Very Green Summertime Pasta

Over the years, if there’s one thing, I sincerely feel like overpaying for in a restaurant is Pasta! I have nothing against all the restaurants serving pasta, but I firmly believe that with good quality ingredients, it’s so much easier and satisfying to whip up a bowl of phenomenal pasta in your home kitchen that most definitely costs less than $20!

Scout for good handmade or fresh pasta in specialty stores (I am a big proponent of making pasta from scratch, but that pitch is for some other day), pickup couple seasonal produce, good olive oil and top quality cheese (entirely optional) - that’s about it! There are enough resources and guides online for perfecting the sauces (even the finicky infamous ones - cacio e pepe and carbonara) - so here I’m urging you to take matter in your own hands, trust yourself and stop paying exorbitant amount of money on pasta.

Now coming to this dish, although I prefer using this lovely pasta called Mafalda Corta - thin lasagna ribbons with ruffled edges but any short pasta with ridges like Rigatoni, Cavatappi, Cascatelli or even Farafalle would be fine. If possible do get the Mafalda though! Slathered in a creamy green sauce and finished with blanched seasonal asparagus and green peas - this sprightly little bowl will brighten your day.

Ingredients (serves 2)

240g Mafalda Corta ( I like this one)

315g Asparagus, woody ends removed and cut into 1.5-2” pieces

150g Frozen Green Peas (not thawed)

1.5 tbsp Olive Oil

4 Scallions, thinly sliced

1 Garlic, crushed

3 tbsp Pesto (either homemade or store-bought), here I have used my homemade Green Garlic Pesto but you can use any green sauce such as Zhoug, Salsa Verde or Chimichurri

110g Heavy Whipping Cream or Plant Based Double Cream

1/2 tsp Salt (more for blanching vegetables and cooking pasta)

4 tbsp Grated Pecorino or Vegan Parmesan

5g Fresh Mint Leaves (substitute with Sweet Basil if you don’t like Mint), shredded

Zest and Juice of 1 Small Lime to finish

1 tsp Aleppo Chile Pepper Flakes or your favorite Pepper Flakes

Directions

1. In a large bowl, prepare an ice bath - fill a large mixing bowl with lots of ice and keep it aside. Now, fill a deep bottomed pan with water (plenty!), add 2 tsp salt and bring it to boil. Once boiling, add asparagus and set a timer for 4 mins. After 2 mins add frozen peas into it. Once the timer is up, immediately transfer the asparagus and peas into the prepared ice-bath while reserving the hot water

2. Transfer back the hot salted water into the same deep bottomed pan and bring it back to boil. Add pasta into boiling water and cook for however long mentioned on the package. Reserve 3 tbsp starchy pasta water

3. Meanwhile, add oil, scallions, 2g mint leaves and garlic into a skillet and cook on low flame for 3-4 mins or until fragrant. Add salt, cream and reserved pasta water; increase the heat to medium high while swirling the skillet - this swirling helps in emulsifying the cream with starch to build the sauce (you can use a silicone whisk to do the same too). Once the sauce starts to form, add pesto and swirl for a minute to combine then add cooked pasta into the skillet and toss really well for a minute or two. Turn-off the heat and add pecorino, green peas and asparagus

4. Mix everything, finish with remaining mint, zest and juice of a lime. Divide into serving bowls, dust with aleppo flakes. Enjoy with a glass of crisp white wine or bitters and soda!

Cavatappi in Shopski Style Feta

Adapting the Shopski Style Baked Feta - a beloved dish from Bulgaria into a pasta. Other than the time involved in pasta cooking, there’s no additional active cook time, everything happens in the oven! You can totally use roasted peppers from jars or pre-pickled chiles but I insist on trying everything homemade at least once. Feel free to use any short pasta such as farfale, rigatoni or gigli and give this easy and indulgent pasta dish a go!

