One Pot Wonder - Penne Bolognese (ish)

Being the ever so healthy person I am, after consuming a reasonable portion of chocolate ice cream and pancakes for breakfast, I decided I better go food shopping with my mum for inspiration of something slightly healthier for lunch.

If I have learnt anything while I was at Uni, it was that reduced sections of supermarkets are life savers! Especially because gluten free food is so much more expensive compared to the gluten full version. Finding this pasta in the reduced section was a first though and since I am still on a pasta hype since Italy, I thought I would give it a try.

So this was my starting point for this recipe-a burger leftover from yesterdays dinner, the pesto I made, tomatoes from our Riverford order, a frozen herb mix, coconut oil and the penne. (Other ingredients added after: 30 g of tomato puree and half a teaspoon of gluten free stock powder)

Method:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a small sauce pan and add one tablespoon of a herb mix, a teaspoon of pesto and 2 tomatoes chopped.
2. When the tomatoes have softened, add the stock powder and tomato puree then stir in about 200 ml of boiling water.
3. I then added half a burger chopped up but any kind of meat or lentils would be good for flavour and texture.
4. Add 100 g of fresh pasta and cover with boiling water. Leave to cook for the time stated on the packet stirring regularly to make the water more starchy, thickening the sauce.
5. Serve and top with rocket and parmesan for flavour.

Okay, so this may only include 2 portions of vegetables at best, but that is pretty good for me and definitely better for me than ice cream and pancakes!

London Baby!

After swearing I would never step foot in halls again, not even one month after leaving I was back again. A bit of a different experience this time though…

It was such a surprise to find such an extensive range of gluten free food to take away and to eat fresh in  the Selfridges food hall. There wasn’t even gluten free ravioli in Italy. I had some ham and cheese tortellini made fresh with tomato sauce and it was delicious, I am certain I will go back next time I am in London.

I really like the way they have these 10 facts about gluten free on the back of their company flyer. Absolutely essential facts for anyone serving food to people with gluten allergies and intolerances.

Finally got a pot of these and of course they lived up to my imagination

They’re so pretty I had to take a photo. I wish my poo looked like that.

A visit to Beyond Bread set new standards for gluten free baking. I ended up buying (well my mum did) 3 baguettes and 2 brownies to take away as well as everything we ate for afternoon tea.

When I was in Paris I may have regretfully consumed a rather sizable proportion of a fresh gluten full french baguette I bought to take home for my sister. Although I regretted it very soon after, it was glorious at the time and there are some things you just have to do when you are in Paris. Now, gluten being such an important ingredient for many reasons in bread (I could go into the science but I don’t want to bore you and I think it is fairly obvious to every one that it is). I never thought I would ever eat a gluten free baguette meeting the french standard but Beyond Bread really did!! I don’t know how, but they have defied many laws of science I and so many other people have failed at. I wonder what their secret is…

The staff were all so lovely and it made me feel so comfortable. When eating in public and eating food I have not cooked, I can get very anxious but this wasn’t really the case this time. They even gave me and my dad an extra free scone and muffin to take away!!

Two words, bacon baguette. Using part of a baguette from Beyond Bread and bacon from the uni canteen-not quite up to the Italian standard but the bread made up for it. And, of course I had to also get a side of cornflakes.

Anyone who is not gluten free with not understand the rarity of gluten free bacon baguettes, a staple to gluten full breakfasts everywhere, so, this excited me A LOT!!

I have visited the V&A many times before, every time I have never been able to find any gluten free food. They seem to have stepped up their game. There is currently a choice of not one, not two but three different gluten free cakes!! Including a chocolate brownie!! There may be a slight issue of contamination but I will give them some credit, they’re trying their best.

One cannot visit London without visiting Liberty haberdashery

I could have spent hours in there, days even. But my time was cut short by my impatient mother and sister-didn’t stop me spending a bit of money though – I mean, that’s what student finance is for, right?

Carnaby Burger Co

Fussy eater FOREVERRRRR- I couldn’t handle eating a burger, even though there was a gluten free option, with gluten free bread! Instead, I did my usual stressed impulse choice of ordering two sides. A rocket and parmesan salad and wait for it,  I branched out on the other – cheese and bacon chips!  Nevertheless, when the food arrived, my immediate reaction was to take it apart and remove all the contamination- I will not ever NEVER eat a tomato.

After a few more shops that ended my time in London, for a week at least…

My Favourite Chocolate Cake

So, this is my recipe for chocolate almond cake. It is based on one I found in a cook book I was given several years ago. Since then it has always been my go to cake to bake and over time I have just adapted the recipe. From a mug cake version to a salted caramel number for a dinner party or just my usual, pile on the cream and top with curls of chocolate, I LOVE THIS CAKE!!

Ingredients:

• 150 grams of dark chocolate (at least 70%)
• 50 grams of milk chocolate
• 200g of salted butter
• 70ml of double cream
• 3 eggs separated
• 40 grams of caster sugar or honey
• 150 grams of ground almonds
• 30 grams of cocoa powder (optional)
• flaked salt or ground almonds to dust.

