First Time Pasta

I've always had a little fantasy involving pasta.

The ultimate version of this vision involves perhaps a renovated barn in Tuscany with an expansive kitchen filled with rustic cooking utensils. Throw in a devastatingly romantic Italian lover and his charming (but not overbearing mother) on hand to teach me her authentic pasta recipes and techniques honed throughout a lifetime of cooking up a storm for her family and I'm well on the way to fulfilling the dream. Reality check. . .it's the stuff of a 'straight to TV' movie adapted from a self discovery type novel likely to have gotten the thumbs up by Oprah.

So tweak the dream just a little and I'm in my tiny kitchen in Ballarat surrounded by my own collection of vintage kitchenalia, cooking up a storm for myself and anyone who cares to road test my fledgling efforts at making my own pasta.

I've never been able to justify buying

a pasta machine as most people I know

who have them have used them
a few times and then resorted to
the packaged gear for
pure ease and convenience, leaving
said pricey
pasta machine abandoned.

But when I stumble across a tidy little machine
in perfect nick in one of my local op-shops
for just $15 I can't resist at least
I won't have to feel guilty about my
carbon footprint, even if I never
put the machine to good regular use.

BASIC PASTA DOUGH

350g plain flour (Powlett Hill Biodynamic)
3 free range eggs
1 tsp Murray River salt flakes
1 tbsp - 3tbsp olive oil
1 - 3 tbsp water

In a bowl combine flour and salt.
Add eggs, some oil and some water
into a well in the flour. Mix.

Add additional oil and water if needed.

Mix in until mixture begins to clump.

Flour your kneading surface
then knead dough until smooth.

Add more flour to stop it sticking.
It may take a while to get smooth.

Wrap kneaded dough in cling wrap
and rest for at least 20 minutes
at room temperature.

With my sage madly flowering at the moment - I'm desperate to use the delicate purple flowers
in something. Thanks to Rohan from http://wholelarderlove.com/ for assuring me the sage flowers are perfectly edible.

I divide the basic past dough and add chopped sage flowers and sage into the mix when rolling.

I set the machine on a wide roll.
I keep rolling, folding the dough
over itself and re rolling over
and over.

I gradually set the roller
on smaller settings
until suddenly the sheets
feel like 'real pasta'.

I realise I have
nothing to dry them on
so I improvise
with a music stand
covered in paper towel.

I leave the sheets to rest
for half and hour or more.

Then I feel the sheets through
the cutting section of the
pasta machine.



I flour the strands and hang them over a wooden spoon to dry again.


The sage flower pasta was incredible. It improved after a couple of days.
I think I slightly over cooked my first batch. Such fresh pasta cooked very quickly. 5 or so minutes and then check frequently from there.

Perfect served with just nut brown butter, crispy sage leaves, Meredith Dairy Goats Cheese, salt and pepper. Add some panchetta or smoked chicken (or any left over Festive Meat ie ham or turkey) and rocket with toasted walnuts or any other handy ingredients.

Serve with some left over cranberry jam or quince paste perhaps.
Great way to use leftovers.

An Abundance of Artichokes

There are some seasonal specialties that transport me back to taste sensations from my childhood (freshly foraged field mushrooms, peas in the pod, stewed quinces) and others that have become favourites more recently - like artichokes.

I owe my artichoke obsession to the Greek and Italian florists I worked with in my mid twenties in Melbourne for they helped me learn to prepare this intimidating flower and taught me simple recipes that have become much loved favourites.

I now count fresh artichokes right up there with my favourite spring time indulgences. Artichokes are in season and at their best right now in the Ballarat region and due to the fact that I have been planting them in every spare corner of my home garden and in a plot at the Ballarat Community Garden - I now have an abundant harvest to enjoy.

There are several ways to prepare artichokes - I'm still experimenting with different methods, but for the many people who have asked me to show them basic preparation skills in the past, here's a short 'how to' video for preparing artichoke hearts ready for braising.

BRAISED ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Artichoke hearts prepared as per above instructions
Freshly crushed garlic (1/2 to one clove per heart)
2 teaspoons of olive oil
Butter (1 tablespoon per heart)
Lemon zest and juice to taste (appx 2 teaspoons per heart)
Vegetable or chicken stock (appx 1/3 cup per heart)
White wine - optional
River Murray Sea Salt to taste

In a large heavy based pan saute garlic in olive oil. Add artichoke hearts and half of the butter and brown slightly taking care not to burn the butter.

