Some content
300g mussels, scrubbed and bearded,300g clams (vongole),12 large prawns, heads trimmed, shell removed and deveined,200g salmon fillets, cut into large pieces,200g mini octopus or squid tentacles,750ml Vegetable or Fish stock ,3 tablespoons olive oil,4 garlic cloves, minced,1 teaspoon red chilli flakes,2 brown onion, finely chopped,Pinch of saffron strands,1 small fennel, thinly sliced1 cup (250ml) white wine,500g Val Verde Passata,2 teaspoons dried oregano,Juice of ½ lemon,Handful of fresh parsley leaves and fennel fronds, chopped,Freshly cracked black pepper
To Prepare The Seafood
Add mussels and clams to a large heavy bottomed pot along with 750ml vegetable/fish stock. Cover and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, shaking pan occasionally until mussels and clams have opened up. Remove from heat. Strain and reserve the stock for the soup. Discard any unopened mussels and clams.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large cast-iron frying pan on medium-high heat. Cook fish and prawns for 1-2 minute until seared and starting to char. Remove from heat and set aside.
In the same pan, cook tentacles for 30 seconds on high heat until just cooked. Remove and set aside.
To Make The Soup
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil on medium-high heat in a large wide pan. Add garlic and chilli. Sauté for a few seconds. Add onion and fennel. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until onion is caramelized. Add the pinch of saffron. Mix well. Add wine to deglaze the pan and mix all the brown, sticky bits.
Add Val Verde Passata, the reserved stock, oregano and lemon juice. Mix well. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes to develop flavours.
Add the mussels, clams, fish, prawns, octopus/squid and mix well. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes until heated through.
Remove from heat. Sprinkle with black pepper, garnish with parsley and fennel. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Serve with crusty bread.
Val Verde Passata or Val Verde Rustica Passata ,1 Packet of dry pasta ,1 Tin Val Verde Cherry Tomatoes ,400g Mozzarella Cheese ,100g Parmigiano Cheese,4 Garlic cloves ,4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil ,Fresh Basil ,Salt & Pepper
Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once the water has started to boil.
For the tomato sauce:
Roast the cherry tomatoes and peeled garlic cloves sprinkled with half the olive oil and some salt in a preheated oven at 180°c until the tomatoes start to lose their skin.
Put the garlic cloves and roasted tomatoes with the oven juices and a few chopped basil leaves in a little olive oil in a frying pan or iron skillet. Cook for a few minutes. Then remove the garlic and add the tomato passata.
Add salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 15 minutes.
Complete the dish:
Cut the mozzarella into thin slices.
Put the pasta into the boiling salted water and when they start to rise to the surface remove with a slotted spoon and add them to the tomato sauce.
Mix the pasta and tomato sauce together and transfer to an oven safe dish.
Cover the top with a layer of mozzarella slices and then cover the mozzarella with grated Parmigiano cheese.
Bake in preheated oven at 180°c until the top starts to brown. About 15-20 minutes.
Serve immediately decorated with some chopped or whole basil leaves.
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil,2/3 cup basil leaves,1 small garlic clove, finely crushed,15 cherry tomatoes, halved,220g buffalo mozzarella, sliced,400g can Val Verde Cannellini (white) Beans, rinsed and drained,2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1. In a frying pan, combine half the extra virgin olive oil and basil. Cook gently on low heat for 3-4 minutes or until basil slightly wilts.
2. Pour into a bowl and add the garlic. Leave aside to cool. Once cooled, remove basil and garlic.
3. Pour the beans on the plate spreading them to create an even surface. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella and arrange them on top of the white beans. Add vinegar to the oil mixture and whisk until combined. Drizzle over salad. Garnish salad with remaining basil leaves.
500g Casarecce pasta,500g Italian-style pork sausages,½ cup olive oil,1 cup red wine,690g Val Verde Traditional Pasta Sauce,½ bunch basil leaves,freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish,Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling.
1. Slice or chop pork sausages. Heat olive oil in a large heavy based pot and sauté sausages until well browned.
2. Deglaze pan with wine, add Val Verde Traditional Pasta Sauce and bring to the boil. Simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until thickened.
3. Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente, drain and toss hot pasta into ragu together with basil leaves. Serve with tagliatelle, farfalle or spaghetti. Finish with a sprinkle of parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
