"I want to win a week in one of your Tuscany villas!"

Meatballs in tomato sauce serve on a plate of pasta and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese has to  be my favourite Italian food. I love this dish because it remins me of my lovely holiday in Tascany a few years ago.

Spicy Italian Meatballs

For the meatballs:

· 1 onion, finely chopped

· 300 g lean minced beef

· 50 g fresh breadcrumbs
11 tablespoo greated Parmesan cheese

· 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

· ½ tsp ground cumin

· 1 egg, beaten

· oil, for frying

For the sauce:

· 1 red chilli (chopped)

· 1 tbsp olive oil

· 1 onion, finely chopped

· 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

· 175 ml beef stock

· 400 g canned chopped tomatoes

· 1 tbsp. tomato puree

· 1/2 cup chopped red pepper

· 1 tablespoon chopped chives

· Sprigs of basil

Mix the onion, beef in a mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs,Parmesan cheese, oregano, cumin and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and mix well.

Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Roll the mixture into small balls.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the meatballs and fry for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. Set aside.

Finely chop the chilli. Heat the oil in a pan. Fry onion, chill and red pepper and garlic. Add in stock, tomatoes, tomato puree, and salt and pepper .Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes to heat through.

Serve with pasta:Sprinkle with grated Parmersan cheese, chopped chives and sprigs of basil.

Cheese Filled Turkey Balls & Cream Sauce Pasta

Britmums has teamed up with Lean on Turkey and are hosting this fantastic recipe competition. This is my entry for BritMums and Lean on Turkey competition.
www.leanonturkey.co.uk
http://www.britmumsblog.com/2012/05/lean-on-turkey-win-250-plus-masterclass-with-marco-pierre-white/

Cheese Filled Turkey Balls & Cream Sauce Pasta

Healthy eating for children has always been my top priority. I like making this dish because I know it is good for the children and this is one of their favourite pasta dishes. It has turkey and cheese that are good for their bones and lots of colourful vegetables that contain vitamins good for their health.

(Serves 4)

250g pasta shapes

300g minced turkey 

½ cup fresh bread crumbs

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic (chopped)

1 beaten egg

½ cup chopped basil

16-20 cheese balls or cubes

For the cream sauce:

100g cream cheese

100 ml milk

½ cup peas

½ cup chopped carrot

Garnish:

½ cup finely grated cheese

sprigs of fresh basil





1. Place the turkey, breadcrumbs, garlic, basil, a tablespoon of olive oil, egg, salt and pepper in a food processor. Turn the processor on to pulsate for 5 seconds till the turkey mixture is well chopped up.

2. Divide the turkey mixture into 16 –20 pieces. Place a cheese ball in the centre of a flatten turkey mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with the rest of the cheese balls and turkey.

3. Heat the rest of olive oil in a pan. Fry the turkey meat balls gently for 2-3 minutes without browning.




4. Add in the milk. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the cream cheese, peas and carrot. Simmer for a further 5 minutes till the cream cheese is melted and the turkey meat balls are cooked through. Season to taste.

5. Boil the pasta in water according to the instruction on the packet. When cooked, drain off the water.





6. Divide the cooked pasta onto 4 warm plates. Spoon over the trkey balls and cream cheese sauce.

7. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Garnish with a sprig of basil. Enjoy with the family.

Sichuan Turkey Mapo Tofu

Britmums has teamed up with Lean on Turkey and are hosting this fantastic recipe competition. This is my entry for BritMums and Lean on Turkey competition.
www.leanonturkey.co.uk
http://www.britmumsblog.com/2012/05/lean-on-turkey-win-250-plus-masterclass-with-marco-pierre-white/


Sichuan Turkey Mapo Tofu

200g block white Tofu

200g minced turkey

½ teaspoon cornflour

2 tablespoon soy bean paste (tinned)

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

1 clove chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

1 teaspoon soy sauce

½ cup chicken stock

1 spring onion (chopped)

2 tablespoon sunflower oil

Garnished:

1 spring onions (chopped)

1 red chilli (sliced)

1. Cut tofu into large cubes.

2. Heat sunflower oil in a large frying pan or a wok. Sweat garlic, onion and ginger in the oil for 1 minute. Stir in bean paste, tomato ketchup and tomato puree and fry for a further minute.

3. Add in minced turkey and stir for 5minutes until it changed colour.

4. Gently add in the tofu cubes. (making sure that the tofu doesn’t break up too much)

5. Add in the chicken stock, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend the cornflour with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Add to the turkey tofu to thicken the sauce.

6. Garnish with spring onion and red chilli.

This dish is delicious and very nutritious. Special care must be taken not to over cook the tofu. Also tofu is very fragile and it can break up easily. Handle it gently.

Sichuan Pepper Turkey Noodle with Wild Garlic

Britmums has teamed up with Lean on Turkey and are hosting this fantastic recipe competition. This is my entry for BritMums and Lean on Turkey competition.
www.leanonturkey.co.uk
http://www.britmumsblog.com/2012/05/lean-on-turkey-win-250-plus-masterclass-with-marco-pierre-white/

Sichuan Pepper Turkey Noodle with Wild garlic

350g British turkey fillet

½ jar Peppadew Mild whole sweet piquante peppers

2 tablespoon Peppadew sweet piquante pepper liqueur

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup Shaoxing rice wine or dried sherry

3 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked, cut into quarters)

5 cherry tomatoes (cut into halves)

1 handful of wild garlic leaves (shredded) If wild garlic is not in season, use garlic chives instead.

