Noodles

Buckwheat Noodles

80 g buckwheat
20 g plain flour (or potato starch for gluten free)
2 T (40 mL) boiling water

Mix everything to form a dough. Roll and cut with pasta machine. Cook in boiling water for 3-5 minutes.



Two Minute Noodles

1/4 t bicarbonate soda
1/4 c boiling water
1/4 c water
250 g plain flour (2 c)
1.5 t salt
1/2 t oil

Dissolve bicarbonate soda in boiling water. Add remaining water. Put rest of ingredients in a food processor. Pour in the water. Process until the dough starts clumping. Pour onto the bench and press together to form a dough. Rest 10 minutes if time allow, otherwise, roll and cut with pasta machine. Cook in boiling water for 2 minutes.


Wonton Style Noodles

1/4 t bicarbonate soda
1/2 c boiling water
2 T plain flour for roux
250 g plain flour for dough (2 c)
1/4 t salt
1/2 t oil

Dissolve bicarbonate soda in boiling water. Immediately add 2 T of flour to partially cook to a roux. Cool slightly. Add 2 T more flour and beat until stringy. Add remaining ingredients to make a dough. Knead until smooth. Rest for 30 minutes. Roll in pasta machine until very smooth and stretchy. Air dry 10 minutes before cutting. Cook in boiling water for 3 minutes.


Wheat Noodles

1/2 t baking powder
250 g atta flour (or 50% wholemeal, 50% plain)
1.5 t salt
170 mL warm water

Mix dry ingredients. Put about half the dry ingredients in a food processor. Add the water. Blend until stringy, around 2 minutes. Add rest of flour. Blend to a soft dough. Rest 30 minutes. Dust liberally. Roll and cut with pasta machine.

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Corn and Rice Pasta

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Chickpeas

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Red Lentils

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Pork and Prunes

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Gnocchi

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Pasta with Chickpea Sauce

Live Below the Line Challenge

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Potato Paratha

Live Below the Line Challenge

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Potato Tart

1 sheet shortcrust pastry
200 g potato (waxy)
2 t blue cheese, crumbled
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 garlic, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
60 mL milk
1 t cornstarch, optional
pinch of pepper, salt, thyme
2 t melted butter, olive oil or rendered duck fat

1. Line a greased 20 cm fluted pie dish with shortcrust pastry. Prick the base. Freeze. Blind bake using a saucer as weight for 15 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. Remove the saucer halfway through. Brush with some beaten egg in the last 5 minutes of cooking.

2. Parboil potato in skin for 10 minutes. Chill. Slice thinly.

3. Sprinkle cheese, shallot, and herb into the tart shell. Season with salt & pepper.

4. Mix milk with eggs and pour into the tart shell.

5. Arrange potato slices over the egg mixture. Drizzle melted butter over the potato slices.

6. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes until the top is golden and potato is crispy.

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Confit Byaldi

Ever since the animated movie "Ratatouille" which starred a mouse as an aspiring master chef, Joesph Keller's confit byaldi ("French Laundry" cookbook) became a dish for kitchen snobs to serve with flair if visited by the most famous food critic. In Australia, that food critic is Matt Preston of Channel 10's Masterchef TV cooking competition.

Confit byaldi is a version of the French provincial ratatouille dish which comprises rustic vegetables cooked in a tomato sauce. In confit byaldi, the vegetables are sliced, attractively arranged, and then slow cooked (at 135 degrees Celsius) in a capsicum and tomato sauce known as piperade. Traditional vegetables are zucchini and eggplant.



Here is a simple version which can be cooked in the microwave as well. Serves 4 as a vegetarian lunch. By using seasonal vegetables with potato as the main ingredient, accompanied by pasta or bread (including crepe or chapati), this dish suits budget meal plans for "Living Below the Line" challenge.

1 small capsicum, sliced (100 g)
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced (120 g)
2 shallots, sliced (50 g)
1 potato, sliced (250 g)
2 cabbage leaves, cut into 5 cm squares (150 g)
400 g canned diced tomatoes in juice
1 garlic, finely chopped
1/2 t parsley
1/4 t thyme
1/4 t basil
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
2 T olive oil

1. Mix garlic, herbs with diced tomatoes in juice. Place half in bottom of pie dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. Arrange sliced vegetables over the tomatoes base.
3. Season well. Drizzle with remaining olive oil.
4. Top with rest of diced tomato in juice.
5. Microwave 4 minutes on high until liquid starts to bubble.
6. Bake, covered with foil, for 2 hours at 135 degrees Celsius.

To serve, neatly lift the sliced vegetables onto a plate and fan out. Sprinkle with herbs, drizzle with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

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