Tag: #pasta

Penne Arrabiata with Aubergines.
Alliyah Dawud
June 24, 2019

I love pasta…but when I do have it I try to make it a tad bit healthier. One of my favourite ways is by adding a vegetable to the sauce.

One of my favourite old skool pasta sauce is the simple but awesome Arrabiata which literally translated means angry. As someone who likes heat I love the spiciness of this.

This sauce in it’s simple classic form is really easy to knock up and there’s a high chance you’ve got everything at home. My aubergine version is a bit more work.

You can leave out the aubergines if you wish. I personally love it. If you wish to leave it out just skip the steps for the aubergine prep.

Ingredients (to serve 4):

  • 300 grams penne pasta (cooked till Al dente) drained. Keep about 6 TBSP of pasta water just in case (I’ll explain later)
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic-minced
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • Chili flakes-to your taste
  • Salt-to your taste
  • 1 X 350 ml carton passata (you can use one with garlic or herbs)
  • 200 ml water or vegetable stock
  • For the aubergines:
  • 1 whole aubergine sliced into slices (either way is fine). Sliced into a pounds (£) thickness.
  • Spray oil
  • Garlic Granules
  • To bake the aubergines:
  • Baking tray
  • Greaseproof paper
  • Spray oil (1 cal works)
  • To serve:
  • Italian style Hard cheese of your choice
  • Fresh basil (if you wish)

1) Pre-heat the oven to 170 (160 on fan assisted ovens). Place the aubergines on the tray and spray with oil. Sprinkle on garlic granules and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn over. Spray again and sprinkle on more garlic if you wish. Now spray on more oil. Place bake in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Once the aubergine is done set aside.
2) To make the actual sauce: heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and fry until garlic is lightly brown. This won’t take long so don’t leave the pan. Burnt garlic is horrible.
3) Add the basil, salt, chili and stir well. Add the passata and water. Bring to the boil. Then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4) Now add the aubergine if using. Stir well and simmer for another 4-5 minutes. If the mixture becomes too dry add 4 tablespoons of water. You don’t want a dry sauce as you want it to cling to the pasta.
5) Add the drained pasta to the sauce (I like doing it this way) and if the sauce is too dry add the pasta water you saved earlier to it. This should restore the sauce.
6) Divide the pasta into 4 pasta sauces and shave over the cheese and add the basil if using.
7) Stuff mouth and enjoy (I’m joking about the stuffing bit btw).

I find the sauce can be frozen WITHOUT aubergines. However it’s just a quick sauce you may not want to have it in your freezer taking up space.

PS: Tesco have recently started stocking chargrilled sliced Aubergine. This still needs to be cooked but it makes the recipe even more easier to knock up as you don’t need to worry about having a fresh Aubergine in the Fridge. Plus they taste nice (no, Tesco did not pay me to say that).

Awesome Meatloaf and Pasta
Alliyah Dawud
March 15, 2019

Sometimes you don’t want a mince based pasta sauce and you certainly don’t have the patience to make meatballs. That’s when this winning meal comes in.

Meatloaf are a popular staple of many families Stateside. To explain what a Meatloaf is it’s literally what is says on the tin. It’s that simple.

I love meatloaf; its a simple humble meal you can tweak to your own desires. I serve mine with spaghetti and a simple sauce.

Why not get the children to mix the Meatloaf mixture?

Enjoy.

To serve 4/6) people….

Ingredients:
500 grams mince (I use lamb/mutton etc)
2 onions fried until soft
2 TBSP italian seasoning (herb mix) OR
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp crushed black pepper
Salt-to your taste
Optional: 1 tsp chili flakes (if you like it hot)
I egg
4 TBSP breadcrumbs
1 ball of mozerella cheese

For the sauce:
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 carton passata
2 TBSP rapeseed oil
1 large onion diced (or two smaller onions; diced)
6 cloves of garlic; crushed
2 TBSP Italian seasoning (herb mix) or
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp crushed black pepper
Salt-to your taste
Juice of one lemon (I feel it brings out the flavours of all the ingredients so if you don’t fancy it leave it out).

