Gnocchi recipe

INGREDIENTS (6 serves) :
- 1 kg baking potatoes
- all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- a pinch of salt
- grated Parmigiano cheese
- grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS :
- Scrub potatoes
- Place in a 6-quart pot of salted water and boil until tender, about 30 minutes
- Drain water from potatoes, and then cool in pot
- Peel and mash potatoes. Cool at least 30 minutes

- Add eggs, salt, nutmeg, Parmigiano cheese and all-purpose flour.- Slowly combine the eggs and flour with the potatoes to make dough. Work dough with the palms of your hands. Add remaining flour, only if needed. Dough should be smooth but not sticky. - Make dough into five equal balls. On a floured surface, use your palms to roll each piece into a long tube. - Use a knife to cut each tube into 5 cm long pieces. Dust each gnocchi with flour

- Roll each piece on a grater, pressing with your thumb to give it the classic shape ....et voilà......

- Bring a 5-quart pot of salted water to the boil. Cook gnocchi for 4 to 5 minutes. (Once the gnocchi come to the surface of the water. Let them cook 1 more minute and then remove with a slotted spoon) ...ready to be served with hot Bolognese Sauce! ..and if you don't like Bolognese sauce , you can have them with your favourite pasta sauce or just sautéed with butter and sage.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

INGREDIENTS (4 serves):
-chopped smoked bacon
-2 egg yolks
-1 egg white
-250 gr cream
-a pinch of salt
-a pinch of black pepper
-some grated Parmesan cheese
(Shall I write that you need Spaghetti??!)

DIRECTIONS :

-Cook Spaghetti as directed on the package

-Whisk the egg yolks, egg white, cream and bacon into a pre-heated large saucepan and season generously with black pepper.

-Put quickly Spaghetti into the saucepan, stir very thoroughly so everything will get a good coating and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on, mix again and serve immediately your Carbonara!

Quick cold sauce for pasta

You will need just a few ingredients:
- red tomatoes
- black olives
- capers
- fresh basil
- a clove of garlic
- a pinch of salt
- extravirgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
- Chop tomatoes and olives and put them into a bowl
- Add capers, basil,a pinch of salt (not too much, capers are very salty!) and a glove of garlic
- Add extravirgin olive oil and mix
- Let this mixture marinade for at least 3 hours
This sauce is perfect on a dish of hot/cold pasta or just on a toasted slice of bread ("Bruschetta")