Supplies

  • 25g basil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 75ml olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
  • 100g mozzarella
  • 1 large, ripe tomato, sliced
  • 4 slices sourdough bread

Steps

  1. Blitz the basil, 75 millilitres olive oil and garlic together in a food processor until fine.
  2. Spread the basil oil on all 4 slices of sourdough then divide the mozzarella and tomato slices between 2 of the slices. Top with the remaining 2 slices to form 2 sandwiches.
  3. Drizzle both toasties with 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and place into a large frying pan. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes each side, drizzling with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil when you turn over, until the sandwiches are golden and melted throughout.

Supplies

  • 300g pork mince
  • 200g beef mince
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp cold milk
  • 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 onion, grated
  • 1 tsp thyme, leaves picked, chopped
  • 1 tsp rosemary, leaves picked, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 red chilli, sliced down the middle
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 parmesan rind
  • 75ml red wine
  • 200g mozzarella, sliced
  • Dried bucatini pasta
  • Parmesan, grated, to serve
  • Chopped basil, to serve

Steps

  1. Place the pork mince, beef mince, salt, pepper, milk, breadcrumbs, onion and herbs together in a large bowl and mix thoroughly, with your hands to combine. Form this mixture into walnut-sized meatballs and place on a lined baking tray once rolled.
  2. To cook; heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan and place the meatballs into the pan. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the jar of pasta sauce and stir then add the parmesan rind and red wine and cook everything together, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, until slightly thickened.
  3. Remove the parmesan rind. Place the meatballs into an ovenproof dish and pour over the sauce then top with the mozzarella. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until golden and bubbling.
  4. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
  5. Serve the pasta topped with the meatballs and sauce, sprinkled with some parmesan and basil.

Supplies

  • 1 pound of mozzarella cheese
  • Flour
  • 4 eggs
  • Parsley
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Oil for frying

Steps

  1. Cut the mozzarella into sticks. Pass them through flour, then through the beaten eggs with parsley and finish through the breadcrumbs.
  2. Fry in abundant oil and serve while hot!

Supplies

  • 1 tsp citric acid
  • 2 litres whole organic milk, raw or unhomogenised
  • 1/4 tsp rennet
  • 2 tbsp salt

Steps

  1. Boil the kettle and let the water cool down to just warm. Dissolve the citric acid in 60ml of the water. Pour the milk into a large saucepan and heat gently to about 13C. Add the citric acid, and heat to 30C, stirring gently – it will start to curdle.
  2. Dilute the rennet in a tablespoon of the boiled, cooled water and add it to the milk. Warm gently to 38-39C, stirring from time to time – it will begin to separate. Remove from the heat, cover and leave for about 15 minutes, to let the curd set and separate from the whey even more.
  3. Carefully scoop the curds out of the pan with a slotted spoon and place them in a sieve – leaving the hot whey in the pan. Press the curds very gently to remove some of the whey, but not all of it or your mozzarella may be tough. Add the salt to the whey in the pan and heat to 80C.
  4. Mound the curds onto a chopping board and cut into 4 pieces. Have a bowl of iced water ready. One at a time, dip the curds into the hot whey for about a minute, until they begin to soften and stretch. Remove a piece of curd from the whey with a slotted spoon, dip your hands in the iced water and gently stretch out the cheese, folding it back on itself and working it just until it's stretchy, shiny and smooth.
  5. Mould and pinch the cheese into a ball then drop it into a bowl of chilled water. Repeat with the remaining curds, refrigerate and use within two days.