Adam Balic

Andrea - very nice site. In Melbourne (Australia) we would have Pho at least once a week. This would come with bean sprouts, birds-eye type chili, lemon wedges, mint and Vietnamese mint (=laksa leaf = daun kesom = rau ram). Is "Vietnamese mint" actually used in Vietnam?

Isn't a tiddy oggie simply a cornish pastie?

Does it typically have cheese? All examples I have seen are cheese-less.

Eh, grilled calf liver with red wine and onion gravy + mashers is what I am most likely to make. Oh and buttered green beans. But mostly I drink alcohol for comfort. Take that personality test "POW! BLAM!"

Ah thank you for that, I was told that the wine contained a large amount of muscat and that these vines were rare survivors of 19th century phylloxera infestations. It resembled the Australian fortified muscats of Rutherglan (made from 'Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge'), but slightly richer, possibly due to the presence of PX. It could very well have been Scholtz (name rings a bell), what a great shame. I guess that the great fortified wines of the world are in trouble and that the smaller regions are the one to suffer the most.

Interesting discussion.... Victor - while in Malaga I tasted numerous 'Malaga' wines (for reasons of historical interest), must of which were quite simple and light. I did take one bottle home that I was told was from a very old fashioned producer and made in the 'old style'. It was a very good fortified wine, very rich and complex (unfortunately the name escapes me). Have you any thoughts on these wines and is it worth while to look for more good examples?

There are several different types of these parasitic worms that are found in fish. Heating or preserving the fish will kill the worms. The dead worms will not be an issue unless you are sensitised to them, then you could have an allergic reaction. I must admit that it is pretty rare that I don't find these worms (note: I am a professional so maybe it is easier for me) in Cod, haddock, salmon and John Dory. A similar worm is found in herring. They normally live in the intestinal cavity of the fish, when they sense that the fish has died they move into the flesh (their hosts are fish and seals/dolphins etc this is how they get themselves into a seal/dolphin stomach). In fresh fish they will wriggle about a bit when removed, so it is best to deal with them without the dinner guests being in the room with you. I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you are living in Europe there is a good chance that you have Toxoplasma (~80% of people in France and Germany) parasites living in your brain tissue, so you know, parasites are about.

Pasta con le Sarde This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterranean in the eCGI 2 fennel bulbs, including their feathery tops. 1 finely diced onion 1 kg of mussels in the shell (Cover them with fresh water, to which you have added the juice of half a lemon, leave for 4 hours then rinse, clean and de-beard.) 100 g pinenuts 3 garlic cloves 20 strands of saffron (a small pinch) 1/2 c of fruity good quality olive oil 1 c dry white wine salt and pepper Zest of one lemon (or half a citron if available), cut into fine slivers, like One recipe of Basic Pasta Dough 1. Roll out pasta sheets until 2 mm thick. Cut pasta into 4 mm ribbons using either a pasta machine or a knife. Alternatively, buy a good quality dried linguine. 2. Remove feathery tops from fennel bulbs, chop finely and set aside. Remove any discoloured outer leaves from the fennel bulbs and put them into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to boil and cook until the bulbs are easily pierced with a fork, about ten minutes. Remove from water, allow to cool and dice fennel bulbs finely. Put aside. Gently brown pinenuts in a saucepan Do not allow to burn! Put aside. 3. Place mussels into a large pot and add the white wine. Bring to boil, cover with lid and steam mussels until they open, about 4-5 minutes. Remove mussels from liquid and put the liquid aside. Discard any un-opened mussels. Strain the liquid through cheese cloth or a fine strainer to remove any debris. Remove flesh from half of the mussels and set aside. 4. Sauté onion in olive oil and when translucent, add crushed saffron and garlic. Stir for one minute, then add the strained mussel liquid. Reduce heat and simmer. 5. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add pasta. Cook pasta until tender to the tooth (al dente), around five minutes for fresh pasta; 10 minutes for dried. 6. Add the diced fennel. lemon zest and toasted pine nuts to the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. When the pasta is cooked, add it and the shucked mussels to the sauce and combine. Place in a serving dish, top with the rest of the mussels in their shells and garnish with the finely chopped fennel fronds. Serve. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG906 )

