Main Courses
Butternut Squash Tortellini
Handmade spinach and ricotta tortellini served with a smooth butternut squash sauce, toasted pine kernels, Parmesan and a crisp.
August 16, 2026
Vegetarian & Vegan
Aubergine Trofie
Aubergine Trofie Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes This works well with either fresh or dried pasta. If
February 9, 2026
Vegetarian & Vegan
Risotto Primavera
Risotto Primavera Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour I learned to cook Risotto whilst doing a stage in
February 9, 2026
Main Courses
Recipes
Vegetarian & Vegan
Working for my friend’s father near Ferrara, in Emilia-Romagna, I learned to make pasta—20kg a day, to be precise. Most of it was made by machine, but the tortellini and cappelletti were cut and formed by hand. No one spoke Italian, and I wanted to learn, but they all spoke Ferrarese, the local dialect. I was the only man in the kitchen while the chefs were away doing three months of national service, and the older women used to rib me—but it was all in good fun.
Traditionally, tortellini are cut from squares and the name means “little pies” or “little cakes”. For this recipe, I use an 8cm round cutter and fill them with spinach and ricotta, then serve them with a smooth butternut squash sauce. You could also use a butternut squash and ricotta filling and serve the tortellini with sage butter.
I first had this dish with naan bread in Jaipur, Rajasthan — the Pink City. While travelling around India, I became vegetarian because I did not trust the meat I saw in the markets.
You can substitute the spinach with peas. In some UK Indian restaurants the sauce is enriched with cream or even condensed milk; this version uses strained yoghurt.
This easy dish is well worth the effort, but it needs some forward planning.
When I was a kibbutznik, we would go into town on Thursday evenings for a drink with the other volunteers. The highlight was a falafel with all the wonderful condiments. I developed this recipe while studying at the College of Naturopathic Medicine. Sprouting reduces some antinutrients, making chickpeas easier to digest. It was on the Tree Bistro menu and is vegan-friendly. If you are in a hurry, you can simply soak the chickpeas overnight.
This works well with either fresh or dried pasta. If you can’t find cooked aubergines, prick them with a fork, rub them with olive oil and roast them whole at 200°C for 45–50 minutes. I found ours in a market in Catania, Sicily, roasted in a wood-fired oven, which gave them a smoky flavour. You can also cook them on the barbecue. Pasta alla Norma is named after Bellini’s opera Norma; it is normally served with a tubular pasta.
I learnt to cook risotto while doing a stage in Milan during a very cold January. This version works well with spring vegetables as a vegetarian dish. Made simply with saffron, it can also be served with osso buco.