Italian

Potato, Leek & Tomato Bake

Ingredients

Fry Light, for spraying | 681g / 1 1/2 lb potatoes, thinly sliced | 2 leeks, sliced | 3 large tomatoes, sliced | few sprigs of fresh rosemary, crushed | 1 garlic clove, crushed | 284ml / 1/2 pt stock made with Vecon | salt & ground black pepper

Pepperonata

Ingredients

908g/2 lb mixed peppers | 2 onions, finely sliced | 4 garlic cloves, crushed | 2 x 397g/14 oz cans chopped tomatoes | 1 tsp Schwartz Mediterranean Mixed Herbs | 1/4 tsp paprika | salt & ground black pepper

Cheesy Garden Casserole

Ingredients

113g/4 oz broccoli, chopped | 113g/4 oz cauliflower, cut into florets | 113g/4 oz carrots, sliced | 113g/4 oz courgettes, sliced | 113g/4 oz green beans, cut into 1" pieces | 340g/12 oz cooked brown rice | freshly ground black pepper | 1 tsp dried oregano | 397g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes | 113g/4 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
  • Complexity: medium
  • Origin: Italian

Quorn Meatballs & Spaghetti

Ingredients

Meatballs: | 1 large white onion, chopped | 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional) | 3 eggs, beaten | 350g pack Quorn Mince | Fry Light, for spraying | Sauce: | 142ml / 1/4 pt stock made with Vecon | 1 large red onion, finely chopped | 2 x 397g/14 oz cans chopped tomatoes | 1 tsp dried mixed herbs | salt & ground black pepper | 340g/12 oz dried spaghetti
  • Time: 30 minutes
  • Complexity: difficult
  • Origin: Italian

Tiramisu

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of aromatized coffee "Montana" | 100 g of sugar powder | 2 eggs | 2 tablespoons of liquor "Amaretto" | 200 g of Marcapone cheese | 100 g of biscuit cookies
  • Complexity: medium
  • Origin: Italian

Pasta A'La Primavera

Ingredients

227g/8 oz dried pasta | 113g/4 oz mangetout, topped & tailed | 227g/8 oz asparagus spears, cut in half lengthways | 227g/8 oz carrots, cut into matchsticks | 113g/4 oz baby sweetcorn, halved lengthways | 1 red pepper, deseeded & cut into matchsticks | 8 spring onions, cut into 2" long pieces | 142g/5 oz very low fat natural cottage cheese | 142g/5 oz very low fat natural yogurt | juice & zest of 1 lemon | 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley | 1 tbsp freshly chopped chives | salt & ground black pepper
  • Complexity: very easy
  • Origin: Italian

Lean Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

Fry Light, for spraying | 1/2 red pepper, deseeded & chopped | 1/2 yellow pepper, deseeded & chopped | 2 carrots, chopped | 1 small onion, chopped | 2 sticks celery, chopped | 1 courgette, finely sliced | 511g/1 lb 2 oz creamed tomatoes or passata | 1 stock cube (chicken or vegetable) | 1 tbsp artificial sweetener | salt & ground black pepper (optional)

Milk soup with seafood

Ingredients

1 package (500 g) of frozen seafood cocktail | 1 liter of milk | 500 g of creams (33% of fat) | 125 g of sour cream (40% of fat) | 1 tablespoon of flour | 2 onions | 1 tablespoon of butter | Salt, pepper
  • Time: 30 minutes
  • Complexity: medium
  • Origin: Italian

Fast soup «Minestrone»

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil | 100 g of brisket or bacon (cut into bricks) | 1 tin (400 g) of preserved peeled tomatoes cut in pieces (flavored with basil preferably) | 5 glasses (1,2 L) of vegetable bouillon | 1 pack (225 g) of frozen vegetable mix | handful (50 g) of macaroni (break long ones) | 100 g of frozen kidney beans in pods | 1 tin (410 g) of red kidney beans (pour out juice) | 1 tablespoon of Pesto flavouring | Coarse grinded black pepper | Grated Parmesan cheese
  • Time: 2-5 minutes
  • Complexity: very easy
  • Origin: Italian

Bruschetta snacks

Ingredients

4 x 57 g/2 oz slices wholemeal bread (24 Sins) | 2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved | 1 ripe tomato, skinned | salt and freshly ground black pepper | For the grilled pepper topping: | 1 red pepper, grilled, deseeded and sliced | 1 yellow pepper, grilled, deseeded and sliced | 1 tablespoon chopped parsley | For the cheese and pear topping: | small bunch rocket or watercress | 170 g/6 oz very low fat natural cottage cheese | 1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced | paprika, for dusting

The ultimate Italian snack — grilled garlic bread using bread from your Healthy Extras allowance, with ravishing Sin-free toppings. Each of the suggested toppings below serves 4 people.

  • Time: 16 minutes
  • Complexity: medium
  • Origin: Italian

Char-grilled chicken breasts

Ingredients

4x113 g/4 oz chicken breasts, boned and skinned (24 Sins on Green) | snipped chives, to garnish | For the Italian tomato sauce: | Fry Light, for spraying | 454 g/1 lb ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped | 2 garlic cloves, crushed | salt and ground black pepper | 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar | a few basil leaves, shredded

A quick and easy way to cook chicken is to grill ft in a cast iron grill pan. You can serve it with one of the quick sauces suggested below.

  • Complexity: medium
  • Origin: Italian

Creamy Stuffed Conghiglie

Ingredients

20 dried giant pasta shells | 2 rashers lean bacon | 511g/1 lb 2 oz spinach, boiled, drained & chopped | 737g/1 lb 10 oz quark skimmed milk soft cheese | 1 tsp dried mixed herbs | salt & ground black pepper | 57g/2 oz mozzarella cheese, grated | Tomato Sauce: | Fry Light, for spraying | 1 medium onion, finely chopped | 1 clove garlic, crushed | 284ml / 1/2 pt passata

Grilled vegetables on rosemary skewers

Ingredients

1 red pepper | 1 yellow pepper | 4 slim courgettes, sliced | 1 red onion, cut into chunks | 1 fennel bulb, sliced (optional) | 2 garlic cloves, crushed | 1 sprig fresh rosemary | 2 sprigs fresh thyme | salt and ground black pepper | 2 teaspoons olive oil (4 Sins)

These succulent grilled vegetable skewers can be served hot or cold - either way they are equally delicious. They taste especially good with the Italian basil and tomato dip. For a special party when you want to impress your guests, you could thread the vegetables on to thick fresh rosemary stems, just remove most of the green leaves so that only a small sprig is left at the end and then push the woody pointed end through the vegetables.

  • Time: 10 minutes, plus chilling time
  • Complexity: very easy
  • Origin: Italian

Italian tricolore kebabs

Ingredients

20 cherry tomatoes | 20 fresh basil leaves | 113 g/4 oz reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, drained (14 Sins) | salt and freshly ground black pepper

These mini kebabs are perfect for entertaining at any time of the year. They are quick and easy to prepare, can be made in advance, require no cooking and taste wonderful.

  • Complexity: medium
  • Origin: Italian

Basil Spaghetti & Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients

227g/8 oz dried spaghetti | 170g/6 oz red cherry tomatoes | 170g/6 oz yellow cherry tomatoes | 2 level tbsp very low fat natural Greek yogurt | 1 garlic clove, crushed | 4 spring onions, chopped | 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, torn | salt & ground black pepper | 1 tbsp olive oil