TROUT AND ASPARAGUS LASAGNE
Serves 4-6
300g lightly smoked trout fillets
30ml olive oil
3-4 leeks, sliced
100g butter
125ml flour
750ml milk
10ml Dijon mustard
15ml grated lemon rind
45ml chopped dill
375ml grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
8-10 lasagna pasta sheets
420g can of asparagus spears, drained
Steam or poach the trout until just cooked. Cool and flake into largish pieces. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the leeks. Simmer gently until the leeks are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for a minute.
Add the milk, stirring continuously until the mixture boils and thickens.
Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard, rind, dill and 250ml of the Parmesan cheese. Add the cooked leeks to the mixture and season to taste.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the lasagna sheets a few at a time for 2-3 minutes until just soft. Remove and drain on paper towel.
Lightly oil the base of a 18 x 25cm ovenproof casserole. Line the base with three lasagna sheets.
Add a third of the leek sauce mixture. Cover with a layer of the drained asparagus. Top with another layer of pasta.
Add another third of the sauce. Add a layer of the cooked flaked trout and then another layer of pasta.
Finally top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove and stand for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
VEGETABLE PASTA BAKE
Serves 4-6
300g penne pasta
15ml olive oil
125g back bacon, chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
250g button mushrooms, quartered
3 courgettes, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
200g broccoli florets
375ml prepared pasta sauce
salt and pepper
10ml sugar
250ml grated cheddar cheese
Boil the pasta according to instructions, and then drain well.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic and celery and fry gently until the onion is soft.
Add the mushrooms, courgettes, pepper and broccoli and fry for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the pasta sauce and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Remove from the heat and combine with the cooked pasta.
Spoon mixture into an ovenproof casserole and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown.
BUTTERNUT AND SPINACH CANNELONI
Serves 4
500g chopped butternut
30ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
2 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper
10ml sugar
250g ricotta cheese
250g frozen spinach, thawed, drained
125ml grated Parmesan cheese
grated nutmeg
250g cannelloni tubes
100g grated mozzarella cheese
125ml extra grated Parmesan cheese
Boil or steam the butternut until soft. Drain and mash.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Spoon about three quarters of this mixture into a large ovenproof casserole dish.
Combine the butternut, ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper and a good grating of nutmeg. Put this mixture into a piping bag with a plain nozzle and fill the cannelloni tubes until all the mixture has been used.
Place filled tubes into the sauce in a single layer. Spoon the rest of the sauce over tubes. Sprinkle with cheeses and bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes.
TORTELLONI PASTA SOUP
Serves 4
30ml olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
3-4 courgettes, sliced
2-3 carrots, diced
400g can of chopped tomatoes
1 litre of vegetable stock
salt and pepper
250g Italian four-cheese tortelloni or any store-bought small filled pasta
30ml chopped parsley
Parmesan cheese to serve
Fry onion, celery, courgettes and carrots in oil until soft. Add the tomato and stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Season.
Add the tortelloni and cook until done. Stir in parsley and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
CREAMY CHICKEN BAKE
Serves 4-6
250g tri-coloured screw pasta
30ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
400g chicken mince
400g can of sweet corn kernels, drained
salt and pepper
Sauce
50g butter
50ml flour
500ml milk
125ml cream
salt and pepper
375ml grated cheese
Cook the pasta. Drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the mince and cook until browned. Stir to break up any lumps.
Add the corn and seasoning and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Sauce: In a saucepan melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for two minutes.
Gradually stir in the milk until the mixture thickens and boils. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream and seasoning and add 250ml of the cheese.
Combine the sauce with the cooked chicken mixture and the cooked pasta. Spoon mixture into a large ovenproof casserole. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes until cheese topping is golden brown.