Italian Meatballs …

… the recipe that follows is easy and makes really tasty meatballs. As a rough guide 450g of minced meat will give you 24 meatballs.

Meatballs

450g minced beef, pork, turkey

or Quorn mince

*salt and black pepper

*garlic – either 2 tsps of paste or 2 cloves, crushed

*oregano – a generous sprinkle

*half a tsp of chilli

*heaped tbsp of tomato paste

*1 egg

sprinkle of plain flour

Rapeseed or vegetable oil for shallow frying

Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the remaining ingredients marked *, mix well. At this point your mixture may be too wet. If it is, sprinkle a little plain flour over the mixture and fold in gently.

Use a teaspoon as a measure and heaped with mixture, roll it between your hands and set aside on a board. When the meatballs are ready, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry on a low heat, gently and carefully shaking the pan to ensure they are evenly coloured – use tongs if you are accident prone! Seal the meatballs in batches - 8 at a time and then transfer to an oven-proof dish or foil tray ready for later – cool, cover and fridge.

When you are ready for supper later in the day place the dish or tray containing the meatballs in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 and complete the cooking for 20 minutes – this time will vary depending on the sizes of the meatball – ensure that they are properly cooked – cut a larger one in half to be sure.

The perfect marriage with the “lip smackingly good” tomato sauce!

Note :

You can freeze Quorn mince once it has been cooked – make sure your meal is cold before freezing – use within a month. For use, defrost fully in the fridge and cook within 24 hours ensuring it's piping hot.

Now for the sauce photos

Here we go :

Onions, garlic and spices in the pan with tomato paste

The sauce at the beginning of the cook

Check out the depth of colour at the end

P.s. You could create a pizza with tomato sauce as a base and load with meatballs and whatever else takes your fancy – don't forget to treat yourself to a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan as well as the traditional mozzarella.

You could go the obvious route of spaghetti (as a guide 75g of dry spaghetti per person) - tomato sauce and meatballs – traditional is good!

One thing is certain your sauce and meatballs give you flexible working week supper ideas and the cherry on top of the cake – all you have to do is pull the sauce and the meatballs from your treasure chest.

What's not to love!

The perfect sauce ...

… I have it on good authority!

The perfect sauce was originally coined a “lip smackingly good” tomato sauce – by a student and who am I to disagree! It has many uses, iconically probably with meatballs.

Here goes :

Tomato Sauce

500g passata

1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 cloves of roasted garlic or crushed fresh garlic

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil

knob of butter – 25g

1 tbsp of tomato paste

250g of vegetable stock

a generous sprinkle of oregano

black pepper to taste

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp of salt, to taste

Melt the oil and butter in a medium size saucepan (21cms/8” in diameter), add the onion and soften gently – 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic. Add the oregano and black pepper. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. It's important that you cook the paste – if you don't it will be bitter and taste horrible! Add the passata, stock and then the sugar. The sugar is meant to balance out the acidity that one sometimes gets with tomatoes. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken. Taste the sauce before you add any salt – it's a matter of personal taste. The flavours in your sauce will develop and so will benefit from being made a couple of days ahead and fridged.

The sauce freezes well, bear in mind the size of portions – whatever suits you – smaller is more practical, you can always take out two – no waste.

You'll get 670g of sauce from the recipe.

Now for the photo-guide!

A couple of extra arancini ideas!

If you leave your arancini plain as the original recipe try serving with an Alfredo sauce sprinkled with chopped flat leat parsley a definite lunch or supper dish – delicious comfort food!

Here's the recipe :

1 tbsp unsalted butter

200ml double cream

50g freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gently heat the butter and the cream together, stirring, until the butter has melted, then stir in the Parmesan. Slowly bring to a gentle boil, turn down the heat and simmer, stir continuously for a minute or so until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.

This sauce can be made ahead.

Delizioso!

Finally, I'm a fan of fusion, in particular Italian/Malaysian - this may sound even more strange but I love arancini with a curry sauce, stuffed or not – surely I can't be the only person out there with strange taste?

If you think about it you generally eat rice with a curry … why not in a ball with a crispy shell?

Why not serve the rice ball with a rendang curry? You can cheat if you like a buy a ready-made paste and add it to coconut milk or, a sort of half way house, make your own but speedily.

Rendang Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and

serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

There's nothing wrong with a short cut or two – it may not appeal to the purists out there – some of us haven't got time!

