Food for thought

This easy bake makes a perfect family meal – Italian style! Simply cook the gnocchi, drain and tip into a well greased baking dish. Then cook the spinach and mix with the gnocchi, along with chunks of mozzarella and Parma Ham. Pour a mixture of beaten eggs, ricotta, milk, nutmeg, black pepper and Parmesan on top, scatter with a handful of grated Parmesan and bake until golden brown.

WHAT YOU NEED
1 tsp olive oil
500g pack potato gnocchi
250g fresh spinach, thoroughly washed
125g ball of mozzarella, cut into small chunks
8 slices Parma Ham
2 large eggs
250g ricotta cheese
150ml milk
Pinch of finely grated or ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
50g finely grated Parmesan cheese

Slow Food Limerick and region have released details of an exciting event to launch Autumn.

Here is a date you may want to mark in your diary.

To kick off the Autumn, we have what promises to be a wonderful family day lined up on Sunday September 27th. What better setting than Caroline & Joe Rigneys Rarebreed Pig Farm, Farm Shop and Guesthouse, for a Pig-on-a-Spit celebration of all things Autumnal. Slow-cooked over aged beechwood/turf, the rarebreed pig will be filled with apples from Rachel O’Grady and dressed with Natures Bounty relish. This will be a sandwich to savour!
You can also enjoy Ponaire coffee to wash it down or fresh apple juice from Con Traas apple farm in Tipperary.

YOU can find roast and ground coffee in packs in nearly every supermarket across the country, so why not give it a try and enjoy a real coffee experience. Here’s what to do according to the industry experts.
Choose coffee that is 100% Arabica, which is the highest grade of coffee available.
Beware of Robusta coffee which is cheaper and results in a bitter taste and an unpleasant lingering aftertaste.
Once you have your coffee the next thing to do is to get yourself a good quality coffee plunger pot (cafetiere). These are available in good department stores. Make sure that the film is fine and the plunger has a sturdy handle and plunge.
For coffee served in a cafetiere (plunge pot):
Like tea, always pre-heat the pot with hot water.  You should heat the cups too
Most people use a typical eight cup Cafetiere (3 mugs).  The actual recommended weight for that size of pot is 42 grammes which equates to 6 dessert spoonfuls. So, if you are brewing a half pot use three dessert spoonfuls.
Never pour boiling water onto ground coffee as it scalds the coffee and spoils the taste.  Wait a minute after your kettle boils before pouring water into the pot.
Give the coffee a good stir and place the plunger on top of the cafetiere, but do not press down the plunger yet
Allow the coffee to rest a little while (3 – 4 minutes) then press down the plunger gently.  Pour the coffee into warmed cups and enjoy.
Experiment – find the taste you like best using varying amounts of coffee and water.
Always use fresh ground coffee that you opened no longer than two weeks ago.
Once you open your pack of coffee, store it in a sealed airtight container. Coffee should never be stored in a fridge as it adds moisture to the coffee and steals its flavour.
Always drink coffee fresh.  Microwaving your old coffee does not work well.  Neither does reusing the spent grounds.
Bewley’s Master Coffee Roaster Paul O’Toole has created these preparation tips and techniques to help you enjoy real fresh coffee.