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate, butter and cream in a small heat proof bowl in the microwave for 30 second blasts until it is all combined. Leave to cool.
2. Place the egg whites into a small bowl with half the sugar and whisk to a soft peak. I would recommend using an electric whisk for this.
3. Place the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture becomes a pale yellow-orange and firmer in texture.
4. Add half the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and stir until it is an consistency then add the rest of the chocolate mixture and the almonds and cocoa powder and repeat.
5. Finally, add one table spoon of the egg whites into the mixture and whisk gently. Fold in the rest of the egg whites until the mixture is an even consistency.
6. Pour the mixture into a bottom lined 8 to 11 inch round cake tin then bake at 180C for about 15-20 minutes. At this stage the cake should look browned on top and raised but the center of the cake should still be batter. Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool and set or serve warm and runny.

Italy Day 6

We visited Siena for the last time today  we went back to some of our favourite shops, then visited another Trip Advisor found restaurant. Although yet more price discrimination, I can’t complain too much because my sister had the gluten full version of the carbonara I had and she said mine was better  also I finally got a plate of vegetables   1 year ago that really wouldn’t be my reaction-how uni changes you.

As our final meal here we went back to our favourite restaurant we had visited through the week-it wasn’t hard to choose. I was glad we came early for our reservation because the place was full by 8.

Chef Tiziana is sadly ill so there was only the pizza to choose from. But that still meant we needed about 15 minutes to choose, this is the first of 9 pages of pizzas to choose from!!! Hope you get better soon Tiziana!!

I went for what could be thought of as a more basic pizza, but made with buffalo mozzarella, this margherita was absolutely full of flavour completed by the amazing tomato sauce drooling thinking about it as I write this

We stuffed ourselves and had dessert as well. On the left is my sisters Nutella calzone which vanished within a few seconds after that photo was taken. On the right is my white chocolate and sugar sweet pizza; because I am fussy so I had it without all the fruit and other stuff that Google couldn’t translate.

Until next time Italy, ciao

Italy Day 5 - Florence

Breakfast: cornflakes really don’t get as much love as they should.

We passed this cute pizzeria on the way to the market in Florence. It could literally be the setting for a romantic dinner in a movie  Pizza and French fries to share, perfect snack to celebrate my sisters 16th birthday although there is some price discrimination, it is €10 for any gluten free pizza, so you just have to go wild with your toppings.

^goals 

Found a gluten free patisserie!!! This place is amazing, definitely go and visit it if you are in Florence or there is even one in Siena, the family are just on holiday this month so it is shut. There is so much choice and all gluten free-I went back to being a child in a sweet shop 

The Florence market surprised me a lot with the high quality of the food, definitely a good place to visit although there isn’t much gluten free food. This ice cream was one of the best I have ever had though, and I have had a lot of ice cream to compare it to!! 

STEAK STEAK STEAK!! Beautiful cut, so tender and served on a bed of rocket  another great meal at the hotel to end a perfect day 

Italy Day 4

Breakfast had to be the other half of the ciabatta from Piccola Oasi. Obviously with more of the rectangular bacon, but I also branched out this morning and went for a layer of cheese as well 

I also went all out with an iced green tea with mint 

We kept passing shops with people machine stitching names on various items. Being a child of 2 engineers I automatically went up for a look, curious to know firstly how the machine worked to achieve a chain stitch and secondly to allow enough movement in the track to create curves. The lady then made this for me  I then had to go back later to get a chefs hat with my name embroidered on  I’M PROPER CHEF NOW!!

Hot chocolate-more like a rich chocolate custard!! Absolutely gorgeous and perfect for my mood!!

Another day, another lovely spot for lunch-with the best gluten free pasta I have ever had!! It went perfectly with the duck and pecorino cheese  also we had wild boar ham with bread to start with which was delicious. Not what I expected at all!! The restaurant seems slightly medieval, serving plates of just 1kg of meat-yes 1kg of meat-just meat, nothing else. But the meat is cooked perfectly so if what you are after is local meat cooked well, this is perfect. The 4th photo shows my dads meal, a generous 200g of veal (shoulder area) steak. It looked so good I just had to steal a bit of his so I thought I would include a photo of it too.

FINALLY I found a gluten free risotto!! At the hotel  a tomato and basil risotto with cheese curd, usually served with olives but I’m fussy. Absolutely delicious, I could have eaten a few portions!!

Essential knowledge for all gluten free lovelies visiting Siena and the surrounding area: Ricciarelli are naturally gluten free almond biscuits which are a sort of delicacy in area (I think) They similar to macaroons just a different texture. They are easy to find and have been in every cafe, gelataria and patisserie I have been in. You just need to check they have not been contaminated with gluten if you are allergic, most places store them separately though for that reason ps. They also come in chocolate flavour