The world is definitely your lobster – you can add prawns or chicken, whatever you fancy. Just in case you think I'm making this stuff up – here's what it looks like, with prawns in the rendang sauce :

Buonissimo!

Coming up … “The perfect tomato sauce” ...

Odds and ends – arancini

Some of us make a risotto deliberately to turn into another dish – for arancini, aka rice balls – sounds a little odd I grant you but traditionally arancini was created to use up leftover risotto. It turns out that the arancini is equally as good as the risotto.

Here's a photo-guide, to illustrate how easy it is

Take three trays (I used foil) – measuring 23x23cms :

50g plain flour – tray 1

3 large eggs, beaten – tray 2

150g Panko crumbs – blitzed in a food processor – tray 3

You can use ordinary breadcrumbs if you can't get Panko

You'll need vegetable oil for shallow frying

Using damp hands, mould each square into a ball – make 3 at a time – place in the flour tray and jiggle, let the tray do the work. Repeat in the beaten egg and finally in the crumb. Jiggle is my own term, descriptive I think - the actual technical term is pané – meaning “breaded”. If you want to be really cheffy you can repeat the egg and crumb - “double pané” for extra crunch.

Place the arancini in the fridge for 20 minutes – use a large frying pan and cover the base in oil, heat gently – test to see it has reached temperature by dropping, gently, a small cube of bread into the oil – it should sizzle. Fry four or five at a time so you can easily turn the arancini and ensure you get an even golden brown colour – about 3-4 minutes. Set aside on a baking tray and keep warm in a pre-heated oven – 150fan/170c/Gas 3.

You don't have to make all 18 arancini – you can make 9 and freeze the remaining half of the risotto, leave in the tray, fold over and wrap tightly in foil.

Next … a couple of extra ideas

Sensational Arancini!

This recipe comes from one you'll know – rice balls made from risotto. It's the perfect solution in that you can make whatever size you like, to suit the occasion!

Here we have :

Arancini

For arancini, aka rice balls, you'll need a basic risotto recipe :

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock

40g unsalted butter

1 tbsp groundnut oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves (or 3 tsps paste)

350g risotto rice

150ml dry white wine

2 tbsps flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

100g Parmesan cheese, grated

salt and black pepper

Bring the stock to a boil and simmer gently. Heat the butter and the oil in a pan and fry the onions and garlic until soft. Season with salt. Stir in the rice and fry for 2 minutes until the edges become opaque. Add the wine. Start adding the stock, a ladle at a time – the liquid should be absorbed before you add the next. Add the parsley, black pepper and the Parmesan cheese.

It's imperative that your stock is kept hot and added a ladle at a time. If you follow these basic principles you'll be fine.

Tip your risotto into a tray bake, cover and cool, then fridge. You can leave for a couple of hours or overnight – whatever suits you best. The tray measures 12” or 31cms - with the tray bake lengthways in front of you cut the risotto in half. Each half tray ( 6” or 15.5cms) gives you 9 arancini weighing approximately 80/90gm approximately. Using one half divide into 9 squares – 2½” (6.5cms) 5” (13cms) and 7½” (19cms) and set aside. I used a good old fashioned school ruler – works a treat. You can continue and make another 9 or freeze the remaining risotto as it is.

Prepping this way will give you pretty much similar sized arancini but don't lose sleep over it!

You might think there appears to be a lot of work, but the recipe is simplicity itself and it can be made in stages, whenever you have time.

Coming up … taking it up a notch!

Here's a little something using broad beans...

If you can't face the thought of blanching and podding 500g of broads beans, split the difference and mix 250g of cooked petit pois – it will however, be worth it!

Here goes :

Favetta

500g broad beans, blanched and

refreshed and then podded

1 roasted garlic clove

100ml olive oil

zest and juice of half a lemon

100g Pecorino cheese – grated

salt and black pepper to taste

Put the broad beans, olive oil and garlic into a food processor and whizz quickly so that you achieve a rough mixture – you do not want a pulp! Tip the mixture into a bowl and add the lemon and zest and add 50g of grated pecorino. Season - but remember that Pecorino is sharper and more tart than Parmesan so taste before you season.

Serve on bruschetta or crostini garnishing with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Pecorino or serve the favetta in one bowl with piadas, ready to roll up and dip.

The ultimate finger food!

The boring stuff - the broad beans

You won't like this!

Blanch your broad beans – bring a large pan of water to the boil and then add the beans, bring back up to the boil. Drain and refresh – in other words rinse in fresh cold water. Tip onto kitchen roll and pat dry. Tip into a bowl.

