Taglierini al Pomodoro (Food of the Angels)

It would only be natural to follow up yesterdays post with a recipe for fresh ”taglierini”. There is so much drama written about making fresh pasta, but the simple truth is that it is easy and a child could do it. In fact I helped my grandmother do it every Sunday of my childhood. Perhaps that is why it is not daunting to me. But lets face it, you mix flour and eggs, knead for a few minutes and pass the dough through a machine that does all the hard work for you. Its not rocket science. A little time consuming, but worth the effort. My partner and I enjoy making fresh pasta together, and without trying to sound too corny, it is a bonding experience and gives us both a sense of satisfaction that only gorgeous food can provide.
There are many formulas for fresh pasta. Ideally you should use fine Italian “00” flour, which is milled especially for home made pasta. It is available from supermarkets and specialists food stores. (Tip- buy it from the supermarket, they charge half the price for exactly the same brand). Some recipes use whole eggs, while others egg yolk only. I have also seen recipes that use only egg whites. I have never tried the egg white only method, but I think I may as I currently have about 10,000 egg whites in the deep freeze!
My preferred formula is with egg yolks. I find it has a better flavour and texture, and looks a prettier shade of yellow (like blonde angels hair!).

Ingredients
200g fine Italian flour (Tipo “00”)
6 egg yolks (the absolute freshest and best eggs you can afford)

Method
Put the flour and egg yolks in a bowl. Mix until it comes together, to form a dough. If it seems a bit dry, add a bit of water. Or you can add more egg yolk. For this amount of flour, I have read you can add up to a total of 10 egg yolks. Obviously the more egg yolk you add the richer your pasta will be. And if it seems too sticky, add a bit more flour. Let your eyes and hands be the judge.
Knead the dough on a flat surface, until it is smooth, like a babies bottom (about 10 minutes) Wrap in cling film and allow to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Remove the dough from the fridge. Cut it in half and keep the portion you are not using immediately wrapped in cling film to prevent it from drying out.
Clamp your pasta machine down to the bench and get someone to help you- one person can crank the handle and the other can feed the dough through the rollers.
Feed the dough through the thickest setting of the machine 10 times. Fold it into threes, each time, so it is easier to put through the machine. Add a bit of flour from time to time to prevent the dough from sticking.
Now you can reduce the machine settings and begin to thin out the dough. Don’t fold in threes this time though. You may need to cut the sheet in half as it gets longer and thinner, so it is easier to handle. I roll mine to the second last setting. Lay the pasta sheets on a well floured surface, and repeat the above rolling procedure with the remaining dough.
The pasta is ready to cut into “taglierini” once the edges have begun to dry a little. Trim the edges and ends of the dough with a sharp knife, so your pasta is nice and neat. Now feed it through the taglierini cutters (finer) or tagliatelle cutters (thicker). Roll the strands into little nests and leave them on a floured tea towel, until you are ready to cook.

Taglierini will only take 1 minute to cook in boiling water. Drain them and toss gently with butter and extra virgin olive. Serve this delicate pasta in a large serving dish dotted with tomato sugo and homemde ricotta . Sprinkle over basil leaves, parmagiano and black pepper. I like to keep all the elements whole and separate, rather than combined, so you can taste all the flavours individually and not mask the delicate nature of the fresh pasta. This is definitely food of the angels. This amount of pasta is enough for 2 people. The recipe can be easily multiplied.

My Sugo (Pure and Intense)

I don’t care what any Italian nonna tells you, this is the best and only way to make your own “sugo”. You wont find any garlic, onion, carrot, celery, wine, stock etc in this sauce. But it is truly important to use the best tomatoes. The ones pictured here were from the communal vegetable garden in my apartment block.
If you have never bothered to make your own sugo, I beg you to try. You will be very pleasantly surprised. In fact making this beautiful sauce is probably the only thing I look forward to in the summer.

