>> PANTRY PASTA
Phoebe Wood gets serious about staples and so will you when you meet these pastas that save any weeknight. If you have frozen peas, tins of tuna and tomatoes, or jars of olives and anchovies on hand, you’ll have flavour-packed plates ready to serve.
“NO BASIL? REWRITE THE RULES WITH THIS PEA PESTO.”
TOMATO VODKA RIGATONI SERVES 4
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 cup (210g) tomato paste
1/2 cup (125ml) vodka
1/4 cup (60ml) thickened cream
1/2 cup (40g) finely grated parmesan 400g rigatoni, cooked to packet instructions, 1/4 cup (60ml) cooking water reserved
Heat oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes or until lightly caramelised. Add vodka and cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir in cream, parmesan and 1/4 cup (60ml) reserved cooking water, and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and season to taste. Stir through rigatoni to coat in the sauce then serve immediately.
TUNA AND CAPER PASTA WITH CRISPY BREADCRUMBS
SERVES 4
150ml extra virgin olive oil
1 cup (70g) coarse day-old breadcrumbs
2 tsp dried Italian herbs
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 cup (65g) capers in vinegar, drained 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
3 x 95g cans good-quality tuna in oil Finely grated zest and juice of
11/2 lemons, or more to taste 300g angel hair pasta, cooked to packet instructions
Heat half the oil in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and dried herbs. Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes until crisp and golden. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe pan clean and return to medium heat. Add remaining 75ml oil then add garlic and fennel seeds. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and garlic has softened. Add capers, chilli flakes, tuna and tuna oil, lemon zest and juice, and stir for 1 minute to heat through. Stir pasta through the sauce and season. Scatter with crispy breadcrumbs to serve.
ORECCHIETTE WITH WALNUT AND PEA PESTO
SERVES 4
1 cup (100g) walnuts, roasted and cooled,
plus extra chopped to serve
11/2 cups (180g) frozen peas, blanched
and refreshed
3 tsp dried Italian herbs
3/4 cup (60g) finely grated parmesan 2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup (250ml) extra virgin olive oil 400g orecchiette
Place walnuts, peas, herbs, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and 200ml oil in a blender, and whiz to a coarse paste. Season to taste and place in a large bowl. Cook pasta in boiling salted water to packet instructions. Drain, reserving
2/3 cup (160ml) cooking water. Add pasta to the pesto in the bowl, then add reserved cooking water. Stir to coat. Top with extra chopped walnuts to serve.
AGLIO E OLIO SPAGHETTI
SERVES 4
200ml extra virgin olive oil or garlicflavoured olive oil
10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tsp chilli flakes
400g spaghetti
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
and finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Heat oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and chilli flakes, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until garlic is softened and lightly coloured. Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water to packet instructions. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup (80ml) cooking water. Stir pasta and cooking water into garlic mixture, then add parsley and lemon juice. Season then serve immediately.
THE WOOD FAMILY’S PUTTANESCA
SERVES 4
“This dish has become my pasta-loving family’s go-to for a fast weeknight meal. We make it so much it’s become a staple!”
100ml extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 6 good-quality anchovies in oil, drained 80g tomato paste
1 tsp brown sugar
400g can whole peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup (60ml) red wine
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup (75g) pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup (50g) capers in vinegar, drained 400g bucatini, cooked to packet
instructions
Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and anchovies, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until garlic has softened and the anchovies have melted. Add the tomato paste and brown sugar and increase heat to medium. Cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes until the tomato paste has caramelised.
Add tomatoes, red wine and oregano, and bring to a simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon. Simmer for
10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and reduced. Add olives and capers, and simmer for 2 minutes. Season.
Add hot pasta to the pan and coat in the sauce to serve.
CORN ALFREDO SERVES 4
50g unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup (250ml) white wine 300ml thickened cream
11/2 cups (240g) frozen corn kernels 400g tagliatelle
2 cups (160g) finely grated parmesan 3 egg yolks
Melt butter in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until softened. Add wine and bring to a rapid simmer. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until reduced by half. Add cream and corn, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until slightly reduced.
Meanwhile cook pasta in boiling salted water to packet instructions. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup (180ml) cooking water.
Whisk parmesan and egg yolks together in a bowl and season. Add 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper and pasta to cream mixture, then add the parmesan mixture and reserved pasta cooking water. Remove from the heat. Using tongs, move the pasta around to completely coat in the sauce. Season to taste. Serve immediately.
PENNE ALL’ARRABBIATA SERVES 4
100ml extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 long red chilli, finely chopped,
plus extra to serve
2 tbs tomato paste
1/3 cup (80ml) white wine 400g can cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Juice of 1/2 lemon
400g penne, cooked to packet instructions, drained, 1/4 cup (60ml) cooking water reserved (we used Woolworths Macro organic penne) 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional),
to serve
Heat oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, chilli and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add wine, tomatoes and oregano, and season. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until thick and reduced. Add lemon juice and pasta along with reserved cooking water, stirring to coat in the sauce. Scatter with extra chopped chilli, and dried chilli flakes (if using) to serve.