Pasta

Summer Kale and Pepper Pasta

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There’s not much we like more than a simple pasta and a good kick of garlic, oil and salt. When summer kale gets involved along with a sweet red pepper and invites parsley and lemon to the party it makes this a corker of a comforting mid-week meal.

Ingredients: 50g kale, 1 romero pepper, small bunch of parsley, 4 garlic cloves.

Larder: 200g spaghetti, generous glugs of olive oil, pinch of salt, pepper, juice of a lemon (optional extras: parmesan cheese). 

Instructions:

  • Bring a large sauce pan of water to the boil.veggies on chopping board 1600px
  • Finely shred the kale, deseed and finely chop the pepper, mince the garlic and finely chop the parsley.
  • Add the pasta to the boiling water.
  • Meanwhile, add a generous glug of oil to a sauté pan and sauté the veggies, starting with the garlic for a minute and then add the pepper and kale for another 3-4 minutes.
  • Stir in the parsley, the juice of a lemon, a healthy pinch of salt, and pinch of pepper.
  • When the pasta is ready, drain, add a glug of olive oil and then combine with the veggies.
  • Serve in bowls with grated parmesan on top and add more lemon juice, salt and/or olive oil if desired.

Stove Top Lasagne

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Enjoy this stovetop lasagne, a little twist on the traditional lasagne, which can sometimes feel like a little bit of an investment of time and effort. This stovetop version is fun to assemble and doesn’t require any oven time, so supper can be on the table in minutes.

Serves 2

Ingredients: 2 cloves of garlic, 2 shallots, 40g wild garlic, 2 baby aubergine, 70g button and 70g chestnut mushrooms.

From the larder: 1 tin of tomatoes, 1tsp balsamic vinegar, 6 sheets of lasagne, olive oil, salt and pepper and 150g ricotta.

Instructions:

  • Bring a large pot of water to the boil for the lasagne sheets.
  • Chop the shallots and garlic and slice the mushrooms and aubergine. Spread the slices of aubergine out and sprinkle with salt. Leave to stand and when ready to add to the pan, dab with a tea towel or paper towel. (Salting aubergine can remove bitterness)salted aubergines
  • Add a glug of oil to a sauté pan, add the garlic and shallots. Sauté gently for 2 minutes and then add the aubergine and mushrooms and continue to cook for 5 minutes so that mushrooms and aubergines soften.cooking mushrooms and aubergines
  • Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, oregano and balsamic vinegar and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.cooking with tomatoes 2
  • After 10 minutes, place all 6 sheets of lasagne into the boiling water and cook for approximately 7 minutes. When soft, carefully remove one at a time as you assemble the lasagne on 2 plates. Do not drain, instead remove sheets from the water one at a time.lasagne sheets cooking
  • To assemble: place one sheet of lasagne on each plate, spoon and spread out some of the veggie sauce onto the lasagne sheet followed by 2 spoonfuls of ricotta. Repeat with the layers with the next 2 sheets of lasagne on each plate so that you end up with 3 layers on each. Enjoy!DSC_0063stove top lasagne overhead landscape cropped 2

Garlicky Samphire Pasta

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This is an interesting and slightly different pasta dish. Salty samphire, lots of garlic, yellow chilli, parsley, tomatoes and bread crumbs make a tasty and very flavoursome meal.

Ingredients: garlic, chilli, shallots, tomatoes, samphire, spinach, parsley.

From the larder: 200g tagliatelle or spaghetti, 40g breadcrumbs (1 slice of bread finely grated), 5 tbs olive oil, juice of ½ a lemon, salt and pepper, 2-3 big dollops of crème fraiche.

Instructions:

  • Bring a large pot of water to the boil for the pasta.
  • Finely slice the chilli and dice the garlic. Quarter the tomatoes and roughly chop the spinach.
  • Start cooking the pasta.
  • Heat a frying pan and dry fry the bread crumbs for 2-3 minutes until they are crispy but not burnt. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
  • Return the pan to the heat and add a glug of oil. Add the chilli, garlic and shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, spinach and samphire and cook for a further 5 minutes.

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  • Stir in 2-3 dollops of crème fraiche, the breadcrumbs, a pinch of salt and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.
  • When the pasta is al denté, drain and stir in a generous glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt and then combine with the sauce.
  • Serve with chopped parsley sprinkled on top.

Pasta Verdé

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An easy way to eat your greens, this pasta dish is a quick mid-week meal of greens, pasta and a speedy yummy mustardy dressing.

