Pasta pronto!
Extend your Meat-free Monday into a Meat-free Week with these quick five-ingredient pastas. We promise you won’t even miss meat!
The rule for cooking pasta: 15ml (1T) salt and 1 litre (4 cups) water to every 100g pasta.
1. Tarragon-infused brown mushroom pasta
Your shopping list: Pasta + spinach + pistachios + brown mushrooms + tarragon
Place baby leaf spinach, pistachios, garlic, salt, black pepper and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until well combined to form a pesto. Brown the mushrooms in the pan, then add tarragon. Season to taste. Toss the pesto through the cooked pasta and serve with the tarragon mushrooms.
2. Creamy gorgonzola pasta with porcini
Your shopping list: Pasta + cream + gorgonzola + porcini mushrooms + kale
Sauté crushed garlic and then add cream and heat through. Add the gorgonzola and cook until melted. Fry the mushrooms in batches until golden brown. Blanch the kale and place on a large platter. Add the pasta and spoon over the sauce. Top with the mushrooms and season to taste.
3. Broccoli and chilli pasta with chevin and tapenade
Your shopping list: Pasta + broccoli + chevin + olive oil + tapenade
Separate the broccoli into florets and cook. Gently heat a few glugs of olive oil with chilli and garlic in a large pan. Add the broccoli and stir then mix in the pasta. Add a ladle or two of the pasta water, crumble cheese over the pasta and cook for a few minutes, stir until it starts to melt. Serve drizzled with olive oil and a spoonful of tapenade.
4. Pasta with brinjal, chickpeas and rocket
Your shopping list: Pasta + brinjal + chickpeas + rocket + Parmesan
Gently cook brinjal and onion until very soft. Stir in the garlic, oregano and seasoning. Add veggie stock, stir to loosen. Add chickpeas and simmer for 5 minutes. Roughly mash half the chickpeas. Add the drained pasta and mix well. Add the rocket and taste for seasoning. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.
5. Basil pesto pasta with mozzarella
Your shopping list: Pasta + basil pesto + mozzarella + broad beans + peas
Toss cooked pasta with basil pesto while still warm, divide between bowls and top with mozzarella, broad beans and peas. Season to taste and garnish with basil.