Bottom of the fridge veggie lasagne

So called because I needed to use up the veg box... I've been craving a nice veggie lasagne for a while now and this was a total success. My new lasagne dish triumphs again (I never used to be able to make a decent lasagne!).

For 4-6 servings you need
Tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 can chopped tomatoes
150ml red wine
2 tsp veggie stock powder
salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp mixed herbs
1 tbsp veggie worcester sauce
1 tbsp tomato ketchup

9-12 sheets lasagne pasta
1/2 tub mini mozzarella balls
4 slices jarlsberg cheese
1/2 head broccoli cut into florets
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, diced

You can use whatever veggies you want in this, but I like carrots and broccoli in mine.

Begin by making the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion until soft. Add the garlic and heat through. Add the tomatoes and all the seasoning ingredients along with the red wine. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer until slightly thickened. You want a tasty sauce but which is wet enough to cook the pasta whilst in the oven so adjust with some water if you need to.

Layer up the lasagne by placing sheets in the bottom of a dish, covering with 1/3 of the sauce and then topping with some chopped mozzarella. Continue with the next two layers, finishing with sauce over the top. Cover with the sliced cheese and the remaining mozzarella.

Bake in a hot oven for 40-50mins until the pasta is cooked and the cheese is melted and yummy. Serve with a green salad. Yummo.

Butternut Squash Raviloi with Crispy Sage and Brown Garlic Butter

I went back to work in September, and coincidentally I haven't blogged since. Time to restart I think, and what better than a delicious recipe I've never made before eh?! I adore this ravioli and will always order it if it's on a menu somewhere. We gave Fuz's sister and her boyfriend a pasta machine for Christmas and it inspired us to dust ours off and use it for the first time in yeeeeeears. The pasta itself is a cinch to make. The rolling takes a little time (Fuz makes an awesome commis chef :)) but if you fancy a lazy afternoon in the kitchen, this is a lovely recipe to make. Don't be put off by the different stages, none of it is hard. Stick some tunes on and get stuck in :)

For enough ravioli for 2-3 people you need
Ravioli Dough
3 eggs
300g pasta (type 00) flour
1 tsp salt

Butternut Squash Filling
1 butternut squash cut into 1cm cubes
2 red onions sliced
2-3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Sauce
7-8 sage leaves
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbsp butter

Parmesan cheese to serve.

Begin by making the pasta dough. Blitz the ingredients in a food processor till a dough forms. Knead on a floured surface for 10 mins until it goes all smooth and elastic. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 30 mins.

Meanwhile roast the squash. Toss the suqash cubes in the oil and seasoning and roast in a 180 degree oven for 25 mins. Add the sliced onion and roast for a further 10 mins until the onions are soft and the squash is nicely coloured and soft. Puree to a rough consistency and leave to one side to cool.

Once the pasta dough has rested, cut it into three sections and roll through a pasta machine until it's on the thinnest setting. Leave to rest for a few mins once rolled and then assemble the ravioli. Place a scant tsp on a piece of dough, wet the edges and then place more pasta on top and stamp out a shape (there are numerous ways to do this, we had a ravioli stamp we used but cookie cutters will work equally well). The trick is to ensure no filling oozes out and the sides are completely sealed to keep the filling in once it's cooked.

Leave the ravioli to rest on a floured surface for a few mins.

When you're ready to cook, heat a pan of boiling water and cook the ravioli in batches for 3-4 mins until the pasta is al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a pan with the garlic. When the butter foams, add the sage leaves and cook for 3-4 mins over a low heat until the butter browns and the garlic and sage crisp.

Drain the pasta and serve with the sauce spooned over and some cheese grated on top. Utterly delicious and you did it all yourself!

Pasta with Cabbage and Chickpeas (v)

A really tasty and satisfying yet very quick supper dish, and one where the pasta doesn't get cold even tho there's no 'wet' sauce covering it. Everyone loved this, even the boy who porports to "hate cabbage". I think the garlicky oil, flecked with spicy chilli heat, is what made him over come his cabbage consternation... This is another from River Cottage Veg Everyday.

For three portions you need

225g pasta, we used rigatoni 

1 can chickpeas, don't bother to drain them

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 chilli, finely chopped

1 onion, finely sliced

5 tbsp olove oil

4-5 cavolo nero cabbage leaves, tough stems removed and finely shredded.

Cook the pasta. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion over a medium heat until lightly golden. Add the chilli and garlic and cook for a few mins longer.

3 mins before the pasta is done, lob in the chickpeas (juice an' all) and the cabbage. Heat for 3 mins then drain. Toss into the onion pan and mix thoroughly. Serve in warmed bowls and add some cheese if you're not vegan. Delicious. 

Pasta with Tomato Sauce

OK OK this doesn't sound like the most exciting recipe anyone has ever made, but according to one blog it's the most talked about tomato pasta sauce recipe on the internetz... Hmmm I thought and then I made it and I could see why. It tastes of perfect pasta sauce like you get in a good Italian. Rich but light, tasty and moreish.

For two people you need:
150-200g pasta
1 medium onion, cut in half
1 can chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter

Place the butter, tomatoes and onion in a pan and heat to a gentle simmer. Leave bubbling away for 30 mins, making sure you keep an eye on it so it doesn't catch and burn on the bottom.

Cook the pasta and when it's nearly done, blitz the sauce until smooth. Check the seasoning and serve. Totally yummy and so easy to make!

Pasta with Onion, Leek and Tomato Cinnamon Sauce and Fresh Basil (v)

My mum makes a mean pasta sauce which uses cinnamon in it to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. It's utterly delicious. This is a version of it for a quick, tasty and healthy dinner following an exhausting hike over Ilkley Moor this afternoon!

For 4 portions you need
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 small onions, chopped
1 leek, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp veggie stock powder
freshly ground black pepper
150ml water
2 tbsp olive oil
Handful fresh basil, roughly shredded

Begin by sauteeing the leek and onion in the olive oil for 5-10 mins until soft. Add everything else and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 10 mins. Blend to a puree and check the seasoning. Serve on pasta topped with fresh basil. Nom.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Pesto (v)

I finally got round to watching some of the many, many episodes of Three Good Things I've had stacked up on my tivo box for the last few weeks, and in one of the episodes The Huge Furry Whipping Tool (as he is known in our house, Hugh FWS to everyone else...) made pasta with tomatoes and blue cheese. My boyfriend does *not* like blue cheese so I ditched that aspect and instead made some yummy pesto as my third thing. It perfectly used up some rapidly-going-past-their-best baby plum tomatoes that had been hanging round the kitchen for tooooooo long, and also allowed me to try out the Gourmet Garden, Fresh Made Easy basil and garlic combo in a fresh pesto. The verdict was deeeeeeeeeeelicious. Excellent.

For two people you need

2 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic

1 whole tube Gourmet Garden chopped basil

2 tbsp pine nuts

salt and pepper

1/2 pack ripe baby plum tomatoes (or whatever tomatoes you have to hand)

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil

175g cooked pasta (I used shells to capture the sauce)

1 large handful fresh basil

Begin by marinating the tomatoes. Quarter them and chop into eighths if large, and place in  a bowl. Add 1 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic, the balsamic vinegar, some salt and pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix gently and leave to one side.

Meanwhile heat a pan and gently toast the pine nuts till golden brown. Place 2/3 into a mini food processor bowl along with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic and the fresh basil leaves. Pulse for a few seconds till roughly combined. Add the tube of Gourmet Garden chopped basil and the remaining pine nuts and season to taste.

Cook the pasta and drain. Add the tomatoes and pesto and scoff down. Yum yum yum.

Pasta with Courgette, Tomato and Lemon Garlic Sauce (v)

This was a spur of the moment, what on earth do I cook for dinner, how can I use up some languishing ingredients dinner and very tasty it was too.

For 2 portions you need
1 courgette, cut into slices then quarters as in pic
6-8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 clove garlic, crushed
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
pasta of your choice

Begin by cooking the pasta as per the instructions on the packet.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil gently and sautee off the courgette until softened and lightly browned (keep the heat quite high to ensure it browns before going mushy). Add the tomatoes, zest and garlic and cook for another 1-2 mins to warm everything through. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and then place in the sauce pan and coat everything with the sauce. Scoff. Nom.

Pasta with Tomatoes, Chilli, Ginger and Garlic (v)

I don't have a picture for this, boo. So you'll just have to imagine in your minds the bowl of steaming hot pasta topped with a gloriously vibrant red sauce, speckled with pungent ginger and chilli and garlic...
This was made for me a couple of weeks ago and was a revelation. I had never ever thought to add ginger to a tomato based pasta sauce but it works so well. Usually I reserve the holy trinity of ginger, garlic and chilli to Indian or Chinese style dishes, not pasta. But try it. You won't be disappointed.

For 2 people you need:
150g pasta of your choice
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 red chilli, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
good knob of ginger, finely grated (only a microplane will do imho)
1 cup fresh baby plum tomatoes
salt and pepper

Cook the pasta. Meanwhile prepare the fresh tomatoes by chopping them and then pulverising them in the pan. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and heat. Season. Serve on the pasta. Groan with pleasure, even moreso if you have been spoiled and someone else does the cooking and washing up...

Pasta with Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Broccoli (v)

This was suggested to me by @DixxyD and mighty fine it is too. It's a recipe from Rose Elliot's Vegetarian Express (p92) which I have tweaked slightly by adding tenderstem broccoli to it. It's lovely hot but the leftovers are equally nice cold the next day for lunch.

For 4-6 people you need:
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 fat cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1tsp vegan stock powder
splash red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1 pack tenderstem broccoli, trimmed, washed and cut in to bite sized chunks
325g wholewheat pasta

Fry the onion in the oil for about 10 mins till softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1-2 mins. Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil. Add everything else apart from the broccoli and pasta and cook for 10 mins or so till thickened. Season to taste.

Meanwhile cook the pasta, steaming the broccoli over the pasta for the last 5 mins. Add the broccoli to the sauce, then drain and pasta and add this too. Mix well and serve.

Pasta with Rocket and Watercress Pesto

O. M. G. (as it were...). This is delicious. Am very impressed that something can taste so amazing with so few ingredients and take such a short time to make.

For two people you need:
1/2 cup pine nuts
handful each watercress and rocket
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/8 cup grape seed oil
200g pasta

Cook the pasta. Meanwhile toast the pine nuts (yes I know Jamie says don't bother but I like them toasted and think the heat helps to make the sauce too. So there.). Place the garlic, cheese, watercress, rocket and pine nuts into a mini blender and pulse, shaking it to ensure everything gets done. Add the oil and blend again. I used grapeseed oil as I wanted the individual flavours to come through rather than be drowned out by olive oil.

Drain the pasta and toss through the pesto. Serve with a little extra cheese on the top. Like I said, O. M. G.

Pasta with Peas and Pesto

Or the three p's... I'd had a really long day yesterday and a really long commute and needed something ultra fast to fuel me and soak up the LARGE glass of wine I downed upon arrival home ;-)

For one hungry person you need:
100g spaghetti
1/3 tub fresh pesto
1/2 cup frozen peas

Cook the pasta. 3 mins before it's done add the peas to the water. Drain. Toss through the pesto. Eat. Smile. Relax.

Vegan Chorizo Pasta Sauce (v)

Yes I know this is an oxymoron; but I have such a thing for cured, spicy meats and really really miss them. This is a super speedy after work dinner recipe. Make sure you skin the tomatoes too, even though it's a bit of a faff it's so worth it and makes a much nicer sauce.

For 1-2 people you need:
6-8 plum (or any other) tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 vegan pepperami (Holland and Barrett sell them)
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
pinch sugar
dash vinegar
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
175-225g pasta, cooked.

Cook the pasta. Meanwhile sautee the onion and pepperami in the oil for about 5 mins. Add everything else and reduce to a thick, pulpy sauce. Drain the pasta and mix in to the sauce. Scoff.

Spinach and Tomato Pasta (v)

This is another quick after work meal that makes the most of the dregs of the veg box.

For 2-3 people you need:
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 pack spinach
1/2 punnet tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tub vegan cream cheese
250g pasta
1/2 glass white wine
salt and pepper
splash olive oil

Cook the pasta. Sautee the onion in a little oil for 3-4 mins. Add the spinach and skinned tomatoes along with the garlic. Cook for a further 3-4 mins and then add the wine. Allow to bubble briefly and then add the cream cheese. Cook out. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the water. Mix the pasta with the sauce, adding some of the water if too thick. Serve.

Speedy pasta with peas and marmite (v)

Ok, this is a cheat recipe really, and it's a variation on Nigella's marmite pasta. But it's quick and tasty...

For lne person you need:
75g pasta
1/2 cup peas
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp marmite
2 spring onions, chopped
Grated Parmesan if you're not vegan.

Cook the pasta. Meanwhile melt the marmite in another pan with the onions and peas. Add some water to the pan to help loosen it. Drain the pasta and mix through the sauce. Top with parsley and cheese (if using) and scoff. Yum.

Pasta Bake with Three Cheeses

Another one to use up the milk glut...

