Weeks 1 and 2, Term 2 2015

We have started our term with a delicious menu of:

Ravioli filled with Spinach and Ricotta and served with a Tomato Sauce
Thai Carrot Salad
Curried Apple and Carrot Soup
Cheesy Vegetables
Grain Mustard and Herb Rolls

We have worried about making ravioli in the past, but seem to have well and truly mastered the skill at last! We now have some excellent ravioli makers amongst our students!

Here are our recipes:

Ravioli:

Pasta

Ingredients:

3 cups pasta flour

2 teaspoons salt

4 eggs

Flour for dusting

Method:

·        Place everything into food processor

·        Blend until a soft dough is produced – you may need to add one or even two more eggs if the dough feels too dry

·        Cover in plastic wrap and leave for at least one hour

·        Break into 6 pieces

·        For each piece:

·        Flatten

·        Make into rectangle

·        Run through machine on widest setting 6 times – folding it back to original size each time

·        Change to next setting and roll once

·        Repeat to second thinnest setting (cut in half if it gets too long)

·        Dust with flour if pasta gets sticky

·        Repeat with other 5 pieces

·        Place ½ teaspoon filling in rows along pasta

·        Brush water along rows or spray with a water spray bottle

·        Cover with more  pasta – either fold the sheet over or cover with another sheet

·        Use pasta cutter or a knife to cut ravioli

·        Make sauce

·        Boil ravioli in salted water 4 minutes

·        Warm pasta sauce and pour over ravioli to serve

Spinach & Ricotta Filling with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

250g spinach (or silver beet)

500g ricotta

85g parmesan

2 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup mixed herbs

Salt and pepper

Spinach and Ricotta Filling

·        Chop spinach finely

·        Crush garlic

·        Chop herbs

·        Grate nutmeg

·        Mix all ingredients together

Sauce:

·             Use a ready prepared tomato sauce or follow separate  
      tomato sauce recipe

Thai Carrot Salad

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons fish sauce

4 limes or lemons

2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

4 shallots, spring onions or a bunch of chives

2 red chillies

8 large carrots

1 bunch of mint

1 packet rice vermicelli noodles

1 ½ cups peanuts (optional)

Method:

·        Squeeze lemons

·        Chop onions, chillies and mint

·        Grate carrots

·        Put the fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar, onions (or chives) and chillies into a jug  and leave for 5 minutes

·        Follow instructions on noodles packet (they usually need to be soaked in hot water)

·        Mix everything except the peanuts together

·        Garnish with  peanuts

Curried Carrot & Apple Soup

(makes about 3 litres)

 Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions

2 stalks celery

2 tablespoons curry powder

10 large carrots

4 large apples

2 bay leaves

8 cups water

1 tablespoon stock powder

Salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons yogurt

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, dill or basil

Method:

·        Chop fruit and vegetables

·        Fry onion and celery in stockpot until soft but not brown

·        Add curry powder, carrots, apples and bay leaf and cook for 2 minutes

·        Add water and stock powder and boil until carrots are tender (about 20 minutes)

·        Remove bay leaves

·        Blend to make a smooth soup

·        Add salt and pepper to taste

    Garnish with yoghurt and herbs

Cheesy Vegetables

Ingredients:

2kg seasonal vegetables

80g butter

3 cups milk

4 tablespoons plain flour

Pinch nutmeg (finely grated)

300g grated cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

1 cup grated cheese

1 cup breadcrumbs

Method:

·        Choose vegetables

·        Chop vegetables

·        Boil vegetables for about 15 minutes, until tender

·        Drain

·        Put vegetables into two baking dishes

·        Grate nutmeg and cheese

·        Make sauce in microwave

o   Melt butter

o   Add flour and stir

o   Add 2 cups milk and stir

o   Add nutmeg and grated cheese

o   Microwave on high for 1 minute then stir

o   Repeat microwaving for 1 minute and stirring until sauce is thick, smooth and cooked

o   Add more milk if necessary – sauce should just pour

o   Add salt and pepper to taste

·        Pour over vegetables

·        Sprinkle 1 cup grated cheese and 1 cup breadcrumbs over vegetables

·        Bake in oven 200 degrees for 15 minutes

·        Grill for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp and brown

Grain Mustard and Herb Rolls

(makes 25 small rolls)

 Ingredients:

300ml water

3 tablespoons oil

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

4 cups flour (540g)

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

2 teaspoons yeast

1/3 cup dried herbs

Oil for brushing Gladwrap

Method:

·        Make bread dough:

o   Place ingredients into bread maker in the order listed above

o   Press MENU to setting DOUGH

o   Press START

o   Dough will be ready in 1 ½ hours (this may vary depending on machine)

·        Make 25 rolls

·        Place on baking tray and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap

·        Leave for 30 minutes to double in size

·        Bake at 200 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes

Note:

If you do not have a bread maker:

·        Mix ingredients as above & knead for 10 minutes

·        Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour (until double in size)

And in the garden we have been planting garlic and snow peas and we are very pleased with the growth of our broad beans.