Pasta

Easy salt and pepper pasta (Cacio e Pepe)

February 29, 2020 Belinda1 Comment

This is the easiest dinner you could possibly make. Add some crushed red pepper for a little kick and please, please, please freshly grind your pepper!

This recipe is the embodiment of five-ingredient perfection! Farm-fresh eggs, fresh pasta, and good Parmesan turned the dish into a gourmet delight. The sauce comes together so easily and yet is so unctuous, creamy, and sophisticated. Really a wonderful example of simple ingredients creating a memorable dish. And so simple to throw together.

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SERVES 2 to 4

12 oz pasta (spaghetti or bucatini)
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago, as needed
1 egg yolk

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add some salt to the water (not too much, as you will use this water for your sauce).
Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions.
Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.

In the same pot the pasta was boiled in, add 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Melt your butter into this and add the pepper. Return the cooked pasta to the pot and toss to coat.
Add the cheese and egg yolk and, using tongs, toss the ingredients together until combined.
If the pasta seems a little sticky, add the remaining pasta water.
If it’s a little wet, add more cheese.
Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Do-ahead · Meat · Pasta

One-pot pork shoulder ragu

February 29, 2020September 7, 2022 Belinda

On their blog “Dinner: A Love Story”, Andy Ward & Jenny Rosenstrach call this “Instant Dinner Party,” because you can make the ragu completely ahead, even a day or two before. Whether you serve it that day or reheat it for a party tomorrow, “It will make the house smell amazing,” Jenny said, “Which, in my opinion, counts for more than flower arrangements when having dinner guests.

Whatever ragu is left is a boon: over polenta, in tacos, on sandwiches, or frozen and awaiting more dinners.

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2 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder roast, tied with twine if there are any loose pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small pat butter
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with juice
1 cup red wine
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 sprigs fresh oregano
1 Small handful of fennel seeds
1 tbsp hot sauce, for smokiness (Andy used Trader Joe’s Hot Chili Sauce, but Sriracha and Tabasco both work great, too)
1 pound Pappardelle pasta
1 handful Freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 325° F.
Liberally salt and pepper the pork roast. Add olive oil and butter to large Dutch oven and heat over medium-high until butter melts, but does not burn. Add pork roast to pan and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes in all.

Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, wine, thyme, oregano, fennel, and hot sauce and bring to a boil. Cover, and put in oven.
Braise for 3 to 4 hours, turning every hour or so. Add more liquid (water, wine, or tomato sauce) if needed. (The liquid should come to about 1/3 of the way up the pork.)

Meat is done when it’s practically falling apart. Put on a cutting board (remove the sprigs of herbs at the same time) and pull it apart with two forks, then add back to pot and stir.

Cook 1 to 2lbs pasta according to package directions.
When it’s is ready, put into individual bowls and top with ragu and lots of Parmesan.
Alternately, toss the pasta with the ragu and a bit of pasta cooking water, as needed, and top with Parmesan.

Dairy-free · Pasta · Vegan

Vegan Tahini Alfredo Pasta with Spicy Pine Nut Parmesan

February 20, 2020 Belinda

Recipe from food blog “Blissful Basil”

This vegan tahini Alfredo pasta with spicy pine nut parmesan is ideal for weeknight comfort noshing. It requires just 30 minutes to prepare (and that’s when moving at a leisurely kitchen pace) and makes excellent leftovers, too. Warm pasta is tossed with a super simple tahini-based blender Alfredo sauce. The pasta is then finished with a generous sprinkle of spicy pine nut parmesan.

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Serves 4

12 to 16 ounces gluten-free or regular penne, rigatoni, or other tube-shaped pasta
2/3 cup tahini, thoroughly stirred before measuring
3/4 cup filtered water
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 recipe Spicy Pine Nut Parmesan (see below)
Chopped Italian parsley or fresh basil, to taste (optional)
Chili oil, to taste (optional)

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Strain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the tahini Alfredo. Add the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth and emulsified. Set aside.
Next prepare the Spicy Pine Nut Parmesan.
Once the pasta is nearly ready, heat the tahini Alfredo sauce in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat until just warmed through.
Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat. If needed, add a bit of the pasta water to thin the sauce.
Add about half of the parmesan and stir to incorporate.
Taste and generously season with salt and red pepper flakes, to taste. If desired, add a bit more lemon juice to brighten and enhance the overall flavor.
Divide the pasta between bowls.
Generously top with the remaining parmesan and garnish with the parsley/basil and chili oil (if using).
Serve immediately.