Place the bowl of beans on a tray that fits into your lap along with two large food bags. Sit in your favourite chair and tune in to your favourite “guilty pleasure” tv programme. Pop your beans to reveal the bright green beauties inside. Place the discarded outer skins into one bag and the beauties in the other.

A tea towel on your lap will stop the tray slipping.

Next up … fruit and nut anyone?

Perfect Piada or Piadina!

You'll see that the recipe given is for the larger, piadinas. I made the smaller piadas – you will get 12/14 breads approximately – it depends how precise you want to be.

Piadina

Makes 4-6 breads (large)

500g plain flour

½ tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

300ml water

Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt and then gradually add enough water to make a dough that is soft and a little sticky. Add the olive oil then knead for 10 minutes, until smooth. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into four to six pieces and flatten each ball into a round to fit your frying pan – it should be about 3mm thick but can be quite misshapen. Prick each bread all over with a fork to prevent puffing.

Heat the frying pan until very hot, then cook each flatbread on both sides. It is fine to have patches of charred dough. Keep each flatbread warm by wrapping in a tea towel until you have cooked the remainder.

Fill, fold and get ready to feast.

P.s. I made the smaller piada and it takes a while – best make ahead and then freeze!

My piadas – hints & tips

You can leave your piadas rough around the edges if you want rustic or you can cut into circles – small is beautiful – especially if you're serving to guests and want to show off. Cutter or rustic, this is the question!

To help, the cutter I used was 10 cms in diameter – in truth 12 cms would have been better – it was the largest I had. I'm having the larger one made as we speak.

Use a timer when you're cooking your breads – if you get distracted you won't get burnt offerings. Another tip. If you intend to freeze your breads then cook for 1 minute each side only - then when you're ready to use from the freezer you've the extra minute each side before serving.

When you cooking your breads you'll get four in a large non-stick frying pan.

Here's my piada :

Here's a recipe if you want to have a go at making your own …

What's next – Piada …

… Piada is a thin Italian flatbread. Piadina is the larger version – typically from the Romagna region – no yeast required! It's a perfect receptacle for street food or more accurately “kiosk” food – sweet or savoury and there's a size to suit every appetite. More to the point it's ideal to serve with sharing plates!

It's not very often I recommend nay rave about “store bought” stuff but here's my suggestion not just for the summer, for any time.

You can buy piada or piadina from most supermarkets. The bread takes 2 minutes each side to warm and colour in a dry, non-stick frying pan. Keep your warmed breads wrapped in foil until you're ready to serve.

Here's what they look like:

Here's a serving idea :

Check out this taco stand – fill your piada with whatever takes your fancy – cheeses, meats, salads and slot into the stand.

Available on line or stores like Dunelm - how very international!

The pizza option …

… it seems fitting that we should serve a “mini” pizza – variety is the spice of life!

I give you “Stromboli”. This is a recipe for those that you know are going to say …. “I don't like … “.

If you are catering for a mixed age group or just want something that you know will fit this is the one! It's also the fastest pizza you'll ever make. It cheats in that you use a ready-made pizza base – if you're a purist knock yourself out and make your own base – in my defence my mission is to make your life easy.

Stromboli

400g prepared pizza dough or ready-made base

4 tbsp tomato paste

100g thinly sliced salami

120g baby spinach

100g thinly sliced mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

Generous sprinkle of oregano or garlic Italian seasoning

Pre-heat your oven 220fan/200c/Gas 8. Place a large baking tray in the oven.

Place a dampened J cloth on your work surface. Place a piece of baking parchment on top of the cloth – it will stop it sliding – make sure you leave enough to get hold of – you're going to lift it onto the hot baking tray that's in the oven at the moment. Unroll the pizza dough gently on the parchment.

Spread the tomato paste onto the base. Add the slices of salami, followed by the spinach and then the mozzarella and sprinkle with the oregano or garlic Italian seasoning. Roll up the base from the shortest side and brush with the olive oil - make sure it's seam-side down when placed on the tray.

WITH CARE remove the tray from the oven and then carefully lift the parchment and the rolled up pizza onto it. Place back in the oven for 20/25 minutes until golden brown – check at 20 minutes.

When removed from the oven slice into portions to suit and serve.

There are photos …

Choose any of your favourite pizza toppings to create your own Stromboli – I said it was fast!.

