Pasta Recipes

The simplest pasta sauce is made with fresh ingredients and typically with very little cooking. Around 400g of spaghetti (almost a packet) will be enough for 4 people. It’s a good idea to have the sauce ingredients chopped and ready to go before cooking the pasta. To avoid sticking together, stir through the sauce straight after draining.

To keep the dish low fat use at around 1 tbs of olive oil in the sauces. Add a little liquid if too dry.

Here are some ideas:

Spaghetti with basil tomato sauce (kids and teenage favourite).

You can use fresh or canned tomatoes. Soften ¼-½ finely chopped onion in 1 tbs of olive oil (add liquid if sticking), then add a few cloves of crushed garlic. Cook for a minute or so, then add the tomatoes – use 1 can for 4 or less people. Simmer for around 20 minutes. Add a little chilli if desired. When ready to serve, add a few leaves of shredded basil to each dish. ________________________________________________________________

Penne with ratatouille (see recipe below)

Ratatouille should already be ready when the penne is cooking. Ratatouille is such a versatile vegetable dish that it can be eaten as a main meal, with rice, and in lasagna.

________________________________________________________________

Penne with garlic mushrooms and parsley

While the penne is cooking, add 3 cloves crushed garlic to a 1tbs olive oil, stir for a minute or so, then add 2 cups chopped button mushrooms, and cook for another couple of minutes. Drain pasta, then add mushrooms and stir through 1 cup finely chopped parsley. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese if desired.

________________________________________________________________

Fettucine with lemon, pepper, chilli, basil

For this dish, only the pasta needs to be cooked. Before juicing the lemon, finely grate the rind of about ½ the washed lemon being careful to avoid the white pith. Juice the lemon. Finely chop 1 medium chilli, grind 1 tsp black pepper (or to taste) and shred ½ bunch of basil. When the fettucine is cooked, drain, keep a ½ cup of the liquid. Toss fettucine with the ingredients adding 1 tbs olive oil, some of the liquid just to keep the fettucine moist.

________________________________________________________________

Spaghetti with zucchini, tomato, and mint

If you have the time, caramelise the zucchini. Add 2 cloves crushed garlic to 1tbs olive oil and cook for about a minute. Add 5 small-medium green zucchini sliced and cook for 10-15 minutes or until caramelised (you’ll see the zucchini browning slightly). Add to the pasta with 2 flavoursome tomatoes chopped (salsa size – small cubes), ½ cup chopped mint, a little parmesan. Toss to combine and serve. Serves 4

________________________________________________________________

My Favourite Ratatouille

• 1 medium eggplant (cut into cubes)
• 2 zucchini (courgettes, halved lengthwise, halved again and sliced across)
• 1 green or red capsicum (pepper)
• 1 medium onion (cut like zucchini)
• 3 garlic cloves (peeled, crushed)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped parsley (or mixure of oregano, thyme, parsley, basil)
• small amount of fresh chilli (to taste)

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and soften, stirring frequently. Add water, if the onions start to stick.
2. Add garlic, stir and cook for about 1 minute, then add remaining ingredients leaving tomatoes until last.
3. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until eggplant is cooked.