Mediterranean Beef Pasta

Serves: 2
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 225g lean beef, cut into strips
• 200g pasta shapes
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 courgette, chopped
• 100g mushrooms, sliced
• 225g can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• dried mixed herbs

Method

1. In a saucepan or wok, fry the meat and garlic for four to five minutes until browned. You should not need to use any oil.

2. Add the pepper, courgette and mushrooms and stir-fry for two minutes. Stir in chopped tomatoes, ketchup and herbs, and season to taste. Bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes.

3. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain it and stir into the sauce.

Source: NHS UK

Tuna Pasta Bake

Ingredients
4 spring onions or 1 small onion, finely chopped .
2 x 185g tins Tuna
300g pasta
125g each frozen peas and sweetcorn
600ml milk
25g plain flour
25g butter
125g cheese, grated
1 tsp mustard
A squeeze of lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. In a frying pan stir fry the onions for 1-2 minutes in a little oil. Drain the tuna well, and flake into a bowl.

2. Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water for about 15 minutes or until just cooked. Add the frozen peas to the pan 5 minutes before the end of cooking.

3. To make the sauce, place milk, flour and butter in a small saucepan and whisk continuously over medium heat until the sauce begins to boil and thicken.

4. Turn down the heat to its lowest and let the sauce cook for 2 minutes.

5. Add the grated cheese and mustard, keeping a little cheese back for the topping. Season with a little lemon juice.

6. Mix the pasta with the peas, spring onion, tuna and cheese sauce and pour into a lightly oiled ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake in a preheated oven until golden on top, about 25 minutes.
Source: channel4.com

Mexican Pasta

Ingredients:
½ pkt spaghetti of macaroni
2 ltrs water
2 tsp salt
2 tsp oil

Boil together for +- 10 - 15 minutes and empty into colander
Pour cold water over to remove starch
Drain.

Sauce:
250ml fresh cream
1 pun net mushrooms chopped fine
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tsp butter

Combine sauce ingredients
Simmer on low heat for 5 – 10 min

1 onion sliced
1 green pepper sliced
2 Tbsp oil or butter
1 tsp garlic
¼ tsp salt
Tussers or any other white cheese mixed herbs.

Method:
Fry onion and pepper together with oil/ butter, garlic and salt until onions are transparent
Toss together with pasta and sauce
Top with cheese and mixed herbs
Bake at 180 for 10 min or until cheese melts.

Stir Fry Vegetable Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
200g bowtie pasta
1 red pepper, cut in half and pips removed
1 yellow pepper, cut in half and pips removed
6-8 carrots
1 punnet mushrooms
6-8 baby marrows, washed
100g sow peas
100g walnuts halved
100g sun dried tomatoes, cut into strips oil for stir frying

Dressing:
125ml oil
60ml lemon juice
5ml dried mixed herbs
20ml crushed garlic
2 green chillies, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
Prepared the dressing first by whisking all ingredients together. Check seasoning and adjusting to personal taste. Leave aside until required.

Heat oven to 180C. Cook pasta in lots of boiling water until al dente. Rinse well, and drain. Once cooled, place pasta in a large bowl and keep aside.

Rub the skin of the red pepper with a little oil and roast at 180C until skin blisters. Remove from oven and place in a plastic bag to sweat. Once cooled peel the skin off the peppers. Slice peppers into neat strips and keep aside.

Cut carrot into Julienne strips and keep aside. Cut the baby marrows in half length wise and then cut each half at an angle.

Heat a wok or fairly large pan. Add a little oil and stir fry carrots until just soft, they must still retain their shape and colour. Add to pasta and mix. Stir fry mushrooms until just browned. Add to pasta and mix. Stir fry marrows until just soft. Add to pasta and mix. Season with salt. Mix in the sliced peppers, sun dried tomatoes and nuts. Pour the dressing over the warm veggies and pasta and mix through gently.

Place in a decorative bowl and serve at room temperature.