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What on earth is ketsef? I hear you cry! Ketsef is a Hebrew word for whipped egg white and sugar. When I was a child Mother of Marge used to make ketsef regularly. It makes a nice alternative to cream, and goes so well with fruit.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 mug of granulated sugar
• juice of half a lemon (optional)

Method:

1. Separate two eggs, and put the whites into a large mixing bowl. You won’t need the yolks for this recipe, so why not mix them with a little olive oil and sea salt to make a really good, moisturising body scrub? I know I’m a fountain of knowledge!
2. Add 1/3 of a mug of granulated sugar (can be white or brown, but not too soft, ie demerara) to the egg whites. If you want you can add the juice of half a lemon, but this is optional.
3. Now unless you have arms as strong as a Mr Universe (or a formidable grandmother able to carry 10 shopping bags up a hill), and the speed of a helicopter blade, you must use an electric whisk to whip up the egg whites and sugar! This will take about 5-10 minutes depending upon your whisk.
4. The egg whites and sugar need to reach the soft peak stage, ie the mixture forms soft peaks (duh!)
5. Wash some strawberries, alpines ones for preference, or use large fruits and cut them up. (I don’t go in for this whole strawberry snobbishness!)
6. Serve immediately - you won’t want to wait!

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An absolutely easy peasy way to cook pasta and make a dish fit for a king… or anybody else really. I like to use seasonal vegetables too where possible.

Ingredients:

• 1 large handful of pasta quills per person.
• 3 large courgettes
• 1 red pepper (peeled if you can be bothered!)
• mushrooms (a few person person)
• garlic - optional (one clove crushed well)
• cheese - any hard cheese grated (about 30g per person)
• seasoning
• fresh basil leaves (or a decent basil sauce)
• 2 tsps blended olive oil (not extra virgin)

Method:

1. Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions. If you want to use fresh pasta - you’re on your own! It’s not something I know how to make! Keep it warm by sitting the pasta in a colander over a bowl with the water it was cooked in, and put a lid over the pasta. Never ever ever rinse pasta under a cold tap. It will turn to rubber - this is a shooting offence!
2. Steam the vegetables for about 5-10 minutes until soft (but not mushy), after first slicing the courgettes and cutting up the pepper. If the mushrooms are small then leave them whole. (Use a steamer insert in a saucepan or a proper steamer).
3. In a frying pan lightly fry the vegetables for 2 minutes with the blended oil. You can add the garlic at this point if desired.
4. In a warmed serving dish or wide brimmed plate (warm by simply washing in hot water), place the pasta and then the vegetables on top.
5. Season the pasta and vegetables, add the freshly torn basil leaves (don’t use a knife because basil leaves are extremely delicate, and can sometimes take on the metalic flavour of the knife). Or sprinkle on about 2 tsps of basil sauce and gently mix through.
6. Sprinkle over the grated cheese and serve straight away.

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