Recipes & Cooking Guidelines

Lasagna - Some Helpful Tips

Ideal to pre cut the lasagna into required serves before placing the pasta in to the oven to cook. This will make it easier to cut & handle once lasagna is ready to serve.

It is recommended that the cooked lasagna is allowed to sit for approximately 10-15 minutes AFTER switching off oven before serving.

Our egg lasagna sheets have also been used by many caterers to create traditional Italian cannelloni. Just boil sheets as per egg lasagna guidelines (around 7-10 minutes) then individually fill the centre with your favourite meat (e.g. pork and veal mince) or cheese (e.g. ricotta & spinach) filling, then roll sheet into a large tube and place onto a baking dish and into the oven. Yummy!

General Cooking instructions & times are guidelines to assist you with food preparation. The times indicated on each label are given as approximations as all cook tops differ in the strength of heat output (gas/electric). What is important for you, as the chef of your kitchen, is that you keep an eye on your pasta as it boils and test it at the lowest range of a cooking time specified. When the centre of your pasta shape is firm to the bite this is considered aldente and ideally & traditionally, ready to serve. Some palates prefer a softer texture therefore will require longer cooking time.

When it comes to sampling our tasty lasagna, you have a choice between the time saving "Instant" lasagna sheets (200g / 8 sheets available in Plain Egg, Organic Durum Wheat or Organic Spelt) or the traditionally thicker variety (300g/ 8 sheets available in Plain Egg, Organic Wholemeal, Organic Durum Wheat or Organic Spelt).

The instant lasagna sheets are thinner and do not require any pre-boiling. Just layer them into a baking dish with your favourite filling & cheese, ensuring you have a nice amount of moisture/ sauce or stock to assist with the baking process.

The traditional thicker lasagna sheets usually require pre-boiling (follow cooking instructions on packet), ensuring that you bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add a little salt and when the water has returned to a rapid boil, you may add a drop of oil before throwing in 3-4 sheets.. While the sheets are boiling, have ready your baking dish/ lasagna tray which already has a scoop-full of your pre-made sauce on the base. Remove the sheets and place onto dish/tray, enough to cover the base; then add your filling, some cheese and extra sauce. You may have some cooked sheets left over from the previous boiling process. These can begin your next layer. Repeat the process by throwing in remaining uncooked lasagna sheets into saucepan for the specified time. Then layer as per above. Always finish the final layer with sauce and a nice amount of mozzarella cheese & an optional extra of sprinkled, grated parmesan cheese. A useful tip is to always retain EXTRA sauce for serving with your lasagna as this offers added moisture to your portions.

To prepare L'Abruzzese 200g instant lasagna [8 sheets] - no pre boiling required

1. Firstly cover the base of baking dish with your favourite sauce (meat or vegetarian e.g ricotta & spinach)

2. Season & sprinkle with grated cheese then place a layer of lasagna sheets over the top

3. Repeat this process until the baking dish is full

4. Cover the final layer with meat sauce, seasoning, grated cheese and sliced mozzarella (if preferred)

5. Place in hot oven for 25-30 minutes

6. The meat / vegetarian sauce may be varied to your own imagination e.g. using roasted pumpkin & white sauce

Recipes

Contents

1. SEAFOOD / MARINARA
2. PASTA VONGOLE (small cockles)
3. OYSTER SHELLS/ LUMACONI/ RIGATONI/ AL FORNO MARINARA
4. SANDRA'S QUICK & SIMPLE BAKED ORECCHIETTE / MAMMA'S FUSILLI
5. L'ABRUZZESE SPAGHETTI WITH TUNA, ROCKET & LEMON
6. VIVIENNE'S SPELT PENNE WITH CHICKEN, MUSHROOM & BROCCOLI
7. SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
8. BABY'S CHICKEN NOODLE PASTINA
9. Try something a little different: TRUDY's PASTA BAKE
10. Pasta Exotica: Recipe by Steve Davis
11. PENNE WITH BROCCOLINI
12. Pistaccio Penne with Asparagas
13. Penne alla Vodka
    

SEAFOOD / MARINARA

Ideally used with any of the long-shaped pasta e.g. linguine, fettuccine, spaghetti #2, #3 or spaghettini
Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 pkt L'Abruzzese egg noodles (e.g. linguine #4) or squid ink fettuccine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 x 425g cans peeled plum tomatoes, chopped + juice
• 400-500g mixed fresh seafood of your choice (recommend a seafood marinara of raw prawns, calamari, mussels, "vongole" [cockles] & sliced snapper fillets)
• Salt & black pepper
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Some grated parmesan cheese
• Sprigs of (Italian - flat leaf) parsley, chopped

Method

Gently fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes + juice, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add white wine & stir. Continue to simmer for another 5-10mins adding the chopped parsley towards the end, until sauce is reduced. Add seafood approx 1 min before completing simmering process.

