Spaghetti / Pasta with Garlic Prawns

This is a super tasty super speedy meal, especially if you have fresh pasta, takes only 4 mins to cook. If you dont have any fresh pasta it will take a little longer. 

Serves 4

You will need. 

455g pasta / I prefer fresh egg pasta but dried spaghetti/ linguini also works well here 

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 - 2 dried red chillies / 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (can add or subtract according to taste - some like it hot. I sometimes omit the chilli)

400g raw peeled prawns

1 small wineglass of wine

2 heaped tablespoons of sundried tomato paste / purée (if you can get the paste you an blitz 6 sun dried tomatoes into a paste in a blender

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Salad leaves or rocket leves to serve

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to packet instructions. Heat 3tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and toss in garlic and chilli. As the garlic begins to colour add the prawns and sauté for one minute. Add the white wine and sundried tomato paste and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Drain pasta save some of the cooking water and toss the pasta with the sauce., squeeze in the lemon juice. Taste to make sure there is enough salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest and salad / rocket leaves and serve. 

Yummy Meatballs

Decided to make meatballs after a while as we've been having chilli con carne and other mince dishes. These meatballs are yummy soft and juicy.

If pressed for time, you can cheat a use a store bought sauce. My favorites are Sacla sauces or  Tesco's Finest Sauces. My secret is that I always add extra flavor to the store bough sauce by sweating onions and garlic and sometimes chilli with some white wine before adding the sauce. If you don't have time just add the sauce it will still be delicious.

 
MEATBALLS

500g lean minced pork
400g lean minced beef
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 spring onions, sliced finely
100g fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg beaten
3 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped corriander
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
flour to dust hand with and roll
sunflower or vegetable oil for frying

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, can use a wooden spoon but I prefer to use my hand and get everything well incorporated. Once everything is well mixed. take a small bit of mixture and fry in a pan, once cooked taste the mixture to make sure there is enough seasoning. Once you are happy with the seasoning start rolling the meatballs. I use a tablespoon or scoop so that all the meatballs are the same size so they take the same time to cook. Heat oil in a large frying pan and once hot add the meats and fry till brown on all sides.

SAUCE

1 onion
1 clove garlic chopped
1 red chilli deseeded and chopped (optional)
1 can of plum tomatoes
1/3 cup of white wine
1 tsb sugar
olive oil

In a frying pan sautee onions, garlic and chilli, till soft and fragrant add wine and let it reduce to burn off the alcohol. Add tomatoes and sugar and let cook. If the sauce is too thick you can add some water or milk or even some marscapone at this stage. Add sauce to meatballs.

Make Pasta as per packet instructions.

Add the cooked pasta to the meatballs and sauce. Put into serving bowl, I like to garnish with shaved parmesan and some fresh roquet leaves.

Enjoy Bon Appetito...