Posted by Darby on April 9, 2009 under Main, Sauces, Zinfandel | 
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
Food Wine and Friends by Fiona Beckett
- 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 sausage meat 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
Posted by Darby on under Entree, Main |
Fresh home made pasta is a great variation on dried or store bought pasta. It is lighter annd fresher tasting.
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 your favourite pasta sauce.
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.
Now you have made your own pasta you can see some pasta sauce recipes with wine suggestions.
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.
Posted by Darby on April 8, 2009 under Barbera, Main |
Tagliatellli are long flat noodles well suited to a sauce made with chunks of musrooms.
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 (lemon 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.
Wine Suggestion
This dish is an ideal accompaniment to Barbera wines. These wines are usually medium bodied and savory with enough flavours to marry with the variety of tastes in this dish.
