A Date Night Recipe Book

A DATE NIGHT RECIPE BOOK

64d19565922613 ISSUE ONE

ENTRÉE:Homemade Spinach and Ricotta

Ravioli with Napolitan Sauce

MAIN:Herb Crusted Lamb with Potato

Puree and Sauteed Spinach

DESSERT:Apricot Museli Stuffed Apples

with Passionfruit Yogurt

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COOK

IM-PRESS

TO

THIS

THEMCAUSE ITS ALL ABOUT

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Homemade Spinach and

Ricotta Ravioli with

Napolitan Sauce

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Create a playlist that could get the both of you talking, or better yet, dancing whilst you’re cooking. There’s nothing better than getting

your boogie on whilst cooking dinner.

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INGRE-DIENTS

Napolitan sauce to serve

80g frozen chopped spinach

200g fresh ricotta

245g plain flour

2 eggs

Pasta machine

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Place flour in a mound on a clean surface. Make a well in the centre. Add eggs. Gently whisk with a fork, using your other hand to secure the walls. Draw in the flour as you go.

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STEP 1

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Bring the dough together. Knead for five minutes or until elastic and smooth.

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STEP 2

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Roll the dough into a ball and flour lightly. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

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STEP 3

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Divide the dough into four portions. Flatten one portion slightly.

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STEP 4

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Flour the pasta machine. Set the pasta machine on the widest setting and flour the machine and dough well. Feed through the machine.

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STEP 5

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Repeat 6 more times, folding the dough into thirds and turning it 90 degrees until it’s smooth and the same width as the machine (at least 12cm). Halve crossways.

Continue to feed each dough half through the machine, separately, without folding, narrowing the machine settings one notch at a time, until you reach the second last setting. The pasta should be about 1mm-thick. Repeat with the remaining three dough portions to make another six sheets.

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STEP 6

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Combine in a bowl with 400g fresh ricotta and 160g frozen chopped spinach, thawed, excess liquid removed.

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STEP 7

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Place one prepared pasta sheet on a well floured work surface. Place heaped teaspoons of filling at 5cm intervals, in two rows, on the sheet leaving a 2cm border around edges.

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STEP 8

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Brush around the filling with water – this helps keep the ravioli sealed. Top with a second pasta sheet and press firmly around the filling to seal and remove air pockets Cut between the filling to make 5cm-square ravioli.

Cook half the ravioli in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until al dente. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining ravioli.

Serve with Napolitan sauce.

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STEP 9

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Serve and enjoy!

Tastes best with Brown Brothers Chardonnay

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Herb Crusted Lamb with Potato

Puree and Sauteed Spinach

Talk about their day and what they’ve done. You should seem genuinely interested, otherwise try not to bother with this.

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INGRE-DIENTS

Spring of mint

Sprig of rosemary

Sprig of parsley

Spring of thyme

A splash of olive oil

Quarter cup of bread crumbs

Quarter cup of parmesan

Half a tablespoon of sour cream

Salt to season

Two racks of lamb cut in half

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INGRE-DIENTS

One lemon

50ml of milk

Black cracked pepper to season

Two table spoons of Dijon mustard 500g of potatoes

250g of spinach

Four cloves of garlic

60g of butter

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Peel the potatoes and boil in water with two cloves of garlic for 20 minutes or until soft.

STEP 1

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Preheat the oven to 200°C. Score the lamb in a criss cross pattern into the fat and generously season with salt and pepper. Rub the seasoning into the meat.

STEP 2

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Heat some olive oil in an oven safe pan. Seal the lamb by holding each side in the oil long enough to develop color (careful not to burn your hands).

Gordon Ramsay says, “it’s simple mathematics, no color, no taste”. Quite simple indeed! Make sure you brown that lamb!

Transfer the pan with the lamb into the oven and bake for 7-8 minutes. Prepare the crust while the lamb is cooking.

STEP 3

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Grab all the herbs, bread crumbs, parmesan anda splash of olive oil and place in a food processor. Blitz until combined.

STEP 4

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Remove the lamb from the oven and brush generously with mustard. Dip the lamb into the crust mixture covering it completely. Dip several times to ensure an even coating. Allow meat to rest for a bit.

Place it back into the oven for 3-4 minutes when you’re ready to serve.

STEP 5

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Drain potato water, discard garlic cloves and put potatoes in a mixing bowl. Add butter and mash completely. Add milk, sour cream and mix until until smooth.

STEP 6

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Pull the lamb out of the oven and take it out of the pan. Let it rest for at about 10 minutes and then carve it into single or double bones.

Rinse the spinach well in cold water and heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add two cloves of finely chopped garlic until browned. Put the spinach in and cover for two minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon and take the spinach out. Dress with lemon juice and a dash of salt.

STEP 7

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Place all elements onto a plate, including the rest of the sauce from the pan that had the lamb on it. Dress the dish in a simple manner and clean the plate around the edges before serving.

STEP 8

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Serve and enjoy!

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Tastes best when served with a glass of Penfolds Shiraz.

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Apricot Museli Stuffed Apples

with Passionfruit Yogurt

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Ask if they would like to watch a movie whilst eating dessert. Make sure its a movie that they choose, unless stated otherwise.

Aim for something light hearted and not too serious.

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INGRE-DIENTS

1 egg

2 Small Apples

50g caster sugar

Passionfruit Yogurt to serve50g Blanched Almonds

50g Dried Apricots

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Core the apples and score a line around the middle of each one.

STEP 1

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Pour the caster sugar, apricots and almonds into the food processor and process.

STEP 2

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Add the egg and blitz again until mix is completely combined.

STEP 3

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Use a spoon and stuff this into the apples pushing it in to either end.

STEP 4

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Sit the apples on a microwave safe uncovered for seven minutes on full power. Pull out of the microwave and serve the extra museli with the apples. Serve with the yogurt.

STEP 5

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The cooking is now finished!

Serve and relax.

Tastes best with a Cafe Latte (or any type of coffee really)

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