based pasta dishes. I was just thinking "disaster"!!! Thankfully he was still willing to give the lasagne a go and he was in fact very pleasantly surprised. We both were - we loved it. Pascal even had seconds.....so much for not liking a white sauce. I would really recommend serving it with a salad too. An excellent dish, although I am not sure I can convince my daughter as mushrooms are her number one most hated vegetable!

Like with some other pasta recipes, you can make this the day before which makes it perfect when entertaining. Plus different mushrooms will change the flavour, you could even use a combination. I bet the leftovers will be even more amazing....if there are any!