Go the Italian way and indulge in the finest their cuisine has to offer

Spinach Gnocchi

Ingredients
>>5 tbsp spinach puru00e9e
>>6 medium potatoesu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 cup refined flour + for dustingu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>Salt to taste
>>8-10 black peppercorns, crushedu00a0u3 tbsp olive oilu00a0u00a0u00a0u2 medium onions, choppedu00a0u00a0u5 garlic cloves, chopped
>>1 medium green capsicum, chopped
>>2 cups tomato concasse
>>1/4 cup fresh creamu00a0
>>1 tsp dried oreganou00a0u00a0u00a0
>>2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheeseu00a0
>>5-6 fresh basil leaves


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Boil potatoes, till just cooked. Drain, peel and mash while still hot. Cook the mashed potatoes in a pan so that all the excess moisture dries up.
Add refined flour, spinach puru00e9e, salt and one-fourth teaspoon crushed peppercorns and mix till smooth. Do not over-knead the dough. Divide the dough into four portions and shape each portion into a one-inch thick roll. Cut the roll into one-inch long pieces.
Press each piece with the prongs of a fork to make a design, and lightly roll in flour.
Gently lower the gnocchi into a pan of boiling salted water and cook till they rise to the surface. Drain and refresh in chilled water. Drain again and stir in one tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.
For the sauce, heat the remaining oil in a pan and sautu00e9 the onions, garlic and green capsicum.
Add the tomato concasse and sautu00e9 for five minutes.
Add three-fourth cup of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the cream, mix and bring to a boil again. Toss the gnocchi in the sauce, add salt, remaining crushed peppercorns and dried oregano.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and roughly torn basil leaves and serve hot.


Fusilli With Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients
>>2 cups coloured fusilliu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 medium red capsicum, cut into 1-inch piecesu00a0
>>1 medium carrot, thinly slicedu00a0u00a0
>>1 medium onion, slicedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>4 tbsp olive oilu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>Salt to taste
>>4-5 garlic cloves, choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1/2 cup tomato puru00e9eu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1/2 tsp white pepper powderu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1/4 cup fresh creamu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1/2 tsp dried basilu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>A few sprigs of fresh parsley u00a0

Method
Arrange red capsicum, carrot and onion on a baking tray and sprinkle with one tablespoon of olive oil. Cook in the oven at 180u00b0C for ten minutes.
Boil plenty of water in a deep pan with salt. Add one tbsp of olive oil and the fusilli and cook till al dente (cooked, but still firm to the bite). Drain and refresh in cold water. Stir in one tablespoon of olive oil.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and puru00e9e with a little water in a blender.
Heat two tbsp of olive oil in a pan; add garlic, vegetable puru00e9e, tomato puru00e9e, salt, white pepper powder and half a cup of water and simmer for five minutes.
Add the boiled pasta and mix well. Stir in the fresh cream and the dried basil.
Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Chef's Tip: You can use penne, farfalle or macaroni instead of fusilli.

Risotto With Three Cheeses

Ingredients
>>1 1/2 cups arborio rice
>>2 tbsp grated processed cheese
>>2 tbsp grated mozzarella cheese
>>2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
>>4 tbsp butteru00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 medium onion, sliced
>>2 shallots, halved
>>2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
>>1 tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs
>>4 cups vegetable stock
>>Salt to taste
>>10-12 black peppercorns, crushed
>>1/2 cup fresh cream
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Method
Heat butter in a pan; add onion, shallots, garlic and herbs and cook till golden brown.u00a0
Add the rice and sautu00e9 for two to three minutes till well coated with butter. Stir in the vegetable stock, season with salt and crushed peppercorns and simmer till the rice is cooked.
Add processed cheese, mozzarella and cream and stir gently to mix. Serve hot, sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.