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*This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you. SKIP TO RECIPE MENU OVERVIEW There are few scenes in The Godfather  as unexpectedly heartwarming as the one where Clemenza teaches Michael how to make spaghetti sauce. In the midst of mob tensions and looming violence, we get this quiet, domestic moment; a pot simmering on the stove, a wooden spoon in hand, and a recipe passed down like an heirloom. It’s more than just a sweet beat, it’s a quiet moment of initiation. As Clemenza shares his sauce secrets, he’s also drawing Michael deeper into the family fold. It’s one of those moments that breaks the tension just enough to show us the humanity of the characters. We see Clemenza not just as a loyal capo, but as a mentor, and a family man. It’s a subtle but powerful reminder that the mafia world isn’t only about crime; it’s about food, family, tradition, and the rituals that hold it all together. Our version of Clemenza’s Spaghetti  pays homage to that spirit. This Italian-American classic is rich, bold, and made to be shared. Whether you're cooking for your crew or hosting a full-on Godfather -themed dinner party, it’s the kind of dish that brings people to the table, and keeps them there. Pass the sauce, and remember: " you start with a little oil, then you fry some garlic..." CLEMENZA'S SPAGHETTI INGREDIENTS   (serves 4-6) GO TO: METHOD MEATBALLS 250g beef mince 250g pork mince 1 finely diced small onion 2 cloves garlic - minced 3 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs 1.5 tsp dried oregano 1 egg ½ tsp pepper 1.5 tsp kosher salt  SAUCE 4 Italian sausages 2 small brown onions- diced 4 cloves garlic - minced 150 ml red wine ½ tbsp of sugar 3 tbsp tomato puree ½ tsp chilli flakes  2 tins of whole plum tomatoes 150ml water   ½ bunch basil - chopped ½ bunch parsley - finely chopped METHOD MEATBALLS  Pre-heat the oven to 210 °C / 190 °C fan. Add all the meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl , get your hands in and squeeze and massage everything together, working the mixture to tenderise the meat. Form into approx 16 equal sized balls , and place on a roasting tray . Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15- 20 minutes until the meatballs are lightly browned, and are mostly cooked through.  SAUCE In a large pot , fry the sausages whole, on a medium high heat for 8-10 mins turning regularly, until they are browned and almost cooked through. Remove from the pan, chop into pieces roughly the same size as the meatballs, and leave aside. Add a little olive oil to the same pan, on a medium heat. Add the onions, and cook approximately 5 mins , until the onion is translucent and starting to caramelise.  To the pan, add the garlic , and cook for a few minutes until translucent and fragrant. Then, add the tomato puree , and chilli flakes and cook out the puree for a couple of minutes. Pour in the red wine and simmer until reduced by half.   Add the tinned tomatoes to the pot, season with salt  and pepper, and bring up to a simmer. Once simmering, add in the sliced sausage and the meatballs. Simmer for 20 - 30 mins.   5 mins before the end of cooking, stir through the chopped basil and parsley . Serve with spaghetti, just as Clemenza intended 🍝 BACK TO TOP MENU OVERVIEW

*This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you. SKIP TO RECIPE MENU OVERVIEW In the scene that has inspired our dinner party's first bite, we see Remy displaying his culinary prowess for the first time. We learn that for him, food is a full sensory experience, as his Synesthesia means he can see and hear flavour, allowing him to transform something downright ordinary into something truly extraordinary. A foraged mushroom paired with some discarded cheese, and just a hint of rosemary, which comes alive when struck by lightening. Très bien. As mushrooms don’t puff up without lightening, we're taking little creative licence with these bite size treats, and are bringing the puff (pastry) to the mushroom. To save a little energy, you can buy ready made vol-au-vont cases but they can be quite dry, so we think that it's worth taking the time to bake some fresh, using ready made puff pastry. Thankfully, we eventually managed to track down Remy's beloved Tomme de Chevre cheese, but we did have to order it online, and warning... it was a pretty penny. We sourced it from this place . You don't need very much of it so for ease of effort and pennies, you can sub it out for another semi-hard goats cheese that's cheaper, and easier to get hold of. In the spirit of authenticity, we went for it and ordered Remy's fave, and honestly... it was stun. To replicate that lighteningy flavour without causing major injury, we used a blow torch, and were surprised to find what an impact it had on the flavour. It adds an incredible smokiness and depth that really finishes things off. If you don't have a blow torch, you could pop the canapes under the grill, but you have less control with this method and run the risk of burning the pastry. This is the first of two blow torch requiring recipes in this menu so if you want to replicate this feast at home, it might be worth biting the bullet and getting a new fiery friend. This  is the one that is used in the video. MUSHROOM & TOMME DE CHEVRE VOL-AU-VONT INGREDIENTS   (serves 4-6) GO TO: METHOD 150g ready-made puff pastry (1/2 a pre-rolled sheet) 1 egg- beaten 300g mushrooms  1 tbsp unsalted butter 1 clove garlic - crushed   3 sprigs of fresh thyme Zest of 1 lemon 3 tbsp creme fraiche  ½ tsp lemon juice Truffle salt or oil (optional) 50g Tomme de Chevre (sub with a semi hard goats cheese) Fresh rosemary METHOD PASTRY Preheat the oven to 200 °C  / 180 °C fan .   If using a block of pastry , roll out to 2 mm thick.  