I thought it would be fun today to do a round-up of some of my favorite pasta dishes that I have cooked here in The English Kitchen. There is a bit of something here for everyone.
Skillet dishes, oven bakes, all-in-ones, sauces, and salads. Pasta is one of my favorite things to cook and to eat. Its a great way to satisfy those carb cravings we all have from time to time!
There is something here from the very basic traditional pasta dishes to new pasta recipes with modern twists. I can guarantee that these are all delicious recipes which are very easy to make and which use simple every day ingredients.
Scroll down to the end to see my hints and tips for cooking pasta perfectly every time!
PASTA E PISELLI
Simple ingredients put together in a simple way. Pasta, peas, water and cheese. It doesn't get any simpler or easier than this. You wouldn't think that simple things like this could come together in such a delicious way, but like magic, they do! I love this.
MARTHA STEWARTS ONE PAN PASTA
One thing I love about this tasty pasta dish is that everything cooks in one pan, even the pasta (linguini) . . . you just add the dry pasta and other ingredients, including water, and it cooks all-together in the pan.
No fuss, no muss . . . no faffing about with having to drain this or that . . . the water, tomatoes, etc. condense along with the starch from the cooking pasta to create a delicious sauce.
PASTA WITH CHICKEN BROTH, BUTTER & CHEESE
This brilliant pasta dish is a beautiful example of simple and uncomplicated foods. Food done well and put together in a most delicious way.
Stock and pasta are the basis of this very simple and yet delicious dish in which pasta is quite simply cooked in a quantity of stock . . . It doesn't get much easier than this.
BOW TIE PASTA WITH SPROUTS AND BACON
Pasta, sprouts and bacon are three of my absolute favourite things, so I just love this dish. Its a very simple recipe and goes together really quickly if you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
The sprouts get all caramelised on the edges, which I really love.
Crisp salty bacon and those nutty crispy-tender sprouts in a creamy sauce with plenty of cheese scattered over top! What's not to love about this!
SAUCY PASTA HOOPS
Did you used to like Spaghetti hoops when you were a child? It wasn't something we had very often but when we did it was a real favourite! A grown up version of a childhood favourite, all cooked in one pan.
Rich and cheesy and oh so easy to make! NO fuss, NO muss, and delicious to boot.
LEMON & GREEN OLIVE PASTA
If you are looking to try out a new pasta dish this week look no further. This one is a winning combination all round. Although the quantities are for only two people, you can very easily multiply them to feed more!
It always amazes me when a few simple ingredients come together in an unbelievably delicious way. If you love the flavours of lemon and good green olives you are going to adore this simple pasta dish. Incredibly tasty and very special.
CHEESY TUNA SKILLET PASTA
This is a fabulously tasty skillet meal. It goes together really quickly and is done in about 15 minutes time maximum. While it is cooking you can be putting together a nice salad to serve on the side. Easy peasy.
Its like your favourite Tuna Casserole, or Tuna Helper I guess. Cooked on top of the stove, all in one dish. Again, no fuss, no muss.
EASY OVEN BAKED PASTA
Pasta which has been baked in sauce is really very tasty . . . and all you have to do is just sit there and let the oven do all of the work. All you need is some salad and crusty bread on the side and Bob's your uncle!
Again, a simple dish to make using very simple ingredients. This is delicious.
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP SUPPER DISH
Don't let the poor photograph put you off from eating this fabulously tasty pasta dish. It's got all the flavours of the traditional Italian Wedding Soup, but it's not soup . . . it's a hearty skillet supper, and it's delicious!
With tiny meatballs, orecchiette pasta, chicken, spinach, aromatics and cheese, this always goes down a real treat!
KITCHEN SINK PASTA
This simple pasta dish was created from all the bits and bobs that were lingering in the bottom of my vegetable bin. I actually won a prize for this recipe. A trip to Tuscany.
Its amazing what you can do with some spinach, a few TBS of sun-dried tomato pesto, a handful of button mushrooms, some leftover seasoned tinned chopped tomatoes and a rather tired looking banana shallot, oh, and some pasta of course!
CHICKEN & PASTA IN A GARLIC & CREAM SAUCE
A fabulous one pot dinner, with chicken, pasta and the most delicious sun dried tomato and garlic cheese sauce!
This is such a simple recipe. You simply saute some garlic and sun dried tomatoes in a bit of oil from the sun dried tomato jar.
CREAMY SWEETCORN MAC & CHEESE
This is such a simple recipe. You simply saute some garlic and sun dried tomatoes in a bit of oil from the sun dried tomato jar.