2 tablespoon sunflower oil

100g dried thin noodles

For the chilli bean paste:

1 clove garlic (chopped)

2 slices root ginger (chopped)

1 shallot (chopped)

½ a red chilli (chopped)

½ a green chilli (chopped)

2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy bean paste(Optional)

Whole mixed spices:

(Tip: tie spices together with a muslin cloth):
1 small cinnamon stick

1 small star anis

3 cloves

4 black pepper corns

4 Sichuan red pepper corns (Optional)

1.To make the chilli paste, place garlic, ginger, shallot and chilli in a pestle and mortar or an electric grinder. Grind the mixture into a paste. Stir in soy bean paste, sesame oil and ¼ teaspoon salt.

2.Cut the turkey fillet into cubes. Add in the chilli paste, mix well. Cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour.

3. Cut 5 sweet Peppadew peppers into quarters and the rest into slices.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon sunflower oil in a pan. Add in marinated turkey and fry for 1-2 minutes without browning. Add in spices, soy sauce, mushrooms, rice wine, soy sauce, Peppadew liqueur and chicken stock. Bring to the boil, simmer very gently for 30 minutes.

5. Add in Peppadew quarters, tomatoes and half of the shredded wild garlic leaves. Stir well. Cover and leave to simmer for a further 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced. Season to taste. Carefully remove the whole spices.

6. Cook noodles in boiling water till soft. Heat the rest of the sunflower oil in a wok. Add in sliced Peppadew pepper and wild garlic leaves. Stir for 1 minute. Add in the soften noodles and a dash of soy sauce. Mix well.

7. Divide the noodles between two warm serving plates. Spoon over with Peppadew turkey and sauce. Serve with a smile.

Wild garlic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgNQ73oysS8

Sichuan Peppadew Turkey with Wild garlic Noodles

Sichuan Peppadew Turkey with Wild garlic Noodles

(Serves 2)

350g British turkey fillet

½ jar Peppadew Mild whole sweet piquante peppers

2 tablespoon Peppadew sweet piquante pepper liqueur

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup Shaoxing rice wine or dried sherry

3 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked, cut into quarters)

5 cherry tomatoes (cut into halves)

1 handful of wild garlic leaves (shredded) If wild garlic is not in season, use garlic chives instead.

2 tablespoon sunflower oil

100g dried thin noodles

For the chilli bean paste:

1 clove garlic (chopped)                      

2 slices root ginger (chopped)

1 shallot (chopped)

½ a red chilli (chopped)

½ a green chilli (chopped)

2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy bean paste (Optional)

Whole mixed spices:

(Tip: tie spices together with a muslin cloth):
1 small cinnamon stick

1  small star anis

3 cloves

4 black pepper corns

4 Sichuan red pepper corns (Optional)

1.To make the chilli paste, place garlic, ginger, shallot and chilli in a pestle and mortar or an electric grinder. Grind the mixture into a paste. Stir in soy bean paste, sesame oil and ¼ teaspoon salt.

2.Cut the turkey fillet into cubes. Add in the chilli paste, mix well. Cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour.

3. Cut 5 sweet Peppadew peppers into quarters and the rest into slices.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon sunflower oil in a pan. Add in marinated turkey and fry for 1-2 minutes without browning. Add in spices, soy sauce, mushrooms, rice wine, soy sauce, Peppadew liqueur and chicken stock. Bring to the boil, simmer very gently for 30 minutes.

5. Add in Peppadew quarters, tomatoes and half of the shredded wild garlic leaves. Stir well. Cover and leave to simmer for a further 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced. Season to taste. Carefully remove the whole spices.

6. Cook noodles in boiling water till soft. Heat the rest of the sunflower oil in a wok. Add in sliced Peppadew pepper and wild garlic leaves. Stir for 1 minute. Add in the soften noodles and a dash of soy sauce. Mix well.

7.  Divide the noodles between two warm serving plates. Spoon over with Peppadew turkey and sauce. Serve with a smile.

Wild garlic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgNQ73oysS8

I am entering this recipe into the I love British Turkey http://www.britishturkey.co.uk/.  and www.peppadew.com  food blogger competition.

Cheese Filled Salmon Balls & Cream Sauce Pasta

This post has been submitted to the competition on Red Ted Art and with Appliances Online  http://www.appliancesonline.co.uk/cookers/cookers.aspx

Healthy eating for children has always been my top priority. I like making this dish because I know it is good for the children and this is one of their favourite pasta dishes. It has fish and cheese that are good for their bones and lots of colourful vegetables that contain vitamins good for their health.

(Serves 4)

250g pasta shapes

300g fresh salmon fillet ( cut into cubes)

½ cup fresh bread crumbs

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic (chopped)

1 beaten egg

½ cup chopped basil

16-20 cheese balls or cubes

For the cream sauce:

100g cream cheese

100 ml milk

½ cup peas

½ cup chopped carrot

Garnish:

½ cup finely grated cheese

sprigs of fresh basil





1. Place the salmon, breadcrumbs, garlic, basil, a tablespoon of olive oil, egg, salt and pepper in a food processor. Turn the processor on to pulsate for 5 seconds till the salmon mixture is well chopped up.

2. Divide the salmon mixture into 16 –20 pieces. Place a cheese ball in the centre of a flatten salmon mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with the rest of the cheese balls and salmon.

3. Heat the rest of olive oil in a pan. Fry the salmon balls gently for 2-3 minutes without browning.





4. Add in the milk. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the cream cheese, peas and carrot. Simmer for a further 5 minutes till the cream cheese is melted and the salmon balls are cooked through. Season to taste.

5. Boil the pasta in water according to the instruction on the packet. When cooked, drain off the water.





6. Divide the cooked pasta onto 4 warm plates. Spoon over the salmon balls and cream cheese sauce.


 



7. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Garnish with a sprig of basil. Enjoy with the family.

This video can also be viewed on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2EEo8Uf044&context=C3a7cd48ADOEgsToPDskLaud2CjIfIvbAzD9aIkx_d