I had cake and ravioli for breakfast

Parma ham and goats cheese ravioli with chorizo basil infused oil

Well, after waking up to lemon drizzle cake, it felt totally natural to follow (pre coffee) with some impromptu ravioli. Cooked coats cheese is one of the most srcummiest (salty, smooth and rich) of tastes, and squashed all up with parma ham and basil, it becomes one helluva a bite. As the goats cheese cooks inside the ravioli, some of the creaminess oozes out and coats the outside of the pasta with a slightly glossy salty film. Garnish with chorizo oil // its melt in the mouth moreish.

A few sheets of fresh egg lasange sheets
150g of goats cheese (sliced into 10p piece sizes)
4 slcies of parma ham
30g grated parmean
100g chopped basil
1 (really hot red chilli) finely chopped
1 egg yolk (to make em stick)

Infused oil
Chorizo 50 g (diced)
1 clove garlic
1/2 red chili
20g fresh basil

Cut the lasagna sheet into 2inch x 2inch squares (average). Put a little bit of goats cheese in the centre, a little parma ham, squash in a little basil and chili, sprinkle with Parmesan - put a little egg yolk around the edge, place its twin square on top and press down hard (put some egg yolk around the edge as well. Keep pressing down. Add to boiling water (boil for 5 -6 mins). Plate up - heat extra virgin olive oil, add chili garlic, chorizo (30 seconds) - add another splash of ex vi. ol. oil and spoon on top of the pasta. Top with Parmesan.

My favourite food

Home baked Lasagna

Needs no introduction? 

Tomato Mince
1 onion (finely chopped)
3 cloves of garlic

500g mince
1 glass of red wine
1 cup of beef stock
2 tbsp of tomato puree (and then some)
6 drops of Tabasco
Some dried chillies / chili powder
handful of chopped chorizo
handful of fresh oregano

handful of fresh basil
few sprigs of rosemary
2 tins of chopped tomatoes

White sauce
100g plain four
100g butter
1 pint of milk

200g chedder cheese and 100g parmesan for layers

Saute the onions and garlic (5mins) add the chorizo and a glug of red wine (2mins) - remove chorizo / onion mix and place in a bowl for later. Add another chopped garlic clove to the hot pan, and a little of the stock and a little of the red wine. Add the mince (1 min) add the rest of the stock and red wine. The stock will reduce so dont worry if it looks watery. Add the tomatoe puree, Tabasco, oregano, basil and rosemary. Add the pre cooked chorizo to the mix and the tins of tomatoes. Let it simmer for 20mins or so. Add salt and pepper to taste. Make the white sauce - heat butter in pan, whisk in the flour, gradually add the milk to the mix taking it off and on the heat as needed (dont let it get too hot or it goes lumpy). Layer up lasange with lots of cheese.

I got all deluded by food

Roasted cauliflower with baked goats cheese and basil pesto

April is being a real joy, what with all this faux summer sun - this roasted cauliflower dish gives Mediterranean loveliness with fresh pesto everywhere you smell - and has that blindfolded subconscious effect of making you think it might not really be a Wednesday. Delish mid week supper // also would be yum as a chilled salad on a Saturday.

1 head of cauliflower
3 cloves of garlic
couple of splashes of ex.vi.olive oil
a few bands of chopped leek
300g of mild goats cheese

handful of little tomatoes

For the pesto

handful of fresh basil leaves
4 - 6 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
handful of grated Parmesan cheese
squeeze of lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
2 tblsp of chicken stock

Turn oven on to gas mark 6, splash baking tray with olive oil and put in oven. Chop the cauliflower into little florets, crush garlic and chop leeks add to the hot oil on baking tray. Roast for 15mins - add the little tomatoes - roast for a further 10 / 15 mins. Make pesto by blending all the ingredients. Pour the pesto over the roasted cauliflower, top with crumbly goats cheese and salt and pepper and grill until perfection (6-8mins/ish).