Main dish and pasta recipe ideas

Main course and pasta recipies

Tagliatelle al ragu

This a fantastic flavour some sauce, which if you can, make it the day before and then leave the flavours to further marinate overnight.

Serves 4
500g/1lb of fresh tagliatelle

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
approx 3 rashers of bacon - I use unsmoked - cut into small pieces
1 large carrot - finely chopped
1 onion - finely chopped
200g/8ozs minced lean pork
1 glass dry red wine
Approx 300 mls/1/2pt fresh chicken stock
3 tablespoons of tomato puree
Salt and pepper

To make the sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the bacon, onion and carrot and fry gently for about 10 mins until softened. Add the pork, stir to break up the mince and cook to brown for about 10 mins. Add the wine and cook for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Stir in a little of the stock and the tomato puree. Leave to simmer for 1 1/2 hours and if the sauce becomes dry whilst cooking, add more stock to ensure that it has a thick sauce like consistancy. Season to taste.

Cook the tagliatelle according to the instructions or until al dente - usually 3-4 minutes for fresh pasta, drain and mix with the ragu and serve with fresh parmesan sprinkled over.

Pasta con Tonno e Piselli

I don't know if this is an authentic recipe but it is a firm family favourite in our  house!

Serves 4

500g / 1lb of fresh pasta - whatever type you fancy

For the sauce:

2 x tablespoons olive oil

2 x 400g tins of organic chopped tomatoes

1 onion - chopped

1 garlic clove - crushed

1/2 glass of red wine

1 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs

1 tin of tuna drained

2 handfuls of frozen peas

2 x tablespoons of single cream

To make the sauce:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and add the chopped onion and crushed garlic. Put a lid on top and sweat over a low heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Add the chopped tomatoes, red wine and mixed herbs and bring to the boil - uncovered. Cook on a medium heat, so that the sauce is bubbling and until it has reduced into a fairly thick pulp. This will take approximately 20 - 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then liquidise until smooth adding in the other tablespoon of oil as you liquidise.

Add the tin of drained tuna and frozen peas and heat on a low heat.

Cook the pasta according to the instructions or until al dente - usually 3-4 minutes for fresh pasta. Whilst it is cooking add the cream to the sauce and season to taste.Drain the pasta and mix with the sauce and serve with fresh parmesan sprinkled over.

Lasagne con Pollo

An English twist on an old classic....

Serves 4

Approximately 8 sheets of dried lasagne

100g of mozarella or cheddar cheese grated

Approximately 200g of cooked and chopped chicken

For the sauce:

2 x tablespoons olive oil

2 x 400g tins of organic chopped tomatoes

1 onion - chopped

1 garlic clove - crushed

1/2 glass of red wine

1 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs

Preheat oven to gas mark 5 / 180 degrees. Cook the sauce as for the pasta con tonno e piselli and liquidise. Add the chopped chicken to the sauce. Spread approximately 1/3rd of the sauce into a rectangular dish that is large enough to hold 4 sheets of lasagne, without them overlapping. Place 4 sheets of lasagne onto the sauce and cover the pasta with another layer of sauce. Place the remaining pasta on top, covered with the final 1/3rd of sauce. Cover with the grated cheese and place in the oven to cook for around 40 minutes.

This is great served with a simple green salad and dressing.