SPAGHETTI WITH BREADCRUMBS AND PECORINO CHEESE

This recipe comes from the Coltibuono estate in Tuscany and uses their excellent Albereto extra virgin olive oil. This year the fruity herbaceous tones are delicious and this recipes allows them to shine through.

Ingredients:
600g spaghetti
80ml Albereto extra virgin olive oil
200g fine dry breadcrumbs
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
50g melted butter
50g Tuscan Pecorino cheese, grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Bring a large pan filled with salted water to the boil. Add the pasta, stir well and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile warm the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and garlic and fry until golden, stirring all the time. This takes about 3 minutes.

Drain the spaghetti and transfer to a warm bowl. Add the butter and toss well. Next add the Pecorino cheese and breadcumbs. Season with salt and pepper and serve at once.

NEW ZEALAND LAMB WITH PORT AND ORANGE

This is quite a light casserole that is great for warm Spring evenings. I use either an Portuguese olive oil like Quinta de la Bispardo to partner the Port or a New Zealand oil like the lovely Wairmarama from Hawkes bay in North Island. There is sufficient here for four really hungry adults or six with a small appetite. Serve with flat noodles or rice.

Ingredients
1kg lean lamb cut into cubes
I orange
1 tablespoons sugar
finely chopped parsley
marinade:
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons Port
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
pinch of cinnamon
salt and pepper

Method
Cut strips of zest from the orange and place in a pan with the sugar. Add a little boiling water and cook for five minutes until the water almost evaporates away. To make the marinade squeeze out all the juice from the orange and place in a bowl with the onion, garlic and all the remaining ingredients. Stir and add the cubes of lamb. Cover and leave for at least four hours or overnight in the fridge.

Drain the meat keeping the marinade on one side and dry well. Fry in a little more olive oil until lightly browned.

Add the orange rind and the meat to the reserved marinade and add a little water so that the liquid comes about half way up the meat. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 50-55 minutes until the meat is really tender. Spoon onto the cooked noodles or rice and garnish with finely chopped parsley.

ITALIAN MOZZARELLA BREAD

This is something really different to serve with grilled meats from the barbecue. Use a really well flavoured oil such as Galantino Terra di Bari DOP from Puglia or Sicilian Ravida.

Ingredients
1 Puglian sour dough loaf or a rye and caraway loaf
1 mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
60ml extra virgin olive oil
1 can anchovies, drained
Italian black olives, stoned and sliced
plenty of freshly chopped marjoram

Method
Slice the bread almost but not quite through to the base at about 1cm intervals. Brush each side of each cut with plenty of olive oil and place a slice of Mozzarella in the middle. Brush the top of the loaf with more olive oil and criss cross with anchovies. Sprinkle with herbs and wrap in foil. Bake for 15 minutes in a high oven, opening the foil to wards the end of the cooking time. Cut between the slices and serve at once.