Eat

Pasta In 30 Mins

Got half an hour? Then dinner’s sorted.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

"Pappardelle carbonara"

PAPPARDELLE CARBONARA

Prep and Cook 20 mins | Serves 4

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
100 g thinly sliced pancetta, torn
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
4 eggs, beaten lightly
¾ cup (60 g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

400 g dried pappardelle

1. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook for 5 mins or until starting to crisp; add garlic, cook, while stirring, for 1 min.

2. Combine the eggs and parmesan in a medium bowl.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain.

4. Off the heat, return pasta to saucepan; add pancetta mixture, egg mixture and enough of the reserved pasta water to form a sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve with extra parmesan.
 
My Reading Room

"Chicken and pesto pasta bake"

CHICKEN AND PESTO PASTA BAKE

Prep and Cook 30 mins | Serves 4-6

2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves (about 1 bunch)
1 clove garlic, peeled
¼ cup (40 g) pine nuts
½ cup firmly packed baby spinach
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup (60 g) finely grated parmesan cheese
500 g penne pasta
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, extra
500 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 1 cm pieces

100 g bocconcini cheese, sliced thinly

1. Process the basil, garlic, pine nuts and spinach in a small blender, or food processor until chopped finely. With motor operating, add oil in a thin, steady stream until combined. Stir in half the parmesan. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of well-salted boiling water until just tender. Drain pasta.

3. Meanwhile, heat the extra oil in a large frying pan. Add the chicken; cook over high heat until golden brown and cooked through.

4. Preheat oven grill on high heat.

5. Toss pesto through the pasta and chicken in a large bowl; season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place pasta mixture in a large ovenproof dish; top with remaining parmesan and bocconcini. Grill for a few minutes or until cheese has melted and parmesan is golden.

6. Serve sprinkled with extra basil leaves, if desired.
 
My Reading Room

"Linguine with garlic prawns"

LINGUINE WITH GARLIC PRAWNS

Prep and Cook 15 mins | Serves 4

750 g uncooked king prawns
400 g dried linguine
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 small red chillies, seeded, sliced thinly

2 tbsps finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley, plus extra leaves for serving

Lemon halves, to serve

1. First, shell and devein prawns. Butterfly prawns by cutting along the centre back without cutting all the way through.

2. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, drain.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Then, cook prawns for 1 to 2 mins or until just cooked through. Remove from pan.

4. Add remaining oil, garlic and chilli to the pan; cook over medium-high heat for 1 min or until fragrant but not coloured.

5. Add cooked pasta, prawns and chopped parsley to garlic mixture in pan; toss to combine, adding a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water if necessary. Serve with lemon and extra parsley.

SERVING TIP: To make the dish more substantial, stir through a drained 185 g can of tuna and serve with bread.
 
My Reading Room

"Spinach, tomato and lemon linguine"

SPINACH, TOMATO AND LEMON LINGUINE

Prep and Cook 25 mins | Serves 4

1 litre (4 cups) water
500 g linguine pasta
400 g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tsps finely grated lemon rind
½ cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil, extra
100 g baby spinach leaves

1 cup (80 g) coarsely grated parmesan

1. Bring the water to the boil in a deep, large frying pan over high heat. Add the pasta, tomato, rind, oil and salt. Cover with lid; return to the boil. As soon as it comes to the boil, uncover and cook over high heat for 8 mins, turning the pasta regularly with a pair of tongs to stop pasta from sticking to base of the frying pan.

2. Meanwhile, combine capers, olives and extra oil in a small bowl.

3. Remove pan from the heat. Add spinach and half the parmesan; toss gently with tongs. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Top with the caper mixture and remaining parmesan. Serve immediately.
 

PHOTOS: BEN DEARNLEY & JOHN PAUL URIZAR/BAUERSYNDICATION.COM.AU