Latest news with #parmesan
The Guardian
23-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Puff tart and brown sugar loaf – Alexina Anatole's courgette recipes
Summer courgettes seem to multiply faster than we can cook them, and demand a little more of our love from June through to August. But despite their unruliness as a crop, they are mild-mannered in flavour, a culinary chameleon that partners with a wide range of tastes. From the umami punch of parmesan to the fragrant cut-through of citrus, and from the warmth of cinnamon to the char of the barbecue, these green gourds can be used in myriad ways, shining in sweet and savoury contexts alike. There is nothing easier or more gratifying in summer than a tart topped with the season's bounty. Serve with a rocket salad for a light lunch, or alongside your protein of choice. The courgette 'butter' is endlessly adaptable: turn it into a pasta sauce with a spoonful or two of creme fraiche, or use it to fill quesadillas. Prep 30 minCook 25 minServes 6-8 For the courgette 'butter'3 tbsp olive oil 3 medium-large courgettes (about 670g) 3 small garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced½ tsp fine sea salt Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lime For the tart320g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry3-4 tbsp ricotta, or creme fraiche or cream cheese 10g parmesan, finely gratedEgg wash, or milk, to glaze Put the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Meanwhile, top and tail the courgettes, then slice into very fine 1mm-2mm-thick rounds (if you have one, use a mandoline). Tip the sliced courgettes, garlic and salt into the pan, stir to coat everything in the hot oil, then turn up the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes, until the courgettes start to break down. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook for another 15 minutes, until the courgettes are soft and jammy and a bit like butter; if you like, leave the courgettes to cool and store in the fridge for up to three days. Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Unravel the pastry sheet and its paper on to a large baking tray, trimming off any excess paper, if need be, then use a small knife to score a light 1cm border all around the edge of the pastry. Spoon dollops of the ricotta into the centre of the pastry, then spread it all over the base up to the border. Squeeze the lime juice on to the cooked courgettes, then spread them evenly over the the ricotta and top with an even scattering of the parmesan and the grated lime zest. Brush the border with egg wash (or milk), then bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are puffed up and deeply golden. Serve immediately. This is a brilliant way to use up a glut of courgettes, turning them into a soft, cinnamon-spiced cake with deep caramel notes from the muscovado sugar and a hit of aniseed fragrance from the fennel seeds. Perfect for an afternoon tea break. Prep 20 minCook 50 minServes 8 For the cake210g plain flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¾ tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp fine sea salt 250g grated courgettes (2 small-medium courgettes)100g dark muscovado sugar 2 medium eggs 200g granulated sugar 50g creme fraiche, plus extra to serve1 tsp vanilla bean paste Finely grated zest of 1 lemonJuice of ½ lemon 120ml olive oil 1 tbsp demerara sugar 1 tsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and line a 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper. In a medium-large bowl, thoroughly whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarb and salt, then add the grated courgette and toss until evenly coated. In a large jug, whisk themuscovado sugar and eggsfor about a minute, until there are no significant lumps and the mix is a little frothy. Whisk in the granulated sugar, creme fraiche, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, then stream in the olive oil, whisking all the time. Pour the wet mix into the courgette bowl, whisk just until combined, then scrape into the lined loaf tin. Mix the demerara sugar and crushed fennel seeds, then sprinkle evenly all over the top. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove and leave the loaf to cool in its tin for five to 10 minutes, then carefully unmould and transfer to a rack to cool completely. The cake is delicious as is, but slices can also be served with a spoonful of creme fraiche and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (or maple syrup, if you have more of a sweet tooth). Alexina Anatole is the author of the Small Wins Substack and Sweet: The Secret to the Best Desserts, published by Square Peg at £27. To order a copy for £24.30, go to
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
The Canny Cook: Cherry tomato and pancetta pasta
Few dishes bring me as much joy in the summer as pasta with cherry tomato sauce. It has been a true staple of my warm-weather cooking for as long as I can remember. Although there may be small variations in the supporting ingredients, the heart of the dish always remains the same: really good extra virgin olive oil and vibrant tomatoes. I almost always have a punnet of cherry tomatoes in the fridge in summer, which is handy because larger ones just don't deliver the same results. Cherry tomatoes are naturally sweet and juicy, with a more concentrated flavour and lower water content. They also contain more pectin (a natural thickening agent) than bigger varieties, which means they emulsify with the olive oil to create a rich, velvety sauce. In this recipe, I've added salty pancetta, of which a little goes a long way. If you are looking for a vegetarian option, try replacing it with a couple of tablespoons of capers, torn black olives or chopped sun-dried tomatoes – anything that brings a briny, umami hit. Alternatively, you could skip the shallot and pancetta and just add some thinly sliced garlic for the simplest take on this sauce. As with most tomato- based pastas, a few torn basil leaves and a showering of grated parmesan provide the perfect finishing touches. METHOD Finely dice the shallots. Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan, add the shallots and pancetta, and fry over a medium heat for 6-7 minutes until the shallot softens and the pancetta is golden. Quarter the tomatoes and add to the pan with a pinch of salt, turning up the heat a notch. Fry for another 6-7 minutes until they have broken down a little. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water for a minute less than the packet instructions. Scoop out a mugful of the cooking water before draining. Tip the drained pasta into the frying pan with the tomatoes and pancetta. Add a glug of the cooking water and toss everything over the heat for a minute. Divide between plates and top with plenty of parmesan and a few torn basil leaves, if you have them. Season with ground black pepper and serve. Do you have a great recipe for eating well and cutting food bills? Email editor@ If we print it here, we'll send you a bottle of champagne *This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. prices taken from aldi and correct at time of going to press.
