Frugal January: Portobello Pasta

Portobello mushrooms taste great, present well, and aren’t as expensive as some steak options. When you pair them with pasta you'll have a dish that will leave you feeling doubly satisfied - because you had a great meal and saved a great deal. The other ingredients here are few and far between, so you can actually see each one in the finished product. This gives it the look that it’s a really gourmet meal, and adds to the taste sensation.

Ingredients
2 large portobello mushroom caps
3 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
12 oz. rigatoni
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ cup grated parmesan
to taste salt & pepper
¼ bunch flat leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and then spritz lightly with non-stick spray. Lightly brush off any dirt or grit from the portobello mushrooms and then drizzle each cap with ½ tablespoon of olive oil, ½ tablespoon of red wine vinegar, and a slight sprinkle of salt and pepper (both sides). Place the seasoned mushrooms on the prepared baking sheet (gill side down) and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. 
2. While the mushrooms are roasting, begin to boil a large pot of water to cook the pasta. Once the water reaches a full boil, add the pasta and continue to boil for 7-10 minutes or until tender. Reserve about a cup of the starchy cooking water before draining the pasta in a colander.
3. Mince the garlic and add it to a large skillet along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the dried thyme. Cook the garlic and thyme over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic is tender. Remove the skillet from the heat. Roughly chop the parsley.
4. When the mushrooms have finished roasting, carefully cut each cap in half and then slice crosswise into thin strips. Add the drained pasta, sliced mushrooms, and chopped parsley to the skillet with the garlic (heat turned off). Toss to coat. Use a small amount of the reserved pasta water to loosen the pasta if it becomes dry. Add the parmesan cheese and toss to coat once again. If desired, add an extra splash of red wine vinegar before serving

Frugality in January

I'm sure everyone has been busy spending all their money, preparing for Christmas, and buying loved ones presents!

In January, it's good to save where you can and cook more frugally. Thankfully, this does not need to mean tasteless meals. Indeed, you can still make fabulous food while using some money-saving ideas. This could mean bulk making dishes to eat over several nights or using dried pulses and beans rather than fresh ones.

Remember vegetarian dishes are often a far cheaper option than expensive meat.

Here are some great ideas from Simplyrecipes.com:

1. Chicken: buy it bone-in, skin on. It’s cheaper. Buy thighs. More flavour and meat for the money. Save the bones, either before cooking or after a meal. Freeze and use later for making chicken stock. Not only is the marrow from bones incredibly good for you, but if you already have the bones, the stock you can make from it is practically free.

2. Mexican food. Corn tortillas and beans are cheap, and combined make a complete protein. The beans are especially economical if you buy them dry and cook them yourself, instead of using them from a can. Add some rice and salsa and you have a filling, nutritious, delicious meal.

3. Eggs. Great source of inexpensive protein. Make hard boiled eggs for sandwiches or scrambled eggs for breakfast.

4. Make stews with cheaper, tougher cuts of meat, like braising steak or pork shoulder. Low and slow braising completely tenderises the meat, and the flavour is amazing.

5. Turkey legs and thighs. Best deal out there. You can braise them or make turkey stew. Or make the most of your turkey leftovers if you still have some!

6. Make your meal go farther with potatoes, rice, pasta, or tortillas.

Keep your eyes peeled for some of our very own frugal recipes in the coming weeks!

Christmas Playlist

Looking for inspiration for music to play during the Christmas period?

Check out Pizzeria Oregano's favourite Christmas hits!

Bing Crosby – White Christmas
Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song
Ella Fitzgerald – Frosty the Snow Man
Frank Sinatra – Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Judy Garland – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Louis Armstrong – Cool Yule
Doris Day – Here Comes Santa Claus
Perry Como – I'll Be Home for Christmas
Dean Martin – Baby It's Cold Outside
Bing Crosby – It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas
Billie Holiday – I've Got My Love to Keep You Warm
Frank Sinatra – Winter Wonderland
Eartha Kitt – Santa Baby
Sammy Davis Jr. – Christmas Time All Over the World
The Beverley Sisters – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Ella Fitzgerald – Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Bing Crosby – Silver Bells
Brook Benton – When a Child Is Born
Harry Belafonte – Mary's Boy Child
Ella Fitzgerald – Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer

An Italian Inspired Turkey Recipe

Try something a little different this festive season with an Italian inspired turkey recipe!

Serves 6

2-2½ kg/4lb 8oz-5lb 8oz turkey crown
olive oil
about 10 thin slices streaky bacon or pancetta
small rosemary sprigs
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
For the stuffing
4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
50g pine nuts
85g grated parmesan
6-8 slices pancetta, chopped
1 small loaf ciabatta, to give 280g/10oz breadcrumbs
4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
zest 1 lemon, finely grated
2 eggs, beaten
For the garlic
3 whole bulbs garlic, halved horizontally
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges
For the gravy
4 tsp plain flour
175ml medium-sweet marsala
850ml turkey or chicken stock

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Rinse the turkey then pat dry with kitchen paper. Weigh it to calculate the cooking time, allowing 20 mins per kg, plus 70 mins (or 90 mins when roasting a crown over 4kg). Sit the turkey on a board, very lightly rub all over with olive oil and season with pepper. 