Spicy pine nut parmesan
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts*
1 tbap nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 + 1/8 tsp sea salt or to taste

Add all ingredients to a small food processor and pulse until ground into a texture that resembles grated parmesan cheese.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
*Toast the pine nuts in a sauté pan over medium-low heat for 4 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring or shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning.

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

10 minute mushroom pappardelle with Boursin cheese

February 19, 2020 Belinda

A great and quick recipe from Delicious magazine

“Our 10-minute mushroom pasta recipe is made with a handful of luxurious but easy-to-find ingredients that will take weeknight cooking to a whole new level. You’ve got to try this one!

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Serves 4
1½ tbsp olive oil
4 large flat mushrooms, sliced
250g 8oz) fresh pappardelle pasta
Large splash dry white wine
4oz Boursin cheese with Garlic & Herbs
Handful chopped flatleaf parsley
4 tbsp freshly grated parmesan

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the mushrooms and fry for 4-5 minutes until golden brown on both sides.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain, reserving a cupful of pasta water.
Add the wine to the mushrooms, then stir in the Boursin (it will melt to a thick, creamy sauce). Add a little pasta water to loosen. Toss the pasta with the sauce until fully coated, then serve scattered with the parsley and grated cheese.

Dairy-free · Pasta · Vegan

Super green hummus pasta

January 2, 2020October 17, 2023 Belinda

Who knew that a pot of hummus could make such a fabulous, quick and creamy pasta sauce?
Whizz all the ingredients together until silky smooth, then stir through penne pasta for an easy midweek meal.
Recipe from Delicious Magazine

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1lb (500g) penne pasta
7oz (200g) pot of hummus
1 avocado, roughly chopped
1 zucchini, roughly chopped
7 fl oz (200ml) light coconut milk
40z(100g) defrosted frozen peas
Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
The leaves of 5-6 fresh mint sprigs
Extra squeeze of lemon, lemon zest, black pepper, a few torn mint leaves and sea salt flakes, to serve

Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions.
Put the hummus, avocado, zucchini, coconut milk, peas, the finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon, the leaves of 5-6 fresh mint sprigs and plenty of salt and pepper in a blender.
Whizz until completely smooth and bright green.
Once cooked, drain the pasta, return to the pan and toss with the avocado sauce over a medium heat until well coated (but don’t heat too much – think of it as a saucy pesto).
Taste, then add an extra squeeze of lemon, if needed.
Sprinkle over a little lemon zest, some black pepper, a few torn mint leaves and some sea salt flakes to serve.

Fish · Pasta

Easy baked salmon with gnocchi

October 13, 2019 Belinda

Everyone loves a one-pan dish and you can’t go wrong with this creamy gnocchi topped with salmon fillets. It’s an easy, midweek meal that’s ready in 30 mins.
Recipe c/o Delicious magazine

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Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
1 large head broccoli, separated into florets
11 oz reduced-fat cream  cheese
3 tbsp fresh pesto
 1 lb fresh gnocchi
Juice 1 lemon
4 small organic salmon fillets

Heat the oven to 400F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or shallow casserole and fry the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.
Mix in the cream cheese, pesto and about 5 fl oz (160ml) water, then heat gently, stirring to combine.
Meanwhile, microwave the gnocchi for 1 minute on high (or boil, following the pack instructions).
Stir into the sauce with lots of black pepper, the lemon juice and salt to taste.
Nestle the salmon fillets in the sauce among the gnocchi and bake for 12-14 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through. Serve straightaway.

Asian flavors · Pasta · Poultry

Peanut chicken tray-bake

October 4, 2019October 4, 2019 Belinda

Nut butters are so versatile, especially peanut, and whenever I run out, I just make my own. It’s cheaper and easier. And it can be used for much more than just breakfast, like in this peanut chicken tray-bake. You make enough here to keep a jar in your cupboard too.
Recipe by Nadiya Hussain

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Serves 4

For the peanut butter
500g/1lb 2oz salted peanuts
1 tbsp honey
4–5 tbsp vegetable oil

For the chicken
250g/9oz gnocchi
1kg/2lb 4oz deboned and skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
4 tbsp honey
4 tbsp vegetable oil
5 tbsp Thai green curry paste
5 tbsp peanut butter, from above
1 tsp salt
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
2 small red onions, cut into small wedges
3 tbsp salted peanuts, roughly chopped
handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 lime, juice only

To make the peanut butter, put the nuts into a food processor with the salt (if using) and honey and blend until it starts to change texture. Add the oil gradually and as soon as the texture is smooth and shiny, stop and transfer the mixture to a jar.

