Once in a while I feel like cooking. Having a husband-chef doesn't cause that urge too often, but still sometimes I'm trying to impress with my culinary skills (not that great...). Today it was my husband's name day (sort of like a birthday but less spectacular), so yesterday I made him a pasta bake and today a raspberry tart. Here are the recipes and remember: although it might not look pretty, it taste yummm. By the way check my husband's cooking blog:
pepper-it
Pasta Bake
Ingredients:
100-200g of any kind of pasta You like (I used Penne)
Half of red and yellow pepper
half of red onion
half of aubergine
(You can really use any veggies You like)
200g of peeled shrimps
cheeeeese (gouda and parmesan in mine)
single cream
For the sauce (my husband taught me that):
olive oil
1 bag of cherry tomatoes
other half of onion
7 leaves of fresh basil
one clove of garlic
salt, pepper and sugar
fresh coriander
I fried red onion on olive oil with finely chopped garlic and basil. Then washed cherry tomatoes, sliced them in half and add them to pan; added salt and pepper. Left it on slow fire for about 40mins to one hour, tasted it if it needs sugar. Sometimes the tomatoes are sweet enough. When done (U'll know when it's done by it's mushy texture), I used the strainer to get rid off tomatoes skin, blended it with blender and added chopped coriander. Now, I boiled pasta, but not for too long as I want it only half cook (it will soften while baking in oven). Slice both peppers, onion and aubergine and roast it on pan for few minutes. Then I filled the bottom of the casserole dish with pasta and added the tomato sauce. Next layer are the roasted vegetables and shrimps (washed in cold water, and well squeezed to get rid of all water). Again use any kind of meat. Lastly I added grated parmesan and gouda and baked in pre heated oven for about 30 mins. I added some rocket leaves for decoration and because I just love it. (Hope it all makes sense) Voila!
Raspberry Tart
The video wasn't great and so my tart doesn't look as nice... I had the base too short in the oven, and when I added the raspberries and custard and baked it again, it was well done on the side but rare in the centre. You can see the burnt edges. At the end it's still tasty, but I was going for the visual effect too. Well, my reflections about this are: cooking is an art too and 'We all learn on our mistakes'.