Using a cookie cutter , approx 1.6 inches  in diameter, cut out 24   circles  of dough, and transfer to a lined baking sheet. With a smaller, 1 inch  cookie cutter , create an indentation in the centre of each of the pastry circles, making sure not to cut all the way through the dough. Using the beaten egg  and a pastry brush , egg wash the pastry circles. Try to only cover the tops with and avoid getting egg down the sides, as this will affect how they rise. Bake for 10 - 15 mins  until risen, and golden brown. Transfer to a wire cooling rack , and leave to cool completely.  Once cooled, using the handle of a wooden spoon , push down the centre of the pastry. Where you created an indentation with the smaller cookie cutter you should get a clean edge, forming a little cup. FILLING Roughly chop the mushrooms  into medium pieces, of roughly equal size. In a frying pan  on a high heat , dry fry the mushrooms for approx 8 mins , until all the moisture escapes, evaporates, and the mushrooms brown. Then, reduce the heat, add the butter , thyme leaves , garlic , and lemon zest.  Cook for a further 2 - 3 mins , until the garlic is translucent  and fragrant.   Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl or measuring jug, and add the creme fraiche,   lemon juice, and truffle salt or oil  to taste .   nb:   if not using truffle salt, season with regular salt to taste. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender . Leave to cool to room temperature. PIPING Fill a piping bag  with the mushroom filling , and pipe into the pastry cases , filling to the lip. Thinly slice the cheese  using a cheese slicer or vegetable peeler. Using the smaller cookie cutter  from earlier, cut 24 circles  of cheese, and place on each vol-au-vont, on top of the mushroom filling. Using a blow torch , melt + char the cheese . nb: alternatively, place the vol-au-vonts under a medium grill for a couple of minutes- keep a very close eye on them! Place a couple of rosemary leaves  on top of each vol-au-vont, and optionally blow torch the leaves to char a little, and make them extra lightningy! BACK TO TOP MENU OVERVIEW

Munch the movies: hosting a dinner party movie screening *This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you. SKIP TO TABLE DECS SKIP TO MENU A warm welcome humans and rodents alike to our series DINNER AND A MOVIE, where we recreate recipes from the silver screen, so you can eat along with your favourite characters, as you host epic dinner party movie screenings. With tablescape ideas to set the scene, and timecodes for when to serve each course, you can create an immersive and cinematic culinary experience from the comfort of your very own home. In this edition, we pull focus on Pixar's most delicious offering, RATATOUILLE! 🐀 Set against the stuffy backdrop of the Parisian Haute cuisine restaurant scene, this is the beautiful tail  of a young rat and aspiring chef called Remy, who despite his species being considered a nuisance in the culinary world, overcomes a mountain of obstacles, and follows his dreams. Way to go, Little Chef. Sure, Ratatouille is a love letter to food, but really it's a morality tale of the importance of talent, creativity, and determination, over expectation. It teaches that anyone can achieve greatness if they have the courage to follow their dreams ✨ As Remy's idol Gusteau says... "You must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul. What I say is true - anyone can cook... but only the fearless can be great" We've pulled together our fave food moments from Ratatouille to put on this cinematic spread, and you can find all the recipes linked below, BUT  if you haven't watched the episode yet, go give it a watch , and like, subscribe and show it a little amour . Cast aside your Anton Ego, strap on an apron, chuck a rat under your hat, and let's get to it because remember... ... ANYONE CAN COOK! 🧑‍🍳 🐀 THE TABLE: SKIP TO MENU Using things we already had at hand, with a few little DIY moments, created a table-setting which embodied the theme, but didn't break the bank. Here's what we did... We went for a red, white and blue theme for the table, in honour of the French flag 🇫🇷 White plates , on a red tablecloth , with blue napkins . Vive la France! We printed a menu for each guest, made on the free version of Canva, and then printed on card, this is such a great and inexpensive way of having a nod to the theme, you're definitely going to see this from us again! These gold stars are an ode to the sign for Gusteau's restaurant in Ratatouille. In the movie, we see 3 complete stars, and 2 additional stars which now sit empty, showing how the restaurant has declined since its namesakes passing. We found these star stickers , some full, and some outlines only, which we stuck all over the tablecloth, an easy an inexpensive detail that perfectly replicates those seen in the movie! For this little DIY centrepiece, we cut a silhouette of Remy out of an old cereal box, and placed it in one of these paper chef's hats  with a light behind it. This only works when viewed from straight on, so you may want to angle it towards your guests lol.   THE MENU       AMUSE-BOUCHE We've substituted the lightening for a blow torch, to bring to life Remy's infamous pairing of mushrooms and fancy French cheese 🧀 MUSHROOM & TOMME DE CHEVRE VOL-AU-VONT Served at 5 mins & 40 secs CLICK HERE  FOR THE RECIPE STARTER Our interpretation of Linguini's disastrous soup, which was saved by Remy in the nick of time! NEAR DISASTER SOUP Served at 20 mins & 34 secs CLICK HERE  FOR THE RECIPE MAIN COURSE Not only the most iconic food moment of the movie, but one of the most iconic food moments in all of cinema, this fancy twist on a homestyle French classic brings the perfect amount of nostalgia to the table. CONFIT BIYALDI (RATATOUILLE) Served at 1 hour, 35 mins & 30 secs CLICK HERE  FOR THE RECIPE DESSERT In answer to Anton Ego's request for a ✨ surprise ✨ dessert, we went for a simple but spectacular French dish... CREME BRULEE Served  at 1 hour & 42 mins CLICK HERE  FOR THE RECIPE BACK TO TOP

