Turn ordinary pasta into delicious meals all week long!
Chicken & fennel meatballs with pappardelle recipe
SERVES 4
500g chicken mince
1/2 cup chopped oregano leaves, plus extra leaves to serve
1 tbsp fennel seeds, toasted, crushed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups tomato passata
1 tsp dried oregano
500g pappardelle
shaved parmesan, to serve
In a large bowl, combine chicken mince, Oregano, fennel and garlic. Season. Using tbsps of mixture, roll into balls and place on a lined oven tray.
In a large deep frying heat oil on 2 medium. Cook meatballs 4-5 mins, turning until golden. Add wine, cook 3-4 mins until almost evaporated. Stir in stock, passata and dried oregano. Simmer, covered, 10 mins.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of Boiling salted water, cook pasta following packet instructions. Drain. Set aside.
Serve meatballs on a bed of pasta, Sprinkled with shaved parmesan and extra oregano leaves.
Top tip
If time permits, chill the meatballs 20 mins before cooking to firm them up.
Spaghetti with baked vegetables
SERVES 4
1 eggplant, 2cm pieces
2 kumara, peeled, 2cm pieces
1 red capsicum, seeded, 2cm pieces
8 eschalots, peeled
1 bulb garlic, cloves separated
2 tbsp olive oil
500g spaghetti
1 cup olive medley
1/3 cup chopped parsley, plus extra leaves to serve
150g feta, crumbled
1 Preheat the oven to 1200°C. In a large baking dish, toss eggplant, kumara, capsicum, eschalot, garlic and oil. Season. Roast 25-30 mins until tender and golden. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta following packet instructions. Drain. Return to pan.Toss roasted vegetables, any pan juices, olives and parsley through pasta in the pan.
Serve topped with the crumbled feta and extra chopped parsley.
Top tip
If liked, saute fresh breadcrumbs in a little butter until crisp and scatter over pasta for crispiness.
Top tip Pasta should be ‘al dente just tender with a slight bite for the best texture.
Panzanella with casarecce pasta
SERVES 4
375g casarecce pasta
1/2 x 520g olive sourdough loaf
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
500g ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup torn basil leaves
1 yellow capsicum, seeded, 2cm pieces
2 lebanese cucumbers,chopped
1/2 cup seeded kalamata olives
1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Preheat oven to 180°C. I Line an oven tray with baking paper. In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook pasta following packet instructions. Drain. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss bread in 1/4 cup oil. Spread over the tray. Bake for 8-10 mins until golden and crisp. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, tomatoes, basil, capsicum, cucumber, olives and onion. Season. In a small jug, whisk remaining oil with vinegar and garlic. Toss through salad with croutons just before serving
Top tip
If preferred, use ready-made croutons available from your supermarket.
Prosciutto, pea & ricotta tortellini
SERVES 4
8 slices prosciutto
340g packet fresh cheese tortellini
2 cups frozen peas, blanched
1 cup mint leaves
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 garlic clove, crushed
200g ricotta, crumbled
shredded lemon zest, lemon halves, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Arrange prosciutto on a tray. Bake for 8-10 mins, turning halfway, until crisp. Break into pieces.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta following packet instructions. Drain, set aside. In a small food processor, pulse half peas, mint, oil, lemon juice and zest and garlic until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl with pasta, remaining peas and ricotta, tossing to coat. Season to taste.
Serve topped with prosciutto pieces and shredded lemon zest. Accompany lemon halves.
Roasted fennel fettuccine with asparagus & broad beans
* Use a vegetable peeler to peel asparagus into ribbons.
*Blanch broad beans and pop from outer skin to achieve bright green beans.
