Espresso martini is what you cook for nightcap or when you are getting ready for a night out with your friends but you don't want to be left out because you have taken a siesta. Strong enough as a cocktail but dangerously easy to drink when given a good shot of bourbon, this coffee cocktail is made with espresso, vodka and Kahlua.

Espresso Martini

So, being a person who loves coffee to the shameless degree – this definitely goes to my list of top favorite cocktails. It's best for when I need a boost in spirits during events I attend; mainly social functions. I have it at fancy meals to pair with dessert or instead of dessert.

The food looks so appetizing that I'd order it all night long except for the fact that I attempt to be moderate about my coffee intake and therefore, I only order at most two!

What you need

This is what you need for an espresso martini: espresso coffee, vodka and Kahlua!

What is Kahlua?

Kahlua is a coffee-flavored liqueur from Mexico. It is sweet and the syrup formation is rather slimy. That means that the best substitute for Kahlua is another brand of coffee liqueur. I've seen some at my local liquor store and I'm sure Aldi has an imitation on the cheap!

They do not know which is which between Kahlua and Baileys often than not. The difference is that Baileys Irish Cream is made from Irish whiskey and cream and this drink has pale brown creamy shine. On the same note, Kahlua has a dark brown colour, the colour of coffee; the same as the colour of the bottle.

How many milligrams of alcohol is in an Espresso Martini?

It has a rather steep alcoholic level – 60 ml/ 2 oz total of Vodka and Kahlua which is equivalent to 2 standard drinks.

In spite of the fact that it contains a good whack of alcohol it is easy to drink because the true nature of the alcohol does not manifest itself because of the coffee taste.

How to make it

Here is how you make an espresso martini. All you have to do is shake with ice in a cocktail shaker, and that is it!

KEY TIP! Many people recommend that coffee should be cooled before its use; otherwise its use will result in melting of ice and its consequent dilution.

What is essential to make an espresso martini frothy?

For the pretty famous signature frothy layer on top of your Espresso Martini you need to use real espresso coffee made in a proper coffee machine to get the nice crema (a kind of froth on the espresso). So when it comes to using instant coffee granules, you won't get a similar result even with a French Press or similar no matter how much you shake your cocktail shaker.

HOT TIP! If you don't have a suitable coffee maker, just add egg white. It doesn't affect the taste and consistency of the cocktail but if after shaking drink, expect to have the best froth on the top. You need the foam to have the coffee beans float on it, or to be broken by the tossing in the cup.

When and what to accompany Espresso Martini

Turn this into an after dinner drink by garnishing it with caramel popcorn (or Christmas Popcorn Candy if it's the holidays) or plates of chocolate covered strawberries that people can munch on.

For those who can't get enough of coffee then order Tiramisu which is everybody's most loved Italian coffee flavored dessert. Or try it with a Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting – because chocolate and coffee = love deal!

Ingredients

• 40ml / 1 1/3oz Vodka
• 20ml (2/3 oz) Kahlua
• 20ml (2/3 oz) espresso coffee, lukewarm
• 3 coffee beans, garnish

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients and put the mixture in a cocktail shaker. Mode: Shake.
2. Invert the cocktail shaker ten times then pour the content in a cocktail glass while there is a tip of the shaker. Remove interior foam if needed, scraping it out of the shaker.
3. Sprinkle with 3 coffee beans and serve it fresh.

Recipe Notes:

TIPS:

• Minimize carrying cases by cooling the coffee so that it does not melt the ice = will not water down drink flavor
• Espresso coffee made from a proper coffee machine = a nice layer of crema on the coffee = nice layer of foam on the top of Espresso Martini
• Foam not possible with coffee granules of production Espresso Martini, French Press coffee, or similar. Need a proper machine!
• No coffee machine? Cheat! If you pour 1/2 egg white into it and shake, it will create a great foam layer, but you won't be able to taste it!
• Required foam under the vending coffee beans!

Recipe source: Absolut vodka producers company, Absolut Drinks

Any vegetable, together with pasta and tuna, makes it such an easy and quick meal to prepare whenever you have depleted your stocks. Canned tuna recipe skeptics – you have to read this; it's high time to trust our instincts! This really is seriously delicious, very frugal and incredibly swift which means that it takes a mere 15 minutes from start to finish.

Yes indeed – yes – canned tuna can be downright delicious!

I can't really imagine the words "tasty meal" and "canned tuna" together in the same context. Reminiscences of low wage bare surviving university times and low calorie diets, rushed tuna and rice meals, tasteless tuna salads, tunnel Tuna sandwiches soaked in mayo.

Still, you can prepare canned tuna to be enjoyable!!! A few moments of consideration, some ideas on how to accomplish the task, a tiny amount of work and a whole lot of enthusiasm for there being a delicious meal waiting for you at the end.

Today's reward in question? Tuna pasta. Squeezed lemon juice, few drops of capers and dressing it up with the tuna's own oil. You never thought that a canned tuna pasta can be so tasty!!!

Isolation and identification of ingredients that are found in canned tuna pasta

No capers? Chop pickles instead. No lemon? Add a dash of vinegar. No anchovies? Still worth making! By using the oil from the cans of tuna, we get a really good (free) flavour boost. Just a little bit of anchovies will enhance it even more!

• Canned tuna: Tuna in oil is the go here! From the can of tuna we take the oil to fry the garlic until it turns golden brown in color. No tuna in oil? It's ok! It is done so simply; just replace the olive oil for the liquid and pour the contents of the can of tuna onto the sauce.
• Anchovies: Yes, anchovies – in everything! Ground first then cooked in oil until tender and the taste of fish is gone and all you get is a burst of delicious flavours in that dish.
• Capers: For that sour zing to the recipe! I like to use baby capers. If all you have are large ones, it's best to tear them into even larger pieces, a rough chop would do.
• Lemon: For sour to make it juicy and zest to make lemon flavor. It really does lift the dish so I hope you have it!
• Garlic, crushed; Paprika; Chilli flakes / red pepper flakes: Basic stuff for a hint of warm. This isn't a spicy pasta.
• Parsley: For freshness. Not critical.

