my recipes

Tagliatelle con Prosciutto     Easy    

Preparation time: 15 mins Cooking time: 20 mins Serves 2

1 tablespoon oil

200g tagliatelle

60g butter

1 onion, sliced

200g oiled ham, diced

250g frozen peas

1 cup dry white wine

1 stock cube

? cup water

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Step 1:

Bring a large pan of water and the oil to the boil. Add tagliatelle and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until firm and tender. Drain, rinse under warm water and drain again. Keep warm.

Step 2:

Heat butter in a pan. Fry onion until soft but not brown. Add ham and peas, and fry for a few minutes without browning. Pour wine over and cook until almost completely evaporated.

Step 3:

Crumble stock cube over top and add water. Bring to the boil. Add hot drained pasta. Serve topped with grated cheese.

*Hint: To vary this dish, you can add 1 cup cream instead of the stock.
 
 

Spaghetti and Meatballs     A little care needed       

Preparation time: 25 mins Cooking time: 50 mins Serves 6

4 tablespoons oil

500g spaghetti

grated parmesan cheese to serve

Sauce Meatballs

1 tablespoon oil ? cup milk

1 small onion, chopped 1 cup soft breadcrumbs

1 x 425g can tomatoes 500g minced steak

4 tablespoons tomato paste 1 small onion, very finely chopped

? cup water 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese fresh parsley

? cup dry red wine pinch black pepper

1 small clove garlic, crushed ? teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

pinch black pepper

Step 1:

To prepare sauce: heat oil in a pan. Add onion and fry until soft. Add remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes until thick, stirring occasionally.

Step 2:

To prepare meatballs: add milk to breadcrumbs and leave for 5 minutes. Combine soaked breadcrumbs with remaining meatball ingredients, mixing lightly but thoroughly. From into balls and brown on all sides in 3 tablespoons hot oil. Add to sauce and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Step 3:

To prepare pasta: bring a large pan of water and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the boil. Add spaghetti and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until firm and tender. Drain, rinse under warm water and drain again. Spoon meatballs and sauce over spaghetti and serve with grated parmesan cheese.

*Hint: You can make soft breadcrumbs by processing bread slices in a food processor until crumbs form. Alternatively, grate stale bread on a fine wire cake rack.