i am very happy to have some representation from australia in the in the kitchen with line up after the great regional round up on australia in the not too distant past! today, maja and tess of polli, share with us a vegetarian lunch favorite that they eat in their studio in sydney when hunger pangs strike. jai jai at harlem vintage has prepared the tasting notes. click here for the full recipe or just click “read more” below. -kristina

about polli: polli is a team of 5 women, 2 dogs and a baby working together in the inner city suburb of glebe, sydney. established by maja rose and tess lloyd, as a part-time hobby, polli was born of their shared interests in design, craft culture and fashion. today polli is a thriving business with distribution to over 400 stores around the world, everywhere from greenland to oakland. specializing in jewelry and home accessories, polli designs are strongly influenced by the pairs’ respective backgrounds and cultural experiences gleaned through study and travel. reflecting japanese, middle eastern, indian and european style, the designs play with form, pattern, light and color. maja and tess have a strong commitment to best environmental practice and aim to minimize their environmental footprint. polli products are designed to be unique and are australian made.

Oregano Smash with Green Beans, Pasta and Goats Feta
Wine: Cappella Vernaccia

Ingredients:
-1 and 3/4 cups (400g) french beans (stalk ends trimmed and washed)
-3/4 to 1 cup (200g) spelt pasta (short style)
-2 bunches oregano
-Good pinch of salt
-1-2 Garlic cloves
-3 1/2 tablespoons (50g) pine nuts (optional)
-1-2 lemons juiced
-Roughly half a cup (or a little less) (100ml) Olive oil
-Pepper to taste
-Roughly half a cup (or a little less) (100g) Goat’s feta

1. Wash oregano and spin in salad spinner or pat dry.

2. Pick leaves and add to mortar and pestle with garlic and salt.

3. Pound and crush until you get a green paste (it won’t be completely smooth).

4. Add in nuts if using and crush.

5. Mix in all the oil and some of lemon juice, adding more to taste.

6. Taste for pepper and add as desired.

7. Cook pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water.

8. Meanwhile steam or gently boil beans.

9. Tip drained pasta onto serving platter, add beans, drizzle with pesto and crumble feta over. Serve immediately.

Wine pairing: When pairing pasta and wine, the key is to think about the flavors of the sauce and what would best compliment them. Think about the ingredients but also the context of the dish such as time of day, preferences of the group and the mood you want to evoke. This is a total sensory experience! Friends enjoying a vegetarian meal on a beautiful afternoon want a bright, zesty wine and something that will cut through garlic and feta. I recommend the lively and young Cappella Vernaccia. Vernaccia is an indigenous grape of Italy’s Tuscan region producing a golden, full-bodied white with zest that would beautifully harmonize -not overpower- the freshness of this dish. It is deceptively friendly and simple up front but then settles into a complex serious wine with an almond skin finish. – Jai Jai

Why Maja and Tess chose this recipe: Each day we stop to eat lunch together in the garden. Our lunches are vegetarian wholefoods prepared by Anna in house. This is recipe below is a favourite in the Polli studio.