How to make canned tuna pasta

1. Start setting the pasta boiling then move to preparing the ingredients for the sauce.
2. Boil pasta in salted water according the packet instruction but for 1 minute less.
3. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water right before draining the pasta.
4. Squeeze all the remaining oil inside the tuna can(s) and place the pot back on the stove with medium heat on.
5. First brown the garlic for one minute followed by the anchovies and chilli flakes.
6. Add the pasta, capers and 1/3 cup of reserved pasta water. Turn with two spatulas for 2 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat. Stir in tuna, parsley, lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper. Stir it carefully while it is cooking to prevent the tuna from breaking into many small pieces that are very fine.

TIP: Not all can tuna is created equal. A tin of quality canned tuna steep will cost more than home brand canola oil and cost a fraction of a decent fruity olive oil. But also, ever simple – premium canned tuna on crusty breads with the oil from the can poured over it is such a delight. I hope you try it one day. 🙂

Beef pasta cooked in a sugary garlic tomato creamy sauce with Italian seasoning. An easy homemade comfort food that's also single pot cooking!

Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta One Pot

One-pot pasta recipes are quite selective. Today's my only use case for it is saucy pastas. With less saucy pastas such as Puttanesca or pesto pasta, it just doesn't work properly, because there is not enough liquid to really cook the pasta thoroughly.

So any one pot pasta recipe you'll find on my blog is oozing with sauce, because there ya have it, therefore.

Never has anyone complained, I've never heard of it. Everybody loves sauce! 🙂

Today I am sharing a creamy tomato sauce beef pasta. That's basically a Bolognese with Italian seasonings and a cupboard stainless steel full of cream. Total crowd pleaser!

This One Pot Beef Pasta Ingredients

This all came after my one pot pasta sauciness post (nothing will surprise you when you see the name) the cardinal rule of cooking one pot pasta recipes is to ensure the pasta requires liquid to absorb it and so much of it! Liquid picked up by cooked dried pasta is two and a half times that amount. Today we use 4 cups of stock and 1 can of tomato for 360g/12ozs of pasta.

• Beef mince: I used 90% lean beef mince (ground beef), but any fat % will be just fine. Most people use 80/20. The fattier the beef, the beefier the flavor.
• Chicken stock/broth: The cooking liquid of choice. Tastier than water! If it's on sale, I stock up on the liquid cartons since I use them in my cooking all the time.
• Pasta: I used spirals (fusilli) but other similar sized short pasta will also do just fine. Don't use really small pastas like risoni or orzo.
• Cream: 3/4 cup, stirred in at the very end turns a regular tomato sauce into a creamy tomato sauce.
• Garlic and onion: Essential flavor base.
• Canned tomato: Adds extra tomato flavor and slightly thickens the sauce.
• Italian herbs: For seasoning! Use a store-bought mix or a combination of oregano, basil, and parsley.
• Red pepper flakes: Optional, for a tiny bit of warmth.

1 Pot Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta Recipe

1. Sauté the garlic and onion, then cook the beef until it's no longer red.
2. Add Italian herbs and cook for 30 seconds to toast the seasoning.
3. Add tomato paste and stir for a minute.
4. Pour in stock, canned tomato, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir well, then add the pasta.
5. Bring liquid to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until pasta is just cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
6. Stir in cream and simmer for another minute.
7. Remove from stove, give a good stir, and ladle into bowls.
8. Sprinkle with parmesan and parsley if desired, and enjoy!

As you pull that sucker off the stove, don't worry how saucy it is... that's what you want. Pasta absorbs liquid quickly, so by the time you serve it, it will have gone from just a little too soupy to the perfect level of ooziness.

YUM. That is 100% me in that food. It's not fancy. It's fuss-free to make. It's hearty and cozy and easy, and rustic, and full of flavor.

It's a fish pasta cooked in a richly flavoured fish ragu pasta sauce. This is a great way to extend fish and cook it with outrageously delicious big, bold Italian Calabrian spices!

Calabrian Fish Ragu Pasta

The name of today's recipe needs explaining.

I don't feel like I'm being completely honest if I call it a ragu if it's not slow-cooked for hours like my Shredded Beef Ragu, but it's stewy and braisy and stinks of beautiful depth of flavour without having been slow-cooked for hours. NEWS FLASH: it doesn't have to be slow-cooked for hours to call anything a ragu.

What about the Calabrian bit of the name? It's because the seasoning is inspired by the flavours of Calabria: particularly nduja, the intensely flavoured salami paste from the region that's becoming increasingly popular in the foodie world, and chillies. Loaded onto pizza with dollops of dipping sauce; stuffed into focaccias, it's got big, bold flavors without even needing to use much.

Therefore, as you'd expect, this is a fish pasta that is packed with flavour. I love that it is exotic and restaurant-y but somehow inexpensive and easy!

What's in this Fish Ragu Pasta

1. THE FISH

The importance of the spice mix for fish is key to this pasta. We mentioned earlier that this fish pasta has the flavours of the seasoning used on nduja, an Italian type of salami. So, use fennel and paprika with a hint of spiciness. Makes me think 'bold'.

BEST FISH FOR THIS PASTA

This recipe can be used with any firm white fish fillets (skinless and boneless). Here are some suggestions: John or Silver dory, barramundi, bream, tilapia, pollock, cod, flathead, perch, ling, bass, basa, hake, hoki, monkfish (pricey there, which I save for other uses... like this recipe). If using frozen, thaw thoroughly and pat dry; if using canned, drain, break into pieces, and pat dry.

I recommend avoiding:

• Fish that dry out easily when cooked, e.g. swordfish, tuna, bonito, kingfish, marlin.
• Delicate and thin filleted fish such as flounders, sole, plaice, turbot, whiting. This type of cooking isn't really what the texture of the flesh is cut out for.
• Oily fish – Sardines and mackerel. Flavours don't quite match and are a bit too overwhelming.

THE CALABRIAN SPICES

Toasted and ground, for maximum flavour impact, whole fennel and black peppercorns. But if I really didn't think it was worth it, I wouldn't ask you to make the effort to toast and grind. It is! But, if it's all you have, there are substitutions in the recipe notes for substitute ground fennel and ground pepper.

Other spices (Nutmeg, paprika, chilli flakes (red pepper flakes). If you require there to be less spiciness, you can dial back the chilli.

