If I had to pick one meal that could give you a taste of who I am and where I come from it is undeniably this slow-cooked Tomato Ragu. It is a part of my childhood, part of my family legacy, it practically oozes through my veins. This year, as an ambassador for Taste of…
Pasta/Risotto
Pasta with Simple No-Cook Tomato Sauce
How strange the world is since I started writing about food. Whoever thought our ability to travel, work, educate our children, spend time with each other, even shop, could have changed so monumentally. The way we think about our health, our choices, our future – seem so huge, so all-encompassing it is almost impossible to…
Gnocchetti with Lamb Ragu
Taste of Harmony for 2020 is fast approaching and once again I have been asked to be an ambassador for this incredible initiative to celebrate cultural diversity through food. I will always stand behind the notion of experiencing food from other cultures and keeping the recipes from your own culture alive. Food is such a…
Fettuccine three ways – because why only have one?
Have you ever been to an Italian restaurant and wanted to order pasta, but couldn’t decide which one? I love ordering fresh pasta, especially when I travel to Italy, but I can never decide on the sauce. On a trip to Orvieto a few years ago, a beautiful medieval town not far from Rome, we…
Pappardelle with Pumpkin and Chorizo
Pumpkin and chorizo were made to dance with each other. The earthy sweetness of the pumpkin is perfect with the smoky paprika flavour of the chorizo. I often roast small cubes of pumpkin and toss them with chorizo that I have pan-fried just until the edges are crispy, then scatter over a bed of baby…
Tagliatelle with Chicken and Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Chicken is without a doubt the most common protein that comes out of my kitchen. I know I’m not alone. Chicken is popular all over the world, particularly in Australia. Data from the OECD says that the average Aussie eats 42kg of chicken per year. That’s a lot of chicken! We are the third largest…
Pappardelle with Broccoli and Italian Sausage
This simple pasta recipe of Italian sausage with broccoli is a classic combination, but I must confess that when I was a child broccoli wasn’t my favourite. In fact it was my ‘spew food’. Did you have one of those? Just the thought of it literally made me want to throw up. Mum’s way of…
Roman Style Oxtail Ragu
Eating innards, organs and off-cuts might not sound appealing, but they are the backbone of the Italian cucina povera (poor kitchen) where the undesirable cuts of meat are transformed into food rich in comfort, flavour and downright deliciousness. In 18th century Rome, these off-cuts were known as quinto quarto, the fifth quarter. From the slaughterhouses…
Penne with Roasted Pumpkin, Capsicum, Haloumi and Chorizo Crumb
I’m always trying to think of new ways to throw together a meal using a packet of pasta. It’s my ‘go to’ blank canvas and I could never imagine my pantry being without at least a few varieties waiting to be dressed up for dinner. As much as I love the weekend where I…
Penne with Cabbage, Broccoli, Blistered Tomatoes and Salami
How’s your week been? Well all I can say is thank GOD it’s Friday. That said, I also can’t believe it’s already Friday – far out, the weeks are flying by. Don’t you think? I’ve even noticed people posting memes on Facebook like “only 15 Fridays until Christmas” and that kind of thing that always…
