What have I found in my fridge? Another quick recipe for a delicious dinner. Ravioli with ham, tomato and cheese.

Another long day of work. Meetings, tastings and more phone calls.
Back home, what have I got to cook?
I passed by my lovely stockist Italo Deli in Vauxall (you MUST go if you haven't yet!). As always I have got their amazing fresh ravioli pasta. Today's filling is a classic: spinach and ricotta.



Back home I have:
Onion
Garlic
EV Olive Oil
Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Salt and Pepper
a little piece of Prosciutto Bazzone (our bespoke ham)
more leftovers: a piece of young pecorino with herbs and smaller piece of mature pecorino



Let's make a quick pasta then.
Side A: Boil water.
Side B: Frying pan + ev olive oil. Let the olive oil get warm enough, then add chopped garlic and onion.





Let them get golden and add the tomato sliced and diced ham.



Mix all and stir it for 3-4 minutes. Add salt and black pepper. Another minute or two and turn off the fire.
Once the pasta is cooked (the fresh ravioli only take 4-5 minutes to cook) add it to the pan and mix it with the sauce (turn the fire back on).



At this time add basil and cheeses.





Mix all together for 2 minutes more.



And there you go.



This was so simple and with a good glass of red DOC Macchion Del Lupo it's just a perfect dinner. Nom Nom.

Vado A Cena goes to Italy, Mamma Mia!

Mom is always mom!
For every italian, mamma is always a safe and warm place when they come home.
Mom spoils us, cuddles us, takes care of us, and most of all, she makes our favorite food.
Vado A Cena has come back home and "Mom" has the best welcome ever!
You know you're at home when opening the door, you are greeting with the smells from a day spent cooking.
This is what Vado A Cena had for dinner yesterday:

The meal start with an appetizer, prosciutto Bazzone hand cut and a little selcetion of cheeses: parmesan and Gruyère.





A good glass of red Campordigno.





Then go straight to the main dish: beef “tagliata” covered with rocket and parmesan and a side of peas.









At the end of the meal fresh fruit and a typical tuscan sweet : Castagnaccio
Castagnaccio is made with chestnut flour, pine nut, walnut and raisins.





At the end a good “Ponce”… a good espresso with rum, a slice of lemon and cinnamon.

A quick lunch... Fresh Tortelli with spinach leaves, balsamic vinegar and pecorino

I was tweeting more than usual today and almost forgot to have lunch.
I decided then to share the preparation of my quick meal. As always, working in food I often forget to do proper shopping and I find my self figuring out how to match what I can find in my half empty fridge.
I have got a lovely gift from my friend (she works at La Tua Pasta): a packet of fresh tortelloni filled with mushroom and cheese.
I take a clove of garlic and some fresh spinach leaves. Oh, I have got a little piece of our Pecorino, favourite cheese of our clients at the last street market.
And the pasta dish was already in my head:
Boiling water, salt.


(add salt only after the water is boiling)

Frying pan, ev olive oil, garlic and crushed chilli. When the garlic gets gold I added the spinach leaves (well I added also a few rocket salad because it was there...).


(I added a little piece of unsalted butter as well)

After a few minutes the spinach leaves are ready and I turned off the stove.
In the meantime the water was boiling... I cooked the pasta for about 3 minutes.





Drained the pasta and mixed in the frying pan (stove on again). Added our aged balsamic vinegar.



Grated our pecorino from Tuscany directly in the pan...



... and served. My lunch is ready and yes it's not too bad considering it took about 8 minutes to prepare it!





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