2. IN THE PASTA AND THE SAUCE

• Any long strand thinnish pasta is ideal here. I use fettuccine.
• Tomato passata – Pureed, strained pure tomatoes from Mutti, etc., labelled 'tomato puree' in the US. These days, it's easily available in Australian supermarkets alongside pasta sauces. Canned tomato costs about the same.
• Tomato paste - To give the sauce some tomatoey flavour and to thicken it.
• Garlic – Because, garlic. Savoury recipes rarely happen around here without garlic.
• Garnishes – parsley and parmesan. I know that parmesan isn't really traditional for Italian fish and seafood pastas. But, it works. We're not looking for lots of parmesan cheesiness. It just adds saltiness.

3. PANGRATTATO

Pangrattato is an Italian breadcrumb topping sold by the chunk once and gives an addictive crunch and flavor to pasta accompanied by salads. This fish ragu is particularly good with it, it gives great texture and is a real contrast with the soft fish.

Use a denser bread like sourdough, ciabatta etc which are structured and when toasted really go crunch. Lightweight sandwich bread is just too delicate and just becomes powder when it hits the crunch... :( BUT if it's all sandwich bread, then do it! You could also replace with panko breadcrumbs.

How to make fish ragu

There are things I've said earlier about this being a ragu, but this doesn't need to be slow-cooked for hours! In fact, if you can multi-task you will have this on the table in less than 20 minutes although they don't tell you that in the video. 🙂

1. PANGRATTATO FIRST

First get the pangrattato in the oven. Bake the bread in a 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced) oven for 10 minutes, or until crisp all the way through, tossing in a little bit of olive oil and a touch more salt in the middle of sticking it in the oven.

2. CALABRIAN SPICED FISH NEXT

We toast the spices and coat the fish in the yummy flavours...

1. Toast the fennel and black peppercorns for a couple of minutes until they smell fragrant—you can see the fennel lightly browned as you do so. It's a large deep skillet, the kind that works well when you toss the pasta with the sauce. This stage requires no oil.
2. You can grind the spices using a grinder, or in a mortar and pestle.
3. Meanwhile, coat the fish with the ground fennel and peppercorns, nutmeg, chilli flakes, sugar, salt and olive oil and tomato paste.
4. When it is coated, set aside while doing the other ingredients. No need to marinate.

3. MAKING THE PASTA

Since the pasta sauce cooks about the same time as the pasta, you can prepare both at the same time.

1. Cook pasta according to packet directions, minus a minute. Al dente is what it should be — cooked through but still a little firm. When tossed with pasta sauce, it will still soften up more as that pasta cooks through more.
2. Scoop out about 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water. We will need this for the pasta tossing at the end.
3. Cook fish – Sauté the garlic until golden, then add the fish (scrape out every bit of the paste!) and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomato passata and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add reserved pasta cooking water and simmer for a further 2 minutes. The pasta cooking water has starch in it which makes the sauce thicken so it clings to the pasta strand.
6. Toss with pasta – Then add the pasta and most of the parsley. Toss, still on the stove, for 1 minute or until the pasta strands are stained red and all the fish ragu is clinging to the pasta strands rather than pooled in the pan.
7. If the pasta gets too thick (excessively enthusiastic tossing, heat too high are typical causes), just add a splash of extra pasta cooking water to thin it out and give it another good toss!

Now, it's ready for serving. Twirl into bowls and cover liberally with a shower of the crunchy pangrattato and finish with parmesan!

Matters of serving fish ragu

As with any pasta, this fish ragu is best served and eaten piping hot and fresh, straight out of the pan while the pasta is sticky and slippery and saucy. As it sits around, the pasta continues to absorb the liquid, drying it out so it's thick and stodgy.

So, whenever you are making any pasta, be sure to have the hungry hoards at the table, ready to twirl and slurp the moment you bring the pasta bowls to the table, for maximum enjoyment!

Really hope you love this as much as I do. The fish ragu is divine as it is. But with that crunchy pangrattato? It's sheer perfection. Enjoy! – Nagi x

Without the chilli, it's the kind of tomato pasta you get everywhere, and boring.

"It's something else with the chilli!" - Nagi Maehashi from RecipeTin Eats, quoted in today's recipe video 🙂

Penne all'Arrabbiata

I'm not sure that any one-line description of today's recipe will travel beyond my corner of the internet. That is my articulate description of the greatness that is Penne all'Arrabbiata, but that is my take.

Interestingly simple with a good kick of chilli and a respectable level of garlic. The Italians know simple pastas when they see 'em!

"Arrabbiata" means "angry" in Italian. It's said that this pasta is inspired by its fiery nature!

But fear not. You know? This might be spicy pasta, but fundamentally it's a great tomato pasta, and you can absolutely make it as spicy as you want to. Or not. Easy to do, just make the sauce with less chilli at first. Simmer the required time and taste. If you're feeling bold, add more…

Penne all'Arrabbiata Ingredients

There are two types of arrabbiata sauce – the first one made with fresh chillies and the second with dried ones. Obviously, dried is more convenient but I really like the extra flavour fresh chilli adds to the sauce and have combined both. Two of my go-to Italian recipe sources also use fresh chillis, and you've used fresh chillis here too.

You can double up on either option too!

Chilli

• The larger the chilli, the less spicy they are! That means cayenne peppers aren't super spicy.
• I don't mind the extra zing of spiciness, which is mostly in the seeds. Just keep those in for an extra zing of spiciness. Either de-seed or leave the seeds in.
• Use fresh or dried chillies (as shown in the photo above — which is why I do fresh chillies and dried).
• Feel brave? Instead use Bird's Eye or Thai chillies! Cayenne peppers are milder than these and pack more spiciness.
• Dried red chillis – Warm earthiness is something fresh chillis do not hold. The toasty flavour and spiciness come out when it's sautéed with garlic.

Pasta Variety

Pasta is pretty easy to sub with most combinations working just fine. We traditionally used penne, but ziti is a very good replacement (penne with a smooth surface). And, really, you can use this with any short or long pasta.

Tomatoes

Whole peeled tomatoes (canned) and mash them up with a fork. Authentic recipes use canned crushed tomatoes. To make life easier on the fly, I use crushed tomatoes!

