Vegetarian Pasta Sauces

(All Recipes have Gluten-Free Options)

Courgette, Pea & Ricotta Lasagne (Serves Four)

This lasagne from chef/food writer Nina Parker, is super easy as you don’t have to ‘faff’ around making a béchamel sauce, instead you just whip ricotta with grated cheese.

350g lasagne pasta sheets (gluten-free if required)

For the filling:

3 tbsp olive oil

3 medium courgettes, sliced into 3cm chunks

350g cherry tomatoes, halved

400g tinned chickpeas (1 tsp bicarbonate of soda)

6 garlic cloves, diced

200g frozen peas

Small bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped

2 buffalo mozzarella balls, torn into 3cm pieces.

For the tomato sauce:

2 tins of plum tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, grated,

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tsp sugar,

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional).

For the ricotta sauce:

45g melted butter

150g Grana Padano, plus about 20g extra for grating over the top

500g ricotta cheese,

Lots of grated nutmeg to taste

Zest of 1 lemon and a small squeeze of juice,

Salt + pepper

170ml whole milk

Extra olive oil and grated cheese for the topping

Grease a 25cmx33cm baking dish with a spoon of oil.
Pour the chickpeas with the tin water into a bowl and top with extra water to completely cover. Mix in 1 level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and leave while the courgettes cook.
Set a large saucepan over a medium-to-high heat with 3 spoons of olive oil. Add the chopped courgettes and tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper, cover (leaving a gap) and cook for 10 mins. Mix every so often. Stir in the 6 cloves of chopped garlic and cook for another 5 mins. Wash the chickpeas under cold water, drain and add to the pot. Season and simmer for another 5 mins. Stir in the peas and basil.
Put all the tomato sauce ingredients into a blender and blitz for 20 secs until smooth.
Add all ingredients for ricotta sauce into a bowl and beat together for 20 seconds.
Spread a few spoons of the tomato sauce across the baking dish and top with one layer of lasagne, followed by more tomato sauce. Add half of the courgette mix, top with 1 ball of mozzarella, grated cheese, 1/3 of the ricotta sauce, and salt & pepper. Repeat once. Finally, top with more pasta, the last 3rd of the ricotta sauce, grated cheese, seasoning and olive oil.
Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 40/45 mins in the middle of the oven.
Eat straight away with extra cheese!

Pappardelle with Mushroom Ragu (Serves 6)

There is no meat in this ragu, but the mushroom sauce is a slow- cooked so it’s wonderfully rich and tasty – pure comfort. I found this wonderful recipe in Debora Robertson’s cookbook ‘Notes From A Small Kitchen Island’.

25g dried porcini mushrooms

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, diced

1 small celery stick, about 35g, trimmed of any tough strings and finely diced

1 small carrot, about 35g, finely diced

3 fresh thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

800g chestnut mushrooms, sliced about 5mm thick

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

250ml white wine

2 tablespoons concentrated tomato purée

1 x 400g tin of cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon sugar

A good pinch of chilli flakes

A small bunch of fresh parsley, stalks removed, leaves chopped

360g dried pappardelle pasta

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Parmesan cheese, grated to serve

Put the porcini into a small bowl with 500ml of just-warm water. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. When ready to use, use a slotted spoon to gently lift them out of the bowl and put to one side. Strain the remaining liquid through a sieve lined with kitchen paper to remove any grit, keep in a jug for later.
Meanwhile, place the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium-low heat and sauté the shallots, celery and carrot with the thyme sprigs, bay leaf and a good pinch of salt until softened, about 10 minutes.
Raise the heat and add the mushrooms, sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt. Cook them over a high heat. Once they begin to release their liquid, continue to cook, stirring often until the liquid has evaporated – about 15 minutes.
Lower the heat and add the garlic and the reserved, drained porcini and stir for a minute more. Add the wine and simmer for a few minutes until the liquid is reduced to a third, then spoon in the tomato purée and give everything a stir.
Add the tinned cherry tomatoes, the reserved soaking water from the porcini, the vinegar, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, the sugar and chilli flakes. Let the ragu simmer gently, uncovered, for about 50 minutes, until the sauce is rich and glossy and thick. Fish out the bay leaf and thyme sprigs from the sauce.
Finally, stir in the chopped parsley, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, cook the pappardelle in salted, boiling water, according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Toss the pasta in the sauce. Serve immediately with the Parmesan grated over generously.

