Ok Fiona, here are some possibilities for you (with receipes);
Blue Cheese Penne and Tomatoes; (serves 4)
(This receipe can be made several hours ahead and then reheated covered with foil and bake at 180-190 degrees for about 20 minutes or until hot)
6 sml egg tomatoes (roma), halved
1 tblspn olive oil
i tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
300g penne
125g blue cheese
125g light cream cheese softened
200g baby spinach leaves
1 cup (80g) finely grated parmesan cheese
1. Place tomatoes cut-side up on baking tray. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook tomatoes in batches, on heated lightly oiled grill plate (or grill of BBQ) about 10min or until soft and lightly browned. Cover to keep warm.
2. Meaniwhile, cook pasta in large saucepan on boiling water uncovered until just tender. Drain. Return pasta to saucepan with blue cheese, cream cheese, spinach and half the parmesan. toss gently until well combined.
3. Place pasta mix in oiled shallow 2.5 litre (10cups) ovenproof dish. sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Cook uncovered under hot grill until top browns lightly.
4. Serve blue cheese pasta with tomatoes.
Ricotta and Spinach stuffed pasta shells: (serves 4)
32 large pasta shells (280g)
500g spinach
250g low-fat ricotta cheese
500g low-fat cottage cheese
600ml bottled tomato pasta sauce
1 cup (250ml) veg stock
1 tblspn finely grated parmesan cheese
1. Cook pasta in large saucepan of boiling water, uncovered, 3 minutes, drain. Cool slightly.
2. Preheat oven to 180-190 degrees
3. boil, steam, or icrowave spinach until just wilted; drain. Chop spinach finely, squeeze out excess liquid.
4. Combine spinach in large bowl with ricotta and cottage cheese; spoon spinach mix into pasta shells.
5. Combine sauce and stock in oiled shallow 2L (8 cup) ovenproof dish. Place pasta shells in dish, sprinkle with parmesan. Bake, covered, in oven about 1 hour or until pasta is tender.
Rice and fetta filled roasted capsicums: (serves 4)
2 large red capsicums (700g)
2 tspn olive oil
1 small brown onion chopped finely
2 cloves garlic crushed
3/4 cups (150g) medium-grain white rice
1 cup (250ml) veg stock
1 cup (250ml) water
1 tblspn lemon juice
300g spinach chopped coarsely
2 tblspn coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 tblspn pine nuts toasted
1 tblspn dried currants
50g fetta cheese
1. Preheat oven to 220-230 degrees
2. Halve and seed capsicums; place in large baking dish. Roast uncovered in hot oven, 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in medium saucepan; cook onion and garlic stirring, until onion softens. Add rice, stock, the water and juice; bring to the boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered, stiring ocassionally, about 15 minutes or until rice is just tender. Add spinach, mint, nuts and currants; stir until well combined.
4. Spoon rice mix into capsicum halves; sprinkle tops with cheese. Roast uncovered, i hot oven, about 15 min or until fetta browns lightly.
Goat cheese stuffed roast capsicum with tapenade: (serves 8)
4 med red capsicums (800g)
300g firm goat cheese
200g fresh ricotta cheese
2 tblspn sour cream
2 tblspns extra virgin olive oil
1 tblspn basil leaves
cracked black pepper
Tapenade:
1 tblspn drained capers
3 anchovy fillets, drained
1/2 cup seeded black olives (60g)
1 tblspn lemon juice
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
1. Roast whole capcisums under grill or in very hot oven (240-250 degrees) until skin blisters and blackens. Cover capsicum with plastic or paper for 5 min. Peel away skin. Slice off and discard top and bottom of capsicums. carefully remove and discard seeds and membrane from inside remaining capsicum pieces. Trip capsicum pieces to 8cm in depth; cut each in half to make two 4cm "rings".
2. Blend or process cheeses and sour cream until smooth. Fit one capsicum ring inside a 5.5cm round cutter, place on serving plate; spoon cheese mix inside capsicum ring. carefully remove cutter. Repeat with remaining capcisums and mixture.
3. Serve capsicum with tapenade, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with basil leaves and cracked pepper.
Tapenade: Blend or process ingredients until smooth.
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