Patz's Pantry

There's nothing more authentic than homemade fresh tomato and basil pasta sauce in an Italian household. No matter how hard one may try it's virtually impossible to obtain that very special, sweet aroma from a tin of chopped tomatoes or bottled pasta sauce, it doesn't come close! This sauce takes all of 20mins to prepare, so what are you waiting for? Reach for the pan and get cooking! Ingredients: (Serves Two) 3-4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Clove of Garlic, whole 300g Cherry Tomatoes/ Baby Plum Tomatoes (on the vine) 1 tbsp Tomato Puree Handful of Fresh Basil, chopped A generous pinch of salt Chop the tomatoes in half, set aside. Heat a pan on medium heat, peel the garlic clove. Add the olive oil and garlic to the pan, allow the oil take on the flavour of the garlic for 1-2mins. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and pinch of salt mixing well, bring to a simmer. Lower the flame and simmer for 10mins, add the basil 2mins before you are ready to take off th

When I first came across this combination of fish and cheese I didn’t really like the sound of it, as a rule in Italy these ingredients should never be partnered however in recent years I have noticed a bit of a trend and have to say that some recipes are absolutely spot on, whereby others should, in my opinion, never see the light of day. Ingredients: (Serves Two) 2 Salmon Fillets 1 tsp Baby Capers 4 Cherry Tomatoes (on the vine), quartered 1 tbsp Parmesan, grated 1 t bsp Breadcrumbs Black Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil Preheat oven to 180C. Place the salmon fillets on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Top the fillets with equal parts of the cherry tomatoes, capers, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, pepper and a slight drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 20mins until salmon is cooked through and the topping is golden brown. Serve with salad or my Crispy Baked Potatoes with Rosemary (minus the Parmesan). Easy-Peasy!    Tried It? Liked It? Tweaked It?

This recipe is a take on the "Matonella Materana", a fast food snack filled with ham and cheese that I adore when I visit my fatherland. My version is slightly healthier and by no means less tasty; it will be love at first bite !   Ingredients: (Serves Four-Six) Jus-Roll Puff Pastry  (x2 250g) Flour for dusting Tomato Puree 350g Feta Cheese 250g Spinach Leaves 1 Egg, beaten   Preheat Oven to 190C. You will need a standard oven baking tray approx: 36cm x 34cm Dust a clean surface with flour before placing the puff pastry pieces down for rolling, roll to the dimensions of your baking tray ensuring each piece fits snugly. Dust the baking tray with flour and lie the base piece of puff pastry onto the tray. Spread a generous amount of tomato puree on the pastry leaving a 1cm border all the way round the base. Crumble 200g of feta cheese onto the base, add the spinach keeping the 1cm border clear, then scatter the remaining 150g of feta cheese on top. Co

This side dish goes with anything and happens to be a childhood favourite of mine... Ingredients: (Serves Four) 1kg, Maris Piper Potatoes Extra Virgin Olive Oil Rosemary 1 clove of garlic, whole   Salt & Pepper Parmesan, grated Preheat oven to 200C - with the baking tray inside. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into small pieces and dry with kitchen towel. Take the heated baking tray from the oven and place on the hob (medium heat) adding a generous drizzle of olive oil, potatoes, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Mix well making sure the potatoes are well coated. Roast in the oven for at least 35mins, during that time turn the potatoes regularly with a spatula to ensure an even colour. Add the grated Parmesan and roast for another 5-6mins. Remove the potatoes from the oven, season to taste, then serve. For a touch of naughtiness add some tasty diced pancetta, delicious!     Tried It? Liked It? Tweaked It? Let me know! Patz

I adore this fuss free recipe (inspired by one from Lorraine Pascale only easier), mainly due to the fact that I can chose the quality of my sausages and know without a doubt that they will taste 100% better than the mass produced shop bought ones. If you hate clearing up mess made after cooking you’ll be happy to hear that there is a very limited amount when making these scrumptious delights. Ingredients: (Makes 12 mini sausage rolls) 1 pack of Jus Rol Puff Ready Rolled Pastry 6 posh sausages of your choice cut in half 1 beaten egg 1 tbsp flour Preheat the oven to 200C. Take the pastry sheet out of the box and unravel keeping it on the plastic film, divide it into equal quarters then divide each quarter into three equal rectangles, you should now have 12 pieces of puff pastry.   Brush the top ends of the puff pastry rectangles with the beaten egg then lay the half cut pieces of sausage on the opposite ends. Roll the sausages up in the pastry, pop these on a

It's was my "baby sister's" 20th birthday a few days ago, so to celebrate I opted to make my most indulgent cake recipe to date and what a mega treat it was, taken from two female chefs, Peggy Porschen and Ren Behan. A taste of pure gluttony in clear moderation can do wonders for the soul and this cake definitely gets those endorphins going!  Ingredients: (Serves 24-28 portions) Sponge (by Peggy Porschen) 250g plain chocolate 335ml milk 570g soft light brown sugar 210g butter, softened 4 large eggs 365g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda pinch of salt 15g cocoa powder Salted Carmel Buttercream (by Ren Behan) 250g butter, softened 500g icing sugar 3 tbsp. caramel sauce Ganache 150ml double cream 175g plain chocolate 1 tbsp. caramel sauce Preheat oven to 160C. Grease three 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 cris