As for the prepared pizza dough – try Asda for a block of vegan dough @ £2.50 per 400g pack – you'll find it in the chiller cabinet with the other types of pastry.

Hmm, what's next …

Rotolini alla crema di fave …

… here it is :

Serves 4

250g broad beans, fresh or frozen

30g robiola or similar cream cheese *

1 tbsp grated pecorino

4 eggs

3 tbsp milk

1 tbsp plain flour

2-3 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley

salt and black pepper

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

4 slices cooked ham (Italian if you can

get it)

Boil the broad beans until softened in lightly salted water for 5 minutes. Drain, cool and “pop”.** Place in a food processor with the cream cheese and the pecorino and blend until smooth. Season to taste.

Beat the eggs in a bowl with the milk, flour, flat leaf parsley and salt and pepper.

In a lightly oiled, non-stick pan, use this mixture to make about eight small flat, thin omelettes, cooking them on each side for about four minutes. Make sure they are cooked through but soft enough to roll up. Leave to cool.***

Lay a slice of ham on top of each little pancake and spread with the broad bean and cheese mixture, then roll up and cut across into bite-size pieces, sealing each one safely closed with a wooden cocktail stick.

Chill until required.

*Robiola is very difficult to get hold of. You could use ordinary cream cheese or, for an extra tang, try Boursin – I appreciate that Boursin is French and Robiola is Italian but hey, needs must!

** and *** are elements that can and as far as the omelettes are concerned should be made ahead. To “pop” the broad beans, once cooled remove the outer thick skin.

To follow ...

If Italian is your bag ...

… then you might like what follows … here's a selection of cicchetti – pronounced chee-keh-tee - for the uninitiated cicchetti are to Venice what tapas are to Barcelona. Perfect sharing plates!

Here's a few salad sharing plate ideas :

Fresh Mushroom Salad

or Insalata di funghi freschi

Serves 8

300g chestnut mushrooms

150g parmesan shavings

3tbsp extra virgin olive oil

juice of ½ lemon

3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

salt and white pepper

Clean and trim the mushrooms and slice thinly. Mix gently with the parmesan shavings. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt and white pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the mushrooms and parmesan and serve immediately.

I think you'd have to agree that it doesn't get much easier! To save yourself even more time you can prep, box and fridge the mushrooms and ditto the parmesan shavings. Make up the dressing and keep in a screw top jar in the fridge. You're ready to roll in a minute – two at the most.

Another choice from Italian cicchetti – very useful in that these frittatine, or egg pancakes are made ahead, they are delicious stuffed with the broad bean cream.

Here goes, Rotolini alla crema di fave or Stuffed mini pancakes with broad bean cream -

Up next!

Crostini spreads – to buy ready-made or not …

...that is the question!

Do whatever suits you – there are some great quality tapenade and pesto products out there. If you're going to use ready-made buy as good a quality as you can afford.

If you'd like to give it a try, here are recipes for both :

Tapenade

100g black olives, pitted

4/5 cloves of garlic (or equivalent tsps of paste)

1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

black pepper

lemon juice – try a dessert spoon – you can always add more

4 finely chopped anchovies, drained

75g chopped capers

Blitz the olives, then add the garlic, capers and anchovies and blitz again, briefly – you want a rustic paste, not mush. Tip into a bowl and add the oil, lemon juice and black pepper to taste – remember to taste as you go you can't take it back!

Pesto is vibrantly green! It's made from crushed basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil.

The following recipe serves 4, is easy and takes 10 minutes to make.

Pesto

1 small garlic clove or equivalent roasted

pinch of sea salt

25g pine nuts, lightly toasted

50g fresh basil leaves

juice of half a lemon

125ml extra virgin olive oil

Use a small food processor. Put the garlic and salt in the bowl and pulse, then add the pine nuts and repeat until roughly chopped – don't overwork. Add the basil and pulse gently until well mixed but still retains texture. Turn into a serving bowl and add the Parmesan and lemon juice. Pour in the olive oil and mix to a paste. Season to taste.

You could make the pesto ahead and transfer to a jar with a tight lid (sterilised of course) – drizzle a layer of olive oil over the top of the pesto. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

If I had to choose one to make from scratch it would be tapenade every time – it really is scrumptious.

Tomato paste is a bit strong for my taste - if it's not cooked it has a bitter taste but preparing some of each will cater for everyone. A tip – a thin scrape of paste is all that's required!

One might say the crostini is fiddly, but, almost all of it can be done in advance and you can take short cuts for example, you can buy sliced pitted olives, ready to blitz after draining.

