5 ways with meaty pastas

Chicken and roasted red pepper fettuccine
Serves 4

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook 350g fettuccine according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside. Chop ½ x 480g jar of roasted red peppers into small pieces. Place the remaining peppers with their liquid into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and brown 250g chopped chicken fillets for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1 crushed garlic clove and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chopped peppers, the blended peppers and 120ml cream. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the pasta and stir to combine well. Season to taste, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Chicken taco pasta
Serves 4

Cook 320g farfalle according to the package instructions, then drain, reserving about 60ml cooking water. Rinse under cold water, return to the pot and set aside. Heat ½ tsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Cook 1 chopped onion and 1 deseeded and chopped green pepper with 1½ tbsp taco seasoning for 6-8 minutes until soft and golden. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 x 198g tin of sweetcorn and ½ x 400g tin of kidney beans and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add 150g leftover cooked chicken, 50g salsa and 80g tomato passata. If the mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water. Add 80g grated Cheddar and stir to combine until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, top with chopped coriander and serve hot.

Seafood chowder pasta
Serves 4

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook 350g linguine according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside. Heat a large pan over a medium heat. Add 100g bacon lardons and cook for 5-7 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Add ½ a chopped onion to the same pan and cook for two minutes. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 chopped courgette, 1 x 198g tin of sweetcorn and 200g sliced mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add 200ml white wine to the pan and bubble for 1-2 minutes, scraping any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add 250ml fish stock and 200ml cream and stir to combine. In a cup, combine 1 tbsp cornflour and 1 tbsp water into a smooth paste. Add to the pan and stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Add 2 tbsp chopped dill, 2 x 170g tins of pink salmon and the pasta. Stir to heat through and coat with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Spicy prawn pasta
Serves 4

To make the sauce, whisk together 120g mayonnaise, 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce, 2 crushed garlic cloves, the juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce and ½ tsp dried chilli flakes. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Lightly coat a baking tray with cooking spray. Place 250g raw, peeled and deveined prawns onto the prepared baking tray and add 1 tbsp olive oil, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp smoked paprika and some salt and black pepper. Toss to combine, then place in the oven for 7-8 minutes until the prawns are cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 350g penne according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse then return to the pot. Add the prawns and sauce and place over a medium-high heat until warmed through. Serve with garlic bread.

One-pot ‘lasagne’
Serves 4

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add 100g chopped chorizo and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 250g beef mince and cook, stirring, until no pink parts remain. Drain away any excess fat. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, 200g tomato passata, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil and ½ tsp dried chilli flakes. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in 500ml chicken stock and add 250g penne. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook gently for about 15 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Remove from the heat. Stir in 120g grated Mozzarella and 4 tbsp grated Parmesan until well combined. Dollop 150g Ricotta over the top and cover for 3-4 minutes until heated through. Serve hot straight from the pan.

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