Friday 30 April 2010

Hearty Pasta Soup


Yet another super simple recipe from Good Food.

Hearty Pasta Soup

1 tbs Olive Oil
2 Carrots - chopped.
1 Large Onion - chopped
1 ltr Veg stock
400g can chopped tomatoes
200g frozen peas & broad beans
250g pack fresh filled tortellini. I used goats cheese and caramelised onion
Chopped basil leaves
Grated Parmesan

Heat oil in a pan and fry the carrots and onions for 5 mins. Add stock and tomatoes, simmer for 10 mins. Add peas and broad beans.

Once veg is tender, add the pasta. Return to the boil and simmer for 2 mins.

Serve with basil and Parmesan on top.

Hubby whipped up a batch of Rosemary and sea salt Focaccia to go with the soup and very nice it was too.



Friday 23 April 2010

Cheesy Leek & Bacon Tart


I think I am going backwards in my cooking skills and I am trying to find the easiest meal out there. This one is a total cheat but ends up very delish and almost looks like you tried with it. Another from the Good Food archives.

Cheesy Leek and Bacon Tart

1 roll pre-made puff pastry
150g tub Philidelphia Light with Garlic & Herbs soft cheese
3 leeks - sliced into 5mm rings
5 rashers smoked bacon
100g Emmental cheese - grated

Heat a pan and fry in a little oil the leeks until just soft.
Unroll the pastry and put onto a baking tray
Spread the Philly over the pastry about 3cm from the edges (First time I cooked this it was a little too cheesy so second time around I cut back on some of the Philly)
Once the leeks have cooled put them on to the pastry along with the bacon that has been cut into little bits.
Add the grated Emmental and roll the edges up then pop into the oven at 190oc for 15 mins.

Looks and tastes fantastic! Next time I will try with mushrooms in place of bacon.

With the left over Philly from my second attempt I spread it over some pork loins, just before they went into the oven for 15 minutes, it really turned them around and made a possible boring meal a little more exciting. Have also tried adding Philly to pasta - don't try unless you like a claggy mess.