Sourness note: Not all canned tomatoes are the same! Sour economical brands are more common. With ½ teaspoon of sugar, take the edge off.

Other Ingredients

• Garlic – 3 cloves! When it comes to Arrabiata sauce, I like it to have a good garlicky flavour.
• Parmesan – For serving.
• Parsley – For optional garnish.

How to Make Arrabbiata Sauce

15 minutes has to be enough for this simple pasta sauce to begin to break down the tomatoes and allow the flavours to meld. Don't skip it – you're going to miss flavour!

1. Finely mince cayenne pepper with the seeds in. (See further ingredient notes on seeds and spiciness)
2. Cook garlic and chilli: Heat oil to medium and stir in garlic, cook for 10 seconds just so it's hot. Then add cayenne and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute once garlic is light golden.
3. Simmer: Add tomato, salt, and pepper. Then rinse out the tomato cans with a little water and add that in as well. Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes until thickened.
4. Cook pasta: While your sauce cooks, cook the pasta according to packet directions in salted pasta cooking water. Just before draining, stir the pot big (to mix the starch* in your pasta) and then scoop 1 cup of the water away. Then drain the pasta.
5. Add pasta: In the sauce with 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water. Leave the pasta on the stove and toss continuously until the sauce coats and is no longer pooled in the bottom of the pot. If needed (usually, if you wait too long to drain the pasta water!!), use extra pasta cooking water to loosen.
6. Serve: Dinnertime! If using, divide between bowls and serve immediately with parmesan and parsley.

* Cooking pasta with the starch in its water helps the pasta sauce 'glue' better to the pasta.

This is a cosy chicken risoni (orzo) that's a complete one pot meal: Creamy tomato parmesan sauce with swirls of spinach and pops of nutty chickpeas with juicy pan seared chicken breast, topped liberally with crispy salami bits. It's lengthy to describe the dish. The making part is not!

This: One pan creamy tomato chicken risoni with crispy salami

There was a stick of salami left in the refrigerator and I was looking at it and I was like, Alright, I'll just make something with this. Yes, I ended up going to the grocery store for the chicken and baby spinach and risoni, but that's not the point! She declares insistently 😂

It's that I always feel like salami is an undersung cooking ingredient and I wanted to incorporate it into a dinner. If you take the time to think about it (and these are the sort of things I fall asleep dreaming about), it's got the same characteristics as bacon and chorizo: Fries up crispy and salty, and makes everything better. Bonus: Never letting you cook it for too long so it keeps on grilling and grilling and grilling until it doesn't spit fiery little bits of fat on your arms, I'm glaring at YOU, bacon!

You might say that today's recipe began with salami. They ended with a risoni in a creamy tomato and parmesan sauce with some spinach and nutty pops of chickpeas then stirred through and finished with some juicy seasoned chicken slices.

Its very cosy, very easy, very delicious and very much a crowd pleaser, everyone will love.

One Pan Chicken Risoni, What you need

All you need to make today's chicken risoni is…

SEASONED CHICKEN

The warm red tinge also from this combination of spices but it really adds a nice savoury flavour to the chicken too. If you don't happen to have sage, just leave it out. I know it's not a pantry staple for most people either, but if you have made my homemade pork sausage patties you'd find it hidden in the dark spaces of your pantry (or homemade Sausage and Egg McMuffins, the pork seasoning mix, chicken burger, etc.)

THE CREAMY TOMATO RISONI

• The star of the show is the salami we fry golden and crispy and use the fat that renders out to cook the chicken and the risoni sauce. Win, win, win!
• Orzo, aka Risoni – Small rice shaped pasta. Find it in the pasta aisle. What I like about it is that it's small, meaning it cooks quickly, and I don't have to rest it after cooking like rice and it's easier to use in one pot dishes than larger pastas. For this, you'll need 250g (8oz — half of a normal 500g (1lb) packet). Now use the other half for any of our risoni/orzo recipes!
• I added chickpeas on a whim to add some textural interest and some lovely nutty flavour. And it's got more nutritional value in it – more fibre, more protein (depending on the type of bean) and it's low GI anyway – no effort to open a can, so why not? 😉You can also sub with other beans or just not use any at all.
• The risoni cooking liquid – else the sauce and risoni is bland. There's also vegetable stock that works well. I use store bought, but as long as you've got that homemade chicken or vegetable stock I will beam with pride.
• Just 1 ½ cups of flour and we stir in 3/4 of a cup of cream at the end to give it a creamy taste. We're not relying on the cream to thicken the sauce (the starch in the risoni does this for us), so use low fat cream or evaporated milk if you like.
• This adds a hit of savourey flavour into the sauce. It doesn't make it cheesy.
• Baby spinach or kale – Good for stirring into the end. Our veg quota!
• Aromatic flavour base: garlic and onion.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

If you have these, they are some optional extras to include to the recipe: You don't have to make a special trip to the store. Explanation below!

I added these in the first time I made this risoni because I had them and they needed using up: A few limp stems of basil, an aging jar of sun dried tomatoes and wine (well this was always going to be used up – in cooking or otherwise). Deglazing the pan with wine, sun dried tomatoes in risoni, a dash of basil to sprinkle.

The second time, I didn't have them and the dish was still super, super delicious.

Don't get me wrong, none of them add any more to the dish than they already do, but they are optional extras. It's not as if you have to go out very specially to buy them. If you've got them, just use them!

How to make one pan chicken risoni

Heads up: Fried up salami in a recipe isn't anything new...or anything new, really! I'm going to guarantee you try it once and will be hooked too.