From the telly to your belly, recreating recipes from television This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you SKIP TO: RECIPE Welcome back, fellow food and TV lovers!   🍽️🎬 This is our series ‘Gobblebox’, where we show you how to recreate recipes from the small screen, so you can bring the telly to your belly and eat along with your fave characters. This week, we’re dusting off our bunsen burners, throwing on our lab coats, and stepping into the world of BREAKING BAD. When he is not busy battling Tony Soprano for the top spot on the list of greatest TV shows of all time, Walter White loves to cook . There are many notable cooking moments in the series from bright blue crystals, to Walt's annual birthday bacon, to Tuco Salamenca's deadly burrito. We've settled on our fave, fried chicken inspired by Los Pollos Hermanos, Gus Fring’s deceptively charming fictional fast-food chain. The grammatically incorrect "The Chicken Brothers" may primarily exist as a distribution front for Gus' operation but, as an aside, they also know how to rustle up some finger licking chicken. Welcome to... "Los Pollos Hermanos, where something delicious is always cooking." RECIPE NOTES Whole bird: For our fried bites, we prefer to portion up a whole chicken as you get a lot more bang for your buck, but if you don't fancy sharpening your knives, just use 1-1.5 kg of bone in skin on pieces of your choice. Brining: To get perfectly juicy moist chicken, don't skip brining the chicken. Yes, it means you gotta practice patience, but good things come to those who wait and all that... Seasoning: This Sazon  coriander + annatto seasoning forms the basis of our spice blend, but you can substitute this for a mix of ground coriander, turmeric and paprika. Thermometers: It's all too easy to have the oil too hot, and burn the coating without cooking the chicken all the way through. We use both a laser thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temp, and a probe thermometer to ensure it's cooked through. The ideal oil temperature is 180 °C , and the internal temperature of the cooked chicken should be 75°C. In Breaking Bad, you can spy the chicken at Los Pollos Hermanos being served in cute little red basket s . We naturally had to follow suit, and chose to serve it alongside bags  of curly fries, in honour of this fictional commercial for the restaurant. You can find our recipe below, but for lots of extra tips (and of course a raucous good time) be sure to check out our Breaking Bad video here . Without further ado, it's time... TO COOK! 🍗 🧪 BACK TO TOP LOS POLLOS HERMANOS - fried chicken INGREDIENTS   (serves 6) 1 whole medium chicken portioned or 1- 1.5 kg of skin on bone in chicken of your choice (thighs, drumsticks, wings) BRINE   1 litre whole milk  5 cloves garlic- peeled & smashed   1 tbsp whole peppercorns  3 bay leaves  1 lemon - quartered   50g kosher salt   SPICE BLEND 4 tbsp Sazon coriander + annatto seasoning 2 tbsp ground cumin 2 tbsp onion powder 2 tbsp garlic powder 2 tbsp lime powder   2 tbsp kosher salt   1 tbsp hot cayenne pepper 1 tbsp black pepper  SEASONED FLOUR 300g plain flour  1/2 the spice blend BATTER 100g plain flour  100g cornflour  1/2 the spice blend 50 ml tequila 300 ml water  Neutral oil for frying - eg. vegetable or groundnut METHOD FIRST... Place the chicken in a large bowl , cover with the milk , add all the brine ingredients . Cover with cling film, and b rine the chicken in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight. NEXT... In a medium bowl , mix together all the spice blend ingredients , and set aside. For the seasoned flour, in a large bowl , add 300g plain flour , half the spice blend , and mix to combine. For the batter, in a large bowl , add 100g plain flour , the cornflour , the other half the spice blend , and mix to combine. Create a well in the centre, and slowly pour in the tequila , and the water , whisking to combine. THEN... One piece at a time, remove the chicken from the brine , dredge in the seasoned flour , then dip into the wet batter , then dredge in the flour for second time.  Place the covered chicken on a wire rack , making sure the pieces don't touch. Continue until all the chicken is completely covered. Fill a heavy bottomed pot with a few inches of oil and heat to 180 °C or, when a little flour immediately sizzles when placed in the oil. Fry the chicken in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. The chicken will require approx 10 min s, depending on the size of the piece. The internal temperature checked with a probe thermometer should be 75 °C . Keep the chicken warm on a wire rack , over a baking dish in a warmed oven, set to 50 °C . SERVE... For authenticity points, serve in red baskets , with a side of curly fries just as Gus intended. BACK TO TOP

*This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you. SKIP TO RECIPE MENU OVERVIEW The scene that has inspired our dessert course comes at the very end of the movie. Remy has brought together his two worlds, and is catering for rats and humans alike, in his no frills bistro that's unapologetically him, named "La Ratatouille". One of his many patrons is Anton Ego, now transformed from antagonist to ally, who when ordering dessert, requests a 'surprise'. That has left us free as little birds to pick through the French classics and go with our hearts. We settled on a Creme Brûlée, a simple but delicious dish that is in keeping with the rest of our dinner, and a dish that would undoubtably be on the menu at Remy's Bistro. A few notes on the recipe before we begin, you can bake and serve the custard in any oven proof dish you wish, some people like to make one large pudding, but personally, I prefer individual portions, but you do you! This can be made in advance but the caramel sort of melts and goes all watery if left for too long, so it's best to make and bake the custard the day before, but wait to brûlée them until just before guests arrive. A blow torch is by far the best way to achieve an even brûléed top, you can put the puddings under the grill if you don't have one, but it's a bit of a lucky dip and a method I would avoid. If you want to, you can pick up a blow torch