For 2-3 people you need:

200g pasta
1 pint milk
1.5oz butter
1.5oz flour
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp french mustard
1 cup mature cheddar, grated
4 slices emmental
1/4 cup grated parmesan
4-6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook the pasta. Meanwhile make the cheese sauce by placing the milk, butter and flour in a pan and heating gently. Bring to the boil and mix thoroughly to ensure a smooth sauce. Add 2/3 of the cheddar and the mustards. Season to taste. Drain the pasta and mix in the sauce. Pour into a gratin dish and top with the remaining cheeses and tomatoes. Bake in a hot oven for 30 mins or so till golden and bubbling. Serve with a simple green salad.

Marmite Pasta (v)

This is a Nigella recipe, and one that's done the rounds recently between some of my online friends. It's utter simplicity, utter savoriness and utterly delicious.

For one person you need:
100g pasta
1/2 tsp marmite
1 tbsp butter/vegan marge

Cook the pasta in water as per usual. In a separate pan put the fat and marmite and meld together with a little of the pasta water. Bubble gently and then add the pasta, taking care not to drain too carefully. Toss thoroughly and scoff. If you're not vegan add lashings of grated cheese to it :)

Sicilian Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Olives (v)

OK so this isn't strictly Sicilian pasta I am sure. But I saw Rick Stein make something like this on his Mediterranean adventure programme a few days ago and thought I like the look of that. The experiment worked and this was totally lush.

For 2 hungry people you need:
200g long pasta
handful fresh tomatoes
handful olives, sliced
pinch chilli flakes
salt and pepper
handful shredded basil leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, smashed

Begin by cooking the pasta. Meanwhile heat the oil in a saute pan and add the garlic. Stir to flavour the oil but don't colour the garlic. Strictly speaking you're supposed to remove the garlic now but frankly that's a heinous crime so keep it in and enjoy it in the sauce. Chop the tomatoes in half and squeeze out the seeds, discard the seeds. Roughly chop the tomato flesh and add to the hot pan. Season and stir well to cook down the tomatoes. Add the olives and chilli flakes. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce pan. Coat well, mixing in the basil leaves. Serve, scoff, smile :)

Roasted Vegetable Pasta (v)

OK so this is virtually the same as the courgette pasta but it's worthy of its own entry...

For 2 people you need:
2 courgettes, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 pepper, diced
handful cherry tomatoes
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tin cherry tomatoes
handful olives, sliced
pinch sugar
salt and pepper
vegetable stock
dash red wine
175g pasta

Toss the veggies in olive oil and then roast them for about 20 mins. Meanwhile place the garlic, seasonings and tomatoes in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer. Cook the pasta, drain. Add the veggies to the sauce and toss in the pasta. Scoff.

Courgette Pasta (v)

A simple and quick dinner to make, and one which uses any glut of homegrown courgettes you might have.

For 4 portions you need:
2 courgettes, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tin chopped tomatoes with olives
1/3 cup water
1 tsp stock
salt and pepper
pinch sugar
400g pasta

Begin by sauteeing the onion and garlic in a little olive oil for a few mins. Add the courgette and cook out for 5-10 mins. Add the tomatoes, seasoning, sugar, water and stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 10-15 mins. Meanwhile cook the pasta. Drain and mix with the sauce. This is also nice the next day cold for lunch as a salad.

Pasta Bake with Cauliflower

Apparently the cauliflower is in danger of dying out because we don't eat enough of it. Bonkers! I love cauli, and it works especially well with cheese. This recipe brings together the best of macaroni cheese and cauliflower cheese by combining cauli with pasta in a rich cheese sauce. Perfect comfort food. Love your cauli!

For 4-6 portions you need:
250g pasta
1 large cauli, cut into florets
1 pint milk
2 oz butter
2 oz plain flour
150ml single cream
1 cup grated strong cheddar
1/2 cup mixed grated gruyere and parmesan
1 tsp french mustard
1 tsp english mustard

Begin by making a mornay sauce: melt the butter in a pan and then stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook out for a few mins before adding the milk. Stir well to avoid lumps and then heat to boiling, reduce the heat and simmer till thickened. Add seasoning, the mustards and take off the heat. Add the cream and 3/4 of the cheddar and half of the gruyere and parmesan mixture. Stir well. Meanwhile cook the pasta and steam the cauli. Drain and tumble into an ovenproof dish. Pour over the sauce and top with more cheese. Bake in a hot oven for 30 mins till crispy, bubbling and perfect. Eat more cauli!