Ingredients
2 kilos of beautiful red ripe tomatoes (not those insipid things from the supermarket)
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Sugar
A few basil leaves

Method
Preheat the oven to 200c.
Lay out your tomatoes onto a roasting pan (or two) and drizzle over some oil.
Bake them for 30–45 minutes until the skins have split and they are tender within. Under any circumstances do NOT allow the tomatoes to caramelize! This is not the flavour you want your sugo to have.
Allow them to rest a little and cool down. Remove the blistered skins and discard. Place the tomatoes into a wide pan, along with any of the sweet juices.
Mash the tomatoes, I just use a potato masher, and over the lowest heat allow them to reduce to sauce consistency, about 30-45 minutes. It is really important to cook the sauce on the lowest heat because tomatoes have a high sugar content, and these sugars will burn if cooked over a high heat.
Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Throw in the basil leaves and a generous amount of olive oil.
You will be amazed of the purity and intensity of flavours this sauce has.
A divine balance of sweet and sour. Use it for pasta, pizza etc. Can be stored in the fridge for a few days

Carrot Puree for Veal Schnitzel

Veal Schnitzel and carrot puree sounds like a strange combination, but it really works and I love it. This puree is more fluid than usual and it is meant to be served as a sauce to dip your schnitzel into, rather than a solid vegetable puree.
I am not going to give a schnitzel recipe here, but I like to coat my veal steaks in a mixture of seasoned flour and mustard powder, egg and Japanese breadcrumbs. I fry them in peanut oil until golden and give them a quick drain on paper towels.

Ingredients
300g carrot
200g dutch cream potato (or other suitable mashing potato)
1 clove of garlic
300ml vegetable stock (fake is fine)
1 tsp cumin
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
3 heaped tbsp cream (35% fat)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
25 ml lemon juice (or to taste)
Fresh chopped parsley

Method
Peel the carrots and potatoes. Cut them into chunks.
Steam them over boiling water until they are tender (about 20 minutes). The rest is a breeze.
Place the veggies with the stock, garlic, cumin and cream into a saucepan.
Using a hand blender, whiz everything to a fine and fluid puree. It should almost be like cream of carrot soup.
Reheat only for a few seconds (you want to retain the raw garlic flavour).
Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
I like to serve this in small bowls alongside the schnitzels, for dipping. Serves 2.

Blackberry and Caramel Jus

This recipe was actually a failed attempt at making blackberry jam. Unfortunately I caramelized the sugar and the fruit did not set. The result however was a sublime dessert sauce and perfect to serve with pancakes and vanilla icecream. Or with French toast made with challah bread. My favorite way is to serve it with pannacotta. See my Honey Panacotta recipe substituting sugar for the honey, and cointreau for the fortified wine. Amaretto, kirsch and grand marnier would work well too. Make this in summer, when blackberries are plentiful and inexpensive. This sauce should keep indefinitely in the fridge, so it can be enjoyed throughout the cooler months when blackberries are not in season or too expensive.

Ingredients
500g blackberries
500g sugar

Method
Preheat your oven to 200c.
Put the blackberries in a dish just large enough so they fit snugly.
Place the sugar into another dish. The dish for the sugar should be about 20cm across, any larger than that and the sugar will burn.
Bake both for 30 minutes. The blackberries will release their juices but still remain whole. The sugar will have dissolved to a light caramel.
Pour the caramel over the berries and stir gently. Try to not break up the fruit as you mix.
Pour into a sterilized jar and seal. Store in the fridge.
Makes about 500ml.

Peach, Cinnamon and Ginger Dressing

I don’t usually make oil free salad dressings but this one is wonderful sweet and fragrant, and goes particularly well with peppery rocket leaves.
You could use other fruits instead of peaches. The choices are endless and limited to your imagination. Apples, pears and cherries would work well. Try different varieties of spices, vinegars or sugars to complement your chosen fruit.
Store this dressing in a sterilized glass jar in the fridge. It should keep indefinitely.

Ingredients
2 yellow peaches, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
15g ginger, sliced into thin coins
100g brown sugar
125ml herb infused red wine vinegar (or just use plain red wine vinegar)

Method
Place all the ingredients including the peach stones into a small saucepan.
Bring very slowly to a simmer and cook for 15-20minutes.
Strain and store in a sterilized jar. Makes about 100ml.

