One Pot Mince & Macaroni

300 g pork mince(any kind you like)
1 onion,chopped,finely
1-2 carrots,grated with bigger grater
knob of butter
300 g cherry tomatoes(or crushed tomatoes will do,well it will give different texture & taste..)
2 tbsp tomato puree
cup of pineapple pieces in juice,drained
3-4 cloves of garlic
500 g macaroni
50 g cheddar cheese,grated
1 tsp chili powder
mince seasoning

Boil the pasta until al dente.
Brown on the hot pan with oil the mince,season.
Add the onion & carrots,knob of butter & fry until ready.
Now stir in the tomato puree,pineapples,tomatoes & crush in the garlic.Season well & cook for a few minutes,then mix with pasta.
Serve with grated cheese on top.

Pasta & Cauliflower Cheese Bake

300 g pasta
1 big cauliflower
100 -200 g smoked streaky rashers or cabanossi sausages
1 onion
500 ml milk
1-2 tbsp flour
50 -100 g cheese
1-2 tbsp breadcrumbs
0,5 tsp rose pepper,freshly crushed

Boil pasta in salted water until al dente.Drain.
Bring the cauliflower florets to boil in salted water for about 5 min or less if you like it al dente,drain.
At the same time fry chopped onion & sliced rashers or sausages with butter.
Make the sauce:
At first heat the flour on the pan,cool.Mix it with little milk.Pour the flour mix through the sieve to the rest of the milk,stir.Bring the sauce to boil,season with salt & pepper.Add grated cheese.Stir until sauce is looking lovely smooth,season if you need to.
Mix together cauliflower & pasta,place it into the shallow baking dish.
Pour the sauce all over,sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for 30-40 min.
Best served with boiled beetroot or dill pickles..

My 5y son is terrified of broccoli,so he eats cauliflower with caution as well.This meal went down well & he asked for more,so it was the good sign.
Once he said,being very disappointed,"why they even  sell the broccoli in the shops if they know that kids don't like it & everybody has kids!"

Chicken & Pasta Salad

300 g pasta
1 onion,chopped
1 red pepper,cut into fine strips or small cubes
100 g sweetcorn
parsley
150 g sour cream
300 g grilled chicken
3 tomatoes,cut into small pieces
salt,pepper

Cook the pasta until al dente.
Mix everything together,season.

Because its really cold & rainy here,I made it as a warm salad.
Fried onion with butter until soft,added chicken strips,pasta & corn.
Placed it all into the bigger bowl,added the rest of the ingredients,served it warm..
You can use smoked chicken instead & add some green grapes also.

Spaghetti Amatriciana

 

1 onion,chop finely
1 garlic,crushed
300 g smoked bacon,cut into strips
good pinch of chilli flakes
~250 g cherry tomatoes,halved
basil

500 g spaghetti

Fry with butter the onion,garlic & bacon.
Add tomatoes,sauté until everything is done,season with chilli.
Same time boil the spaghetti until al dente,drain.
Mix spaghetti together with tomato mixture,add basil.
Serve immediately.

Peppered Smoked Mackerel Pasta

2-3 fillets of peppered smoked mackerel,sliced
250 g cherry tomatoes,quartered
500 g pasta
1-2 tbsp chopped dill
mayonnaise for serving

Boil the pasta until al dente,drain.
Heat the knob of butter on the pan,add pasta & mackerel,cook it through for 1-2 min.
Add tomatoes & dill,season,cook another 1-2 min.
Serve with mayonnaise..

Cabanossi Pasta

500 g pasta

150 g cabanossi

2-3 tomatoes

1 onion

chopped parsley

salt,pepper

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente.

Fry chopped cabanossi & onion with butter.Add tomatoes,season.

When pasta is ready,mix it with sausage mixture & sprinkle over some chopped parsley.

Serve with mayonnaise.

Prawn & Garlic Spaghetti

50 g butter
4 garlic gloves,chopped very finely
half of the red pepper,finely diced
2 tbsp tomato puree
125 ml dry white wine
450 g spaghetti
350 g frozen king prawns
125 ml double cream
salt & pepper
3 tbsp chopped parsley

Fry the garlic & pepper in the butter  until garlic is just beginning to colour.
Stir in the tomato puree & wine.
Cook for 10 min,stirring.
Cook the spaghetti until al dente.Drain & return to the pan.
Add the prawns & cream to the sauce.Cook ,stirring constantly,until thickened.
Season with salt & pepper.
Transfer the spaghetti to a warm serving dish.
Pour the sauce over the spaghetti.
Sprinkle with parsley.
Toss well to mix & serve at once.

Simple Pasta with Mince & Onions

500 g pasta shells
300 g pork mince,or any other
1 big onion,chopped

Cook the pasta in salted water al dente.
At the same time heat the big pan with oil & add chopped onions.Let them cook until softened.
Now add mince & fry until browned.
When pasta is ready,drain it & pour it over the mince.Mix everything,fry for few min.
Serve with mayonnaise or sour cream..

Pink Pastasalad

150 g grated cheddar cheese
150 g garlic salami
500 g pasta shells
3 pickled gerkins
3 carrots
2 dl sour cream
3 tbsp tomato puree

Boil pasta & carrots.
Chop salami,gerkins,carrots.
Stir together sour cream & tomato puree.Season.
Mix everything.
Sprinkle on top some extra grated cheese & chopped parsley

Bolognese

1 large onion ,chopped

3 cloves of garlic,crushed

500 g mince

1 425g can of chopped (organic) tomatoes

1/3 cup of tomato puree

2 beef stock cubes

1-2 cups of water

1-2 carrots,grated

2 peppers,chopped

Fry onion & garlic in the butter until soft.

Add mince,brown all over.

Add tomatoes,puree,stock cubes,water,carrots,peppers.

Stir to combine,reduce the heat & simmer ca 15 min,until sauce is slightly thickened,stirring occasionally.Season.

Sprinkle over a good handful of chopped parsley.

Best with pasta of your choice.

Mushroom Pasta with Thyme

300 g breakfast mushrooms,chopped or sliced
300 ml fresh cream
fresh thyme,few leaves,chopped
ca 100 g fresh grated (Parmesan) cheese
3 small onions,choppped
salt
pepper
pasta(Penne,Wheels)
loads of butter for frying

Boil pasta al dente.
Fry mushrooms & onions in the butter.When ready,add thyme & fresh cream.Bring it to the boil & season.
Mix in the pasta,sprinkle over some cheese.

Basic Pasta Dough

400 g Plain Flour
4 free range Eggs
salt

Turn the flour on to the bench.
Make a well in the middle and add the whisked eggs in to the well.
Slowly incorporate the flour, using your hands and bring the dough together.If dough gets sticky,add more flour.Different flavours can be added.
Wrap in a clean tea towel and rest 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, work the dough with your hands for about 5 to 10 minutes..

Work it into a rectangular shape using a little extra flour.
Open the pasta machine to the biggest setting and put the dough through.
Fold the dough into 3 after each turn then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat the process.
Cut the desired shapes.

Do what you have to do really.

Pasta Carbonara

500 g Penne

200 g smoked bacon,cut into strips

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic gloves,crushed

4 large egg yolks

200 ml milk

50-100 g grated cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.

Meanwhile fry bacon strips until just crisp.Add garlic,cook for ca 30 sec.

In a bowl mix egg yolks,milk & cheese.Season.

Drain the pasta,then return to the pan.Quickly add the egg & bacon mixtures & 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley.Toss to combine on very low heat until creamy sauce will form.Don't let it get too hot or you will get the scrambled eggs!

Serve immediately with extra cheese.