Here is a Zinfandel food pairing suggestion from food and wine writer Fiona Beckett.

This is a really robust pasta dish from Fiona who has her own regularly updated site www.matchingfoodandwine.com

The Zin gives a richer, more warming flavour than the usual tomato-based sauce, Fiona says.

You can use rigatoni, penne or similar pasta in this recipe.

Ingredients: Serves 4

350g Italian sausages or other coarsely ground 100% pork sausages
4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium aubergine/eggplant (about 250-300g) cut into cubes
1 medium onion (about 150g), peeled and finely chopped
1 medium red pepper (about 150g), de-seeded and cut into roughly 2 cm
squares
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 rounded tbsp tomato puree
1 level tsp dried oregano
175ml zinfandel or other full bodied fruity red wine
175ml fresh chicken or light vegetable stock made with a teaspoon of
vegetable bouillon powder
350g dried rigatoni or penne pasta
4 heaped tbsp freshly chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Slit the sausage skins with a sharp knife, peel off the skin and chop the sausage meat roughly. In a large frying pan or wok heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil and brown the sausagemeat breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add another 2 tbsp of oil to the pan and stir fry the aubergine for 3-4 minutes till it starts to brown. Add the remaining oil and chopped onion and fry for a couple of minutes then add the red pepper and fry for another minute or two.

Return the sausage meat to the pan, stir in the tomato puree and cook for a minute then add the garlic, oregano and Zinfandel. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half then add the stock, stir, and leave over a low heat to simmer while you cook the pasta following the instructions on the pack.

When the pasta is just cooked spoon off a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water into the sauce then drain the pasta thoroughly and tip it into the sauce along with 3 tablespoons of the parsley.

Mix well together and leave off the heat for 2-3 minutes for the flavours to amalgamate. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the pasta and sauce into warm bowls and sprinkle with a little of the remaining parsley. You could also sprinkle over some grated parmesan if you like though I’m not sure that it needs it.

Recommended wine match:
Given you’ve got a bottle of Zinfandel open that would be the obvious match but you could also drink a southern Italian red like a Primitivo or a Syrah.

More about Zinfandel in Australia

Fiona has written several wine and food books. See details of a couple for sale through Amazon below.
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Pasta is an important component of a healthy Mediterranean diet. As it contains flour and eggs it contains proteins, vitamins and energy… and that’s before you add the sauce.

Pasta Machine available from Amazon

Making your own pasta seems like a lot of trouble, but it can be well worthwhile. It is much easier if you have one of the pasta machines that clamp onto the table. In fact you can have your fresh pasta made and ready to eat in a similar time it takes you to cook dried pasta.

Ingredients for 4 people

400g plain white flour
4 eggs
good pinch salt
extra flour for workbench

Method

Mix flour and salt and place it on a clean workbench. Make a well in the heap of flour and break the eggs int the well. Stir the flour into the eggs with a knife, then knead the mixture with your hands. Use some of the extra flour if the mixture is sticky. Divide the dough into three or four pieces and flatten them with the ball of your hand.

Pass the piece of the dough through the machine with it opened at its maximum, fold over and repeat until the dough is smooth. Then gradually move the rollers closer until they are on the narrowest, or second narrowest setting. If the pieces become too long for easy handling just cut them in half. Dust with a little more flour if your dough becomes sticky.

You now have sheets of fresh pasta that you can use to make lasagna, or you can use then to make filled pasta such as ravioli or tortellini, or you can use the cutting rollers to make wide or thin strips.

To store your pasta toss through some flour to prevent it sticking. Or you can use it immediately.

To cook pasta bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and check after 2 minutes. It won’t take more than 3 -4 minutes to cook, so have your sauce ready.

Maintaining your pasta machine

Don’t immerse your pasta machine in water or you will damage the rollers. After using your machine just brush away any flour and dough with a dry cloth or brush.

Food and wine pairing for pasta really depends on the sauce. There are some wine suggestions on each of the sauce recipes.

My good friend Matt has learnt all about making pasta from his Italian in-laws. He has made an excellent home made video on how to make home made pasta

This simple recipe for gnocchi uses a freshly cooked tomato sauce. It is provided by Wendy Parsons of Catherine Vale who recommends it as ideal dish to accompany Catherine Vale Dolcetto

Ingredients:
6 tomatoes peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 shallot finely chopped
1 clove of garlic shopped
30 ml of olive oil
1 bouquet garni made up with parsley, thyme and 1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Packet of gnocchi - follow packet instructions

Method: (serves 4)
Heat oil in frying pan and gently fry shallot and garlic
Add tomato, bouquet garni, salt and pepper
Simmer for approximately 15 minutes
Remove bouquet garni and lace sauce in a liquidizer after removing bouquet garni
Meanwhile cook and drain gnocchi
Put Gnocchi and sauce into an ovenproof dish and top with Parmesan cheese
Brown under grill and serve

Barbera wines often have a have a high level of acidity. In this food pairing the acidity is balanced by the oil and the cheese, while the savory flavours of the wine are complemented by the exotic earthiness of the mushrooms.

