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By Ìý

I started making pasta from scratch to get my children involved in the cooking and encourage them to eat healthily.Ìý

The basic pasta dough recipe can be coloured and flavoured which is a great way to get kids interested and as for shaping, the options are endless.Ìý

Basic pasta doughÌý

Ingredients (per person)Ìý

•ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 100g 00 flour / strong bread flour

•ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 1 medium free range egg

•ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 1 tbsp water (if needed)Ìý

MethodÌý

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Get a wooden or silicone board ready, clean and dry it

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Measure your flour and make it into a well

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Break the egg into the middle of the flour well

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Mix (with your hands) for 4-5 minutes until it becomes silky and no longer sticks to your hands

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add a splash of water if the dough feels too dry. If you are using large eggs, you will not need any water.

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Wrap in cling film so the dough is completely covered (otherwise it will dry out)

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Refrigerate for 30minutes

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý The dough is good for up to 3 days if kept in the fridge. Note that if you use colours the colour can change with time e.g. get a bit darker.

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý If you are using beetroot powder / turmeric / cacao powder / paprika to colour the dough, simply add a teaspoon of this to the other ingredients. Best to mix this with the flour before adding the egg.Ìý

Little Mesters Mushroom SauceÌý

This is named after the soft Sheffield made cheese that I like to use in this recipe. If you can’t get hold of it any mild, soft cheese will doÌý

Serves 4

Ingredients

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 200 grams chestnut mushroom

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 100 grams wild mushroom

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 100 ml single cream

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 50 ml white wine (optional)

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 40 grams butter

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 2 tablespoons olive oil

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 2-3 larger shallots /1 large red onion

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 2 cloves of garlic

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Handful of fresh thyme / 1 tablespoon of dried thyme

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 1 Little Mester Cheese

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Salt

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Pepper (ideally mixed peppercorns)

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Method

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Melt the butter while you chop the vegetables

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Fry the mushroom, onions, garlic until soften in a large saucepan

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add the thyme

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Slowly add the single cream, cook this for a further 2-3 minutes

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add the Little Mester

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Season with salt and a generous amount of ground mixed peppers.

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By

I use these recipes as a way to introduce healthy nuts like walnuts into by children’s diets.

Here are two variations – one with poppy seeds and one with ground walnuts.Ìý

Poppy Pasta (serves 4)

Ingredients

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 400 grams dried or 500 grams fresh pasta

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 200 grams ground poppy seed

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 150 grams icing sugar

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 50 grams unsalted butter

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Pinch of salt

Method

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Cook the pasta in salty boiling water

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Melt the butter in a large saucepan

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add a pinch of salt

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add the poppy seed, toast this for a couple of minutes

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Gradually add the icing sugar, but leave a few spoonful for the end

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add the cooked pasta to the poppyseed mix

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Sprinkle with the rest of the icing sugarÌý

Walnut Pasta (serves 4)

Ingredients

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 400 grams dried or 500 grams fresh pasta

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 200 grams ground walnuts

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 150 grams icing sugar

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 50 grams unsalted butter

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Pinch of salt

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Apricot jam (optional)Ìý

Method

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Cook the pasta in salty boiling water.

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Melt the butter in a large saucepan

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add a pinch of salt

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add the ground walnuts, toast this for a couple of minutes

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Gradually add the icing sugar, but leave a few spoonful for the end

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add the cooked pasta to the walnuts mix

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Sprinkle with the rest of the icing sugar

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Also nice with some apricot jam.

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