Rich, creamy pasta with earthy mushrooms and hearty winter kale. This vegetarian dish is warming, satisfying, and comes together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 250g pasta (penne, rigatoni, or orecchiette work well)
- 300g mixed mushrooms (chestnut, oyster, or shiitake), sliced
- 150g kale, tough stems removed, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot or small onion, finely chopped
- 200ml crème fraîche or heavy cream
- 50g grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 100ml pasta cooking water
- Fresh thyme (2-3 sprigs) or 1/2 tsp dried
- Salt and pepper
- Chili flakes (optional)
To Serve
- Extra Parmesan
- Fresh parsley
- Crusty bread
Instructions
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Fideuà
A Catalan seafood noodle dish — the coastal cousin of paella. Short pasta toasts in a saffron-tomato broth with mussels, peas, and peppers. Finished in the oven for a crispy socarrat top.
Servings: 2 | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 30 min | Calories: 510 per serving
Ingredients
Fideuà
- 200g spaghetti, broken into 3-4cm pieces
- 350g fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 130ml passata
- 400ml chicken stock (hot)
- 70g frozen peas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Pinch of saffron threads (optional but recommended)
- Salt and pepper to taste
To Serve
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Aioli (optional — mix garlic, lemon juice, and kewpie mayo for a quick version)
Instructions
Steam the mussels: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet or paella pan over high heat. Add mussels and a splash of water. Cover and cook 3-4 minutes until they open. Remove mussels to a bowl (discard any that stay closed). Strain and reserve the mussel liquid.
Tuscan White Bean & Bacon Rigatoni
A hearty pasta with crispy bacon, creamy white beans, and wilted kale in a garlicky tomato sauce. Simple, satisfying, and on the table in 30 minutes.
Servings: 2 | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 25 min | Calories: 550 per serving
Ingredients
Pasta
- 200g rigatoni
- Salt for pasta water
Sauce
- 100g bacon strips, cut into 2cm pieces
- 150g dried white beans (cannellini or borlotti), soaked overnight and cooked until tender (or 1 can/400g, drained, if short on time)
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 200ml passata
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 100g kale, stems removed, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
To Finish
- Parmesan or pecorino, grated
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 dl of pasta water before draining.