Some chicken, some cream, some cheese, herbs and seasoning and you have a sauce which is to absolutely die for!
SPAGHETTI FRANCISCO
A baked meal in one which is great for covered dish suppers and pot lucks. You can also divide it between two casserole dishes and freeze one for later.
The original recipe came from Sunset Magazine. I have been baking this old favourite for my family for many, many years, always to accolades.
TOMATO LASAGNA
Oh, I do love a good lasagna. Ofttimes we will stop ourselves from making it as it can be a somewhat complicated dish, but this simple lasagna can be whipped up any time and what I love most about it is the simplicity of flavors.
A simple tomato sauce, layered with béchamel and cheese . . . amongst sheets of pasta, and baked until golden. It is so good. And it is the simplicity of the flavors which make it even more delicious.
SPAGHETTI WITH QUICK BOLOGNESE SAUCE
This delicious sauce requires very little work and very few ingredients. Just some chopped onion, chopped carrot (both of which you can actually chop in a food chopper) . . . some crumbled Italian sausage meat . . . tomato paste and a bit of red wine.
You simmer this together for half an hour and add some herbs and some cream at the end. Beautiful with spaghetti, or any pasta really.
This is a delicious side dish that is great for bring to pot lucks and BB Q's. Everyone loves it.
Macaroni and cheese with the delicious addition of corn. Don't knock it until you try it.
Leftover roast chicken tossed together with buttery soft shredded Brussels sprouts, whole wheat spaghetti, garlic and cheese. Amazingly delicious!
I love recipes like this! A bit of this and that thrown together in a most delicious way.
GOURMET MAC & CHEESE
A truly creamy and rich version of macaroni and cheese with three delicious cheeses and a crunchy topping. What's not to love about this?
This is quite simply, my favourite version of mac & cheese.
CHEDDAR MACARONI SALAD
I have several different macaroni salads on here that I have posted and both are very good. My Creamy Macaroni Salad is quite delicious and combines a variety of elements of different salads I have tried through the years. The other one which I make, Basic Macaroni Salad is also very good!
This recipe for Cheddar Macaroni Salad Cheddar Macaroni Salad, was adapted from one of my oldest cookery books, The Better Homes and Gardens, New Cookbook, the 1982 Edition. This is one of my favourite books and one of the very first cookbooks I purchased. Sadly I have lost the book now, having had to leave it in the UK. Maybe one day I will come across another copy.
This recipe is actually one I adapted from one which I found in an old Weight Watchers cookbook. It is filled with colour, flavour, texture and taste!
I really enjoy these types of salads because they sit well, and taste even better the day after. With plenty of fresh vegetables . . . cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and red onions . . . chopped fresh basil.
TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY & ALMOND PASTA SALAD
I use farfalle pasta for this, whole wheat if I can get it . . . its the perfect shape to use in a pasta salad. Nice and open, but with a few little pleats to hold in the dressing. And that dressing is delicious.
A homemade poppy seed dressing that is lovely and tangy from fresh lemon juice, with a bit of punch from Dijon mustard and sweetness from creamy honey.
There is nothing about this that I don't love.
HOW TO COOK PASTA PERFECTLY EVERY TIME:
Here are my hints and tips for cooking perfect pasta each when you cook it. Whether you are cooking it to serve as a base for a delicious sauce or to add to a fantabulous casserole, this information is sure to come in handy and insure pasta perfection each and every time.
1. No matter what you may read, don't put any oil in your water or on your pasta. Adding oil to the water or to your cooked pasta will cause your sauce to slip right off.
2. Use plenty of cold, fresh, heavily salted water, in a large pot. This ensures that once it comes to the boil you will have plenty of room for the noodles to move about freely, enabling it to cook properly and preventing it from sticking together. The basic rule of thumb is to use three liters (3 gallons) of water to every 250g of pasta (1pound).
3. Use plenty of salt. Your water needs to "taste like the sea" in order for the flavor to permeate the pasta. Three liters of water will require at least 1 TBS of fine sea salt.
4. Make sure your water has come to a rolling rapid boil before you add your pasta. Don't ever be tempted to add it before this happens. If you add your pasta too soon, it is likely to end up soggy and badly cooked.
5. Drop your pasta into the boiling water and then stir it immediately. This will prevent it from sticking together, or to the sides or bottoms of your saucepan.
