Best Pasta Recipes - ProperFoodie

How To Make Pasta

Debbie Jones — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 19:40:23 +0000

How to make pasta at home with just flour and eggs. Plus get a FREE 'How to Make Pasta Guide' to download and keep. All the joy and fun of making perfect pasta at home without the stress of it going wrong. Make this pasta with or without a machine and get my handy tips on how to roll, cut and store your homemade fresh pasta.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

This recipe shows how easy it is to make pasta from scratch. The pasta itself requires little more than finely milled flour, large eggs and a bit of elbow grease. Below I'll walk you through the simplest way to make a pasta dough. Theres also handy tips on how to knead the pasta dough and how to roll it out. All by hand with no machine required.

🥘 Ingredients

This recipe makes enough pasta to serve 3 people (or 4 starter-sized portions):

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and also use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Flour: 00 flour (finely ground Italian flour) is the best for making pasta. This is the finest of the Italian flours and so produces a lovely, soft pasta dough. 00 flour is also the best flour for making pizza dough. If you can't get hold of any 00 flour you can replace with a strong white bread flour for similar results.

Eggs: Make sure the eggs are large and fresh.

Durum wheat semolina: Durum wheat semolina isn't strictly necessary, although it adds a nice flavour and crunch. Its main use is to sprinkle onto the rolled out dough before rolling into a tube and slicing. The semolina stops the pasta dough from sticking together. However, 00 flour can also help with this.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Place the flour on a clean work surface and make a large well in the middle. Next, crack 3 large eggs into the well.
Use a fork to gradually mix the flour into the eggs. Start from the middle and work outwards.
Once most of the flour has been combined, use your hands to bring together into a dough. Knead for at least 15 minutes until smooth before shaping into a ball (see expert tips below for full instructions on kneading). Split the ball in half, wrap each half in cling film and place both in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
After resting roll each half separately. Flour the work surface and use a large, heavy rolling pin to evenly roll out the dough. For best results roll as thin as possible. See expert tips below for evenly rolling into a rectangle.
Sprinkle the thinly rolled out dough generously with the semolina to stop it sticking to itself when making pasta strips. Then roll the full rectangle of dough into a tube shape, trim off the untidy ends then cut into: half cm strips for tagliatelle; 1mm thin strips for spaghetti; or one and a half cm strips for pappardelle.
Take the ends of the sliced strips and pull upwards allowing the weight of the dough to unravel the strips.
Alternatively, leave the dough flat and cut out squares with a square pasta cutter and pinch into farfalle (butterfly) pasta shapes. Or why not have a go at making your own ravioli.
If you aren't ready to cook your pasta right away, its important that you don't let it dry out. Roll up your raw strips of pasta into nests and place onto a semolina-dusted tray along with any pasta shapes. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to cook.
For best results cook right away: Place a pan of water on a medium heat and add a good helping of sea salt to season the water. Bring to a rolling boil and then carefully add your pasta. Immediately stir with a wooden spoon to check nothing has stuck together or to the bottom. Boil at a tremble for 3 minutes, then drain and serve. (If you are serving with a sauce - ladle out some of the pasta water into your sauce to add to the consistency).

💭 Expert tips

How to knead pasta dough

Once most of the egg has been combined with the flour, use your hands to bring together into a dough. It may appear quite dry at first but the more you combine the flour the sticker it becomes.
Use the heal of your hand to begin working and kneading the dough
As it becomes less sticky start to stretch and fold back on itself in between kneading.
Continue to knead and stretch for at least 15 minutes until the dough becomes soft and smooth.

How to roll pasta dough

After kneading and resting, the dough can be rolled out using a rolling pin or a pasta machine if you have one to hand. Flour the work surface then take one of the dough balls and start to roll out. The dough ball will of course roll into an oval shape.
A rectangular shape is better for cutting pasta as there will be less waste. To form a rectangle fold the edges of the oval into the centre of the dough then fold the full thing in half. Roll over this to flatten down and lengthen.
Then repeat the folding in of the edges and folding in half. This will create a small square.
From here evenly roll the dough square into a large rectangle. Roll as thin as possible, turning and flipping the dough and re-flouring as needed. Plenty of elbow grease will be required to get the pasta dough nice and thin.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Should the pasta dough be rested before rolling out?

Yes, for best results when rolling the dough, rest in the fridge for 30 minutes first by wrapping in cling film and placing in the fridge.

How thin should I roll the pasta dough?

As thin as possible. Ideally you should be able to put a piece of printed paper behind it and just about see the text through the dough.

Making ahead and how to store?

Fresh pasta is always best cooked fresh as soon as it is made. However, it is possible to make ahead and store if you prefer. A kneaded pasta dough ball can be wrapped in cling film and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week, then rolled and shaped as required.

Rolled and cut out pasta dough can be covered with a damp cloth in the short term (an hour or so) or frozen in the long term. Make sure pasta strips are wrapped into nests in both cases. To freeze place the pasta nests or cut out shapes onto a floured tray and place in the freezer. Once frozen transfer to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

🍝 Homemade pasta serving suggestions

📖 How to get your free pasta making guide:

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📖 Recipe

How To Make Pasta

How to make pasta at home with just flour and eggs. All the joy and fun of making perfect pasta at home without the stress of it going wrong. Make this pasta with or without a machine and get my handy tips on the best way to roll, cut and store your homemade fresh pasta.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 5

Rest Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 435kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

Ingredients

300 g 00 Flour
3 large eggs
Durum Wheat Semolina for dusting

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

To make the pasta dough:

Place the flour on a clean work surface and make a large well in the middle. Crack 3 large eggs into the well.
300 g 00 Flour, 3 large eggs
Use a fork to gradually mix the flour into the eggs. Start from the middle and work outwards.
Once most of the flour has been combined, use your hands to bring together into a dough. It may appear quite dry at first but the more you combine the flour the sticker it becomes.

Kneading the pasta dough:

Use the heal of your hand to begin working and kneading the dough. As it becomes less sticky start to stretch and fold back on itself in between kneading.
Continue to knead and stretch for at least 15 minutes until the dough becomes soft and smooth and then shape into a ball. You know its been kneaded for long enough if the dough bounces back when pressed with your finger.
Split the ball in half, wrap each half in cling film and place both in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

Rolling the pasta dough:

After kneading and resting, the dough can be rolled out using a large heavy rolling pin or a pasta machine if you have one to hand. Flour the work surface and evenly roll out one of the dough balls. The dough ball will of course roll into an oval shape.
A rectangular shape is better for cutting pasta as there will be less waste. To form a rectangle fold the edges of the oval into the centre of the dough then fold the full thing in half. Roll over this with the rolling pin to flatten down and lengthen.
Then repeat the folding in of the edges and folding in half. This will create a small square.
From here evenly roll the dough square into a large rectangle. Roll as thin as possible, turning and flipping the dough and re-flouring as needed. Plenty of elbow grease will be required to get the pasta dough nice and thin.

Shaping the pasta dough:

Sprinkle the thinly rolled out dough generously with the semolina to stop it sticking to itself when making pasta strips. Then roll the full rectangle of dough into a tube shape, trim off the untidy ends then cut into: half cm strips for tagliatelle; 1mm thin strips for spaghetti; or one and a half cm strips for pappardelle.
Durum Wheat Semolina
Take the ends of the sliced strips and pull upwards allowing the weight of the dough to unravel the strips.
Alternatively, leave the dough flat and cut out squares with a square pasta cutter and pinch into farfalle (butterfly) pasta shapes. Or why not have a go at making your own ravioli.

Cooking homemade fresh pasta:

If you aren't ready to cook your pasta right away, its important that you don't let it dry out. Roll up your raw strips of pasta into nests and place onto a semolina-dusted tray along with any pasta shapes. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to cook.
Durum Wheat Semolina
For best results cook right away: Place a pan of water on a medium heat and add a good helping of sea salt to season the water. Bring to a rolling boil and then carefully add your pasta. Immediately stir with a wooden spoon to check nothing has stuck to the bottom. Boil at a tremble for 3 minutes, then drain and serve. (If you are serving with a sauce - ladle out some of the pasta water into your sauce to add to the consistency).

Video

Notes

Recommendations for equipment and ingredients:

Rolling Pin Pasta Cutters 00 Flour Semolina

Flour: The best flour for pasta is 00 flour (Finely ground Italian pasta). This is the finest of the Italian flours and so produces a lovely, soft pasta dough. 00 flour is also the best flour for making pizza dough. If you can't get hold of any 00 flour you can replace with a strong white bread flour for similar results.

