I don’t usually post my supper dishes, particularly if they’re pasta based because I think people might find them a bit boring to read about. However, my recent discovery of foodie event, Presto Pasta, held by Ruth over at Once Upon a Feast, has changed my mind.
Pasta can guarantee you a speedy, nutritious and tasty supper and if you’ve had a busy day, sometimes this is all you want. Pasta dishes just tick all the boxes. And the more inspiration I can get for quick pasta dishes the better, so thanks for inventing this event, Ruth!
Yesterday, I emailed Paul asking him what he wanted for supper. The reply was brief and swift: “Pasta”.
I like it when Paul wants pasta because it generally means we will eat before 6pm. If I choose supper, we’re lucky if we eat before 8pm.
Apart from pasta being quick, it is also a good way of using up the rubbery vegetables shoved to the back of the refrigerator drawer. I remembered that I had a couple of courgettes (or zucchini, if you will) that were well past their ‘freshly picked’ status and a small barrel of organic goats cheese (the spreadable type, not the one with the rind) that was so old that the goat who kindly produced the cheese was probably a proud octogenarian by now.
Aside from these two choice ingredients, some dried up Parmesan, a half empty bag of penne, a mushy onion and a handful of frozen peas also woefully resided in my kitchen. An evil plan started to form in my brain. How about pasta with goats cheese, courgette and frozen peas? All of the necessary food types in one pan!
And any fears I had of this being a little bland were quickly pushed to one side once I tried it. The goats cheese had added its familiar tang to the dish, the courgette chimed in with a yummy green bite, the peas threw in some pop-on-your-tongue sweetness for good luck and some sauteed onions and garlic tied the whole thing together with a big Allium bow.
Pasta can guarantee you a speedy, nutritious and tasty supper and if you’ve had a busy day, sometimes this is all you want. Pasta dishes just tick all the boxes. And the more inspiration I can get for quick pasta dishes the better, so thanks for inventing this event, Ruth!
Yesterday, I emailed Paul asking him what he wanted for supper. The reply was brief and swift: “Pasta”.
I like it when Paul wants pasta because it generally means we will eat before 6pm. If I choose supper, we’re lucky if we eat before 8pm.
Apart from pasta being quick, it is also a good way of using up the rubbery vegetables shoved to the back of the refrigerator drawer. I remembered that I had a couple of courgettes (or zucchini, if you will) that were well past their ‘freshly picked’ status and a small barrel of organic goats cheese (the spreadable type, not the one with the rind) that was so old that the goat who kindly produced the cheese was probably a proud octogenarian by now.
Aside from these two choice ingredients, some dried up Parmesan, a half empty bag of penne, a mushy onion and a handful of frozen peas also woefully resided in my kitchen. An evil plan started to form in my brain. How about pasta with goats cheese, courgette and frozen peas? All of the necessary food types in one pan!
And any fears I had of this being a little bland were quickly pushed to one side once I tried it. The goats cheese had added its familiar tang to the dish, the courgette chimed in with a yummy green bite, the peas threw in some pop-on-your-tongue sweetness for good luck and some sauteed onions and garlic tied the whole thing together with a big Allium bow.
I also have a feeling that this would be a great way to get vegetable loathing children to eat their greens, particularly if you use a fancy, child-friendly shaped pasta, like the bow-ties. You can also omit the goats cheese and use an alternative strong flavoured cheese, like cheddar or just parmesan all the way.
I suppose you could fry up some bacon and add this to the dish but I think it would spoil the herby good-naturedness of the vegetables, turning into something a bit more decadent and, yes, fattening. However, if you are going to run to the dark side and add bacon, then why not stir in some single cream instead of the milk, to make the sauce even more devilishly unctuous?
PENNE WITH COURGETTES, PEAS AND GOATS CHEESE serves 2
Ingredients:
200g Dried Penne (or pasta shapes of your choice)
1 Small Onion, peeled, halved and sliced thinly
1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped
Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Small (150g) Log Goats Cheese, the kind without the rind but with the texture of Boursin or Cream Cheese
1 Courgette (about 200g), topped, tailed and cut into roughly 1cm cubes
50g Frozen Peas
150ml Milk (I used skimmed) or Cream
50ml White Wine (optional but it does add a great dimension to the dish)
Small handful basil leaves, roughly chopped or torn
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan Cheese for Grating
METHOD:
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the cooking liquor. Lightly oil the pasta and place to one side.
Heat the olive oil gently in a sauté pan and cook the sliced onion until soft. Throw in the garlic and cook until fragrant, maybe 30 seconds.
Add the courgette and fry gently until the courgette starts to turn translucent. Season lightly.
Crumble in the goat’s cheese and then add the pasta stirring well to combine.
Pour over the milk, white wine and pasta cooking liquor and bring to a rapid boil. You are aiming for most of the liquid to cook off, leaving a light coating on the pasta. This should take no longer than 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat, taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Stir in the basil leaves.
Serve in large bowls and sprinkle of some grated parmesan.
Apply to face and enjoy!
I suppose you could fry up some bacon and add this to the dish but I think it would spoil the herby good-naturedness of the vegetables, turning into something a bit more decadent and, yes, fattening. However, if you are going to run to the dark side and add bacon, then why not stir in some single cream instead of the milk, to make the sauce even more devilishly unctuous?
PENNE WITH COURGETTES, PEAS AND GOATS CHEESE serves 2Ingredients:
200g Dried Penne (or pasta shapes of your choice)
1 Small Onion, peeled, halved and sliced thinly
1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped
Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Small (150g) Log Goats Cheese, the kind without the rind but with the texture of Boursin or Cream Cheese
1 Courgette (about 200g), topped, tailed and cut into roughly 1cm cubes
50g Frozen Peas
150ml Milk (I used skimmed) or Cream
50ml White Wine (optional but it does add a great dimension to the dish)
Small handful basil leaves, roughly chopped or torn
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan Cheese for Grating
METHOD:
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the cooking liquor. Lightly oil the pasta and place to one side.
Heat the olive oil gently in a sauté pan and cook the sliced onion until soft. Throw in the garlic and cook until fragrant, maybe 30 seconds.
Add the courgette and fry gently until the courgette starts to turn translucent. Season lightly.
Crumble in the goat’s cheese and then add the pasta stirring well to combine.
Pour over the milk, white wine and pasta cooking liquor and bring to a rapid boil. You are aiming for most of the liquid to cook off, leaving a light coating on the pasta. This should take no longer than 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat, taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Stir in the basil leaves.
Serve in large bowls and sprinkle of some grated parmesan.
Apply to face and enjoy!
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