Seven pasta shapes and how to serve them

There is no doubting the popularity of pasta in the UK, but many people overlook the fact that choosing the right shape makes a big difference to the finished product. It’s important to pair your pasta with the sauce if it’s going to be as good as it can be. Before we get started on our guides, it’s also worth noting these general tips to get the most out of any dish.

• Don’t cook the pasta all the way through. Leave it al dente, drain it, add the sauce and let it cook for a couple minutes further. This cooks some of the sauce directly into the pasta
• Store your shapes in proper pasta packaging to keep it as fresh and delicious as possible
• There is no need to add olive oil when cooking – it is often quoted as a good idea to add oil to stop the individual pasta from sticking together but it won’t actually make any difference
• Do make sure that you salt your water properly, however

Follow these rules and you’ll be ready to start making stunning pasta dishes. So here is our guide to seven of the most popular pasta shapes alongside with advice on what to serve them with.

Tubes

Some of the most popular in the UK, the tube shaped pastas are extremely versatile and typically have ridges which allow them to pick up plenty of the thick sauces that they are paired so well with. However, tubes also worth well with everything from carbonara to a rich ragu. 

• Varieties: penne, rigatoni
• Serve with: thick tomato and vegetable sauces

Long strands

Perhaps the most famous pasta – the humble spaghetti – falls in this category. Like tubes, long strands are a very versatile pasta shape. Spaghetti is, of course, traditionally served with Bolognese (and the Italians would have you mix the sauce and pasta together thoroughly before serving). But you additionally, linguine is traditionally paired with seafood, while the noodle-like vermicelli works well with creamy dishes.

• Varieties: spaghetti, linguine, vermicelli
• Serve with: cream-based sauces or seafood dishes

Ribbons

The ribbon style of pasta are often overlooked in the UK in favour of spaghetti, but they certainly should have a place on your dinner plate. Wider and flatter, ribbons like pappardelle and tagliatelle do a better job of picking up chunky sauces, especially with strong earthy flavours like mushroom and game. They also work especially well with creamy and buttery dishes.

• Varieties: tagliatelle, pappardelle, fettuccine
• Serve with: rich and meaty or creamy sauces

Shells

Shells style pasta like conchiglie are perfectly shaped like cups to hold heavier sauces in place. Any time you are planning to enjoy a chunky vegetable sauce or something with minced meat, shells can be the perfect option. Their shape also lends perfectly to pasta bakes.

• Varieties: conchiglie, lumache
• Serve with: heavy and thick sauces with bite

Spirals

Corkscrew or spiral shaped pasta are another popular variety in the UK, and they come into their own when they are paired with lighter sauces. Anything where the sauce can become caught inside the spiral will provide a very satisfying bite when you come to sample your creation.

• Varieties: fusilli, spirali
• Serve with: lighter and thinner sauces

Speciality

Finally, there are plenty of pasta shapes that are only really used for a single specific purpose: the speciality types. Once again, these are some of the most renowned and loved varieties in UK kitchens. Lasagne sheets may be the oldest type of pasta in existence and we all know how to best utilise them!

• Varieties: lasagne, ravioli
• Serve with: depends on the pasta

Small shapes

Smaller pasta shapes like orzo are underused in the UK. A similar size to rice, they are best put to work providing bite to stews and soups. It makes a big difference from rice or noodles in your soup, so if you have never tried it before, give small pasta a try.

• Varieties: orzo, fregula
• Serve with: stews or soups

featured post

BBQ Mackerel Macaroni Cheese

Well that's it, Christmas is over and done for another year. It sprung itself upon us quickly, and then in the blink of an eye it was gone again, leaving behind it lots and lots of indulgent food, and some bulging waistlines. I can't wait to get back into a healthy eating regime, and was craving a nice big salad all over the festive period. I'm committed to the cause though, and  will be ploughing through the mountain of cheese until the end. If you've got excess cheese in the fridge then a great way to use some of it up is in a macaroni cheese. This isn't something that I make often as not all of the family like it, but when I do I usually use mature cheddar, but most cheeses are suitable, including smoked, spicy or blue. If you want to cut the calories a little then the quantity of cheese can be reduced and replaced with a lower fat version.

