QUICK & EASY
When you’re hungry and need something delicious try these satisfying ideas from Angela Casley
Fast and satisfying dinner ideas from Angela Casley
PRAWN AND COURGETTE PASTA
Serves 4
Simple and speedy, by the time your spaghetti is cooked the prawns will be ready to go and you can serve this hot within minutes. This dish has serious taste factor, with zesty lemon, dill and those plump prawns.
400g wholemeal spaghetti
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
3 spring onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 courgettes, sliced
400g large prawns
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
100g grated parmesan
½ cup chopped fresh dill Salt and pepper to season
1. Cook the spaghetti as per the packet instructions.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add 2 of the spring onions, garlic and ginger, cooking for a couple of minutes to soften. Add the courgettes and cook until lightly browned. Remove them from the pan. In the same pan cook the prawns turning once until cooked through.
3. Return the vegetables to the pan. Add the spaghetti, remaining spring onion, half the parmesan and half the dill, tossing through. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with dill and parmesan.
ISRAELI COUSCOUS, CHICKPEAS AND BOCCONCINI
Serves 4
This is a favourite quick one-pot dinner that also makes a fabulous lunch the next day. In fact, the flavours just keep on giving. Don’t forget some warm crusty bread, which is always a welcome addition on the side to scoop up juicy leftovers.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
400g tin cherry tomatoes
3 cups cooked large Israeli couscous
410g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup chopped parsley
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
125g bocconcini, halved
Extra parsley to garnish
Crusty bread to serve
1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic, cooking slowly for a few minutes to soften. Stir through the cumin and paprika then pour in the tomatoes and slowly bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Stir through the couscous, chickpeas, parsley, zest and juice, heating through.
3. Serve warm, with the bocconcini torn over the top, a sprinkle of parsley and crusty bread on the side.
MOCHA KISSES Makes 8
Don’t underestimate a simple kiss recipe. They are hardly likely to last more than a day or two, but if you think they might, keep them in the fridge. If you don’t have a food processor, rub the butter in by hand, then add the coffee and egg to finish the dough.
1 ½ cups self-raising flour
½ cup caster sugar
100g butter, cubed
3 tsp coffee powder dissolved in 2 tsp boiling water
1 egg
Filling
80g butter, softened
1 ½ cups icing sugar
2 tsp cocoa
1 tsp strong coffee
1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.
2. For the biscuits, place the flour, sugar, butter, dissolved coffee and egg in a processor and blitz until the dough forms. Roll on a lightly floured bench into 16 even-sized balls and place on the trays. Press down a little. Bake for 18 minutes until sponge-like to touch. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
3. To make the filling, beat the butter, icing sugar, cocoa and coffee until smooth.
4. Sandwich the biscuits together with the filling to form your kisses. Store in an airtight container.
FOR MORE IDEAS, SEE VIVA.CO. NZ/ RECIPES