Mushrooms Baked with Thyme and Butter

Food writers often complain cultivated mushrooms lack flavour and body. And to an extent this is true. These mushrooms are definitely delicate in taste compared to their wilder cousins, but here in Australia, we don’t have much choice when it comes to funghi. Certainly there are limited amounts of Slippery Jacks and Pine mushrooms available during autumn. Cultivated Truffles from Tasmania are available during winter (I await in anticipation), and wild Morels during spring. They are all expensive and you need to know where to find them or be acquainted with an informed supplier. Otherwise the options we have in Australia are to use dried Italian porcini or canned Chanterelles from France. Trompettes de mort and Girolles are available in the dried form, and numerous European oils infused with Cepes and both black and white Truffle.
In the meantime, I don’t mind cooking with the cultivated version. Patience is a virtue, and that is the beauty of cooking with seasonal produce. Good things come to those who wait, and I look forward every year for these culinary delicacies.

Ingredients
6 large flat mushrooms
120g cultured unsalted butter
Fresh thyme
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

Method
Remove the stalks from the mushrooms. Freeze the stalks for stock. Lay the mushrooms in a baking dish.
Place 20g of butter in the center of each mushroom.
Lay a few sprigs of thyme over each mushroom and scatter the baking dish with the cloves of garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake at 200c for 45min to an hour or until tender.
The mushrooms will decrease in size, and thus improve in flavour, whilst absorbing all the luscious butter.
Serve immediately. Enough for 2 people as a side dish.

Figs, Balsamic, and Parmesan Oil

As today is Valentines Day, I thought a recipe starring figs would be appropriate. Perhaps I have a naughty mind, but I can’t help to think of Adam and Eve, frolicking in the Garden of Eden, wearing nothing but fig leaves.
Biblical banter aside, there is something definitely erotic about figs (in the culinary sense, please!) I love how the soft flesh and sticky seeds combines with fragrant and sweet “Aceto Balsamico”. Serve this simple dish with a plate of fresh goats cheese, thin slices of prosciutto, and crusty bread. A bottle of Pinot noir will complete this gastronomic love affair.
For anyone out there who has found themselves dateless tonight, do yourself a favour- prepare yourself this meal and all feelings of desperation will vanish. The flavours are so divine, you will forget all about your broken heart. I promise. And if that doesn’t satisfy you, then drink the wine until you pass out….

Ingredients
Black figs
Aged Balsamic vinegar (see note below)
Parmesan oil (see note below)
Fresh black pepper

Method
Choose figs which are soft, but not mushy.
Slice them in half and arrange attractively on a plate.
Drizzle over with parmesan oil. Spoon over balsamic vinegar, making sure you get some of the fragrant vinegar in the centre of each fig.
Grind over some pepper and serve immediately. Accompany with a fresh goats cheese and a plate of prosciutto

Note- True Aceto Balsamico is expensive and by Italian law must carry a stamp of approval from the “consorzio”. Prices can fetch up to almost $500 for a bottle aged 100 years. I have tasted such vinegars and the complex flavours bear little resemblance to those vinegars which are sold in supermarkets. I use the authentic product for uncooked dishes and the fake version for cooking. I realize most people would not be able to afford such a luxury condiment, so here is a little trick I learned a few years ago. Dissolve equal amounts of supermarket balsamic with sticky brown sugar. The sugar will add complexity and viscosity to what would otherwise be a flat and lacklustre vinegar.
To make Parmesan oil, steep the rinds of Parmagiano Reggiano in extra virgin olive oil(I cannot bear to throw out any part of this cheese, it is too expensive!) The cheese will scent the oil delicately and it is wonderful to drizzle over finished dishes. If you cannot be bothered with this step, substitute with plain extra virgin olive oil.

Pork Sausages with Cider Vinegar and Herbs

As you might have guessed from earlier posts, I love discovering and using fine ingredients. I am currently obsessed with vinegar. Vinegar should provide acidity as well as flavour, and my favourite at the moment is an apple cider vinegar from Limoges, France. It is clean, sharp and fruity. This particular vinegar is beautifully balanced and compliments the richnes of pork.
I used an Italian style sausage for this recipe. My butcher sells them under the name of Sicilian sausage. These pork sausages are dense, coarse and flavoured with garlic, peppercorns and fennel seeds. Duck or a Tolouse style sausage would make an excellent alternative. Avoid those sausages with funny names, like whiskey & fennel, or teriyaki & pineapple (do people actually eat these?), or with strange fillers and dubious extenders.