Eggs: Make sure the eggs are large and fresh.

Durum wheat semolina: This isn't strictly necessary, although it adds a nice flavour and crunch. Its main use is to sprinkle onto the rolled out dough before rolling into a tube and slicing. The semolina stops the pasta dough from sticking together. However, 00 flour could also be used to the same effect.

Should the pasta dough be rested before rolling out? Yes, for best results when rolling the dough, rest in the fridge for 30 minutes first by wrapping in cling film and placing in the fridge.

How thin should I roll the pasta dough? As thin as possible. Ideally you should be able to put a piece of printed paper behind it and just about see the text through the dough.

Making ahead and how to store? Fresh pasta is always best cooked fresh as soon as it is made. However, it is possible to make ahead and store if you prefer. A kneaded pasta dough ball can be wrapped in cling film and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week, then rolled and shaped as required. Rolled and cut out pasta dough can be covered with a damp cloth in the short term (an hour or so) or frozen in the long term. Make sure pasta strips are wrapped into nests in both cases. To freeze place the pasta nests or cut out shapes onto a floured tray and place in the freezer. Once frozen transfer to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

This post was first published in Nov 2017. Updated in Jan 2022 with new images, step by step instructions and expert tips.

The post How To Make Pasta appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Debbie Jones — Wed, 08 May 2019 00:55:23 +0000

Cajun chicken pasta mixed into a creamy tomato sauce with a hint of spice. A wholesome pasta dish full of rustic, earthy favours and made in less than 30 minutes. Its a simple family favourite that will easily fit into the busy working week.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

This easy pasta dish is made with a creamy and spicy tomato sauce smothered over shells of perfectly cooked pasta and chunks of pan fried Cajun chicken. This is one of those one pot recipes, where everything is prepared, cooked and served from one pan. It really is win-win all round as not only is it low on the washing up but this Cajun chicken pasta recipe is also a super healthy version. Unlike many recipes that opt for a creamy, Alfredo sauce with cajun chicken, the creamy pasta sauce in this recipe uses nothing but spices, tinned tomatoes and Greek style yogurt.

🥘 Ingredients

To make cajun chicken pasta you will need:

½ tbsp Paprika
½ tsp Smoked paprika
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
1 tsp Oregano
500g chicken breast cut into chunks (3 large breasts)
½ tbsp oil
5 Spring onions sliced (50g) (save green tops for garnish - optional)
1 yellow bell pepper (125g) (roughly chopped)
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
300g uncooked pasta
4 tbsp plain yogurt
20g freshly chopped parsley

Ingredient notes

Recipe: For the full recipe and amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Chicken: replace with your preferred veggies for a vegetarian option.

Pasta: small pastas like fusilli work well in this recipe

Yogurt: Use full fat yogurt for a creamy result. This can also be substituted with full fat crème fraîche or if you want an extra creamy pasta sauce replace with double cream.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Place cubed chicken breast into a large bowl and add paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano and a pinch of sea salt. Mix well to fully coat the chicken with the spices.
Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a large pan, when hot add the chicken to the pan then stir fry until golden brown. Then transfer the chicken to a bowl and set to one side.
In the same pan add a bit more oil then stir fry spring onion and yellow bell pepper for a couple of minutes or until slightly soft.
Next add the stir fried chicken back to the pan and mix in, whilst continuing to cook.
Add the tinned tomatoes and mix in.
Add cooked pasta and mix well to fully coat in the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Next remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring in the yogurt.
To finish, top with parsley and serve.

💭 Expert tips

For an extra special treat try making this dish with your own homemade fresh pasta.
Small pastas such as shells and fusilli work best with this recipe.
Don't add the yogurt whilst the pan is still on the heat as this will cause the yogurt to curdle.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is Cajun chicken?

Cajun chicken is usually chicken prepared and cooked with spices such as paprika and cayenne, plus garlic, onions and bell peppers. The paprika provides a rustic, earthy flavour whilst the cayenne adds spice. Cajun cuisine is from Louisiana but the roots of cajun cooking go back to French Colonist who arrived in New Orleans after being exiled from Canada.

Is this recipe spicy?

The level of spice depends on how much cayenne pepper is used. In this recipe I only use ½ a teaspoon of cayenne which I find isn't too over powering. However, if you like your meals spicy then double this to 1 tsp. The complete dish for this recipe includes yogurt at the end and so if you do find the chicken is too spicy, more yogurt can always be added.

Is this cajun chicken pasta healthy?

This chicken pasta recipe comes in at just over 500kcal per portion and has low levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat. Its high in protein and provides a healthy boost of energy from carbohydrates. Each portion also contains 2 serving of vegetables and so provides a variety of vitamins and minerals. To give this meal an extra boost of nutrients and to ensure your carbohydrates are high in fibre and slow releasing, use wholegrain pasta. All pasta recipes will vary so always check the ingredients and labels.

How to store?

Cajun chicken pasta can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure its cooled properly before transferring to a sealed container and then place in the freezer. Defrost thoroughly before reheating. Heat until piping hot throughout.
This dish will also store well in the fridge overnight and is great served up cold the following day as a pasta salad.

Other pasta recipes

📖 Recipe

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Course Dinner, lunch, main meal, tea

Cuisine American, Cajun, French-Canadian, New Orleans

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings People

Calories 501kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

Small mixing bowl
large pan

Ingredients

½ tablespoon Paprika
½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Oregano
500 g chicken breast cut into chunks 3 large breasts
½ tablespoon oil
5 Spring onions sliced 50g (save green tops for garnish - optional)
1 yellow bell pepper 125g (roughly chopped)
2 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
300 g uncooked pasta
4 tablespoon plain yogurt
20 g freshly chopped parsley

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Place cubed chicken breast into a large bowl and add paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano and a pinch of sea salt. Mix well to fully coat the chicken with the spices.
½ tablespoon Paprika, ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper, 500 g chicken breast cut into chunks, 1 teaspoon Oregano
Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a large pan, when hot add the chicken to the pan then stir fry until golden brown. Then transfer the chicken to a bowl and set to one side.
½ tablespoon oil
In the same pan add a bit more oil then stir fry spring onion and yellow bell pepper for a couple of minutes or until slightly soft.
5 Spring onions sliced, 1 yellow bell pepper
Next add the stir fried chicken back to the pan and mix in, whilst continuing to cook.
Add the tinned tomatoes and mix in.
2 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
Add cooked pasta and mix well to fully coat in the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
300 g uncooked pasta
Next remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring in the yogurt.
4 tablespoon plain yogurt
To finish, top with parsley and serve.
20 g freshly chopped parsley

Video

Notes

Chicken: replace with your preferred veggies for a vegetarian option.

Pasta: small pastas like fusilli work well in this recipe

Yogurt: Use full fat yogurt for a creamy result. This can also be substituted with full fat crème fraîche or if you want an extra creamy pasta sauce replace with double cream.

How to store? Cajun chicken pasta can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure its cooled properly before transferring to a sealed container and then place in the freezer. Defrost thoroughly before reheating. Heat until piping hot throughout. This dish will also store well in the fridge overnight and is great served up cold the following day as a pasta salad.

Expert tips:

For an extra special treat try making this dish with your own homemade fresh pasta.
Small pastas such as shells and fusilli work best with this recipe.
Don't add the yogurt whilst the pan is still on the heat as this will cause the yogurt to curdle.

Nutrition

This post was first published in May 2019. Updated in Oct 2021 with new step by step instructions and expert tips.

The post Cajun Chicken Pasta appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Italian Pasta Salad

Debbie Jones — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 14:19:24 +0000

A fresh and vibrant Italian pasta salad made with wholegrain pasta, juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella. This nutritious and full flavoured pasta salad is perfect for dishing out at lunches or parties and is great as an on the go snack or working lunch. Make this Italian Pasta salad recipe in just 15 minutes and enjoy topped with fresh basil and a homemade Italian dressing.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

Italian Pasta salad is one of those recipes that literally has everything going for it. Its easy to make, easy to store, great for meal prep and really useful for using up any leftovers.

