Recipe Style: Mediterranean

Mushroom and Potato Pizza

Prep: 15 mins | Cooking time: 12 mins | Makes:  2 pizzas

  • 300g fresh ricotta
  • 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 x 250g packets pizza dough (see note)
  • 100g baby potatoes, very thinly sliced
  • 200g brown cup mushrooms, sliced; or brown or white button mushrooms, sliced; or larger mushrooms halved and sliced 
  • Baby rocket leaves, to serve
  1. Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. Combine ricotta, parmesan, 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. With oiled hands, spread each pizza dough over 2 greased baking trays.  Crumble ricotta mixture over bases. Arrange potato over ricotta. Top with mushroom. Drizzle with remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until base is cooked and mushrooms are golden.
  2. Sprinkle with rocket. Drizzle with extra oil. Serve.

Cook’s note: You can find fresh pizza dough in the refrigerated section, near the fresh pasta. But you can also use a ready-made pizza base from the bakery section of the supermarket.

Mush-Boom Potato Pizza

Mushroom Carpaccio

Cooking time: 15 mins | Serves:  6-8 (shared plate)

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped capers
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 200g brown and white cup mushrooms, thinly sliced; or 200g white flat mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 20g baby rocket leaves
  • 20g thinly sliced prosciutto, torn
  • Toasted bread or baguette, to serve
  1. Place oil, capers, lemon juice and parsley in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  2. Arrange mushrooms in a single layer on a large serving plate. Drizzle over dressing. Top with rocket, prosciutto and lemon zest. Serve with bread.

Cook’s note:

You can also make this recipe ahead of time. Dress mushrooms and store covered in the fridge for up to 3 hours. Add rocket and prosciutto when ready to serve.

Spaghetti & Mushroom Bolognese

  • 300g cup mushrooms (sliced or diced)
  • 1 brown onion. diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2tbs olive oil, extra for drizzling
  • 300g pork sausages in natural casing (Italian or pork & fennel)
    or
    300g of Beef and Pork 50/50 blend
  • ¼ cup Tomato Paste
  • 1 cup Passata sauce
  • 300g spaghetti
  • Fresh basil
  • 20g parmesan to serve
  1. Heat large non-stick fry pan over high heat.
  2. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook through then add meat (if using sausages, remove the meat from the casings and cook through). Cook for approx. 4-6 mins.
  3. Add Tomato Paste to mixture & cook for a further 4 minutes.
  4. Reduce heat, add Passata sauce & simmer for a further 2 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to the boil & cook pasta to packet instructions.
  6. Strain & set aside.
  7. Add pasta to sauce & serve with basil leaves and shavings of Parmesan.

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

  • 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 12 Portabella Mushrooms
  • 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 120g goat’s cheese
  • 1 cup small basil leaves
  • Salt and pepper, to season
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C Combine the oil with the garlic, salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture over the mushrooms on an oven tray lined with lightly greased foil.
  2. Roast mushrooms for 5 minutes, then top with the tomatoes and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
  3. Turn the grill onto high. Crumble over the goats’ cheese and place under the grill for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes and goats’ cheese is lightly golden.
  4. Remove from the oven. Scatter with the basil leaves and drizzle with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pappardelle with Mushroom Sauce

  • 400g pappardelle pasta
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 long red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
  • 1 long green chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
  • 400g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 300ml thickened cream (see tip)
  • 2 eggs
  • 50g parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  1. Cook pappardelle in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet directions, until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and chilli and cook 2 minutes until soft. Increase heat to high, add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
  3. Drain pappardelle and return to the hot saucepan, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water. Whisk the cream, eggs and reserved pasta water in a jug with a fork until well combined, then add to the hot pasta with the mushrooms and half the parmesan.
  4. Return the pan to medium-low heat. Toss pasta for 1 minute or until egg begins to set. Remove from heat. Add parsley, season with salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls, serve topped with remaining parmesan.

Pancetta Pasta with Mushrooms

  • 400g spaghetti
  • 200g thinly sliced pancetta, shredded
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 500g cup mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 60g parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  1. Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, according to packet directions, until al dente.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes until pancetta is crisp. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  3. Add 2 tbs oil to the frying pan and heat over medium heat, add onion and garlic and cook 4 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms, increase heat to high and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and golden. Set pan aside.
  4. Drain spaghetti and return to the hot saucepan. Add pancetta, mushrooms and remaining oil. Toss gently over low heat for 2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and half the parmesan, season with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine.
  5. Spoon into serving bowls, top with remaining parmesan and serve immediately.