fools gnocchi

This gnocchi is nothing like the traditional gnocchi we eat today – they are great to eat with something like osso bucco or simply tossed in butter and sage, they are really quick, simple and fool proof to make, containing cheese rather than potatoes.

what you need

625 g softened cream cheese of your choice – also works perfect with mascarpone or ricotta cheese
400 ml plain flour
6 egg yolks
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Salt and cracked pepper to taste

what to do
As soon as the cream cheese is at room temperature, mash into a soft paste and then, by hand,  mix in the flour and salt to taste.
Mix in the egg yolk, individually, until the mixture is smooth and velvety but thick.
Bring a large pot of water to a simmering boil and drop teaspoons of the mixture into the water.
Cook until the gnocchi rise to the top of the water before removing  remove from the heat and draining.
Toss in brown butter with fresh sage leaves
Pile onto a serving dish and add as much Parmesan cheese as you like and freshly cracked pepper..

beetroot relish

This easy to make relish takes just 30 minutes, and goes great with chicken or turkey in a sandwich or a burger.

what you need

1 chopped brown onion

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

pinch of ground cinnamon and cloves

225g drained canned beetroot, chopped

what to do

Combine 1 chopped brown onion, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup water and a pinch of ground cinnamon and cloves in a saucepan over medium heat. 

Cook for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. 

Add 225g drained canned beetroot, chopped, and cook for 15 minutes or until thick. 

Allow to cool & store in the fridge 

stuffed red peppers

what you need
3 red peppers (capsicums)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 gloves garlic, crushed
50gr (1 3/4oz) butter
1 cup cooked rice
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/3 cup grated parmesan
2 tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped
1 cup grated mozzerella
2 tablespoons chopped sage


what to do
pre heat the oven to 170 celcius.
Cut the tops of the capsicums and save, remove the seeds and and wash
heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add onion and garlic and cook gently for 5 minutes.
remove from the heat and stir in the rice, butter and breadcrumbs , transfer to a bowl and add egg, parmesan, tomato, mozzerella, sage and three tablespoons of water, stir well and season to taste. fill the peppers and place the lids back on drizzle with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes or untill peppers and cooked


Why not try a variation and use tomatoes, or marrow instead of capsicums or peppers, or cous cous instead of rice. 

fetta, onion and olive pizza

what you need
basic pizza dough 

basic tomato sauce 
1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup sliced spanish onion
1/4 cup sliced kalamatta olives
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
cracked pepper to taste


what to do
Roll out pizza dough to approximitely 1/2 inch thickness. 
Spread tomato sauce lightly over base
cover with the mozzerella cheese
Arrange feta, spanish onion and olives over the cheese
Finish with a few grinds of black pepper.
Bake on a pre-heated pizza stone in a hot oven for approx 15-20 minutes.