pretty inexpensively ( I bought this one ) and it's proved to be a much more useful and versatile tool than I imagined, I'm loving it! You will notice that this recipe includes milk. Many recipes will call for cream and cream alone, but I find the addition of a little milk makes the custard less likely to split when baked and, I personally prefer the final texture. One thing that is definitely non-negotiable is you have to use a vanilla pod or vanilla bean paste (say no to extract!) a good creme brûlée has to have the little flecks of vanilla seeds to feel like the real deal. All that is left to say is merci beaucoup  for following along with this episode of 'Dinner and a Movie'. We hope to see you here this time next month for another episode, which honours a classic movie, that celebrates food for all the Family... wink wink nudge nudge 🌹 CREME BRULEE INGREDIENTS   (serves 4-6) GO TO: METHOD 5 medium egg yolks 500 ml double cream 100 ml whole milk  1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp of vanilla bean paste 50 g caster sugar (plus extra for topping)  Pinch of salt  METHOD THE CUSTARD Pre heat the oven  150°C / 140°C   fan . Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod , and put the seeds and the pod in a medium saucepan, along with the cream  and milk . Place on a medium heat, and warm until it just reaches a simmer, removing from the heat just before bubbles begin to form. Leave to steep for 30 mins.   After 30 mins, in a mixing bowl , whisk  together the egg yolks , sugar  and salt  for 30 secs  until lightened in colour. Warm  the cream  again until just before it reaches a simmer.   To temper the eggs, pour a quarter  of the cream mixture over the egg yolks , stirring with a spatula  as you go, don't whisk, we don't want additional bubbles. Pour in the remaining cream, and mix to combine.   Strain  through a fine mesh sieve  to get rid of any lumps, pushing through any vanilla seeds that get caught in the sieve. Discard the pod. BAKING Place a  serving dish , or individual ramekins  into a large, deep roasting tin. Pour  the custard  into the ramekins/dish. Pour boiling water  into the roasting tin, until it reaches about a third of the way up the sides of the ramekins/dish. This water bath  will ensure the custard cooks evenly. Bake for 30 - 90 mins  depending on the size of the ramekins/dish. Keep an eye on things, and remove from the oven once the custard is set on the edges, with a slight wobble in the centre (for 6 x individual ramekins, I baked for exactly 30 mins). Very carefully remove the roasting tin from the oven, being careful not to spill any of the hot water. Remove the ramekins/dish from the water bath, to prevent the custard from overcooking. Leave to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover closely with cling film, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.  THE BRULEE TOP Once chilled and set, with a paper towel, wipe clean and dry the edge of the dish(es), and carefully remove any moisture from the top of the custard.  Sprinkle over a thin and even layer of caster   sugar - the amount you need will depend on the size of your serving, but for a traditional 175ml ramekin, 1 tsp of sugar is sufficient.  Using a blow torch  to melt the sugar is the most effective and controlled method (if you don't have a blow torch, place under a medium grill for a few minutes). The sugar will continue to cook when you move the flame away, so move the blow torch around continuously. You are looking for all the sugar to be melted, a golden brown colour all over, with a few blackened spots. Leave to cool  and harden for at least an hour  before serving.   BACK TO TOP MENU OVERVIEW

*This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you. SKIP TO RECIPE MENU OVERVIEW The scene that inspired our main course is a pivotal moment in the movie, as Remy is given full creative control for the first time, and he reveals his signature style, presenting a dish that’s as beautiful as it is unexpected, blending art and flavour in a way that’s all his own. It’s a dish that’s unfussy but full of heart, nostalgic and classic, paying homage to everyday homestyle cooking while elevating the ordinary. Remy pours his soul into every bite, creating something that’s not just food, but a multi-sensory experience that proves food has the power to stir deep emotions. It's proof that with a little creativity, even the humblest ingredients can be transformed into something extraordinary, challenging expectations and proving that incredible things can come from the most ordinary of places. To get this dish looking all neat and tidy, you’ll want to pick veggies that are around the same size- think Roma tomatoes and Japanese aubergines, which are closest in size to courgettes. The key is making sure all your slices are the same thickness, and that’s where a mandoline comes in handy. I actually had one gathering dust for years because I was terrified  of slicing off the end of a finger (been there, done that, never again thanks). Now, though, I’ve cautiously warmed up to a mandoline, but I wouldn’t dream of using one without protective gloves like these . I find my fingertips quite useful tbh. Honestly, this dish is pretty fiddly and time consuming bu t as arguably the most famous dish in cinema, frankly, it's worth every second. Bon appetit 🐀 👨‍🍳 CONFIT BIYALDI (RATATOUILLE) INGREDIENTS   (serves 4) GO TO: METHOD SAUCE 2 red peppers 3 roma tomatoes  1 onion - diced   2 cloves garlic - minced 1 tbsp tomato puree  1 bay leaf  2 sprigs of fresh thyme  Pinch of sugar - you   may want more if your tomatoes are v acidic  VEGETABLES 1-2 green courgettes 1-2 yellow courgettes  4-5 roma tomatoes  1-2 baby or Japanese aubergines 2 sprigs of thyme - leaves only  1 tsp kosher salt  Black pepper to taste TO SERVE 1 tsp white wine vinegar 2 tbsps olive oil Fresh parsley - to decorate 1 chive per portion - to decorate METHOD SAUCE Lightly oil the peppers , and place them directly onto a gas hob, if you don't have one, then place under a hot grill. Char  the peppers until blackened, turning regularly. Place the blackened peppers into a large bowl , cover with cling film, and leave to steam for 15 mins - this will make them easier to peel.  