Patz's Pantry

I must admit this is not my recipe, I was in desperate need of inspiration due to there being next to nothing in the fridge (a very sorry sight). So I turned to Google for help and typed in various combinations of the ingredients I had in the fridge and BINGO this fabulous one came up on La Cucina Italiana Magazine !! Ingredients: (Serves Six)  400g Speck, sliced thinly 1/2 Large Savoy Cabbage, sliced thinly 6 Eggs 50g Parmesan, grated 150ml Milk Salt & Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil Preheat oven 200C Roast the cabbage in a large non-stick baking tray for 10mins with a drizzle of olive oil, stirring occasionally. Roughly chop 110g of speck and add to the cabbage and cook for a further 5mins. In a large bowl beat the eggs, cheese, milk and season with salt and pepper. Add the cabbage and speck to the egg mixture and mix well. Carefully line bottom of the baking tray with the remaining slices of speck then add the content of the bowl too, spread evenly.

I am always very disappointed when I order fishcakes, they are usually packed with copious amounts of potato with an absolute minimum of the primary ingredient. So, guess what...? This recipe contains ZERO potato and all the omega goodness of our fishy friend! Ingredients: (Serves Three) 400g Salmon Fillets, skinless and chopped 2tsp Baby Capers 1tsp Ground Ginger 1tbsp Dill Zest 1 Lime Salt & Pepper 1 Egg, lightly beaten Extra Virgin Olive Oil Place the chopped salmon in a bowl with the capers, ginger, lime zest, dill and the lightly beaten egg, mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Shape the salmon mixture into six patties Heat 1tbsp of oil in a pan and gently cook the patties for 4mins each side until lovely and brown. When ready cover with a lid and leave to rest for 4-5mins. Serve with my Homemade Chips , mayo and lime wedges.    Liked It? Tried It? Tweaked It? Let me know! Patz x

I love a dish that is baked in the oven and find that it makes time for other culinary tasks like... getting on with dessert of course! The teriyaki sauce recipe is actually by Brian Turner from the programme Ready Steady Cook, it's the best one I have found to date. Ingredients: (Serves Four) 2tsp Tabasco Sauce 4tbsp Clear Honey 4tbsp Sesame Oil 4tbsp Soy Sauce 4 Chicken thighs Take the Tabasco, honey, sesame oil, and soy sauce and mix well in a cup to make your teriyaki marinade. Put the chicken in a small baking dish and pour 1/2 of the teriyaki sauce over the chicken coating each piece well. Cover and leave to marinate from a minimum of 30mins. Preheat oven 200C Uncover the chicken and bake in the oven for approx. 30-35mins until the chicken is cooked through, 10mins into the baking add the rest of the teriyake sauce. Remove the chicken from the baking tray and transfer the sauce into a small pan and rapidly boil for a few minutes until reduced, pour over t

This has to be one of my favourite recipes! It's the warmth of the ginger and heat of the chili coupled with the saltiness of the capers and fish what makes this dish extremely moreish, I always feel the need for more. Ingredients: (Serves Two) 2 Sea Bass Fillets,lightly scored on the skin 1tbsp. Ginger, grated 1 Chili, finely chopped 2tsp. Baby Capers 10 Cherry Tomatoes, quartered 1 bunch Spring Onions, sliced lengthways 3tbsp. Soy Sauce Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt & Pepper Season the fish with salt and pepper and then slash the skin lightly three times. Heat a frying pan and add 1tbsp oil. Season the sea bass with salt and pepper, fry for 4mins scored skin side down then 1min flesh side down, transfer to a serving plate and keep warm. Heat another tbsp of olive oil then gently fry the ginger, chili and capers for 1min. Add the tomatoes and stir for 1min, toss in the spring onions and soy sauce. Cook for 3mins until the spring onions have wilted. Serve

Don't know how to make your Purple Sprouting Broccoli sexy? Here is a simple, easy and tasty option to seduce those taste buds! Ingredients: (Serves Four) 400g Purple Sprouting Broccoli 3tbsp. Sesame Seeds Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 large Garlic Clove, finely chopped 1tsp. Chili Flakes Salt & Pepper Cook the broccoli in salted boiling water for 7mins, then drain. Toast the sesame seeds in a frying pan stirring continuously for 1min until golden, set aside. Heat 1tbsp. olive oil in the pan and gently fry the garlic. Toss in the broccoli, chili flakes and season with salt and pepper, mix well. Add the sesame seeds and stir for a further 1min. Voila! A side dish to compliment any fish, meat or poultry dish! Liked It? Tried It? Tweaked It? Let me know! Patz x

