Pasta recipes are a popular favourite with families throughout the year and are the perfect accompaniment to the Christmas buffet. Whilst it is unlikely that you are going to abandon your roast turkey dinner for a pasta dish, some of these great meals can form integral parts of the starter or buffet food. For those interested in spicing up their traditional Christmas meal with an Italian influence this year, here are three great pasta recipes for you to try:
Spaghetti Bolognese
A dish that is known across the world, Spaghetti Bolognese is a great alternative to traditional Christmas foods. Full of flavour and colour, the red and green of the tomatoes and basil allow this great dish to appear as festive as any other.
To make this great dish, simply follow these steps:
•Fry onions in a small amount of olive oil until golden brown.
•Increase the heat and add minced beef or lamb to the onions and fry until it is browned.
•Pour in red wine or meat stock and reduce until the mixture thickens.
•Reduce the temperature and add tomatoes, mushrooms and mixed spices. Season with salt and black pepper.
•Boil water in a separate pan and add the spaghetti pasta. Cook thoroughly before draining and serving.
•Add the Bolognese mixture to the dish and season with mixed spices and garnish with basil.
Top Tip: use a store bought Bolognese sauce or pre-packaged herbs and spices to make the recipe easier. These spices will be available in numerous forms and many will be specifically designed for dishes such as Bolognese. Companies such as Schwartz produce these products, helping to make your favourite dishes easier to create.
Pasta Salad
The perfect addition to the Christmas buffet, a pasta salad will always be a popular dish. What’s even better about this meal is that it is simple to make and there is no real recipe to follow, allowing you to create a meal that you are sure to enjoy.
To make a great pasta salad, follow these tips:
•Choose the type of pasta you are going to use and cook it thoroughly. Allow it to go cold and combine it with mayonnaise to make the pasta pieces stick together.
•Choose what salad ingredients you are going to use and cut them up. Tomato and herbs will work well with this dish and will always be popular.
•Make sure you season the dish well and sprinkle a little olive oil as a dressing. Make sure that you pasta combines a variety of flavours and consider adding a few herbs and spices to increase the flavour.
Top Tip: add slices of pepper to your salad to give it some extra flavour and colour. Use red and green peppers to give it the festive appearance that all Christmas recipes need.
Tiramisu
A popular Italian dessert, there is no reason why this great recipe cannot be enjoyed during the winter months. Sure to be popular with both adults and children, desert recipes such as this are relatively simple and can be made well in advance of the event.
To give yourself a seasonal pick-me-up, follow these steps to create a great tiramisu:
•Whip 250ml of double cream with an electric whisk until it forms stiff peaks.
•Add 250g of mascarpone cheese and 200g caster sugar and fold in gently.
•Soak sponge finger biscuits in a small amount of instant coffee – or use an espresso to give a stronger taste.
•Leave these for a few minutes, the place them in the bottom of a rectangular dish.
•Spread some of the cream mixture over the fingers and dust with cocoa powder.
•Continue layering the biscuits and cream mixture until everything has been used.
•Dust with cocoa powder and keep refrigerated.
Top Tip: soak the biscuits in a small amount of liquor if you want your tiramisu to have an added kick.
