Month: March 2022

Ingredients:

• 100g pancetta
• 50g pecorino cheese
• 50g parmesan
• 3 large eggs
• 350g spaghetti
• 2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 50g unsalted butter
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

• STEP 1 Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.
• STEP 2 Finely chop the 100g pancetta, having first removed any rind. Finely grate 50g pecorino cheese and 50g parmesan and mix them together.
• STEP 3 Beat the 3 large eggs in a medium bowl and season with a little freshly grated black pepper. Set everything aside.
• STEP 4 Add 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, add 350g spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).
• STEP 5 Squash 2 peeled plump garlic cloves with the blade of a knife, just to bruise it.
• STEP 6 While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. Drop 50g unsalted butter into a large frying pan or wok and, as soon as the butter has melted, tip in the pancetta and garlic.
• STEP 7 Leave to cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crisp. The garlic has now imparted its flavour, so take it out with a slotted spoon and discard.
• STEP 8 Keep the heat under the pancetta on low. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta. Don’t worry if a little water drops in the pan as well (you want this to happen) and don’t throw the pasta water away yet.
• STEP 9 Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later.
• STEP 10 Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese. Using the tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn’t scramble, and everything is coated.
• STEP 11 Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tablespoons should do it). You don’t want it wet, just moist. Season with a little salt, if needed.
• STEP 12 Use a long-pronged fork to twist the pasta on to the serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 150g diced pancetta or smoked bacon lardons
• 4 courgettes, coarsely grated
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• handful freshly grated parmesan
• 1 small tub (200g) low-fat crème fraîche
• 300g tagliatelle

Method:

1. STEP 1Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sizzle the pancetta or bacon for about 5 mins until starting to crisp. Turn up the heat and add the grated courgette to the pan. Cook for 5 mins or until soft and starting to brown then add the garlic and cook for a minute longer. Season and set aside.
2. STEP 2 Cook the tagliatelle according to the pack instructions and scoop out a cupful of cooking water. Drain the tagliatelle and tip into the frying pan with the bacon and courgette. Over a low heat toss everything together with the crème fraiche and half the Parmesan adding a splash of pasta water too if you need to loosen the sauce. Season to taste and serve twirled into bowls with the remaining Parmesan scattered over.

Ingredients:

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp if roasting
• 175g penne
• 2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 100ml white wine
• 200ml double cream or crème fraîche
• ¼ lemon, zested and juiced
• ½ small bunch dill, finely chopped

Method:

1. STEP 1 You can either steam or roast the salmon, depending if you want to turn the oven on or not. To roast, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, place on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and roast for 12 mins until opaque and the flesh starts to flake when pressed. To steam, place the fillets skin-side down in a steamer, and steam over a pan of simmering water for 8-10 mins until cooked.
2. STEP 2 While the salmon is cooking, boil the pasta for 10 mins until al dente, then drain, reserving 100ml of the pasta water.
3. STEP 3 Heat the oil on a medium heat in a wide frying pan and fry the shallot for 6 mins until softened, but not turning golden. Add the garlic and fry for a minute more until fragrant. Add the wine, bubble for a few minutes until reduced by half, then add the cream and season well. Bring to a very gentle simmer.
4. STEP 4 Flake the cooked salmon into big chunky pieces, leaving the skin behind. Add to the sauce with the cooked pasta. Add the lemon zest, a squeeze of the juice and most of the dill. Add a splash of the pasta water to the sauce to coat the pasta if you need to. Toss gently to keep the salmon in big pieces. Check the seasoning, if using double cream you may need a squeeze more lemon juice. Grind over some black pepper and scatter over the remaining dill. Serve with a green salad.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1⁄4 tsp chilli powder
• 1 heaped tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1⁄2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 80ml double cream
• 350g penne or rigatoni pasta
• 1⁄2 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• grated parmesan or cheddar, to serve

Method:

1. STEP 1 Heat the oil in a large shallow casserole or frying pan. Add the chicken and fry for 5 mins over a medium heat until golden all over. Remove and set aside on a plate.
2. STEP 2 Put the onion and peppers in the same pan and fry over a medium heat for 8-10 mins. Add the garlic, dried herbs and spices and cook for 1 min. Add the tomato purée and cook for 2 mins. Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the cream, stirring to combine. Season to taste.
3. STEP 3 Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain and reserve 150ml of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the pan with 50ml of the water and stir everything together over the heat. Add a little more water to loosen if needed. Season to taste and stir through the parsley. Divide between six bowls and top with a little cheese and extra chopped parsley, if you like. This can be packed into a lunchbox and eaten cold, too.