Pasta con le Sarde This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterranean in the eCGI 2 fennel bulbs, including their feathery tops. 1 finely diced onion 1 kg of mussels in the shell (Cover them with fresh water, to which you have added the juice of half a lemon, leave for 4 hours then rinse, clean and de-beard.) 100 g pinenuts 3 garlic cloves 20 strands of saffron (a small pinch) 1/2 c of fruity good quality olive oil 1 c dry white wine salt and pepper Zest of one lemon (or half a citron if available), cut into fine slivers, like One recipe of Basic Pasta Dough 1. Roll out pasta sheets until 2 mm thick. Cut pasta into 4 mm ribbons using either a pasta machine or a knife. Alternatively, buy a good quality dried linguine. 2. Remove feathery tops from fennel bulbs, chop finely and set aside. Remove any discoloured outer leaves from the fennel bulbs and put them into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to boil and cook until the bulbs are easily pierced with a fork, about ten minutes. Remove from water, allow to cool and dice fennel bulbs finely. Put aside. Gently brown pinenuts in a saucepan Do not allow to burn! Put aside. 3. Place mussels into a large pot and add the white wine. Bring to boil, cover with lid and steam mussels until they open, about 4-5 minutes. Remove mussels from liquid and put the liquid aside. Discard any un-opened mussels. Strain the liquid through cheese cloth or a fine strainer to remove any debris. Remove flesh from half of the mussels and set aside. 4. Sauté onion in olive oil and when translucent, add crushed saffron and garlic. Stir for one minute, then add the strained mussel liquid. Reduce heat and simmer. 5. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add pasta. Cook pasta until tender to the tooth (al dente), around five minutes for fresh pasta; 10 minutes for dried. 6. Add the diced fennel. lemon zest and toasted pine nuts to the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. When the pasta is cooked, add it and the shucked mussels to the sauce and combine. Place in a serving dish, top with the rest of the mussels in their shells and garnish with the finely chopped fennel fronds. Serve. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG906 )

Chestnut Flour Pappardelle with Wild Boar: This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterranean in the eCGI Pasta: 200 g of “00” Italian flour or all-purpose flour 100 g of chestnut flour 2 eggs 1 tsp of salt Sauce: 500 g of lean wild boar shoulder (or other game meat) cut into 4 by 6 cm pieces 1/2 tsp of grated orange zest. 50 g of finely chopped unsmoked pancetta 2 onions, one roughly chopped, one finely chopped 2 large carrots, one roughly chopped, one finely chopped 2 sticks of celery, including greens, one roughly chopped, one finely chopped 2 bay leaves, a sprig each of rosemary, thyme and sage leaves, tied in a bundle. 2 T of white sugar 3 T of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 4 T of good quality white wine vinegar 1 c of dry white wine 1 c of chicken stock Salt and black pepper Extra virgin olive oil 1. Take the roughly chopped vegetables and gently sauté in a little olive oil. When beginning to soften, take off the heat and add white wine. Allow to cool. Place wine and vegetables in a bowl, add meat and allow to marinate overnight in a cool place. 2. Drain meat (reserving the marinade) and pat dry. Discard the vegetables. 3. In a large flameproof casserole, sauté the finely chopped vegetables and pancetta in a little olive oil. When the vegetables soften, add orange zest and meat. Gently brown the meat. Add the reserved marinade, chicken stock and herbs. Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2.5 hours or until meat is tender. 4. Discard the herbs. Strain the meat and vegetables, reserving the liquid, and put both aside. 5. In a small saucepan, gently heat the sugar until it begins to dissolve and caramelize. Add the vinegar and mix until sugar is completely dissolved. Heat gently for 1 minute then add the strained liquid that you set aside in step 4. Reduce liquid to one cup. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley and the reserved meat and vegetables. The sauce should be very slightly sweet and tangy, but the flavours of the herbs and meat should dominate. Keep sauce warm. 6. Make pasta as directed in Basic Pasta . Roll out pasta sheets until 1-2 mm thick. Cut pasta sheets into 2.5 cm ribbons. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for about four minutes. Drain. Add the pasta back to pot in which it was cooked, place on low heat and add three quarters of the pasta sauce. Heat through. Place on serving dish and top with remainder of the sauce. Serve. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG905 )

