Pasta with Meatballs

What's not to love about meatballs? Cooked in a saucy tomato sauce and top over pasta, makes a satisfying meal. This delicious recipe comes from Nigella Lawson, from her book, Nigella Bites. In her recipe, she served with her homemade pasta, but I have taken the easier route, with dried pasta, Spaghettini, which I had in my pantry.

The meatballs are very tasty. We did enjoy this pasta meal very much!


Pasta with Meatballs
(Nigella Bites, by Nigella Lawson)
for the meatballs :
9 ounces ground pork
9 ounces ground beef
1 egg
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons fine bread crumbs
good grind of black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Just put everything together in a large bowl and then, using your hands, mix to combine before shaping into small balls (about a teaspoon amount). Place the meatballs on baking sheets or plates that you have lined with plastic wrap, and put each in the refrigerator as you finish them.

for the tomato sauce :
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil (not extra-virgin)
24 ounces canned tomatoes in puree
3/4 cup water
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon while milk (I use 2-3 tablespoons)

Put the onion, garlic and oregano into the processor and blitz to a pulp. Heat the butter and oil in a deep, wide pan, then scrape the onion-garlic mix into it and cook over low to medium heat for about 10 minutes. Don't let the mixture stick, just let it become soft. Add the tomatoes and then add about 3/4 cup cold water to the pan with the pinch of sugar and some salt and pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes. The tomato sauce may appear thin at this stage, but don't worry, as it will thicken a little later. Stir in the milk, and then drop the meatballs in one by one. Don't stir the pan until the meatballs have turned from pink to brown, as you don't want to break them up. Cook everything for about 20 minutes, with the lid only partially covering it. At the end of cooking time, check the seasoning, as you may want more salt and a grind or two more of pepper.

Cookbook Countdown is cooking with Nigella Lawson this month. Make any dish of Nigella and join us. Or simply cook any recipe from any of your cookbook collection (other than Nigella's), and join us at Cookbook Countdown.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #34 

Spicy Olive Bread

America's Test Kitchen cookbook, Bread Illustrated is one of my favourite baking book on breads. I have made some really nice breads from it and this Spicy Olive Bread is one of them.

There's lots of flavours going on in this bread ; there's red pepper flakes, minced garlic, black and green olives. The dough is mixed using the stand mixer. After the first rising, the dough is knocked back and shaped into a round, the second final rising is done in the Dutch oven.  

Once the dough has risen, the top is slashed with two 1/2 inch deep slashes to form a cross. Cover the Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove the cover and continue to bake until the top is deep golden brown, about 25 minutes more.

Cool thoroughly before slicing.

I love the soft crumbs, with all the flavours ; a little spicy kick from the red pepper flakes, a little garlicky taste from the minced garlic, perfect combo with the salty olives. A good thing that I have reduced the salt by half, as I thought that it was perfect with just 1 teaspoon. Lovely bread!

Spicy Olive Bread
(Bread Illustrated, America's Test Kitchen)
3/4 cup pitted olives, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups (16-1/2 ounces) bread flour
2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons salt (I use 1 tsp)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1-1/3 cups (10-2/3 ounces) water, room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. Combine olives and garlic in bowl. Whisk flour, yeast, salt, and pepper flakes together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk water, sugar and oil in 4-cup liquid measuring cup until sugar has dissolved. Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add water mixture to flour mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
2. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 8 minutes. Reduce speed to low, slowly add olive mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, and mix until mostly incorporated, about 1 minute.
3. Transfer dough and any loose olives to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
4. Press down on dough to deflate. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter (side of dough that was against bowl should now be facing up). Press and stretch the dough into 10-inch round.
5. Working around circumference of dough, fold edges toward centre until ball forms.
6. Flip dough ball seam side down and, using your cupped hands, drag in small circles on counter until dough feels taut and round and all seams are secured on underside of loaf.
7. Lay 16 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper on counter and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Transfer loaf seam side down to centre of prepared parchment Using parchment as sling, gently lower dough into Dutch oven. Cover tightly with plastic and let 5rise until loaf increases in sizer by about half and dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
8. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Using sharp paring knife or single-edge razor blade, make two 5-inch long, 1/2-inch-deep slashes with swift, fluid motion along top of loaf to form cross.
9. Cover pot, place in oven, and bake loaf for 30 minutes. Remove lid, reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees, and continue to bake until deep golden brown and loaf registers 205 to 210 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes.
10. Using parchment sling, remove loaf from pot and transfer to wire rack; discard parchment. Let cool completely, about 3 hours, before serving.

***ATK do not recommend mixing this dough by hand.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #33 

and

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Roasted Cajun Chicken with Spicy Tomato Salsa

Made this delicious Roasted Cajun Chicken with Spicy Tomato Sauce, with some short-cuts thrown in! Firstly, the recipe uses small whole chickens, butterflied, rub with the marinating spices and barbecued over low heat until cooked through. I have used whole chicken legs, marinated them for an hour and then roast in a preheated oven for an hour until done.

For the Spicy Tomato Salsa, instead of cooking fresh tomatoes over the grill plate, which are then to be chopped coarsely, I have used canned chopped tomatoes with chillies in tomato juice. Omitted the red wine vinegar as the canned tomatoes are already sour, so I have added about a tablespoon of sugar and some salt to taste.

Both the chicken and the tomato salsa are delicious. I've made some potato salad (not pictured) and with some fresh salad greens served alongside, this is one yummy meal! Happy faces at the dinner table! 

Barbecued (Roasted) Cajun Chicken with Spicy Tomato Salsa

(Perfect Roasts, The Australian Women's Weekly)

6 small chickens (3kg) (I use 6 chicken legs)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small brown onion (80gm), grated coarsely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons each ground cinnamon and fennel

2 teaspoon dried oregano

salt to taste

Spicy Tomato Salsa :

6 large plum tomatoes (540gm), halved (I use canned chopped tomatoes with chillies in tomato juice)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium brown onion (150gm), chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (omitted)

1 fresh long red chilli, chopped finely

1. Discard neck from chickens. Rinse chicken cavities and pat dry with absorbent paper. Using kitchen scissors, cut along each side of backbones; discard backbones. Turn chicken skin-side up; press down on breastbone to flatten (I use 6 chicken legs)
2. Combine remaining ingredients ; rub all over chickens. (Marinate for an hour, keep refrigerated. Arrange on baking tray and drizzle some olive oil over chicken pieces).
3. Cook chicken on heated oiled covered barbecue, over low heat, 35 minutes or until chickens are cooked through. (Roast in a preheated oven, at 200C for an hour, basting the chicken with the juices accumulated in the roasting pan, a couple of times).
4. Meanwhile, make spicy tomato salsa.
5. Serve chicken with salsa.

Spicy Tomato Salsa :

Cook tomato on heated oiled grill plate, turning, until softened ; chop tomato coarsely. Heat oil in a medium saucepan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add spices; cook, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in tomato, vinegar and chilli; cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes or until salsa thickens. 

(I've used 2 cans of chopped tomatoes with chillies in tomato juice, omitted the vinegar as canned tomatoes are usually a little sour. I've added about 1 tbsp of sugar to balance out the sourness)

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #33