wednesday = pasta day

we normally have pasta on Wednesdays..don't know why.  maybe because I finish late of Wednesday and by the time I get home it would be too late to cook rice & dishes. big missy usually goes riding on Wednesday & daddy cant help with cooking.

2 easy pasta dishes I usually make, ready in half hour.

BROCOLLI PESTO PASTA

ingredients :

1. pasta - can be spaghetti or tagliatelli
2. broccoli - cut into small florets
3. 1/2 lemon -
4. button mushrooms - slice
5. olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
6. green pesto sauce - I use ready made Tesco house brand or Sacla   
7. parmesan cheese - grated. (can skip this if u don't have) 

method

• tip pasta in salted boiling water and cook according to packet, drain pasta.
• add broccoli into salted boiling water, cook for 4 minutes or till soft.
• drain & mash broccoli with fork. add pesto sauce to broccoli.
• Stir in the broccoli pesto into pasta, squeeze over the juice of 1⁄2 lemon.
• Pour in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon in the grated Parmesan, toss the pasta well and serve.

note : if you cant get ready made pesto sauce, u can make it from scratch.

ingredients :

1. 50g pine nuts (can get this from cold storage)
2. large bunch of basil  (u can skip this if u r making broccoli pesto - substitute basil with broccoli))
3. 50g parmesan
4. 150ml olive oil 
5. 2 garlic

Heat a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook the pine nuts until golden, shaking occasionally. Put into a food processor with the remaining ingredients and process until smooth, then season.
Pour the pesto into a jar and cover with a little extra oil, then seal and store in the fridge. It will keep in a fridge for up to two weeks.

CREAMY CHEESE &  SMOKED SALMON/SEAFOOD   PASTA

 

 

ingredients

1. pasta - tagliatelli or spaghetti
2. cream cheese - I used Philadelphia garlic & herb
3. smoked salmon - thinly sliced. (can substitute with fresh prawns)
4. button mushrooms - sliced
5. butter
6. olive oil

method :

• tip pasta in salted boiling water and cook according to packet, drain pasta.
• in a pot, melt butter, sauté sliced mushrooms, add in cream cheese and stir gently until cheese has melted.
• add in sliced smoked salmon/fresh prawns.
• stir in boiled pasta, pour in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• toss the pasta well and serve.

if you cant get ready made cream cheese, all you need is cheddar cheese - grate and small tub of single cream.