Chestnut Flour Pappardelle with Wild Boar: This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterranean in the eCGI Pasta: 200 g of “00” Italian flour or all-purpose flour 100 g of chestnut flour 2 eggs 1 tsp of salt Sauce: 500 g of lean wild boar shoulder (or other game meat) cut into 4 by 6 cm pieces 1/2 tsp of grated orange zest. 50 g of finely chopped unsmoked pancetta 2 onions, one roughly chopped, one finely chopped 2 large carrots, one roughly chopped, one finely chopped 2 sticks of celery, including greens, one roughly chopped, one finely chopped 2 bay leaves, a sprig each of rosemary, thyme and sage leaves, tied in a bundle. 2 T of white sugar 3 T of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 4 T of good quality white wine vinegar 1 c of dry white wine 1 c of chicken stock Salt and black pepper Extra virgin olive oil 1. Take the roughly chopped vegetables and gently sauté in a little olive oil. When beginning to soften, take off the heat and add white wine. Allow to cool. Place wine and vegetables in a bowl, add meat and allow to marinate overnight in a cool place. 2. Drain meat (reserving the marinade) and pat dry. Discard the vegetables. 3. In a large flameproof casserole, sauté the finely chopped vegetables and pancetta in a little olive oil. When the vegetables soften, add orange zest and meat. Gently brown the meat. Add the reserved marinade, chicken stock and herbs. Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2.5 hours or until meat is tender. 4. Discard the herbs. Strain the meat and vegetables, reserving the liquid, and put both aside. 5. In a small saucepan, gently heat the sugar until it begins to dissolve and caramelize. Add the vinegar and mix until sugar is completely dissolved. Heat gently for 1 minute then add the strained liquid that you set aside in step 4. Reduce liquid to one cup. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley and the reserved meat and vegetables. The sauce should be very slightly sweet and tangy, but the flavours of the herbs and meat should dominate. Keep sauce warm. 6. Make pasta as directed in Basic Pasta . Roll out pasta sheets until 1-2 mm thick. Cut pasta sheets into 2.5 cm ribbons. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for about four minutes. Drain. Add the pasta back to pot in which it was cooked, place on low heat and add three quarters of the pasta sauce. Heat through. Place on serving dish and top with remainder of the sauce. Serve. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG905 )

Cialzons This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterranean in the eCGI Cialzons can be stuffed with a variety of fresh fruit including, pears, apples and plums and/or dried fruit such as prunes, currants or figs. In the case of dried fruit it is often plumped up by gently pre-cooking in red wine. In this recipe I am using quinces, as quinces are not only traditional, but also utterly lovely in appearance, flavour and scent Filling: 2 large quinces 250 g of fresh ricotta (not UHT, as it is not suitable for this recipe) 2 tsp of white sugar pinch of salt 1/2 tsp of cinnamon 1/2 T of very finely chopped fresh marjoram 1 egg yolk 100 g of sweet butter One recipe of ‘00’ or all-purpose flour Basic Pasta Dough 1. Pre-heat oven to 160C/325F. Prick quince several times with a fork or skewer (to prevent the fruit from bursting), place in a baking dish and bake for one hour or until the fruit is soft. Allow fruit to cool then peel and remove the flesh into a clean bowl. Mash fruit thoughly to produce a fine puree. Weigh fruit, it should weigh 100-150 gm. Mix this pulp with the rest of the filling ingredients. Taste for salt. 2. Roll out pasta sheets as directed and stuff cialzons as directed in steps 4-5 of the Barbajouan recipe. 3. Cook cialzons in boiling, salted water, until they float, about 3-5 minutes. Test one cialzon to make sure that the pasta is cooked. When pasta is cooked, drain and place in a serving bowl. While the pasta is cooking, brown the butter in a clean pan over medium heat. As the butter heats, it will at first foam, then the milk solids will begin to brown. When these are a medium brown colour and smell ‘nutty’ pour over the pasta, carefully mix and serve. While cialzons are ‘sweet’, rather then ‘savoury’, in modern terms, they traditionally come before the main dish, like most other Italian pasta. I have seen them offered as ‘Dolce’, but I don’t feel that there is any need for that. If one was going to be non-authentic I think that a better way of serving them would be to cook them like pot-stickers, dress them in butter and serve them as a side with roast game such as pheasant or with a roast goose or even turkey. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG904 )

Cialzons This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterranean in the eCGI Cialzons can be stuffed with a variety of fresh fruit including, pears, apples and plums and/or dried fruit such as prunes, currants or figs. In the case of dried fruit it is often plumped up by gently pre-cooking in red wine. In this recipe I am using quinces, as quinces are not only traditional, but also utterly lovely in appearance, flavour and scent Filling: 2 large quinces 250 g of fresh ricotta (not UHT, as it is not suitable for this recipe) 2 tsp of white sugar pinch of salt 1/2 tsp of cinnamon 1/2 T of very finely chopped fresh marjoram 1 egg yolk 100 g of sweet butter One recipe of ‘00’ or all-purpose flour Basic Pasta Dough 1. Pre-heat oven to 160C/325F. Prick quince several times with a fork or skewer (to prevent the fruit from bursting), place in a baking dish and bake for one hour or until the fruit is soft. Allow fruit to cool then peel and remove the flesh into a clean bowl. Mash fruit thoughly to produce a fine puree. Weigh fruit, it should weigh 100-150 gm. Mix this pulp with the rest of the filling ingredients. Taste for salt. 2. Roll out pasta sheets as directed and stuff cialzons as directed in steps 4-5 of the Barbajouan recipe. 3. Cook cialzons in boiling, salted water, until they float, about 3-5 minutes. Test one cialzon to make sure that the pasta is cooked. When pasta is cooked, drain and place in a serving bowl. While the pasta is cooking, brown the butter in a clean pan over medium heat. As the butter heats, it will at first foam, then the milk solids will begin to brown. When these are a medium brown colour and smell ‘nutty’ pour over the pasta, carefully mix and serve. While cialzons are ‘sweet’, rather then ‘savoury’, in modern terms, they traditionally come before the main dish, like most other Italian pasta. I have seen them offered as ‘Dolce’, but I don’t feel that there is any need for that. If one was going to be non-authentic I think that a better way of serving them would be to cook them like pot-stickers, dress them in butter and serve them as a side with roast game such as pheasant or with a roast goose or even turkey. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG904 )

