1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
up to ½ tin (200ml/7fl oz) water, if needed
salt and pepper, to taste
FINISHING TOUCHES
125g (4oz) fresh mozzarella, torn or sliced
Parmesan cheese, to garnish
1 Add all the main ingredients to a large pot and bring to the boil, then reduce to a low heat. Partially cover with a lid and cook, stirring often.
2 Approximately 15 minutes after boiling, dot the fresh mozzarella over the top. Place under a grill and cook until the cheese is toasty. Garnish and serve.
Baked Gnocchi
This dish is essentially an antipasto platter in pasta form. What’s not to love! Try this with your favourite mix of seasoned olives for an extra-special treat.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
800ml (28fl oz) water (or use stock and leave out the stock cubes)
400g (14oz) spaghetti, broken in half
2 stock cubes
3 garlic cloves, sliced
150g (5oz) marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
150g (5oz) green and black olives, chopped
1 bunch of fresh dill
½ tablespoon dried oregano
1 onion, thinly sliced
400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
200g (7oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper, to taste
FINISHING TOUCHES
large handful of spinach, chopped
150g (5oz) mini fresh mozzarella balls
Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
1 Add all the main ingredients to a large pot and bring to the boil, then reduce to a medium heat and cook, stirring often.
2 Cook until the water is mostly absorbed (approximately 15 minutes after boiling), then stir in the spinach and mozzarella balls. Garnish and serve.
The magic of a carbonara is in the simplicity of the ingredients paired with the creaminess of the egg yolk, yet making this dish can inadvertently leave you with scrambled eggs on pasta … not ideal! I’ve come up with a foolproof recipe, which is so easy that perhaps you’ll forgive the fact that it calls for an extra bowl!
MAIN INGREDIENTS
800ml (28fl oz) water (or use stock and leave out the stock cubes)
400g (14oz) spaghetti, broken in half
2 stock cubes
1 teaspoon salt
250g (9oz) frozen peas
pinch of ground nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
FINISHING TOUCHES
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 large spoonful of crème fraîche
90g (3oz) smoked ham batons (or chopped ham slices)
75g (2½oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
½ teaspoon black pepper
freshly ground black pepper, Parmesan cheese, to garnish
1 Add all the main ingredients to a large pot and bring to the boil, then reduce to a medium heat and cook, stirring often.
2 Cook until the pasta is al dente but before all the water has been absorbed (about 15 minutes after boiling) as this will give a creamier sauce.
3 Meanwhile, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, crème fraîche, chopped ham and Parmesan with a fork in a small bowl.
4 When the pasta is cooked through, turn off the heat and very quickly stir in the egg/ham mixture until thoroughly incorporated. Garnish and serve.
Perfect for a winter’s night, it is impossible to have only one bowl of this comforting dish. I like this with a traditional sausage, but it would be delicious with flavoured sausages as well.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
500ml (17fl oz) water (or use stock and leave out the stock cubes)
500ml (17fl oz) whole milk
400g (14oz) linguine, broken in half
2 stock cubes
350g (12oz) sausage meat (removed from the casings)
½ onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
FINISHING TOUCHES
100g spinach, chopped
1 large spoonful of crème fraîche
Parmesan cheese, to garnish
1 Add all the main ingredients to a large pot and bring to the boil. Reduce to a medium heat and cook, breaking up the sausage and stirring often.
2 Once the pasta is al dente and most of the water is absorbed (approximately 15 minutes after boiling), stir in the spinach and crème fraîche. Garnish and serve.
Creamy Sausage Pasta
A healthier, heartier version of a traditional ‘pasta pesto’, this recipe calls for grated broccoli, which blends into the green of the pesto to please even your pickiest eater. Garnish with chilli flakes, toasted pine nuts and freshly grated Parmesan to please grown-ups as well!
MAIN INGREDIENTS
500ml (17fl oz) water (or use stock and leave out the stock cube)
400ml (14fl oz) whole milk
300g (10½oz) casarecce pasta
1 chicken breast (approximately 150g/5oz)
1 head of broccoli (just the florets), grated
25 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 stock cube
salt and pepper, to taste
FINISHING TOUCHES
3–6 spoonfuls of pesto