Cook the pasta in approx 4 litres of boiled, salted water until almost al dente (firm to the bite) and drain, retaining some of the pasta liquid, approx ½ cup.  Stir this into the pasta to maintain some moisture. Stir in about 1 cup of the tomato sauce with the pasta. Retain the rest for serving as a topping with each pasta bowl.

Sprinkle the grated parmesan on top of pasta.

      Left photo - Preparing Spaghetti Marinara    Try Yabbies in your Marinara!

 

PASTA VONGOLE (small cockles)

Traditionally,  these small, sweet cockles have been dug up from the ocean's shallow waters by hand. Even after purchased from your local fish monger, they often require some repeated rinsing in fresh water to remove excess sand. This can be done by placing them in a bowl / empty ice-cream container covered with water, then shake the vongole with your hand while still under water; tip out water [e.g into another bucket to be used later in your garden] then repeat the cleansing process about 3-4 times.

Spaghetti or Linguine Vongole (our long egg pasta is perfect for this dish)

This "rough" recipe calls for about 500g-1kg cleaned vongole, olive oil, 6-10 cloves chopped garlic, 1-2 fresh red chilies sliced, 1 packet 375g L'Abruzzese egg spaghetti or linguine (1pkt serves 3; 2 packets serves 6); seasoning & vino "bianco" [white wine - e.g. Pino Grigio is recommended 1-2 cups, up to you] and retaining the vongole's cooking juice; and large handful of fresh italian flat-leaved parsley

Have the pasta cooking [to packet instructions] in boiling, salted water while you prepare the vongole "sauce"

Heat a shallow pan with oil. Add garlic & freshly chopped chili and sizzle until garlic's aroma fills the room (and your nostrils!) throw in the vongole and shake pan / stir until they open and are filled with the garlic - juices will flow beautifully into the pan...now you are really talking! season with salt & freshly ground black pepper then add vino bianco and continue shaking. add a little more oil and freshly chopped parsley.

Drain pasta and sprinkle it over the vongole. Shake the shallow pan filled with pasta & serve onto a platter - then pour excess vongole juices from the pan over the pasta. Buon Appetito!

OYSTER SHELLS/ LUMACONI/ RIGATONI/ AL FORNO MARINARA

(Baked seafood oyster shells / lumaconi/ rigatoni)

Serves 6.

Ingredients

• 500g L'Abruzzese Rustica Oyster Shells/ Lumaconi or Rigatoni (= 1 box)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 x 425g cans peeled plum tomatoes, chopped + juice
• mixed fresh seafood of your choice (recommend a seafood marinara of raw prawns, calamari, mussels & sliced snapper fillets)
• Salt & black pepper
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 300g mozzarella cheese, sliced

Method Gently fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes + juice, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced. Add seafood approx 1 min before completing simmering process.

Cook the pasta in 5 litres of boiled, salted water until almost al dente (firm to the bite) and drain. Stir in about 1 cup of the tomato sauce with the pasta. Retain the rest. Add ½ of the grated parmesan to the pasta. Preheat the oven to 210°C.

Oil the base of an oven dish and pour in half the pasta. Cover with ½ of the sliced mozzarella, some of the reserved tomato sauce and half of the remaining parmesan cheese. Add the rest of the pasta and cover with the rest of the seafood sauce, mozzarella slices and parmesan cheese. Bake in hot oven (top shelf) for 20 minutes or until cheese forms into a golden crust. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

SANDRA'S QUICK & SIMPLE BAKED ORECCHIETTE / MAMMA'S FUSILLI

Serves 3-4.

Traditionally made, the orecchiette or "little ears" pasta was made by pressing your thumb into pasta pieces to create impressions that look like an ear. Fusilli paesani or mamma's fusilli were made by rolling pasta onto knitting needles

Ingredients

• 1 PKT / 375g L'Abruzzese Gourmet flavoured organic pasta (orecchiette, olive leaves, mamma's fusilli)
• 1-2 Tbsp basil/ pesto sauce (e.g. gourmet garden or jar varieties)
• 10 Kalamata olives, pips removed then slices
• 1 small zucchini, sliced & lighly fried in oil
• A handful of semi-dried or sun-dried tomatoes
• Mozzarella cheese - 2 handfulls
• Some fetta cheese - a handful, crumbed
• Some parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup oil
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 glass white wine or chicken stock (optional)
• Chilli flakes - a sprinkle

Method Boil pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water (approx 4L) to cooking times specified on packet e.g. 12 minutes for organic orecchiette, or until aldente.