Ingredients
500g Italian sausages with fennel seeds (6 sausages)
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
4 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
75ml extra virgin olive oil
25ml cider vinegar
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Fresh white pepper

Preheat the oven to 200c. Prick the sausages all over with a sharp implement, so they don’t explode whilst cooking. Roast them for about 45 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Mix together all the remaining ingredients to form a condiment. Serve with the sausages, either drizzled over or on the side. A very easy and comforting dinner. Serves 2.
Note- New potatoes and baby onions make a wonderful addition roasted along with the sausages. Have lots of bread to mop up the sticky juices left over in the roasting pan!

Cannellini with Prawns, Mussels and Fish

I love the idea of combining pulses and beans to go with seafood and fish. I don’t know why, but they make a fabulous combination and the following dish demonstrates how well these elements complement each other.
Admittedly this dish can be a bit fussy and tricky to get right. The fish and seafood need to be cooked precisely, and they all need to "finish" together. And it is important to use real homemade stock in the recipe. Stock cubes, I am afraid, will result in a sauce too salty and lacking in body. Make your own, it is worth the effort.
I have used Flathead and King Dory, but obviously you can use any firm fleshed fish. This dish is a perfect size for 2 people. More than that and I would probably have a nervous breakdown- there is too much concentration and precision involved to get this stew perfect.
Devour this fishy stew with lots of crunchy bread.

Ingredients
125g King Dory fillets
125g Flathead fillets
2 large king prawns
6 live mussels
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Red chilli to taste
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander, plus extra to garnish
100ml white wine
700ml real homemade chicken stock
400g can Italian cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
Fresh black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method
Trim the fish fillets into chunks about 6 cm long.
Remove the shells from the king prawns. Reserve the shells. I don’t bother removing the intestinal tract- I detest fiddly jobs and my name is not Cinderella...Let the eaters do it themselves at the table. A bit of DIY wont do any harm.
Remove the beards from the mussels.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and gently sauté the prawn shells until they are pink. Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and discard the shells.
Over a gentle heat, use the remaining tbsp of olive oil and sauté the garlic, chilli and herbs for a minute or so. Throw in the stock and wine and reduce for about 15 minutes.
Now you can begin to cook the seafood. Add the king prawns to the reduced stock, cover the pan and braise for 2 minutes or until pink. Using a slotted spoon remove to a bowl and keep warm.
Add the mussels and cook the same way, until they have opened. Remove the mussels to the bowl with prawns and keep warm.
Finish with the fish, just as described above. The fish should take 1-2 minutes. Place the fish, once cooked to the bowl containing the other seafoods.
To the remaining juices in the pan, add the cannellini beans, turn the heat to high and cook until the liquid has reduced to a soupy/stew consistency.
Season with black pepper.
Serve the seafood on a large platter with the beans, cooking juices, herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Serves 2.

Roast Tarragon Chicken

You are probably aware by now the foods I cook are (almost) always seasonal. And every summer I like to cook the classic French style roasted tarragon chicken. Chicken and tarragon are a marriage made in heaven, and there are many versions. This one is my own.
Please use a well-bred chicken- either organic, free range, or corn fed. Or all three, if you are truly obsessed. I know they cost a bit more, but these superior birds are worth the price. I cannot bear to eat supermarket chicken anymore. I call these disadvantaged birds “concentration camp chickens” Just the idea terrifies me. These birds are kept in prison like conditions, injected with bizzare chemicals and even end up psychotic (apparently). How appetizing!
There is a noticeable difference between the maladjusted battery beast and those fine birds which have been properly reared for the table. Not only in the flavour but also in the texture of the flesh and fat. Even the bones and shape of the carcass are sightly different.
As always I spatchcock my chicken, so it cooks evenly and quickly.

