Cheese

The pasta cases can be made, cooled and removed from the pans one day before the party. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. The bolognese sauce can be made two days ahead; keep it covered in the fridge. Assemble the baskets up to 3 hours before the party. Note

Spaghettini is a very thin spaghetti. It is available from Italian grocery stores and most large supermarkets. Note

We used large (25cm diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. Fontina is an Italian cows-milk cheese that has a smooth but firm texture and a mild, nutty flavour. Mozzarella can be substituted for the fontina. Note

The baking paper strips are used to help remove the cheesecake from the steamer once it’s been refrigerated overnight. Place the steamer upside down on a serving plate, gently pull on the paper strips and the cheesecake will ease away from the side of the steamer. Note

Any kind of dried beans can be substituted for canned beans, if preferred. Soak beans overnight. Boil until tender; drain. Use patience when spreading polenta into prepared pan; it tends to move and slip but can eventually be worked into corners of pan. Polenta can be made 1 day ahead to the refrigeration stage. Note

Pizza fingers can be prepared the day before; put the toppings on, then cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge. Bake when ready to eat. Note

A healthy spinach and haloumi salad with packed full of scrumptious flavours and textures.

You can substitute 100g crumbled blue cheese for the gruyère, or add 310g can drained corn kernels for a delicious corn-flavoured potato puff. You can also use nicola or pink-eye potatoes for this recipe. Note

Cooking the pizza in a covered barbecue gives it a wonderful smoky flavour similar to a wood-fired oven. If not using covered barbeque, pizza can be cooked in the oven. Place toppings on dough and bake until browned and crisp. There is no need to turn the dough over using this method. Note

You can peel the potatoes in advance and leave them in a bowl of cold water so they don’t go brown. Once they are sliced, assemble the dish immediately. Don’t stand the sliced potatoes in cold water or you will wash away their natural starch, which thickens the sauce. Note

You can buy packaged pizza bases in two sizes: the large ones we’ve used here measure 25cm across; smaller ones measure 15cm across and come packaged in pairs with a total weight of 225g. Use six of the small ones to make individual pizzettas. Note

Ground lemon myrtle is available from specialist spice shops and some gourmet food stores. Lemon myrtle is a small tree that grows in sub-tropical and tropical rainforest areas of Queensland. Ground lemon myrtle is a ground mixture of the dried leaf and flower; it has a strong lemon flavour. If you can’t find it, use […]

Spice up your breakfast omelette with this popular Indian recipe.

Use a mandoline or V-slicer to cut the potatoes into paper-thin slices. Note

Use a mandoline or V-slicer to easily cut the kumara into thin slices. Note

We used large (25cm diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. Note

“I love making pizza at home… and this versatile and easy dough can also be used for loaves, rolls, foccacia… anything.” Cynthia Black came to the Test Kitchen in the early 1990s, and left in 1993, continuing her food career at Darling Mills, her family’s restaurant in Sydney. She has now gone into business for […]

Use fresh raspberries if fresh blackberries are not available. Place the unused vanilla pod in a jar of caster (superfine) sugar to make your own vanilla sugar. Note

An exotic rocket, pear & ricotta fritter salad that is packed to the brim with delicious flavours and textures.

Rösti can be eaten hot or cold. Swap sweet potato for potato, squeeze excess liquid from potato first. Note

Grilled chicken parcels stuffed with ham, spinach, ricotta and sun-dried tomatoes.

Sandwiches can be prepared several hours ahead. Keep wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator until required. Bread is an excellent source of energy-giving carbohydrates. Wholemeal and wholegrain breads are also a rich source of dietary fibre and other nutrients because they contain the natural goodness of the entire grain. Note

Commercial pizza bases are available in a full range of thicknesses. For this pizza, select a thinner base so it complements rather than competes with the flavours of the topping. Note

A simple but delectable roasted capsicum soup with fried provolone polenta.

We used large, 25cm diameter, packaged pizza bases for this recipe. Note

We used a mixture of parsley, basil and dill for this recipe, but you can use any herbs you like. If your frying pan does not have a heatproof handle, cover the handle with aluminium foil to protect it from the heat of the grill. Frittata can be served warm or cold. Reheat slices of […]

You can use soft goat’s cheese in place of the feta. Note