Nawasar Mafawwra ( Steamed pasta squares with spiced lamb and chickpeas) This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterranean in the eCGI 500 g of pasta (pasta squares called “Nawasar” in Tunisian or “Quadratini” in Italy*) 500 g of boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 2.5 by 3.5 cm chunks (or you can use leg of lamb or even lamb shanks). 1 small onion, finely diced 2 T of Harisa 1 tsp of cayenne, Aleppo or other hot chilli powder 2 T of double concentrated tomato paste 2 c of cooked chickpeas 250 g of small potatoes or Jerusalem artichokes (the latter isn’t traditional, I just like them) 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil, plus a few splashes more 3 T of unsalted butter (the Italian Alpine butter is particularly good, its sourness contrasts well with the hot pasta sauce. 4 raw eggs in the shell (wash the shells well) Salt and ground black pepper 1. In a large heavy-based casserole dish or kiskis, if you have one, cook the onion in a little oil until soft and translucent. Remove onion. In the same vessel, brown the lamb on all sides. Do this in small batches. 2. Add all the lamb and the onions back to the pot or kiskis base. Add red and black pepper, harisa, tomato paste and water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the four eggs in their shell. In the last half hour of cooking add the chickpeas and potatoes. Check seasoning at this point. 3. If you have a kiskis, mix the pasta with the remaining olive oil until well coated and add to the top section of the kiskis. When steam begins to appear, place the lid back on and steam for three hours. Yes, that’s right, three hours! Toss the pasta in the kiskis every 20-30 minutes or so to prevent sticking. 4. If you don’t have a kiskis, cook the stew for three hours in a lidded casserole pot and cook the pasta in salted boiling water as per normal. However, the pasta must be cooked to a softer stage than al dente. This is not an Italian recipe after all. When the pasta is cooked, drain and mix with butter until coated. 5. After three hours the lamb should be very tender and the sauce will be reduced somewhat. Remove the meat, potatoes and eggs from the sauce. If the sauce looks very liquid still, reduce it until it thickens. Mix this sauce with the pasta, place in a serving bowl and place the meat, peeled eggs and potatoes on top of the pasta. Serve. * I have difficulty finding this pasta, so I tend to use 2 cm “farfalle” or “orrechiette” pasta, as I happen to like them. ** The eggs cooked in this manner, in their shells, are very good as caramel type flavours start to develop in the egg white. You can use peeled, hard- boiled eggs if you are not convinced. ITALY Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG903 )

Nawasar Mafawwra ( Steamed pasta squares with spiced lamb and chickpeas) This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterranean in the eCGI 500 g of pasta (pasta squares called “Nawasar” in Tunisian or “Quadratini” in Italy*) 500 g of boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 2.5 by 3.5 cm chunks (or you can use leg of lamb or even lamb shanks). 1 small onion, finely diced 2 T of Harisa 1 tsp of cayenne, Aleppo or other hot chilli powder 2 T of double concentrated tomato paste 2 c of cooked chickpeas 250 g of small potatoes or Jerusalem artichokes (the latter isn’t traditional, I just like them) 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil, plus a few splashes more 3 T of unsalted butter (the Italian Alpine butter is particularly good, its sourness contrasts well with the hot pasta sauce. 4 raw eggs in the shell (wash the shells well) Salt and ground black pepper 1. In a large heavy-based casserole dish or kiskis, if you have one, cook the onion in a little oil until soft and translucent. Remove onion. In the same vessel, brown the lamb on all sides. Do this in small batches. 2. Add all the lamb and the onions back to the pot or kiskis base. Add red and black pepper, harisa, tomato paste and water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the four eggs in their shell. In the last half hour of cooking add the chickpeas and potatoes. Check seasoning at this point. 3. If you have a kiskis, mix the pasta with the remaining olive oil until well coated and add to the top section of the kiskis. When steam begins to appear, place the lid back on and steam for three hours. Yes, that’s right, three hours! Toss the pasta in the kiskis every 20-30 minutes or so to prevent sticking. 4. If you don’t have a kiskis, cook the stew for three hours in a lidded casserole pot and cook the pasta in salted boiling water as per normal. However, the pasta must be cooked to a softer stage than al dente. This is not an Italian recipe after all. When the pasta is cooked, drain and mix with butter until coated. 5. After three hours the lamb should be very tender and the sauce will be reduced somewhat. Remove the meat, potatoes and eggs from the sauce. If the sauce looks very liquid still, reduce it until it thickens. Mix this sauce with the pasta, place in a serving bowl and place the meat, peeled eggs and potatoes on top of the pasta. Serve. * I have difficulty finding this pasta, so I tend to use 2 cm “farfalle” or “orrechiette” pasta, as I happen to like them. ** The eggs cooked in this manner, in their shells, are very good as caramel type flavours start to develop in the egg white. You can use peeled, hard- boiled eggs if you are not convinced. ITALY Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG903 )