If bored of the usual side dishes of bland vegetables this should tantalise those taste buds.  This dish can be served either as a starter with a juicy mozzarella or as a side for your main - to be served at room temperature. Ingredients: (Serves 3-4) x3 large aubergines Generous helping of fresh mint 1 clove of garlic Balsamic Vinegar Extra virgin olive oil Give the aubergines a good wash then slice into 0.5cm thick circular slices, put in a large bowl sprinkling each layer with salt to remove its natural bitterness, set aside for 15-20mins. Preheat oven* at 200C. Finely chop the mint and cut the garlic clove into quarters, set aside. Rinse off the salt from the aubergines then squeeze approx. 5-6 slices in-between the palm of your hands to remove the excess water. Brush the aubergines with a little olive oil and place on a grill and cook for about 10mins turning at half-time. Soak each slice of aubergine in balsamic vinegar then transfer to a bowl, drizzle a

I love a good succulent homemade Lamb Kofta, I almost feel like it’s a treat when I’m eating one; bursting with flavour thanks to the beautiful spices it’s no wonder I am filled with a warm fuzzy feeling at that first bite! Simplicity is the key to great food and it doesn’t come any simpler than this! Ingredients: Serves Four 500g minced lamb 3 shallots 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp cayenne pepper Salt & Pepper Juice of ½ a lemon A handful of Fresh Parsley, chopped Extra Virgin Olive Oil Leave to soak x4 wooden skewers in water so to avoid burning later on. Chop the shallots finely (or whizz in a food processor with a grater attachment), transfer to a pan with the crushed garlic and a drizzle of olive oil and sweat for a few minutes, this sweetens them up slightly. In a large bowl/food processor, mix the minced lamb, onion and garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley . Divide evenly

This is one of my husband’s favourites, he absolutely loves it and always compliments me every time it is served (great for the ego!), so I figured it should definitely make it onto the blog as one of my specialities . Super tasty and full of flavour this is what I enjoy most about this dish! Ingredients : Serves Two as a Main Serves Four as a Starter 250g Fine Asparagus Spears Parma Ham A handful of Parmesan Shavings x4 Eggs x2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt & Pepper Remove the slightly woody ends of the asparagus spears then cook in boiling salted water for 2-3 mins. Drain and pat dry with kitchen towel. Heat a griddle pan until piping hot then add the asparagus and grill for 3-4 mins, turning often to get a nice barbecued-style charred effect then remove from the pan. Wrap the prosciutto around each spear then return to the pan (medium heat) for 2 mins, until Parma Ham turns crispy, turn heat off.  Bring a pan of salted water to a s

After my overcooked lasagne overloaded with béchamel sauce from a café near work for lunch I am in great need of a light dinner! This dish is an extremely versatile one, it makes for a tasty pasta sauce, a light main served with grilled polenta slices, a scrumptious bruschetta topping and a side dish. Super quick, super easy just what I need for a weekday evening meal. Ingredients:  x3 large aubergines 400g vine tomatoes 1/2 jar of Italian marinated mixed mushrooms (optional) 2tbsp tomato puree Generous helping of fresh basil 1 red chilli - deseeded 1 clove of garlic Salt & pepper Extra virgin olive oil Give the aubergines a good wash then cut into chunks and put them in a colander with a generous handful of salt to remove its natural bitterness, set aside for 15mins. Wash the tomatoes and cut them in halves then deseed the red chilli and slice finely. Heat the olive oil and gently fry on a medium to low heat the clove of g

I am conscious of what I eat during the week and that variety is important so not to get bored and reach for the biscuit tin, time is also a big constraint on what goes on the menu. The last thing I want to do after a long day’s work is sweat over a hot stove for hours on end, so I am always looking for simple, quick and more importantly TASTY options to bring to the dining table. Ingredients: 1 can of chickpeas 1 carrot 2 shallots 1 large egg 2 tbsp breadcrumbs Salt & pepper Ground Cumin Cayenne Pepper Grate the carrots and chop the shallots finely (or whizz in a food processor with the grater attachment), transfer to a pan with a little olive oil and sweat for a few minutes to sweeten the shallots slightly, set aside.         Drain and rinse the chickpeas and put them into a food processor with all the spices, salt and pepper. Slightly pulse for a rough and chunky paste. Stir in the carrot, shallots, egg, and breadcrumbs until evenly mixed. Time to get you

Those who know me will agree that this quote by Erma Bombeck sums me up quite nicely… “I am not a glutton – I am an explorer of food” I don’t believe in dreaded detoxing nor do I believe in diets, they are both evil and bad for the soul; Food is a major pleasure in life and should be treated with the love and respect it deserves!   There’s not much fun to be had with the Maple Syrup Diet, Dukan, Atkins, Five:Two, the list is endless; I call these deprivation diets at their best! Fabulous when you lose a whole hunk of weight, extremely disappointing when the pounds and more creep back when returning to our usual way of eating . Fad diets just don't work to help us keep the weight we lose off long-term. My secret… I have no secret,   it’s all about moderation, not skipping of meals, hydration, the very important five-a-day rule and GOOD FOOD – I hope you’ll agree it’s nowhere near to rocket science as we may like to think! So why have a started this blog? I guess it all