Pregnant Jools' Pasta

Our next menu:

Pregnant Jools' Pasta

Crunchy Red Endive & Watercress Salad

Little Frangipane Tarts

I can totally relate to this one! My pregnancies brought strange cravings of marinara sauce and pasta, not something you think of wanting when you are feeling nauseous 24-7. On days when I could barely think about even walking into a grocery store, I wanted pasta with marinara sauce. I think Jools and I would be great friends!

My mom is visiting for this one and I'm super excited that she gets to eat with us, not to mention having two extra hands in the kitchen. Sometimes my Meals in Minutes cookbook makes me wish I had eight arms.

This would be a great one to try on Saturday, May 19 for Food Revolution Day!

I think this sauce is going to be a forever favorite:

Pregnant Jools's Pasta

4 spring onions

1 carrot

1 stick celery

1-2 fresh red chillies

1 x 6 pack good quality sausages 

1 heaped teaspoonful fennel seeds

1 teaspoon dried oregano

500g Penne

4 cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

a few sprigs of Greek basil, or regular basil

Put a large frying pan on a high heat.  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 teaspoon of fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon Oregano.  Keep pulsing until well mixed, then spoon mixture into the hot frying pan with a lug of olive oil, breaking it up and stirring as you go.

Fill and boil the kettle.  Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, crush 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic into the sausage mixture and stir in 4 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and the tinned tomatoes. (I'd make sure your sausage mixture was nicely cooked and golden brown before adding the tomatoes).  Add a little of the starchy water from the pasta to loosen it if needed.

Drain the pasta, reserving about a wineglass worth of 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.

For how to make the whole yummy menu:

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/ontv/shows/jamies-meals-in-minutes/recipe.html?dishid=11980&titleid=270194

Meals cooked: 3 

Meals left: 47 

Weeks left: 49