Fideos with Clams This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterraneanin the eCGI you visit the Mediterranean coast of Spain, in addition to the bland mass-produced paella, you will sometimes see the bland rice replaced with bland industrial noodles. This is sad as these noodles are “Fideos” and they are a very interesting pasta indeed. A pasta dish known as “Fidawsh” is known from medieval Muslim “Spain”. From this origin we get a class of pasta known as “Fideos” in Spain or “Fidelanza/Fedelini” in Italy. These pasta are distinguished by being cooked in their sauce. The following pasta is adapted from Colman Andrews’ excellent Catalan Cuisine: Europe's Last Great Culinary Secret Olive oil for frying onions and pasta 1 large onion finely chopped 400 g of dry Fideos pasta or durum wheat vermicelli broken into 3 cm lengths (these must not contain egg) 1 (400g) can of chopped and peeled tomatoes (or equivalent of skinned, seeded and chopped fresh tomatoes) 250 ml of dry white wine 6 saffron threads, lightly crushed 2 T of finely chopped parsley 500 g of cleaned clams (smaller and sweeter types are best) For allioli/aioli/garlic mayonnaise 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled 1 egg yolk 250 ml good quality olive oil salt and pepper 1. Fry onion gently in a shallow casserole that is designed for stove-top use (or if you have an earthenware cassola, now is the perfect time to use it) until translucent. 2. In a separate pan, very gently fry pasta in a small amount of olive oil, until they turn opaque and a light tan colour. Stir constantly as they can burn if not carefully watched. 3. Add tomato, wine and saffron threads to the onion and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook at a simmer for 20-30 minutes (this reduces the liquid and removes the ‘canned’ taste from the tomatoes. Taste at this point and correct seasoning. It will need salt and pepper and possibly a pinch of sugar, depending on the quality of the tomatoes. 4. During this time make an allioli/aioli/garlic mayonnaise from the garlic, salt and olive oil (consult your favourite recipe). 5. Add pasta and parsley to sauce and continue to simmer until pasta softens and absorbs the sauce. 6. Add washed clams to pasta and sauce. Cook until clams have opened. Discard any that are closed. 7. At this point the pasta should be soft and the dish should be a loose stew or a thick soup in consistency. Place a few tablespoons of the allioli in the centre of the dish and partially stir into sauce. 8. Serve from dish. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG902 )

Fideos with Clams This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterraneanin the eCGI you visit the Mediterranean coast of Spain, in addition to the bland mass-produced paella, you will sometimes see the bland rice replaced with bland industrial noodles. This is sad as these noodles are “Fideos” and they are a very interesting pasta indeed. A pasta dish known as “Fidawsh” is known from medieval Muslim “Spain”. From this origin we get a class of pasta known as “Fideos” in Spain or “Fidelanza/Fedelini” in Italy. These pasta are distinguished by being cooked in their sauce. The following pasta is adapted from Colman Andrews’ excellent Catalan Cuisine: Europe's Last Great Culinary Secret Olive oil for frying onions and pasta 1 large onion finely chopped 400 g of dry Fideos pasta or durum wheat vermicelli broken into 3 cm lengths (these must not contain egg) 1 (400g) can of chopped and peeled tomatoes (or equivalent of skinned, seeded and chopped fresh tomatoes) 250 ml of dry white wine 6 saffron threads, lightly crushed 2 T of finely chopped parsley 500 g of cleaned clams (smaller and sweeter types are best) For allioli/aioli/garlic mayonnaise 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled 1 egg yolk 250 ml good quality olive oil salt and pepper 1. Fry onion gently in a shallow casserole that is designed for stove-top use (or if you have an earthenware cassola, now is the perfect time to use it) until translucent. 2. In a separate pan, very gently fry pasta in a small amount of olive oil, until they turn opaque and a light tan colour. Stir constantly as they can burn if not carefully watched. 3. Add tomato, wine and saffron threads to the onion and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook at a simmer for 20-30 minutes (this reduces the liquid and removes the ‘canned’ taste from the tomatoes. Taste at this point and correct seasoning. It will need salt and pepper and possibly a pinch of sugar, depending on the quality of the tomatoes. 4. During this time make an allioli/aioli/garlic mayonnaise from the garlic, salt and olive oil (consult your favourite recipe). 5. Add pasta and parsley to sauce and continue to simmer until pasta softens and absorbs the sauce. 6. Add washed clams to pasta and sauce. Cook until clams have opened. Discard any that are closed. 7. At this point the pasta should be soft and the dish should be a loose stew or a thick soup in consistency. Place a few tablespoons of the allioli in the centre of the dish and partially stir into sauce. 8. Serve from dish. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG902 )