While pasta is cooking, place oil in oven-proof dish. Add the basil/ pesto sauce, olives, salt & pepper. Turn on oven to 180°C. Drain pasta & add to the oven-proof dish. Mix then add the cheeses plus more salt/ pepper. Stir again. At this point the stock or wine can be added. Sprinkle chilli flakes. Bake in hot oven for approx 15mins or until cheese has turned golden.

L'ABRUZZESE SPAGHETTI WITH TUNA, ROCKET & LEMON

A quick dish to prepare together with a traditional tasting pasta like L'Abruzzese Egg Spaghetti #2 or #3 or L'Abruzzese Organic spaghetti/ fettuccine/ linguine

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkt - 375g L'Abruzzese egg spaghetti or any of our Organic Spaghetti range (a good size is 125g per person)
• ½ cup rocket leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 large lemon - grated rind & juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 small red chilli, chopped (optional)
• 1tbsp capers (optional)
• 185g canned tuna in oil
• freshly ground salt & pepper

Add spaghetti to 4L boiling, salted water & cook according to instructions on packet, until pasta is al dente - firm to the bite (for egg spaghetti - approx 10 mins; for Organic spaghetti -  refer to label). While pasta is cooking, put the rocket leaves, grated lemon rind & juice, olive oil, garlic and red chilli into a bowl. Open the canned tuna and add contents to the bowl and lightly mash it. Season with salt & pepper. Drain the pasta, retaining some of the water. Return the pasta to the pan and stir in the tuna mixture, (capers) and 3 tbsp of the retained water for extra moisture. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve immediately.

VIVIENNE'S SPELT PENNE WITH CHICKEN, MUSHROOM & BROCCOLI

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

• 1 PKT / 375g L'Abruzzese Spelt Penne
• 150g mushrooms, sliced
• 200g broccoli (blanched & cut into florets)
• 1 chicken breast fillet (cut into small strips)
• ½ cup oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 glass white wine
• 300ml thickened cream (stretched with ½ glass milk)
• shaved parmesan cheese

Method

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water (approx 4L) for 7-9 min or until aldente and drain. Heat oil in heavy based pan. Add chopped onion & garlic and cook until tender. Add chicken strips and sliced mushrooms and cook for 3-4 mins or until tender. Add glass of wine and simmer for another 3-4 mins. Add salt & pepper to taste. Add cream & broccoli. Bring to a quick simmer, adding some milk if too thick. Toss cooked pasta into sauce while on stove – do not over cook or broccoli will mash.

Serve immediately with shaved parmesan cheese. Our tasty Spelt Fettuccine can be used as an alternative to penne.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Serves 3-4

(This sauce is very versatile as you can substitute any of the L'Abruzzese long Egg Noodles such as Linguine, Fettuccine, Pappardelle or Tagliatelle)

Ingredients:

• 1 PKT / 375g L'Abruzzese Egg Spaghetti #1, #2 or #3
• ¾ cup ham, sliced finely
• 1 Tbspn Olive Oil
• 4 eggs
• 4 Tbspn thickened cream
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup grated pecorino cheese

Method

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water (approx 4L) according to the time specified on the packet, until al dente and drain (ideal to reserve some of the pasta water)

Heat oil in heavy based pan. Add ham & cook gently. In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs with cream & the cheese.

Drain the cooked pasta, reserving some of the pasta water (e.g. 1/3 cup) and add to pasta - mix well.

Toss cooked pasta with the cheese & egg mixture so the heat of the pasta cooks the sauce.

Add the ham and toss again. Serve immediately.

BABY'S CHICKEN NOODLE "PASTINA"�

A quick, & easy dish made for young children who love their pasta, with the flavour of chicken

You can use any type of small pasta or pastina from our Casalinga Pastina range or our Heim's Extra -fine or Fine Egg noodles, crushed to finer/ smaller pieces if you so desire

Ingredients:

• A couple of handfuls of L'Abruzzese Casalinga Pastina e.g. Stelline or Heims Extra fine Egg noodles
• A chicken stock cube, crumbed or 1 Tbspn of Continental Chicken Noodle Soup packet mix
• Some fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• Some grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Method: Bring some water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add your pastina, stir. Cook to ½ - ¾ time frame specified on the packet. Add the 1 Tbspn soup mix / chicken stock cube & parsley. Further cook until pastina is al dente or to your liking. Remove from heat & let rest for a couple of minutes. You may need to add a little more warm water if mixture is a little dry. Serve pastina at a warm temperature.

**Some mothers like to break an egg & mix this into the pastina towards the end of cooking time for more substance to the soup.

Try something a little different:
TRUDY's WHOLEMEAL PASTA BAKE           

Trudy has recommended this recipe with wholemeal pasta twists or spirals. You may even substitute our 'bronze-style' Casalinga durum wheat Casareccia (twists) if you prefer.

Serves approx 2-3 people.

