Pumpkin and Sage ravioli with Leek

This is the last of the leek - I promise! Going on holidays at the end of the week so trying to empty out all my food from the fridge. This is a super-quick and easy meal that is filing whilst not being too heavy.

From the chopping board to your belly in less than 15 minutes!



I used a single serve packet of pumpkin and sage ravioli, but if you would like to make more, just scale up the ingredients to suit.

1/2 a leek, halved again and sectioned thinly.
1 tbs minced garlic (lots for me 'cos ive got a cold! you can use less)
a dash of olive oil
1tsp pesto
a dash of milk
salt and pepper to taste
sundried tomatoes and shaved parmesan for garnish


Cook the ravioli as per packet instructions. While thats on the boil -

Put the sliced leek, garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper into a small saucepan. Sautee leeks till nice and green and going clear. Add your splash of milk, stir over a low/medium heat - once thats reduced a bit (about 2 minutes) add the pesto and stir. Take off heat.

Drain pasta into a bowl. Add leek and sauce, garnish with sundried tomatoes and shaved parmesan. Enjoy!

Potato, Leek and Mushroom Pizza

I had some leftover leek in the fridge (don't I always have leftover leek in the fridge?) so I thought it might be interesting to see what it was like on pizza.
Ive been cooking a lot lately, due to completing assignments and cramming for exams - cooking serves as both an excellent study break and a wonderful procrastination pastime - so a good feed is always appreciated, especially by hungry students like me!!

This turned out surprisingly well. Potato on pizza is always a favourite of mine, and using rosemary infused olive oil to drizzle on the base gives a wonderful aroma to the crunchy crust.



1 thin pizza base
1 1/2 tbs tomato paste (or a handful of sundried tomatoes chopped and blended till smooth)
1 tbs pesto
3 cloves organic garlic, sliced finely
1/2 a leek - cut in half again and then thinly sectioned
2 small potatoes, sliced finely
about 8 mushrooms - more mature the better - sliced
4 small sprigs of rosemary
200g mozarella cheese, freshly grated
rosemary infused olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Evenly sprinkle rosemary oil on one side of the pizza base, place down on the pizza tray.
Spread other side with tomato paste and pesto.
Use a mandolin slicer to slice the garlic and distribute evenly over the base.
Use a mandolin slicer to slice the potatoes and layer over the whole base - usually ending up 2 layers thick. Pull leaves from rosemary and sprinkle on the potatoes.
Put the leeks on top of the potatoes, and the mushrooms on top of the leeks. Drizzle with more rosemary infused olive oil and add salt to taste.
Add mozarella cheese, making sure to cover all the potatoes.

Cook in a 200 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until cheese is just starting to brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Roast Vegetable Agnolotti with Mashy Pumpkin sauce

This is a quick, easy and tasty meal that you can whip up after work with minimum fuss.

1 packet of Latina fresh Roast vegetable agnolotti
1/3 Jap pumpkin, cut into 3cm cubes
4 cloves garlic, left in peel
1 onion, peeled and quatered
6 sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 small sprig rosemary
1 small bunch sweet basil
salt and pepper to taste
50gms danish fetta
10 pitted kalamata olives (with a little brine)
a drizzle of rosemary infused extra virgin olive oil.

Put pumpkin, garlic and onions onto a baking tray. Lightly spray with oil. Bake for 30 minutes at 190 celcius or until garlic is soft and pumpkin is starting to brown.
Peel the garlic, and put all the baked ingredients into a stick mixer chopper bowl. Set to medium speed and whizz until chopped. Add sundried tomatoes, herbs and spices. Add a little olive brine if you like.
Whizz again until it is a thick, chunky puree.

Cook pasta as directed on packet. Drain.

Spoon pasta into bowls, spoon on pumpkin sauce. Crumble fetta on top and add olives. Drizzle with infused olive oil.

Takes about 40 minutes from chopping to eating!

Australian Bush Foods - Royale Style

This one is actually one of Jyames'. Im just saying it as I saw and assisted it! This uses freshly roasted Bunya nuts, and fresh lemon myrtle leaves. Absolutely amazing flavours - Tastes even better the next day!!!

2 medium eggplant, sliced into 2cm thick rounds and rubbed with salt
1 capsicum, sliced
1 zuchini, sliced
1 bunch asparagus, woody bits removed
1/2 a leek, quatered lengthways
15 Bunya nuts - slit crosswise on the top
2 twigs of fresh young lemon myrtle leaves
1 small tub of fresh cream
about 6 cloves of garlic
a few sprigs of mint
salt and pepper to taste




Put the bunya nuts into water that has reached a rolling boil. Boil them for around 40 minutes or until the shells start to split. Discard any that have not split.
Carefully extend the splits on 2 sides with a sharp knife and peel away a section - be very careful not to cut yourself! Once you have about 1/2 the shell off, you can squeeze out the nut.
Toss the nuts in chopped garlic and a little olive oil. bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.



Barbecue the capsicum, zuchini and asparagus. Put the leek into a foil pouch and put on the barbecue, turning the bag every few minutes so that the leek does not burn.
barbecue the eggplant on each side for about 5 minutes, until it just starts to become tender.
Set all aside to cool.


arrange the stacks with a layer of eggplant on the bottom, alternating with layers of capscium, leek and asparagus, finishing off with a small round of eggplant. Choose a middle layer and place a few leaves of lemon myrtle with the layer. Place zuchini around the stack. toss around a few leaves of mint and half the bunya nuts, add a few lemon myrtle leaves to the top.
Pour over cream and season with salt and pepper.

Bake in oven for approximately an hour, until the eggplant is soft and the cream has thickened into a sauce.

serve with a really good red wine.

This dish is very heavy and quite filling, so if you are like me, you will probably have leftovers for the next day. This is a very good thing as the lemon myrtle has had time to seep through the layers and sauce. This is one of those dishes thats divine as it comes out of the oven and even better the next day!!

Baked Potato with Signature Brie

I love playing with baked potato recipes. There is just so much you can do and the potato makes the perfect filling base.

This is a tasty variation on the usual pizza flavoured baked potato, with some slightly posh ingredients.

Baked Potato with Signature Brie

1 large brushed potato, washed and scrubbed.
1/4 - 1/2 Tasmanian Heritage Signature Brie, sliced lengthways.
(you can use any goopy brie for this. triple cream brie is also good)
sprinkle shredded parmesan to taste
5 - 10 kalamata olives, halved.
a handful of baby spinach leaves.
2 vege sausages, sliced into 1cm rounds.
1 large tomato, diced.
1/2 onion, diced.
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped.
2 small jalapeno peppers, diced
salt to taste
lots of cracked black pepper
a good splash of tabasco if you like

Pierce the potato with a fork in several places, wrap in foil and place into oven at 190 for about an hour, or until its soft when pierced.

While the potato is cooking, put the garlic, onions and vege sausages into a saucepan and saute. Add diced tomatoes, jalapenos, salt/pepper and tabasco to taste. Let it simmer down till sauce is thick.

When potato is cooked, put into an ovenproof bowl (foil and all), cut into quarters (but do not allow the potato to come apart) and fill with the vege sausage sauce. Place spinach and olives on top and then cover with cheese.

Bake uncovered until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serves 2. Tastes even better the next day!