Hello, darlings!
You’ll be pleased to know, Miss Windsor’s Italian Inspired Cherry Tomato Pasta is just the tonic for the hungry-hearted – Mamma mia!
My vegetarian recipe is splendidly quick and easy to recreate – using the very best of Whimsical Winnie’s harvest. Namely, her titillating good (Oh, I say!) allotment grown tomatoes from her plot at Fulham Palace Meadows (London). I say Winnie is such a dear heart for donating her little red balls of goodness to my “Eatalian” culinary cause.
Darlings, my delectable delight also boasts a plethora of ingredients: olive oil, garlic, onion, mushrooms, Moroccan dry black olives, basil, and an Italian “Brassica” known as cavolo nero cabbage – a quite simple, yet devilishly tasty dish!
To be wolfed down hot or cold along with your favourite pasta – I favour Garofalo Casarecce Pasta – a teeny weeny reminder of my trip to Naples. Or to be scoffed following a jolly good session at the gym, which will certainly boost one’s energy levels and quench one’s hunger pangs (How spiffing!).
And before I forget, I hereby present this delightful dish as my first offering to Mrs Simkins and Miss Windsor’s Italian themed collaboration.
You see, we’ve just celebrated the last “hurrah” of our first culinary venture – we whipped up an assemblage of savoury and sweet teatime treats – I say, if you’re not yet fully acquainted with our recipes then please do take a peek and I’ll see you back here in a jiffy!
Moving swiftly on: I must pay homage to my dear Italian friend – the exceedingly vivacious Viviana Ciccone, who offered Miss Windsor a helping hand in the realm of traditional Italian cookery.
In fact, Viviana attributes her magical culinary skills to her darling mother Michelina. And luckily for Miss Windsor, Viviana taught her how to make an authentic Italian pasta sauce from scratch, which has certainly been put to good use.
Darlings, before you trot off to your kitchen, please take note of this rather useful TIP: Miss Windsor recommends that you refrain from serving this frightfully delicious dish all at once. So, why not fill up a Tupperware vessel and pop it into the fridge for later – there’s a good darling!
Whatever your preference – a midday nibble or a midnight snack – Miss Windsor personally guarantees that her dish will satisfy all palates and leave you yearning for more (Oh, I say!).
Please enjoy with a splash of olive oil; a sprinkling of parmesan cheese; a smattering of cracked black pepper; and a rather decorative basil leaf – voila!
Fancy more Italian fayre? then why not recreate:
MISS WINDSOR’S SHERRY & SPICE TIRAMISU – WITH HARVEY’S BRISTOL CREAM!
Miss Windsor x
ALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY MISS WINDSOR EXCEPT FOR WINNIE & MICHELINA
Miss Windsor’s Italian Inspired Cherry Tomato Pasta!
Ingredients
- 225ml (8 US fl oz.) of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 or 4 large cloves of garlic
- 1 large diced onion
- large handful of Moroccan dry black olives (add a few more if you desire)
- 500g (2 & 1/2 cups) cherry or any large tomatoes – chopped
- 120g (1 & 1/2 cups) sliced mushrooms
- 6 or 7 leaves of shredded cavolo nero cabbage (or savoy cabbage will do)
- 6 basil leaves
- 500g (approx. 4 1/2 to 5 cups) of any pasta such as penne.
- salt and pepper
For decoration
- basil leaves
Instructions
-
Darlings, squeaky clean hands please – Ta very muchly!
-
Okey dokey! Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan and set the hob to medium / high heat.
-
Finely chop the garlic and roughly dice the onion, then add to the oil. Darlings, now turn down the heat to just below medium – so the oil gently simmers.
-
Chop the cherry tomatoes in half (or chop large tomatoes into quarters) slice the mushrooms and prepare the Moroccan black olives by cutting in half and removing the pips. Transfer to the frying pan.
-
Now, gently place 6 basil leaves on top of the ingredients – Much obliged!
-
Darlings, for the next 20 to 25 minutes the ingredients will gently simmer and should start to thicken up a little.
-
About half-way through cooking time, put a large saucepan of water onto boil – add a glug of olive oil and a dash of salt.
-
Once the water begins to ‘gallop’: with a steady hand add the pasta and turn down the heat a tad.
-
Darlings, by now the rich aroma of Italian cuisine will gleefully arouse your senses – Oh, I say! So, one mustn’t become too excited, or you may overcook the pasta!
-
However, before you test the pasta take a small mug and fill with hot water from the pasta pan. Then pour this over the simmering ingredients – this will loosen the mixture and stop it from drying out.
-
Add the shredded cavolo nero cabbage to your authentic Italian sauce and allow to steam a little. Then gently combine and simmer gently for a few minutes more.
-
After 8 minutes or so, you may test the pasta! Darlings, the Italians, oh and Miss Windsor, prefer their pasta cooked ‘al dente’ which translates ‘to the tooth’. And to translate again, means ‘you need your teeth to chew the pasta’ – comprende?
-
So, poke a fork into the water and emerge with a piece of pasta! If your gnashers sink in, yet not too easily – then it’s ready. If not, cook for a couple minutes more.
-
Once perfectly al dente, remove from the heat and drain using a colander. Then immediately wash the pasta in hot water to remove the starch. Drain again.
-
Pour the pasta back into the saucepan, add your authentic Italian sauce, some cracked black pepper, then thoroughly mix together.
-
Darlings, serve in a pleasant looking vessel and enjoy with a splash of olive oil; a sprinkling of parmesan cheese; a smattering of cracked black pepper; and a decorative basil leaf- Voila!
I tried the recipe with gluten free pasta and it worked a treat, thanks for sharing
Hello, darling!
I’m so glad that my recipe worked well with gluten-free pasta. That is good news, as I’m always eager to help the health-conscious members of society!
Also, more gluten-free recipes coming soon. But in the meantime, if you fancy a healthful yet sweet dessert please take a peek at my recipe for Blackberry & Apple Crumble – Gluten-Free/Vegan.
Cheerio for now,
Miss Windsor X
Miss Windsor!
It’s always a pleasure to see your posts on the Facebook group page: Food & Drink Uk.
Oh, and I must say your pasta dish looks very tasty!
Wendy.
Hello, Wendy!
Thank you so much, and it’s always a pleasure to receive your kind comments about my new creations. So glad you like my Italian inspired pasta dish. Easy to make and extremely moreish!
Ta ta for now, Miss Windsor X
Thank you Miss Windsor. Myself and my mother are honoured that you have taken some inspiration form us on your cherry tomato recipie. With any recipe there is always a basic start point and we love that you added Cavalo Nero to the recipe at it truley makes making pasta fun and not forgetting it’s versatility. Buon appetito 👌🏼
Hello darling, Viviana & Michelina!
You are most welcome.
It was an absolute pleasure to spend time with you both. And thank you so much for your time and patience educating Miss Windsor about the basics of authentic Italian cookery. Much obliged.
I shall call upon your assistance again soon, as I wish to expand my range of Italian recipes.
Viva Viviana & Michelina!
Miss Windsor XXX