Tagliarini, courgettes, prawns, mint and chilli
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp olive oil
- 450 g cooked peeled prawns (ideally freshly shelled), drained and patted dry
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 stick celery
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
- 1 bunch of fresh mint, leaves chopped
- 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- juice of 1 lemon
- 4 courgettes, grated
- 150 ml white wine
- black pepper
- 500 g fresh tagliarini
- 200 ml fresh vegetable stock
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 40 g parmesan, freshly grated
Method:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan.
2. Add the prawns and fry until lightly browned.
3. Add the onion, celery, garlic, chilli and mint. Fry until the prawns turn nutty brown.
4. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the lemon juice, then the courgettes. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Pour in the white wine, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from direct heat.
7. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the fresh tagliarini and cook until al dente, around 2 minutes. Strain.
8. Add the strained tagliarini to the prawn mixture, followed by the vegetable stock, butter and Parmesan cheese.
9. Mix well together over a medium heat with a wooden spoon until glossy. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve at once.
Ultimate meatballs with spaghetti
Ingredients:
For the Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 x 400 g plum tomatoes
- 125 ml red wine
- 125 ml chicken or beef stock
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp basil
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For the meatballs:
- 1 thick slice stale white bread, crusts removed
- 4 tbsp milk
- 300 g minced beef
- 300 g minced pork
- 100 g pecorino cheese
- 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- flour, for dusting
- oil, for frying
- cooked spaghetti, to serve
Method:
1. For the sauce: heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion until softened. Add the garlic and fry for another minute.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, stock, sugar and tomato purée. Leave to simmer gently until the meatballs are ready to go in.
3. For the meatballs: soak the bread in the milk until it is completely soft, squeeze dry and break into the smallest pieces possible.
4. Put in a bowl and mix in the beef, pork, cheese, herbs, onion, garlic, egg and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and mix together, breaking up any clumps of meat with a fork.
5. Dust your hands with flour and roll the mixture into ping pong-sized balls.
6. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs until brown and slightly crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.
7. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for a further 15 minutes. Stir through the basil and serve over spaghetti.
PASTA WITH SPICY SAUSAGE AND CREAM
Ingredients
- 25 g butter or olive oil
- 700 g freshripe tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped – or 2 x 400g tins of tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, grated or crushed
- 2 tsp chopped rosemary
- 225 g kabanossi sausage or chorizo, sliced into ½ cm rounds
- pinches dried red chilli flakes
- 175 ml single cream
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 500 g farfalle, rigatoni or penne
- 4 tbsp grated parmesan
- sugar
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Method
1. Melt the butter or olive oil in a large saucepan and add the chopped tomatoes, garlic and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar. Cook the tomatoes until they have begun to soften, or for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the sausage to the pan with the chilli flakes, cream and half the chopped parsley. Allow to simmer with the lid off until the mixture has reduced by half, 10-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Take off the heat and check and adjust the seasoning.
3. Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water until it is slightly al dente (8-10 minutes). Once cooked, drain and toss with the sauce.
4. Plate the pasta in a big serving bowl and scatter with the grated parmesan cheese and the rest of the parsley and serve immediately.