6. Follow the package directions. All brands and varieties of pasta will have a recommended cook time printed on the packaging, both for regular or al dente (firm, but tender to the tooth, my preferred). Different types of pasta will take different cook times. One size does not fit all when it comes to pasta.
7. Save some of the cooking water. Just use a ladle and measure out some of it. This comes in handy when saucing up your pasta.
8. Always have your sauce ready before you begin to cook your pasta. Cooking the pasta should be the last thing you do.
9. Drain your pasta well, rinse and then drain again, using very hot water. Don't let it sit and get all dry. You should use it as soon as possible after this step.
10. Add your pasta to the sauce, not the other way around.
11. Add some pasta water to the sauce. Adding a touch of pasta water to your sauce when you add the pasta will help the sauce to stick better to the pasta. It also adds some richness and flavor as well as helping to bring a split sauce back together.
Following these hints and tips can bring perfect pasta within your reach every single time! Happy Cooking!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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This is something which I cooked as a dessert on a few occasions when I worked at the Manor. I often had to cater to silver service 5 course meals and my boss usually liked me to have at least two desserts for her guests to choose from.
Normally she liked everything to be overly complicated. I always tried to temper the complicated dishes with a few simple ones and dishes that I could do a lot of pre-prep for were what I preferred.
After all I was all on my own in the kitchen. When you are talking about shopping and prepping for a huge dinner party that is a lot of work.
They would start with canapes to be served with drinks. You would think canapes would be simple, but actually they are quite fiddly. I would have to serve no less than 4 or 5 different canapes.
A favorite with me was Quail's eggs with seasoning salt. The hardest part was the peeling of the cooked eggs, but depending on how many guests there were, this was something that went rather quickly for me.
They were always served on a huge platter atop a bed of shredded lettuce, a bird's nest holding a dish of seasoning salt in the center. Another favorite was smoked salmon on brown bread. Also very easy.
Other canapes would be parmesan crisps, easy . . . I used to make these Indian shortbreads that were gorgeous. The recipe is on here. I liked doing those because they could be baked ahead of time and then just put together on the night.
I had a few other favorites I liked to do as well. Lets just say, easy was key for me, as much as possible.
The first course all depended on what the main course was going to be. I liked it when she wanted a soup of some kind because I could also do that ahead of time and just reheat it on the night.
The main course would be major work, always. I didn't mind however. I got to use the finest ingredients and really stretch my culinary abilities. I got to cook things I would never have been able to afford to cook at home.
Usually it would involve duck, or lamb, maybe beef, with a sauce. A starch of some kind (either potatoes or rice.) I made a really fabulous Dauphinoise Potatoes. This could also be made ahead of time and then reheated at the last minute.
Usually two or three vegetables to accompany on the side also.
Always, always two desserts, and she liked to go really fancy there. Most people would not choose one or the other, they usually had a tiny slice of each, whatever it was.
One favorite was the frozen Lemon Souffle. One reason I liked that as a dessert was, again, I could make them ahead of time and have them in the freezer waiting to pull out when I needed them. I tried to do that with both desserts if I could.
Another favorite would be this simple French Apple Tart. It looks impressive and complicated, but really it isn't. And lets face it, if you call something a tart, it automatically sounds special.
A simple pastry is made. Its a sweet pastry. You can make it earlier in the day and chill it. Roll it out and then par-bake it. This can all be done ahead. Bonus!
The fiddliest part of this tart is peeling, slicing and arranging the apples. They are mixed with a spice mixture, some lemon zest and lemon juice and then arranged in the tart crust, atop a flour and sugar mixture.
The flour/sugar mixture is there to help absorb some of the juices from the apples, so that the pastry doesn't get all soggy.
And then you just bake it. It bakes for a short time at a higher temperature, and then you reduce the temperature and bake it for a bit longer.
Just until the apples are crispy tender. You don't want them mushy. Once they are just right, you pull it out of the oven and brush it all over with some sieved apricot jam to glaze it a bit.
Its best served at room temperature. They always enjoyed it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Always Hagen Das.
While they were enjoying their dessert, I would be getting the cheese course ready. This was always served on a large silver tray with a silver biscuit barrel to hold the crackers. Usually six cheeses, and some fruit.
And as if that wasn't enough, once they were finished with the cheese course I would serve them coffee and chocolates in the Linen Fold room, which was a special room that had oak walls carved in a special linen-fold pattern. The manor itself dated back to Tudor times and this room and its walls were dated back to that time.
