Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

This is the first of our follow up articles about vegetarian pasta. We bring you the first four recipes to provide you with a variation on the use of pasta. You should read our main article about vegetarian pasta first. You will find it here – Vegetarian Pasta

For those who have decided to convert to vegetarianism and are cooking meat-free food for the first time, there are several ingredients that should be avoided. In particular, avoid gelatine, a protein used to thicken foods. It is used in many puddings, but it is made from collagen, so a vegetarian substitute should be used instead. When buying pre-packaged ingredients, in particular sweet foods such as biscuits, always check the ingredients to see if animal fats have been used. You should also be aware that some condiments, such as Worcestershire Sauce, which is made using anchovies, may contain animal products.

Pasta Olive Omelette

Use any leftover cooked pasta you may have, such as penne, short-cut macaroni or shells, to make this fluffy omelette an instant success.

I N G R E D I E N T S
4 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
125 g/4 ½ oz raw potato, diced and dried
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 eggs
1 tbsp chopped parsley
pinch of cayenne pepper
90 g/3 oz short pasta, cooked weight
1 tbsp stuffed green olives, halved, plus extra to garnish
salt and pepper
marjoram sprigs, to garnish
tomato salad, to serve

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy frying pan (skillet) over a low heat and fry the onion, fennel and potato for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potato is just tender. Do not allow it to break up. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, lift out the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Rinse and dry the pan.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat until frothy. Stir in the parsley and season with salt, pepper and cayenne.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a pan over a medium heat. Pour in half of the beaten eggs, then add the cooked vegetables, the pasta and the olives. Pour on the remaining egg and cook until the sides begin to set. Lift up the edges with a spatula to allow the uncooked egg to spread underneath. Continue cooking the omelette, shaking the pan occasionally, until the underside is golden brown.

Slide the omelette out on to a large, flat plate and wipe the pan clean with paper towels. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and invert the omelette. Cook the omelette on the other side until it is also golden brown. Slide the omelette on to a warmed serving dish. Garnish with a few olives and sprigs of marjoram, and serve hot, cut into wedges, with a tomato salad, if wished.

Pasta Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

All the ingredients of pesto sauce are included in this salad, which has a fabulous summery taste, perfect for al fresco eating.

INGREDIENTS
225 g/8 oz fusilli
4 tomatoes
50 g/1 3/4 oz black olives 4
25 g/1 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil
2 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
fresh basil, to garnish

VINAIGRETTE
15g/ ½ oz basil leaves
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Cook the pasta in a saucepan of 2 lightly salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until just tender. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold water, then drain again thoroughly. Place the pasta in a large bowl.

To make the vinaigrette, place the basil leaves, garlic, cheese, oil and lemon juice in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Process until the leaves are well chopped and the ingredients are combined. Alternatively, finely chop the basil leaves by hand and combine with the other vinaigrette ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta and toss to coat.

Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Pit and halve the olives. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Place the pine nuts on a baking tray (cookie sheet) and toast under the grill (broiler) until golden.

Add the tomatoes (fresh and sun-dried) and the olives to the pasta and mix. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish, & scatter over the Parmesan and pine nuts and garnish with a few basil leaves.

Sun-dried tomatoes have a strong, intense flavour. They are most frequently found packed in oil with herbs and garlic. Do not waste the oil, which has an excellent flavour, instead use it in salad dressings.

Vegetable Pasta Stir-Fry

East meets West in this delicious dish. Prepare all the vegetables and cool the pasta in advance, then the dish can be cooked in a few minutes.

I N G R E D I E N T S
400 g/14 oz/4 2/3 cups dried wholewheat pasta shells, or other short pasta shapes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, thinly sliced
115 g/4 oz baby corn cobs
3 tbsp peanut oil
2.5-cm/1-inch piece green ginger root, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
3 celery sticks, thinly sliced
1 small red (bell) pepper, seeded and sliced into matchstick strips
1 small green (bell) pepper, seeded and sliced into matchstick strips
salt
steamed mangetouts (snow peas), to serve

S A U C E
1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp clear honey
dash of hot pepper sauce (optional)

1 Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling lightly salted water, adding the tablespoon of olive oil. When tender, but still firm to the bite, drain the pasta in a colander, return to the pan, cover and keep warm.

2 Cook the carrots and baby corn cobs in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander, plunge into cold water to prevent further cooking and drain again.

3 Heat the peanut oil in a large frying pan ([skillet) over medium heat. Add the ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute, to flavour the oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard.

4 Add the onion, garlic, celery and (bell) peppers to the oil and stir-fly over a medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the carrots and baby corn cobs, and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes, then stir in the
reserved pasta.

5 Put the cornflour (cornstarch) in a small bowl and mix to a smooth paste with the water. Stir in the soy sauce, sherry and honey.

6 Pour the sauce into the pan, stir well and cook for 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Taste the sauce and season with hot pepper sauce if wished. Serve with a steamed green vegetable, such as
mangetouts (snow peas].

Vegetable Lasagne

This rich, baked pasta dish is packed full of vegetables, tomatoes and Italian mozzarella cheese.

I N G R E D I E N T S
1 kg/2 Ib 4 oz aubergines (eggplant)
8 tbsp olive oil
25 g/1oz/2 tbsp garlic and herb butter
450 g/1 lb courgettes (zucchini), sliced
225 g/8 oz/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
600 ml/I pint/2 ½ cups passata (sieved tomatoes)
6 sheets pre-cooked green lasagne
600 ml/1 pint/2 ½ cups béchamel sauce
60 g/2 oz/ 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

1 Thinly slice the aubergines (eggplant) and place in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 20 minutes. Rinse and pat dry with kitchen paper.

2 Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan (skillet). Fry half of the aubergine (eggplant) slices over a low heat for 6-7 minutes, or until golden. Drain thoroughly on kitchen paper. Repeat
with the remaining oil and aubergine (eggplant) slices.

3 Melt the garlic and herb butter in the frying pan (skillet). Add the courgettes (zucchini) and fry for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown all over. Drain thoroughly on kitchen paper.

4 Place half of the aubergine (eggplant) and courgette (zucchini) slices in a large ovenproof dish. Season with pepper and sprinkle over half of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon over half of the passata (sieved tomatoes) and top with 3 sheets of lasagne. Repeat the process, ending with a layer of lasagne.

5 Spoon over the béchamel sauce and sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and oregano. Put the dish on a baking tray (cookie sheet) and bake in a preheated oven, at 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7, for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Italian Cookery with Bill & Sheila

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