Add stock and wine if desired and a lid and cook on a medium heat or braise in a moderate oven for around 10 to 15 minutes or until artichokes are nearly tender.

Return to the stove top if braising in the oven. Add the remainder of the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Add more stock or water or wine to make extra sauce if desired. Balance out with more butter and lemon juice to taste.

For an extra touch add a couple of spoonfuls of thick cream or sour cream just before serving. Season with a good dose of salt and serve ensuring artichokes are smothered in the sauce.
Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

The next best thing to homegrown tomatoes

There's nothing quite like the taste of homegrown tomatoes and nothing quite as disappointing as shop bought tomatoes that look great - but fail to deliver even a skerrick of authentic tomato flavour. Knowing that these flavourless impostors have most likely been picked green and gassed with ethylene to ripen them slowly as well as trucked hundreds (if not thousands) of kilometers across Australia before reaching my supermarket shelf - makes me determined not to buy them at all (before I even start calculating the food miles and carbon footprint that goes along with the dismal taste). If I have to wait for summer and the luxury of my homegrown crop - so be it, it's well worth the wait.



So I was blown away when I first tasted the produce on offer from 'The Tomato Man' as I called him at the Ballarat Lakeside Farmer's Markets. I'd soon get to know him as John Elford, the brains and brawn behind Yendon Gourmet Tomatoes - an inspiring small local business producing tomatoes equal to, if not tastier, than your backyard summer crop. And that's saying something because I've grown some great tomatoes in my time.

I love knowing where my food comes from. Getting to know the farmers and growers who produce my favourite seasonal treats and being invited to visit their farms is quite truthfully an honor. . .especially when it is so easy for many of us to feel so far removed from our food source.

So I'd like to share some images from my weekend visit to Yendon Gourmet Tomatoes.





















The vines start as small robust looking plants and with careful attention soon grow sinewy stems several meters long, that are trained and trimmed until they tower high above the floor - laden with perfect clusters of fruit.


I have fantasies of weaving baskets with the long stems at the end of the season. . .but I haven't pitched that idea to John yet.

With the plants replaced every year the instance of pest infestation and disease is dramatically reduced, so while small amounts of sprays are sometimes required, it is easy to see just how healthy the hydroponically grown plants are.
























Thanks to the challenges of the recent drought, John invested in drought proofing the system, installing a biological filter which allows water to be recycled without the use of chemicals. So compared with conventional outdoor paddock methods, the water used in this production process is vastly reduced.

John's now investigating ways of using the small amount of water that is discharged from the system. . .I've managed to convince him that a paddock of globe artichokes will thrive on the waste water, so I'm excited to hear he's sourcing seed for that project as artichokes are right up there with my favourite season foods of all time.




In addition to the tomatoes, John has been diversifying with eggplants and cucumbers (which reportedly grow almost as fast as he can pick them) as well as lettuces and herbs, which you'll find from time to time for sale at the local farmer's market as well as on the menu at local restaurants and food outlets who know the value of sourcing their produce locally.




And to prove he's not afraid of losing a customer,
John sent me home with a box full of amazing tomato and eggplant seedlings which will soon be taking pride of place in my new plot at the Ballarat East Community Garden (after a short stint as part of the BREAZE Local Food Display at the Ballarat Show on the 11-13th of Novemeber, 2011).

For updates on when and where you can source this delicious local produce check out Yendon Gourmet Tomatoes on facebook.

Stay posted for plenty of tomato recipes this summer.

Ballarat Lakeside Farmer's Market

It's an amazing time of year for fresh produce, and while winter may seem devoid of seasonal delights on the surface - dig a little deeper, there's plenty to discover.

I'd highly recomend a trip to your local farmer's market this weekend for the freshest and best winter produce. In season at the moment - turnips, swedes, red and green kohlrabi, celeriac and beetroot, and you might be lucky enough to find lovely fresh Jerusalem artichokes.

Also brilliant at this time of year are leafy asian greens, brussel sprouts, cabbages, cauliflowers, spinach, silver beet and spring onions.