In this version I've added some Princes Mackerel fillets in Texas BBQ style sauce, which are a great source of Omega 3 and protein, as well as being a handy product to keep in the pantry to make a quick and easy meal. If you don't fancy making the macaroni cheese from scratch there are some good ready made products out there which can be given extra flavour by adding a can of mackerel fillets in sauce. The fillets are available in a variety of sauces, including Mexican, Hot & Sour, Piri Piri & Brazilian if you fancy spicing your Mac & Cheese up a little!

This recipe would serve 4 people if you're serving it alongside some bread and salad, or 2 people wanting hefty portions. The tortilla chips give it a crunchy topping, but this can be left out or replaced with breadcrumbs (and extra cheese if you're so inclined!)

BBQ Mackerel Macaroni Cheese - serves 4

250g dried or fresh macaroni
50g butter
50g plain flour
600ml milk
150g mature cheddar cheese 
2 x 125g cans of Princes Mackerel fillets in Texas BBQ sauce
handful of cheesy tortilla chips, crushed

• Boil the Macaroni as per directions on the pack
• Add the butter to a pan and stir until melted
• Stir in the flour over a low heat for 2 minutes
• Gradually add the milk, whilst whisking continuously, a little at a time to avoid getting lumps until all the milk has been added
• Bring to the boil and remove from the heat
• Stir in the cooked pasta and the cheese and mix well
• Layer the macaroni and mackerel fillets into a baking dish (or individual dishes)
• Top with the crushed tortilla chips before baking in a preheated 200℃ oven for approx 20 minutes

Serve with a large helping of home made coleslaw

The Princes Mackerel range has a wide selection of flavours inspired by cuisines from all over the world – visit www.princes.co.uk/around-the-world to find out more.

recipe commissioned for Princes

Sardines Two Ways

This is the final week of our 4 week oily fish challenge with Fish is The Dish. For this week I chose to cook with sardines, and bought tins of boneless sardines in tomato sauce. They're not quite the same as fresh sardines but they are very versatile and good for quick and easy meals.

I made the sardine rarebit for myself but it's definitely one that my husband will love, so I will have to put it on the menu for him soon. The pasta bake doesn't really have much fish in for 5 people but I didn't want to make it too fishy and put Sam off, as I wanted him to eat at least one of my fish dishes. The good news is that, despite smelling the fish, and then being able to taste it, he still ate it, AND he liked it!

I've actually quite enjoyed our challenge, and I will definitely be adding more fish to my shopping basket in the future.

Sardine Rarebit - serves 1

95g tin boneless sardines in tomato sauce
few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
handful of grated mature cheddar cheese
crusty bread slices or ciabatta

• Mash the sardines with a fork
• Mix in the worcestershire sauce and cheese (reserving a little for the top)
• Spread over the bread or ciabatta
• Place on a baking tray and bake in a preheated 180C oven for approx 15-20 mins - adding the remaining grated cheese for the last couple of minutes of cooking time

Mexican Sardine Pasta Bake - serves 5

olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
Knorr mexican Flavour Pot
95g tin boneless sardines in tomato sauce
1 red pepper, chopped

400g tin chopped tomatoes

can of baked beans

100g sweetcorn
300g dried pasta
200g half fat creme fraiche
150g mature cheddar cheese, grated

• Heat the olive oil in a pan
• Add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes until softened
• Add the mexican flavour pot, the sardines and pepper
• Cook for a few minutes, adding a little water if necessary to prevent sticking
• Add the tomatoes, beans and sweetcorn
• Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes
• In the meantime, cook the pasta for 10 minutes in lots of boiling water
• Drain the pasts and add to the sauce, mix well
• Pour everything into a large baking dish
• Top with the creme fraiche and then the grated cheese
• Bake in a 200C oven for approx 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling

this post has been commissioned by Fish is The Dish

Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino

With lots of friends jetting off abroad on their holidays at the moment, I can't help wishing that we were going too. We've booked up for next Summer though, so at least we have something to look forward to - only another 365 or so sleeps to go! 