Pasta Diavola with Burrata & Basil (Serves 4)

The addition of torn burrata to this sweet tomato sauce creates a fantastically creamy dish; this recipe from ‘The Farm Table’ by Julius Roberts is a keeper!

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

2 tablespoons tomato purée

2 x 400g tin plum tomatoes (San Marzano are great)

a small bunch of basil

40g butter

3 teaspoons caster sugar

400g penne pasta (gluten-free if required)

2 balls of burrata (at room temperature)

Put the garlic cloves into a pan with the olive oil, then turn on the heat and allow the oil to slowly warm up until the garlic is sizzling. The aim is to infuse the oil, not colour the garlic. Add the onion, chilli flakes and tomato purée and cook for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft.
Cut up the tomatoes in the tin with a pair of scissors, then add to the pan. Rinse out the tins with a splash of water and pour that in too. Mix well and add a few sprigs of basil and bring to a gentle simmer. Leave the sauce barely bubbling for 20 minutes, until rich and thickened.
At this point, stir in the sugar and butter, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente. Before draining take out a large mugful of the starchy water and set aside.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce, mix well adding generous splashes of the starchy pasta water and a drizzle of olive oil, until it forms a silky sauce that coats the pasta.
Spoon the pasta into bowls. Tear each burrata in half and place on top of each bowl of pasta. Season the burrata with salt and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a handful of basil leaves.

Penne Alla Vodka (Serves 4)

I must admit that until I tried this recipe I was a bit sceptical about the idea of vodka in an Italian tomato sauce. I had always assumed it was an American addition, so not authentic. However, when recently I saw the recipe in the Italian cookbook, Brutto by Russell Norman, I was convinced of its authenticity; Norman was an Italophile and the proprietor of the popular London Italian restaurants, Polpo and latterly, Brutto. Although the addition of the vodka may seem gimmicky, it does in fact add a different dimension to a simple tomato sauce – it helps to balance out the flavours of the tomatoes and cream enabling this creamy sauce to be rich yet light. It’s a winning recipe!

2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes, drained

1 large onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

200ml vodka

320- 400g penne pasta (gluten free if required)

4 tablespoons double cream

2 teaspoons caster sugar

100g Parmesan, grated

Olive oil

Sea salt

Place a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a ovenproof saucepan and over a medium heat sauté the onion with a pinch of salt for 10-12 minutes until glossy and translucent, being careful not to let it brown.
Add the garlic, chilli flakes and oregano and combine, stirring for a few minutes more. Pour in the vodka, increase the heat a little to bring to a very gently bubble and cook until the liquid is reduced by a third.
Now add the drained tomatoes to the saucepan with a good pinch of salt and continue to boil for a few minutes.
Transfer the saucepan, uncovered, to a preheated oven, 140’c fan, and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and coloured a little on the top.
Remove the sauce from the oven, add the double cream, sugar and half the Parmesan. Use a stick blender to create a smooth sauce.
Meanwhile cook the penne until al dente, according to the packet instructions and drain. Immediately add to the sauce stirring until fully combined.
Serve with the remaining Parmesan on the side.

Penne with Braised Courgette, Broccoli & Cauliflower (Serves 4)

This sauce is simply a combination of braised vegetables with anchovies, garlic and chillies, however, by slow-cooking the vegetables you create a wonderfully rich sauce. Unfortunately the vegetables do lose their lovely fresh green colour through cooking but all is forgiven when you taste the sauce!..

400g penne pasta (gluten free if required)

4 large courgettes

100ml olive oil, plus extra

12 anchovies

5 garlic cloves, sliced

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

200g tenderstem broccoli, cut into 3cm lengths

125g small cauliflower florets

Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

Grate the courgette and reserve.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the anchovies, garlic, chilli flakes and a pinch of sea salt. Fry for 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until the anchovies start to melt into the oil. Add the courgette, broccoli and cauliflower and a dash more oil. Cover the pan and braise the vegetables slowly for about 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are well cooked and soft.
Meanwhile cook the penne until al dente, according to the packet instructions. Drain and toss the pasta through the sauce and cook for a further minute. Serve with lots of Parmesan grated over the top.