SERVES 4
2 fennel bulbs, finely sliced
200g speck, diced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bulb garlic, cloves separated
500g fettuccine
2 cups frozen broad beans, blanched, peeled
1 bunch asparagus, peeled into ribbons
1 cup grated pecorino cheese, plus extra, to serve
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large baking dish, combine fennel, speck, oil and garlic. Season. Roast 25-30 mins until tender and golden. Squeeze garlic from skins onto vegetables. Meanwhile in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta for 10 mins until tender. Drain. Return to pan. Toss roasted Vegetable mixture with pasta, beans, asparagus, pecorino, remaining olive oil, lemon juice and zest. Season to taste. Serve topped with extra pecorino.
Pumpkin, halloumi & pine nut pasta
SERVES 4
1kg kent pumpkin, peeled, 1cm cubes
1 leek, trimmed, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup olive oil
625g packet ricotta and spinach agnolotti
250g halloumi, sliced
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
60g packet baby spinach leaves
1 tsp chilli flakes
Preheat the oven to 200°C. On a large oven tray toss pumpkin, leek, garlic and half oil. Roast 20-25 mins until golden. Meanwhile in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta following packet instructions. Drain. Return to the pan. 2 In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp oil on medium. Fry halloumi 1 min, each side, until golden. Drain on paper towel. Toss roasted Vegetables with pasta, pine nuts and baby spinach. In a small jug whisk remaining olive oil and chilli flakes.
Serve pasta topped with halloumi and a drizzle of chilli oil.
Top tip
Accompany with a salad or crusty bread, if liked.
Spaghettini with garlic & chilli prawns
SERVES 4
500g spaghettini
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 long red chillies, seeded, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1kg large green prawns, peeled, deveined
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
250g punnet cherry tomatoes
200g baby spinach leaves lemon wedges, to serve
1 In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook pasta following packet instructions. Drain. Return to the pan. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat oil on medium. Sauté chilli and garlic 2-3 mins until tender. Increase heat to high. Cook prawns 3-4 mins until browned. Add wine to the pan. Cook 2-3 mins, stirring, until almost evaporated. Stir in stock and cook, stirring 2-3 mins until reduced by half. Mix in tomatoes and spinach and cook 4-5 mins until tomatoes are starting to collapse and spinach has wilted. Toss sauce through
spaghetti on low for 1 min. Season to taste and serve with lemon wedges.
Caprese chicken pasta salad
SERVES 4
500g penne pasta
2 cups basil leaves, plus extra to serve
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 barbecue chicken, skin, bones removed, meat shredded
400g punnet heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
200g tub cherry bocconcini, torn lemon wedges, to serve
In a large saucepan of Boiling, salted water, cook pasta following packet instructions.
Drain. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile in a food processor pulse basil, oil, pine nuts, parmesan and garlic until smooth. Season to taste. In a large bowl toss pasta, pesto, chicken, tomatoes and bocconcini. Serve topped with Textra basil leaves and lemon wedges.
Top tip
Replace shredded chicken with cooked prawns, hot smoked salmon or canned tuna.
Pork sausage bake with rigatoni
SERVES 4-6
500g rigatoni
1 tbsp olive oil
500g pork sausages
60g butter
1/4 cup plain flour
2 cups milk
3/4 cup thickened cream
3/4 cup grated tasty cheese
2 large zucchini, halved, sliced
1/2 cup drained chargrilled capsicum, cut into strips
75g soft goats’ cheese
Parsley, roughly chopped, to serve
1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 12-cup baking dish. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta following packet instructions. Drain. Set aside.In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium. Cook sausages 4-5 mins, turning, until browned. Cut into 1.5 cm slices. Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, melt butter on medium. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 min. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk and cream until smooth. Return to heat and cook, stirring until the sauce parsley, roughly boils and thickens. Simmer for 3 mins.
In a baking dish, toss pasta, sausage, sauce, cheese, zucchini and capsicum. Season. Top with dollops of In a large saucepan goats’ cheese.Bake 20-25 mins until golden. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
Top tips
*Use any type of sausage you have on hand. *Replace goats’ cheese with ricotta or crumbled feta, if liked.