It's not just the sunshine that I'm dreaming of, but also the food, and one of my most favourite dishes that I've enjoyed whilst being on holiday is Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino - Spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chilli. A very simple, yet very tasty dish, which I've recreated here.

Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino - serves 2

200g dried spaghetti
2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 red chilli, thinly sliced
fresh herbs / grated parmesan (optional)

• Cook the spaghetti as per the directions on the pack
• Whilst the spaghetti is cooking add the oil, garlic and chilli to a large frying pan and heat gently over a low heat, ensuring it doesn't burn
• Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it and add to the frying pan
• Toss the spaghetti in the chilli & garlic oil
• Serve immediately with fresh herbs / grated parmesan cheese

This recipe has been entered into a blogger competition organised by The International Currency Exchange. I have been compensated for the cost of ingredients.

Simple Student Pasta

The time has come for my final #RespectThePasta challenge with ASK Italian. This challenge was to involve the kids in something, so I took the opportunity to encourage my teenager to cook his own dinner. I do most, if not all, of the cooking in this house, but I really should encourage them more as they really quite enjoy it when they do.

I jotted down some basic instructions to cook the pasta, add the passata etc, and then left him to it. Twenty minutes later, he proudly presented his bowl of pasta.

Simple Student Pasta - serves 3/4

500g Pasta

500g Passata

1 tsp dried Oregano

Grated cheese

• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the pack, and drain
• Add the passata and herbs to a pan and bring to the boil
• Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked pasta
• Divide between bowls and top with grated cheese to serve

I think this may be a weekly event now, and you never know, he may even make his own pasta one day.

#RespectThePasta Challenges

Challenge 1 - Respect the cook

Challenge 2 - Doing it right

Challenge 3 - Re-respecting the pasta

Challenge 4 - Respect from scratch

Fresh Ravioli with Sausage & Chorizo

In the penultimate #RespectThePasta challenge I have been asked to make ravioli from scratch. I've only ever made pasta from scratch once before, just a few weeks ago, in a lasagne. I rolled it a bit too thin so this time I made sure I left it a little thicker so that it didn't disintegrate completely in the pan.

I went for a simple filling of sausage and chorizo, and a very simple tomato sauce. There was a little of the sausage filling left over from the ravioli which I added to the sauce.

Fresh Ravioli with Sausage & Chorizo - serves 3-4

Pasta
200g '00' flour plus extra for dusting
2 large eggs

Filling
40g Chorizo, finely diced
4 good quality pork sausages

Sauce
glug of Extra Virgin olive oil
onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
handful of fresh basil
salt & pepper

• Make the pasta by stirring the eggs into the flour until it starts to come together
• Knead until smooth & elastic - this will take a while - it will be grainy at first and then smooth. At this point keep on kneading until it becomes more elastic
• Tightly wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes
• In the meantime make the filling by frying the chorizo until the oil starts to come out
• Squeeze the sausagemeat from the casings and add to the pan, breaking the meat up
• Once cooked through set aside whilst you roll the pasta
• I used a Lakeland Pasta Machine to roll my pasta out, but you could do it by hand 
• Cut the dough in half and pass half through the machine until you reach the second to last setting (1-7 on the Lakeland machine). Repeat with the other half.
• Lay a sheet of pasta onto a floured work surface
• Spoon a little of the sausage filling along the pasta sheets in small mounds before placing another sheet on top
• Press the top sheet onto the bottom sheet around the filling to remove any air and seal around the edges
• Using a ravioli cutter cut the squares of ravioli out around the filling
• Leave the ravioli to dry out a little whilst making the sauce
• Add a glug of olive oil to a pan
• Add the onion and garlic and fry for 3 minutes
• Add the tinned tomatoes and half of the chopped basil
• Place a lid on and simmer for around 20 minutes
• Add the rest of the basil and season with salt & pepper
• Put a large pan of salted water on to boil
• Once boiling, add the ravioli (in batches if necessary)
• Boil for 3-4 minutes and spoon out into the sauce, tossing gently
• Serve immediately

I received a ravioli cutter and '00' flour from ASK Italian for the purpose of this challenge

Pork, Chestnut & Cranberry Fusilli - #RespectThePasta

After the first challenge (which was a nice easy one) it was time to get into the kitchen and start cooking some pasta, following a few rules set out by ASK  ambassador, Theo Randall.

