Creamy Mustard, Chicken and Leek Pasta Bake

 

Bear in mind this recipe fed 11 people so feel free to halve it as per your requirments.

Shredded meat off a supermarket BBQ chicken (reserve the chicken juices from the bag it came in)

3 leeks, sliced

900ml cream (I used lite cream, this is totally a diet recipe)

2 tbs Dijon mustard

3 tbs wholegrain mustard

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1kg short pasta (I used tortiglioni)

mozarella cheese, grated (as much as you like to top the bake)

salt and pepper to taste

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1. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Heat a frying pan over medium with a little olive oil.

2. Sauté leeks and garlic until leeks are soften and a little golden. Add the chicken, chicken juicings, cream and mustard and stir everything together. Bring to an almost-boil and then reduce and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta as per package instructions (plenty of salt in the water) and drain a minute or two before it's fully cooked.

4. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Combine the sauce with the pasta and pour into a baking dish. Top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden.

5. NOM NOM NOM!!! 

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_(beverage)

Saloomi Poosta

 

 adapted from Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

300g small pasta

400g tin chopped tomatoes

400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

250g salami, cut into 2cm pieces

2 sprigs each of fresh rosemary and thyme

1. Cook the pasta as per package instructions and meanwhile...

2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the salami (no oil needed!) and herbs, frying until the salami is a little coloured.

3. Add the tin of tomatoes and enough water to half fill the tomato tin to the salami. Stir, then add the cannellini beans and stir again. 

4. Simmer the sauce until the pasta is cooked. If the sauce needs it, season with S&P. 

5. Drain the pasta and pour it into the frying pan and toss everything together.

Serve topped with the cheese of your choice (powdered, real, there's no judgement here) and eat, perhaps with a spoon (hey, it's my comfort food).

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Pea and Mint Pasta

Adapted from this blog.

3 cups frozen peas, defrosted
handful of mint leaves
2 cloves garlic, grated
50g toasted pine nuts (plus a little extra for garni--...oh no, I'm a hypocrite!)
1 scant cup of finely grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
500g long pasta of your choice

1.  Put the first seven ingredients in the food processor and blitz until you have a chunky sauce.

2. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Note: you'll want to salt the water really well or this dish turns out a little bland.

3. Before you drain the pasta reserve a mug-ful of the pasta water.

4. Once drained, return the pasta to the pot and add the pea sauce, thinning down with as much pasta water as needed. Toss everything together.

5. Serve topped with more Parmesan, pine nuts and, if you can be bothered, a spring of mint.

No, Ruprecht, it's not pesto.

One-Pot Pasta

 

Adapted from She's Leaving Home by Monica Trapaga

500g spiral pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

220g tub bocconcini, drained and sliced

7 Roma tomatoes, diced (I cleaned out the seeds and gunk first coz the tomatoes don't get cooked)

3 cloves of garlic, finely grated (I SWEAR I'm not a plant from Microplane, I just love it)

large handful basil, torn or cut into chiffonade

salt and pepper to taste

splash of balsamic.

1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the pasta as per package instructions, drain and set aside

2. In a bowl large enough to hold everything, combine the tomatoes, bocconcini, garlic, basil, olive oil and season to taste.

3. Add the pasta to the tomatoes, add the glug of balsamic and toss. Sprinkle Parmesan over the pasta and toss again. 

4. Check seasoning and serve, sprinkled with a little more Parmesan.

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Don't know what the heck I'm doing? Go here. 

Pasta with Bacon and Herbs (or No More Smug Face After This, I Swear)

Not adapted from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver

250g pasta

1 400g tin diced tomatoes

150g diced bacon

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

a mixture of other fresh herbs, chopped, totalling about a handful (I used chives, basil, mint and oregano)
salt and pepper to taste
a glug of olive oil

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Put a pot of water on to boil.

Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and thyme and fry until bacon is browned.

Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer 'til a bit thickened and flavours are melded together, about 10-15 minutes (bacon helps flavours meld quicker.)

Meanwhile, cook the pasta as per package instructions. Once cooked, place pasta and fresh herbs directly into frying pan and toss with the sauce. Serve straight away.