Pasta – most likely the first thing we all learnt how to cook in food tech back in the day, and it is still keeping us going all these years later…
Pasta is a well-loved dish amongst students, with it being the one dish we can probably all cook! However, how many times can you really switch between cheap supermarket jarred sauces before you get bored? The following new flavour combinations will spice up this classic student dish, for the average student who is fed up of Lidl tomato pasta… because I know am! Some of these recipes require more effort than others, whether it be making a trip to Sainsbury’s or using up another pan, BUT they are so worth it when you make a big batch which can last you up to 3 days!
1) Carbonara
You will now be able to recreate this restaurant classic in the comfort of your own home (well, as comfortable as a kitchen shared between your housemates can be). Firstly, whisk together egg yolks, (you could keep the whites for a healthy omelette), single cream and grated parmesan (it is cheaper to buy a block than finely grated parmesan). In a separate pan, fry off some chunky bacon lardons until they are nice and crispy. Once your pasta has boiled, add both the sauce and the bacon to the pasta and take your pasta off the heat immediately or else the eggs will scramble! Stir together, and sprinkle on some parmesan to finish off. To make this dish vegetarian, you can easily substitute the bacon lardons for chopped courgettes, peas or asparagus.
Top tip: To really amplify this dish you can make your own crunchy croutons to garnish the pasta. This is also a great way to use up your stale bread. Simply cube the bread, including the crusts, lay flat in a baking tray and sprinkle with olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Leave this in the oven until the bread has become golden and crispy.
2) Pasta alla salsiccia (sausage and tomato pasta)
You will need: sausages, olive oil, a tin of chopped tomatoes, a garlic clove, an onion and red wine (which you are bound to have lying around!). Chop up the sausages and fry until brown. Once they are cooked through add a few finely chopped garlic cloves and a finely chopped or grated onion (grating is much easier and faster and saves you the tears) and continue to fry until they soften and have turned golden. Next add the wine (about a glass) and cook for a few minutes until the wine is bubbling and has mostly evaporated.
Add your tinned tomatoes and mix everything together. If you wanted to give the pasta a bit of a kick now is the time to add either chilli sauce, chilli flakes/powder. Leave to simmer for 10-15 mins until the sauce has thickened. Now it is ready to be mixed through with your boiled pasta. A little grated cheese on top (if you have any) and voila!
3) Philadelphia pasta
This is the easiest and quickest recipe of them all – you just have to go to the effort of buying a tub of Philadelphia of your choice (just not the chocolate one!). You will need chopped mushrooms (or any veg of your choice, broccoli works well), grated onion, chopped garlic, and pre-cooked chicken. Fry the mushrooms, garlic and onion and put to one side. Next, drain off your cooked pasta and place the pasta back into the same pan (the heat helps to melt the Philadelphia), then add your mushrooms and Philadelphia, ensuring that you cover all the pasta and mushrooms in the cheesey goodness!
4) The pasta dish real Italians eat (spinach, parmesan and tomato pasta)
This is another simple dish and one for the diet conscious. This dish comes straight from Italy and is a popular choice for Italians on the go; it’s much lighter than the other recipes and is based upon simple subtle flavours!
You will need: parmesan, olive oil, a bag of spinach, chilli flakes, pre-cooked chicken (optional), brown pasta, cherry tomatoes.
Line your strainer with chopped spinach leaves, then pour over your boiled pasta (the steam will cook the spinach). Place the spinach and pasta back into the pan and mix well with olive oil, grated parmesan and the chilli flakes. Now would also be the time to add your chicken. In a separate pan (I know more washing up, but it’s worth it!) on a low heat fry off some cherry tomatoes until they have softened. Gently mash these with a fork and pour over the pasta, and you have made an authentic Italian pasta dish!
I hope these recipes will serve you well, and switch up your ordinary pasta recipes.
Happy eating!
Images used
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/10331033/Three-easy-past…
http://www.wizardrecipes.com/penne-a-la-carbonara/
http://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/pork-mushroom-penne.html
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/spinach-pasta-toss-112862.aspx
http://gmtnation.com/forums/topic/296-official-post-whore-thread/page-946
Edited by Jayde Richards