Asparagus and Mushroom Rigatoni Recipe

Jive Kitchen is back with a simple and healthy pasta from Runner's World. We cooked this pasta, replacing several stuff to clear our kitchen, most notable one is Rigatoni with Spaghetti.

Realizing that Asparagus and Shitake mushroom is the key ingredients, we tried to keep both in the dishes. Lucky for us that Sogo Food Hall sell both stuff with a good quality.

Another ingredients that we replace is Parsley with Italian Herbs, and Parmigiano Reggiano with Parmesan. While Sogo sell a good quality of Parsley, we don't want to buy bunch of it and ended up with using 1-2 stalk for decoration. Besides, we love the taste of Italian herb in the final result.

Quoting the recipe author about this dishes: "You get all the carbs without the cream or butter." Get the full recipe and instruction from Runner's World

Sausage & Zucchini Carbonara from Jamie Oliver

This dish is one of our real use of ipad in the kitchen. We got the recipe from Jamie Oliver ipad apps. The apps was pretty great. In addition to the recipe, we also got the step-by-step instruction, complete with photo.

As how the real Carbonara was made, the egg was cooked by putting the boiled pasta to egg mixture, cooking the egg while the pasta cools down. The recipe cleverly use Italian Sausage for the meatball. It was a perfect choice and much simpler, rather than making meatballs from minced meat.

The result is the rich flavor of Carbonara sauce, topped with meaty meatballs and crunchy zucchini. Add some grated parmesan and some Italian herbs for more flavor

Aglio Olio, the Honest Pasta

With simply garlic and chili, Aglio e Olio is the most simply honest pasta have ever invented. Don't be fooled, however. With only 2 main ingredients, only a skillful chef can prepare a decent one.

Pasta need to be perfectly al dente, chili and garlic need to be fresh, as no cream and tomato to shield the taste. Add generous Olive Oil, and drizzle bit of Italian herbs and pepper. And you will have a perfect dishes of Aglio e Olio, if you hit it right.

Meatlovers can add slices of Cervelat. The peppery taste of Cervelat would perfectly complement the strong taste of Aglio Olio.

Want to make one? Follow the recipe here: http://www.malaysiabest.net/2006/04/04/recipe-spaghetti-aglio-olio-with-portobello/. The recipe highlight the most important thing that I always overlook: To put generous amount of Olive Oil.

Next time I'm going to put in white wine, and see if the taste match.

Farfalle with Prosciutto and Parmesan

This simple pasta dish makes the most of two of Italy’s most famous ingredients – prosciutto, a salt cured ham, and the rich, grainy parmesan. As both of these ingredients are salty, particular care should be taken when seasoning this dish.

Yes, it is a simple dish, and offers impressive combination between rich creme fraiche and flavor of parmesan, so why not dare to try? If you lack of prosciutto, try streaky bacon and smoked ham for substitution.

I have practice this recipe few weeks ago to explore the taste and share a good lunch (although the zabaglione recipe failed, sorry Scal). Rather than liquid cooking cream used for carbonara or alfredo sauce, cream fraiche gives lighter after taste. Pick some rich or fresh starters like bruschetta with parma ham, chorizo tapas, or tomato and balsamic salad.


Prep time 20 min
Cooking time 20 min
Serves 2 – 3
(Recipe in half, original was doubled)

3 tbsp olive oil
200 gr farfalle (pasta bows)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
100 gr mushroom buttons (champignon will be fine), thinly sliced
1 large zucchini (courgettes), cut into batons
1 clove garlic, chopped
75-100 gr prosciutto (I used streaky bacon+smoked ham), cut into strips
150 ml crème fraiche
50 gr parmesan, grated
Fresh basil leaves, to garnish

1. Bring a large pan two-thirds full of water to boil. Add a good pinch of salt and add farfalle to the bubbling water. Stir with a fork and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions until the pasta is al-dente. Pour immediately into a colander then refresh under plenty of cold running water. Leave to drain until needed.

2. Heat a pan over high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, mushroom, zucchini, and fry for about 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are lightly coloured. Reduce the heat, add the prosciutto strips and fry for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the crème fraiche and heat the mixture for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in the grated parmesan and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Add the pasta to the pan, stir to combine and cook briefly to ensure the pasta is heated through. Serve immediately with the fresh basil leaves sprinkled over the pasta.

Happy meal, everyone :)

Baked Corn Fusili Pasta

I'm scratching my head this morning trying to understand this recipe. One question left unanswered is, how can they made the fusili stick together when baked? Traditional macaroni schotel use egg yolk as the binding agent. Other use mozzarella. Counting on faith, I scramble around the rack in Sogo Food Hall and Farmers Market for the ingredients. Here it goes.....

• 200 gr Macaroni Elbow (I replaced this with Fusili)
• 1 Onion
• 2 tbsp Frying Oil
• 2 medium sized corn, boiled
• 100 gr Cheddar Cheese, cut into small cube (shredded might be better, so it mix better with the rest of the ingredients)
• 200 ml Plain Yoghurt
• 50 ml Thick Cream
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 150 gr Smoke Beef, cut into small square
  
• 2 tbsp Parsley
• 2 clove of Garlic
• Salt and pepper

Sautéing Corn Cheese Sauce

1. Sauté the garlic, then onion, and smoke beef until sizzle. Pour in cream, yoghurt, corn and season with Italian Seasoning. Cook under low flame until boiled.
2. Put in cheddar cheese (This is where I think my mistake was. I should wait until the cheddar melt, so that it can bind the fusili when baked)

Baking The Pasta

1. Boil the fusili until al dente
2. Arrange the macaroni (or fusili) in a baking pan, 2-3 cm thick. Then pour the corn cheese sauce on top. Sprinkle the parsley
3. Put the pan into pre-heated oven (200 Celcius) until it dries
4. Share the results with the whole family

Cold Pasta Salad

Pasta and cheese.... hmm.... a combination that is hard to resist, even when it is in form of letters, numbers and photos in recipe book. Especially when it took only 30 minutes to prepare, over an evening coffee session. Any other objection?

Ingredients:

• 200gr Fusili Pasta
  
• 2 Red Tomatoes
  
• 150gr Broccoli
  
• 100gr Cheddar, grated (Optional)
  
• 250gr Smoke Chicken (I run out of stock, and replace it with chicken burger meat instead)
• 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 2 shallots, coarsely minced
  
• 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
  

Direction for dressing:
Mix Mayonnaise, Olive Oil and Shallots into mixing bowl, then stir. Keep it in cold in the fridge until ready to serve

Direction for pasta mix:

1. Cook the Fusili until Al Dente, and dry
2. Boil the broccoli
   
3. The tomatoes should be unseeded, and the sliced to your taste. I like to cut it into square
4. Smoke chicken (or in my case, chicken burger meat) should be cut into square
5. Then store them all in the fridge until ready to serve

Direction for serving:

1. I like to arrange the fusili as the base, broccoli circled above the fusili, and then the smoke chicken and tomatoes mixed in the middle
2. Pour the dressing, and topped with grated cheese (Note: I forgot the cheese once, and it still taste good. Thus, I put the cheese as optional)
   
3. Take your spoon and fork, taste it, and invite me for a dinner :D

Recipe translated from Menu Magazine