Next up … Italian sharing plates

Crostini munching

For those who aren't aware, crostini are small slices of bread, whereas bruschetta gives larger, more rustic slices. In other words, you can make small or large as suits the appetites of your guests. The smaller version is used as a canapé and sliced ciabatta is perfect - part baked baguettes work well too – larger sourdough loaves, sliced and toasted would satisfy larger appetites.

It's back to my lists again, but you'll see that it can be as easy or as complicated as you'd like to make it.

Ciabatta, baguettes or sourdough, sliced.

You can buy part baked baguettes, sliced – a gluten free option

is also available and works very well and you won't taste any

difference

Garlic (fresh or paste)

Olive oil

Tapenade*

Pesto*

Tomato puree*

Toppings

Finely chopped chilli – red and/or green

Goat's cheese – cubed or sliced

Any Italian cheese – e.g. Dolcelatte or Gorgonzola, cubed

Parmesan, Pecorino, Grand Padano (grated), Mozzarella and Taleggio

Olives, pitted and chopped

Mediterranean vegetables, roasted and diced

Parma ham, cut into small triangles, twisted into a cone shape

Salami, as for Parma ham

Anchovies, chopped finely

If you are using garlic paste add olive oil and mix to a paste. Spread sparingly onto the bread, then add any option marked * above. Complete with toppings of your choice – two – three – don't overload.

Whatever you choice of toppings chop, roast or dice ahead, place in small boxes, cover and fridge ready to dress your bread. My tip would be to top your crostini straight onto a baking sheet, lined with baking parchment, cover with cling film and set aside, keeping cool – fridge if you have room.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6. Cook for 3-4 minutes (set your timer!) until golden and crispy.

Transfer to a serving plate and pass to the hungry hoards, pausing only for the accolades!

If you'd like to make your own paste ...

What about New Year?

Ideally you want a dish that is simple to make but tasty and a little indulgent!

The following recipe is one of my absolute favourites and the best of it is that essentially it's veggie but you can adapt it to suit everyone – adding cooked chicken and/or diced chorizo, gently cooked in a dry frying pan so that it releases the residual oil – you could serve in separate bowls on the side.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Here are the bits of information that I always find interesting . Fettuccine Alfredo was invented by Alfredo di Lelio who had restaurants in Rome in the early to mid 20^th century. Traditionally the dish was cooked at your table. As the dish became more popular it appeared in the USA. I was in Vermont when I sampled my first bowl – it was without doubt, the finest bowl of pasta and sauce I've ever eaten and the only one I've ever finished. That was a long time ago – yikes 1997! Since that time my quest has been to find a recipe as near as I could to that bowl of magic, here it is :

1 tbsp unsalted butter

200ml double cream

50g freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gently heat the butter and the cream together, stirring, until the butter has melted, then stir in the Parmesan. Slowly bring to a gentle boil, turn down the heat and simmer, stir continuously for a minute or so until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.

This sauce can be made ahead.

The above recipe would be sufficient for two servings – enough to coat 225g uncooked pasta. Traditionally there are no additions to Alfredo although I've had it served with petit pois. If you've never tried it you're missing out!

The sauce is so good!

There's a photo-guide too …

Heat the butter and the cream

together

Add the Parmesan and heaps of

black pepper

The bowl

The bowl with petit pois

I didn't have any fettuccine in my pantry but I did have spaghetti – if you're not fond of “ribbony” types of pasta just choose your favourite.

You can adapt this to a plant based recipe using:

1 tbsp Flora Plant unsalted butter

200ml Elmlea 100% Plant Double Alternative

to cream

50g Parmesan alternative – for example

Violife Parmesan style

The simple things in life are the best!

Now for some pudding fun ...

The “lip smackingly good” tomato sauce!

Now for a “lip smackingly good” tomato sauce – perfect with the meatballs!

Here goes :

Tomato Sauce

500g passata

1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 cloves of roasted garlic or crushed fresh garlic

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil

knob of butter – 25g

1 tbsp of tomato paste

250g of vegetable stock

a generous sprinkle of oregano

black pepper to taste

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp of salt, to taste

Melt the oil and butter in a medium size saucepan (21cms/8” in diameter), add the onion and soften gently – 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic. Add the oregano and black pepper. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. It's important that you cook the paste – if you don't it will be bitter and taste horrible! Add the passata, stock and then the sugar. The sugar is meant to balance out the acidity that one sometimes gets with tomatoes. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken. Taste the sauce before you add any salt – it's a matter of personal taste. The flavours in your sauce will develop and so will benefit from being made a couple of days ahead and fridged.