DO

• Use lots of boiling, well salted water
• Cook for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions and finish cooking in the sauce with a spoonful of cooking water
• Enjoy immediately in small portions in warm bowls or plates - "pasta waits for no man"

DO NOT

• Tip pasta into a colander to drain it - use tongs or slotted spoon to take pasta out of the water
• Test 'done-ness' by throwing pasta onto the walls
• Use too much sauce - coat the pasta, don't drown it

I decided to make a sauce using some dried cranberries and chestnuts that I had kicking around after Christmas - yes I know it's April, but I had them hidden away and forgot all about them!

Pork, Chestnut & Cranberry Fusilli - serves 4/5

4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 tsp herbs (I used thyme & rosemary), finely chopped

200g cooked chestnuts, chopped

500g pork mince

100g dried cranberries

400g tinned tomatoes

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

150ml red wine

pinch salt & pepper

500g dried fusilli

• Heat the oil in a large pan
• Add the onion and garlic and fry gently for 1 minute
• Add the herbs, chestnuts, pork mince and cranberries, and fry gently until the mince is browned
• Add the tomatoes, worcestershire sauce and red wine
• Stir well, place a lid on and simmer for approx 30 minutes
• Cook the pasta as per the rules above and add to the sauce with some of the cooking water as needed, and stir
• Serve with some chopped herbs on top

Butternut Squash & Hazelnut Spaghetti

We seem to be eating quite a lot of pasta at the moment, whether it be spaghetti, penne or fusilli, I always have a packet or three in the cupboards ready to make a quick family meal. I like to try different flavours, although the kids do prefer a simple tomato sauce or bolognaise and grated cheese.

Myself and the husband really liked this dish, although the kids complained either that they didn't like the nuts or the butternut squash - I will give them that simple tomato sauce next time!

 

Butternut Squash & Hazelnut Spaghetti - serves 4/5

1 medium butternut squash, peeled (reserve the seeds)

3 tbsp Hazelnut oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp dried rosemary

500g dried pasta

handful of roasted hazelnuts, chopped

for the toasted seeds

reserved seeds

hazelnut oil

pinch of sea salt

pinch of dried rosemary

• Dice the butternut squash into 1cm pieces
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan
• Add the butternut squash, garlic & rosemary to the pan and fry gently for 2 minutes
• Place a lid on and cook for 10-15 minutes until the squash is softened but still has a bite
• Cook the spaghetti as per directions on the pack
• In the meantime toss the reserved seeds in a little oil & sprinkle with salt & rosemary
• Lay onto a baking tray and bake in a preheated 180C oven for 8-10 minutes or until crispy
• Once the spaghetti is cooked drain it and add 3 tbsp of the cooking water to the butternut squash
• Toss  the spaghetti into the butternut squash pan with the roasted hazelnuts
• Serve with a few of the toasted seeds on top

This is my entry into the Maison Maille Blogger Challenge - I received a bottle of Maille Hazelnut oil to use in the challenge

Pasta with Broccoli & Peas

I've been trying out the Degustabox surprise boxes now for a few months and have generally been pleased with their contents (apart from a blip in January's box). This month was another pleasing month with many useful items.

