Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 08:56

Buon pasta

Nothing beats a bowl of hot pasta covered in a spicy or creamy sauce to quell the blues on a rainy day. You can bake it into a luscious casserole, toss it with your favourite vegetable or meat sauce, include it in a salad and even use up last night’s leftovers in a frittata the next morning. It’s loved by kids and grownups alike and welcomed at any mealtime. You can buy good quality dried pasta in your local supermarket or prepare it from scratch if you’re a bit of a purist. There’s whole grain pasta, spinach pasta, veggie pasta and gluten free pasta. Make sure you’re buying pasta made from 100 per cent durum wheat semolina, even better if it’s made in Italy. Buon appetito! Penne arrabiata 3 tbs olive oil 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 1 28 oz tin tomatoes salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil ⅓ cup chopped parsley 1 400 gm package of dried penne pasta ½ hot pepper, seeded and chopped ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese ½ cup grated cheddar cheese ¼ cup pitted black olives, not tinned, cut into quarters Heat oil in a large sauté pan add garlic, onion and hot pepper, sauté until fragrant and onion is tender. Puree tomatoes or break into small pieces with a fork. Add to onions in pot. Add salt and black pepper, add half the fresh basil, simmer until sauce has become medium thick. Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil, Add ½ tsp salt and penne, boil until tender and firm about 10 to 12 minutes or according to manufacturer’s directions. Meanwhile place half the tomato sauce into bowl, add drained pasta and toss, add the rest of the sauce and toss well. Add basil, parsley and cheese and toss. Sprinkle olives on top, adjust seasonings. Serves 6 to 8 Pasta norma 1 lb penne pasta 1 medium sized eggplant 1 tsp salt ¼ cup olive oil (more if needed) 1 tbs chopped garlic ½ tsp pepper flakes 1 14 oz tin chopped tomatoes 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper Sea salt to taste Chopped fresh parsley, basil or tarragon Freshly grated Parmesan cheese Boil pasta in plenty of salted water according to package directions. Slice eggplant into ½ inch thick slices and sprinkle salt over slices, leave for 15 minutes, rinse and pat dry. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan, add garlic and pepper flakes, when garlic begins to turn golden add the tomatoes with the juice or sauce. Stir, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings. Now heat the balance of the olive oil in a frying pan, fry eggplant slices until golden brown in colour on both sides. Repeat until all the eggplant has been fried, do not drain on paper towels, simply remove to a plate. Slice the eggplant into strips, add to warmed tomato sauce. Toss pasta with eggplant and tomato. Add fresh herbs and toss. Serve with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Serves 4 Tuna and pasta salad with fresh herbs [caption id="attachment_1187965" align="alignnone" width="768"] Pasta with tuna - Wendy Rahamut[/caption] 200 grams macaroni shells, boiled and drained according to package directions 2 tins chunk light tuna, drained 1 tsp minced garlic 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 medium sized red tomatoes, cut into small wedges ½ cup chopped fresh herbs, chives, parsley, basil and dill Dressing: ¼ cup salad, or any flavoured vinegar ½ cup olive oil 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp Dijon mustard salt and black pepper to taste pinch sugar Combine all salad ingredients except fresh herbs. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and blend well. Pour dressing onto salad ingredients and toss well. Add fresh herbs and serve. If not serving right away, do not add herbs, cover and refrigerate. Add herbs before serving. Serves 6 to 8 Tuscan penne with chicken 12 ozs penne 8 ozs boneless chicken breast cut into ¼-inch slices 1 tsp minced garlic 2 tbs olive oil 2 tbs butter 1 tbs minced garlic 2 tbs all-purpose flour 2 cups milk 1 tsp hot chilli flakes 1 cup diced tomatoes 1 cup grated cheese 2 tbs chopped parsley Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Boil penne in plenty of salted water according to package directions, drain and set aside. Combine the chicken with minced garlic, heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add chicken and cook until pieces are brown. Season with salt and pepper. Remove to plate. Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan, add 1 tbs minced garlic stir, add flour and cook until mixture is somewhat slack in consistency. Add milk and chilli flakes and tomatoes, bring to a boil and cook until thick. Add grated cheese, and stir in chicken. Remove and serve garnished with parsley. Serves 4 to 6 rahamut@gmail.com The post Buon pasta appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.