Then, peel  and deseed  the peppers, and roughly chop  them. Put aside for later. Bring a pot of water  to to the boil . Take the tomatoes , and cut an X  through the skin, on the bottom of each of the tomatoes.  Place them in the boiling water for 15 seconds , then remove- this will make them easier to peel. Peel , and roughly chop  the tomatoes, and set aside, keeping hold of any juice.  Heat a frying pan  with a little olive   oil , and sauté the onion  for 5 mins  until translucent. Add the garlic , and tomato puree,  and cook for a further 1-2 mins , until the garlic is fragrant.  Remove from the heat, add the prepared pepper  and tomatoes , and blend  until smooth with an immersion blender.   Return to the heat, add the bay leaf  and thyme sprigs , bring to a simmer for 20 - 25 mins until reduced  by half. Partially cover the with a lid, as the sauce tends to bubble and paint your kitchen red as it cooks! Remove for the heat and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig, and put aside whilst you prepare the vegetables. ASSEMBLY   Preheat the oven to 18 0°C / 160 °C  fan .  Using a mandoline , or a very sharp knife, thinly slice  all the vegetables into 2 mm  thick rounds.  nb: I find a mandolin works best for the courgettes, and a knife for the rest. Reserve  2 tablespoons  of the sauce, and place the rest in an even layer along the bottom of a 10 inch  ovenproof skillet or casserole dish. Place the vegetables  in the baking dish, overlapping them in alternating   order , with about a quarter exposed at the top. If using a rectangular dish, work in rows, if using a circular dish, work from the outside into the centre. Drizzle with olive   oil , sprinkle over the salt  and thyme leaves , and a crack of black   pepper .  Cut a piece of parchment   paper  to the size of the dish, and cut a small hole in the centre of the paper to act as a vent. Cover the vegetables with the prepared parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 50 - 60 mins  until the vegetables are fork tender.  PRESENTATION To mimic Remy's presentation, you need a chef ring , or cookie cutter , that's about 3 inches  in diameter. Place the ring in the centre  of the plate, and keeping the veg stacked in order, use a palette knife  to transfer a few pieces at a time to the plate. First,  work around   the edge  of the ring, laying the vegetables upright against the side, until you have covered the edge. Then, stack the veg flat, to fill the centre , packing tightly, without squashing the vegetables. Carefully remove the ring . The vegetables will release a lot of water during cooking, so you may need to mop up and excess water from the plate using a piece of kitchen roll. Take the reserved 2 tbsps  of sauce, and add the vinegar  and olive oil. Give them a quick stir, it shouldn't be properly mixed and emulsified. Drizzle around the plate in a circle, around the vegetables, just as Remy does. Place a few parsley leaves  around the plate, and a single chive  on top, to replicate the presentation from the movie.   BACK TO TOP MENU OVERVIEW

*This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you. SKIP TO RECIPE MENU OVERVIEW We find ourselves at one of the most iconic  scenes of Ratatouille. It's the first time Remy cooks in a professional kitchen, it's his and Linguni's meet cute, and  it's the point of no return in the story. Remy has stumbled across his late hero's restaurant, and as he longingly peers into Gusteau's kitchen, he spies a clumsy Linguini butchering a pot of soup that if served, will be disastrous for the name of Gusteau, and  for the name of good food. Remy knows he shouldn't interfere, but his love for haute cuisine, and desire to uphold Gusteau's reputation, win out over his need for self preservation. Remy’s natural instinct as a chef kicks in, and he decides to take action, and in a trance like dance, rescues the soup from near disaster. This pivotal scene does so much work with so little dialogue, it lays out a central theme of prejudice, the attitude towards rats being in a kitchen, and Remy's view that as a plongeur Linguini in a nobody, and  it sets the stage for the duo's collaboration, with Remy guiding Linguini from the shadows. It's quite tricky to tell exactly what the soup is question is, the internet seems to think it's leek and potato, but if you look closely, that doesn't seem right, as it starts out red, so is presumably tomato based. It's equally tricky to tell exactly what Remy and Linguni each add to the soup, but it appears to be a combo of: onion, leek, salt, oil, bay leaves, black pepper, garlic, stock, cream, thyme, potato, parsley, and chervil.   Our version is a tomato based vegetable soup, which includes all of the above ingredients. Now, it's hard to make soup look cute, but personally, I think that the best way to do it is to shove a load of contrasting colours and exciting looking bits and bobs on top to jazz it up. Smaller portions always look fancier, so do a little soup in a big bowl, and cover it in fun crap. We went for... a little herb oil, some crispy leeks, a sprinkling of micro parsley, and a swirl of cream. The 'oh so simple, can we even call them a recipe' recipes for the herb oil and crispy leeks can be found here . Without further ado, grab an apron and have a soup-er time, sorry . LINGUINI'S NEAR DISASTER SOUP INGREDIENTS   (serves 4) GO TO: METHOD 1 leek - sliced 1 onion - chopped 1 large potato - peeled + cubed 3 sticks of celery - sliced 800 ml vegetable stock  150 ml double cream  2 garlic cloves - chopped 2 bay leaves 1 tbsp tomato puree  1/4 tsp hot cayenne pepper 1 tbsp butter 1 sprig of fresh thyme- leaves only 1/2 tbsp parsley - chopped   1/2 tbsp chervil   - chopped   (this can be subbed for 1 tsp of tarragon) To serve (optional) Chopped chives  Swirl of cream  Micro herbs Herb oil Crispy leeks   METHOD Prepare the vegetables , garlic  and herbs  as above, and set aside. In a large pot  on a medium heat, melt the butter  with a glug of oil. Sweat the leek and onion , in the butter/oil for around 5 mins  until the onion is translucent. To the pot, add the potato  and celery, continue to cook for a further 5 mins.   