Table for two – a romantic night in

Home Tech

Prepare Italian cuisine from the comfort of your own kitchen with these recipes.

Good restaurants are usually overbooked and expensive. So why not just relax and have a couple’s night in every once in a while?

There are many advantages to cooking at home. A home-cooked meal typically costs just a fraction of one in a restaurant. Another definite plus is health: preparing your own meals means that you have complete control over the ingredients, so you can be sure that everything that goes into your food is nutritious and of high quality. Lastly, eating at home is convenient – no need to worry about reservations!

A different take on three Italian classics

Not sure what to cook for your date night dinner? Then try the following three-course Italian meal.

Appetizer: Chickpea Bruschetta

A classic bruschetta recipe with added chickpeas.

1. One can of chickpeas

2. Sun-dried tomatoes in oil

3. Lemon zest and juice

4. Fresh parsley

5. Extra Virgin Olive Oil AMWAYTM da Carapelli

6. Garlic

7. Ciabatta bread

In an iCookTM stainless steel mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas slightly with the back of a large spoon. Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into long strips, using your favourite iCook knife, and finely chop the parsley. Add to the bowl of chickpeas, along with the lemon juice and zest. Feel free to use more (or less) of individual ingredients. Slice the ciabatta and toast it until crisp. Rub one side with garlic and add a dollop of the bruschetta mixture on top. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Entrée: Pasta al Forno with Ricotta and Homemade Tomato Sauce

This dish is reminiscent of lasagna, a very typical Italian meal, and is easy to prepare. It keeps well in the fridge and makes for excellent leftovers.

1. 750 g AmwayTM Italian Pasta – Fusilli

2. One white onion, finely chopped

3. One dried red chili, chopped

4. Two garlic cloves, finely chopped

5. Two cans of diced tomatoes (2 x 400 g)

6. A handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped

7. 200 g ricotta

8. Several handfuls of shredded parmesan

9. 100 g shredded mozzarella cheese

10. Extra Virgin Olive Oil AMWAYTM da Carapelli

11. Black pepper

12. Salt

Preheat the oven to 200°C and set an iCook stock pot of salted water to boil. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes less than the suggested cooking time. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, add some olive oil to an iCook non-stick frying pan and cook the onion, garlic and chili over low to medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until the onion becomes soft. Add the tomatoes and let the sauce simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Take the sauce off the heat and add the ricotta and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Coat a large rectangular casserole dish with olive oil. Add a layer of the sauce to the bottom of the pan and then add a layer of pasta. Keep adding alternating layers until both run out. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden brown.

Dessert: Chocolate Tiramisu

Tiramisu can also be prepared with cocoa, as it pairs elegantly with the coffee and makes this variant of the famous classic truly stand out.

1. 24 sponge fingers

2. 200 ml AmwayTM Espresso Coffee

3. 100 g dark chocolate (70–80% cocoa), chopped

4. 300 g mascarpone cheese

5. 250 ml whipping cream

6. 75 g powdered sugar

7. One tsp vanilla

8. Roughly crushed coffee beans (optional, to garnish)

Line the bottom of a square baking dish with half of the sponge fingers. Drizzle thoroughly with espresso.

Melt the dark chocolate in a small iCook saucepan over medium heat. Let it cool. Add the mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla to a bowl. Mix using an electric mixer until you see soft peaks form. Add the melted chocolate and mix again until combined.

Cover the sponge fingers in the baking dish with half the mixture. Arrange the remaining sponge fingers on top and drizzle again with espresso. Add the remaining mascarpone mixture. Garnish with the crushed coffee beans, if desired. Refrigerate for at least six hours before serving.

Quality meals require quality cookware

With iCook, preparing meals at home is even more convenient! From pots and pans to knives and aprons, the iCook line is made of premium materials and offers well-researched features, such as stack cooking. This makes it easy to shine in your role as chef and to cook restaurant-quality dishes that will stun your guests or partner!