The box included the following :

Drink Me Chai Latte Chocolate & Tea Latte

Moma! porridge pots

Mexican Dave's Cheese Nachos

Organico Durum wheat pasta

Tyrells Popcorn sweet & salty

Shaken Udder milkshakes

Schwartz flavour shots

Organico tomato & basil sauce

The kids loved both the porridge pots and milkshakes, I loved the popcorn and wished there was more and we all loved sharing the bag of nachos. I don't normally like cheese nachos as they can sometimes be a bit too cheesy, but these weren't overpowering and were just right. I used the tomato sauce stirred through spaghetti for a quick midweek dinner and the pasta and schwartz flavour shot in the recipe below.

   

This recipe is an adaptation of a delicious sounding (and so much more visually appealing) recipe on Gourmet Mum's blog for Broccoli & Pancetta Pasta.

Pasta with Broccoli & Peas - serves 4/5

500g dried pasta (I used Organico Durum Wheat Penne Pasta)

1 head of broccoli, cut into small pieces

Schwartz Flavour shot - Italian Creamy herb

150g frozen peas, defrosted

Extra Virgin olive oil

• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the pack, adding the broccoli into the pan too
• Drain the pasta & broccoli, reserving some of the cooking water, and fish out the broccoli
• Heat a large pan and add the flavour shot along with a couple of tablespoons of the reserved cooking water, fry gently for a couple of minutes
• Add the broccoli and mash with a potato masher, adding more water & olive oil as required
• Add the peas and cooked pasta and stir through the sauce

If you fancy trying out the Degustabox you can get a £3 discount at the checkout by using the code : EI6QH

Degustabox website

Degustabox Facebook
Degustabox Twitter

I was provided with a Degustabox for the purpose of this review

Salmon Cannelloni

Sadly the six month long Swallow's Recipes for Life challenge on Bangers & Mash is now coming to an end, with this month being the last. I have been lucky enough to win the challenge for the last three months so the pressure is now on. Unfortunately one of the three ingredients for this month isn't a favourite food of mine so I may only manage this one recipe - I've got to give everyone else a fair crack at the whip too of course!

AMENDMENT - apparently I can't count & we still have another challenge for July, yay!! 

Fish and seafood are not something that I eat very often and really have to be in the mood for it so when I heard that one of the ingredients was salmon my heart sank a little. The husband absolutely loves it though, so he was pleased! 

Since receiving some pre-cooked salmon from the Saucy Fish Co a few weeks ago that's how I now like to buy it, although on my latest shopping trip had to opt for some that you need to cook yourself, thankfully in sealed bags that can be cooked in the microwave or oven, without the need for handling the fish.
I've never actually cooked cannelloni before so I thought it would make a nice change to our usual fusilli or penne, although Jack said that it wasn't real pasta.

Salmon Cannelloni - serves 4

1 tbsp Olive oil
1 courgette
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 pre-cooked salmon fillets
250g Ricotta
1/2 tsp Chilli flakes
16 Cannelloni tubes (I used the type that don't need pre-cooking)
300ml Double cream
2 Egg yolks
pinch of cayenne pepper
50g Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan / Grana Padano), grated
100g Mature Cheddar Cheese, grated
Ground black pepper

• Slice the courgette & then slice into strips
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the courgettes & garlic
• Fry on a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until softened, then set aside
• Flake the cooked salmon and mix with the Ricotta, chilli flakes and some ground black pepper
• Stir the courgettes into the salmon mix
• Fill the cannelloni tubes with the filling - the easiest way to do it is to use a piping bag
• Lay the filled cannelloni in a baking dish
• Mix the cream with the egg yolks, cayenne pepper, Pecorino cheese, half of the cheddar and some black pepper
• Pour the cream over the cannelloni and top with remaining cheese
• Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 180 C oven for 25 minutes and uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling

Sausage Pesto Pasta

I often get near tea time and realise that I haven't given what we're going to eat a single thought. This is one of those fail safe recipes that I often fall back on at times like that. It can be whipped up in no time and everyone loves it. I've even been known to cook it for friends after a few drinks in the pub instead of getting a takeaway, as it's quicker, especially if you have sausages already cooked.