Add garlic , tomato puree , and cayenne pepper  and and and cook for a few mins until the garlic is fragrant. Pour in the stock. Add the bay   leaves  and thyme. Season with salt  and pepper . Bring to a boil , then reduce to a simmer for 10 mins.    Add the cream , parsley and chervil. Simmer for a further 5 mins, until the potato is fork tender. Remove from the heat, and blend  until smooth. Then,   pass through a   sieve   to   get the soup super smooth and silky. Taste, and adjust seasoning to taste. Optionally, serve topped with toppings such as a swirl of cream , micro herbs , chopped chives , herb oil , and c rispy leeks .   HERB OIL INGREDIENTS   Small bunch of herbs (we used parsley) 100 ml olive oil Salt, to taste METHOD Pick off the  leaves  and discard the stems  Add the olive oil,  a pinch of salt  and blend  until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve , lined with cheesecloth . That's it! Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a few days. CRISPY LEEKS INGREDIENTS   1/2 leek Neutral oil for frying -  such as sunflower or groundnut METHOD Take half a leek  and cut it in half lengthways . Then, slice into half moons  as thin as you can.  Bring the oil  to approx 180 °C .   nb: If you don't have a thermometer , throw  a piece of leek into the oil, and if it immediately starts bubbling, the oil is ready.  Fry the leeks for 2 - 3 mins  in the hot oil until browned and crispy.  Drain on kitchen roll and season to taste with kosher salt.  Nb: I like to place the leeks in small batches into a small metal sieve  and fry them inside the sieve. This makes it easier to remove the leeks from the oil, as they cook so quickly it's easy to burn them! BACK TO TOP MENU OVERVIEW

From the telly to your belly, recreating recipes from television This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you Hello Upper East Siders, and welcome to our series ‘Gobblebox’, where we show you how to recreate recipes from the small screen, so you can bring the telly to your belly. This week, we're putting Christmas aside for just a minute and travelling to the Big Apple to revisit a show that does Thanksgiving like no other, GOSSIP GIRL. SPOTTED,  lots of delicious food as we explore the scandalous lives of Manhatten's elite. But perhaps the most iconic is Blair Waldorf's number one Thanksgiving vice, the PUMPKIN PIE . Move over Bobby Flay, there's a new slice in town, and it's more than meets the pies... This recipe is in the style of a classic American style pie dough. It doesn't use eggs to bind it as European pie doughs usually do and it has a higher flour to butter ratio than a shortcrust pastry. Keeping the butter cold is the key achieving a flaky crust. Those tiny solid chunks of butter packed into the dough will then melt in the oven, the moisture will evaporate from the butter and created air pockets in the dough, resulting in a light, flaky, layered dough. PSA! If you feel there isn't enough Taylor Momson in this Gossip Girl special, then be sure to check out last week's episode of Bite Club where we joined a baby Jenny Humphries for a helping of Who Hash in "How The Grinch Stole Christmas". Right, go pop on a headband, grab a slice, and meet me on the steps of The Met because it's time... Blair Waldorf Must Pie. XO XO, Gossip girl. GO TO: BACK TO TOP PUMPKIN PIE Features in Gossip Girl, Series 1, Episode 1 "Blair Waldorf Must Pie" and in Series 2, Episode 11 “The Magnificent Archibalds”. INGREDIENTS   DOUGH METHOD 300g plain flour  200g cold unsalted butter (cubed) ½ tsp kosher salt  1 tbsp icing sugar  FILLING METHOD 300g of pumpkin  100g light brown sugar  150 ml double cream 2 large eggs  2 tbsps milk 1 tbsp cornflour  1 tsp vanilla extract  ¼ tsp kosher salt  ¾ tsp cinnamon ¾ tsp ginger  ¼ tsp nutmeg  ⅛ tsp cloves  TO SERVE Whipped cream METHOD: DOUGH INGREDIENTS Place the flour , salt and sugar into a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold , cubed butter and pulse until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Alternatively, use a pastry blender, avoid handling the pastry or the butter will melt. Place the mixture into a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons of ice cold water, mixing to combine. Add additional water one tablespoon at a time, until it comes together into a ball. Place the dough onto a worktop and bring together, handling as little as possible. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour . SHAPING AND BLIND BAKING Preheat the oven to 210°C / 190°C fan. Take half of the dough and roll into a round shape about 2 mm thick. Transfer to a 24 cm pie dish . No need to grease the pie dish as the dough contains so much butter.  Trim the excess, leaving a 2 cm overhang. Fold back the excess pastry and tuck it between the pastry case and the pie dish. Crimp the edges. Prick the base of the pie case all over with a fork. Line with baking paper and pour in baking beans or dried rice/beans to weigh down the pastry base. Blind bake the pie case for 15 mins . After 15 mins , remove the pie case from the oven and carefully remove the hot baking beans and baking paper exposing the base of the pie crust. Return to the oven for a further 10 mins until the base is a uniform, colour and there are no visible patches of raw dough. Remove the case from the oven and leave aside on a wire rack to cool. Do not remove from the tin. DECORATIONS (OPTIONAL)  You can use the remaining pastry for decorative additions to your pie. Alternatively, the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months and used at a later date.  