Pasta with a Cauliflower Sauce

I have been reading the book The Everlasting Meal . The thing about The Everlasting Meal is that it has me thinking a lot about my approach to the kitchen. It resonates a lot. Yet, Tamar discusses a very Mediterranean-Italian approach to food so there are differences. I have been discussing her book with my Italian friends, and discovering more and more secrets. Like this one — and it amazes me that this is not general knowledge in Australia, given that we have adopted so much of the Italian approach to food here. Italian in Australia is like Indian in the UK.

One of her pieces of advice is to use cooking water over and over again, cooking from the least starchy to the most starchy. It sounds sensible, doesn’t it, yet even in my childhood home which must have been one of the most frugal around, even in my Grandmother’s home where all the water came from the farm dam, we did not do this.

It is like a revelation.

Not only does it help with taste, it is also the wonderful salty water that is reused and reused. (Tamar is not afraid of salt, such a refreshing change!)

So following her advice, I cooked pasta in the cauliflower water.

Are you looking for Pasta recipes? First, check out our home made eggless pasta. Then try Pasta with Tomato and Salted Ricotta, Baked Tomato Pasta Sauce, Elegant Orzo Pasta, and Spaghetti with Chilli and Olive Oil.

Feel free to browse our Cauliflower recipes here and here. Or you might like to browse Pasta recipes here and here. Check out our easy Autumn recipes here and here.

Grilled Vegetables on the BBQ | Quick Meals

The easiest thing to do with a BBQ, the thing that does not take any thinking or preparing, is simple grilled vegetables with, say, haloumi.

It’s for those nights when it is far too much to stir, cut, saute, blend, whiz, spice up, make tadkas. When the weather is nice it is perfect for a BBQ.

You might like to browse our other BBQ recipes here. Our favourites are Roasted Carrots with Pomegranate Molasses and Roasted Grapes. If you haven’t see it already, take a look at Part 1 of this BBQ series to see Grilled Fennel with Lemon and Parmesan and Grilled Broccoli with Preserved Lemon and Part 2 of this BBQ Series to see Melty Cheese and Baked Bananas. Do browse the complete BBQ Series of recipes, there are so many more recipes including Baked Garlicky Eggplant, Baked Apricots, and Hot Tomato Salad. Find inspiration in our Winter recipes here and here.

Haydari | A Turkish Yoghurt Dip

Haydari is a thick dip and spread made from strained yoghurt which is called suzme in Turkish. It is very much like the Middle Eastern labne. Spread it on toast or flat breads, or serve with salads or chargrilled vegetables and tofu.

Looking for other Turkish recipes? Browse them here. Or browse our Dips, Sauces and Salsas here. Our favourites are Cacik and Pawpaw Salsa. You might like our Yoghurt recipes here and here. Or be inspired by our Winter recipes here and here.