Simple and speedy recipes to make for lunch and dinner all week long
Beetroot & feta pasta
Bring colour to your dinner table with our creamy beetroot and feta pasta that’s packed with nutrients.
SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 25 mins EASY
2 large beetroots, peeled and roughly chopped into chunks
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 celery sticks, finely chopped, celery tops reserved
4 carrots, finely chopped small bunch of basil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g wholemeal pasta
75g low-fat crème fraîche
100g feta, crumbled
1 Cook the beetroot in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 5 mins, then transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Set the pan of cooking water aside.
2 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onions, celery and carrots for 8 mins until softened. Finely chop the basil stalks and celery tops, then add these to the pan along with the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds.
3 Tip the pasta into the pan of reserved beetroot water and simmer for 13-15 mins (depending on what type of pasta you’re using) until just cooked but slightly al dente. Drain, reserving 200ml of the pasta water. Tip the pasta back into the pan.
4 Meanwhile, put the beetroot with half the fried veg into a food processor along with most of the basil leaves and the crème fraîche, then blitz until smooth. Gradually add the reserved pasta water to loosen until you have a thick mixture.
5 Stir this sauce through the pasta along with the remaining fried veg. Season. Divide between bowls and top with the feta, remaining basil leaves and black pepper.
PER SERVING 468 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 6g • carbs 63g • sugars 14g • fibre 17g • protein 17g • salt 0.8g
tip
To make this family-friendly pasta vegan, use a plant-based crème fraîche alternative and vegan feta-style cheese.
Gnocchi pomodoro
A good pomodoro (tomato) sauce is cheap and delicious, and can be tossed with any pasta shape. Here, we’ve served it with fluffy pillows of gnocchi. To ensure the gnocchi is light, don’t overwork the dough, use the wrong potatoes or cook them the wrong way. Roast the potatoes first to extract moisture. For instant comfort, these gnocchi can be cooked from frozen, too.
SERVES 6 PREP 40 mins plus cooling COOK 1 hr 40 mins MORE EFFORT ❄
rock salt, for the tray
1.5kg Maris Piper potatoes
375g pasta flour, plus extra for dusting
1 medium egg, lightly beaten semolina, for dusting
For the pomodoro sauce
3 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus drizzle to serve
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
¼ tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp sugar bunch of herbs, tied together (oregano, thyme and bay work well)