The sauce freezes well, bear in mind the size of portions – whatever suits you – smaller is more practical, you can always take out two – no waste.

You'll get 670g of sauce from the recipe.

Onions, garlic and spices in the pan with tomato paste

The sauce at the beginning of the cook

Check out the depth of colour at the end

You could create a pizza with the tomato sauce and load with meatballs and whatever else takes your fancy – don't forget to treat yourself to a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan as well as the traditional mozzarella.

You could go the obvious route of spaghetti (as a guide 75g of dry spaghetti per person) - tomato sauce and meatballs – traditional is good!

One thing is certain your sauce and meatballs give you flexible working week supper ideas and the cherry on top of the cake – all you have to do is pull the sauce and the meatballs from your treasure chest.

What's not to love!

Now for some ideas for the festivities – Christmas and New Year!

The Italian version … first up

… the meatballs!

The recipe that follows is easy and makes really tasty meatballs. As a rough guide 450g of minced meat will give you 24 meatballs.

Meatballs

450g minced beef, pork, turkey

or Quorn mince

*salt and black pepper

*garlic – either 2 tsps of paste or 2 cloves, crushed

*oregano – a generous sprinkle

*half a tsp of chilli

*heaped tbsp of tomato paste

*1 egg

sprinkle of plain flour

Rapeseed or vegetable oil for shallow frying

Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the remaining ingredients marked *, mix well. At this point your mixture may be too wet. If it is, sprinkle a little plain flour over the mixture and fold in gently.

Use a teaspoon as a measure and heaped with mixture, roll it between your hands and set aside on a board. When the meatballs are ready, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry on a low heat, gently and carefully shaking the pan to ensure they are evenly coloured – use tongs if you are accident prone! Seal the meatballs in batches - 8 at a time and then transfer to an oven-proof dish or foil tray ready for later – cool, cover and fridge.

When you are ready for supper later in the day place the dish or tray containing the meatballs in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 and complete the cooking for 20 minutes – this time will vary depending on the sizes of the meatball – ensure that they are properly cooked – cut a larger one in half to be sure.

Note:

You can freeze Quorn mince once it has been cooked – make sure your meal is cold before freezing – use within a month. For use, defrost fully in the fridge and cook within 24 hours ensuring it's piping hot.

Now for the “lip smackingly good” tomato sauce!

Fancy fotos!

Heat the butter and the cream

together

Add the Parmesan and heaps of

black pepper

The bowl

The bowl with petit pois

I didn't have any fettuccine in my pantry but I did have spaghetti – if you're not fond of “ribbony” types of pasta just choose your favourite.

You can adapt this to a plant based recipe using:

1 tbsp Flora Plant unsalted butter

200ml Elmlea 100% Plant Double Alternative

to cream

50g Parmesan alternative – for example

Violife Parmesan style

The simple things in life are the best!

Now for seasonal strawberries …

A passing fancy

I made a passing reference to Alfredo Sauce in the Galli – Hints and Tips. This is my absolute favourite – admittedly without the chicken.

I know the immortal words “keep it simple” aren't mine but it's so true.

A word of warning – this is definitely not what you'd describe as “fat-free” and so a treat!

Fettuccine Alfredo

Here are the bits of information that I always find interesting . Fettuccine Alfredo was invented by Alfredo di Lelio who had restaurants in Rome in the early to mid 20^th century. Traditionally the dish was cooked at your table. As the dish became more popular it appeared in the USA. I was in Vermont when I sampled my first bowl – it was without doubt, the finest bowl of pasta and sauce I've ever eaten and the only one I've ever finished. That was a long time ago – yikes 1997! Since that time my quest has been to find a recipe as near as I could to that bowl of magic, here it is :

1 tbsp unsalted butter

200ml double cream

50g freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gently heat the butter and the cream together, stirring, until the butter has melted, then stir in the Parmesan. Slowly bring to a gentle boil, turn down the heat and simmer, stir continuously for a minute or so until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.

This sauce can be made ahead.

The above recipe would be sufficient for two servings – enough to coat 225g uncooked pasta. Traditionally there are no additions to Alfredo although I've had it served with petit pois. If you've never tried it you're missing out!

The sauce is so good and tasty it lends itself to other dishes and particularly leftovers.

There's a photo-guide …