SPRING PASTA

This is a really nice and quick way to prepare pasta.
You need:
- a packet of long dry pasta (spaghetti is best)
- a mug of peas
- a bunch of asparagus (chopped in bite size bits)
- half  mug of pesto sauce ( preferably home made, which is really easy to prepare and lasts for 5-6- days in the fridge - see our recipe http://www.mumandsons.com/2011/03/green-pesto.html)
- salt
- parmiggiano cheese (or equivalent)

Boil the pasta in salty water according to packet instructions  (it tends to be 12-14 minutes) 6 minutes before you take the pasta out add the peas, and two minutes afterwards add the asparagus. when the pasta is boiled put it all in a colander, add the pesto ( with a couple of tablespoons of the water that you have used to boil the pasta) and grate a generous amount of parmiggiano on top. It could not be more simple, but it is heavenly.

You can do this with beans or broccoli, but the peas and asparagus combination works really well.

CRAB LINGUINI

Simple-simple, but my children love it. You need:
- 250 - 350 gr crab meat
- a packet of linguini
- two tablespoons of olive oil
- three cloves of garlic, chopped thinly
- a glass of white wine
 - half a lemon (juice and zest)
- a handful of parsley (flat)
- salt

Boil the linguini in plenty of salty water according to the packet instructions. Separately heat the olive oil in a pan, fry the garlic (over low heat) for 3 minutes, add the lemon zest and half of the parsley (chopped thinly) and after 20 seconds add the wine and salt and let it reduce for 10 minutes. When the linguini are boiled, add the crab to the wine sauce, let it simmer for a minute , pour the linguini on top, mix well and serve. You can add a bit more lemon juice and olive oil on top if you wish. Sprinkle the remaining parsley on top. That is all.

PASTA BAKE

This works really well if you have to feed a crowd (especially kids and teenagers, but it is great for adults too). You need:

- 1 kg dried pasta (penne or similar)
- salt
- 3 red or yellow peppers
- one aubergine
- 2 courgettes
- 2 onions
- four table spoons of olive oil
- 6-8 basil leaves (this is just for decoration really)
- a mug of tomato sauce
- three handfuls of grated cheese

Cut all the vegetables in chunks. Put them on a baking tray. Add salt and the olive oil and mix well so that each chunk is coated with the salt and oil. Bake (200 degrees) for 45 minutes until the edges get brown. Meanwhile boil the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain the pasta. When the veggies are ready toss them with the pasta and the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top, dip the basil leaves in olive oil and put them on top of the cheese and grill for 3-4- minutes until the cheese is golden.

Tossing the veggies with the oil and then with the tomato sauce and dipping the basil leaves in oil  is what children like most in this recipe.

LASAGNA

The thing about lasagne is that though it looks like 'easy food' it is rather laborious to make. We normally make two and freeze one (freeze it without the cheese on top).

You need:

- 1 kg of minced beef meat
- 250 g of minced pork meat
- two big onions (diced)
- four carrots (diced thinly)
- two cloves of garlic (diced very thinly)
- lasagna sheets (we use 16 for our oven tray  and we buy the pre-cooked ones but the normal ones work well too provided you boil them foes a couple of minutes first)
- one bay leave
- four table spoonfuls of flour
- two table spoonfuls of butter
- 1 l of milk
- tomato sauce ( first six spoonfuls and then 10 more  - see our recipe)
- one glass of white wine
- cheese (to taste)
- salt
- olive oil

In a big pan fry the onion and the carrots with the bay leave over low heat until the onions are translucent (12-15 minutes). you can also add celery to this if you wish.  Then add the clove of garlic and fry for 5 more minutes ( all over low heat)

Separately put a bit of olive oil in a pan and fry the minced meat separating it with two wooden spoons so that you do not get lumps. Do this until the meat gets brown ( it is difficult to calculate how long this will take as it depends on the quality of the meat - if it is not very good meat you may  get lots of water in the pan so you will have to way until all of it evaporates - or just get rid of it with a spoon). Add the meat to the onions and carrots, add the tomato sauce, salt and mix it all well. Add the white wine and let it all bubble under high heat first and then low heat for 15 minutes.

In yet another pan prepare the béchamel sauce:  heat the butter in a pan. Then add the flour (stirring well so that it does not get burn).After 3-4 minutes add the milk and salt and keep stirring until you get bubbles and then for five or six minutes afterwards while the sauce thickens.  If you get lumps just blend the sauce with a  hand held blender just after you add the milk.

At this point you can start assembling the lasagna: put some béchamel sauce fist, then the meat, then the lasagne sheets, then tomato sauce, then béchamel again, meat, lasagne sheets, more béchamel on top and a bit of tomato sauce. Top it all with the cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 200 degrees.    

PASTA WITH CHORIZO

This is a Spanish classic dish that comes from an Italian classic one. In fact when Spanish people say they will 'cook pasta' this is what they normally refer to. My grandma went as far as boiling the pasta in the tomato sauce itself - I thought my Italian friends would be horrified to hear this, but I have found out that in the old times this is how pasta was prepared in some parts of Italy.  Children love this dish, no mater the age.
You need:
 - dried pasta (preferably penne) (a handful and a half per person)
- plenty of water
-salt
- tomato sauce ( preferably home made - see recipe in sauces' section)
- grated cheese
- chorizo cut in cubes (around 30 gr per person)

Boil the pasta in the water (with salt) following the packet instructions and drain the water out of it. Mix it with the tomato sauce. Separately fry lightly the chorizo (without oil) for 2-3- minutes or alternatively put it in the highest setting of your microwave oven for 45 seconds. Discard the (considerable amount of) fat that oozes from the chorizo and mix it with the pasta. Add grated cheese on top.

GREEN PESTO

You can eat this sauce with pretty much anything: all types of pasta, rice, grilled chicken, roast fish, as a dip with raw vegetables... or simply over a piece of crusty bread.
You need:
50 gr basil ( if you want to make it cheaper use 50 gr basil and 25 gr spinach instead)
a handful of grated cheese (ideally parmesan, but for a cheaper version use strong cheddar)
a handful of pine nuts
half a clove of garlic
olive oil ( 1 glass and a bit more to cover the sauce after it is ready)
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend them well. That is all.
You can store this for a week and a half in the fridge covering the top of the sauce with some olive oil (around 1 cm) to prevent discolouring.
The children can do this on their own except that you need to supervise them while they use the blender.

EASY PASTA WITH BACON AND PEAS

The kids wanted a recipe that they could cook 'even when I am not there'. They have rehearsed this one various times so they know the steps by heart. This time my eldest did it all on his own (except for draining the pasta). He was seriously proud of the dish - and so was I!
You need:
- pasta (we used spaghetti, but you can use any kind of dried pasta)
- olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- a clove of garlic (optional) - crushed
- frozen peas ( 150 gr)
- bacon (100 gr, cut into little cubes - you can buy this already cut at the supermarket)
- creme fraiche ( 3 table spoons), I have also done this in the past with single cream (150 ml) or milk (150 ml). Once I triedthis  with Philadelphia cheese (3 table spoons) and it was also good.
Boil the pasta in plenty of salty water following the packet instructions and drain it well.
While the pasta is boiling fry the bacon on the olive oil (medium heat). After 3 minutes (when the bacon is a little golden) add the crushed clove of garlic if you are using it (if you do not like garlic just disregard this step). Let it fry for just one minute and add the frozen peas and the salt (to taste) Wait for 3-4 minutes and add the creme fraiche. Wait until you see that bubbles appear. That is all there is to it.
Mix the pasta with the sauce and put some grated Parmesan on top.
I do not say it only because my children made it but it is very-very delicious.