Ingredients: 2 shallots, 1 leek, 100g purple sprouting broccoli, handful of spinach, 1 spring onion, 10g basil.

Larder: 180g pasta, 2-3 tsp whole grain mustard, 2 tsp white wine vinegar and 150 – 200ml crème fraîche. (Optional extras: grilled chicken, seeds and cheese.)

 Instructions:

  • Grill meat if using.
  • Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling water until al denté.
  • Meanwhile, slice the shallots and leek. Sauté in a glug of oil for 5 minutes until soft and transluscent.
  • Chop the broccoli, add to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, adding a splash of water to create some steam.sauteed veg with brocoli 600px
  • Make the dressing: finely chop the basil leaves and mix with mustard, vinegar and crème fraîche. Adjust proportions to taste.mustard and creme fraiche 600px
  • Chop the spinach and mix into the veg and then stir in the dressing.veggies with sauce 600px
  • When pasta is al denté, drain and toss altogether with the veg and dressing.
  • Serve, garnished with sliced spring onion and optional seeds and/or grated cheese.

Woodland Pasta

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This is a yummy woodland pasta full of woodland mushrooms, kale and carrots, celery. Make it with conventional pasta or if you want to try an alternative, try a quinoa spaghetti or wholewheat penne.

Ingredients: 1 clove of garlic, 2 banana shallots, 80g button mushrooms, 40g shitake mushrooms, 60-80g kale, 1 carrot, 1 stick of celery, sprig of sage and thyme.

From the Larder: 175-200g Pasta, 1 tin of tomatoes, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper (optional extra: honey, grated cheese, sausages).

Instructions:

  • Bring a sauce pan of water to the boil ready for the pasta and start cooking sausages if using.
  • Finely chop the garlic and shallot, and finely chop the celery and carrot. Chop the sage leaves and strip the thyme leaves from their stem. Sauté all in a glug of olive oil with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes until carrots are softening and celery is becoming slightly translucent.sauteeing veg with herbs
  • Slice the mushrooms and chop the kale. Add to the pan continuing to sauté for about 5 minutes until mushrooms are soft.
  • Add the tin of tomatoes to the veg along with a pinch of salt, balsamic vinegar and an optional pinch of brown sugar or honey.
  • Simmer gently while the pasta cooks.whole pan sauteeing veg with tomatoes
  • Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 10-12 minutes or according to packet instructions.
  • Serve the pasta with the veggie sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese of your choice.

Wild Garlic Leaf Pesto Pasta

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Mostly foraged in the woods, or along country lanes, wild garlic is one of our favourites.  The season is short and sweet and so to make the most of it, we’re keeping it simple and have created a delicious homemade pesto with pasta.

Ingredients: A big handful of wild garlic leaves(approx. 30g), 20g curly parsley, 10g basil, 90g cherry tomatoes.

From the Larder: 175g pasta, 30g Parmesan, 5 tbsp olive oil, 50g cashews/pine nuts, salt and pepper.

Instructions:

  • Bring a pan of water to the boil and start cook the pasta for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is al denté.
  • Halve the tomatoes, sprinkle with a little salt to bring out their juices and set aside.
  • Wash the garlic leaves well, they can be quite muddy!wild-garlic-leaves
  • In a processor or with a hand blender, whizz together the garlic leaf, parsley, basil, ¾ of the grated parmesan, nuts and 4-5 tbsp oil to make the pesto. Add more oil if you like a runnier consistency.garlic-leaf-pesto-ingredients-600pxgarlic-leaf-pesto-600px
  • When the pasta is al denté, drain and mix in the pesto.
  • Serve with tomatoes and their juices, remaining parmesan and garnish with any remaining herbs.
  • If you have any pesto left over, spread it on toast, eat with cheese, or stretch it to another pasta dish.

Roasted Squash and Mushroom Pasta

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A comforting and easy January supper, this dish is perfect on a busy night as you can chop it all up, pop it in the oven and come back to it for the finishing touches before tucking in.

Ingredients: 200g Butternut squash, 1 clove of garlic, 50g button mushrooms, 40g oyster mushrooms, small sprig of thyme, 70g kale.

From the larder: 175g pasta, 25g Parmesan, 25g breadcrumbs, 3 tbsp crème fraîche and olive oil.

