Italian inspiration

One of my favorite foods is Italian inspired dishes. I am looking forward to sharing some of my favorite recipes.

Poached Peaches

You will need:

250g Sugar

1 Litre water

3 Black peppercorns

2 Bay leaves

2 Strips of lemon zest

1 cinnamon quill

6 Firm peaches

200g plain yoghurt or Vanilla bean ice cream

To start combine all ingredients except the peaches and yoghurt.

Bring sugar syrup to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Next gently place peaches in to the prepared sugar syrup cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes or until tender.

Once tender remove the lid and leave to cool, l some times remove the peaches once cooled and further reduce the syrup to pour over the peaches with some fresh raspberries to garnish

Prawn Ravioli with a Mussel and Shellfish sauce is another old favourite of mine.

This ravioli is a real winner when having friends for dinner.

You can make fresh pasta for the ravioli or use won ton wrappers for a great result .

It is best to use cold and dry prawns when blending, this will avoid overheating and the cream splitting in the food processor.

You will need: for the filling

400g Prawns

40g Cooked spinach (ensure you have removed excess water)

40g Cream

1 Garlic clove chopped

Salt and pepper

Ravioli of Prawns:

Flour

Won ton wrappers

1 egg yolk mixed with a tsp of water

Scone cutter or similar

For the sauce:

1 clove of garlic chopped

50ml oil

400g fresh mussels washed and debeard

150g prawns cut to open keeping whole

200ml white wine

200ml Fish stock

30ml of passata or 1 fresh tomato deseeded and diced

2 tbsp Flat leaf parsley

Using the food processor, quickly blitz the prawns, add spinach, salt, garlic and quick blitz again. While the processor is on slowly add the cream, this should only take a minute. Now chill until ready to use.

Making the ravioli with won to wrappers, dust your work surface with a little flour and lay out 8 won ton wrappers at a time. Using a teaspoon put a little prawn mousse in the centre of each wrapper. Paint the edges with eggwash and top with another wrapper, now you can cut out rounds using your cutter. place on a tray with baking paper dusted with flour.

To cook ravioli:

Bring a large pot of water to boil, add ravioli reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes a few at a time, keep warm until needed.

To make the sauce, heat a pan (use a pan big enough to hold the mussels and one that has a lid) add oil and cook garlic over a low heat, then add mussels cover with a lid for 2 minutes.

Now add prawns, white wine, fish stock, tomato, parsley and if using some cracked black pepper.

Once cooked strain liquid to another pot reduce by a 1/3 then using tongs remove the mussels from there shells and put aside. When your ready to serve add mussels to the sauce and warm.

Place 5 ravioli in a bowl and garnish with mussels and prawn sauce.