For decoration, simply roll the pastry to around 2 mm thick and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. Leaves, pumpkins or turkeys are the perfect thanksgiving additions.  Brush milk over the decorations using a pastry brush . I prefer to use a milk wash for this as a heavier egg wash can cause the pattern in the dough to fill in and become less defined. Preheat the oven to 210°C / 190°C fan , and bake the pastry decorations on a lined baking tray  for 8-12 mins until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and leave aside until you are ready to serve.  METHOD: PUMPKIN FILLING INGREDIENTS Mix together the milk and corn flour in a small bowl to form a slurry. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin , sugar , salt , vanilla and spices until combined.  Crack in the eggs , pour in the cream and whisk until smooth.  ASSEMBLING THE PIE  Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan. Pour the filling into the cooked pie crust and bake for 40-45 mins   until set but with a slight wobble in the centre. Halfway, check the edges of the pastry aren't catching, if they're getting to dark, tent the edges with foil to prevent further browning.  Once set but with a slight wobble in the centre, remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Serve cooled decorated with the pastry leaves and with freshly whipped cream . Flavoring the cream will add an extra dimension… vanilla, rum or pumpkin spice seasoning all complement well. Play around!  You know you love it… XOXO Gossip Girl  BACK TO TOP

*This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you. BRUCE’S CHOCOLATE CAKE The ultimate chocolate cake extravaganza. One of the most iconic moments in food cinema; infuriating, empowering, slightly gross and definitely mouth watering. As humiliating as the scene starts out for Bruce, he ends it as the hero… The cake looks bloody delish and I would quite like everyone to cheer in celebration at my overindulging on chocolatey goodness (I’m very good at it).  If we hit the pause button and pop our 3D glasses on, it looks like Bruce is chowing down on a dark chocolate sponge which has been split into three layers. There seems to be a pale chocolate buttercream sandwiched between the layers and a dark chocolate ganache swirled over the top and sides.  In this version, we're going to scale things down and make a smaller and slightly less obnoxious iteration but, if catering for a bigger crowd, the recipe can be scaled up to a size fit for Miss Trunchbull.  If you want to simplify things, then forget the buttercream for the middle. Just make a larger quantity of ganache which you can then use to sandwich between the layers as well as spread all over the top and sides of this bad boy bake. If you want to stick to being a purist and do both icings, then get that arm ready to whip some butter into shape…  YOU CAN DO IT ( insert your name here)!  GOOOO  (whatever your name is)!  GO TO: GANACHE FROSTING CHOCOLATE SPONGE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM DECORATING THE CAKE MENU OVERVIEW GANACHE FROSTING I recommend you start off your journey with the ganache as it requires a few hours to chill and set in the fridge before it’s ready to use.  Chocolate ganache is easy, versatile and can be easily scaled up or down as it uses a simple 2:1 ratio of chocolate to cream. Dreamy.  You can use this same ganache chilled and then rolled into balls to make another Matilda food feature… chocolate truffles. Bonus chocolate course!  INGREDIENTS   200 g dark chocolate  100 ml double cream  Pinch of salt  GANACHE METHOD Grate the chocolate  and place into a large heat proof bowl. As we are working with such small quantities here, grating is more effective than chopping the chocolate. Warm the cream  on the stove until small bubbles just begin to appear. nb: Be careful as if it’s too hot then it will split the chocolate. Don’t allow the cream to boil and if it gets too excitedly bubbly give it a few minutes to cool before you move on.  Pour the warmed cream over the chocolate and leave to sit for 2-3 minutes . Don’t stir it, just let it sit and hang out with the chocolate, getting it all melty and delicious.  When the cream and chocolate have had a few minutes alone to get to know each other, add a pinch of salt  to bring out the flavour of the chocolate and mix until fully combined.  Transfer to the fridge  and leave to thicken and set for 3 hours  to set. Remove from the fridge for 15 mins before icing. BACK TO TOP SPONGE A moist sponge is the biggest challenge when making a chocolate cake so this recipe uses a combo of soured cream and oil as this creates a lighter and more moist sponge. (Sorry butter, no shade!) This sponge calls for a strong shot of joe, but please feel free to use decaf if you want to avoid the caffeine. Or, if you don't like coffee (nb: we can’t be friends) then you can leave it out entirely. But just so you know, you won’t taste it, the coffee will just enhance the flavour of the chocolate.  To lighten your load on the big day, the sponge can be made a day or two before. Once thoroughly cooled, just store wrapped in cling film or in an airtight container. SCALING UP This recipe is for a small version but if you have more mouths to feed, it can be scaled up, just stick to 1tsp of bicarb and baking soda and double everything else.  Make sure you split the mixture between three cake tins so you still get the cinematically accurate number of layers. You don’t want to end up in The Chokey! Doubled up and split into 3 cake tins , each sponge should take 20-25 mins to cook. WET INGREDIENTS   1 large egg  100 ml soured cream  100 ml veg oil  Strong shot of espresso  ¾ tsp vanilla extract  DRY INGREDIENTS 100 g plain flour  20g cocoa powder  ¾ tsp baking powder ¾ tsp bicarb  ½ tsp salt 60g light brown sugar  60g caster sugar  METHOD Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan  and grease a 6 inch cake tin .  Sift together the flour , cocoa powder , salt , baking powder  and bicarb  into a large bowl.  Add both of the sugars  to the bowl and mix until combined.  