Embrace the warm summer days by eating outside with these delicious al fresco recipes; there is no better way to enjoy food.


Yotum Ottolenghi’s Pappardelle with Rose Harissa, Black Olives and Capers

“There is no better dish to eat in the summer evenings than pasta. Al fresco, with the late sunshine and a glass of wine, I struggle to think of a better combination to while away those elongated evenings. ‘Pappare’ means ‘to gobble up’ in Italian, which is the destiny of this dish. I like it spicy, but the quantity of harissa can easily be reduced. Make the sauce three days ahead if you want, and keep it in the fridge until needed.”

INGREDIENTS 
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 large onion, thinly
sliced (220g)
3 tbsp Rose Harissa
400g cherry tomatoes, halved 55g pitted Kalamata olives, torn in half
20g baby capers
500g dried pappardelle pasta (or another wide, flat pasta)
15g parsley, roughly chopped 120g Greek-style yoghurt
salt

    1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan (one that has a lid) and place it on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelised. 
    2. Add the Rose Harissa, tomatoes, olives, capers and ½ teaspoon of salt and continue to fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes start to break down. Add 200ml of water and stir through. 
    3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid of the sauce and continue to cook for 4–5 minutes, until the sauce is thick and rich. Stir in 10g of the parsley and set aside.
    4. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with plenty of salted water and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the pappardelle and cook according to the packet instructions until
      al dente. Drain well.
    5. Return the pasta to the pot along with the Harissa sauce and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Mix well, then divide between four shallow bowls. Serve hot, with a spoonful of yoghurt and a final sprinkle
      of parsley.

Eton Mess Traybake

The classic twist on the quintessential pavlova gets reimagined once more in this mouth-watering traybake – ideal for outdoor summer soirées, classic cream teas or even just your afternoon coffee.

INGREDIENTS (makes 12)
For the sponge 
200g unsalted butter, softened 
200g caster sugar 
180g self-raising flour 
1 tbsp vanilla extract 
4 medium-sized eggs
100g ground almonds 
5 tbsp double cream 
200g mixed berries (strawberries must be hulled and sliced)

For the topping 
250g double cream (whipped) 
4 shop-bought meringue nests (broken up)
200g mixed berries 
Icing sugar to decorate

    1. Grease and line a 20 x 30 cm brownie pan with baking paper. Heat oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas mark 3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla essence and then the eggs, one by one, mixing as you go. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and ground almonds. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet until you have a thick batter. Finally, gently stir in the double cream and the berries. 
    2. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, distributing the berries evenly across the cake. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave your sponge in the pan for 10 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool. 
    3. Once cool, spoon over the whipped double cream and meringue pieces before decorating with the berries. Dust with icing sugar before cutting into 12 even pieces to serve. If not eating immediately, it can be kept in the fridge for a few hours but take out 15 minutes before serving.