Barbajouan This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterraneanin the eCGI Egg pasta made with Italian “00” or all-purpose flour (see Basic Pasta) 1 finely chopped onion 150 g Swiss chard/Silver beet, stalks removed and greens finely shredded. 300 g fresh ricotta cheese 100 g Prosciutto 50 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated 1 egg, beaten Salt, black pepper, nutmeg Additional beaten egg for sealing ravioli Vegetable or peanut oil for frying 1. Make pasta sheets as directed, cover with a clean cloth and put aside. 2. Gently fry onions until translucent and slightly coloured, but not browned. Add Swiss chard. Reduce heat and cook until Swiss chard is wilted. Allow to cool and then finely chop this mixture. 3. Mix together ricotta, prosciutto, parmesan, egg, and the Swiss chard and onion mixture. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. 4. Place a sheet of pasta on a floured bench. Place 1 teaspoon of filling at one end of the sheet, 3 cm from the end. Place teaspoons of filling down the centre of the pasta sheet, separated by 3 cm from each other, until sheet is filled. 5. Brush gaps between fillings with beaten egg. Place second sheet of pasta over the first sheet. Carefully press down between the lumps formed by the filling, excluding all air. Cut into squares, using a ravioli cutter, stamp or a knife. Place ravioli on a floured baking sheet, ensuring that the ravioli are not touching. Refrigerate for 20-40 minutes. 6. Heat oil until 180-90C/350-375F. Fry pasta in small batches until golden brown (the pasta will puff up and expand quite a bit). Drain on kitchen paper, and eat as soon as possible. Excellent with a Rose de Provence wine. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG901 )

Barbajouan This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterraneanin the eCGI Egg pasta made with Italian “00” or all-purpose flour (see Basic Pasta) 1 finely chopped onion 150 g Swiss chard/Silver beet, stalks removed and greens finely shredded. 300 g fresh ricotta cheese 100 g Prosciutto 50 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated 1 egg, beaten Salt, black pepper, nutmeg Additional beaten egg for sealing ravioli Vegetable or peanut oil for frying 1. Make pasta sheets as directed, cover with a clean cloth and put aside. 2. Gently fry onions until translucent and slightly coloured, but not browned. Add Swiss chard. Reduce heat and cook until Swiss chard is wilted. Allow to cool and then finely chop this mixture. 3. Mix together ricotta, prosciutto, parmesan, egg, and the Swiss chard and onion mixture. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. 4. Place a sheet of pasta on a floured bench. Place 1 teaspoon of filling at one end of the sheet, 3 cm from the end. Place teaspoons of filling down the centre of the pasta sheet, separated by 3 cm from each other, until sheet is filled. 5. Brush gaps between fillings with beaten egg. Place second sheet of pasta over the first sheet. Carefully press down between the lumps formed by the filling, excluding all air. Cut into squares, using a ravioli cutter, stamp or a knife. Place ravioli on a floured baking sheet, ensuring that the ravioli are not touching. Refrigerate for 20-40 minutes. 6. Heat oil until 180-90C/350-375F. Fry pasta in small batches until golden brown (the pasta will puff up and expand quite a bit). Drain on kitchen paper, and eat as soon as possible. Excellent with a Rose de Provence wine. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG901 )