The best thing about pasta salad is the variety of ingredients that can be used; from different types of pasta to numerous different fruits, vegetable and cheeses. Also, as its a cold dish, its easy to store in the fridge keeping everything lovely and fresh and crisp.

🥘 Ingredients

To make a large bowl of Italian pasta salad at home you will need:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Pasta: This recipe uses wholegrain fusilli, but any type of small pasta will work well.

Tomatoes: Use fresh, vine ripened tomatoes. For an extra vibrant salad look for different colours of tomatoes (heritage/heirloom).

Mozzarella: A soft Italian cheese is essential for making this Italian pasta salad. Use small pearls of mozzarella or alternatively tear up a larger ball. Burrata is also a great option. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Pecorino cheese: This is optional and can also be substituted with parmesan. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Fresh basil and parsley: Fresh herbs are just the best taste in salads and I highly recommend using fresh basil at the very least. Especially in this Italian salad as it pairs perfectly with the tomatoes and mozzarella

Cannellini Beans: Beans are an optional extra and are used here to bulk out the salad and boost the protein content without adding meat.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes until al dente (or according to packet instructions). Place the cooked pasta and pasta salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss together well.
In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard, juice of half a lemon and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix in.
Top with freshly grated pecorino and basil leaves.

💭 Expert tips

For extra colour use green, red and yellow tomatoes. Heritage or heirloom tomatoes are usually the best option.
Make sure the cooked pasta is fully cooled before adding to the salad. To do this, drain into a sieve then rinse in cold water until the pasta is cold to the touch. There are 2 reasons for doing this. Firstly, to stop the cooking process and ensure the pasta doesn't go soggy. Secondly, to make sure that the rest of the ingredients stay crisp and fresh.
If you are cooking pasta for a warm dish, then it is not necessary to rinse the pasta. Instead add straight to the sauce like in this salmon pasta recipe or this salmon and prawn linguine.
To boost the protein content of this salad, without adding meat, add in a tin of drained cannellini beans.

❓ Frequently asked questions

How to store?

Pasta salad will last 3 to 4 days if covered with a sealable lid or cling film and kept in the fridge. This recipe a great option for meal prep and will easily provide meals for 3 or 4 days.

How to you stop cooked pasta from sticking together?

To ensure the pasta doesn't stick together make sure the cooking water is boiling and stir the pasta well as soon as its placed into the water. After cooking rinse under cold water. If you aren't using the pasta right away it may eventually start to stick together. All you need to do is rinse the pasta under cold water again and toss until the pieces separate.

Can this recipe be made in advance?

Yes pasta salad can be made up to 3 days in advance then covered and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.

🥗 Other delicious salad recipes

📖 Recipe

Italian Pasta Salad

Course Dinner, lunch, party food

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings people

Calories 450kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

Large pan to cook pasta
Large mixing bowl for the pasta salad
Small bowl to make the dressing

Ingredients

For the Pasta Salad

250 g Wholewheat fusilli pasta dried uncooked
500 g heritage and/or baby tomatoes roughly chopped
100 g cucumber chopped into small cubes
80 g Red bell pepper chopped into small cubes
60 g Black olives halved
100 g Mozzarella pearls or large ball torn up
Handful of basil leaves roughly torn
Handful of fresh parsley finely chopped
Half tin of cannellini beans optional

For the Italian Dressing

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or any alternative cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Honey
1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard
½ a lemon  juiced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Toppings

25 g Freshly grated pecorino cheese or alternative hard cheese
Extra basil leaves

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes until al dente (or according to packet instructions). Place the cooked pasta and pasta salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss together well.
250 g Wholewheat fusilli pasta dried, 500 g heritage and/or baby tomatoes roughly chopped, 100 g cucumber chopped into small cubes, 80 g Red bell pepper chopped into small cubes, 60 g Black olives halved, 100 g Mozzarella pearls or large ball torn up, Handful of basil leaves roughly torn, Handful of fresh parsley finely chopped, Half tin of cannellini beans
In a small bowl mix together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, wholegrain mustard, lemon juice and Italian seasoning.
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Honey, 1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard, ½ a lemon  juiced, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix in.
Top with freshly grated pecorino and basil leaves.
25 g Freshly grated pecorino cheese, Extra basil leaves

Video

Notes

How to store? Pasta salad will last 3 to 4 days if covered with a sealable lid or cling film and kept in the fridge. This recipe a great option for meal prep and will easily provide meals for 3 or 4 days.

How to you stop cooked pasta from sticking together? To ensure the pasta doesn't stick together make sure the cooking water is boiling and stir the pasta well as soon as its placed into the water. After cooking rinse under cold water. If you aren't using the pasta right away it may eventually start to stick together. All you need to do is rinse the pasta under cold water again and toss until the pieces separate.

Can this recipe be made in advance? Yes pasta salad can be made up to 3 days in advance then covered and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.

Pasta: This recipe uses wholegrain fusilli, but any type of small pasta will work well.

Tomatoes: Use fresh, vine ripened tomatoes.

Pecorino cheese: This is optional and can also be substituted with parmesan. Look for vegetarian alternatives if you are making a vegetarian salad.

Cannellini Beans: Beans are an optional extra and are used here to bulk out the salad and boost the protein content without adding meat.

Tips:

For extra colour use green, red, orange and yellow tomatoes. Heritage or heirloom tomatoes are usually the best option.
Make sure the cooked pasta is fully cooled before adding to the salad. To do this, drain into a sieve then rinse in cold water until the pasta is cold to the touch. There are 2 reasons for doing this. Firstly, to stop the cooking process and ensure the pasta doesn't go soggy. Secondly, to make sure that the rest of the ingredients stay crisp and fresh.
If you are cooking pasta for a warm dish, then it is not necessary to rinse the pasta. Instead add straight to the sauce like in this salmon pasta recipe or this salmon and prawn linguine.

Nutrition

This post was first published in Aug 2019. Updated in Sept 2021 with an improved photos, and new step by step instructions and expert tips.

The post Italian Pasta Salad appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Salmon Pasta Recipe

Debbie Jones — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 01:06:38 +0000

Easy to make fusilli pasta with salmon served in a silky smooth parmesan sauce with lemon, mustard and caraway infused salmon fillets. Make this salmon pasta recipe in under 30 minutes and enjoy a nutritious and full flavoured fish dish any night of the week.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

This salmon pasta recipe is a great way to fit in a portion of that all important oily fish. The perfectly cooked salmon is flaked and then coated in a deliciously, smooth parmesan sauce and then all tossed together with fusilli pasta. Simple and delicious.

Pasta with salmon is also great on a week night when you want something quick and tasty, that is also good for you and doesn't take too much effort. This recipe is the answer!

🥘 Ingredients

To make this salmon pasta recipe at home you will need:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Fish: The creamy sauce of this recipe is the perfect partner to the mild but meaty, sweet tasting salmon. Therefore, I recommend you stick with salmon for this recipe. If you prefer to not cook salmon from raw then you can use pre-cooked or hot smoked salmon. If you really struggle to get hold of salmon then trout is a good alternative.

Pasta: Salmon pasta is just that: pasta with salmon and it can be whatever type of pasta takes your fancy. This recipe uses fusilli but you could also try with other short pastas such as penne or macaroni. Salmon pasta recipes also work really well with longer pasta like in this salmon and prawn linguine recipe.

If you would prefer to leave out the wine you can substitute with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple juice, chicken stock, grape juice or just plain water.

Creme Fraiche: I prefer to use creme fraiche rather than cream as it is lighter and its slight sour flavour helps to cut through the richness of the sauce. Creme fraiche is also less likely to curdle and so produces a silky smooth sauce.

Parmesan: Any hard cheese will work here if you can't get hold of parmesan. Try with pecorino or mature cheddar.