Times
31-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Three quick spaghetti recipes
When you're looking to make supper in a hurry, there's nothing quite like a good plate of spaghetti. The sauce needn't be anything more complicated than a drizzle of olive oil with some fresh parsley, finely sliced garlic and a little chilli. Plus, of course, heaps of grated parmesan. To get more creative, you can make a decent pasta sauce out of pretty much anything: toss in a tin of tuna and add some olive oil, black olives and chunks of fresh, juicy tomato; or black olives, olive oil and salty capers. For something richer, melt a hunk of gorgonzola (or whatever other cheese you like) with a generous splash of cream over a gentle heat and drizzle it over the pasta so it's swimming in thick, creamy cheesy sauce. The trick to good spaghetti — as with any pasta — is to cook it in very salty water and until al dente: typically that means cooking for less time than it says on the packet, so taste as you go. When you drain the spaghetti, save half a cup or so of the salted cooking water to mix in with the pasta and the sauce: the starch in the water will thicken the sauce to help give it that delectably creamy texture. Spaghetti with leeks, broad beans and courgettes I love all the greens here — the mix of sautéed almost-sweet leeks, the buttery beans and the delicate courgettes. You could swap the veggies: add some frozen petits pois (just toss them in with the broad beans) or thinly sliced fennel, which you can fry in the pan with the leeks and courgettes. For even more flavour, think about tossing in some fresh mint, basil, parsley or finely chopped dill. Serves 4 Ingredients • 130g frozen broad beans • 400g spaghetti • 4 tbsp olive oil • 2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced (roughly 220g) • 150g courgettes, diced Method 1. Bring a large pan of well- salted water to the boil. When the water begins to gallop, add the broad beans and simmer for 2-3 min until they float to the surface. Then use a slotted spoon to lift them out of the water and set aside. 2. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook al dente as per the packet instructions. 3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. Add the leeks and courgettes, then sauté over a high heat for 2-3 min, until the leeks almost look translucent and the courgettes are nicely coloured. 4. Add the blanched broad beans to the pan together with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for 1-2 min to bring all the flavours together. 5. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving a little of the cooking water, and toss the spaghetti into the pan together with the vegetables and water. Give everything a good stir to combine the ingredients, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and serve immediately. Spaghetti with fennel, anchovies and black olives SKYE MCALPINE This has a mix of subtle, sweet flavours from the fennel and mint, with punchy, moreish saltiness from the melted anchovies and pungent olives. You could add some torn fresh basil leaves or a little parsley for a more minerally flavour. Serves 4 Ingredients • 400g spaghetti • 2 medium fennel bulbs (roughly 500g) • 4 tbsp olive oil • 10-12 anchovy fillets • 100g black olives, pitted and roughly torn • A small bunch of fresh mint Method 1. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil. When it begins to gallop, add the spaghetti and cook al dente, as per the packet instructions. 2. Trim the fennel bulbs, reserving the fronds for garnish, and slice thinly. 3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan, add the anchovies and fry over a medium-high heat for 1-2 min, until the little fillets have broken down and largely melted into the oil. 4. Add the fennel and fry gently over a medium heat for 4-5 min, until softened and almost translucent. 5. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving a ladleful of the cooking water. Toss the pasta together with the cooking water and the torn black olives into the pan with the fennel. Give it all a good stir to combine the ingredients. 6. Top with a few torn fresh mint leaves and the raw fennel fronds, then serve immediately. Spaghetti alla poverella SKYE MCALPINE You can and should make this sauce in advance so the flavours have time to intermingle and intensify. Once you have your sauce, toss it through the pasta and serve either warm or at room temperature. And if you have any sauce left over, spoon it onto toasted crusty bread for the most delicious bruschetta. Serves 4 Ingredients • 600g baby tomatoes, quartered • 150g flame-roasted peppers from a jar, sliced into thin strips • 1 large celery stick (roughly 80g), thinly sliced • 1 tbsp capers, rinsed • A small bunch of fresh basil, coarsely chopped • 4 tbsp olive oil • 400g spaghetti Method 1. Combine the tomatoes, peppers, celery, capers and basil in a bowl. Add the olive oil and a generous grinding of black pepper, then rest (not in the fridge) overnight or for a couple of hours. 2. Bring a large pan of well- salted water to the boil. When the water begins to gallop, add the spaghetti and cook al dente as per the packet instructions. Drain the pasta in a colander, toss with the sauce, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
