Ricotta and Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms [vegetarian]

I have always been a big fan of mushrooms, both wild and cultivated. But for a long time I was the only one who did in my family. For years my daughters were scared they were going to get poisoned by them (even by the champignons!) and my husband could simply live without them.

But even back then I made these stuffed mushroom, especially if we had guests who would appreciate them more. They are a really delicious starter for a Mediterranean theme dinner or a pot-luck gathering, as they can be baked earlier and eaten later at room temperature.

INGREDIENTS (for 4 portions):

16-20 medium-sized mushrooms,

250g ricotta cheese,

2 tbsp green pesto (plus extra for decorating),

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced,

30g grated Parmesan cheese,

salt and pepper,

1 tbsp olive oil.

METHOD:

1. Wash and dry the mushrooms; trim their stalks.
2. Preheat an oven to 200 Celsius degrees (180C degrees for fan ovens).
3. Mix together the ricotta, pesto, garlic, half of Parmesan cheese and the seasoning.
4. Grease with the olive oil an ovenproof dish big enough for all the mushrooms to be put in one layer (or use 2 smaller ones).
5. Fill in all the mushrooms with the ricotta mix, place them in the dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes or until golden.
7. Put a bit of pesto on top of each baked mushroom.

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Asparagus Pappardelle with Salmon in Red Pesto Sauce

I love pasta and I love asparagus. So it was only a matter of time before I would combine them together so that I could reach a higher level of foodie heaven. But you cannot go to heaven, if you sin too much with your calories! This is why I decided to use a clever trick (and a potato peeler) to shave asparagus into ribbons that resemble pappardelle (or at least its thinner cousin - tagliatelle).

Thanks to that trick, I used much less pasta than I would have normally cooked, and the portions still looked big, but were less calorific and healthier. Oh, and have I mentioned yet that it was delicious?

INGREDIENTS (for 4 portions):

500g green asparagus,

1 tbsp olive oil,

500g skinless and boneless salmon fillet,

250g pappardelle,

2 tbsp red pesto,

6 tbsp double cream,

salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. Snip the hard ends of washed asparagus, cut 4-5 cm of the tops and shave the other parts of asparagus with a potato peeler into ribbons.
2. In a frying pan heat up the olive oil, add the asparagus tops and fry them for 2 min, put aside.
3. In the same frying pan fry over a medium heat the seasoned salmon fillet for 5 minutes on each side (or a bit longer, if the fillet is thick).
4. Put the fish on a plate, flake it.
5. Cook the pappardelle in salted water as per packet instruction, 1 minute before the end of cooking add the asparagus’ ribbons; keep half a cup of the cooking water.
6. On a low heat warm up the pesto and cream, add the flaked salmon and the asparagus tops, heat up and gently stir with pappardelle and asparagus ribbons. If it is too dry, add a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water.

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