Cheesy Chorizo Pasta

Here is a tasty twist on the classic macaroni cheese.

Cheesy Chorizo Pasta

Ingredients (serves 4)

300g pasta (macaroni, penne, fusili or similar)
75g diced chorizo
50g plain flour
50g margarine
600ml milk
100g grated cheddar
salt and pepper to season

Method

Preheat fan oven to 180 degrees.
Place pasta in oven-proof dish.
Grate the cheese.
Melt margarine in jug in microwave.
Mix in flour.
Mix in about a quarter of the milk and heat for 1 minute on medium in microwave.
Continue to mix in milk, about a quarter at a time and heat for 1 minute each time.
Continue to heat for 1 minute intervals until sauce has thickened, stirring between heating.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in most of the grated cheese, reserving a small amount.
Dice the chorizo and stir into the sauce.
Pour the sauce over the pasta.
Sprinkle reserved cheese on top.
Cook for about 40 minutes in preheated oven until pasta is soft, turning dish round halfway through cooking.
Serve and enjoy.

I’d love to hear what is your favourite twist on a classic dish?

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Chicken & broccoli pasta

I usually make a cheese sauce for most of my pasta dishes, but sometimes I want something a little healthier. And after all the mince pies and chocolates, now is one of those times. This is when I reach for a tub of Lightest Philadelphia, rather than a block of cheddar. And another bonus is it makes the meal even quicker to prepare. Also it includes plenty of healthy green vegetables and lean chicken. I have used white pasta as the children prefer that, but you could swap for wholewheat pasta to make the dish even healthier.

Ingredients (serves 2 adults and 2 children)

100g cooked chicken breast
200g broccoli
50g leeks
360g Lightest Philadelphia (2x 180g tubs)
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
250g penne pasta or similar (75g per adult and 50g per child)

Method

Chop the broccoli and leeks.
Chop the chicken.
Bring two large saucepans of water to the boil.
Add a tablespoonful of olive oil to one of the pans.
Add the pasta to this pan of boiling water and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Add the broccoli to the other pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Then heat a tablespoonful of olive oil in a wok and gently cook the leek.
Drain the broccoli and add to the wok.
Add the chicken.
Season with salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta and add to the wok.
Stir in the philadelphia.
Continue to cook for 2 minutes, to allow the sauce to heat through.
Serve and enjoy.

Disclosure: This is my entry for the Big Health Recipe Challenge.

Ravioli with cheesy pesto sauce

Foodies100 have challenges bloggers to create and share an original Italian recipe on their blogs, incorporating Giovanni Rana Italian Indulgence pasta. They sent me a £2.50 voucher to take part.

I hadn’t tried Giovanni Rana pasta previously and was spoilt for choice when I saw the range at Sainsburys. I nearly chose the Italian Indulgence Chicken with Rosemary but eventually selected the Simply Italian Chicken & Mozzarella with Smoked Pancetta ravioli.

Usually I serve ravioli with pesto or butter and parmesan, but I decided to give a twist to cheese sauce by adding some pesto. This sauce would compliment any of the Giovanni Rana Simply Italian or Giovanni Rana Italian Indulgence ravioli range.

Ravioli with cheesy pesto sauce

Ravioli with cheesy pesto sauce

Ingredients (serves 2 adults and 2 children)

1 250g packet of Giovanni Rana Italian Indulgence or Simply Italian ravioli
50g plain flour
50g margarine
500ml milk
100g cheddar cheese
1 tbsp pesto
Parmesan and pepper

Method

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then turn down to simmer.
Melt the margarine in a jug in the microwave.
Stir in the flour.
Gradually stir in the milk.
Return to the microwave and cook on high power.
Stir at 1 minute intervals until the sauce has thickened.
Grate the cheese and stir into the sauce.
Meanwhile add the ravioli to saucepan and cook gently for 3 minutes.
Return sauce to the microwave and cook on high power for 1 more minute.
Stir the pesto into the sauce.
Drain the pasta.
Pour sauce over pasta.
Sprinkle with parmesan and a grind of pepper.
Serve with garlic bread and your choice of vegetables and enjoy.

We had ours with broccoli, green beans and my homemade mini garlic pizza wraps. Son1 said it was the best meal ever and has demanded that I make it again! High praise indeed. With his increasing appetite, I think it won’t be long before we find that we need more than 1 packet for a meal.

Disclosure.  This post is an entry to the Giovanni Rana Indulgence Competition and mentions a product I purchased using a voucher I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.