I'm also trying my first batches of olives this year - so keep an eye out for a ripening tree to plunder or boxes at your local markets.

If you're in the Ballarat region - The Lakeside Farmer's Markets kicks off at 9am till 1pm - opposite the Botanic Gardens by Lake Wendouree. Take some time to chat with the stall holders - they're a friendly bunch and will give you all of the tips and hints you need to make the most of fantastic local produce.

I've always wanted to grow my own mushrooms.

Recently I discovered my local 'mushroom man' selling 'Grow Your Own Mushroom Kits' at my local farmers markets. Perfect. $15 for the box, potential yield of 2 to 6 kgs per box. . .with mushrooms around the $10 a kg mark, makes economic sense, and I love the idea of cutting down on my food miles by growing something so close to home.

Slight catch - we're in the midst of a chilly winter in Ballarat and there's no way my house is the recommended 20 degrees Celsius required for happy mushroom farming.
Leaving the heating on all day to warm a box of mushrooms. . .environmentally dubious?

But there's one place that's warm day and night - the perfect climate for my fungi experiment - and that's work.



So for the last couple of weeks I've had an unobtrusive little blue box hidden under my desk. When I discovered the radio studios were at least 5 degrees warmer - the mushroom's accommodation got upgraded. They're now happily soaking up everything from hit music to football broadcasts while enjoying the warm, dark atmosphere.

And it looks like my nursing may be paying off. . .the entire surface of the peat is now almost entirely covered by tiny white bubble like growths. . .my babies.


So until my boss
finds out about
my little experiment,
I'm anticipating
a bumper harvest.

And while my work mates
might be a little
freaked out,
I'm sure they'll love
the finished product.

So far so good.
The boss is paying the
power bills and the
mushrooms are happy.

Now I need to find my favourite
recipes and prepare for the harvest.

Winter Mushroom Hunt in Ballarat. . .

Less than 3kms from the heart of Ballarat lies
Black Hill, ravaged and gouged by frantic
mining during the Goldrush, now a haven of sorts including for black cockatoos who flock to Black Hill's pine trees in their dozens.

And while the evidence of a cockatoo's feast is often scattered at the base of the pine trees - I recently discovered what I call 'pine mushrooms' and my sister (the field biologist) calls 'Saffron Milk Caps' or 'lactarius deliciosus' growing happily beneath the Black Hill pines.

Last winter we had several successful mushroom picking trips in the Creswick and Wombat Forest area - but to find tender, fresh saffron milk caps so close to home, right in the heart of Ballarat is quite a thrill.

Food miles? A few hundred meters to my kitchen.

Science wise - if you're thinking of heading out into one of regional Victoria's pine forests to hunt for Saffron Milk Caps, I highly recommend you spend some time researching online first or find someone familiar with this particular mushroom to guide your first journey. There are many highly toxic fungi flourishing as well - be careful.

I'm lucky to have had the guidance of my biologist sister - who has also attended a Fungi Ecology Workshop with world renowned Ecologist and environmental photographer Alison Pouliot (www.alisonpouliot.com), who returns to the Goldfields most years to run workshops. Highly recommend such a workshop so you can be confident you're collecting the right ingredients, the tasty safe ones, not the toxic troublesome ones. Saffron Milk Caps naturally acquire a coppery green tinge as they ripen.Look for small to medium size vibrant orange caps, which are often hidden under pine needles.

Even a small haul of these delicious mushrooms will be enough to whip up a worthy dish with. They are somehow crunchy yet tender when cooked gently - simple recipes work best for me.

BRAISED SAFFRON MILK CAPS
for TOAST, PASTA or RISOTTO

Multiply this recipe according to the size of your mushroom haul. This portion serves two.
For the vegan version of this recipe use olive oil not butter, substitue pancetta for capers and hold off on the cream at the end.

2oo grams of saffron milk caps
1 large shallot and or 1 small onion
1 spring onion
1 tablespoon of good extra virgin olive oil
2 gloves garlic or one teaspoon crushed
3 large slices (approx 30 grams) of Istra pancetta
Fresh herbs - thyme, sage and parsely (or a combination of all three).
Butter for frying
1/3 cup dry white wine or 1/4 cup of dry sherry
1/2 cup of boiling water (if needed)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional, consider the food miles).
2 tablespoons cream, sour cream or marscapone.