In a measuring jug , mix together all the wet ingredients.  Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix together with an electric hand mixer  Continue until the mixture is fully combined and there are no lumps. Pour the batter into the cake tin  and bake for 40-45 mins  until a skewer comes out clean.  Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 mins before removing and placing on a wire rack  to cool completely. nb: Do not attempt to ice the cake until it is fully cooled - patience is a virtue and all that!  BACK TO TOP CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM Saying this once more for the cheap seats in the back… if you want to reduce your workload, you can skip the buttercream and instead make a larger quantity of ganache to sandwich between your sponge layers. You want the Crunchem Hall classic?! Ok, let’s go… BUTTERCREAM INGREDIENTS   100g unsalted butter  150 g icing sugar  50g cocoa powder  2 tbsps milk  1tsp vanilla extract METHOD Beat the butter  with an electric hand whisk  or stand mixer  for 2-3 mins  until light and fluffy. Mix the cocoa powder  in with the sugar  and add to the butter a spoonful at a time, mixing continuously. Once thoroughly combined, add the milk  and vanilla  and beat the mixture for 2-3 mins  until the buttercream reaches a spreadable consistency.  Leave at room temperature until you are ready to assemble. nb: If making ahead of time, store covered in the fridge and bring to room temperature for several hours before assembling. Once back up to room temp, the buttercream will require another go with the mixer for a few minutes until it is ready to spread.  BACK TO TOP DECORATING THE CAKE   Slice  the fully cooled sponge into three layers . Not one, not two, but three layers. Authenticity people! Using a cake leveller  will make it so much easier to achieve even layers. Add a small blob of buttercream  to your plate or cake stand and top with the first sponge layer. This will prevent your cake from slip sliding all over the show.  Use a palette knife  to spread half of the buttercream over the sponge. Top with the next sponge layer and repeat. Add your final sponge layer and then with a palette knife spread the ganache  over the top and sides of the cake, covering it entirely.  Take a step back. Admire her. Lick the bowl.  FIN.  BACK TO TOP MENU OVERVIEW

*This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you. TV DINNER: BAKED HAM WITH PINEAPPLE SLICES Gammon and pineapple slices is a classic combo and a big benefit of this recipe is that it is cooked in two stages. First, the meat needs to be boiled before it is then glazed and baked. This means that you can boil the meat a day or two before and simply finish it off in the oven on the big night.  I suggest pairing the meat with baby carrots and peas in homage to another classic Matilda moment. A side of celeriac mash or a hearty mashed potato would do nicely. Bonus points if you plate up on a TV tray! BAKED HAM INGREDIENTS 1 kg gammon joint  1 carrot 1 onion Stick of celery A bay leaf  1 tbsp of peppercorns 75 g hot honey (or 50g honey and 2 tbsps of hot sauce or dijon mustard) Small tin of pineapple slices METHOD First, get your vegetables ready- roughly chop the onion , celery  and carrot  and add to a large stock pot . Add the gammon  joint to the pot and cover with water  until the meat is fully submerged in its little bath. Add the bay leaf  and peppercorns .  Bring to the boil  and then reduce the temperature, cover the pot and simmer for 45 mins. Turn off the heat and leave the meat to bathe and relax for 20 mins. Remove the meat from the liquid and discard the veg and broth. At this stage the meat can be chilled in the fridge until the big night. THE BIG NIGHT Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.   Remove the skin  from the ham- this is the thick, tough outer layer. nb: Make sure you don’t cut the fat off the meat when you do this, just peel back the skin, leaving the fat intact. Score the fat in that classic 70’s criss cross pattern.  Glaze the meat with hot honey  using a pastry brush . If using normal honey, then mix it together with the hot sauce or dijon mustard in a small bowl before painting on your hog. Bake for 35-40 mins  until caramalised. Slice and serve topped with sliced pineapple. BACK TO TOP PARSLEY SAUCE This TV dinner will be a bit dry without a saucy accompaniment and this simple parsley number gives us all the moisture, and all the retro vibes, that we’re looking for. If we’re already going a bit nostalgic with our TV dinner, we may as well go FULL retro. Someone bust out a disco ball and cover it in parsley sauce. This sauce can be made a few days in advance, stored in an airtight container in the fridge, and then heated up and served on the big night. INGREDIENTS Small handful of finely chopped parsley 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp plain flour 250 ml milk 1/2 tsp dijon mustard Squeeze of lemon juice METHOD Melt the butter  in a saucepan on a medium-low heat. Add the flour , and continue cooking for a couple of minutes, stirring regularly so it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. After a couple of minutes cooking to ensure the sauce doesn’t taste of raw flour, slowly pour in the milk  whisking as you go. A slow pour and a continuous whisk prevents lumps forming. Bring to a simmer and cook for around 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. To elevate this basic white sauce, add the parsley , a teaspoon of dijon mustard , and lemon juice  to taste. Season with salt and pepper. BACK TO TOP SERVICE PLEASE… Serve the sliced ham with a side of celeriac or potato mash, a great accompaniment which could be made the day before and heated just before serving. A side of baby carrots and peas pays homage to another classic Matilda moment. Simply steamed, seasoned and tossed in butter would mimic those featured in the movie.  Pour over the parsley sauce and take a bite into the 1970s. BACK TO TOP MENU OVERVIEW