Sunday night is Roast Chicken with Red Wine Gravy night at mum and dad's coupled with an indulgent pudding of some sort... the highlight of the week! If I'm lucky there may be some leftovers I usually adapt for the next day. Ingredients: (Serves 2) 1tbsp Ginger, grated 1 Chili, finely chopped 200g Leftover Chicken, finely sliced 3tbsp Dark Soy Sauce 10 Cherry Tomatoes, quartered  350g Stir Fry Vegetables Extra Virgin Olive Oil Heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan or wok. Slowly fry the ginger and chili and heat for 1min. Add the chicken and soy sauce and stir for 1min before adding the tomatoes for a further minute. Throw in the stir fry vegetables and mix thoroughly, cook for 5mins. Super quick, fuss free and easy! Liked It! Tried It! Tweaked It! Let me know Patz x

As mentioned in a previous post Salsiccia Con Cima Di Rapa  is typical dish found in Southern Italy when combined with Fresh Orecchiette Pasta it's even more divine!   Ingredients: (Serves Four) Handful of Dried Porcini Mushrooms 250g Tenderstem Broccoli  x1 Shallot, chopped x6 Good Quality Sausages, 1/2 Glass White Wine (Optional) 1tsp Chili Flakes Salt & Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil  500g Orecchiette Rinse the porcini mushrooms then soak in hot water, set aside. Add the tenderstem broccoli to a saucepan of salted boiling water and cook for 5-7mins. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan, add a drizzle of olive oil followed by the chopped shallot and cook until soft. Remove the skin from the sausages and crumble into the pan, brown for 3mins then add the white wine and stir until evaporated. Add the chili flakes, 4tbsp of the porcini mushroom water followed by the drained porcini mushrooms and cook on a low heat for 5-7mins. Drain the cooked tenderstems, cut roug

It's around this time pf year when the days begin to noticeably shorten and the leaves on the trees start to change colour I receive a culinary request from my husband for  a good old fashioned English pie, his favourite to date is the Steak & Ale Pie, a true classic! This one takes a bit of time and if you are arriving home from 7pm onwards it's a good one to leave for slap-up weekend treat! Ingredients: (Serves Four) 900g Casserole/Braising Steak, diced 3tbsp plain flour 285ml/330ml Bottle of Ale 1 Large Onion, chopped 200g Carrot, chopped 2 Sticks of Celery, chopped 1 Bay Leaf 2tsp Dried Thyme 1tsbp Tomato Puree 250ml Beef/Chicken Stock 1tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 300g Chestnut Mushrooms, quartered Knob of butter   2 packs of Jus Rol Puff Ready Rolled Pastry  (x2 320g) 1 Egg, beaten DAY ONE: Coat the beef with flour and season with salt and pepper. Heat a tbsp of oil in a large casserole dish, add the beef and brown evenly for 10mins stirring freque

I chose to make this dish with a meaty filling of minced beef however if you are vegetarian there are so many other delicious fillings to choose from, such as: Spinach, Ricotta & Pine Nuts, Goats Cheese & Sun Dried Tomatoes, the list is endless! Ingredients: (Serves Two) 4 Large Portobello Mushrooms 1 Shallot, chopped 50g Minced Beef 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper 12 Cherry Tomatoes, quartered 50g Feta Cheese 8tsp Breadcrumbs Salt & Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil Preheat oven to 180C Scoop out the stump of the mushrooms, dice and set aside. Brush the mushrooms all over with a little oil, season with salt and pepper then place on a non-stick baking tray and roast for 8-10mins until the mushrooms a slightly soft. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven heat up to 200C. Heat a pan with a little olive oil then add the shallot for 1min. Stir in the minced beef and brown evenly for 2mins. Add the tomatoes, cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt, stir until t

Fish & Chips, one of the greatest British culinary institutions! Although I love this satisfactory naughty treat once in a while, it's not one that we should indulge in very often due to its super high fat content. Here is my tasty and healthier Italian twist on this famous dish. Ingredients: (Serves Two) 2 Large Potatoes, peeled and roughly cut into chips 1 Shallot, finely chopped 300g Chopped Tin Tomatoes 12 Green Olives in Chili, pitted 2 Sea Bass Fillets, lightly scored on the skin Salt & Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil Preheat Oven to 200C Pat dry your cut potato chips with a sheet of kitchen towel then put them onto a baking tray, drizzle 1tbsp of olive oil and toss the chips with your hands making sure each one is evenly coated. Roast for 25-30mins stirring once, until golden and crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Heat 1tbsp of oil in a pan, cook onion for 1min until soft. Add the tomatoes, bring to a gentle boil then simmer for