1. Split each chicken breast in half horizontally, so there's 4 thin steaks altogether. Cooks throught more evenly (no dry outer band); thinner Sprinkle the spice mix and mix it together and then sprinkle the spice mix on each side of the chicken.
2. Salami: crispy – First cook the salami until the crispy and golden. It takes about 2 – 3 minutes over medium high heat. Pour it into a paper towel lined bowl, separating the fat with a slotted spoon left in the pan. This we're going to use to cook the chicken – free flavour!
3. Because you need to be able to submerge the risoni in the liquid to be cooked, the pan should be at least 26cm/10.5″ wide. I bake it in a 30cm/12″ non stick pan that is 7cm / 2.8″ deep. This is my Pyrolux one (Australian store, nor am I an affiliate link). I really like it because it has a lid too.
4. In the same pan, cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side until deep golden and cooked through; then sear chicken. It should read it's 67°C/153°F inside. Once it rests, it will rise to 71°C/160°F . Pluck the chicken to a plate and loosely throw foil over the top to remain warm.
5. Still in the same pan (one pot cooking memory) sauté onion and garlic. Deglaze* the pan with the white wine (if using, it's optional) and simmer rapidly until almost evaporated.
6. *So it's all about dissolving the tasty gold bits left on the base of 'pan' due to searing the chicken and salami into the wine. That's free flavour and will make our sauce taste better!
7. Next, add everything else – Cook off the tomato paste for 1 minute to reduce some of the raw sour edge of it. Stir again to coat the risoni in the tomato paste, then toss with the stock, chickpeas, salt and pepper.
8. Pull 1 hour ahead – Pull an hour ahead, then cook the risoni for 1 hour, covered, stirring well every 10 minutes. The first thing you do with the stove is put it on medium high and let the liquid simmer. As the stock is absorbed and the base thickens down, turn the heat to medium low so the bottom does not burn. Don't worry if yours is a little thick, it will loosen it up once the cream is added.
9. Wilt spinach + cream + Parm cheese (if using sun dried tomatoes) + cream. Mix well until the spinach wilts. Ours should be beautifully oozy still.
10. Cut – Chicken into thick slices and serve. Serve spooned into bowls, topped with chicken, crispy salami, a sprinkle of extra parmesan and basil (if you're using). Then dig in!

(The alternative option is to serve it help-yourself style on a big platter: Blend chicken, risoni, parmesan and basil), add some salami thrown in; put over a bed of risoni.

Yum. I love recipes like this. It might just have been something funny I made up one day, an unlikely combination of things (say, salami and risoni and chickpeas??).

Yum. I love recipes like this. Something I just made up on the fly one day, perhaps some unusual (salami + risoni+ chickpeas??) combination of things.

This is why ricotta gnocchi is the easy way to make homemade gnocchi from scratch! Potato gnocchi, it's the same thing as these – soft and plump pillows to be tossed in your sauce of choice, but it takes 20 minutes total from the start to finish. Today - a creamy mushroom sauce. Perfect match!

How to make gnocchi – The easy way to ricotta gnocchi

It's not the first time I've shared a ricotta gnocchi recipe (see here and here), and I'm certain it won't be the last. I'm a fan because it doesn't take nearly as long or as much effort to make as the more famous potato gnocchi, which requires accuracy so they don't end up dense a doughy. Secondly, I love that ricotta gnocchi are lighter and less than potato gnocchi, so you aren't left feeling heavy.

Yes, ricotta gnocchi, while legit Italian! There are many ways to make gnocchi in Italy, one of which is ricotta gnocchi, as is with many traditional foods from around the world. 🙂

So deep into the difference – If we take it a bit further, potato gnocchi basically just consists of mashed potato and flour and an egg. The only difference is that instead of potato it's ricotta, and some parmesan is thrown in for good measure. But actually, they taste quite similar and true to tell, potato gnocchi doesn't taste much like potato once you've tossed it with the sauce. Likewise, ricotta is a neutral flavoured cheese, so you can't taste it much, if at all, in ricotta gnocchi.

The big difference, however, is texture and speed making. As above, potato gnocchi are harder and heavier than ricotta gnocchi. How about making time, 20 minutes vs 1 hour minimum!

PS Note: This recipe wasn't being mean to potato gnocchi. I adore them. I just can't remember the last time I made them. It wasn't ricotta gnocchi, it was a regular!

Ingredients

What you'll need to make ricotta gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce is here.

FOR THE RICOTTA GNOCCHI

• Regular ricotta that is kind of lumpy when you scoop it up (Ricotta is the word itself, see video). Not the creamy, smooth spreadable type of ricotta (usually labelled "spreadable ricota" or whatever.) That's too wet and loose, and makes the dough sticky.
• My favorite mainstream brand is Paesanella, which is very widely available in NSW. In Victoria that's Amore.
• Got the wrong ricotta? If you didn't order the spreadable smooth type and got it mixed up, then you'll need around 450g/15 oz – and once this is poured into a paper towel lined colander you'll need to remove excess liquid by leaving this for an hour, or even overnight. With the recipe, then measure out 250g/8 oz.
• Just plain / all purpose flour – flour. And not self raising flour, so it will make the ricotta puff up, and it will just sort of fall apart (told you!).
• Parmesan – This also helps flavour the dough and gives a bit of structure. Without it, the dough is a little too fragile and the gnocchi more susceptible to falling apart if the dough consistency isn't just perfect. It's kind of like cheese glue holding your gnocchi together!
• Gnocchi Sauce: Egg + egg yolk – To hold the gnocchi together, and a little richness.

CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE

This creamy mushroom sauce with subtle thyme flavour requires only these items.

• Just regular white mushrooms, or Swiss Brown/cremini if you prefer (aka Chinese).
• Thickened cream / heavy cream is as the name suggests thicker! That way the sauce will thicken faster. Also, that starch will thick the sauce up relatively quickly when you start tossing them together, so it's fine to use regular pouring or whipping cream here.
• Wine – I almost always deglaze the pan using wine for sauces. Deglazing is just adding a liquid to break up some flavour bits that the saute of things (mushrooms and onion in this case) cooked up on the bottom of the pan and into the liquid because..well..that flavour is free. Add more flavour into the sauce, you could use water or stock but wine. We don't flavor the alcohol when we cook it out so it doesn't taste like wine.
• Chardonnay has taken over: it's my white wine of choice for the best flavour, and best in terms of all round functionality for cooking too. Any dry white wine will do fine here but I'd much prefer, for the summer seasoning, to use one blessedly light and fresh chilled. Otherwise stay away from something too sweet. Additionally, if you're not able to drink the wine, go ahead and skip it. It will still taste good!
• The liquid for the sauce: chicken stock / broth If you want to go vegetarian, feel free to use vegetable stock. Most of the time I use low sodium so I know exactly how much salt goes into my dishes. If you only have full salt stock on hand, reduce the salt amount listed in the ingredients (start with half, if you'd like more salt afterwards, then add some more).
• Fresh thyme sprigs – Using fresh thyme sprigs means better thyme flavour, sub in dried thyme leaves if needed.
• Onion and mushrooms – To be cooked in butter. You can even swap olive oil (but butter really makes it taste good!).
• Add extra flavour in the sauce: onion and garlic. Onion can be skipped, but I really recommend not skipping the garlic! (PS You can also use eschallots/French onions, which are known as shallots in the US – not to be confused with garlic.)