Ingredients
1.2 kilo chicken (mine was organic)
2 tbsp of tarragon vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped French tarragon
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
50g butter (cultured and unsalted)
300ml cream (35% milk fat)
50 ml white wine

Method
Cut away the backbone from your chicken, using kitchen scissors. If you are using a well-bred bird, you may notice the bones are stronger, than those birds which are bred in inhumane conditions. Lay the bird out like a book, and using your hands apply pressure, so to flatten the carcass.
Combine the vinegar, oil, 1 tbsp of tarragon, salt and pepper. Pour over the bird and massage into the skin. Allow to marinate for about 1 hour at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 230c.
Dot the bird with butter. Place the bird breast side down in a roasting dish. Add a small glass of water to the pan. Cook for about 30 minutes or until golden brown, basting from time to time. Turn the bird over and continue to roast for another 15 minutes, or until the breast has browned. Remove the bird to a plate, cover and allow to rest.
In the meantime, deglaze the baking pan with white wine. Add the cream and reduce rapidly until you have achieved a sauce like consistency. Add the remaining tarragon and check for seasoning.
Serve the creamy and fragrant sauce with the chicken.
I like to serve the chicken with roast potatoes and roast garlic, which I have very coarsely smashed and dressed with extra virgin olive oil and chopped parsley.
A 1.2 kilo bird will serve 2-3 people.

Angela's Arroz

This dish is what I call Latino comfort food and I ate this more than anything else when I was growing up. Well okay, my mother didn’t use Spanish calasparra rice or fresh fish. She used Australian long grain rice and tinned tuna, but I guess she had more mouths to feed than I do and it was cheap that way. Actually tinned tuna is delicious stirred through this rice at the last minute, so don’t hesitate to do that if you are down on time and cash. Feel free to substitute beans or chickpeas for the fish too, they work just as well
I love this peasant-style dish. This just goes to show that food doesn’t have to be posh to be fabulous.

Ingredients
1 onion (red or brown), finely chopped
1 celery stalk (optional), finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp dried greek oregano
About 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
A pinch chili flakes
1 tsp Spanish paprika (not smoked)
200g calasparra rice (buy from Spanish delis)
75ml rose wine
30g tomato paste
Fish stock (I used Spanish fish stock cubes and water)
200g fish fillets (any type)
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Freshly chopped parsley
Thyme sprigs, to garnish

Method
Begin with the sofrito-that is gently cook the onion, celery, garlic and herbs in the olive oil very gently for about 30 minutes, or until beginning to caramelize.
In the meantime, poach the fish in the stock. Remove the fish to a plate and reserve the stock.
When the fish is cool enough to handle, break it into small chunks.
Add the chili and paprika to the onion mixture. Stir well. Bring the heat to medium and throw in the rice. Toss the rice in the pan for a minute or so. Splash in the wine and tomato paste, then allow to evaporate.
Now I begin to add the stock bit by bit, just as you would for risotto. My mother never did this, she added all the liquid at once and cooked it by absorption. I prefer my method only because I have become so accustomed to cooking risotto and because I have a crazy obsession with perfectly cooked rice. Please yourself. When the rice is cooked al dente, stir in the fish and parsley.
Add salt and pepper, if you haven’t already done so. If you have gone the tinned tuna route, adding a garnish of thyme will prevent you feeling like a pauper. Either way, I always add a touch of glamour.
Serves 2.

Peaches with Bubble Syrup

My original idea for this dessert was to make Bellini sorbet i.e. white peach and sparkling wine sorbet. But my very persuasive partner, suggested peaches poached in sparkling wine instead. So I sent him off to purchase some lovely peaches and Australian sparkling wine (I cant use the word “champagne” here, I may be sued like YSL!). He returned with some lovely yellow peaches and the bubbles. I must say, food writers and chefs get very excited by the white peach, but the yellow variety is just as lovely and I don’t think it deserves such snobbish treatment just because it isn’t white. Both are suitable and ultimately the choice is yours.
The only drama I encountered with this recipe was removing the skins after poaching. Peeling anything is usually enough to induce a tantrum on the kitchen floor. Luckily my beloved partner was by my side to take over with this hideous task. I love happy endings…

Ingredients
Peaches
Sparkling wine
Cinnamon stick
A few cloves
A vanilla pod, split in half
Sugar

Method
This is very simple. Select peaches that are ripe, but still firm.
Place the peaches into a saucepan with the aromatics. Pour in the wine. The peaches should be completely submerged. If this is not the case, add water.
Add sugar. The amount of sugar you add will depend on the sweetness of the peaches and the wine, and of course your personal taste.
Bring to the boil, and switch of the heat immediately. The residual heat will be enough to gently poach the peaches.
Leave them to cool in the syrup.
Remove the skins from the peaches. This will require patience- a virtue that I lack.
Reduce the syrup until it is thick and nectar like. Add more sugar, if you think it needs it.
When the syrup has cooled, discard the aromatics and pour the syrup over the peaches. Leave to macerate in the fridge.
Serve the peaches unadorned in shallow bowls, with the sweet pink nectar drizzled over. They are lovelier if you remove them from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving.