2. Lay the pancetta or streaky bacon over the top of the turkey, slightly overlapping to cover it. Tuck the slices under the bird to secure at the bottom. Insert small rosemary sprigs haphazardly between the slices. Season with pepper. Tie the crown across in 2-3 places with butcher’s string, to hold the shape together. Put the onion wedges in the middle of a large roasting tin and sit the crown on top. Cover the turkey with a loose tent of foil, then roast following your calculated time.

3. Make the stuffing. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Tip in the onions and garlic, and fry for 5-8 mins until softened and starting to turn golden. Push the onions to one side of the pan, then add the pine nuts and continue to fry for 1 min more, stirring the nuts until golden. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Stir in the remaining oil, all but a small handful of the Parmesan and the remaining stuffing ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Loosely spoon stuffing mixture (don’t pack it down) into an oiled ovenproof dish, drizzle with a little extra olive oil, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, then lay a sheet of baking parchment on top. Set aside. Can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.

4. Thirty mins before the end of the cooking time, remove the turkey and increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. If you are roasting potatoes put them in now. Roast the garlic. Remove the foil, place the garlic halves and lemon wedges around the turkey, then baste them and the turkey with the cooking juices. Return the tin to the oven and continue to roast for the final 30 mins. To test if cooked, pierce the fattest part of the crown with a skewer – the juices should run clear, not pink. If they are pink, continue to roast, checking at 10 min intervals.

5. Remove the turkey, garlic and lemon from the oven, transfer to a warm serving platter and rest, covered loosely with foil, for 30 mins before carving. Meanwhile, increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the stuffing in the oven and bake for 20 mins, then remove the paper and bake for a further 5 mins until the stuffing is golden.

6. Make the gravy. Pour off any excess fat from the roasting tin but leave the juices and onions. Stir all the sticky bits from the bottom of the tin into the juices. Set tin over a medium heat, add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 mins. Pour in the Marsala and simmer for 2 mins. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5-10 mins or until reduced to your liking. Season with pepper if needed. Strain the gravy into a pan, warm through, then pour into a jug. Serve the turkey garnished with rosemary sprigs, surrounded with the roasted garlic and lemon, and accompanied by the gravy and stuffing.

The Blogging Event

This week's blog post is on the Yelp event we held at Pizzeria Oregano last week!

If you're new to the world of Yelp Events, let us explain in greater detail.

A yelper is someone who leaves a review on yelp - nothing more nothing less. You can become a yelper by creating a profile on yelp and leaving reviews on everything and anything. Once you've done that, you're eligible to sign up to yelp event. Restaurants hold Yelp events to encourage people in to see what they have to offer.

At Pizzeria Oregano, we decided to do just that and last Sunday we invited 50 yelpers in for an evening of the best Italian fare this side of Italy.

Our hungry bloggers turned up promptly 7pm and hungrily devoured all that was placed in front of them:

Delicious calamari orechiette.

Mediterranaean vegetable penne

Fresh pesto gnocci and wild mushroom tortellini

And Pippo cooked up a storm at the pizza oven with a huge variety of pizzas.

Fancy a sample of some of the delicious in the pictures above, simply book a table at Pizzeria Oregano! 

Tricolore Salad

Many people think, wrongly, that Italian cuisine is just pizza and pasta. Although we serve world class pizza and pasta, we also serve an array of other delicious Italian delights.

This includes our wonderful tricolore salad which was one of last week's specials. Exceptionally delicious, it's also incredibly easy to make. But shush, don't share our secret and tell anyone else! 

This salad is really just an assembly job, you just need to make sure that you buy the best quality, perfectly ripe ingredients.

Serve 2 

1 ball of buffalo mozarella, sliced

3 medium vine ripened tomatoes, sliced

best quality extra virgin olive oil

dried oregano

ciabatta

1 garlic clove, sliced in half

1 perfectly ripe avocado, sliced

50g parmesan, sliced using a potato peeler

Fresh pesto (see how to make it in our previous post) 

1. Cut 2 thick slices of ciabatta. Get your griddle or frying pan really hot and place the ciabatta slices on. Griddle for a couple of minutes on both sides. 

2. Drizzle the slices with olive oil and rub both sides with the garlic. Sprinkle with crushed sea salt.

3. Arrange the avocado, mozarella, and tomato on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with dried oregano. If you're feeling fancy, add a drizzle of freshly made pesto which we showed you how to make in last week's post.

Serve as starter or a light main course. 

Fresh Pesto

Don't buy the jarred stuff - it's terrible! Fresh pesto is the way to go - ridiculously easy to make and very fresh and fragrant. Use it as a topping for fish and chicken dishes or simply stirred into pasta.

source

Large bunch of fresh basil
50g pine nuts
50g parmesan
150ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for storing
2 garlic cloves, peeled

1. Firstly, dry roast the pine nuts. Simply add them to a frying pan over a medium heat and toss for  few minutes. Make sure you don't burn them.
2. Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor until they form a paste.
3. Store in a container. Make sure you add a small drizzle of olive oil to the top to help it preserve for longer. Will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.