Linguine with kale and almond pesto
This twist on a classic pesto, uses kale as well as basil, for an extra savoury element, while the creaminess of almonds bumps up the richness in place of sweeter pine nuts. You can serve this as an easy starter, or add pieces of fried chorizo and serve with Barilla penne pasta for a heartier main.
Serves two
200g Barilla linguine
For the pesto
50g kale, roughly torn
50g almonds, roughly chopped
20g basil, roughly torn
75ml olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
50g pecorino, grated, plus extra to serve
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper
To make the pesto, put all the ingredients in a blender and whizz to a rough paste, adding more oil if you need it to loosen. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, drain, then stir through 2-3 tablespoons of the pesto. Divide between bowls, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and scatter with more pecorino, then serve.
Fusilli with preserved lemon, broccoli, and garlic and herb breadcrumbs
The skin of the preserved lemon and crunch of the herby breadcrumbs add texture and sharpness to this easy, midweek pasta dish. If you don’t have preserved lemon, just use the zest of a normal lemon with a little squeeze of juice. For a non-vegetarian version, melt 3-4 anchovy fillets with a little of their oil in the frying pan for the breadcrumbs instead of butter.
Serves two
150g Barilla fusilli
1 small head of broccoli, chopped into florets
1 preserved lemon, flesh removed and skin finely sliced
For the breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
15g fresh breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Small pinch of chilli flakes
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
½ tablespoon finely chopped tarragon or dill
Salt and pepper
Bring two large saucepans of well-salted water to the boil; add the pasta to one and the broccoli to the other. Cook until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is beginning to break up a little.
Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add the breadcrumbs and garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant. Then add the chilli flakes and continue to fry the breadcrumbs until crisp, adding a little more oil if you need to. Once done, stir through the herbs and season.
To serve, drain the pasta and broccoli and stir through the preserved lemon with a little olive oil. Divide between bowls and top with the herby breadcrumbs.
Spaghetti with classic tomato sauce
A classic tomato sauce has the perfect balance of sweetness with savoury depth; use this as a basic recipe and throw in a few twists as and when you like, such as stirring through sage, oregano or thyme, adding meatballs after five minutes and cooking until done, or even adding some olives or capers. Always finish with a generous grating of parmesan.
200g Barilla spaghetti
Parmigiano reggiano, to serve
Serves two
For the tomato sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove of garlic
1 x 400g tin of good quality canned tomatoes
Salt and pepper
6-8 basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and saute the onion and whole garlic clove until golden brown. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti.
Remove the garlic clove and add the basil to the onion-tomato mixture. If the tomatoes are particularly acidic, you can add a teaspoon of sugar.
Cook the spaghetti in the boiling salted water until al dente; drain. Toss the pasta with the sauce and top with the grated parmigiano reggiano.