Mlinci This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterraneanin th eeCGI These are the most primitive of the pasta recipes in this course and the pasta I have the most fondness for. They are basically an early solution to the problem of storing wheat flour in a stable, easily transportable form. While variations on Mlinci exist throughout the Balkans, I am familiar with the form cooked in Croatia. Once a year at Christmas, my grandmother would unlock the “Big Room” and we would have a Balic family gathering. Under the rather ugly and prominent painting of Tomislav the Great (he was riding a horse across a field of decapitated heads), the family would gather to bicker, drink and eat. I still wonder why my grandmother had a locked room full of expensive furniture, paintings of unsavoury ancestors, but the thing I remember the most is her Mlinci with Roast Turkey at Christmas. 250 g of all-purpose flour 1 egg 1/2 c of water Extra flour for dusting 1. Pre-heat oven to 150C/300 F. 2. Place flour into a large bowl. Add egg to flour and incorporate. Gradually add water and mix until a dough is formed. The dough should not be sticky at this point. If it is, add slightly more flour. 3. Knead dough on lightly floured bench for eight minutes. Allow to rest for 1 hour. 4. Roll out, using a rolling pin until very thin, about 2 mm thick. The easiest way of accomplishing this is to roll in one direction the full length of the dough, then turn the dough 45 degrees and roll again. Repeat this process until the dough is roughly circular and approximately 2 mm thick. 5. Rest pasta sheet for an hour to dry out a little, and then cut into 15 cm squares. Place these squares carefully onto baking parchment and cook in the pre-heated oven until the pasta sheets have blistered, dried and are a light tan colour, about 20 minutes. Don’t worry if there are some darker patches. 6. Leave to cool. At this point they can be stored and as long as they are moisture-free, they will remain fresh for many weeks, enough time to dispose of a few enemies...a la Tomislav the Great! Using Mlinci Mlinci are ‘ready to go’. Basically they can soaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes then mixed with a savoury or sweet dressing and they are ready to eat. However, the way my grandmother would prepare them would be to place the soaked Mlinci under a roasting turkey for the last hour of cooking. Or she would pour the juices from the roasting turkey over the Mlinci and bake them separately. Primitive, but good. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG900 )

Mlinci This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterraneanin th eeCGI These are the most primitive of the pasta recipes in this course and the pasta I have the most fondness for. They are basically an early solution to the problem of storing wheat flour in a stable, easily transportable form. While variations on Mlinci exist throughout the Balkans, I am familiar with the form cooked in Croatia. Once a year at Christmas, my grandmother would unlock the “Big Room” and we would have a Balic family gathering. Under the rather ugly and prominent painting of Tomislav the Great (he was riding a horse across a field of decapitated heads), the family would gather to bicker, drink and eat. I still wonder why my grandmother had a locked room full of expensive furniture, paintings of unsavoury ancestors, but the thing I remember the most is her Mlinci with Roast Turkey at Christmas. 250 g of all-purpose flour 1 egg 1/2 c of water Extra flour for dusting 1. Pre-heat oven to 150C/300 F. 2. Place flour into a large bowl. Add egg to flour and incorporate. Gradually add water and mix until a dough is formed. The dough should not be sticky at this point. If it is, add slightly more flour. 3. Knead dough on lightly floured bench for eight minutes. Allow to rest for 1 hour. 4. Roll out, using a rolling pin until very thin, about 2 mm thick. The easiest way of accomplishing this is to roll in one direction the full length of the dough, then turn the dough 45 degrees and roll again. Repeat this process until the dough is roughly circular and approximately 2 mm thick. 5. Rest pasta sheet for an hour to dry out a little, and then cut into 15 cm squares. Place these squares carefully onto baking parchment and cook in the pre-heated oven until the pasta sheets have blistered, dried and are a light tan colour, about 20 minutes. Don’t worry if there are some darker patches. 6. Leave to cool. At this point they can be stored and as long as they are moisture-free, they will remain fresh for many weeks, enough time to dispose of a few enemies...a la Tomislav the Great! Using Mlinci Mlinci are ‘ready to go’. Basically they can soaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes then mixed with a savoury or sweet dressing and they are ready to eat. However, the way my grandmother would prepare them would be to place the soaked Mlinci under a roasting turkey for the last hour of cooking. Or she would pour the juices from the roasting turkey over the Mlinci and bake them separately. Primitive, but good. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG900 )