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C and bring a pan of water to the boil for the pasta.
  • Chop the squash into small chunks, halve large mushrooms and crush a garlic clove.
  • Place all in a roasting tin with thyme leaves, salt, pepper and a drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes.
  • Add chopped kale, after about 10-12 minutes, when you start to smell the roasting mushrooms.
  • At this point start cooking the pasta.
  • During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, sprinkle breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan over roasting veggies and cook until golden and crispy.added-parmesan-and-breadcrumbs-600px
  • Drain pasta and remove the veg from the oven, mix altogether with the crème fraîche.
  • Serve immediately with a little Parmesan grated on top.

‘Shroom Pasta with Gremolata

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This is a great quick mid-week meal with delicious mushrooms and gremolata, a wonderful mix of parsley, garlic and lemon zest.

Ingredients: 40g Oyster, 100g chestnut and button mushrooms, 60g cavolo nero, bunch of parsley and 3 garlic cloves.

From the larder: 200g fettuccine or other pasta, olive oil, zest and juice of ½-1 lemon, salt and pepper (optional: 2 tbsp white wine, dollop of crème fraîche).

Instructions:

  • Make the gremolata: finely mince the garlic and the parsley. Add the lemon zest and chop together.

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  • Start cooking the pasta in a large saucepan of salted water.
  • Slice the mushrooms and heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan. When hot, add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes until browning and starting to sweat. If you have it, add 2 tbsp of white wine and continue cooking until wine has evaporated and mushrooms glazed.
  • Add another tbsp of olive oil and the gremolata and cook for another minute or so.

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  • Finely shred the cavolo nero and add it to the pasta water for the last 4-5 minutes of cooking.
  • When pasta is al denté, remove ½ cup (approx. 50ml) of pasta water before draining and add ¼ cup (approx. 25ml) to the mushrooms and stir together along with the juice of ½ a lemon.
  • Drain the pasta and cavolo nero and toss with the mushrooms. If it seems dry, add 2-4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water.
  • Serve in warmed bowls with optional Parmesan grated on top and a dollop of crème fraîche.

Leek, Courgette and Purple Sprouting Tagliatelle

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Ingredients: 1 clove of garlic, 2 shallots, 1 leek, 4 baby courgettes, 2-3 stems of purple sprouting broccoli and small sprig of thyme.

From the larder: 170g tagliatelle or 200g pasta, 200ml crème fraîche, 2 tsp whole grain mustard, 1tbsp white wine vinegar, a few glugs of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Instructions:

  • Slice the shallots, garlic, leek and baby courgette. Chop the purple sprouting broccoli; slicing the woody stems in half lengthways to allow for quicker cooking.
  • Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and start cooking the tagliatelle.
  • Heat a glug of oil in a sauté pan and sauté the shallots, leeks and garlic until soft and translucent.
  • Add the courgettes, broccoli and thyme leaves and gently sauté until soft, about 5-7 minutes.sauteeing-veg-600px
  • While the veggies are cooking, combine the crème fraîche, whole grain mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. Adjust proportions to taste.
  • When the veggies are ready, remove from the heat and stir in the crème fraîche and mustard.
  • When the pasta is ready, drain and combine with the veggies.
  • Serve immediately.

Creamy Mushroom and Chard Pasta

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The combination of chard, mushrooms and rosemary is too good to be true! This is a delightful pasta dish and tasty to boot!

Serves 2

Ingredients: Chestnut mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, dried mushrooms, swiss and rainbow chard, shallots, garlic, rosemary.

From the larder: 200g Pasta, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper, 150ml cream, 25g Parmesan or pecorino.

Instructions:

  • In a small bowl place the dried mushrooms and cover with 150ml boiled water.
  • Mince shallots and garlic. Slice the fresh mushrooms, separate chard leaves and stems, chop both. Strip rosemary leaves from their stem.
  • Cook the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 9-11 minutes until al denté.
  • Meanwhile heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan, and fry rosemary leaves for 2-3 minutes. Remove the rosemary from the oil and set aside on paper towel.rosemary frying 600px
  • Using the same oil and frying pan, fry the fresh mushrooms until soft and browning and then add the garlic and shallots into the same pan, sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft. Keeping the mushroom water, chop the refreshed mushrooms and add to the frying pan.
  • In another sauté pan, cook the chard stems for 2 minutes and then add the leaves and cook until wilted.

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  • While the chard is cooking, add ¾ the dried mushroom water, cream, a knob of butter, rosemary and salt to the mushrooms and garlic.
  • Cook for 4-5 minutes so that it is bubbling and reduces slightly and then mix in the pasta and chard.pasta final 600px
  • Divide between 2 plates and serve with grated parmesan on top.