Spaghetti with Crushed Peas, Bacon and Ricotta

375g dried spaghetti
1 and 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/4 cup mint leaves
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
4 rashers middle bacon, rinds removed, chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
15g ricotta cheese, crumbled

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to packet directions, until tender.  Reserve 2 Tbs of the cooking liquid.  Drain.
2. Cook peas in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes or until tender.  Drain. 
3. Transfer peas to a processor.  Add 2 Tbs mint, lemon rind and reserved cooking liquid.  Process until roughly chopped.
4. Heat 2 Tbs oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.  Cook bacon for 4-5 minutes or until browned and crisp.  Add pasta, pea mixture, lemon juice and ricotta.  Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with remaining oil.  Top with mint.

Serves 4

Fish with Oven-Baked Chips

300g sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1cm chips
300g sebago potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1cm chips
olive oil spray
vegetable oil, for shallow frying
8 flathead fillets (or I've been using Basa fillets cut into smaller pieces)
1 egg, lightly beated
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup aioli or tartare sauce
green salad to serve

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees celcius or 200 degrees fan-forced. 
2. Cook potatoes in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water for 8 - 10 minutes or until tender.  Drain well.  Place on paper towel and set aside to cool.
3. Place chips, in a single layer, on a large greased baking tray and spray with oil.  Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Season with salt.
4. Once chips are close to being ready, heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over high heat.  Dip fish into egg, then coat in breadcrumbs.  Shallow fry fish for 3 minutes or until crisp and golden.  Drain on paper towel.  Serve with chips and salad.

Serves 4

Satay Chicken Quesadillas

1 and 1/2 Tbs oil
60g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and chopped
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup satay sauce
50g baby spinach, chopped
8 flour tortillas

1. Heat 1 Tbs of the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until browned.  Add onion.  Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened.  Add satay sauce.  Cook for 3 minutes or until heated through.  Remove from heat.  Stir in spinach.
2. Heat tortillas following packet directions.  Place 1 tortilla on a board.  Spoon 1/8 of the chicken mixture along one side.  Fold to form a semi-circle.  Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.
3. Clean and dry the frying pan.  Heat remaining oil over medium-high heat.  Cook quesadillas, in batches, for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden and crisp.

Serves 4

Peppermint Bubble Slice

200g block peppermint chocolate, broken into pieces
180g block dark chocolate, brocken into pieces
50g copha
5 cups rice bubbles
3 x 35g Peppermint Crisp choclate bars, roughly chopped

1. Place peppermint chocolate, dark chocolate and copha in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring until melted and smooth.
2. Place rice bubbles and Peppermint Crisp into a large heatproof bowl.  Add the choclate mixture.  Stir to combine.
3. Divide mixture into two silicon slice forms.  (If you don't have once of these, see below for instructions on how to prepare a metal slice form.)  Be sure to press the mixture down firmly with the back of a spoon.  Cover.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.
4. Cut into squares and serve.

When it comes to the slice form/tin.  I swear by Tupperware's slice forms and have two that get used constantly for this type of treat.  The beauty of a silicon form with a firm slice like this is that it doesn't get stuck and comes out easily in one neat piece.  If you are using a metal slice form, it's important to give it a quick grease and then line it with baking paper so that the paper hangs over two edges. This will make it easier to pull the slice out once you're ready to serve it.

Makes at least 24 pieces, it depends on how large you cut them.

Pumpkin, Spinach and Ricotta Frittatas

500g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
4 eggs
2 egg whites
125g ricotta (you could use low fat if you prefer)
4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
20g baby spinach leaves, torn
oil spray

1. Preheat the oven to a hot 200 degrees celcius.  Spray a 6-hole texas muffin pan with oil.  Also line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the pumpkin onto the prepared tray.  Spray with oil and season to taste.  (I just salted mine.) Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and tender.  Reduce ove nto a moderate 180 degrees celcius.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, ricotta and spring onions.  Season with salt and pepper, but be mindful of the seasoning that you've put onto the pumpkin already.
4. Divide the pumpkin and spinach between the muffin holes.  Fill with the egg mixture.
5. Bake frittatas for 15-20 minutes or until golden and puffed.  Set aside in pan to cool slightly.  Serve warm or cold.

Makes 6