Sunday, 06. June 2010

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 Pasta

Beef mince lasagne.

Filling                                                           Topping

Filling:     Dissolve stock cube in 2 cups of water, let stand. Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add ham and cook gently for 3 minutes, add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook stirring until onion is soft. Add the mince, stirring until brown. Stir in tomato paste, and water with the stock cube. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cover and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sauce:     Melt butter in medium saucepan, stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes over gentle heat. Remove from heat and gradually stir in milk. Return to heat and stir until thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper, add mozzarella cheese and stir over low heat until cheese melts.

Preheat oven to 180C. Pour ½ cup meat sauce into greased baking dish. Add alternate layers of lasagne, meat and cheese sauces, ending with cheese sauce  (4 layers of each). Sprinkle the top with grated parmesan cheese (if desired) and cover with alfoil. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand covered for 5 minutes before serving.  4-6

Cabanossi Carbonara.

Boil pasta in salted water for 10-15 minutes until cooked—drain. While pasta is cooking, heat the cabanossi in the butter for 2-3 minutes, add cream and paprika, stir well and then remove from heat. Combine beaten egg, parmesan cheese and parsley.  While pasta is hot, mix in sauce mixture and serve immediately.

Chicken and Broccoli with spaghetti

Steam broccoli until just tender, set aside. Cook spaghetti in salted water until tender, drain and set aside. Chop chicken fillets into small pieces. Place chicken and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil in a hot wok or pan and toss until chicken is cooked through. Add chicken stock, chopped parsley, spaghetti and broccoli, stir until all ingredients are hot. Add grated parmesan cheese to serve.  4

Chicken Laksa.

Pour boiling water over noodles in large bowl, set aside. Add small amount of oil to hot wok, chop chicken to bite size pieces, toss in wok until cooked, set aside on paper towel. Add curry paste to wok, stir, add onion, cook until soft. Combine cornflour, coconut milk, stock, Carnation milk, fish sauce and 1 tablespoon sugar to wok, stir until boiling, simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Divide noodles among 4 serving bowls, top with chicken, cucumber, bean sprouts and egg. Pour hot liquid over noodles, garnish with red onion rings.  4

Creamy coriander pesto and prawn pasta

Peel and de-vein the prawns, leave the tails intact, coarsely chop the nuts. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook fettuccini according to packet instructions; drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup of cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop the stems, leaves and root of the coriander and place into the bowl of a food processor, along with the garlic, nuts and lime juice. Process until broken down and smooth. While the motor is running, slowly drizzle in oil. Mixture should become a smooth, creamy sauce; season with salt and pepper.

Remove a third of the coriander pesto and stir through the prawns. Cook prawns in a non-stick pan for 1-2 minutes or until just cooked through and remove. Pour cream into pan and heat through gently. Stir in remaining coriander pesto and adjust seasoning. Return prawns to pan and heat through. Pour coriander pesto sauce and prawns over pasta and toss to mix evenly. Stir in some of the pasta cooking water if sauce is too thick and serve immediately.      1

Family style pasta.

Heat oil and garlic in pan, brown mince and onion in batches. Return all beef and onion to pan, add sliced carrots, celery and diced capsicum cook covered for 10 minutes or until carrot is soft. Add contents of tomato can, tomato paste, wine, crumbed stock cube and water. Bring back to boil then simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Cook pasta in salted water, drain then serve tossed with meat mixture. 6

Fettuccine with bacon.

Cook fettuccine as per instructions on packet. Place bacon in cold pan, place pan on stove and cook bacon until lightly golden. Add garlic and mushrooms, stir until heated through. Whisk eggs, cream, cheese and pepper in large bowl. Mix in hot cooked fettuccine, stir, add bacon and mushrooms, stir until combined, serve while hot.    4

Macaroni and Cheese

Preheat grill to high and grease a large baking dish. Cook pasta as directed on packet, keep warm. In the same saucepan, place the cream and milk over medium heat. Bring to boil, reduce the heat, then stir in the cheeses and add a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Stir over medium-low heat until cheese has melted, then return the pasta to pan. Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce, then transfer to the baking dish. Sprinkle the pasta with breadcrumbs, extra cheese and a sprinkle of paprika. Place under the hot grill and cook for 2 minutes or until topping is golden and crispy. 4

Macaroni Cheese

Preheat grill to high and grease a large baking dish. Cook pasta as directed on packet, remove, rinse under warm water, set aside but keep warm. In the same saucepan, place the cream and milk over medium heat and bring to boil, reduce the heat, then stir in the cheeses and add a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Stir over medium-low heat until cheese has melted, then return the pasta to pan. Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce, then transfer to the baking dish. Sprinkle the pasta with breadcrumbs, extra cheese and a sprinkle of paprika. Place under the hot grill and cook for 2 minutes or until topping is golden and crispy.

Penne with tomato and spinach.

Boil pasta in salted water until soft, rinse under hot water, set aside. Heat a large heavy base pan, add onion, stir over heat until onion is soft, add undrained tomatoes, bring to the boil, simmer covered for 25 minutes, stir in olives, spinach and parsley, stir over medium heat until spinach starts to wilt.

Toss pasta through spinach mixture, serve in bowls, garnish with shaved parmesan cheese.   4

Salmon Pasta.