It can be made with whatever cooked meat you have really, leftover bbq pork chops or chicken are a favourite, along with roasted peppers, mushrooms and olives. It's a great dish for a family meal or with friends as it can be placed in the centre of the table and everyone can help themselves - I love an excuse to use my lovely big bowl!

This time I used pork & sweet chilli sausages and added fresh tomatoes and baby sweetcorn, because those are the 3 ingredients in the Swallow's Recipes for Life challenge this month. You can read more about the challenge on their website here (where you will see that little ol' me gets a mention) and on Bangers & Mash, who's hosting the challenge.


Sausage Pesto Pasta - serves 4-5

375g dried pasta - I used tricolour fusili
454g Sausages - I used pork & sweet chilli
150g Baby corn, each cut into 3
150g Baby plum toms, halved
75g Red pesto 
Grana Padano or Parmesan to serve

• Cook the sausages in the oven, grill or even barbecue them - I use a cast iron griddle pan - until they're cooked through & browned on the outside
• Boil the pasta as per the directions on the pack, adding the corn 1 minute from the end. I usually cook pasta for around 1-2 minutes less than stated otherwise the it can fall apart.
• Drain the pasta & corn & stir the pesto through it
• Add the tomatoes & sausage & serve with grated Grana Padano or Parmesan

Spice up your leftovers

I had a bowl full of beef stew left over which wasn't enough for everyone as it was so I eeked it out a bit and spiced it up by adding a can of baked beans and a teaspoon of chilli powder.

I then stirred through some cooked pasta and it made 3 generous portions.




What do you do with your leftovers?

Roasted Red Pepper & Prawn Spaghetti

Even though I'm not a fan of fish or seafood I'm a good wife and Mum and do occasionally make something a little fishy to satisfy their desires.

This meal is quick and easy, especially if you prepare the roasted pepper sauce beforehand.

Roasted Red Pepper & Prawn Spaghetti - serves 3/4

120g Red Peppers (I used seedless baby peppers & removed the stalk after roasting)
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 red onion, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Coriander paste
2 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
1 tbsp water
300g Fresh Spaghetti
240g Cooked & peeled King prawns

• Place the peppers, garlic cloves and onion in a roasting pan & drizzle with the olive oil
• Roast in a 200 C oven for 20-25 minutes
• Squeeze the garlic from the skin and blend to a paste along with the peppers, onion, coriander paste, extra virgin olive oil and water

 

•  Put a pan of water to boil for the spaghetti
• When the water has come to a boil place the spaghetti in and boil for 4 minutes
• In the meantime heat the sauce gently in a wok or shallow pan
• Add the prawns and heat through
• Stir in the drained pasta and coat with the sauce

You may wish to add chilli to the sauce, either in the form of fresh chillies which can be roasted along with the peppers, a chilli paste or chilli flakes. 

Pasta Fish Bake

The family is divided on fish, 2 like it, 2 don't (unless it's white & covered in batter & served next to a pile of chips wrapped in paper) and the other one hasn't really decided yet. From time to time I like to please the fish loving pair and thought a fish pie would do the trick. As Candy Crush has pretty much taken over my life I was snowed under with work I opted to use pasta instead of all that faffing with peeling, boiling and mashing of the potatoes.

It did the trick anyway and the fish lovers loved it, the non fish lovers were not so keen on the after smell. Thank heavens for Yankee Candles..

Pasta Fish Bake - Serves 3/4

350g Dried Pasta

355g Mixed Fish (I used haddock, smoked haddock and salmon)

100ml Milk

200g Cream Cheese (low fat onion & chive)

100g Frozen Peas

100g Frozen Sweetcorn

1 tsp Cornflour

Dash of milk

2 Hard boiled Eggs, each cut into 8 pieces

85g Cheddar Cheese, grated

• Put the pasta on to boil as per directions on the pack
• Bring the milk to a boil in a lidded pan (suitable for oven use)
• Add the fish to the milk, turn down heat, place the lid on for 7-8 minutes
• Stir in the cream cheese, peas and sweetcorn
• Mix the cornflour to a paste with the milk and stir into the pan
• Once the pasta is cooked stir it into the pan & add the eggs
• Cover with grated cheese and bake in a 200 C oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until golden brown

Roasted Butternut Squash and Four Cheese Pasta Bake

Most things I make are pretty easy and this is no exception. I didn't plan my meals very well for this week when I went shopping so it was a case of looking in the fridge to see what we have and rustling something up.