Macaroni Cheese with Cherry Tomatoes (Serves 4)

I remember my mum making macaroni cheese back in the seventies, I wasn’t keen on it in those days as according to my fussy, childish taste buds it was too cheesy – perhaps if my mum had followed this recipe with cherry tomatoes I would have been asking for seconds (although in her defence, cherry tomatoes weren’t a thing you could easily find on the shelves of a seventies grocery shop!). Not only is this a fabulous version of macaroni cheese due to the sweet addition of roasted tomatoes but it’s hassle-free; instead of making a cheese sauce from scratch it calls for mascarpone cheese simply combined with Emmental cheese – so easy!…

250g cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

350g macaroni (gluten free if required)

250g mascarpone cheese

300g Emmental cheese, coarsely grated

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and black pepper

Place the cherry tomatoes in a 2 litre ovenproof dish. Drizzle over the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 15 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and the skins have slightly split.
Meanwhile cook the macaroni until al dente, according to the packet instructions.
In a bowl, combine the mascarpone, emmental and mustard, stirring until evenly blended.
Drain the pasta and stir in the cheese mixture, then gently fold in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Tip the mixture into the ovenproof dish used for the tomatoes. Bake in the preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.

Pasta & Lentils (Serves 4-5)

This is a delicious vegetarian pasta with a wonderful fulfilling flavour; it will be loved by vegetarians and meat lovers alike!…

300g pasta shells (gluten-free if required)

300g Puy lentils

2 level tablespoons Marigold Swiss bouillon powder

1 onion, peeled and cut in half

6 fresh sage leaves

2 sprigs rosemary

4 ripe tomatoes, 350-400g, peeled

20g parsley, stalks removed

2 cloves garlic, peeled

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

To Serve:

Extra virgin olive oil

Freshly grated pecorino romano (or parmesan)

Put the lentils in a sieve and rinse them under cold water, picking out any gritty bits. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, boiling for 5 minutes, then drain, reserving the cooking liquid and rinse them.
Put 3 litres of hot water, including the reserved cooking liquid from the lentils, in a saucepan and mix in the Marigold Swiss bouillon powder. Add the onion, sage leaves, rosemary sprigs and 1 level tablespoon of salt.
Add the lentils to the pan, cover and bring to the boil, stirring once or twice. Let the lentils cook for about 20 minutes until just tender.
Add the pasta shells to the saucepan and cook with the lentils for a further 10-11 minutes – until the pasta it just al dente (check the packet instructions for cooking time).
Meanwhile, squeeze the seeds out from the tomatoes. Chop the tomatoes together with the garlic and parsley, to form a coarse mixture. Spoon the mixture into a large frying pan, pour in the 4 tablespoons of olive oil and heat gently for 5 minutes.
When the pasta is nearly cooked drain the pasta and lentils, pick out the onions, sage and rosemary. Add the pasta and lentils to the frying pan and stir-fry with the parsley mixture over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes turning the mixture over and over.
Serve in pasta bowls, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with the cheese.

Penne with Wild Mushrooms & Crème Fraîche (Serves 4-6)

This is a lovely rich, unctuous sauce, pure comfort on a chilly night! The cooked penne is added to the sauce and then cooked for a further minute, to absorb the flavours – bearing this in mind it should be undercooked by a minute when initially cooked. The recipe calls for mixed mushrooms, but I must admit that I often make it with only chestnut mushrooms and it is still delicious! This recipe is from Delia Smith’s classic cookbook ‘How to Cook’.

500g penne pasta (gluten free if required)

450g mixed fresh mushrooms (flat, chestnut, shitake or wild mushrooms – see note above), finely chopped

10g dried porcini mushrooms

250ml crème fraîche

3 tablespoons milk

50g butter

4 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

¼ whole nutmeg, grated

Lots of parmesan cheese, to serve

Sea salt and black pepper

First of all put the porcini in a small bowl, then heat the milk and pour it over the mushrooms, leave them to soak for 30 minutes.
Heat the butter in a medium frying pan over a gentle heat, stir in the shallots and let them cook gently for 5 minutes.
Strain the porcini in a sieve lined with kitchen roll, reserving the soaking liquid, and squeeze the porcini dry. Then chop them finely and add to the pan, along with the fresh mushrooms and balsamic vinegar. Next, season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Give it all a good stir, then cook gently, uncovered for 30-40 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated.
About 10 minutes before the mushrooms are ready, cook the penne according to the cooking instructions but reduce the cooking time by 1 minute (see note above)
Meanwhile mix the crème fraiche with the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and add to the mushroom mixture, warm through.