For the chicken, preheat the oven to 400 F and have a roasting dish (about 12″x8½”x2″) at the ready.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, then add the gnocchi. Boil until the gnocchi come to the surface, then take off the heat, drain and set aside.

Put the chicken into a large bowl. Add the honey, oil, curry paste, peanut butter and salt, and mix it well with your hands. Add the chicken to the roasting dish along with the broccoli, onions and gnocchi and bake for 30 minutes, giving it a stir halfway through.

Serve topped with the chopped nuts, coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Do-ahead · Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Fast and easy sheet-pan mac and cheese with pumpkin and brown butter

October 4, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe from Ella Quittner on FOOD 52.

“There’s nothing cozier or easier to pull off than sheet-pan mac and cheese. It’s perfectly creamy and crunchy, lacking in any superfluous bits. And when pumpkin and brown butter join the party, well, it’s unstoppable. Think of this fall-flavor-forward version as a flexible blueprint: play around with cheese-type, and scale up (or down) the pumpkin to your taste. Toss in caramelized shallots, or chunks of roasted pumpkin or squash if you please. Panko can be swapped out for other breadcrumbs, or jazzed up with a pinch of cayenne. No matter what path you take, just be sure to go back for seconds.”

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Serves 4
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for pasta water
1 pound Cavatappi (or other twisty pasta shape with lots of nooks for cheese to nestle into)
6 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the pan
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (you can substitute black or rainbow if you prefer)
1 pound sharp cheddar, grated, roughly divided into about three-quarters (12 ounces) and one-quarter (four ounces)
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated
1 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups plain panko
1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw

Heat oven to 475°F. Grease a 11×17-inch sheet pan with rimmed edges.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for only 4 to 5 minutes, so they’re quite al dente—just soft enough that if you taste one, there’s no audible crunch. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and drain the pot of pasta.
In the same pot you used for the noodles, brown 6 tablespoons of butter: Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it foams. The foam will recede, and the butter will be golden-tan. (If your pot is dark, you’ll know it’s ready when it starts to give off a deeply appealing rich, nutty scent.) Turn the heat down to low, add back the noodles, and immediately toss so your butter doesn’t stay on the bottom and burn. Drizzle in a few tablespoons of the hot reserved cooking water. Add the salt, pepper, three-quarters of the cheddar (about 12 ounces), Pecorino, and milk, and stir until you have a homogenous, creamy sauce. Mix in the pumpkin puree, adding a little more reserved water if needed to thin slightly. Turn off the heat.
Transfer to the sheet pan, and sprinkle the remaining 4 ounces of cheddar, the panko, and the pumpkin seeds over the top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the panko is nice and toasted, and some of the cheesy noodles sticking out around the edges are tinged with amber spots.

Do-ahead · Meat · Pasta

Easy Greek pasticcio

September 23, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Bring the sun-kissed flavors of Greece to your table with this easy pasticcio recipe, made with a ground lamb base and creamy feta cheese topping.

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Serves 4
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground lamb
3 heaped tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, crushed
15 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano, plus extra to serve (or ½ tsp dried)
10 oz dried macaroni

For the topping
6 fl oz full-fat thick greek yogurt
1 medium free-range egg, beaten
4 oz good-quality feta, crumbled

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 6-8 minutes softening. Increase the heat, add the ground lamb and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until browned.
Add the chopped rosemary, salt, pepper and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, half-fill the can with water, then add it to the pan with the oregano. Bring to the boil, then season and reduce the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350/180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

For the topping, in a mixing bowl combine the yogurt, egg and half the feta. Season with pepper (feta is already salty).
Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water until just al dente. Drain, then spoon half into a deep ovenproof dish and season with salt and pepper. Top with the ground lamb, then add the remaining macaroni, pressing down with the back of a spoon.
Spoon the yogurt topping over the pasta to cover, then scatter with the remaining feta to finish.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
Serve sprinkled with extra oregano, if you like.