Caraway seeds: Completely optional. The caraway provides a citrusy flavour and has a slight hint of anise, which pairs amazingly with salmon. If you prefer to not use caraway, just season with salt and pepper and maybe a bit of powdered garlic. Alternatively, season with dried dill.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Start by cooking the pasta according to the instructions (usually 8-10 minutes in boiling water).
Next preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Lay the salmon fillets side by side in the centre of a piece of foil and sprinkle over the caraway seeds.
Wrap the foil loosely around the salmon leaving enough room for air to circulate around whilst cooking. This will cook the fish more evenly. Place the foil package on a tray and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Whilst the salmon is cooking, start to prepare the sauce. On a medium heat gently fry the chopped garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil for around 30 seconds to just allow the flavour to release (don't fry for too long as garlic burns easily and creates a bitter taste).
Next, add 100ml of white wine to the garlic. Keep the pan on a medium heat and simmer for a minute or so to allow the wine to reduce by half.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche, parmesan, dijon mustard, juice from half a lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until well combined and smooth.
When the salmon is ready, return the parmesan sauce to a medium heat. Flake the salmon and add to the parmesan sauce.
Drain the fusilli pasta (retaining the water) and stir into the sauce along with the flaked salmon. If the sauce has reduced too much or become too thick, add in a 1 or 2 ladles of the pasta water to help loosen and thin.
Serve the salmon pasta and top with freshly chopped parsley and lemon zest.

💭 Expert tips

Once the fusilli pasta has been removed from its cooking pan, set the water to one side until the dish is nearly cooked. At this point check the sauce and add more of the starchy pasta water if necessary (a ladle at a time). This water will mix with the creme fraiche to create a lovely light sauce which clings to the pasta. The water can be added at any point to help loosen up the sauce and stop it from drying up.
If the pasta is cooked before you are ready to mix into the sauce then drain the pasta into a sieve (retaining the water). Then run the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and to help keep it al dente.
To make your salmon pasta recipe a little more exciting why not try it with homemade pasta. Making your own pasta is super easy and all you need is eggs and flour.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What if theres skin on the fish?

Leave this on during cooking as it will add to the flavour and is easier to remove once the fish is cooked. Once the fish is cooked I tend to find that the skin sticks to the foil so I can flake the fish and tip it out with all its juices and leave the skin behind.

Can this dish be prepared in advanced?

This dish is best cooked fresh so that there is no need to reheat any fish or pasta. Reheating can cause the fish to become dry and the pasta to become limp.

Can you freeze salmon pasta?

I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish as its not advisable to cook, freeze and then reheat fish. Also pasta tends to not freeze well.

🦐 Other fish recipes

📖 Recipe

Salmon Pasta Recipe

Course Dinner, evening meal, fish, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 704kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Equipment

Small pan for pasta
Foil and baking tray
large pan

Ingredients

150 g dried fusilli pasta
2 boneless salmon fillets
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon oil
2 garlic cloves minced or finely chopped
100 ml dry white wine
150 ml creme fraiche
30 g grated parmesan
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Pinch salt and pepper
½ lemon juice and zest
Handful of freshly chopped parsley

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Start by cooking the pasta according to the instructions (usually 8-10 minutes in boiling water).
Next preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Lay the salmon fillets side by side in the centre of a piece of foil and sprinkle over the caraway seeds.
Wrap the foil loosely around the salmon leaving enough room for air to circulate around whilst cooking. This will cook the salmon more evenly. Place the foil package on a tray and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Whilst the fish is cooking, start to prepare the sauce. On a medium heat gently fry the chopped garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil for around 30 seconds to just allow the flavour to release (don't fry for too long as garlic burns easily and creates a bitter taste).
Next, add 100ml of white wine to the garlic. Keep the pan on a medium heat and simmer for a minute or so to allow the wine to reduce by half.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche, parmesan, dijon mustard, juice from half a lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until well combined and smooth.
When the salmon is ready, return the parmesan sauce to a medium heat. Flake the salmon and add to the parmesan sauce.
Drain the fusilli pasta (retaining the water) and stir into the sauce along with the flaked salmon. If the sauce has reduced too much or become too thick, add in a 1 or 2 ladles of the pasta water to help loosen and thin.
Serve the salmon pasta and top with freshly chopped parsley and lemon zest.

Notes

Fish: If you prefer to not cook the salmon from raw then you can use pre-cooked or hot smoked salmon. If you really struggle to get hold of salmon then trout is good alternative.

Pasta: This recipe uses fusilli but you could also try with other short pastas such as penne or macaroni. Salmon pasta recipes also work really well with longer pasta like in this salmon and prawn linguine recipe.

White wine: White wine adds a wonderful crisp flavour to the parmesan sauce, which is created as the alcohol evaporates and the wine flavour is concentrated. Try to use a good quality dry white wine such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. Find out more about: cooking with wine here. If you would prefer to leave out the wine you can substitute with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple juice, chicken stock, grape juice or just plain water.

Parmesan: Any hard cheese will work here if you can't get hold of parmesan. Try with pecorino or mature cheddar.

Caraway seeds: Completely optional. The caraway provides a citrusy flavour and has a slight hint of anise, which pairs amazingly with the salmon. If you prefer to not use caraway, just season with salt and pepper and maybe a bit of powdered garlic. Alternatively season with dried dill.

Skin on the fish: Leave this on during cooking as it will add to the flavour and is easier to remove once the fish is cooked. Once the fish is cooked I tend to find that the skin sticks to the foil so I can flake the fish and tip it out with all its juices and leave the skin behind.

Preparing in advance or freezing: This dish is best cooked fresh so that there is no need to reheat any fish or pasta. Freezing and/or reheating can cause the fish to become dry and the pasta to become limp.

Expert tips:

Once the fusilli pasta has been removed from its cooking pan, set the water to one side until the dish is nearly cooked. At this point check the sauce and add more of the starchy pasta water if necessary (a ladle at a time). This water will mix with the creme fraiche to create a lovely light sauce which clings to the pasta. The water can be added at any point to help loosen up the sauce and stop it from drying up.
If the pasta is cooked before you are ready to mix into the sauce then drain the pasta into a sieve (retaining the water). Then run the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and to help keep it al dente.

Nutrition

The post Salmon Pasta Recipe appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Salmon and Prawn Linguine

Debbie Jones — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 15:50:53 +0000

Impress friends and family by serving up this full flavoured salmon and prawn linguine recipe for dinner. Made with a lemon and cream sauce and topped with fresh dill and chilli flakes, every mouthful of this creamy salmon pasta recipe is a slurp-ful delight!

Its a fantastic way to fit in a portion of oily fish and to get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

This easy to make salmon linguine recipe is a great option for a healthy pasta dish. It uses a light yet full flavoured creme fraiche and lemon sauce and contains plenty of good fats and protein from the salmon fillets.

This fuss free pasta dish is quick to get on the table and is a filling but healthy recipe for the family. For more dinner inspiration have a look at my dinner ideas for two.

🥘 Ingredients

To make this salmon and prawn linguine recipe at home you will need:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Fish: If you prefer you can choose something different to salmon. Try with trout, sea bass, tuna or cod. Or alternatively leave out the salmon completely and double up the prawns to make this a prawn linguine.

Prawns: This recipe uses the larger king prawns and cooks them from raw. Alternatively, substitute for cooked king prawns and add these in right at the end of the recipe before serving.

White wine: White wine adds to the flavour of the sauce, however, you can leave this out if you prefer.

Pasta: This recipe uses linguine pasta, but it would also work really well with spaghetti, papardelle or tagliatelle.

Flour: This is not in the ingredients list, but its an option to use if you would like to thicken the sauce. After the creme fraiche is added, check the consistency of the sauce, if you would like it thicker then add in 1 tablespoon flour. Mix the flour with a bit of cold water to create a paste and then pour in to the pan. Heat gently and stir continuously until the sauce thickens.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Start by cooking the linguine according to the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, drain and cool but keep the pasta water to one side for adding to the sauce later.
Next preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Lay the salmon fillets side by side in the centre of a piece of foil and sprinkle over the dried dill.
Wrap the foil loosely around the fish leaving enough room for air to circulate around the fish whilst cooking. This will cook the fish more evenly. Place the foil package on a tray and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Whilst the fish is cooking, start to prepare the sauce. On a medium heat gently fry the chopped garlic and shallots in 1 tablespoon of oil until soft.
Next, add 100ml of white wine to the shallots. Keep the pan on a medium heat and simmer for 30 seconds to allow the wine to reduce a little.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche.
Season the creamy sauce with salt, pepper and lemon juice. At this point check the consistency of the sauce, if you would like it thicker you can add a bit of flour (see further details in the ingredients notes above under 'flour').
Return the pan to a low heat and add the raw prawns. Do not allow the sauce to boil at any point. Gently cook for a minute or so until the prawns start to turn bright pink. Remove the pan from the heat again until the salmon and pasta are ready to be added.
When the salmon is cooked, remove from the oven. Gently flake the salmon with a fork and add to the sauce in the pan. Mix in gently. (Any skin on the salmon should have stuck to the foil during cooking and can now be discarded.)
Next, add the cooked linguine to the pan.
Add one or two ladles of the pasta cooking water and use tongues to mix the pasta into the sauce. Add more pasta water to further loosen the sauce if necessary.
Finally, return the pan to the stove for a final blast of heat (do not boil), then stir through freshly chopped dill and chilli flakes before serving.

