sample recipes from twisted: a cookbook
From one of the world's most popular food brands, comes Twisted: A Cookbook, with 100+ brand new, mouth-watering recipes that celebrate the very best of their playful nature and the fun food their fans love to eat.
SICILIAN BRUSCHETTA PASTA SALAD
This pasta salad was inspired by pesto Trapanese, the Sicilian version of the famous Genoese classic. Usually made from almonds and raw tomatoes, we’ve included mint and pistachios too (all very Sicilian). The aim was to make this look like a massive flying bruschetta. As the photo suggests, we are extremely pleased with the result.
Ingredients:
600g (1lb 5oz)mixed tomatoes, chopped or halved if small
500g(1lb2oz)dried fusilli
1 small red onion, very finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pesto:
100g(¾cup)roasted de-shelled pistachios or toasted blanched almonds (or a mixture)
60g(2cups)basil leaves, roughly chopped, plus a few sprigs for garnish
20g (cup)mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus a few sprigs for garnish
2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
150ml nice olive oil, plus extra to loosen
80g(1¼cups) Parmesan, finely grated
1 small ice cube(optional)
salt, to taste
Bruschetta toasts:
sourdough bread, sliced
½ garlic clove, for rubbing
nice olive oil, for drizzling
flaked sea salt, for sprinkling
To Prepare:
1. Season the tomatoes well with salt, then place in a large sieve or colander, cover loosely with cling film(plastic wrap) and set over a large bowl (big enough to take all of your cooked pasta)to drain for at least 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, get on with your pesto. If using a pestle and mortar, bash and massage the nuts until you have a rough paste, then transfer to a bowl. Adding It gradually, grind the basil and mint to a fine green sludge, then add the garlic paste and loosen with most of the olive oil. Tip this mixture into the bowl with the nut paste and stir through the cheese and the remaining olive oil. Taste for salt and set aside. If using a food processor or blender, add the herbs, olive oil, nuts, garlic and the ice cube and process until you have a rough but homogeneous paste, then transfer to a bowl and stir through the cheese. Taste for salt and set aside.
3. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente, then drain and add to the bowl under the tomatoes (you won’t need any pasta water). Toss the pasta through the tomato nectar–it will be absorbed by the hot pasta as it cools. When just a little warm, add three-quarters of the pesto and beat well to incorporate. You should have a wonderful thick sauce that just clings to your pasta. Transfer the pasta to a large serving platter.
4. Add the red onion to the tomatoes along with lots of black pepper and dress with a little olive oil. Arrange this mixture in the middle of the pasta, then blob the remaining pesto in and around the sea of tomatoes. Garnish with a few whole herbs, if you like.
5. For your bruschetta toasts, grill the slices of sourdough (a cast-iron griddle is good for this) until nicely charred, then rub with the halved garlic clove, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with some flaked salt. Arrange around your platter and serve, preferably in the garden on a hot day.
CHEAT’S CHURROS & CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Most churro recipes involve the deeply irksome process of making choux pastry; whacking eggs into a greasy ball of dough, forcing it into piping bags, and cursing as you attempt to squeeze the resulting truculent mass through the nozzle – it’s not pretty. Our recipe (which is probably secretly what most churro makers actually use) is a walk in the park in comparison, leaving you more time to do the more fun things in life (like eating churros).
Ingredients (serves 4):
50g (3½ tbsp) unsalted butter 200ml (generous ¾ cup)
hot water
150ml (2/3 cup) milk
100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
250g (scant 2 cups) plain(all-purpose) flour
1 tsp baking powder
neutral oil, for frying
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Chocolate sauce:
100ml (generous cup) double (heavy) cream
150g (5½oz) dark (plain unsweetened) chocolate, finely chopped
To Prepare:
Put the butter, water and milk into a jug, along with 4 tsp of the sugar. Microwave for about 2 minutes, until really hot. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder, then pour the hot liquid into the flour mix and stir until a thick and smooth dough is formed. Let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep, heavy saucepan to 175°C (350°F).
3. In a large bowl, mix together the remaining sugar with the cinnamon and set aside.
4. Transfer the dough mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Carefully pipe strips of about 15cm (6in) long strips into the hot oil, snipping them off with kitchen scissors. Fry for 2–3 minutes until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon to drain briefly on paper towels.
5. While the churros are still warm, toss them in the cinnamon sugar to coat.
6. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the cream, chocolate and golden syrup into a microwavable jug and heat for 1 minute until the chocolate is melted. Stir to combine.
7. Serve the churros warm, with the chocolate sauce for dipping, or drizzled over the top.