Pear and hazelnut torta

Serves 6

100g toasted hazelnuts, skin removed

1/2 cup caster sugar, plus 2 tsp extra

1/3 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

80g unsalted butter, melted, cooled, plus 20g extra chilled butter

2 ripe pears (eg beurre bosc)

icing sugar, to dust

Melt the butter down and let cool.

Preheat oven to 170 C and grease a 26cm round loose-bottomed tart pan.

Blitz the hazelnuts, caster sugar, 1 Tb flour in a food processor until the nuts are quite finely ground (be careful not to wizz for too long because the nuts will release oil and form a paste). Tip the mixture into a large bowl.

Sift remaining flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into the nut mixture. Whisk together for 30 seconds until well combined.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl until just frothy (whisk is ok). Then whisk in the milk, vanilla and melted butter.

Pour the egg mixture into the nut mixture and stir together until well combined. Pour into the baking dish and spread evenly.

Peel, quarter and core the pears. Slice each quarter into 5mm thick slices. Fan the slices slightly by pressing on top of them with the palm of your hand. Transfer it to the top of the batter (around 6 slices per fan). Repeat with the remaining pears in a higgeldy-piggeldy pattern.

Sprinkle 2 tsp sugar over the pears and dollop with the little chunks of chilled butter.

Bake the torta for 25-30 minutes until the batter is slightly puffed and golden - time will vary a bit.

Transfer to a wire rack and sift a thickish layer of icing sugar over the top. Allow to cool to lukewarm, then dust with more icing sugar (if needed).

Serve with cream or icecream.

Rustic osso bucco pasta

Serves 4-6

1kg osso bucco

plain flour (for dusting)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 brown onion, thickly sliced

3 cloves garlic

1 cup dry red wine

2 cups beef stock

1 cup water

4 bay leaves

2 Tb tomato paste

1 Tb caster sugar

400g caserecci

sea salt and cracked black pepper

1/2 cup oregano leaves

finely grated parmesan, to serve

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Dust veal with flour and shake off any excess. Brown in a pan over high heat - cook for 2-3 minutes each side in some olive oil. Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to low. Add the oil, onion, garlic and cook for 6-8 minutes or until soft and golden. increase the heat to high and gradually add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until reduced by half.

Add the stock, water, bay leaves, tomato paste and sugar and stir to combine. Return the veal to the pan, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook in the oven for 1.5 hours.

Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Remove the veal from the pan and shred the meat from the bones, discarding bones.

Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, return to the pan and add the veal, sauce, salt, pepper and oregano. Toss to combine and serve with parmesan.

Grublover comment

This meal is delicious and rich and so fabulous for a cold rainy night.

Don't worry if the sauce is too liquidy - it will all get stirred through and coat the pasta - don't try to thicken it up.

Serve with a fresh garden salad. If you cannot get caserecci use a pasta that will catch the sauce eg shells.