Baked Buckwheat Pasta with Cheese, Courgettes and Potato (Serves 4)

This is a delicious, quite unusual pasta recipe from one of my favourite cookbook writers, Antonio Carluccio. It is apparently based on a classic recipe from the Valtellina valley in Italy, where they traditionally make it with pizzoccheri, a sort of buckwheat tagliatelle. This is difficult to find in the UK so I substitute it for buckwheat penne. The good thing about buckwheat pasta is that it is naturally gluten-free and healthier than regular pasta. It gives the dish a slightly nutty flavour, however, you could substitute it for regular pasta if you prefer. The original recipe calls for Bitto or Fontina cheese, but, again, these can be difficult to find in the UK, so I use Emmental. The end result is a healthy, very tasty pasta dish!

300g buckwheat penne (see note above)

300g courgettes, trimmed and cubed

300g waxy potatoes (such as Charlotte), peeled and cubed

200g Fontina or Emmental cheese, cut into small cubes

60g unsalted butter

80g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Put the pasta, courgettes and potatoes into a large saucepan full of boiling, salted water, and cook until everything is tender (about 12 minutes).
Drain well then mix the Fontina (or Emmental) cheese, 40g of the butter and 60g of the Parmesan. Put in a suitable ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining butter in a pan with the sliced garlic and heat until foaming. Remove the baked pasta from the oven and spoon over the melted garlic butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve straight away.

Garlic Mushroom Linguine (Serves 4)

There’s not much to this recipe, yet it always pleases, what’s not to like – mushrooms and garlic are a match made in heaven!… I particularly like this recipe with chopped tarragon, but if you can’t get hold of it, chopped parsley also works well.

400g linguine or spaghetti (gluten free if required)

50g butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

500g chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced

Juice of ½ lemon

20g fresh tarragon (or parsley), chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the garlic for a minute or so. Add the mushrooms with the lemon juice and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice until tender. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Add the drained pasta to the pan with the mushrooms, adding the chopped tarragon (or parsley), toss well and serve with the grated Parmesan.

Penne with Broccoli, Chilli & Pine Nuts (Serves 4)

This is a very satisfying pasta dish with light, fresh flavours and better still, it will be on the table from start to finish in 15 minutes!

*You could cook the broccoli by adding it to the pasta pan towards the end of cooking, but I prefer to cook it separately as in this way you can be sure that it will not be overcooked.

350g penne or other short pasta

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely sliced

2 red chillies, finely chopped

1 broccoli head, about 350g, cut into small florets

50g pine nuts, toasted (in dry frying pan)

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain, reserving about 2-3 tablespoons of cooking water.
Meanwhile cook the broccoli in boiling water for about 3 minutes until just tender – but still has ‘bite’. Drain.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the garlic and chilli and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
Finally, add the drained pasta and broccoli to the pan with the garlic and chilli. Toss to combine adding a little of the reserved cooking liquid to loosen.
Serve sprinkled with the toasted pine nuts.

Courgette ‘Carbonara’ – Pasta all’Ortolanana (Serves 4)

This is a wonderful recipe from Diana Henry’s cookbook, ‘Simple’, it is basically carbonara but the bacon is substituted with courgettes, thus making it a great vegetarian option…and a delicious one at that!…

300-400g spaghetti

400g courgettes

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, very finely sliced

1 garlic clove, very finely sliced

2 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks

100g finely grated Parmesan cheese

50g finely grated Pecorino cheese

Leaves from a small bunch basil, torn

Salt and black pepper

Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions until al dente.
Meanwhile, top and tail the courgettes and cut the flesh into thin batons. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the courgettes and onions over a medium-high heat until golden and cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
In a bowl, beat the eggs, the yolks and both cheeses, seasoning with lots of black pepper.
When the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving half a cup of cooking water. Pour the reserved pasta water into the courgettes and then add the spaghetti, stir the mixture over the heat for a few moments to allow the water to evaporate and the spaghetti to absorb some of the flavours.
Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the egg and cheese mixture, mixing well so that every strand of pasta is covered and the sauce has thickened. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if required. Sprinkle over the torn basil leaves and serve immediately.

