Simply delicious

By LADY CLAIRE MACDONALD

Published:

WHERE would our family be without pasta? When stuck for the simplest quick supper, I reach for a bag of pasta from my larder shelf and a bottle of passata – smooth liquid tomato puree (as opposed to tomato paste) – garlic and Parmesan.

In the time it takes me to boil a pan of salted water and cook the pasta – 4 minutes or so – I gently fry some roughly chopped, skinned garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for a minute before pouring in the contents of the passata bottle, salt, pepper and, if I have some, a teaspoonful of pesto to give a hint of basil to the sauce.

Drained, I mix the pasta into the sauce and serve, grating Parmesan over each serving. Nothing could be simpler, and I can buy every single ingredient from my local Co-op.

This is a cheap, nutritious and satisfying meal, and so quick to prepare.

In the absence of passata, olive oil and garlic (and chilli) are delicious, but a bit less nutritious. And to make it into a gratin, it only needs baking in the oven.

Serves 6

These flavours go so well together, and the walnuts give a good contrasting crunch.

6 leeks, trimmed at either end and sliced thinly

6oz (175g) walnuts, chopped

5 tblspn olive oil

1 just rounded tblspn flour

1¼pt (750ml) milk

A good grating of nutmeg, 1 tspn salt and about 20 grinds of black pepper

8oz (225g) goat’s cheese, any rind removed

3oz (75g) grated Parmesan

1lb (450g) short pasta

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and fry the sliced leeks over a moderate heat until they are completely soft. Then stir in the chopped walnuts and the flour, and cook for a minute before adding the milk, gradually, and stirring continuously.

When the milk is all incorporated and the sauce bubbling, take the pan off the heat, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir in the goat’s cheese, stirring until it melts.

Meanwhile, put a large saucepan of salted water on to boil and, when boiling, add the pasta. Stir it well and, when the water returns to boiling point, cook the pasta for about 4 minutes. (To test, stick your thumbnail into a bit of pasta – there should be a slight bite to it). Then drain the pasta and immediately mix the sauce and drained pasta together thoroughly.

Tip this into an ovenproof dish and scatter the grated Parmesan cheese over the surface. Bake in a moderate oven – 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 – until the Parmesan melts into a golden crust. By then, the pasta in its sauce will be hot through. Serve with a vinaigrette-dressed mixed-leaf salad.

Serves 6

1lb (450g) short pasta

2 tblspn olive oil

1lb (450g) smoked haddock fillets

1½pt (900ml) milk

2oz (50g) butter

1 onion, skinned and diced neatly

2oz (50g) flour

A good grating of nutmeg and about 20 grinds of black pepper

6 tomatoes, skinned, halved, seeds removed and the flesh diced

2 tblspn chopped parsley

4oz (120g) grated Parmesan

Feel the smoked haddock on a board and cut away any small bones your fingers encounter. Cut the smoked haddock into chunks and put it into a saucepan with the milk. Over gentle heat, bring the milk to scalding point – not boiling – then draw the pan off the heat and leave to cool.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the diced onion until very soft and transparent – about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for a further minute before stirring in the milk in which the fish cooked, adding it gradually and stirring all the time until the sauce boils. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the nutmeg and pepper. There is no need for salt – the fish will contribute enough salt flavour.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to the boil, then add the pasta, stir it through the water, bring the water back to boiling point and cook for about 4 minutes before testing a piece of pasta. Drain and immediately stir the 2 tablespoons of olive oil through the drained pasta.

Then stir the sauce into the pasta with the pieces of cooked smoked haddock and the diced tomatoes and chopped parsley. Mix all together thoroughly. Tip this into an ovenproof dish and scatter the grated Parmesan cheese over the surface.

Pop the dish under a hot grill or bake in a moderate oven – 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 – until the cheese melts to a golden crust.