Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes

SERVES 4

• 350g spaghetti
• 600g cherry tomatoes, halved and squeezed to remove juice and seeds
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 tbs traditional balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbs roughly torn basil leaves
• Extra-virgin olive oil

In a bowl, combine 6tbs of olive oil with the vinegars and season. Add the tomato halves, pressing them down to absorb the flavours of the vinegar and oil. Add half the basil, stir, then cover and leave to marinate for an hour or more. Do not refrigerate.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and return to the pan. Add the tomato mixture over a high heat, tossing to combine and coat the pasta. Add the remaining basil and drizzle with olive oil to serve.

From “Pasta and Ravioli” by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers – Available on Amazon.co.uk

 

Orecchiette with scallops and rocket

SERVES 4

• 350g orecchiette
• 8 large scallops, cut into quarters
• 100g rocket, roughly chopped
• 500g cherry tomatoes, halved and squeezed to remove juice and seeds
• 2 fresh red chillies, cut in half lengthways, de-seeded and finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into quarters
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Put the tomatoes in a bowl, add the chillies, garlic and 2 tbs of olive oil and season generously. Heat 1tbs of olive oil in a small, thick-bottomed frying pan and add the scallops. Season and fry, turning the pieces over, until brown. Add the marinated tomatoes and stir over the heat briefly to combine.

Cook the orecchiette in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and add to the scallops. Stir in the rocket and test for seasoning. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and the lemon quarters.

From “Pasta and Ravioli” by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers – Available on Amazon.co.uk

 

Conchiglie with ricotta and rocket

SERVES 4

• 350g conchiglie
• 200g ricotta, lightly beaten with a fork
• 500g rocket, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 3 tbs torn basil leaves
• 3 fresh red chillies, cut in half lengthways, de-seeded and chopped
• 150g parmesan, freshly grated
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Heat 2tbs of olive oil in a small, thick-bottomed pan. Add the garlic and fry until it begins to colour. Add the basil and half the rocket. Cover, reduce the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes just to wilt the rocket.Put this mixture, including any liquid, into a food processor and pulse-chop. Add half the remaining rocket, the chillies, seasoning and 2 tbs of olive oil. Blend briefly to combine.

Cook the conchiglie in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain, keeping back a little of the pasta water. Add the rocket mixture to the pasta. Lightly stir in the ricotta and the remaining uncooked rocket. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and the Parmesan.

From “Pasta and Ravioli” by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers – Available on Amazon.co.uk

 

Pasta with aubergine, tomato and mozzarella

SERVES 4

• 350g penne
• 2 aubergines, thinly sliced
• 500g plum tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
• 250g mozzarella, freshly grated
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tbs finely chopped parsley
• 2 dried red chillies, crumbled
• extra-virgin olive oil

Lay the sliced aubergines on kitchen paper and sprinkle with sea salt. Leave for 20 minutes to allow the bitter juices to drain. Rinse in cold water and pat dry.

Heat 3 tbs of olive oil in a thick-bottomed pan. Add the garlic and parsley and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the chillies and 2 tsp of sea salt, and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes.

Heat 4 tbs of olive oil in a large, thick-bottomed frying pan. Fry the aubergines in batches until brown and crisp on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper. Cook the penne in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, return to the pan and add the tomato sauce. Stir to coat, then add the aubergine and the mozzarella. Serve immediately.

From “Pasta and Ravioli” by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers – Available on Amazon.co.uk

 

Penne all’arrabbiata

SERVES 4

• 350g penne
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
• 4 dried red chillies
• 3 tbs basil leaves
• 750g plum tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
• extra-virgin olive oil

Heat 3 tbs of olive oil in a thick-bottomed pan.

Add the garlic and fry gently. After 1 minute, add the whole chillies, then continue to fry until the garlic is lightly brown. Remove it with the chillies and save. Add the basil to the hot oil for a few moments to add flavour, then remove and save. Finally, add the tomatoes to the flavoured oil with 1 tsp of sea salt and cook gently for 10 minutes.

Cook the penne in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, add to the tomato sauce, toss to coat and stir in the garlic, chillies and basil. Serve with olive oil drizzled over.

From “Pasta and Ravioli” by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers – Available on Amazon.co.uk

 

Just like mamma used to make… only a little bit different.
Chef Theo Randall loves a classic dish, but can’t resist tweaking things a little bit to spice up midweek dinners.

Theo is working with Sainsbury’s on the Little Twists campaign, championing everyday food and inspiring the nation to spice up midweek meals using simple store cupboard ingredients.

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POLPETTE DI MANZO

A great way to eat meatballs – the bread in the bottom of the pan becomes crispy and chewy which works really well with the melted mozzarella.

SERVES 4 (makes 16 small meatballs)

Ingredients for the meatballs:

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 500g of lean minced beef
• Half cup of breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp of chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 whole medium-size egg (beaten) Black pepper and sea salt

For the sauce:

• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• 1 clove of garlic (finely sliced)
• 1 small onion (finely sliced)
• 2 red peppers (finely sliced)
• 75 ml of red wine
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 6 leaves of fresh basil

To serve:

• 1 dry baguette – cut into 2cm slices
• 1 x 100g ball of mozzarella (cut roughly into 1 cm pieces)
• sprinkle of grated Parmesan
• 1 bag of crisp green salad (about 200g)

1. Make the meatballs: in a large bowl add all the ingredients and mix together with your hands so everything is combined. Wash your hands, then form 16 small meatballs into walnut-size balls, rubbing your palms together in a circling motion to form tight little balls. Place them on a tray and leave to one side.

2. To make the sauce: in a frying pan heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the garlic, onion and red pepper. Cook gently for 10 mins, until the peppers are soft. Add the red wine and reduce by half then add the tomatoes. Reduce by half again, season to taste and add the basil. Leave to one side.

3. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. In a large oven-proof frying pan heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and start gently sealing off the meatballs so they have a little colour on the outside but are still rare in the middle. When you have sealed all of them, put them on a clean plate but keep the pan on the stove and lay the slices of dry bread in the bottom of the pan so they go slightly crispy.

4. Move the meatballs from the plate and place on top of the bread. Spoon over the tomato and pepper sauce. Scatter over the chopped mozzarella. Add a good sprinkle of grated Parmesan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 mins.

5. Serve with a crisp green salad.

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PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND PORCINI SAUCE

I always use penne rigate for this sauce as it has ridges (‘rigate’ in Italian) that hold the sauce really well.

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of finely chopped onion
• 250g of Italian sausages
• 20g dried porcini mushrooms (soaked in water)
• 1 x tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp of chopped rosemary
• 2 tbsp of double cream
• 300g penne rigate Parmesan and black pepper to serve

1. In a large heavy-based frying pan, add the olive oil and the onion, cook for a couple of minutes then take the sausages, make a small nick in each and squeeze out the meat from the skin and add to the cooking onions. Break the sausage meat into small pieces and cook for 10 mins so the meat has a little colour.

2. Add the drained porcini mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add tomatoes and cook for a further 10 mins or until the tomatoes have reduced by half. Add the rosemary and the double cream.

3. Cook the penne rigate for 2 minutes less than the packet says and add to the sauce with 4-5 tbsp of the water that the pasta has been cooked in. This way the pasta will absorb the flavour of the sauce and the starch from the pasta water will thicken the sauce so it holds to the penne.

4. Toss well and serve with grated Parmesan and black pepper.