Linguine with Asparagus and Prosecco (Serves 4)

This is a wonderfully simple recipe from Skye McAlpine’s cookbook ‘A Table in Venice’. As she herself says, cooking with Prosecco always seems rather extravagant, but the delicacy of Prosecco definitely lends something extra special to the sauce. I also use Prosecco when I cook ‘Spaghetti Vongole’ (recipe here), as it gives the sauce a lightness (from the bubbles) and a subtle sweetness. You could, of course, use white wine instead of Prosecco, but do try it with Prosecco at some point. The mini bottles of Prosecco are perfect for this recipe, or of course you could get a full bottle and enjoy the remainder of the bottle with your meal!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

400g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3 cm lengths

100ml Prosecco

Handful of parsley, chopped

400g linguine (gluten free if required)

30g butter

30g parmesan cheese, grated

Sea salt and black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring over a low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes until softened but not coloured.
Add the asparagus and Prosecco, and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the Prosecco has evaporated and the asparagus is tender (if it is not quite cooked by the time that the liquid has evaporated add a splash of water and cook for a little longer). Finally stir in the parsley.
Meanwhile cook the linguine according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Just before draining the pasta, scoop out about half a cup of cooking water and set to one side.
Drain the pasta, toss it back into the pan and add a good splash of the reserved cooking water to ‘loosen’ it. Little by little stir in the butter. Finally add the asparagus mixture, give everything a good stir and serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Penne with Courgettes, Mushrooms & Pine Nuts (Serves 4)

This is a pasta recipe which I have been serving to my family for more years than I care to mention, it’s a ‘home grown’ recipe, one which I developed after being inspired by a pasta I tried in a restaurant. It’s not fancy, but it is one of those easy midweek dishes, which is instantly gratifying.

400g courgette, cut into batons

400g portobellini mushrooms (or large flat mushrooms), sliced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

4 tablespoons pine nuts

3 tablespoons olive oil

400g penne pasta

Sea salt and black pepper

4 heaped tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve

In a dry frying pan, toast the pine nuts over a medium/high heat for a few minutes until golden. Remove and keep to one side.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the frying pan and fry the courgette batons over a medium heat until softened, but retaining some ‘bite’ (al dente). Remove and keep to one side.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan, add the garlic slices and fry over a medium heat for about 30 seconds before adding the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms have released their juices and have softened but are still retaining their shape.
Meanwhile cook the penne pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente.
Finally, return the courgettes to the pan along with the pine nuts, stir to combine and reheat before adding the drained penne pasta. Give everything a good mix and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with a very generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Rigatoni with Sweet Tomatoes, Aubergine & Mozzarella (Serves 4)

This has been one of my family’s favourites for many years, it is a Jamie Oliver recipe from one of his older books, ‘Jamie’s Dinners’, it is his take on the classic Italian dish of ‘Pasta alla Norma’. The wonderful combination of aubergines and tomatoes is enriched by the addition of mozzarella, as the cheese melts it becomes deliciously ‘stringy’! I prefer if without the addition of the dried chilli flakes, but if you like a bit of heat you could add some.

To watch the video of this recipe being cooked click here!

1 large aubergine (or 2 small)

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

A bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked and stalks sliced

4 tablespoons double cream

455g rigatoni or penne

200g mozzarella cheese

½ teaspoon of chilli flakes (optional – see note above)

Grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Remove both ends of the aubergines and slice into 1cm slices then slice these across to form 1 cm cubes.
In a large frying/sauté pan heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil. When it’s hot, add the aubergine cubes and stir them around so that they are lightly coated in the oil. Cook for about 10 minutes over a medium heat until softened.
Add the onion and garlic, cook for a few more minutes. When they have a little colour, add the tinned tomatoes, the balsamic vinegar and the sliced basil stalks (if you want to add some heat you could add the chilli flakes at this point). Simmer gently for 15 minutes, season with salt and pepper, then stir in the cream.
Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet, until al dente.
When the pasta is ready, drain it and add it to the aubergine and tomato sauce. Tear up the mozzarella and fresh basil leaves, and stir them through the pasta and sauce – the mozzarella will start to melt, becoming beautifully stringy (it can be a little messy to serve!). Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

Tagliatelle with Butternut Squash, Hazelnuts and Crispy Sage (Serves 4)

This is a relatively quick pasta dish, comforting and tasty. The crispy sage leaves really lift the dish. This recipe is from Marcus Wareing’s Cookbook, ‘New Classics’.