• 3 eggs separated
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 500 g cottage cheese
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 250 g wholemeal pasta spirals or spelt twists or dark rye twists
• 1/2 c wholemeal bread crumbs
• 1/2 to 1 cup raisins or sultanas

Cook you pasta according to instructions on the pack. Use approx 3L boiling water for 250g pasta.

Beat egg yolks. Add melted butter, honey, cottage cheese, yoghurt, raisins and cooked pasta. Beat the egg whites stiff and fold into the pasta mixture. Pour into a 2 litre greased casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs. Dot with butter. Bake at 190 degrees C for 45 min. Enjoy!

Pasta Exotica
Recipe by Steve Davis

Tip: I always choose a bronze-style pasta because it has a rougher, thicker surface than the mass-produced pastas. The bronze extrusion methods create numerous folds and cavities in the pasta for capturing and holding generous amounts of pasta sauce [I use the bronze pastas made by L'Abruzzese Pasta of Adelaide , South Australia ]

Ingredients:

• 500g L'Abruzzese Rustica Orecchiette (or other favourite short pasta)
• 5 tbs oil from sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tbs butter
• 5 spring onions, chopped into 1cm lengths
• 1 fresh long chilli, chopped finely
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped finely
• 2 cups of mushrooms, chopped
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 50 ml of favourite whisky or brandy
• 500 ml light cream
• 1 200g jar of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped roughly (reserve oil as above)
• 4 slices of prosciutto, cut into small pieces
• Parmesan cheese, freshly shaved
• Parsley for garnish (optional)
• Pepper and salt (optional)

Method:

Prepare ingredients as per listing above.

Bring enough water to the boil to cook pasta and commence cooking as per instructions on the packet.

While pasta cooks, add oil and butter to a heavy-based pan, over medium to high heat. Stir until butter melts and mixes with the oil. Add spring onion, chilli and garlic and fry until onion softens.

Increase heat to high, add mushrooms and zucchinis and continue stirring and frying until zucchinis start to brown.

Stand back from pan and quickly add whisky or brandy. This should release a small burst of flame. Add sun-dried tomatoes and prosciutto and stir briefly.

Add the cream and continue stirring until sauce is bubbling generously. Reduce heat and stir occasionally until sauce reduces by half and becomes a rich, golden colour. This should take about five minutes.

Drain pasta, combine with sauce. Garnish with parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Preparation and cooking time approximately 20 minutes. Serves 6.

All of our L'Abruzzese Rustica "Al Bronzo" traditional pasta varieties feature some great recipes on each 500g carton & paper bag.

 PENNE WITH BROCCOLINI

Serves 4-5

• 500g L'Abruzzese Casalinga "penne rigate" (or penne or pennette)
• 1/3 cup currants soaked in 1/3 cup verjuice overnight
• 1/3 cup toasted flaked almonds
• 4 bunches broccolini cut into 5cm lengths
• 3 onions roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese - shaved or grated.

Method:

saute onions + garlic in extra virgin olive oil until translucent

Add broccolini; toss & heat through but still crunchy

Fold in currents & toasted almonds.

Pile these ingredients on top of cooked penne (as per cooking time on pasta packet). Drizzle more olive oil and serve with shaved or grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

 

Pistaccio Penne with Asparagas

Blanch 2 bunches of asparagas (tough ends cut off) into boiling water. Drain.  Rinse through with iced water to retain vibrant green colour.  

 

Crush 100g shelled pistaccio nuts by placing them in  a plastic bag & rolling with rolling pin.

In frypan, heat olive oil, add spanish onions, pancetta, chopped red capsicum and sprigg of thyme.  Fry for 2 minutes on medium heat.  Add asparagas and 1 x 300ml tub cream plus pepper and a tad of salt

Heat through cream and add already cooked (to aldente) 375g penne pasta.  Set aside into a serving dish, add some black olives, the pistaccio nuts and dried, toasted breadcrumbs (also known as poor-man's grated cheese)

 

Penne Vodka

Boil 4 litres salted water and add penne (375 - 400g). Stir occassionally

In the Meantime.....Chop fresh 2 [de-seeded] long, red chilies and fry in olive oil

Add 1 heaped tbspn tomato paste and some cream [200ml].  Heat through & stir. 

Lift saucepan OFF heat as you add 3 tbspn vodka [to avoid flaming over food].  Return to stove & heat through - simmer for 4 mins to cook off alcohol.

Check pasta.  Once ready [ ideal ALDENTE - firm to the bite], drain pasta and add it to sauce.  Mix through.

Add 2 cups grated parmesan and mix till creamy, cheesy consistency.  Serve with shavings of parmesan and basil (optional).  Just Gorgeous!

Above is a creamy dish of Penne Vodka made with (optional) ocean fresh prawns...Yum!