Pasta is a favourite among urban Malaysians because it looks and tastes like local noodles, blends well with many cuisines can be modified to suit every skill level and palate, and is nutritious and healthy. For busy parents, pasta meals can be prepared quickly and easily, with fewer pots and pans to wash up after. Cooked pasta refrigerates and reheats very well making it ideal for pre-prepped meals, and as leftovers for lunch boxes.
Alce Nero, a leader in organic food including, pasta, pasta sauces, honey, jams, olive oil and apple cider vinegar and much more, presents four simple pasta recipes that you can adapt or use as is, with hacks to save you time to get dinner to the table, and to enjoy leftovers for lunch. The recipes were developed by Retna Vijayan, a business owner and mother-of-three, who cooks dinner for five every weeknight.
Give it a try tonight!
Fusilli with Basil Pesto (Suitable for Vegetarians)
If you are a weekend food prepper, blend or pound pesto on weekends, and store it in a mason jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep the pesto green and fresh. This vegetarian fusilli pesto recipe can come together in less than 15 minutes for a light, refreshing meal that is high in fibre and full of flavour. For me, pesto works best with short pasta like fusilli that have more surface area for the pesto paste to cling on to. Using a bronze-drawn pasta such as Alce Nero Organic Tricolore Fusilli helps the sauce adhere better for a juicier, more flavourful meal.
Method:
In a pan over medium heat, add the drained pasta and two tablespoons of pesto for each 100gm of pasta. Stir well. Pour in a quarter cup of pasta water to loosen the pesto and coat each spiral of fusilli. Add more pasta water for a saucier pesto.
Plate up, garnish with basil leaves and roasted nuts. Dot with more pesto.
Variations:
For pasta pesto salad add one cup each of seeded and diced tomatoes, celery, garden peas and cucumber to the pesto pasta. Add more pesto for creaminess.
For pesto salad with chicken, top the pesto pasta with shredded roast or boiled chicken.
Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time 12 minutes, serves 5 pax.
Bon Apetit!
