Pasta

Rishta bil Adas (Lebanese Pasta & Lentil Soup)

Rishta bil Adas (Lebanese Pasta & Lentil Soup)

Pasta has long been a staple of Levantine cuisine, where it has found its way into rice and lentil dishes, and even desserts. It has the ability to lift a humble meal of lentils into a complete protein, and makes it incredibly fun to eat. Rishta bil Adas is one of these dishes. It’s a comforting lentil soup that gets its rich flavour from carefully caramelised onions, a few spices and fresh coriander. By cooking the lentils together in the same pan, they impart their hearty flavour and turn the liquid into a wholesome broth.

Lolli con Fave (Pasta with Fava Beans)

Lolli con Fave (Pasta with Fava Beans)

This is a scrumptious example of the ingenious cooking of Cucina Povera, Italy’s kitchen of the poor. Thanks to a few simple techniques, it turns a humble assortment of veg, beans and freshly made pasta into a hearty and creamy one-pot dish.

Harissa Spiced Tagliatelle & Puy Lentils

Harissa Spiced Tagliatelle & Puy Lentils

Pasta, in fact all carbs, have long gotten a bad rep. But the more I learn about food, the more I realise that carbs are not at fault here. In fact they too play a crucial role in a balanced diet as a source of energy. Rather, it’s the kind and quantity of carbs we consume that makes a difference.

Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma

There are few things as rewarding as making a homemade tomato sauce from scratch. The fragrance of the garlic gently frying in the oil, the scents of oregano and basil, the slow and satisfying blipping of the San Marzano tomatoes as they reduce. It is a process that encapsulates the joys of summer.

Slow-cooked Mushroom Ragù

Slow-cooked Mushroom Ragù

A vegan ragù with a rich sauce made from caramelised onions, slow cooked mushrooms, tinned cherry tomatoes and the gentle heat from a chipotle chilli.