Linguine Aglio Olio

I always prefer Linguine compare to Spaghetti as I personally feel that it has more 'bite' :D Hubby commented am too generous over the olive oil but I find it just nice :D :D oh yah I used chinese sausage instead of bacon and it taste equally awesome!! slurp slurp slurp....

Linguine with Oil & Garlic Sauce aka Aglio Olio

I use chinese sausage instead of bacon! yummy!!

Ingredient (2 servings)

• 250gm Linguine
• 100ml olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 small dried chilli peppers, soften & diced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 chinese sausage, casing removed and diced
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Cook pasta accordingly to package, drain slightly.
2. About 5mins before the pasta is cooked, heat olive oil in a pan. Add chinese sausage and fry for 1 min. Add garlic and dried chilli peppers and fry till garlic is lightly brown.
3. Add in drained pasta in the pan and mix evenly. Add in parsley and season to taste. Serve.

Recipe modified from Periplus Cookbooks

Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta

Think I can have this pasta for a few days in a row! hahaha but better not as avocado is very rich, not so good for my waistline >.< I improvise the original recipe by adding some pine nuts & olive oil to the paste :D let's slurp!

Recipe adapted & modified from Table for 2 or More
Ingredient (2 servings)

• 150gm pasta of choice
• 1 avocado
• 30gm sweet basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese for garnish
  

Method

1. Cook pasta according to packaging’s instructions.
   
2. While you are cooking your pasta, prepare the avocado cream. Blitz everything else into a paste in a food processor
3. When pasta is done and drained, mix the avocado cream and toss well. Add some pasta cooking water if it's too dry. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve.
   

Penne with Seafood in Carrot Sauce

I find the carrot sauce is so delicious and made another batch with the intention of creating it into a pasta sauce! Indeed taste very special compare to the usual tomato based sauce :D slurp!

Ingredient (3 servings)

• 250gm Penne, cook according to package
• 3 cups carrot sauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 tbsp chinese wine
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 80gm shelled mussels
• 200gm sliced squids
• 120gm shelled prawns
• 15gm chopped coriander leaves

Garnish : grated Parmesan, black pepper

Method

1. Marinate squids & prawns with salt. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in pan, add garlic and stir fry till fragrant.
3. Add squids & prawns and stir fry for 1 min. Add in mussels and wine and stir fry for another 1 min. Dish up.
4. With the same pan, add in carrot sauce and coriander leaves, bring to boil. Add in seafood and cooked Penne , mix evenly for another min until all heated through.
   
5. Spoon Penne into individual plates, garnish with Parmesan & black pepper.
   

Baked Macaroni

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry, shelled macaroni, cooked and drained
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 300ml unsweetened soy milk
• 200ml water
  
• 25gm butter
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 200gm cherry tomatoes, halves
  

Method

1. Combine cornstarch, salt, mustard and pepper in medium saucepan. Stir in soymilk, water, and butter. Cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted. Add macaroni; mix well. Pour into prepared casserole dish.
   
2. Arrange cherry tomatoes, cut side up, over macaroni, top with remaining cheese.
3. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and light brown.

Unusual Pasta Sauce!

Misadventure in the kitchen?! I'm actually preparing a normal pot of soup, but in the end turn out to be a pot of thick soup :D Since the texture is like tomato paste, I named it Papaya Pasta Sauce hahaha.... lucky the kids accept the taste very well and finished their bowl of pasta :D

Ingredient

• 1 papaya, peeled & deseeded
• 2 russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 large carrots, peeled
• 3 large tomatoes
• 250gm lean pork
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 1 tsp pepper
• salt to taste (optional)

Method

1. Cut papaya, potatoes, carrots & tomatoes into chunks.
2. Blanch lean pork in boiling water for 1 min. Drain away away.
3. Place all ingredient except salt with 2000ml water in a pot, bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1.5hrs.
4. Add salt to taste. Can be served immediately or blend into smooth puree as thick soup (remove pork before puree).
   

Animal Shape Pasta for dear son served with fish dumpling (store bought) and enoki mushroom...

Brown Rice Star Pasta for dear daughter served with hard-boiled egg....

Stewed Zucchini with Shell Pasta

Meatless lunch today! Stewed vegetables pasta sauce, light & tasty & healthy too!

Ingredient

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushroom
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cup water
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 cups shell pasta, cooked till al dente
  

Method

1. Heat some olive in saucepan, add garlic & onion, saute till fragrant.
2. Add zucchini and carrot and fry for 2mins.
3. Add sliced mushroom, mixed evenly.
4. Add in stewed tomatoes, water, herbs & black pepper. Bring to boil. Lower heat & simmer for 1 hr or until zucchini & carrots are tendered and sauce reduced.
   
5. Add salt to taste.
6. To serve : Scoop some zucchini sauce into a small saucepan, add in appropriate amount of cooked shell pasta, simmer for 1 minute, remove from fire and serve.
   

Pasta with Meat Balls

Ingredient

• 200gm minced chicken
• 300gm minced pork
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, combine minced beef with all the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
2. With a clean wet hands, shape the mixture into balls. Chill for 30mins.
3. Heat some oil in a wok. Cook meat balls in batches on medium fire for 6 mins. Turn them till they become brown all over and are cooked through. Drain on paper towls.
4. Serve hot meatballs with your favorite paste sauce. (note: simmer in sauce for 5 mins before serving with pasta).

Baked Fusilli with Tuna

This is the first time I used canned whole tomatoes to cook a pasta dish..taste not too bad (in my opinon)..at least my hubby finish the pasta without any complain :P

Ingredient (served 4-5 pax)

• 315gm fusilli (spiral pasta)
• 185gm x 2 canned tuna flakes in water, drained
• 2 canned whole tomatoes, crushed
  
• 10 fresh shitake mushroom, diced
  
• 3 leeks, sliced (used white section part only)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 10gm butter
  
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt & black pepper to taste
• mozzarella cheese

Method

1. Cook pasta accordingly to package. (I cook for 8 mins)Drain the water and set aside.
   
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter with olive oil. Add leek and garlic and stir-fry until soft and fragrance. Add in diced mushroom and fry for 1 min.
   
3. Add in tuna and crushed tomatoes and stir evenly. Add in oregano. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stir in cooked pasta and mix evenly and simmer for 1 min. Remove from fire.
5. Transfer pasta to a large greased baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 20 mins.