Penne With Anchovies and Broccoli

Ingredients:

400 grams penne

50 grams tin anchovies in olive oil, oil reserved

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

1 head of  broccoli (about 350 grams) chopped into very small florets
Salt and black pepper

How to cook:

Cook the pasta in boiling water. About 8 minutes, or packet instructions.
Heat a large frying pan. Pour 1½ tablespoons of the anchovy oil into the pan and when it becomes hot, add the anchovies and the garlic, breaking the anchovies up with a wooden spoon as they cook. Cook gently until the anchovies have melted into a paste. Add the chilli flakes and mix well. Reduce the heat to low until the pasta is ready.
When the pasta is two minutes away from being ready, add the broccoli to the pan with the pasta. Continue to cook for two minutes and then drain, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Tip the pasta and broccoli into the pan with the anchovies and stir well to coat everything in the anchovy sauce. If the anchovies are too thick or the pasta a little sticky, then add a dash of the pasta water, stir and continue to add until all the pasta is coated with the sauce. Kali oreksi!
 

Penne With Roasted Red Peppers

I love pasta. You can choose any pasta you like: rigatoni, penne etc.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons Butter

1/2 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar roasted red peppers, chopped

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup Parmesan shavings

Minced parsley or fresh basil

and of course your choice of pasta


How to cook:

Put some salt inside boling water and add penne. 8 minutes is perfect to be al dente. Chop up 1 onion, some garlic and roasted peppers. Put butter in a pan and saute the onions and the garlic for about 4-5 minutes. Throw in the red copped peppers, cook 2-3 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree it. Now, you have to put some more butter insid the same pan but this time, after the butter is melted, add the puree of red peppers and heat it up. Here, you can use chicken or vegetable broth to thin the puree. Add salt, pepper and the cream. Put some chopped parsley, or i would rather to put basil but fresh of course. Stir it. Your sauce is ready. Now throw your pasta inside the sauce. Never goes well without parmesan! Kali oreksi

Penne Primavera with Avocado

Ingredients:

400 grams penne pasta

1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1 small zucchini

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 cup hot vegetable broth or just water

1 to 2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted

2 scallions, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper

Almond milk, if you like of course

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves or parsley

Whole fresh basil leaves, for garnish

How to cook:

Cook the penne in a large pot of salted boiling water, about 10 minutes. In 5th minute, add the broccoli and carrots. In 8th minute, add the zucchini. Drain the cooked pasta and vegetables well and return to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, combine the drained cashews, garlic, and broth in a high-speed blender or food processor. Process until smooth and well blended. Peel and pit the avocado and add it to the food processor along with the scallions, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Process until smooth and creamy. For a thinner sauce, add some almond milk, if needed. For a thicker sauce, add additional avocado. 

Add the sauce to the pot containing the drained cooked pasta and vegetables. Add the tomatoes and chopped basil and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with the whole basil leaves. Kali oreksi!

Pastichio

This is one of my favorite Greek foods. I am going to write you the recipe but you should try it from my mother's hands :)

Ingredients:

For the meat sauce: 

200 grams ground lamb (or ground beef)
1 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tomato, chopped with their liquid
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the bechamel:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
4 cups whole milk
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 egg yolks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pasta:

500 grams pasta, such as ziti or penne
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 egg whites
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

How to cook meat sauce:

Preheat the oven to 375. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet and add the onions and saute about 5-7 minutes. Add the ground lamb and cook until  browned all the way through. Increase heat to high, pour in the red wine, and allow to simmer until the red wine has cooked out. Stir in the tomato paste, cinnamon, and allspice. Add the tomatoes with their juices, reduce heat, and simmer the sauce for thirty minutes, mixing occasionally.

How to cook bechamel:

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about one minute. Add the milk and continue to cook until the sauce is thick and coats the back of the spoon, about 5 - 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan and egg yolks. Season with salt and pepper.

How to cook pasta:

Cook the noodles until just barely al dente, like 8 minutes. Drain and toss with olive oil. Fold in the egg whites and Parmesan until well mixed.

In a casserole dish with tall sides, layer half of the noodle mixture in the bottom of the dish, covering the bottom completely. Spread the entire amount of meat sauce over the noodle layer. Spread remaining noodles over the meat sauce. Pour a thick layer of bechamel on top of the noodles, to the top of the casserole dish.

Bake the casserole until the top is puffy and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Kali oreksi!

Penne with Roasted Red Peppers

I love pasta. You can choose any pasta you like: rigatoni, penne etc. I prefer penne

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons Butter

1/2 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar roasted red peppers, chopped

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream 

1/2 cup Parmesan shavings

Minced parsley or fresh basil

and of course your choice of pasta


How to cook:

Put some salt inside boling water and add penne. 8 minutes is perfect to be al dente. Chop up 1 onion, some garlic and roasted peppers. Put butter in a pan and saute the onions and the garlic for about 4-5 minutes. Throw in the red copped peppers, cook 2-3 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree it. Now, you have to put some more butter insid the same pan but this time, after the butter is melted, add the puree of red peppers and heat it up. Here, you can use chicken or vegetable broth to thin the puree. Add salt, pepper and the cream. Put some chopped parsley, or i would rather to put basil but fresh of course. Stir it. Your sauce is ready. Now throw your pasta inside the sauce. Never goes well without parmesan! Kali oreksi