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 600g)

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs of thyme

½ nutmeg, grated

75g butter

80g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped

20 sage leaves

350g tagliatelle pasta

Sea salt and black pepper

Put the diced butternut squash in a saucepan and cover with cold water, add a generous pinch of salt, the bay leaves and thyme. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the squash is tender. Strain off the water and remove the herbs.
Add the nutmeg and 25g of the butter and lightly mash the squash, seasoning to taste.
Heat the remaining 50g of butter in a large frying pan. When foaming add the hazelnuts and sage. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-8 minutes until golden and crispy, and the butter has browned.
Cook the tagliatelle according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain and mix with most of the hazelnut and sage butter.
Gently stir through the mashed squash and serve, topped with the remaining hazelnut and sage butter.

Tagliatelle with Mushrooms & Chestnuts (Serves 4)

This is a beautiful pasta recipe with lovely earthy flavours. It is particularly comforting during the winter months, however I cook it all year round as we like it so much. Unusually this pasta dish calls for Comté cheese to be grated over it, it really is a delicious addition, complementing the sweetness of the chestnuts. I use the vacuum packed bags of cooked and peeled chestnuts – ‘Merchant Gourmet’ is a good brand. It is worth investing in a quality bottle of truffle oil for this recipe, as it really does enhance the flavour.

This recipe is from one of my favourite cookbooks ‘Nina St Tropez’ by Nina Parker.

4 tablespoons olive oil

500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

400g tagliatelle (gluten free if required)

4 cloves garlic, finely diced

150g cooked chestnuts chopped (see note above)

4 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

2 tablespoons crème fraiche

4 tablespoons truffle oil

Comté cheese, grated to serve

Sea salt and black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the mushrooms and cook until they have shrunk in size by about a half.
Add the garlic to the mushrooms and let it cook for a few minutes before adding the chestnuts and seasoning generously.
Meanwhile cook the tagliatelle according to the instructions on the packet until al dente.
Before draining the pasta, add about three or four spoonfuls of pasta cooking water to the mushroom mixture to loosen it.
Finally add the drained tagliatelle to the mushrooms along with the chives, crème fraiche and truffle oil, taste to check the seasoning.
Sprinkle with cheese and serve!

Spaghetti with Sauce Vierge (Serves 4)

This is a perfect summer pasta dish, a delicious ‘no cook’ sauce for spaghetti with the added bonus of being vegetarian!

400g Spaghetti

For the Sauce Vierge:

2 spring onions, finely sliced

2 shallots, finely chopped

Bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

300g tomatoes, about 4 medium

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons caster sugar

Juice ½ lemon

60ml olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Cut the tomatoes into quarters, deseed, discarding any liquid – pat them dry on kitchen roll, slice into strips, then finely dice, add to a bowl along with the other sauce ingredients, mix well and season to taste.
Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions until al dente.
Drain the spaghetti and mix with the sauce vierge.

Penne with Pea and Mascarpone Sauce (Serves 4)

Another recipe from my beloved cookbook ‘A Passion for Pasta’ by the late Antonio Carluccio. You could cook this dish with your eyes closed, it really is that simple, and will be ready to eat in 15 minutes! The original recipe uses smoked bacon, so I have substituted it for chopped onion and a generous pinch of paprika for a tasty vegetarian supper.

50g butter

1 onion, finely chopped

a generous pinch of smoked paprika

450g tomato passata

200g frozen peas

8 basil leaves

150g mascarpone cheese

375g penne pasta

75g freshly grated parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the chopped onion and a pinch of paprika, fry to soften.
Add the tomato passata and the peas, cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile cook the penne according to the instructions on the packet, until al dente.
Add the mascarpone cheese and the basil leaves to the sauce, stir until warmed through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Drain the penne, add to the sauce, finally mix in the parmesan cheese.

Share this:

Share this: