Are you in love with Italian cooking? If so, then you probably already know what day it is: World Pasta Day!
No doubt about it, pasta is one of our favourite foods, not only for its delightful taste but also for its status as a budget-friendly staple that lends itself well to a variety of dishes.
Whether you choose to go all-out with gourmet toppings, keep it simple with herbs and olive oil, or simply toss your noodles with a pat of butter, pasta makes for a savoury meal.
In honour of this occasion, Capsicum Culinary Studio asked its chefs to share their favourite pasta dish recipes, that are guaranteed to make your stomach do a happy dance. That said, the South African Avocado Growers’ Association also suggests that you add an avo to your dish this World Pasta Day with their quick and easy recipe.
Now, let’s get to cooking!
Fettuccine Napoletana by Charne Wylie, Pretoria campus
Serves: 4
Ingredients
500g fresh or dried fettuccine
800g whole peeled tomatoes in tomato juice
3 leeks, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 red chillies, seeded and chopped
3tsp olive oil
3tsp butter
Salt to taste
440g-500g pasta, cooked al dente
Parmesan cheese, grated
Green peppercorns, to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Place the tomatoes, leeks, onion, garlic, and chillies in a large roasting pan and top with olive oil, butter, and salt. Roast until the tomatoes start to brown around the edges. Stir and roast for a further 10 minutes. Toss with the pasta and sprinkle over the Parmesan and peppercorns.
Spaghetti Carbonara by Hayley Sutherland, Cape Town campus
Serves: 4
Ingredients
500g fresh or dried spaghetti
500g minced pancetta or bacon
4 eggs, beaten
cracked black peppercorns
170g Parmesan cheese, grated
Chopped parsley (optional)
Method
Cook the pancetta or bacon in a large sauté pan over low heat until golden brown, 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve the pancetta and fat in the pan and keep warm.
Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and stir a few times to separate the strands. Cook the spaghetti until al dente then drain. Return the pan with the pancetta/bacon to medium heat and when hot, toss in the pasta and mix making sure the pasta is hot and coated well with the pancetta or bacon and all the “bits” in the pan.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio by Bradley Wright, Durban campus
Ingredients
400g-500g dried spaghetti
2 red chillies, de-seeded and cut at a 45-degree angle
1 large clove of garlic, very thinly sliced
10g parsley, very finely chopped
30g grated Parmesan cheese
45ml olive oil
Method
Get a pot of water on the boil and add some salt (it must taste like the ocean!).
It all happens very quickly so make sure you have all your ingredients ready.
In a frying pan add 40ml olive oil and the garlic, heat the pan slowly to allow the garlic to toast in the olive oil and be a light golden-brown colour. Add ¾ of your sliced red chillies and fry them off. Add the pasta to the water and boil until al dente. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the frying pan, along with about 20ml of the pasta water, and toss. Add half the Parmesan and ¾ of the chopped parsley, taste, and check to season, adding salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with remaining, chilli, Parmesan, and chopped parsley.
Lemon Avocado Pea Pasta
Serves: 2
Ingredients
140g spaghetti
2 large ripe avocados, peeled and diced
100g frozen petits pois or garden peas
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
4 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
50ml avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to instructions on the packaging. Add the peas for the last 2-3 minutes. Drain and reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water.
Toss the pasta and peas with diced avocado, and cooking water, stir in the lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan, the reserved cooking water, and the avocado oil.
Season with salt and pepper, and then pile it into two serving bowls. Sprinkle the dill and the remaining Parmesan over the top and serve immediately.