Now, she's added another feather to her talented chef's hat by winning Del Monte Italian Escapades campaign with her innovative recipe, Orange Butter Sauce Spaghetti with Fennel Italian Meringue Kisses. Judged by celebrity chef Ranveer Brar, Patel beat 200-odd food bloggers for the prize of an eight-day all-expenses paid trip to Italy (Florence, Venice and Rome) that will help hone her culinary skills. "I've always wanted to go to a culinary school but I couldn't afford it. So, this trip is very important to me," says the BMM graduate from SIES Nerul.

Filling basil custard in a macaron shell

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Hot off the oven
However, making this dish was no cakewalk. "I wanted to go beyond the usual tomato-basil or pesto recipes. I'd read somewhere that orange and fennel salad is popular in Italy, so I used that flavour combination in the pasta. I balanced the citrus-ey orange flavour with the creamy and salty butter sauce. Meringue is usually associated with desserts but I wanted to add it to a savoury dish.

The winning dish, Orange Butter Sauce Spaghetti with Fennel Italian Meringue Kisses

Making it was a challenge because of humidity; it needs dry weather to set. Every Italian pasta dish is completed with parmesan on top but I couldn't find parmesan in the supermarket. So, I garnished the dish with some crushed fennel bulbs, which thankfully had the same effect," shares Patel, who's been dabbling with desserts since she was seven. She recalls, "I would get muffins from a store, melt jam on a stove and try fancy icings. I love baking desserts, especially, because they always look so beautiful. The process may be complicated but the end result is worth it."

Instead of merely replicating recipes from the web or cookbooks, Patel, who is glued to TLC, and shows like Masterchef Australia, tweaks them to create innovative, and often, healthier versions. For instance, she makes macarons with oat milk instead of almond milk, while marshmallows are made using honey instead of sugar.

"I came up with the macaroon recipe in 2009. At the time, I had limited pocket money. Almond milk is expensive, so, I substituted the ingredient with oat milk that was lying at home and it worked well. I also want make more sugar-free desserts," she reveals. Apart from her blog, Patel's recipes have also gained popularity on Pinterest. "The Spiced Orange Mocha Hot Chocolate, that I created last Christmas, has been pinned 6,000 times," she informs, adding that she intends to study at a business school next year and start her own food venture.

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