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Cooking Together Italian Chicchetti – Bruschetta; Meatballs; Risotto;

Our Cooking Together cookery classes are as much about learning to cook as they are a sociable experience. We hope you enjoyed your evening and are ready to recreate the meals at home. The recipes work really well as delicious dinners and make a great combination for dinner party ideas. 

You Cooked:

Starter: Bruschetta with Butter Beans & Sage

Main: One pan Meatballs with Pepper & Tomato Salsa; Grilled Aubergine Rolls with Robiola; Goats Chesse & Red Pepper Risotto and Rocket & Parmesan Salad

Dessert: Lemon Posset

Bruschetta with Butter Beans & Sage

Ingredients – Serves 4:

You can use any toppings you like:

  • – French bread – thickly sliced
  • – 2 cloves garlic
  • – Extra virgin olive oil

Spread:

  • – 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • – 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • – 1 tbsp fresh sage
  • – 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • – 1 can of butter beans or fava beans
  • – 6 tbsp of juice from the can of beans
  • – 1 tsp lemon juice
  • – pinch of cayenne pepper

Method:

  1. Toast bread on both sides under the grill.
  2.  
  3. While still hot rub both sides of bread all over with garlic.
  4.  
  5. Drizzle with small amount of olive oil.
  6.  
  7. Heat oil in a skillet and fry the onion, garlic, sage, and lemon peel for 5 minutes until soft but not golden.
  8.  
  9. Add the beans, with about 6 tablespoons of their liquid, the lemon juice, and cayenne.
  10.  
  11. Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
  12.  
  13. Mash the beans with a potato masher to form a rough paste.
  14. Season to taste.

One Pan Meatballs with Red Pepper & Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

For the Balls:

  • – 125g Beef Mince
  • – Salt & Pepper
  • – 1 Clove Garlic – smashed into paste
  • – Handful Fresh Parsley – rough chop (plus extra for garnish)

For the Salsa:

  • – One Red Pepper – Roasted whole
  • – 2 Small Tomatoes
  • – ½ Shallot
  • – 1 Clove Garlic
  • – Olive Oil
  • – 50ml Red Wine

Method:

  1. To cook, we used one griddle pan throughout – you can use a frying pan.

Prep:

  1. Pop your red pepper into the oven to soften, you can then pull the stalk and seeds out, and rough chop – 20 minutes is fine for this.
  2.  
  3. Grate your tomatoes, fine dice the shallot, crush both your garlic cloves into a paste.

Meatballs:

  1. in a bowl mix the mince, salt and pepper, garlic (remember some is for the salsa) and parsley together.  Divide into equal sized balls – approx. 8.
  2.  
  3. Heat your griddle pan to medium high and pop the balls in, turning so all sides are coloured.

Add the Salsa:

  1. Move the meatballs to one side of the pan, if the pan is dry, add some oil, if there is sufficient juices from the meat, you don’t need.  Add the shallot and the garlic, soften and then add the grated tomato and the red pepper, mix around and add the wine.  The meat balls will now be in the middle of the pan.
  2.  
  3. Leave on a medium heat – as the wine reduces, the balls will be cooked. 
  4.  
  5. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of parsley on top.

Grilled Aubergine Rolls with Robiola

Ingredients – Serves 4:

  • – Robiola Cheese
  • – 1 long aubergine
  • – 1 piece of lemon zest
  • – 1/2 a fresh chilli
  • – 1 bunch of parsley
  • – 1 sprig of basil
  • – extra virgin olive oil
  • – salt

Method:

  1. Cut the aubergine into slices not too thin.  Lay on a tray and salt, rest for ten minutes. When it is ready, remove all the salt then grill them. Pat dry with a paper towel & allow to cool. In a bowl, mix the two cheeses with the herbs.
  2.  
  3. Take the aubergines, place them on a plane then you put on the mixture of cheeses.
  4.  
  5. Serve with basil pesto and croutons.

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

  • – 800g good quality
  • – tinned tomatoes
  • – 150ml red wine
  • – Pinch of sugar
  • – 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • – Oil, to fry

Method:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over a medium-high heat and add the garlic. Fry for a minute, then tip in the tomatoes and wine. Bring to the boil, mashing the tomatoes, stir and then turn down the heat slightly. Add a pinch of sugar, a little seasoning and the oregano, and simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree until smooth.
  2.  
  3. Make extra and freeze!

Goats Cheese & Red Pepper Risotto

Ingredients – Serves 4:

  • – 5 litre chicken or vegetable stock
  • – 2 tbsp olive oil
  • – 30g/1oz butter
  • – 1 onion, finely chopped
  • – 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • – 300g/10½oz risotto rice
  • – 1 large sprig thyme
  • – 100ml/3½fl oz dry white wine
  • – small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • – small bunch fresh dill, finely chopped (optional)
  • – squeeze lemon juice (optional)
  • – salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • – 1 red pepper, sliced
  • – 100g Soft goats cheese
  • – Tbsp of grated parmesan

Method:

  1. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large casserole dish or saucepan. Add the onion and fry gently until very soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add red peppers and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in the risotto rice and thyme until coated in the oil and butter.
  2.  
  3. Turn the heat to high and pour in the wine. Cook for 1–2 minutes, or until reduced. Turn the heat down to medium and add a ladleful of hot stock. Season with salt and pepper. Stir continuously until the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat until all the stock has been added. At this point the rice will have a creamy texture but still be al dente.
  4.  
  5. Beat in the remaining butter and parmesan. Stir through half of your goats’ cheese and herbs, if using, and check the seasoning, you might want to add a squeeze of lemon juice. Remove the thyme sprig.
  6.  
  7. Divide the risotto between four warmed plates and crumble over the goats’ cheese and a sprinkle of Parmesan at the table.
  8.  
  9. It works well with toasted pine nuts as garnish.

Lemon Posset

Ingredients – Serves 3-4:

  • – 300ml of double cream
  • – 60g caster sugar
  • – 1 juicy lemon

Method:

  1. Squeeze the lemon.
  2.  
  3. Bring the cream and sugar to the boil (careful it should just boil but not boil over). Once you see it boil – stay there and boil for exactly 3 minutes.
  4.  
  5. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the lemon juice.
  6.  
  7. Strain this into a jug and leave to cool for 20minutes.
  8.  
  9. If you wish to put a crumbled biscuit in the bottom of the receptacle – this is the time to do it. If not gently pour the cream into the glasses.
  10.  
  11. Refrigerate for 6 hours minimum.
  12.  
  13. Serve with fruit and edible flowers

We hope you enjoyed the class!

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