How to make ricotta gnocchi

So the trick with ricotta gnocchi is to use as little flour as you possibly can. Smaller sized little dumplings = sticky dough = lighter gnocchi! Ricotta gnocchi are much more forgiving than potato gnocchi so as long as you put in more flour than you should, they will still be lovely and soft inside. I have tested 1 1/4 cups of flour (making recipe 3/4 cup up to 1 cup – it worked great!!!

1. HOW TO MAKE RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Step 1

Ricotta, parmesan, egg, salt and pepper, mix thoroughly with wooden spoon or firm-ish rubber spatula. If needed, smear the ricotta up the side of the bowl to cream it. Starting with 3/4 cup of flour just add that to the mixer and mix.

Step 2

Shaggy (not smooth or elastic) dough: This following should look something like pictured above (video is super helpful too). As I mentioned, if the ricotta is getting too wet then add a bit more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until you get up to 1 cup (ie 4 extra tablespoons, this will all depend on how wet your ricotta is).

Step 3

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and give it a light knead and bring it together into a ball and pat into a disc.

Step 4

Cut it into 8 equal wedges. (So this is the hardest part in this whole recipe, I swear.) I've always had my wedges very uneven, but they always pull out rope of varying length as you will see in the video).

Step 5

Roll the logs into 25 cm / 10″ lengths 1.25cm / 1/2″ thick.

Step 6

Use a sharp dough scraper and cut into little pieces 1.5cm / 3/5″ pieces (I cut 4 logs at a time). And that's the gnocchi, done!

Take them from the fridge, scrape them onto a tray, dust very lightly with flour (as needed to prevent the scrapes from sticking to the tray and each other). You can make the mushroom sauce and they will stay on the tray – they wont dry out in that time. If you want to faff around, that's fine, Cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate them if you're making them to cook later that day.

They can also be frozen; freezing gnocchi. You can free them in single layers (use baking paper to separate layers). It then goes into an airtight container and freezes until it is used. It will cook from frozen, but it'll only take a minute or two more. They come out just like freshly made. How handy is that!

Cook them next! Mushroom sauce first.

2. COSTRELLI ITALIAN SAUCE REMOVED FROM A PAN

Heads up: It will seem a little thin, the sauce. But when you put in the gnocchi it will thicken very quickly from the gnocchi starch. So have faith!

Step 1

The thyme sprigs go into onion and garlic first. Cook the mushrooms until they soften then. Should take around 5 minutes (look at the pic and by the end the mushrooms should be very wet and slightly over cooked)

Step 2

The wine (see under the ingredients section regarding deglazing the pan) is deglazed in the pan. The wine will cook in 2 minutes or until nearly all of it is evaporated. That will cook out most of the alcohol, and all winey flavour.

3. COOKING GNOCCHI AND HOW TO TOSSE WITH THE SAUCE

Tip: Set one pot to boil the gnocchi separately next to your mushroom sauce, to then simply scoop it out from the water and into the sauce.

Step 1

Pour a large pot of water to the boil, and add a couple of teaspoons of salt. Then tumble the gnocchi in.

Step 2

The gnocchi tells you when it's cooked by floating to the surface (~ 2 1/2 minutes), then another 30 seconds are cooked through before scooping it out. It should (for pot and stove size) take 2 1/2 minutes +/- about 30 secs (eg pot = larger and stove = stronger will cook faster).

Step 3

When it's time for the sauce, just pop the gnocchi right into it!

Step 4

Using a spider or slotted spoon cut the gnocchi out into piles. In case you'll need to thin the sauce, keep the pot of cooking water nearby.

Step 5

Place sauce in the pan, gently tossing in the sauce the gnocchi for 1 to 2 minutes on a medium low stove. Now the starch in the flour that's in the gnocchi will release into the sauce, thickening it so your gnocchi are actually coated in sauce rather than sitting in the bottom of the pan.

Step 6

Voila — there is proof of thick sauce coating gnocchi! And we are done. Then sprinkle with parmesan and serve it up immediately!

Important: serve it straight away!

As with all pasta, gnocchi is best the moment it is cooked. Every minute it's sitting around, the quality erodes. Harsh but true fact. Gnocchi rolls out hot and pillowy and sauce is creamily slick. Once cool, they harden up and firm up more, the sauce thickens up more, too. In the microwave it can be resurrected to a degree, but it's never as good as when freshly made.

When I haven't got time, the big batch easy pasta salad I make. Everyone always tells you why it tasted so good. So I'll let you in on my secrets! (No bottled dressing either.)

My big, easy pasta salad

Newsflash! You don't need a million add-ins to make a good great pasta salad. No baby bocconcini required, no need to buy several bunches of herbs and snip out a teeny amount of each use (a teeny amount) and you don't need much time.

To make this salad all you need to do is to toss in hot fresh pasta iced in a simple, tangy, Dijon vinegar dressing and let sit to cool. You will find yourself shocked to what flavour the pasta takes up! That means your pasta salad is already terrific before we've even started working with any ingredients. It will be even better too whatever you toss!

Pasta salad tips galore!

More pasta salad tips … also today. It says a lot about me that I have so many thoughts about a damn pasta salad 😂

• Soft pasta – Cooked pasta that is too soft. It cools down hard, pasta does, and it gets harder in the fridge. We hate rock hard pasta salad.
• Honey – To make the vinegar less sharp and add the honey to the dressing so we can use less oil. I guess I just think pasta salads shouldn't be swimming in oil. I even lighten the mayo dressing on my macaroni salad with a lot of yogurt.
• Ingredient combination streamlined – The pick of all the add ins I can drop into a pasta salad to get all the flavour and texture I want with the minimum number of ingredients possible. As such, it's also important to stay well overnight! My picks: pops (to find the best, seedy juicy ones, try many varieties, but don't take them to mausoleum level), slippery crunch from finely sliced cucumber, briney spark (olives), a treat (feta), and a finishing touch (basil, or any of the suggestions in the recipe notes).

