Tag: pasta

Working on my bolognese

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We were making a lot of bolognese for our twins since they started eating solids – east to make, has some veg in (and we lace it with courgettes and spinach so they get an extra dose of greens), and can be eaten with and without pasta. Before them it had been a long old time since I’d made a bolognese for myself. Even then, effort was minimal. Onions, beef, tomato – of course. A bit of garlic, herbs, tomato paste – naturally. That’s pretty much where it stopped though. I cooked it quick and was happy with whatever the result was, but I guess I stopped eating it as it wasn’t knock out flavour.

Now that’s all changed. I’m using nice plum tomato passata (or blitzing San Marzanos myself), freshly ground beef, adding bay leafs, Parmesan rind, balsamic, red wine, actually using a real soffrito combo. Not to mention cooking the thing on the lowest possible heat for hours. You get the picture – my finally taking my bolognese seriously.

I do a lot of variations, but here is the most recent I did.

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Italian meatballs with fusilli

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I’ve traditionally just made Swedish meatballs, because I’m half Swedish and was taught to make them that way by my mother.  They’re delicious and I would still say the best.  However, at a slight loose end for dinner the other night, I decided to go with the Italian style meatball to complement a tomato sauce I had in the freezer from about a month back.  The parmesan in these meatballs makes them taste absolutely amazing.  Lots of mmm’ing from me and my wife when we ate this.

Italian meatballs and fusilli (2 – 4 portions)

Ingredients

  • 400g good quality beef mince
  • 1dl almond milk
  • 1/2 dl bread crumbs
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp parsley (dry or fresh)
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 egg
  • 10-20g freshly grated parmesan
  • 400g tomato sauce
  • Fusili for 2 – 4 portions

Method

  1. Start cooking the fusilli
  2. Soak the breadcrumbs in almond milk until the breadcrumbs have been absorbed
  3. Mix all ingredients except tomato sauce and fusilli into a mixing bowl
  4. Roll into your desired size meatballs (I do about 2-3cm thick which yields about 20 meatballs)
  5. Fry in a decent amount of oil until cooked through and golden on the outside
  6. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer for 5 mins covered
  7. Pour over fusilli in bowls

 

Dead easy, one portion pasta (G.C.P.H. Fusilli Bucati)

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I didn’t take a picture of this one because I didn’t think it would be anything special, but it was a damn good little snack/lunch size portion so I decided to share it.

This one was made by me for me as a snack because it was a bit hungry but couldn’t be bothered with a faff. Pretty customisable so just use whatever you have lying about.

Garlic, Cheese, Pine nuts and Herbs Fusilli Bucati (makes enough for 1)

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 dl Fusilli Bucati (or any pasta you want)
  • 10-20g grated ossau iraty
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tsp pine nuts
  • 2-4 fresh basil leaves
  • 1-2 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 tbsp Creme fraiche
  • Salt/pepper

Method

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and then cook pasta per instructions on pack.
  2. Chop up the basil, sage, pine nuts and garlic and mix together with the cheese.
  3. When pasta is boiled drain, but keep a bit of the liquid in the bottom of the pan.
  4. Place pasta back in the pan and add the rest of the ingredients (including creme fraiche, salt and pepper to taste)
  5. Serve with a bit of grated cheese and cracked black pepper on top.