This recipe is inspired by the traditional Salsiccia Con Cima Di Rapa, a typical dish found in Southern Italy and one of my husband's favourites. Broccoli Rabe isn't the easiest of ingredients to find here in the UK so I use Tenderstem Broccoli that's ready available in many supermarkets and just as tasty. Ingredients: (Serves Four) Handful of Dried Porcini Mushrooms 400g Tenderstem Broccoli  x1 Shallot, chopped x12 Good Quality Sausages 1/2 Glass White Wine (Optional) 1/2 Stir Fry Chilli, deseeded and finely chopped Extra Virgin Olive Oil  Rinse the porcini mushrooms then soak in hot water, set aside. Add the tenderstem broccoli to a saucepan of salted boiling water and cook for 5-7mins. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan, add a drizzle of olive oil followed by the chopped shallot and cook until soft. Brown the sausages for 3mins on each side then add the white wine and stir until evaporated. Add the chilli, 4tbsp of the porcini mushroom water followed by the

Similar to the Aubergine Boats recipe featured last week there are so many fillings one can opt for when stuffing a vegetable :) I chose to go with a mixture of  North African and Mediterranean ingredients. Ingredients: (Serves Two) 2 Large Courgettes 1 Small Shallot, chopped 60g Cherry tomatoes 70g Cous Cous 100ml Boiling Water 1/2 Vegetable Stock Cube 1 tbsp Shredded Aubergine in Olive Oil (from an Italian delicatessen) 50g Feta Cheese Extra Virgin Olive Oil Pre-heat oven to 180C. Halve the courgettes lengthways and scoop out the middle leaving a 1cm border. Dice the flesh into small pieces, set aside. Place the courgette casings onto a greaseproof baking tray, and brush with a little olive oil. Bake for 10mins. CHEATS WAY: Add the stock cube to the boiling water and stir until melted. In a bowl unite the cous cous with the liquid stock and stir, cover with clingfilm, set aside. Heat approximately 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan then add the shallot for 1min.

On Sunday evening my "baby sis" returned from a month Au Pairing in France, so to mark her return home I decided to make a mouthwatering delicious Strawberry & Forest Fruits Tart with an Italian touch of my favourite Crema Pasticcera filling... no leftovers here! Ingredients: (Serves Eight to Ten) Pastry  180g Plain Flour 100g Cold Butter, diced 1 tbsp Icing Sugar 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp Cold Water Crema Pasticcera (Italian Custard Cream) 500ml Whole Milk 80g Plain Flour 150g Caster Sugar 1 Vanilla Pod 4 Egg Yolks Zest of 1 lemon, cut in large pieces with a knife Topping Strawberries  Blackberries Blueberries Raspberries  Red Currents 1 tbsp of Marmalade/Jam of your choice 1 tsp boiling water To make the Pastry put the flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolk and water into a food processor and pulse until the mixture starts to bind - do not overwork the pastry! Put the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather until smooth then roll ou

If staying in on a Saturday night I always like to go for a comforting dish and now that the weather is getting slightly chillier both my husband and I fancied a proper English style pie while watching X-Factor. Ingredients: (Serves Two) Handful of Dried Porcini Mushrooms x2 Small Beef Fillets 1 tbsp Butter  x2 Shallots, chopped 1/2 Garlic clove, chopped  x2 packs of Chestnut Mushrooms, finely chopped 50ml Sherry/White Wine (Optional)  Thyme 1 pack of Jus Roll Puff Ready Rolled Pastry Parsley 1 Egg, beaten Salt & Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil Preheat Oven to 180C. Soak the porcini mushrooms in hot water, set aside. Heat a pan until piping hot, add a drizle of olive oil, season the meat with salt and pepper and sear on each side for about a 1min on each side, set aside on a plate.  Add the butter to the pan followed by the shallots and garlic, cook until soft. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook for about 5mins stirring regularly. Drain the porcini mushrooms, r

