delicious Australia - May 2020

PASTA BAKES.
then transfer to a 1.6L baking dish. Mix
ricotta and cream together in a bowl until
smooth then spoon over pasta. Combine
breadcrumbs, thyme, oil and parmesan in
a bowl and rub with your fingertips to coat
breadcrumbs in oil. Scatter over pasta and
bake for 25 minutes or until breadcrumbs
are golden. Serve immediately.
FREEFORM PORK & FENNEL
LASAGNE WITH BACON BECHAMEL
(COVER RECIPE)
SERVES 6-8
1 /4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 each fennel and onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1kg pork and fennel sausages, casings
removed
1 cup (250ml) white wine
1 /3 cup chopped sage leaves, plus extra
leaves to garnish
900ml tomato sugo (seasoned tomato
sauce – from delis and Italian grocers)
250g (about 6) fresh lasagne sheets
(substitute cooked dried sheets), torn
in half
150g grated mozzarella
BACON BECHAMEL
20g unsalted butter
6 smoky bacon rashers, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbs plain flour
2 cups (500ml) milk
40g finely grated parmesan
Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat oil in a large,
deep ovenproof pan over medium heat.
Add fennel, onion and garlic with a pinch
of salt flakes and cook, stirring, for
15 minutes or until softened. Add sausage
meat and cook for 15 minutes, breaking up
with a wooden spoon, until browned all
over. Add wine and sage and bring to a
simmer. Cook for 3 minutes or until wine
is reduced by about half. Add tomato
sugo and 1 cup (250ml) water. Bring to a
simmer and cook for 25 minutes or until
thickened and reduced. Season to taste.
For the bechamel, place butter, bacon
and onion in a cold saucepan over low
heat. Gradually bring to heat, stirring
regularly, to render fat from bacon. Cook
for 10 minutes or until bacon is rendered
and onion has softened but not coloured.
Increase heat to medium-low. Stir in flour
and cook for 2 minutes to cook out flour.
Add milk in 2 batches, whisking to ensure
no lumps form. Increase heat to medium
and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes
or until slightly thickened. Remove from
heat, stir parmesan and season.
Push torn lasagne sheets into hot sauce
so they are submerged. Pour over
bechamel and top with extra sage leaves
then scatter with mozzarella. Place on a
tray and bake for 30-35 minutes until
golden, then serve.
ONE-POT LAMB SHANK, BLACK
OLIVE AND CHILLI PASTA BAKE
SERVES 6-8
Begin this recipe at least 3 hours ahead.
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 (about 1.2 kg) forequarter lamb shanks
1 each onion and carrot, finely chopped
1 tsp each roughly crushed chilli flakes
and black peppercorns
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 cups (500ml) beef stock
1 /2 cup (125ml) red wine
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
140g tomato paste
5 bay leaves
3 rosemary sprigs
2 tbs red wine vinegar
140g pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 cups basil leaves
300g shell pasta, cooked to packet
instructions, drained, refreshed
50g finely grated parmesan
160g coarsely grated mozzarella
Heat oil in a large heavy-based ovenproof
pan over medium-high heat. Season lamb
and add to the pan. Cook, turning, for 8-10
minutes until browned all over. Remove
from pan and set aside. Add onion and
carrot, and cook, stirring, for 6 minutes
until softened. Add spices and stir for
1 minute or until fragrant. Add stock, wine,
canned tomato, tomato paste, bay leaves
and rosemary. Bring to a simmer then
return lamb to the pan. Cover and simmer
for 3 hours or until lamb is very tender.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Discard lamb
bones, rosemary sprigs and bay leaves.
Add vinegar to the sauce and simmer for
2 minutes then stir through olives, half the
basil. Season to taste, then stir in pasta.
Scatter with parmesan and mozzarella and
bake for 25 minutes until cheese is golden.
Top with remaining basil to serve.
CREAMY MUSHROOM AND
CHEDDAR BAKE
SERVES 6
60g unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
600g chopped mixed mushrooms (we
used chestnut and Swiss brown)
1 /4 cup (60ml) dry white wine
20g chopped dried porcini mushrooms,
soaked in 1 /2 cup (125ml) boiling water
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 tbs thyme leaves, plus extra to scatter
1 1 /2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs plain flour
250g sour cream
1 cup (250ml) pure (thin) cream
200g grated tasty cheddar or mozzarella
300g penne, cooked according to packet
instructions, drained, refreshed
Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt butter in a
large frypan over low heat. Add garlic and
onion, and cook, stirring, for 6 minutes or
until fragrant and softened. Add mixed
mushrooms, reserving about 1 cup of the
best-looking mushrooms to garnish.
Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring
regularly, for 10 minutes or until
mushrooms are golden. Add wine and
simmer for 2 minutes, then add porcini
and soaking water, paprika, thyme and
Worcestershire. Season. Increase heat to
medium and cook for 5 minutes or until
liquid has reduced. Stir in flour and cook for
1 minute to thicken slightly. Add sour
cream and bring to a simmer. Season with
salt and black pepper. Stir in cream, half
cheddar and cooked pasta. Transfer to a
baking dish and top with remaining
cheddar and reserved mushrooms. Bake
for 20-25 minutes until golden, serve.