THE CANNY COOK: Runner beans with parmesan pangrattato
Have you noticed how breadcrumbs have had a glow-up? They've come a long way from the brown, sandy crumbs I knew as a kid. A few years ago we discovered Japanese panko breadcrumbs, spiky shards that are brilliant for coating meat and fish. Now we can't get enough of pangrattato, which I see more and more on restaurant menus. Pangrattato, which means 'grated bread' in Italian, is usually the stale ends that have been whizzed or broken up into crumbs then fried in olive oil and garlic. Other seasonings, like chopped herbs, chilli flakes or lemon zest, can be added. Even in its simplest incarnation, pangrattato is golden, salty and crunchy: a superb textural condiment to garnish vegetables, fish and meat. In rural Italian cuisine, it is sometimes called 'poor man's parmesan', sprinkled over pasta, risotto and soup as an affordable alternative to cheese – a good example of the tradition for avoiding food waste. (It's also handy if you're cooking for vegans.) In addition, it's a great way to accessorise green veg. In this week's recipe, I've added parmesan and lemon zest to the crumbs for an extra hit of umami flavour and scattered them over runner beans, an underrated vegetable that's in season now. METHOD For the pangrattato, remove and discard any crusts from the stale bread, then pulse to coarse breadcrumbs in a food processor. Heat 1½ tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Finely grate or crush 1 garlic clove and fry for a minute until fragrant. Tip in the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and fry, stirring regularly, until golden (3-5 minutes). Meanwhile, trim the beans and slice thinly on the diagonal. Tip the pangrattato into a bowl and toss in the zest of ½ lemon and the grated parmesan. Wipe out the pan, add 1 tbsp oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Fry the beans with a large pinch of salt for 7-8 minutes until tender. Squeeze in a little lemon juice, then take off the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Scatter with the pangrattato (you may not need it all) and serve. Any leftover pangrattato can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. *This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. prices taken from aldi and correct at time of going to press.
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Courgette and halloumi linguine
This would be great for a simple dinner or for lunch al fresco. Top with a few toasted pine nuts if you fancied a bit of crunch, or some fried breadcrumbs. And the addition of fresh, soft herbs such as basil wouldn't go a miss either. Overview Prep time 10 mins Cook time 15 mins Serves 4 Ingredients 2 large courgettes 400g linguine 1 garlic clove, finely grated Juice of 1 lemon 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 10g (about a handful) grated parmesan 100g (approx) halloumi Method Step Top and tail 2 large courgettes, then slice in half (not from root to tip, but through the middle). Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice lengthways into long, thin strips. When you have a stack of courgette slices, pile them on top of each other and use a sharp knife to slice into matchsticks slightly wider than the linguine. Step Put the courgette in a bowl with 1 tsp salt. Mix well, then transfer to a sieve and suspend the sieve over the bowl. Leave for 40 minutes, by which time a fair bit of water will have dripped into the bowl. Step When the courgette is ready, put some salted water on to boil for 400g linguine. Cook until al dente or according to the packet instructions, reserving about 50ml of the pasta water. Step Meanwhile, discard the water from the courgette bowl, tip the courgettes into the bowl, add the 1 garlic clove (finely grated) and juice of 1 lemon, stir and leave to sit while the pasta cooks. Step Put the drained pasta and the reserved cooking water back in the pan over low heat. Add the 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 10g (about a handful) grated parmesan and stir vigorously for 1 minute.