Ingredients:

• 600g rigatoni
• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml milk
• 250g strong cheddar, grated
• 2 x 160g cans tuna steak in spring water, drained
• 330g can sweetcorn, drained
• large handful chopped parsley

Method:

1. STEP 1 Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
2. STEP 2 Boil 600g rigatoni for 2 mins less time than stated on the pack.
3. STEP 3 To make the sauce, melt 50g butter in a saucepan and stir in 50g plain flour.
4. STEP 4 Cook for 1 min, then gradually stir in 600ml milk to make a thick white sauce.
5. STEP 5 Remove from the heat and stir in all but a handful of the 250g grated cheddar.
6. STEP 6 Drain the pasta, mix with the white sauce, two 160g drained cans tuna, one 330g drained can sweetcorn and a large handful of chopped parsley, then season.
7. STEP 7 Transfer to a baking dish and top with the rest of the grated cheddar.
8. STEP 8 Bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese on top is golden and starting to brown.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely grated
• 200ml double cream
• 100g mascarpone
• 75g parmesan, finely grated
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 2 cooked chicken breasts (about 210g), shredded
• 8 rashers cooked streaky bacon (about 25g), roughly chopped
• 300g tagliatelle
• ¼ small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
• green salad, to serve

Method:

• STEP 1 Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat and fry the onion for 10 mins, or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 mins more. Add the cream, mascarpone, parmesan and stock cube. Give it a stir and add the cooked chicken and bacon to heat through.
• STEP 2 Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Reserve 100ml of the pasta water. Toss the pasta in the creamy sauce and enough of the reserved water to loosen. Season with black pepper. Top with the parsley and serve with a green salad.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 250g button chestnut mushroom , sliced
• 1 garlic clove , finely grated
• 100ml dry white wine
• 200ml double cream
• 1 lemon , zest only
• 200g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated, plus extra to serve
• 300g tagliatelle or linguini
• ½ small bunch parsley , finely chopped

Method:

• STEP 1 Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan. Fry the onion over a low heat for 10 mins or until softened and translucent.
• STEP 2 Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 mins over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 mins. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, reduce the liquid by half.
• STEP 3 Add the double cream and bring to a simmer, then add the lemon zest and parmesan. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
• STEP 4 Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Reserve 100ml of the pasta water. Toss the pasta in the pan with the creamy sauce and enough of the reserved water to loosen. Stir through the parsley, divide into bowls and top with extra cheese, if you like.

Ingredients:

• 280g penne
• 280g broccoli, cut into florets
• 25g butter
• 25g plain flour
• 300ml milk
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 140g mature cheddar, grated

Method:

1. STEP 1 Cook the pasta, adding the broccoli for the final 4-5 mins and cooking until tender. Drain well, then heat the grill.
2. STEP 2 Heat the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min, then gradually add the milk, stirring well between each addition. Bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer for 2 mins, before stirring in the mustard, half the cheese and seasoning.
3. STEP 3 Mix the pasta and broccoli into the sauce and spoon into an ovenproof dish. Scatter over the remaining cheese and place under a hot grill for 3-4 mins until golden and bubbling.

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 6 tbsp mascarpone
• 4 skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
• 300g penne
• 70g mature cheddar , grated
• 50g grated mozzarella
• ½ small bunch of parsley , finely chopped

Method:

• STEP 1 Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the onion gently for 10-12 mins. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 min. Tip in the tomatoes and sugar and season to taste. Simmer uncovered for 20 mins or until thickened, then stir through the mascarpone. 
• STEP 2 Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Season the chicken and fry for 5-7 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. 
• STEP 3 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cook the penne following pack instructions. Drain and toss with the remaining oil. Tip the pasta into a medium sized ovenproof dish. Stir in the chicken and pour over the sauce. Top with the cheddar, mozzarella and parsley. Bake for 20 mins or until golden brown and bubbling. 

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 5 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 120g pitted black olives
• 2 tbsp capers, drained
• 300g dried spaghetti
• ½ small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

Method:

• STEP 1 Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion along with a generous pinch of salt and fry for 10 mins, or until soft. Add the garlic and chilli, if using, and cook for a further minute.
• STEP 2 Stir the tomatoes, anchovies, olives and capers into the onion, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 mins. Season to taste.
• STEP 3 Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the spaghetti following pack instructions, then drain and toss with the sauce and parsley.