Wing it, use what you've got, use what you love. Of course. Pasta salads are so versatile – such beauty!

What you'll need for this pasta salad

1. THE PASTA

This pasta is shortish and medium pasta, any pasta shape will work here but I think pasta shapes with nooks and crannies for the little chopped up bits of olives and feta to get stuck in are especially good. Established thought – shells, orecchiette, twirls and bow ties (farfalle). But then again, I chose bow ties because – fun!

2. PASTA SALAD ADD-INS

This is what I put in to the pasta salad (see above for why).

• Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes – Or chop large tomatoes.
• Kalamata olives roughly chopped. This pasta salad gets brought a little briny goodness. This is a great shortcut, it gives salt, tang and sharp freshness so I don't feel the need to add some oniony twist like in this recipe, one less ingredient to chop. The olives are natural for addition to a pasta salad as long as you like them, I like to roughly chop them so it spreads easier throughout the pasta salad. Less olives… with higher impact!

💡TIP: If you live in the UK you probably think black olives are tastier then kalamata olives but I promise you they really aren't as I am sure they are cheaper for a reason!!

I don't have a preference on how thin the slices of cucmber are as long as they're one with the pasta, not as big and flavourless in your mouth when you bite into them as they're usually in large chunks. OK, these are the kinds of things I ask myself — Cooking Nerd Alert!🫣

A general rule in my life is that every salad – besides plain side salads – should have some sort of "treat" in it: nuts, or crisped panko, or a mountain of finely grated parmesan. Today's pasta salad features Feta, playing that role.

💡TIP: Feta is not all the same! Greek feta, labelled "PDO" ("Protected Designation of Origin"), is a few steps up from the economic versions found at the grocery store. Do it once, and you're never the same again.

Or another finishing touch – I like to add a finishing touch in this case that takes this pasta salad over from straight to get out of the house. Basil is available and cheap enough much of the year around here in Australia. However, if I can't get it (or won't pay the price for it), here are other things I use instead which plays the same role:

• Another fresh herb: Parsley or parsley + mint (second choice), or dill (first choice).
• Toasted pine nuts: I find it suits me to roughly chop the half to get the bits out throughout really.
• Dried oregano: To give it an extra hit of flavour I add this into my dressing. Dried oregano is a pantry staple, this is my last resort, fall back. I totally get away with telling people its a Greek Pasta Salad.

3. THE DIJON-CIDER VINEGAR DRESSING

This dressing is so simple (and easy) that I only make it with pantry staples so I can make this pasta salad any day without having to go to the store. Italian herbs (customisable) get a great hit of flavour, plump garlic cloves and a dash of Dijon mustard.

Heads up: Hence, the dressing is sharp and intense of itself. It has to be but it gets tossed through a lot, so it gets really diluted and we have the perfect amount of flavour in every bite.

You don't need to use an extra virgin one for this pasta salad the way I sometimes suggest for salad dressings. Just remember to use extra virgin olive oil, as regular olive oil has less flavour.

My go to vinegar for dressings – Apple cider vinegar. Mild flavour nice but not too sharp and very economical indeed.

This thickens the dressing a bit and helps it coat the pasta and veggies better also — and a little flavour. It is not an overpowering taste, it is a background taste.

Vinegar – Just 2 teaspoons tames the vinegar's sharpness enough for us to make something far less oily. This recipe uses 1/3 cup vinegar with 1/2 cup oil (2: Which has the right amount of oil for my taste (3 ratio). But it was a little sharp and a easy way to dial that down without adding more oil is with a hit of something sweet — like honey (the exact cut of oil is a personal taste).

In contrast, for typical western salad dressings, 1/3 cup vinegar would usually call for 1 cup of oil (1 : I hope other people haven't tried this pasta salad out on only one of the more rational ingredients because I can't taste the other two for the oil it has — a ratio of (3), which means this pasta salad is far too oily for my taste.

Italian herb mix – a standard store bought spice mix of herbs and spices which saves me having to pry open 7 different jars to add to a dish. Alternatively you could use Herbs de Provence mix, or dried oregano, or finely chopped fresh herbs (my first thought is dill).

2 garlic cloves – The garlic smell of this garlic will be in the air over a little hot spaghetti.

The feta and olives will give us some salt, so this whole huge batch only needs 3/4 teaspoon of salt and some salt and pepper.

Big Easy Pasta Salad How To make it

If you've got decent chops you can chop the add ins while the pasta is cooking. So really what that means is it's only about 15 minutes of active cooking / prep for this amount of food, very efficient! (I easily fed 5 to 6 as a meal, and had many more at a buffet spread at a gathering).

Step 1

Shake the Dressing ingredients in a jar.

Step 2

There's a reason to be overcooking the pasta!!! So we don't want to cook the pasta until it's al dente, we want to cook the pasta until it is over al dente and so soft that nothing else is going to make it even firmer when it cools down or more firmer when it is refrigerated. Nobody desires rock hard pasta in their pasta salad!!!

Then cook the pasta well past the point it would be on the packet; i.e. the pasta would be very, very soft, about 2 to 3 minutes past the time indicated on the packet, which would be very, very unpleasant, and not at all cutting for a pasta dish that should be served hot. Once you've dressed your pasta salad and given it time to rest in the refrigerator to cool until room temperature or overnight in the fridge, your overly soft pasta is the perfect texture on the cold side!

Step 3

Chicken absorption – Place the hot pasta into a large bowl (big enough to toss the pasta salad with the vegetables added). Toss well with half the Dressing, then pour over rest.

Leave the pasta to soak up the flavour of the Dressing then cool until it's down to room temperature (around 40 mins). If you remember toss once or twice.

Step 4

Add and toss – Tomato, cucumber, feta, and olives. Toss well over remaining Dressing. Some feta crumbling – some are chunks, some are crumbed is good.

Step 5

Tear the basil leaves roughly with your hands then toss through basil last – last.