💭 Expert tips

Once the linguine has been removed from its cooking pan, set the pasta water to one side until the dish is nearly cooked. At this point check the sauce and add more of the starchy pasta water if necessary. This water will mix with the creme fraiche to create a lovely light sauce which clings to the pasta. The water can be added at any point to help loosen up the sauce and stop it from drying up.
For ease, I use tongues to take the linguine straight out of its cooking water and into the pan. This is quicker and cleaner than draining and also means some of the starchy, cooking water also gets transferred at the same time.
To make your salmon and prawn linguine a little more exciting why not try it with homemade pasta. Making your own pasta is super easy and all you need is eggs and flour.
Prawns are so easy to cook but can very quickly become overcooked. In this recipe the best way to achieve perfectly cooked king prawns is to add them raw to the warm sauce and heat gently for a minute or so. As you add the remaining ingredients and give the dish a final blast of heat the warmth from the sauce will gently cook the prawns to perfection. You known the prawns are done when they start to curl together and become bright pink.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What If theres skin on the fish?

Can this dish be prepared in advance?

This dish is best cooked fresh so that there is no need to reheat any fish. Also the prawns only need a couple of minutes in the pan and will become dry if its cooked for longer or reheated.

Can you freeze this recipe?

I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish as its not advisable to cook, freeze and then reheat prawns. Also pasta tends to not freeze well.

🍝 Other pasta recipes

🦐 Other fish recipes

📖 Recipe

Salmon and Prawn Linguine Recipe

Course Main Course, starter or main

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 725kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

150 g dried linguine
2 boneless salmon fillets
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon oil
2 garlic cloves finely chopped or minced
2 banana shallots finely chopped
100 ml white wine
150 ml creme fraiche
150 g raw king prawns
Half lemon juiced
Few sprigs of fresh dill optional
Sprinkle of chilli flakes optional
Lemon wedges to serve

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Start by cooking the linguine according to the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, drain and cool but keep the pasta water to one side for adding to the sauce later.
Next preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Lay the salmon fillets side by side in the centre of a piece of foil and sprinkle over the dried dill.
Wrap the foil loosely around the fish leaving enough room for air to circulate around the fish whilst cooking. This will cook the fish more evenly. Place the foil package on a tray and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Whilst the fish is cooking, start to prepare the sauce. On a medium heat gently fry the chopped garlic and shallots in 1 tablespoon of oil until soft.
Next, add 100ml of white wine to the shallots. Keep the pan on a medium heat and simmer for 30 seconds to allow the wine to reduce a little.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche.
Season the creamy sauce with salt, pepper and lemon juice. At this point check the consistency of the sauce, if you would like it thicker you can add a bit of flour (see further details in the notes below under 'flour').
Return the pan to a low heat and add the raw prawns. Do not allow the sauce to boil at any point. Gently cook for a minute or so until the prawns start to turn bright pink. Remove the pan from the heat again until the salmon and pasta are ready to be added.
When the salmon is cooked, remove from the oven. Gently flake the salmon with a fork and add to the sauce in the pan. Mix in gently. (Any skin on the salmon should have stuck to the foil during cooking and can now be discarded.)
Next, add the cooked linguine to the pan.
Add one or two ladles of the pasta cooking water and use tongues to mix the pasta into the sauce. Add more pasta water to further loosen the sauce if necessary.
Finally, return the pan to the stove for a final blast of heat (do not boil), then stir through freshly chopped dill and chilli flakes before serving.

Notes

Prawns: This recipe uses the larger king prawns and cooks them from raw. Alternatively, substitute for cooked king prawns and add these in right at the end of the recipe before serving

White wine: White wine adds to the flavour of the sauce, however, you can leave this out if you prefer.

Pasta: This recipe uses linguine pasta, but it would also work really well with spaghetti, papardelle or tagliatelle.

Expert tips:

Once the linguine has been removed from its cooking pan, set the pasta water to one side until the dish is nearly cooked. At this point check the sauce and add more of the starchy pasta water if necessary. This water will mix with the creme fraiche to create a lovely light sauce which clings to the pasta. The water can be added at any point to help loosen up the sauce and stop it from drying up.
For ease, I use tongues to take the linguine straight out of its cooking water and into the pan. This is quicker and cleaner than draining and also means some of the starchy, cooking water also gets transferred at the same time.
To make your salmon and prawn linguine a little more exciting why not try it with homemade pasta. Making your own pasta is super easy and all you need is eggs and flour.
Prawns are so easy to cook but can very quickly become overcooked. In this recipe the best way to achieve perfectly cooked king prawns is to add them raw to the warm sauce and heat gently for a minute or so. As you add the remaining ingredients and give the dish a final blast of heat the warmth from the sauce will gently cook the prawns to perfection. You known the prawns are done when they start to curl together and become bright pink.

Nutrition

The post Salmon and Prawn Linguine appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta (Step-by-Step Guide + Video)

Debbie Jones — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 20:49:09 +0000

Creamy mushroom pasta is a one pan pasta recipe with white wine cream sauce, chestnut mushrooms, fresh parsley, and parmesan cheese! Try this vegetarian pasta recipe for lunch or dinner.

Creamy mushroom pasta

This easy mushroom pasta is for the evenings when we require nothing more than a scrumptious bowl of creamy pasta. Its for the evenings when cooking is not high on the agenda and one pot dishes like easy pea pasta, healthy salmon and prawn linguine or spicy cajun chicken pasta are the answer to all our dinner questions.

Creamy mushroom pasta is as easy to make as it gets. The mouth-watering combination of chestnut mushrooms with white wine cream sauce, creme fraiche and parmesan makes this dish a real crowd pleaser.

For something a little meatier, try this equally as creamy fettuccini alfredo with chicken with homemade alfredo sauce recipe.

Creamy mushroom pasta ingredients

To make this mushroom pasta with cream sauce, you will need:

Butter
Finely chopped onion
Garlic clove
Plain flour
Chestnut/shiitake mushrooms (or other type of mushrooms)
White wine
Semi skimmed milk
Parmesan (or other choice of hard cheese)
Spaghetti (or other pasta)
Dijon mustard (optional)
Creme Fraiche
Freshly chopped parsley

Creamy mushroom sauce

To make the ultimate creamy mushroom sauce, you will first need to make a soft and silky white sauce.

This requires 5 minutes of patience to slowly combine butter, flour and milk, and gently cook until thick and creamy. Making this sauce extra special and full of flavour requires some key ingredients, which pair fantastically well with the chestnut mushrooms.

The first is a few good glugs of white wine, which creates an incredible scent of pears and apples as soon as it hits the hot pan. Cook the wine gently for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to burn off before the milk is added.

Towards the end of cooking, the parmesan, dijon mustard and creme fraiche are stirred into the sauce to ensure a full flavoured, creamy and satisfying finish to the dish. White wine cream sauce adds so much flavour to this mushroom pasta recipe.

How to make creamy mushroom pasta

To make this simple pasta recipe, follow these steps:

In large pan melt butter and fry garlic and onions until soft.
Then add the mushrooms and cook for further 2 minutes
Add flour and stir in before adding a splash of white wine and the gradually adding milk. Stir until the white wine cream sauce starts to to thicken
Next add parmesan, dijon mustard, creme fraiche and seasoning to the sauce and stir in well.
Finally add cooked spaghetti and stir to coat in the sauce, then top with extra parmesan and fresh parsley.

What to serve with this recipe

The best thing to serve with this creamy pasta recipe is warm sprouted grain bread, perfect for dunking and mopping up the mushroom sauce. You could also pair this dish with a side of garlic parmesan roasted carrots or a fresh vegetable salad with creamy balsamic dressing.

And, for an extra special treat, why not make this mushroom pasta recipe with your own homemade pasta?

What else can I cook with mushrooms?

Love mushrooms? Try this simple, yet incredible Hungarian mushroom soup. Or try this amazing truffle linguine dish and find out where you can buy fabulously, authentic truffle paste, straight from Italy. For more dinner inspiration check out my dinner ideas for two collection.