Basic Pasta This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterraneanin the eCGI Making fresh pasta is a relatively simple task, easily mastered and quite rewarding. In terms of equipment, while it is possible to roll pasta dough using a rolling pin, I recommend a simple hand-cranked pasta machine. It simplifies the pasta making process and allows the production of not only a more consistent product, but also a wider range of pasta types. Many machines have attachments for making different sized pasta ribbons and for making ravioli. 3 c of Durum flour (fine semolina flour) or 3 c of Italian “00” flour (or “all-purpose” flour if this is not available” 1 c of warm water (if using semolina flour) or 3 large eggs (if using “00” flour) Semolina flour for dusting 1. Add three cups of one flour type to a large bowl. Add water if using semolina flour or eggs if using “00” flour. 2. Mix flour into liquids using a fork. When the liquid has been fully absorbed by the flour, form the dough into a ball. Start kneading the dough ball with the heel of you palm. Do this for five minutes. 3. As different flours absorb different amounts of liquid, and eggs differ in size, the dough may be either too dry or wet at this stage. The dough ball should be elastic and soft. If it is sticky, add a little more flour; if it is very stiff add a little water. 4. Knead for a further 5 minutes. If you intend to roll out the pasta by hand, most people recommend that you knead the dough for a further 5 minutes. So 10-15 minutes of kneading in total to form those gluten networks. 5. At this point wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in a cool place for an hour. If using semolina flour it is especially important to wrap the dough in plastic wrap to exclude air. The yellow carotene compounds in the dough react with oxygen to form melanin, in effect “tanning”. These melanin products are brown in colour and can result in discoloration of the dough. 6. After the resting period, take out the dough and divide into four. Re-wrap three of the dough portions in plastic. Flatten the remaining portion and dust with flour. Set the machine to its widest setting and wind the dough through. Repeat this six times, folding the dough sheet in half and turning it 90 degrees each time. This will give you a squarish, flattened brick of dough. 7. Decrease the roller separation by a notch and crank the dough through. Repeat this process until the pasta sheet is of the desired thickness. Should the dough begin to stick, dust with a little flour. Cover pasta sheet with a clean kitchen towel and repeat the process with the other dough portions. This method, using a pasta machine, will produce sheets 15cm wide and up to a metre of so long. I cut them down to 40 cm lengths for ease of use. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG899 )

Basic Pasta This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterraneanin the eCGI Making fresh pasta is a relatively simple task, easily mastered and quite rewarding. In terms of equipment, while it is possible to roll pasta dough using a rolling pin, I recommend a simple hand-cranked pasta machine. It simplifies the pasta making process and allows the production of not only a more consistent product, but also a wider range of pasta types. Many machines have attachments for making different sized pasta ribbons and for making ravioli. 3 c of Durum flour (fine semolina flour) or 3 c of Italian “00” flour (or “all-purpose” flour if this is not available” 1 c of warm water (if using semolina flour) or 3 large eggs (if using “00” flour) Semolina flour for dusting 1. Add three cups of one flour type to a large bowl. Add water if using semolina flour or eggs if using “00” flour. 2. Mix flour into liquids using a fork. When the liquid has been fully absorbed by the flour, form the dough into a ball. Start kneading the dough ball with the heel of you palm. Do this for five minutes. 3. As different flours absorb different amounts of liquid, and eggs differ in size, the dough may be either too dry or wet at this stage. The dough ball should be elastic and soft. If it is sticky, add a little more flour; if it is very stiff add a little water. 4. Knead for a further 5 minutes. If you intend to roll out the pasta by hand, most people recommend that you knead the dough for a further 5 minutes. So 10-15 minutes of kneading in total to form those gluten networks. 5. At this point wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in a cool place for an hour. If using semolina flour it is especially important to wrap the dough in plastic wrap to exclude air. The yellow carotene compounds in the dough react with oxygen to form melanin, in effect “tanning”. These melanin products are brown in colour and can result in discoloration of the dough. 6. After the resting period, take out the dough and divide into four. Re-wrap three of the dough portions in plastic. Flatten the remaining portion and dust with flour. Set the machine to its widest setting and wind the dough through. Repeat this six times, folding the dough sheet in half and turning it 90 degrees each time. This will give you a squarish, flattened brick of dough. 7. Decrease the roller separation by a notch and crank the dough through. Repeat this process until the pasta sheet is of the desired thickness. Should the dough begin to stick, dust with a little flour. Cover pasta sheet with a clean kitchen towel and repeat the process with the other dough portions. This method, using a pasta machine, will produce sheets 15cm wide and up to a metre of so long. I cut them down to 40 cm lengths for ease of use. Keywords: Pasta, eGCI ( RG899 )

One wonders if the inhabitants of India used the word 'curry' to describe 99% of their cuisine as it is used for "Indian" food in the UK (note not debating that there are ethnic Indian curries)? Or for that matter, Thai Red Curry, do the Thai use the word curry? If I make a lamb stew with onions, ginger, pepper, mace, saffron, vinegar or lemon juice and thickened with ground almonds, is this a curry? It it were served in a modern curry house then yes, if served Henry VIII then no? How does that work. As for humours etc, as I said before, they were window dressing, important etc, but not crucial. From the writing of the period it is obvious that many people took the humours very seriously indeed, but not everybody. Many people just liked the food.

Well yes, hence "Indo-European" Languages. Some words are well preseved between sanskrit and modern European languages (apart from Finnish, Basque and Hungarian etc), but this doesn't mean that Sanskrit is the source of all such words. You will not find "Model T Ford" in Sanskrit, so there isn't really any particular reason why you would find "Curry".