Brush your mushrooms clean, being extra careful to remove any hiding insects.
Discard any displaying too much bruised green flesh.

Heat oil in a heavy based fry pan and caramelize shallots, onions and spring onions.
Add a couple of tablespoons of water each time pan starts to stick to help the browning process.

When these ingredients are a deep golden colour finely chop garlic and add to the pan. Fry until golden.

Add finely diced pancetta, fry until the fat begins to render out.

Set this mixture aside.

Finely slice saffron milk caps and brown in butter in a hot pan. Fry in batches if needed for easy browning. Don't over cook them at this step.

Add onion and pancetta mixture back into the pan. Add white wine or dry sherry.
Add finely chopped herbs and toasted pine nuts (if you've decided to opt for the extra food miles - I wish I could find Australian grown pine nuts!).

Add a good grind of black pepper and salt to taste. Simmer for a few minutes until sauce reduces slightly.

If you prefer your mushrooms well cooked, add some boiling water and reduce.


Just before serving stir in 2 tablespoons or cream, sour cream or marscapone.

Serve as a bruscetta on your choice of bread. Local sour dough from Basilio in Ballarat was perfect.

Alternatively serve over pasta. I have also used these ingredients as the basis for a risotto - add any other winter vegetables you have on hand that will complement the subtle pine flavourings of the Saffron Milk Caps.

Face The Carbon Tax, Fight The Credit Crunch in the Kitchen

There's nothing quite like the feeling of acquiring a new piece for my kitchen, rescuing another much loved kitchen favourite and putting it to use in the pursuit of all manner of edible delights.

The other day (as the implications of an impending Carbon Tax were being bandied about) and in the same news flash proof that we are 'hooked on credit' - to the tune of some $50 billion dollars - it struck me that so much of what we as a nation buy is beyond our budget and once the initial thrill of the purchase has dimmed, we're that little more in debt for what? And at the same time as we're filling our nests with shiny trinkets we're adding to our emissions woes.

For me that urge to collect, to purchase, to rescue and to revive beautiful things is still too strong to ignore altogether, so for many years now I have indulged only in buying second hand treasures for the kitchen. The more likely to be trapped in the bottom of a box for a decade or two at the Op Shop an item - the more satisfying the rescue. All with that extra thought of a local charity reaping the benefits from my spree - and not a credit card purchase in sight, and a carbon footprint a fraction that of buying new.

So to inspire others to seek out the pre loved, the sturdy work horses from the kitchens of yesteryear. . .here's some of my recent rescues (and a few old favourites).




Left: Last Sunday Suzy the wall scales came home with me, hidden in the bottom of a box bought at an auction in Ballarat.

Suzy is a Domestic Scale - made in Waihi, New Zealand. Suzy's measuring bowl flips up for easy storage and now I'll be able to bake all of my Grandma's old recipes without having to convert back from pounds and ounces. Nice work Suzy.

The scales came in an assorted box, I was bidding for the set of canary yellow canisters (intended wedding present for my younger sister) and Suzy and box full of other unknown items were just extra's in the mix.



Below: Nuptial canary yellow canisters. Price - way cheaper than a new set of canisters with no where near the appeal of these vintage beauties.

Hanging on wall to the right of an inherited handmade wire rack - Le Crueset red enameled cast iron fry pan - Made In France. Discovered in the bottom of a huge box full of sticky, off colour Tupaware on a crowded bottom shelf at the very back of an Op Shop in Wendouree, Ballarat. Price - $2. Beat that ebay!








Above: Along with Suzy the cheery yellow wall scales, a trio of well worn rolling pins, practically oozing baking skills I am yet to acquire.

That night I bake a pie, putting one of the new / old pins into action - perhaps for the first time in years - convinced I can feel it's parched wood respond to the moisture of the pastry. But the pastry on the pie was average - so I'll hold off on the theory I should be able to channel pasty nouse with the right looking vintage pin.

Also above: Sunbeam Mix Master - haggled over several years ago at Coburg Trash & Treasure Market. Price: $65. . .one of my most loved kitchen appliances.

Old Willow tins in background - inherited from my Grandmother Anita Wachtel - another set of 4 matching ones on Ebay - less than $30 and coming via post from Bendigo.