PASTA JOY HAS TWO NEW RECIPES FOR YOU TO ENJOY THIS SPRING AND SUMMER

SEAFOOD PASTA  (Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

• 250 g PASTA JOY Linguine
• 250g de-shelled, deveined prawns (frozen)
• 250g Mussels (frozen)
• 1 jar Arabiatta sauce
• 3 Tblspn butter
• 1/2 onion
• 4 whole garlic cloves, lightly bruised 
• Squeeze of lemon juice 
• Salt/ pepper to taste
• 1 tsp brown sugar 
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 125ml fresh cream
• Roughly chopped basil

METHOD

Boil 250g PASTA JOY Linguine pasta in salted water for roughly 8 minutes till al dente. Drain and set aside. 

In the mean time cook prawns and mussels from frozen in half a cup of water, on high heat for a few minutes, until soft. Do not overcook. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for later, reserving the pan juices. 

In another saucepan add butter, garlic and onions and cook until onions are translucent, without browning. Add Arabiatta sauce, lemon juice, seasoning, brown sugar and chilli powder and simmer gently. Add prawn/ mussel juices into pan together with fresh cream and bring to a boil. Add prawns and mussels and chopped basil and mix. Lastly add pasta and toss into sauce till coated, top with grated Parmesan and serve hot. 

ROASTED RED PEPPER ROMESCO PASTA SALAD

• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 3 slices white bread, crust removed, cut into pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 large red pepper 
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, divided
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• Salt
• 250g Pasta Joy fusilli (large spiral-shaped pasta) or medium shell pasta
• Mixed snacking tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups)
• Parmesan, finely chopped
• 1 cup basil leaves, torn if large

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 180C. Chop red pepper into chunks, place on an oven tray with olive oil, salt, garlic and pepper and roast until soft, roughly 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and toast tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, process bread in long pulses in a food processor until coarse crumbs form (you should have about 1 cup). Transfer to a small bowl.

Purée roasted red pepper plus pan juices, lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, and about one-quarter of the cooled walnuts in food processor (no need to clean) until smooth. With the motor running, very gradually stream in 1/2 cup oil. Process until thick; season Romesco dressing generously with salt.

Cook PASTA JOY fusilli  in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water (this stops cooking and removes surface starch so the pasta will be less sticky). Shake off excess water and transfer to a large bowl. 

Toss pasta with half of the Romesco to coat; set aside. Finely chop remaining walnuts; set aside.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook breadcrumbs, lemon zest, and remaining ½ tsp. red pepper flakes, stirring often, until breadcrumbs are golden, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat.

Toss reserved pasta with remaining dressing, then fold in tomatoes, Parmesan, and reserved walnuts just to distribute. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta and top with basil.