After a busy London Fashion Week the craving for simple, fresh and home cooked food was greatly needed. I love this recipe and there are so many ways to adapt it from adding mushrooms and peppers to even a little minced beef, but I enjoy it just like this... Ingredients: (Serves Two as a Main / Four as a Starter) 2 Large Aubergines 1 Garlic Clove, crushed 400g Chopped Tomatoes 40g Black Olives, pitted 2 tbsp. Capers 1 Buffalo Mozzarella (125g), sliced Extra Virgin Olive Oil Pre-heat oven to 180C. Halve the aubergines lengthways and scoop out the middle leaving a 1cm border. Dice the flesh into small cubes, set aside. Place the aubergine boats onto a greaseproof baking tray, and brush with a little olive oil. Bake for 20mins. Heat approximately 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan then add the garlic for 1min. Stir in the diced aubergine and fry for 10mins followed by the chopped tomatoes, black olives and capers. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15mins. Divide the fillin

I love this recipe, especially when accompanied by a beautiful glass of southern Italian full-bodied red wine like the Primitivo or Aglianico... my idea of Sunday lunch heaven! Ingredients: (Serves Two) 1/2 leg of lamb (approx 800g) Ground black pepper 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, whole 2 anchovy fillets 2 sprigs rosemary 2 bay leaves 200ml vegetable stock 180ml red wine 50ml boiling water 2 tbsp flour Preheat oven to 160C Pat the olive oil onto the lamb then season with a generous helping of black pepper. Brown the lamb in a roasting tray on the hob. When the lamb is sealed all over add the onion, garlic, anchovies, rosemary and bay leaves into the tray followed by the wine and vegetable stock, bring to a simmer. Remove from the hob, carefully cover with foil and place in the oven for two hours turning the lamb at halftime. Remove the lamb to a serving dish and cover with foil, leave to rest. To make the gravy, place the roasting tray back on the hob, a

TIME TO CELEBRATE! This weekend it was mum's birthday; when it comes to cake she prefers the light and fluffy kind as opposed to the rich and decedent and was not disappointed! Ingredients: (Serves Eight - Twelve) Sponge 200g unsalted butter 200g caster sugar Pinch of salt Grated zest of 2 lemons (un-waxed) 4 eggs 200g self-raising flour Liqueur Syrup 100ml lemon juiced (freshly squeezed) 75g caster sugar 50ml " My Zia Maria's (Auntie)" citrus liqueur / limoncello Lemon Buttercream 100g unsalted butter 100g icing sugar pinch of salt 60g lemon curd Preheat oven to 160C. Grease two round cake tins (23-25cm diameter) and line with greaseproof paper, do this also round the side of the tin, this helps to avoid the crispy edges from forming. Cream together the butter, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and slowly add to the butter mixture while whisking. Sift in the flou

If you are strapped for time this is a super fast and easy recipe to prepare for a dinner party. Not overly indulgent and just the right portion size for a chocoholic like myself in need of a fix! Ingredients: (Serves 5) 50g Butter 50ml boiling water 250g Dark Chocolate 170g Mini Marshmallows (20g for decoration) 284ml Double Cream 2 Vanilla Pods Prepare a bain-marie (water bath), ensure a deep medium sized bowl is used. Once the bain-marie is well heated and the water below is simmering, slowly add the following items and constantly stir until melted at each stage: butter, water, alternate between chocolate and marshmallows. Remove from the heat. Split the vanilla pods and remove the seeds, add to the seeds to the cream and whip until soft peaks. Fold the cream evenly into the chocolate mixture. Pour into 5 small wine glasses and chill for at least 2hrs. Decorate with remaining marshmallows upon serving.   Tried It? Liked It? Tweaked It? Let me know!

Rather than choosing lamb or beef, to  help lower my intake of red meat  I regularly opt for turkey as a leaner option where possible and it works great as an alternative to the classic meatball recipe. Ingredients: (Makes 9-10 meatballs)   500g Minced Turkey 1 Onion  1/2 Stir Fry Red Chilli 1 Slice of Wholemeal Bread Salt & pepper 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper 2 tbsp Parmesan, grated 1 Large Egg Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 Glass of White Wine (optional) Deseed the chilli and c hop finely with the onion (or whizz in a food processor), transfer to a bowl then add 3/4 of the mixture to a pan with a little olive oil and sweat for a few minutes to sweeten slightly, set aside. Put the bread slice, generous pinch of salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper in the food processor and pulse until turned into crumbs. Add the turkey, the cooked onion and chilli mix, parmesan and large egg into a food processor and pulse until evenly mixed. Make 9-10 meatba