Chilly days call for big bowls of comfort – and these three delicious pasta dishes will do just the trick.
Balsamic mushroom pasta
Serves 2 // Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients
½ onion, finely chopped
150g mixed mushrooms
1 cup cream
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
100g spaghetti
Method
- Fry the onion until golden. Add mushrooms and fry until brown. Add cream and balsamic, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Cook the pasta, then mix it with the sauce.
Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen & Kendall-Leigh Nash // HMimages.co.za
Tomato & bacon pasta
Serves 4 // Preparation time 10 minutes // Cooking time 20 minutes
Ingredients
300g spaghetti
1 x 200g pack bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (410g) tomato & onion mix
Parmesan, to serve
Handful basil, to serve
Method
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- Fry the bacon over medium-high heat until golden. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Chop into pieces.
- In the same pan, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, bring to a simmer and stir, scraping off all the bits stuck to the base of the pan.
- Add the tomato and onion mix, stir consistently for 2 minutes until slightly reduced. Add your pasta to the sauce and toss until all the sauce is soaked up. Add a little more pasta water if it’s too thick.
- Place the pasta into serving bowls, sprinkle over chopped bacon and grate over some Parmesan. Garnish with basil leaves to serve.
Cooking tip: If the sauce tastes too acidic, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to help balance it out.
Recipes & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen, Sjaan van der Ploeg.
Photography: Chanelle Naudt
Cheat’s lasagna
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2½ cups milk
¼ cup grated cheddar (optional)
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt and milled pepper
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½ tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, + extra for serving
500g lasagne sheets, cooked
½ batch best-ever beef ragu
2 cups grated mozzarella
Olive oil
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Grease a large deep baking dish or 4 individual ovenproof bowls.
- Melt butter in a pot over medium heat and stir through the flour until mixture is smooth.
- Pour in milk, a little at a time, while whisking until all milk has been added and sauce has thickened, about 5-6 minutes.
- Stir through Cheddar (if using) and nutmeg. Season.
- Toast breadcrumbs in a dry hot pan until lightly golden. Stir through garlic powder, basil and season. Set
- Arrange half the pasta into prepared baking dish, almost pappardelle
- Add generous helpings of beef ragu, white sauce and half the mozzarella.
- Repeat process with remaining ingredients.
- Drizzle with oil and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and cheese has melted.
- Serve while hot, scattered with toasted breadcrumbs and fresh basil.
Recipes & styling: Chad January
Photos: Zhann Solomons
