Pasta alla vodka

I’ve no idea who came up with the idea of adding vodka to a tomato sauce served with pasta, but this sauce really is delicious. I read somewhere that pasta alla vodka peaked in the 1980s after being served in nightclubs across America. I really hope this is true because I love the thought of clubbers dressed in their finest fashion trying to stay clean while battling with this vibrant orange sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 banana shallot, very finely chopped (or eschalots (French shallots) if unavailable)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ¼–½ tsp chilli flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
• 1 × 227g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 50ml vodka
• 75ml double cream
• 25g parmesan or vegetarian Italian hard cheese, grated (shredded), plus extra to serve
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• 100g dried pasta per person (penne rigate or rigatoni work well)
• handful of torn basil leaves

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium-low heat. Add the shallot and fry for 6–8 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for 1 minute before stirring in the tinned tomatoes, tomato paste and vodka. Fry for 5 minutes before blitzing until smooth with a handheld stick blender or in a blender and returning to the pan. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, usually around 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of the pasta cooking water.
3. Reheat the tomato sauce, pour in the cream and scatter in the parmesan. Heat, stirring to melt the cheese, for 1 minute before adding in the cooked pasta, a good seasoning of salt and pepper and some of the reserved pasta water (usually around ½ cup) to form a glossy sauce. Stir for 1 minute.
4. Serve with extra parmesan and the torn basil leaves.

Serves 2

Cheat’s chicken pomodoro

Traditionally made with fresh cherry tomatoes, this dish makes a great speedy dinner. If you’re cooking for two, this recipe is easily halved or leftovers can be frozen to enjoy on another day. Try serving with brown rice, potatoes or polenta.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tsp dried Italian herbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated (shredded)
• 125ml white wine
• 250ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• handful of torn basil leaves
• 25g parmesan cheese, shaved or grated

METHOD

1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon dried herbs. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken on each side for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden but not cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Drizzle the remaining oil into the same frypan and fry the onion for 6-8 minutes over a medium-low heat to soften and allow to golden a little. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, ensuring it doesn’t burn. Pour in the wine, stock and vinegar, then cook for 5 minutes before adding the tinned tomatoes, remaining dried herbs and a good pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Return the chicken to the pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened (it should be quite thick, rather than a really thin sauce) and the chicken is cooked through.
4. Scatter over the torn basil leaves and serve with parmesan, if you like.

Serves 4

Pumpkin, carrot and borlotti tagine

Technically speaking, this is more a stew than a tagine because it’s cooked in a pan rather than the type of earthenware tagine that lends the dish its name. Of course, if you have a tagine, then feel free to cook it that way. This is a great dinner full of hearty vegetables that go so well with the spiced tomato sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated
• 1 butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1½ tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 × 400g tin borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
• 75g raisins (optional)

To serve

• plain cous cous
• handful of chopped coriander

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 6-8 minutes or until beginning to brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the pumpkin and carrot and cook for a few minutes to soften.
2. Scatter in the spices, stir well and cook for 30 seconds before pouring in the stock and tinned tomatoes. Stir in the tomato paste, put the lid on and cook for 25 minutes.
3. Stir in the borlotti beans and raisins, if using, and cook with the lid on for a further 20 minutes. Check to see if the vegetables are tender and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, if necessary. If you want to thicken the sauce a little, remove the lid for the last few minutes of the cooking time.
4. Serve with cous cous and a scattering of chopped coriander.

Serves 6

Lamb and spinach curry

I love spinach in a curry and this one is spiced similarly to a bhuna. If you prefer, you can use chicken thighs or beef and it will taste just as delicious. Serve with your favourite curry accompaniments.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 400g diced lamb leg or shoulder
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated
• thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• ½ small bunch of coriander, leaves and stalks separated, both chopped
• 1-2 red chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 100g spinach
• 75ml (5 tbsp) natural yoghurt

To serve

• plain cooked rice or naan bread
• your choice of chutneys

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large frypan or saucepan. Fry the onion for 6-8 minutes until softened and starting to brown. Stir in the lamb pieces and fry for 5 minutes until browned. Tip in the garlic, ginger and coriander stalks and cook for 2 minutes, stirring well to combine everything.
2. Stir in the chillies and spices and cook for 2 minutes, being careful not to burn them. If they start to stick or burn, add a splash of water. Squeeze in the tomato paste, stir to mix everything together and then pour in the tinned tomatoes. Half fill the tin with water and add that too. Simmer for around 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened nicely and the meat is tender.
3. Tip in the spinach, mix in and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Spoon in the yoghurt and cook for 1 minute before serving.
4. Serve the curry with plain rice or naan bread and any chutneys on the side.

Serves 4