Then while they were enjoying their coffees, etc. I would start with the cleaning up. Usually I had my husband and the housekeeper to help me with that. Even so, it was a HUGE chore and we would be very lucky if we were home by 2 a.m.
All in all though they were pretty wonderful experiences. I look back on them now and I wonder at how I managed to pull it all off. There was only me to do everything, but somehow I managed to sort it every time and do it well. I am rather proud of that.
In any case I hope you enjoy this French Apple Tart! They always did!
Yield: 6
Spiced Apple Tart
A wonderful tart with a crisp and rich dessert pastry base, delectably sweet filling of apples . Serve at room temperature with a hot drink after dinner for a real taste treat!
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 280g plain flour (2 cups)
- 120g cold butter (1/2 cup)
- 56g sifted icing sugar (7 TBS)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 TBS water
For the filling:
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- the finely grated zest and juice of one large lemon
- 50g soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, packed)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 TBS each plain flour and granulated sugar, mixed together
To finish:
- sieved apricot jam
Instructions
- First make the pastry. Sift the pastry into a basin. Add the butter, cut into pieces and rub it into the flour until it resembled fine dry bread crumbs. Add the icing sugar. Whisk in well.
- Make a indentation in the centre of the butter mixture. Beat the egg yolks and water together. Pour into the indentation and then, using a fork, mix together to a rough dough in the basin.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth. Shape into a ball and then place into a zip lock bag. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, while you make the filling.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6
- Put the apple into a bowl along with the grated lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and spices. Set aside.
- Take the pastry out of the refrigerator. Roll it out onto a floured surface to a round about 14 inches in diameter.
- Line a 10 inch diameter tart tin which has a removeable base with it, being careful not to stretch it. Don't trim off any of the overhang.
- Prick with a fork and line with a piece of baking parchment and fill with baking weights. Place onto a baking sheet and place into the heated oven.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, remove the baking parchment and the weights and return to the oven for a further 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and run a rolling pin over the edge all around and remove the overhang and discard.
- Sprinkle the base with the flour/sugar mixture. Add the apple slices, placing them into the pastry on top of the flour/sugar mixture in a really decorative manner.
- Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160*C/325*F/gas mark3 and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the top with the sieved apricot jam. Allow to cool to warm.
- Cut into wedges to serve.
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Special K Breakfast Muffins. I love baking muffins that can be made with breakfast cereal. Bran Muffins, Oatmeal Muffins, etc. I love them all.
I had bought myself a box of Special K cereal with the red berries a month or so ago, and then I went and fell on it. (Don't ask!) Okay, I was tidying my room up and I tripped over something.
Anyways, I am no light weight, as you can clearly see, and I crushed the cereal somewhat. I decided to look for a recipe that I could use some of it in today and I found this one.
I actually found quite a few, but this was the one that I thought looked the soundest. It rang true with me and I think I can tell if a recipe is going to be any good or not after all the experience I have had through the years.
I also loved that it only made six muffins. She shows 5 on her page, but mine made 6 medium sized muffins.
I also wanted to showcase this dinner set that was my mothers. Not this set IS mine. And I just love it. No, its not worth a fortune. It is an old melamine set that my mother received back in the 1960's.
It consists of 6 dinner plates, cups, saucers, fruit nappies, roll bowl, and a cream and sugar set. I do not know the pattern. The plain pieces are brown and the plates are printed with autumn leaves and wheat sheaves.
Used only for special occasions I can remember exactly when my mother got this set. We had gone with my father to Winnipeg for one of his business meetings. He had a TV Arial and Television Repair business that he did on the weekends for extra money.
He had a meeting with a supplier in Winnipeg and we went into the city with him as my mother wanted to do some shopping. We had to wait in the car while he was in his meeting and it went on overly long. It seemed we were in the car for hours.
Finally my father must have said something to the client about us waiting in the car because the man was very apologetic. He came out to the car to apologize and gave my mother this dinnerware set to sweeten up the apology.
I can remember mom using it on special occasions like Christmas and Easter. For some reason she was really proud of it, even though it was plastic. None of it ever broke. The set is entirely intact and I love it.
The set is mine along with my mother's teacups. My mother promised me her tea cup collection many, many years ago, and in fact, had already given them to me when my second marriage broke up. She got them back from my ex's house one day for safe-keeping (he wouldn't let me take anything.)
And she saved them for me. There are quite a few and I love each of them. There are even several clear bubble glass ones. I know I don't drink regular teas, but I do love herbal teas and I do enjoy drinking my tea from a cup and saucer.
