Londoncooking.co.uk » pasta http://londoncooking.co.uk Easy to make, healthy and quick recipes for Londoners starved of time Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:06:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Cold pasta with cousin Moni http://londoncooking.co.uk/2009/03/cold-pasta-with-cousin-moni/ http://londoncooking.co.uk/2009/03/cold-pasta-with-cousin-moni/#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:49:27 +0000 Ron Nussey http://londoncooking.co.uk/?p=211 Here’s an easy, delicious and quick cold pasta recipe, perfect for big dinners, buffets and picnics (well, it’s turning Spring, isn’t it?)

I made it with a kilo of pasta, and it went some way to feeding around 10 people (depending on appetites, you can usually go by 100-150g of pasta per person.)

Ingredients

1kg penne rigate pasta (‘tubes’)
3 packs of mozzarella
3 packs of cherry tomatoes
1 bottle of pitted green or black olives (unseasoned)
1 clove of garlic
Basil, salt and olive oil to taste

1. Cut the mozzarella, tomatoes and olives and mix together in a bowl with olive oil and some salt.
2. Cut up fresh basil (if you have it) or add some dried basil to the mix. Cut the garlic in half and add that too.
3. Leave to marinade (preferably at least half an hour).
4. Cook the pasta – make sure it’s ‘al dente’, ie not over-cooked – keep tasting it as it nears the predicted cooking time (usually around 8-10 mins.)
5. Drain the pasta, and run under lots of cold water (it’s important it cools down, so the cheese doesn’t melt when you add the sauce.)
6. Add a little more oil and basil to the sauce and mix it together.
7. Remove the garlic (if you can find it! Or else warn everyone – garlic looks remarkably similar to mozzarella!)
7. Mix the pasta and sauce, and bob’s your uncle!

Moni and I are second cousins, but I feel like we’re very closely related. My great-grandparents were also second cousins.

Not meaning to flatter myself here, but I’m sorry Cousin Moni, I’m just not ready for that kind of relationship.

You do make a mean cold pasta though.

Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it. ]]> http://londoncooking.co.uk/2009/03/cold-pasta-with-cousin-moni/feed/ 0 LondonCooking gets frugal: 2 super fast ‘cheat’ cooking tips in the London downturn http://londoncooking.co.uk/2009/02/londoncooking-gets-frugal-2-super-fast-cheat-cooking-tips-in-the-london-downturn/ http://londoncooking.co.uk/2009/02/londoncooking-gets-frugal-2-super-fast-cheat-cooking-tips-in-the-london-downturn/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 06:03:42 +0000 Ron Nussey http://londoncooking.co.uk/?p=141 Some extra-quick dinner tips which combine part ready food, part fresh ingredients – ah, Delia would be proud.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t Robert Peston, or even Niall Ferguson, but really Delia who predicted the downturn, with her ‘How to Cheat at Cooking‘ book last year, in a funny way. And like some kind of Norwich-based culinary Cassandra, she was roundly panned for it…

Pizza

  • Co-op Margherita (ie – plain, cheese & tomato) ready pizzas are surprisingly good – much better than Sainsbury’s, for instance.
  • Buy one (or two – they were on 2 for 1 offer at my local!) then add your own fresh ingredients, eg – I fried some sliced mushrooms, added salt and oregano – hey presto!

Ravioli

  • Buy some ready ravioli, the type with mushrooms and cheese (available in most local supermarkets)
  • Slice and fry some pointed cabbage – in season at the moment, and beautifully sweet (not stinky, honest…) – these are currently available even at my tiny local Sainsburys – get them while they’re hot…
  • The ravioli only takes a couple of minutes to cook, since it’s ‘fresh’ – add the cabbage, and some olive oil (or butter if you prefer) – and you’re done!

If you’re short of time, or just can’t be bothered to cook, I find even combining ready & fresh ingredients makes me feel a lot better about myself than going the full-on ready meal route.

Buy Delia’s How to Cheat at Cooking @ amazon.co.uk

NB: I’m personally not a fan of instant mash, or canned meat… but needs must when the devil… you know the rest.

Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it. ]]> http://londoncooking.co.uk/2009/02/londoncooking-gets-frugal-2-super-fast-cheat-cooking-tips-in-the-london-downturn/feed/ 0