Ingredients (Serve 3-4)

6 sweet red peppers (sub 2 red bell peppers, slit lengthwise
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1 tsp crushed Black Pepper
30g Red Onion, thinly sliced
250g Cherry Tomatoes, Whole
1 Serrano Pepper pickled in vinegar and salt overnight, chopped (de-seed to reduce heat)
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
1 tsp Cumin Seeds, ground
1 tsp Chile flakes
2 tsp Sweet Paprika
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
230g or 1/2 lb block of Sirene or Bulgarian Feta (substitute with Greek Feta)
1 tsp Runny Honey
1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
220g Cavatappi pasta, cooked based on package instructions

Garnish
1 tsp Baharat Spice Blend + 1/2 tsp Aleppo Pepper Flakes (regular red pepper flakes is fine)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Breadcrumbs

*Optional: fresh picked oregano leaves (substitute with Basil)

Directions
🥣 Pre-heat oven to 425F. In a large baking dish, combine red peppers, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Mix well. Bake for 15-17 mins, take it out and turn down the oven temp to 400F

🥣 Remove the peppers, when cool enough to handle roughly chop them and toss it back into the baking dish. Now add remaining ingredients except EVOO and honey into the dish and give it a good mix. Make space in the center and put the block of Feta. Drizzle EVOO and honey on top of the block

🥣 Bake for 20 mins and then crank up the temp to 425F and bake for another 5-7 mins. While this is baking, prepare the garnish - in a small pan, combine spices, oil and breadcrumbs, Fry on medium flame for 2-3 mins or until golden brown and aromatic. Keep it aside until ready to serve.

🥣 Once out of the oven, the feta should look caramelised on top and feel soft in the middle. While hot, vigorously mix the feta with everything else to make a thick creamy sauce. Then quickly transfer the cooked pasta into baking dish and mix until pasta is well coated

🥣 Sprinkle the spiced breadcrumb topping alongwith fresh oregano (if using) and serve straight in the baking dish

Leeky Harissa Pasta with Labneh

I have been asked many times what’s one thing that will always be found in my fridge, well it’s not one but four - 1 lb of leeks, 2 Fennel Bulbs, one head of confit garlic and a tub of Greek Yoghurt…No kidding, literally always! However my amnesiac partner keeps forgetting this rule and buys leek in every produce run to make me happy. So one time I had 3lbs leeks to finish & this quick Pasta dish was born! Clearly, we need to work on our communication, and you all need to try this easy umami laden pasta dish.

Ingredients (serves 2)
2.5 tbsp Olive Oil
190g thinly sliced Leeks
6 garlic cloves, crushed
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small sweet peppers, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
2 tbsp harissa paste (Spicy kind); increase to 3 tbsp if using mild variety
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp Miso paste
80ml water
225g dried pasta (any kind)

Topping (per serving)
1 tbsp lemon juice
3-4 tbsp Labneh (substitute with Greek Yoghurt or Vegan Yoghurt)
1 tbsp chopped chives
1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes

Directions
💥In a deep bottomed pan, heat up oil, add leeks, peppers & garlic. Cook on low flame for 7 mins or until soft & caramelized. Add tomatoes & cook for 11 mins or until tomatoes have almost broken down

💥Now add tomato paste, harissa, sugar & spices; increase heat to medium flame & cook for 2 mins. Add miso, water & cook for 5 mins or until it’s thick & saucy

💥Cook pasta according to package instructions & reserve 60ml cooking water. Now transfer both pasta alongwith reserved cooking water into the sauce & increase heat to high. Mix everything well & cook on high heat for 2-3 mins or until the sauce is at your desired consistency

💥Divide into 2 serving bowls - add lemon juice, spoon Labneh on top & finish with chives & Aleppo. Give it a good mix before eating, enjoy!

*Notes:
- Preferably use Red Miso
- No chives, try parsley; No Aleppo, try chile flakes
- I have used yoghurt, crème fraîche, sour cream & all works great so use whatever is in your pantry however Labneh is my personal favorite