Step 6

Serve! Place the pasta salad into a very large serving bowl. Then dig in!

Big, bubbly One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta is filled with beef and tons of hidden vegetables, cooked in a Cajun flavoured tomato pasta sauce, topped with oozy cheese. It makes 7 to 8 and is great for leftovers!

A complete one pot meal with lots of hidden vegetables!

Here today with a sparkling new recipe I created with mid-week cooking in mind: This is a big, bubbling Cajun pasta made with beef and a surprising amount of hidden vegetables, so you can serve it as a complete meal. I think it's awfully economical (500g/1lb beef -> 7 to 8 servings), the flavours of beefy Cajun and smothered in oozy cheese.

We're using a good amount of Cajun spices in this recipe, so we can still pack in vegetables without the flavour of the dish seeming overwhelmed by it. I know you know exactly where I'm coming from!!

And that's a carrot, zucchini, capsicum (bell pepper) with 500g/1 lb beef, plus there's 800g/28 oz of canned tomato and an onion (both vegetables!) Not only do these vegetables allow you to serve all these vegetables and other veggies and other to serve more people and … stretch the dish to … for 7 or 8 people rather than like 4 or 5.

So much veg. Om nom nom nom nom nom — try to tell me you don't want to eat this!!

Cajun pasta… Not authentic, and that's OK!

If you aren't asking, no, Cajun pasta certainly isn't authentically Cajun. In fact, the Cajun usually uses rice. While Cajun spices combined with pasta becomes pretty popular in America, especially when it comes to being super tasty. I'm totally on board with it.

One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta ingredients

Using grated carrot and zucchini because it blends right in with the pasta sauce already and, yes being a Crimsonensiy sort of day for the Cajun flavours, add some chopped capsicum (bell pepper).

THE PASTA ADD-INS

• Beef (can use chicken, turkey, or pork, but adjust seasoning)
• Grated zucchini and carrot
• Chopped red capsicum (bell pepper)
• Onion and garlic
• Kidney beans

CAJUN PASTA SAUCE

• Crushed canned tomato (800g/28oz)
• Chicken stock/broth and water
• Tomato paste
• Homemade Cajun spice blend (or store-bought)

Homemade Cajun spice blend:

• Fresh thyme
• Sweet paprika
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Cheese

Colby or any melting cheese, optional parmesan

Simple One Pot Cajun Beef Pasta Recipe

Step 1

Grate the carrot and zucchini using a standard box grater.

Step 2

Cook onion and garlic, then add beef and cook until brown.

Step 3

Add carrot, zucchini, vegetables, and spices. Cook for a few minutes.

Step 4

Add canned tomato, water, chicken stock, and beans. Bring to simmer and add pasta.

Step 5

Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 6

Check pasta doneness. It should be almost cooked through.

Step 7

Sprinkle cheese on top.

Step 8

Cover and let stand for 3 minutes to melt the cheese.

Serve hot and enjoy! This pasta is great for leftovers and can be frozen for later use.

PS: The green onion sprinkle is optional, just for a touch of color.

For those interested, check out our Top 10 recipes we make at RecipeTin Meals for more make-ahead, freezer-friendly, wholesome, and economical meals.

Simple, easy to make and nice and colorful this pasta salad is perfect for summer picnics or parties. Many years ago now I was given this recipe by a dear friend and have been making it ever since!

It is so easy. Once convenient ingredients combine with colorful vegetables, you can have this in minutes.

How to Make Pasta Salad

You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics:

Pasta Salad Ingredients

What fancies does go into pasta salad this year? These are the ingredients you'll need:

• Pasta: This colorful, top rated pasta salad begins with one pound of tri colored spiral pasta.
• Dressing: If you're feeling fancy, make your own Italian style dressing at home, or use a bottle of store bought Italian style dressing.
• Seasoning mix: It's also wonderful to add tons of savory flavor with salad seasoning mix.
• Vegetables: You'll also want cherry tomatoes, three bell peppers (green, yellow, and red), and a can of black olives.

Homemade Pasta Salad:

Here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make pasta salad at home:

1. Cook and drain the pasta.
2. Make the dressing with the seasoning mix and whisk it.
3. After that, toss in seasoned dressing with the vegetables and stirred in pasta.

What Goes With Pasta Salad

This is going to be a great pasta salad to have around, next to other potluck and picnic favorites. Do you still need some motivation? Check Out our collection of 15 Best Potluck Side Dishes Are So Good Everyone Will Be Begging You for the Recipes. Here are a few of the crowd-pleasing recipes you'll find:

• Classic Macaroni Salad
• Authentic German Potato Salad
• Perfect Summer Fruit Salad

Can You Make Pasta Salad Ahead of Time?

Pasta salad is a great make ahead dish, yes! Again, since the flavors need time in the fridge to meld, it could actually be a good thing to make a day or two in advance.

For How Long is Pasta Salad Good In the Fridge?

Once you've done, store this pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator at least 5 days.

Can You Freeze Pasta Salad?

If you toss cooked pasta into the freezer and then take it out, the pasta may keep its texture or it may change. But if you have extra pasta salad left, you can freeze it for up to three months.

Community Tips and Praise

Jean adds that 'adding the seasoning packet takes the flavor way up there.' "Chopped broccoli adds some colour but I also steam it for just a few seconds."

Laura Leal says: 'I made this for 18 servings for a potluck at work and everyone loved it.' I followed the recipe, and just added some broccoli. It was easy to make."

It's going ga ga over 'katherinebond' says 'awesome' pasta salad for starting the day. As a topping I added boiled eggs around the bowl and sliced. Got many compliments!"

Ingredients

• 3 cups tri-colored spiral pasta
• 1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
• 6 tablespoons salad seasoning mix
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ½ yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (2.25 ounce) can black olives, chopped

Directions

Step 1

Gather all ingredients.

Step 2

Put in a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add the boiling water, cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until it is tender but firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes; drain under cold water; drain.

Step 3

Mix together Italian dressing and salad spice mix until smooth. Combine pasta, tomatoes, bell peppers and olives in a salad bowl.

Step 4

Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Step 5

Refrigerate the pasta salad for 8 hours or overnight for the best flavor.

Step 6

Enjoy!