Tomato Gazpacho

I knew it was going to be stinking hot today, so I prepared the glorious Spanish soup, Gazpacho. This tomato soup is served cold, so its great for summer days. I roasted my tomatoes the day before, so this way I would not have to turn on the oven in such ridiculous weather conditions. However, you can also do this with raw tomatoes-that’s how it is done in Spain anyway.
This is an austere soup and I have tasted some revolting gazpachos in the past, insipid and watery. If you use the best bread, olive oil, vinegar and tomatoes for this dish, it will be a success.

Ingredients
1.5 kilos beautiful, red, ripe tomatoes
50g peeled cucumber, roughly chopped
150g red pepper, cut into rough chunks, seeds and membranes removed
1 garlic clove
100g crustless sourdough bread, cut into chunks
A pinch of chilli
A pinch of dried greek oregano
50ml sherry vinegar
50ml herb infused red wine vinegar
100ml extra virgin olive oil
500ml cold water
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Sugar, if you need it to balance the acidity

For the garnish
Very finely chopped cucumber, red and yellow peppers, tossed with a touch of olive oil

Method
Roast the tomatoes at 200c, until the skins have split, and they are tender within (about 45 minutes). Do not allow them to caramelize.
Cool and remove the skins.
Now all that is needed is to blend or process all the remaining ingredients (except the garnish). You can have your gazpacho, silky smooth or coarse and rustic. I like mine on the smooth side, but I will leave the choice up you.
Chill in the fridge and serve sprinkled with the garnish ingredients.
I like this soup with lots of bread. Enough for 6-8 serves.

Veal and Spinach Involtini

Try to find white, milk fed veal for this dish. I'm sorry to say, darker grass fed veal will dissapoint - it is dry and tasteless, and no magical cooking technique will correct this problem.
For this dish, veal slices are spread with a lemon and spinach paste, rolled and fastened with string. The veal rolls (or involtini) are then braised gently until they are tender.
This dish is suitable for a casual weekday dinner, or if multiplied, would do very well as an elegant dish for a fancy dinner. I like to serve this dish with braised mushrooms.

Ingredients
600g sliced veal (about 8 – 10 escalopes, palm size)
200g baby spinach leaves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary needles
Juice and zest from 1 lemon
2-3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
30g butter
sea salt
Fresh white pepper
Fresh black pepper
Freshly chopped parsley

Method
Use a meat mallet to pound the veal slices, so they are thin.
In a large saucepan, cook the spinach until wilted. Remove to a sieve and allow to drain naturally (I think people who squeeze spinach to extract the liquid are crazy!). When it is cool, chop it finely.
Cook the onion in oil gently, until soft and sweet (about 20minutes).
Add the spinach, lemon zest, rosemary, salt and both peppers. Cook gently for 15 minutes. The spinach will deepen and sweeten in flavour.
Spread the spinach mixture onto each veal slice, roll and tie with string.
In a pan large enough to fit all the veal rolls, heat 1 tbsp of oil over a high heat and brown the veal rolls on all sides.
Throw in a glass of water, lower the heat, cover and braise gently for 45 minutes. Check from time to time the pan isn’t drying up. Add more water if this is the case. I also throw in a couple of woody rosemary stalks (no leaves) for extra flavour
Remove the rolls to a plate, when they are tender.
Add lemon juice and enough water to the pan to create a sauce. Turn off the heat, and throw in the butter, amalgamating well into the sauce.
Check the seasoning and serve the sauce drizzled over the veal rolls, with chopped parsley. Enough for 2-3 people.
I don’t remove the strings before serving, but of course, do so if you wish.