📖 Recipe

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Creamy mushroom pasta cooked in one pan with a white wine cream sauce, served with fresh parsley and grated parmesan.

Course Dinner, evening meal, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 734.1kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

15 g Butter
1 Onion finely chopped 100g
1 Garlic clove finely chopped
2 tablespoon Plain flour
300 g Chestnut/shiitake mushrooms or other type of mushrooms
100 ml White wine
300 ml semi skimmed milk
30 g Grated parmesan or other choice of hard cheese
300 g Uncooked Spaghetti 580g cooked
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard optional
1 tablespoon Creme Fraiche
30 g Freshly chopped parsley handful

Instructions

In large pan melt butter and gently fry garlic and onions until soft. Add mushrooms and stir fry for further 2 minutes or until just starting to soften.
Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and stir in well. Some flour may start to stick to the base of the pan at this point.
Next add the wine and scrape up any bits of flour. As the wine reduces it will mix with the flour and start to thicken.
As the wine thickens start to add the milk a little at a time whilst continually staring. The gradual additions of milk and continual stirring will prevent any lumps forming and will create a silky smooth white sauce.
Once all the milk is added continue to stir and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes to ensure the flour is cooked out and the sauce is fully thickened.
Next add parmesan, dijon mustard, creme fraiche and seasoning to the sauce and stir in well.
Finally add cooked spaghetti and stir to coat in the sauce, then top with extra parmesan and fresh parsley.

Video

Notes

Click here to see traffic light Nutritional info for this recipe

Nutrition

I first shared this Creamy mushroom pasta recipe on the Sunday Supper Movement site, where I am a contributor.

PIN FOR LATER

The post Creamy Mushroom Pasta (Step-by-Step Guide + Video) appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Turkey Meatballs with Moroccan Couscous

Debbie Jones — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 01:57:58 +0000

Turkey Meatballs in an aromatic Moroccan sauce with roasted veg and giant couscous salad

Healthy Turkey Meatballs in a Moroccan meatballs sauce is definitely one of the best ways to enjoy minced turkey. The fact that its high in protein and low in fat is just an added bonus, because these amazing meatballs in this delicious Moroccan sauce taste incredible. A good helping of meatballs and giant couscous contains less than 500kcal, under 2g of saturates, and 2 portions of veggies.

For another Moroccan twist on the nutritious turkey why not check out my Slow Cooker Turkey Tagine?

Meatball sauce

I just love Moroccan Tagine flavours, all that warm, rich, sweet flavour, with prunes and root veggies, and yummy couscous on the side. Its all so moreish and wonderful. For my Moroccan style meatball sauce I use chicken stock, passata, ras el hanout paste, ginger and mixed spice.

A bonus about this dish is that the Moroccan sauce is separate and so its up to you whether the whole lot goes all over the meatballs, or of its drizzled on top of the couscous, or if its kept to the side as a dip.

Personally, I prefer the whole lot poured all over the meatballs with a bit of creme fraiche on the side.

Turkey Meatballs with Moroccan Couscous recipe ingredients

The ingredients you will need to make this recipe are:

For the Cous Cous Salad

150g courgette diced
150g aubergine diced
100g red onion
210g tinned chickpeas (130g drained)
drizzle of oil
black pepper
170g giant cous cous
250ml chicken stock

For the meatballs

500g minced turkey
1 medium egg whisked
40g breadcrumbs
130g pitted prunes roughly chopped
200ml passata
200ml chicken stock
4 teaspoon ras el hanout paste
0.5 teaspoon ginger
0.5 teaspoon mixed spice

How to make Turkey Meatballs

In a large bowl mix together the turkey mince, egg, prunes and breadcrumbs.
Use your hands to form small meatballs from the turkey mixture. Place shaped meatballs onto the large plate.
Place a griddle pan on a high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.
Gently transfer the meatballs to the heat pan and brown all over - turn the meatballs to give an even colouring
For the sauce add the stock, passata, ras el hanout paste, ginger and mixed spice to a small bowl or jug - mix together well and then pour over the meatballs
Add the Place a lid over the meatball pan and simmer them in the sauce for a good 10 minutes. Ensure meatballs are cooked through (nice a firm) before serving.

How do you keep meatballs from falling apart?

The key to making your meatballs hold together is the egg and the breadcrumbs. The egg and the breadcrumbs combine to bind the meatballs but too many breadcrumbs can dry the meatballs too much and cause the to break. The breadcrumbs should be added to a meatball mix until it can be shaped without feeling too soggy. When these meatballs are browned you should have achieved the Best Turkey Meatballs!

Can you cook meatballs from frozen?

The meatballs in this recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen for a quick evening meal any day of the week. Meatballs should be cooked in the sauce and then cooled and frozen immediately.

The meatballs will keep in the freezer for around 3 months but should be consumed sooner if possible.

Defrost the meatballs and reheat in a pan or a wok until piping hot throughout. serve and enjoy.

The couscous is a really simple salad, which is the perfect accompaniment to these Moroccan meatballs. The veg and chickpeas are roasted in the oven, whilst the giant couscous simmers on the hob. When ready, just mix together and serve.

Absolutely stunning - I could eat these Moroccan meatballs all day long.

📖 Recipe

Turkey Meatballs with Moroccan Couscous

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Moroccan

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 495kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

For the Cous Cous Salad

150 g Courgette diced
150 g aubergine diced
100 g red onion
210 g tinned chickpeas 130g drained
Drizzle of oil
Black pepper
170 g Giant CousCous I used Merchant Gourmets giant couscous
250 ml chicken stock

For the meatballs

500 g minced Turkey
1 medium egg whisked
40 g breadcrumbs
130 g pitted prunes roughly chopped
200 ml passata
200 ml chicken stock
4 teaspoon Ras el hanout paste available in most supermarkets
0.5 teaspoon ginger
0.5 teaspoon mixed spice

Instructions

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C

For the Couscous Salad

Place the diced courgette, aubergine, red onion and chickpeas into a large bowl. Add the oil and pepper then mix together well ensuring the vegetables are well coated with the oil. Next transfer the veggies onto a baking tray and spread out. Place the tray in the centre of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check half way and turn with a spatula.
Meanwhile place the couscous in a small saucepan add the stock, cover with a lid and then place on a medium heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the pan off the heat and leave to stand with the lid on for at least 5 minutes. drain off any water still remaining and then fluff the couscous with a fork.
Once the veggies are cooked remove from the oven and mix in with the cooked couscous - set to one side ready to serve later on.

For the meatballs

In a large bowl mix together the turkey mince, egg, prunes and breadcrumbs. Place a large empty plate or tray at the side of the bowl.use your hands to form small meatballs from the turkey mixture. Place shaped meatballs onto the large plate. Once all the turkey has been made into meatballs place a large frying pan or griddle pan on a high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Gently transfer the meatballs to the heat pan and brown all over - use tongues to constantly turn the meatballs to give an even colouring all over. Remove from the heat.
Next add the stock, passata, ras el hanout paste, ginger and mixed spice to a small bowl or jug - mix together well and then pour over the meatballs (hold back some of the sauce and heat separately if you would like some for the couscous or some to use as dip). Place a lid over the meatball pan and simmer them in the sauce for a good 10 minutes. Ensure meatballs are cooked through (nice a firm) before serving.
Serve the meatballs alongside the couscous salad with chopped parsley and creme fraiche.

Video

Notes

click here for traffic light nutritional info for this recipe

Nutrition

The post Turkey Meatballs with Moroccan Couscous appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Pea Pasta

Debbie Jones — Sun, 16 Sep 2018 17:41:15 +0000

Pea pasta is a simple summer spaghetti tossed in pea pesto and served with freshly grated parmesan and basil leaves.

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🥗 Peas

I do love peas - they are such an easy veg to cook with. The fact that they store so easily and cook up so quickly, means that its rare to ever be with out some green veggies for the side of our plates.

But every now and again I do like to make the little pea the star of the show like in this gorgeous pea pesto pasta. Pea soup is another great way to show off the humble pea. Its usually best when paired with a salty ingredient like in pea and ham soup or pea and samphire soup - so full of goodness and flavour 🙂

🍜 Pasta with a pea puree pesto

We usually have a glut of peas up at the allotment in the summer and pea soup isn't necessarily the best option when the weather is warm (although pea soup is also great served cold!). However, another great recipe option for the wonderful petit pois, instead of soup, is pea pasta made with a creamy pea pesto.

