Jamie's 30 minute meals - Jools's Pasta

So I'm going to jump on the "30 minute meal" band wagon with B. I have to admit the recipes are nice and easy to follow and it actually took me, between 30 and 35 minutes!! Not bad don't you think?

Jamie says you have to make sure you have a clean kitchen to start with.....so this means no clean dishes waiting to be put away, no dirty dishes waiting to be washed and make sure you have all your ingredients out and ready to start! I initially thought - are you joking, who does that? But I gave it a go and properly cleaned up and got prepared. I looked like I was about to filmed for a cooking show (where was hair and make-up when I needed them?).

I was actually really impressed, not just about the fact that it only took 30 minutes but the fact that the dish had some great flavours using fresh simple ingredients. The 3 cherubs who will try most things enjoyed it too. (Just a side note - anyone else have a child who doesn't like things touching each other on the plate and who eats pasta with the sauce on the side then dips the pasta into the sauce before eating it - yes I know, strange isn't it??!).

I have a feeling this book is going to get a workout in the next few months (sorry lovely readers, you will also get a visual workout of this book) as we have two days a week that are very busy and I need to be fast and get something on the table that everyone will enjoy.

Ok readers, get your dishes washed, your ingredients ready. Your time starts............ NOW!

Today's dish is from Jamie's 30 minute meal book page 30 "Pregnant Jools's Pasta"

You will need

4 spring onions

1 carrot

1 stick of celery

1-2 fresh red chillies ( I used one chilli and I took the seeds out - for the kids)

1 x 6 pack of good quality sausages - approx 400g (I went and bought some at the butchers - beef ones)

1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon dried oregano

500g dried penne

4 cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

a few Basil leaves torn up

and some parmesan cheese

Trim the spring onions, carrot and celery. Roughly chop all the vegetables, then blitz in the food processor with the chillies( stalks removed). Add the sausages, 1 heaped teaspoons of fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon of oregano. Keep pulsing until well mixed.

Then spoon this mixture into the hot frying pan with a lug of olive oil, breaking it up and stirring as you go.
Put a large deep saucepan on low heat and fill with boiled water for the pasta.

Season the water then add the penne and cook according to packet instructions.
Crush 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic into the sausgae mixture and stir in 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and the tinned tomatoes. Add a little of the starchy cooking water from the pasta to loosen if needed.

Drain the pasta, reserving about a wineglass worth of the cooking water. Tip the pasta into the pan of sauce and give it a gentle stir, adding enough of the cooking water to bring it to a silky consistency. Taste, correct the seasoning, then tip into a large serving bowl and take straight  to the table, scatter over some basil leaves and parmesan.

Enjoy! M xx