Anyways, this set is mine, along with the cups and saucers. And I am grateful to have them and for the memories they contain.
Now back to the muffins. I do like to make us something special for the weekend. I've always been like that Saturday has always been a bit of a treat day in my home. I would either be making muffins or pancakes or some such for breakfast on Saturdays.
Oh, I baked during the week also, but usually just cookies and the odd cake now and then. Weekends were reserved for muffins and pies . . . pancakes.
On Sundays we would have bacon and eggs. But Saturday breakfasts were a bit lighter.
I adore muffins, especially muffins that are not like cake. When I eat a muffin I don't want a piece of cake, or muffins that are like eating cake. Overly sweet . . .
I want a muffin as it is supposed to be. Slightly raised with rounded pebbly tops. The insides filled with nice holes. Perfect for spreading with a tiny pat of butter.
A muffin is a quick bread after all. Its not meant to be a mini cake. We have cupcakes for that. They are not meant to be cupcakes.
Muffins are as easy to make as stirring together wet and dry ingredients and spooning them into paper-lined muffin pans, or well buttered muffin pans. Its not rocket science. Anyone can make a good muffin.
Having said that here are my hints and tips for making sure that your muffins turn out beautifully every time:
1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. Make a well in the dry ingredients, carefully pour in the wet ingredients, then stir the mix a couple of times to roughly combine.
2. Don't over mix your muffins. The most important rule of muffin making is to not over stir the mix. What you really want is to just moisten the ingredients. Do not stir or beat the batter until it is smooth and lump free. You want the final mix to be lumpy, and thick with a few floury streaks.
3. Add your flavors last. While spices should be added with all the other dry ingredients, additions like fruit and nuts should be added last. Give the batter one more light-handed stir once you've added them in just to combine.
4. Line the pans. You can choose to either grease the muffin tin or line it with paper liners. If you choose to forgo the liners, make sure you grease the base and sides of the cups with oil spray or a little melted butter. If you're not going to eat the muffins for a while, do use paper liners as these will keep the muffins fresher for longer.
5. Don't overfill your pans. Aim to fill the cups ¾ full to get muffins with nice round tops and to prevent them from spilling out over the top of the cups. Often if your tins are over filled the muffins will rise to the top and then collapse on themselves.
6. For extra interest, add a flavorful sprinkle on top. Once the muffin cups are all filled, you can choose to sprinkle the tops with more fruit, nuts or a crumble topping, even sanding sugar or cinnamon sugar, for even more taste and or crunch. As the muffins rise these toppings will cook into the tops of the muffin.
7. Protect your baking pan. If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, half fill the empty ones with water. This will help the muffins bake evenly and will help to protect your pan from buckling.
8. Cooling them down. Once you remove the muffins from the oven, let them sit in their pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. This is especially important for muffins that aren't in a paper liner, as it will help them from falling apart. However, remove them after five minutes otherwise you risk them going soggy as they cool in the pan.
9. Freeze extras for later. Muffins freeze beautifully, so if you can't enjoy them all on the day they're baked, wrap them in plastic wrap tightly, and put them in the freezer for later. They will keep for about 3 months and reheat wonderfully in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high from frozen.
One of the main things is not to overmix them really. They should be lumpy. Over-mixed muffins often end up tough and heavy. Or they won't rise as well as they should do.
Perfect muffins should have a crispy top, a moist interior and loads of little holes which invite butter. I know second time I have talked about buttering muffins. I can't help it. I love butter on warm muffins.
I also love muffins that are interesting, which is why I added more cereal to the tops of these. I used the Special K with red berries, but I did not put any berries on top. Its been my experience that these will burn unappealingly.
You don't want that, but for a bit of crunch some of the cereal crushed and sprinkled on top is great!
These are the PERFECT breakfast muffins. Quick to make. Easy. Delicious. I highly recommend. That's one of my hand embroidered tea towels they are sitting on top of. A part of my preparations for my new home once I get it.
Special K Breakfast Muffins
Yield: 6 muffins
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Simple and delicious and filled with fiber. You can use plain Special K or the one with berries, etc.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (20g) crushed special k cereal
- 3/4 cup (105g) all purpose plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (60g) melted butter
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- additional crushed cereal to sprinkle on top (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. 6 muffin cups lined with paper cases.
- Measure the cereal, flour and sugar into a bowl along with the baking powder. Whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla. Add all at once to the dry ingredients and stir together just to combine.
- Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle some additional crushed cereal on top to decorate if desired.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve warm.
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