Cook pasta in salted water until soft, drain, set aside. Heat oil in a large frying pan, sauté leek and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender, blend in flour, stir for further 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the cream and milk. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Simmer for 3 minutes. Toss through the cooked pasta, snow peas, salmon, lime juice and seasonings. Serve garnished with fresh dill and lime wedges. Accompany with a salad and crusty bread.   2

Savoury mince and pasta.

Raguletto Primavera sauce is available from “Campbell's Cash and Carry” and is definitely worth the effort required in getting it. If you can’t get it use a good quality mushroom and capsicum pasta sauce.

Brown the mince and the onion in a large pan.  Add all the other ingredients, bring to the boil, simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes—stirring often.   While the mince is cooking, boil the Penne (or your substituted pasta) in salted water for about 15 minutes, then strain it immediately. Place the required amount of pasta into a deep serving plate, top with the mince, and (if desired) top with grated parmesan cheese. Serve with thick fresh “buttered” bread.

Seafood Marinara
 

Heat oil in fry pan over a medium to high heat, add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, can of tomatoes and wine. Mix cornflour with a little water to make thin paste and add to pan. Simmer covered for approximately 20 minutes or until liquid is reduced and sauce slightly thickened. Add seafood and herbs and cook for 4 or 5 minutes (depending on size of seafood). Serve with hot cooked pasta (fettucini or spaghetti works well). Any seafood can be used instead of, or in addition to the above. A Sauvignon Blanc or Chablis will suit this dish.   4

Singapore noodles.

Place mushrooms in bowl, cover with boiling water, stand 20 minutes, drain, remove stems, chop caps finely. Chop pork into small pieces. Beat eggs until combined, add sesame oil, mix well, set aside. Combine soy, sherry and oyster sauce in bowl, set aside.  Place noodles in boiling salted water, stir to separate for 5-7 minutes or until noodles are tender, drain, rinse under cold water, set aside.

Heat peanut oil in wok or large pan, add pork, lightly brown, stir fry in garlic, ginger and curry for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, chestnuts and onion, stir fry about 2 minutes until chestnut starts to brown. Add prawns, stir fry until prawns turn pink. Add noodles and sauces, stir until most of liquid is absorbed. Add egg, stir fry until eggs are cooked. Serve immediately.  4

Spaghetti Bolognese

Heat oil in large pan, add small portions of mince, brown, then set aside, continue until all mince is browned. Add butter and onions to pan, cook until onions transparent. Return mince and stir in over heat. Add wine, contents of tomato cans, water, stock cube, herbs and tomato paste.

Season until sauce boils and thickens, reduce heat, simmer gently uncovered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Place pasta in large boiler of boiling salted water, cook until tender, rinse well under hot running water. Drain   6

Spaghetti Bolognese (2)

Heat oil in a large pan, add onion, garlic and bacon and cook for 3 minutes. Add mince and cook for 5 minutes, or until well browned. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with spaghetti and garnish with Parmesan cheese.  4

Spaghetti and meat balls

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until soft, drain well, set aside. Combine mince with cornflake crumbs, tomato paste and parsley, roll into small balls. Heat small amount of oil in hot wok, roll meat balls in flour, cook in wok for 5-6 minutes, turning constantly. Turn down heat, stir in Primavera sauce, simmer for 3 minutes or until heated through. Place all vegetables in microwave oven proof dish, cove with plastic wrap, cook until soft, top with cheese and pecan nuts, place under hot grill until cheese melts. Place serving of pasta in serving plate, cover with meatballs, serve with vegetables.

Spaghetti with bacon.

Cook spaghetti according to instructions on packet. Place bacon, capsicum and garlic into a cold frying pan, add to heat and cook until bacon is golden brown. Add asparagus, sauce, olives, parsley and spaghetti, stir over medium heat until heated through.   4

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Sweat the onion, garlic, anchovies and chilli in olive oil. Add the olives, capers and tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes and add the parsley. Cook the spaghetti for 8 minutes and toss with the sauce and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Serve with some grated parmesan.

Spaghetti with pumpkin sauce.

Hollow out a full pumpkin, set aside. Add small amount of oil to a medium heat pan, add the pumpkin salt and chilli, stir continuously so pumpkin does not colour. When the pumpkin has softened add the white wine. Add the napoli sauce and stir in well, simmer for 5 mins. Add the cream and stir in well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix through the pasta, place back into hollowed out pumpkin, sprinkle with grated parmesan and serve.   4

Pasta Primavera.

In large frypan over medium heat, lightly brown garlic and mushrooms. Add remaining vegetables, and cover for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Set aside. Cook linguine according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside. Combine water, wine, and bouillon in a saucepan and heat to boiling. Combine milk and flour in a small bowl; stir well. Gradually add flour mixture to wine mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Pour sauce over linguine, and toss gently. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, and toss gently. Transfer linguine mixture to a large serving platter, and top with reserved vegetable mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

Zucchini carbonara

Cook pasta in large saucepan of  salted boiling water, drain, keep ½ cup cooking water. Heat a large frying pan on high heat, add the garlic, stir in for 1 min, add the bacon for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crisp, add the zucchini and cook for 5 mins until it softens. Whisk together the egg yolks, cream and grated parmesan, season well with salt and pepper. Add drained fettuccine to zucchini mixture and toss to combine. Remove pan from heat, add egg mixture and just enough cooking water to make a sauce, toss to combine. Top with extra grated parmesan and serve immediately. 4

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