1) To make the Meatloaf:
Mix together all of the Meatloaf ingredients (apart from the cheese). Shape into a loaf and place in an ovenproof dish.

2) To make the sauce:
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions. Fry until the onions are soft. Add the garlic, black pepper and herbs. Try for 2 minutes on a low heat (FYI: burnt garlic tastes horrendous).
3) Turn the heat back up to a medium flame. Add the tomatoes, passata and salt. Stir. Bring up to the boil and simmer on a low heat for 25 minutes. Turn the heat off. Add the lemon juice.
4) To complete the Meatloaf: Cover the Meatloaf with 1/4 of the pasta sauce and add the cheese. Cover loosely with foil and bake in the oven at 150 for 50 minutes.
5) To serve: Stir the sauce (the 75% you have left) through the pasta and serve with the Meatloaf. Squirt over the lemon. Enjoy!

Notes:

Meatloaf freezes well. Cut into slices, wrap up well and freeze.

To change things up: add chopped up olives, chopped up sun dried tomatoes and zest of a lemon.

You could also add a layer of cheese in the ‘middle’ of the meatloaf. Oh the possibilities!

Cajun Spiced Chicken Mince & Pasta
Alliyah Dawud
November 2, 2018

Cajun spiced chicken mince Skillet pasta

My youngest is somewhat of a fussy eater and planning family meal planning can sometimes turn into a war zone (e.g. no I don’t like pasta anymore, no I don’t like meat it’s not healthy…etc etc). However as a parent I am always trying to ‘reinvent the wheel’ of healthy food options my children will go for.

I like chicken mince. It’s cheap, quicker to cook and healthier than a few other meats…did I mention it cooks quick?!

Most Asians love a good slice of spicy action and cajun spices are up there with blends I keep around to make everything taste delicious.

This recipe makes 4 large children’s portion plus 1 adult portion. I just thought I’d point that out.

Feel free to double the sauce recipe and freeze half for a busier night.

Ingredients:
300 grams chicken mince
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
4 tbsp fried onions
1 tbsp salt (more/less depending on dietary requirements)
1 tbsp garlic granules
1 tbsp dried mexican oregano (or ‘standard’ dried oregano)
1 & 1/2 heap tbsp cajun spice mix (Recipe blend here)
3 tbsp single cream
200 ml passata
300 ml water
OPTIONAL: 1 bell pepper or 1 turkish chili (for a bit of heat) sliced thinly
250 grams cooked pasta (I used rigatoni as the shape allows the sauce to cling effectively. Yes, I am a geek).
50 grams cheddar cheese grated (for spice lovers you can get a few varied of hard cheeses infused with chilies. Those would be awesome with the recipe too).

1) Heat the oil in a large skillet pan on a medium heat.
2) Add the onion and pepper (if using) and fry for 1 minute. Add the chicken mince. Fry for one minute stirring regularly to stop the chicken sticking to the pan.
3) Add the salt, garlic granules, cajun spice and fry for 1-2 minutes to cook the garlic granules out. If you find the chicken is sticking too much add a tbsp of water (or chicken stock).
4) Add the passata and cream-stir well.
5) Add the water and stir. Turn the heat off.
6) Add the pasta and stir. Sprinkle over the cheese and place in the oven at 170 for 5 minutes until the cheese melts. SERVE.
Alternatively if you do not have an oven mix the pasta in and keep on a low heat and stir for 1-2 minutes to heat the pasta through. Sprinkle on cheese and serve.

Leftovers make a great midnight snack (or lunch the day after).

NOTES:
Cajun spice blends can be found online cheaper than at Supermarkets (those glass spice bottles are expensive!).
Dried Mexican oregano can be purchased online (even on Ebay). It’s great in Tex-Mex recipes and well on everything (including Pizza but please don’t tell the Italians).