To make the pea pesto I simply pureed peas with garlic, fresh basil and some grated parmesan. This is a perfect sauce for stirring through some al dente spaghetti to create this a lovely vibrant dish of green pea pasta. The perfect dish for those long summer evenings. For a pasta dish thats a little more traditional but still has that summer vibe, try my salmon and prawn linguine.

🥘 What you will need to make this recipe

Full ingredients & recipe instructions in recipe card below: JUMP TO RECIPE

To make pea pesto pasta for 4 people you will need the following ingredients

For the pasta:

350 g dried spaghetti
200 ml Boiling water
1 tsp salt for the water

For the pea pesto:

½ tbsp olive oil
150 g Onion roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
400 ml of boiling water
400 g of frozen peas or 500g fresh podded peas (300g with pods removed)
Handful fresh basil leaves
15 g grated Parmesan (or vegetarian cheese for a veggie option)
Pinch of Sea salt and black pepper
Extra basil leaves, parmesan and olive oil to serve (optional)

🔪 Instructions

Cook the spaghetti or preferred type of pasta in salted water and according to the packet instructions.
Whilst the spaghetti is cooking place a large pan on a medium heat. Add the oil, chopped onions and garlic then fry until soft. Next pour in the boiling water and add the peas. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.
Blend the onion and pea mixture whilst still in the pan using a hand blender or transfer to a blender machine. Blend until smooth. Next add the grated parmesan, salt and pepper and mix in well.
Drain the cooked pasta and transfer to the pea pesto. Toss together well then serve with extra parmesan, basil leaves and a drizzle of oil.

📖 Pesto recipes

Making pesto at home is super easy and you can even experiment with the ingredients to come up with your own favourite pesto recipe and then mix with pasta for a super quick evening meal. In general a standard basil pesto usual contains a cheese (usually parmesan), a nut (usually pine nuts), and a veg or fresh herb (usually basil).

In this pea pasta recipe I have replaced the basil with peas and left out the nuts. Another idea is to use celery like in this celery, apple and walnut pesto. Of course, there is also plenty of jarred pesto options available in the supermarkets, which is really handy for midweek dinners. I usually have a jar in the cupboard ready for making chicken and broccoli with pesto quinoa or for a simple chicken pesto pasta.

⏲️ Cooking time

Meals that take an age to prepare and cook are just not practical during the week. From pod to plate this pea pasta recipe takes just 30 minutes to make. To make it even more efficient the pea pesto can be prepared in advance (refrigerate or freeze!).

💭 Recipe tip

Save some of your pasta cooking water. Then, if you find that your pea pesto is too thick to evenly toss through the cooked pasta, add a couple of ladles of the pasta water to help loosen and combine. The starch in the water, left over from the pasta, will also ensure that the pesto doesn't become too watery.

Let me know what you think of this pea pesto pasta recipe by leaving and comment and rating below! You can also save pea pesto pasta on Pinterest: pea pesto pasta.

📖 Recipe

📋 Pea Pasta

Simple summer spaghetti tossed in pea puree pesto and served with freshly grated parmesan and basil leaves

Course Main Course

Cuisine British, Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 412kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

For the spaghetti:

350 g dried spaghetti
200 ml Boiling water
1 teaspoon salt for the water

For the pea purée:

½ tablespoon olive oil
150 g Onion roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
400 ml of boiling water
400 g of frozen peas or 500g fresh podded peas (300g with pods removed)
Handful fresh basil leaves
15 g grated Parmesan (or vegetarian cheese for a veggie option)
Pinch of Sea salt and black pepper

To serve:

Extra fresh basil leaves, Parmesan and olive oil

Instructions

Start by cooking the spaghetti in salted water and according to the packet instructions.
Whilst the spaghetti is cooking place a large pan on a medium heat. Add the oil, chopped onions and garlic then fry until soft. Next pour in the boiling water and add the peas. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.
Blend the onion and pea mixture whilst still in the pan using a hand blender or transfer to a blender machine. Blend until smooth. Next add the grated parmesan, salt and pepper and mix in well.
Drain the cooked spaghetti and transfer to the pea puree. Toss together well then serve with extra parmesan, basil leaves and a drizzle of oil.

Notes

Recipe tip:

Save some of your pasta cooking water. Then, if you find that your pesto is too thick to evenly toss through the cooked pasta, add a couple of ladles of the pasta water to help loosen and combine. The starch in the water, left over from the pasta, will also ensure that the pesto doesn't become too watery.

Nutrition

The post Pea Pasta appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Italian Style Slow Cooker Ragu

Debbie Jones — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 18:29:53 +0000

Finally I've got around to posting my slow cooker Ragu recipe. I love a rich, tomatoey, Italian style Ragu, served with tagliatelle, fresh basil and a good helping of parmesan - you just can't beat it!

As a child, spag bol was always my most favourite meal. Any time I was asked what I wanted to eat, be that at home or out in a restaurant, the answer would undoubtedly be spaghetti bolognaise. Although there was no beating my mothers bolognaise.

Over the years, my own version of spag bol has of course been hugely influence by my mums recipe. However, with many trips to Italy now under my belt and a few cookery classes taken along the way. My approach to a bolognaise has definitely changed and I now incorporate alot more of the traditional Italian methods.

(If you're interested in making your own pasta from scratch have a look at my pasta guide and video.)

Bolognaise or Ragu, that is the question!

So the first thing to mention about this recipe is that its not strictly a Bolognaise. It is actually a Ragu. Although, the British take on a Bolognaise is always the same and is generally mince meat in a tomato sauce. But any Italian will tell you that if the sauce contains tomatoes then the dish is most definitely a Ragu. The traditional Italian Bolognaise contains no tomatoes but is made with stock instead. So thats that.

The Ragu recipe

I like to have plenty going on in my slow cooker Ragu, so as well as a couple of good quality tinned tomatoes, I like to add celery, carrots and mushrooms. When Ben and I visit Bologna in Northern Italy, we attended a cookery day at CIBO cookery school, where I learnt how to make a proper Italian Bolognaise and Ragu. Both recipes included finely chopping the carrots, celery and onion. All had to be chopped into tiny cubes, which were roughly the same size in order to promote even cooking.

So now, my Ragu is one big mix of what my mum always made and the traditional Italian recipe.

And I really rather like it.

Ragu in the slow cooker

This last week I've been using my slow cooker every day. This was part of my 6 week reboot challenge, which you can read more about here. Last week was week 2 of the reboot and my challenge for the week was to try out the slow cooker and use it every day for our evening meals. You can read about how I got on here. The up shot of this was that I made a lot of amazing food and so I'm really excited to share all of these new recipes. The slow cooker Ragu was the first recipe that got made at the start of the week and it was a massive hit.

So the below recipe is for a slow cooker, but if you don't have a slow cooker it should work out just as good if you pop it in a low oven in an casserole dish. If youre after a ragu with a twist have a look at my salami and pork ragu.

Of course this recipe is best served with homemade fresh tagliatelle. But for convenience, shop bought pasta does the job just fine.

Nutritional information for this recipe>>

**Estimated nutritional information per serving and per 100g of Ragu without pasta or toppings. If you want to find out more about how the information is calculated and the sources used, please refer to my Nutrition Information Guide.