This mushroom recipe is based on a recipe by Jamie Oliver, the Naked Chef.

Shop around for a for a mixture of mushroom types, the more variety the better. You could do this with common field mushrooms but try some others such as portobello mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, swiss browns, girolles, or shitake.

Use fresh tagliatelli, rather than the dry, but dry packet pasta will do at a pinch.

Ingredients
* 250g fresh tagliatelle
* 150-200g mixed mushrooms see above
* 2 tablespoons of olive oil
* A clove of garlic
* Pinch of chilli powder (optional)
* A lemon (lemom juice has an affinity with mushrooms)
* Salt and some pepper
* Quarter cup of grated Parmesan cheese
* handful of parsley, roughly chopped
* 50g Butter

Method
* Chop or tear the mushrooms into small pieces (Don’t wash them, brush them with a cloth if necessary)
* Using a large pan quickly fry the mushrooms in hot olive oil, tossing and turning as you go, add some salt, reserve some for the end
* Add the crushed garlic and chilli powder
* Cook for 5 minutes and add the juice of the lemon. Remove from heat
* Meanwhile cook the pasta in hot salted water until al dente.
* Toss the drained tagliatelli through the mushrooms add the cheese, butter and parsley.
* Toss throughly and serve.

This dish is an ideal accompaniment to Barbera

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Olive Garden Spaghetti Delle Rocca

Here is a simple pasta dish that you should be able to whip up in a just 20 minutes or so. I like to use grated Parmesan or Remano Cheese on vegetarian pasta dishes. As there is no meat it would go well with a crisp cool Pinot grigio.
Ingredients

1 oz. extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz. diced red onions
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
2 oz. quartered button mushrooms
2 lb. cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata black olives
1/2 cup pitted green olives
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
Some freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Dry pasta, cooked according to package directions
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Method

Start cooking the pasta according to the packet directions
Heat oil in sauce pot.
Add garlic, onions and mushrooms.
Cook for one minute; do not brown.
Add cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, basil, parsley, salt and pepper
Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
Drain the pasta when ready.
Combine sauce and drained pasta in a large serving dish while
both are hot.
Top with grated Parmesan cheese; garnish with fresh
basil leaves.

Wine suggestion:
An Italian white, say a Pinot grigio or Arneis.

Recipe modified from e-cookbook library

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Duck is a rich and flavoursome meat and it can be used to make wonderful dishes to accompany robust flavoursome red wines.

This dish is a suggestion to accompany Tannat, a grape variety known for making full bodied and distinctive red wines in the South West of France. It has been provided by Sam Miranda.

The idea behind this food pairing suggestion is that a full flavoured wine is needed to accompany a hearty and flavoursome meal.

You will need
* 240gm pancetta finely diced
* 1kg lean duck meat, coarsely chopped
* 60ml olive oil
* 240ml Symphonia Tannat
* 2 red onions diced
* 10 shallots diced
* 5 garlic cloves, crushed
* 250gm hedgehog mushrooms (small orange sponge like mushrooms similar to tex)
* 1kg canned, peeled roma tomatoes in juice, roughly chopped
* 4 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
* 120ml double cream

Method

* Heat a large frying pan over a medium – high heat. Add half of the olive oil pancetta and duck. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until will browned.
* Deglaze the pan with the Tannat and remove from the heat.
* In a medium sized pot add remaining oil and sauté onion, add mushrooms, shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add duck mixture to the pot.
* Transfer contents of the pan to the pot, and add the tomatoes, herbs and enough water to just cover.
* Bring to slow simmer and cook in a loosely covered pot for 1 and a half hours or until meat is very tender.
* Add cream and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste and serve with freshly cooked gnocchi.
Suggested wine: 2004 Symphonia Tannat.

Symphonia is an innovative winery in Victoria’s King Valley. It is well known for pioneering new varieties into the North Eastern Victorian wine region.

Sam Miranda of Symphonia wines says

“This great winter’s meal is best served with the Symphonia Tannat; it’s a match made in heaven. The high acidic content of the Tannat makes an excellent contrast to the fat content of the duck dish.”

More information about Tannat