I popped the butternut squash in the oven to roast whilst I dropped Hanna off at swimming and by the time I got back it was done. Timings and quantities are not great as I forgot to take note.

Butternut squash
garlic clove, crushed
olive oil
herbs
Pasta
tin of chopped tomatoes
200g cream cheese
200g feta cheese, cubed
100g grated mixed cheddar cheese & mozzarella 

• Cut the squash in half and rub olive oil, crushed garlic and herbs (I used rosemary) all over (including the skin) and place on a baking tray
• Roast in a 200 degree (C) oven for approx 45 mins (until tender)
• Meanwhile cook the pasta
• Cut the squash into bitesize pieces. If the skin isn't tough then there's no need to remove it.
• Drain the pasta and return to the saucepan, add the chopped tomatoes, more herbs (I used oregano) and cream cheese and mix well
• Stir in the butternut squash and pour into a baking dish
• Sprinkle over the cubed feta and grated cheeses
• Bake in a 180 degree (C) oven until the cheese has melted and browned

and don't waste the seeds because you can roast them - just wash them off, dry them and toss them in oil (I used chilli infused extra virgin olive oil) and sprinkle with salt and herbs and spices.

Pasta with Peanut Butter and Bread Sauce

Some time ago I saw a recipe for Spaghetti with peanut butter on The Blue Bear Wood. Today I noticed a tweet about the recipe and I knew that my struggle to decide what to make for dinner tonight was over. It's near the end of the week and our fridge is almost bare but I had all the ingredients apart from the spaghetti, but I did have plenty of Penne instead.


A while ago I made a similar pasta dish using breadcrumbs instead of the peanut butter so this time I thought I would use both to fill it out a bit.


I used :
Olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves
tsp mixed herbs
1 heaped tbsp Crunchy peanut butter
2 slices of bread, blended into crumbs
Can of chopped tomatoes
2 tomatoes, chopped
Penne pasta, cooked

• Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion & garlic and herbs, fry lightly for 2 minutes
• Stir in the peanut butter,breadcrumbs and tinned tomatoes, along with enough boiling water to give your desired consistency, simmer until onions have softened
• Stir in the fresh tomatoes, cook for 2 minutes
• Stir in the freshly cooked Penne and serve with grated Parmesan over

It went down well with most of the family, although Hanna complained that she didn't like the seeds in it (from the bread), but a certain little fussy eater ate the lot!

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake

I have this Aunt, I've mentioned her before on here. She occasionally helps me out with a spot of cooking when I'm in a hurry. This Christmas she helped me out with the sprouts and swede & carrot mash as she knows that I prefer to be drinking fizz enjoying time with the children on Christmas morning rather than peeling and mashing. From time to time she also makes us a lovely lemon meringue pie.


Today my dear Aunt Bessie made a lovely Roasted Vegetable stuffing, which I decided to use in an easy peasy pasta bake. The kids (except Jack) loved it, Sam asked for seconds & wants it again tomorrow. 


You will need:


Aunt Bessies Roasted Vegetable Stuffing Mix
tbsp olive oil
Chopped onions - did you know you can buy these ready chopped & frozen..genius idea!
Sliced Mushrooms - ready sliced & frozen too!
tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
100ml water from the cooked pasta
grated cheese

• Make the stuffing up as per directions on the box

• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions & mushrooms gently

• Add the stuffing and cook for 1 minute

• Add the tinned tomatoes, water and tomato puree, stir until combined

• Mix with the cooked pasta and pour into a large baking dish and cover with grated cheese
• Bake in a 190 degree (C) oven for 15-20 minutes until browned