📖 Recipe

Italian Style Slow Cooker Ragu

A lusciously, rich, tomatoey Ragu, prepared over several hours in the slow cooker. Served with a mound of tagliatelle, fresh basil and parmesan

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 4

Calories 257kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Ingredients

750 g lean mince beef
Salt and pepper to season
2 medium onions 250g finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried basil
250 ml of full bodied Italian red wine
3 tablespoon tomato puree
2 bay leaves
1 star anise
3 celery sticks 150g finely chopped
3 small carrots 130g finely chopped
175 g chestnut mushrooms quartered
2 tins of good quality plum tomatoes San Marzano tomatoes, if available

Extras:

Fresh basil
Parmesan
Tagliatelle or preferred pasta

Instructions

If using a sear and stew slow cooker, use the dish from the slow cook to prepare the first part of this recipe. If your slow cooker doesn't have the option to be used on the hob or if you aren't using a slow cooker, then use a large pan or wok.
Place your large pan or slower cooker dish on a medium heat on the hob. Season the mince with salt and pepper then gently brown off in the pre-heated pan. Add the onion, garlic, marjoram and basil to the meat, mix well and cook for a further minute.
Take the pan off the heat and add the wine, tomato puree, bay leaves, and star anise, then mix well. Finally, add the vegetables and tinned tomatoes and mix again. If you can, roughly chop the plum tomatoes in half or into 3 using your mixing spoon. This releases the juices into the sauce and also creates more manageable chunks of tomato.
If using a sear and stew slow cooker, you can now place the dish and its contents back into the slow cooker and pop on the lid. Set to medium and leave to cook for 4-6 hours. If you want a longer cooking time, set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours.
Alternatively, transfer your Ragu to your slow cooker or to an oven proof casserole dish with lid. If using a casserole dish; pre-heat your oven to 150 degrees and cook for 3-4 hours. Check and stir after 2 hours - alter oven temp if you feel necessary, before returning to the oven to cook for the remaining time.
After the required cooking time is up, check your Ragu and taste. Season if required. If the consistency appears to thin, turn your slow cooker to high and cook for a further 20-30 minutes with the lid off.
Serve with tagliatelle and top with fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 430g | Calories: 257kcal | Fat: 5.8g

The post Italian Style Slow Cooker Ragu appeared first on ProperFoodie.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Debbie Jones — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 08:19:59 +0000

AD FEATURE FOR BELAZU. Chicken pesto pasta is an easy one-pan pasta recipe made with just 5 ingredients. The creamy pesto sauce that smothers this pasta recipe is made by simply combining Belazu Genovese pesto with a few spoonfuls of creme fraiche - easy and delicious.

Easy creamy pasta

Chicken pesto pasta is a super quick and really easy, one-pan, pesto pasta recipe with just five ingredients! Its great for those occasions when you've had a long day and have no time or inclination to cook. You can literally throw this dish together in 15 minutes and you know it will taste great and fill you up.

A creamy pasta recipe is also the best thing to come home to when you're tired and hungry and its definitely one of my favourite comfort foods. Plus a pesto pasta recipe is always so reliable as I nearly always have both of these ingredients in my cupboard. When I'm super hungry and in need of some really creamy pasta I just can't resist a creamy mushroom pasta or a creamy spiced cajun chicken pasta. There are also occasions when I want something a little lighter and so I like to rustle up a rustic pea pasta or a healthy salmon and prawn linguine with spiralized courgette..

What pasta is best with pesto?

Shorter pasta shapes like shells, penne or bow tie pasta are perfect for pesto. They can hold the sauce and they also stir together without to much fuss. That said, most pasta will go well with pesto. So if you happen to have spaghetti or tagliatelle to hand then this will also work perfectly well. In this recipe I have used tagliatelle, which does require a bit more care when tossing together with the creamy pesto sauce. But this usually works best with a ladle of pasta water added to help loosen the sauce. Its also important to have enough sauce, which will fully coat the pasta.

If you have a little extra time and want to make this dish extra special then you could make your own homemade pasta! It makes for a much better taste and texture.

Can you just add pesto to pasta?

This recipe is all about simple, quick cooking, which is made possible with ready made pesto. Pesto is ready straight out of the jar, so can just be spooned straight into your cooked pasta. Pesto can also be eaten cold and makes for a great pesto pasta salad. The pesto I have used in this recipe is Belazu Genovese pesto, which uses traditional recipe ingredients of Italian basil, aged PDO Parmigiano Reggiano and pine kernels. - Amazing!!

What ingredients do I need to make chicken pesto pasta?

For this really easy recipe you will need just 5 ingredients. Plus a bit of oil for cooking and some fresh parsley for a topping:

Onion
Chicken breast
Belazu Genovese pesto
Creme fraiche
Pasta

How to make chicken pesto pasta

Start by placing the tagliatelle in a pan with boiling water. Cook according to the instructions or for 7-8 minutes for dried or 2-3 minutes for fresh pasta.
Whilst the pasta is cooking place a large pan on a medium heat. Then fry 1 chopped onion until soft.
Next add cubed pieces of chicken breast to the pan. Continue to cook until the meat is sealed all over.
Keep the heat on medium and add a large tablespoon full of Genovese pesto and stir in well
Next turn the heat to low and add a tablespoon of creme fraiche.
When the pasta is cooked transfer from the water to the chicken pesto pan. Add a ladle full of the pasta water as well to help loosen the sauce. Then toss together until the pasta is well coated with the pesto.
Sprinkle over some freshly chopped parsley and then serve topped with extra pesto and creme fraiche.

Is pesto sauce bad for you?

Most of the calories in pesto come from fat. However, the fat provided by the pine nuts in pesto is mainly good fat (mono unsaturated and poly unsaturated fatty acids). Theses fats help to keep our hearts healthy. Pine nuts are also a good source of protein and fibre. The fat coming from the cheese is mainly saturated fats, which are the unhealthy type and should be consumed in moderation. As a complete recipe chicken pesto pasta is a good source of healthy fats, is high in protein, a good source of energy, and provides plenty of micronutrients such as potassium, vitamin A and vitamin K.

What goes well with chicken pesto?

As pesto is made with basil its safe to assume that serving this dish with fresh basil leaves would work rather well. In this recipe I went with fresh parsley, which has a slight bitter taste and so brightens the flavour of the creme fraiche and pesto.

Pesto originates from the province of genoa region in Italy, where they grow basil and have pesto on and with everything. - so go crazy if you like and put your pesto with whatever you fancy - fish, risotto, sandwiches, lasagna - the options are endless.

Can you bake chicken with pesto?

Yes you can bake chicken with pesto. Just transfer the cooked pasta recipe to a baking dish. Then sprinkle over some grated parmesan and some breadcrumbs for extra crunch. Then bake in the oven for 20 minutes for a lovely chicken pesto pasta bake.

📖 Recipe

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Chicken pesto pasta is an easy one-pan pasta recipe made with just 5 ingredients. The creamy pesto sauce that smothers this pasta recipe is made by simply combining Belazu Genovese pesto with a few spoonfuls of creme fraiche - easy and delicious.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings people

Calories 707.3kcal

Author By: Debbie Jones

Cost £5.50 per portion

Equipment

Large pan for chicken pesto
Medium pan for pasta

Ingredients

½ tablespoon Oil for cooking onions
1 Onion 120g
2 Chicken breast 500g
1-2 tablespoon Genovese pesto
1-2 tablespoon Creme fraiche
200 g dried Pasta
Handful of parsley to serve optional
Extra pesto and creme fraiche to serve optional

Instructions

Start by placing the tagliatelle in a pan with boiling water. Cook according to the instructions, until al dente. Or for 7-8 minutes if dried pasta or 2-3 minutes if fresh pasta.
Whilst the pasta is cooking place a large pan on a medium heat and then fry 1 chopped onion in a little oil, until soft.
Next add cubed pieces of chicken breast to the pan and continue to cook until the meat is sealed all over.
Keep the heat on medium and add a large tablespoon full of Genovese pesto and stir in well 
Next turn the heat to low and add a tablespoon of creme fraiche. Check the amount of the pesto sauce - if you would like more add another tablespoon of both the pesto and creme fraiche.
When the pasta is cooked transfer from the water to the chicken pesto pan. Add a ladle full of the pasta water as well to help loosen the sauce and then toss together until the pasta is well coated with the pesto.
Sprinkle over some freshly chopped parsley and then serve topped with extra pesto and creme fraiche.

Video

Notes

Click here to view the traffic light Nutritional info chicken pesto pasta

Recipe tip:

Add a ladle full of starchy pasta water to the pan before serving. This will loosen the sauce, whilst keeping it silky smooth.

Can you bake chicken with pesto?

Yes you can bake chicken with pesto. Just transfer the cooked pasta recipe to a baking dish, sprinkle over some grated parmesan and some breadcrumbs for extra crunch. Then bake in the oven for 20 minutes for a lovely chicken pesto pasta bake.

Fresh pasta

If you have a little extra time and want to make this dish extra special then you could make your own homemade pasta! It makes for a much better taste and texture.

Nutrition

As a complete recipe chicken pesto pasta is a good source of healthy fats, is high in protein and provides plenty of micronutrients

Nutrition

PIN FOR LATER

The post Chicken Pesto Pasta appeared first on ProperFoodie.