Eggplant & ricotta pasta bake

For serves 4

Ingredients:

1 (about 550g) eggplant, cut into 2cm pieces
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup (60ml) Bertolli olive oil, plus extra to serve
200g Carb Options elbow pasta
500g Heart Smart lean beef mince
500g Raguletto Carb Options bolognaise pasta sauce
450g fresh ricotta
1 egg
3/4 cup (60g) finely grated parmesan Sliced tomatoes, to serve
Mazzetti balsamic vinegar, to serve
Fresh basil leaves, torn, to serve

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Place the eggplant on a greased baking tray. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the oil. Toss to coat well. Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly golden. Reduce oven to 180°C.
2. Meanwhile, cook the elbows according to packet instructions. Cook the mince in a large, deep non-stick frying pan over high heat. Stir in pasta sauce, elbows and eggplant. Spread over the base of a 2 litre ovenproof dish.
3. Mix the ricotta, egg, parmesan, salt and pepper until well combined. Spread evenly over the mince mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
4. Preheat a grill to high. Grill for 3 minutes or until golden. Season the tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar . Serve with the pasta bake scattered with basil.

sausage & capsicum pasta

For serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil
8 spicy Italian sausages (about 500g), cut into 3cm lengths
2 large yellow capsicums, thinly sliced
1 large red capsicum, thinly sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 x 400g cans whole tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh oregano leaves
400g spaghetti

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large frypan over medium heat. When hot, add the sausages and cook for about 5 minutes, turning to brown all over.
2. Add sliced capsicum and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until just tender.
3. Add fennel seeds and dried chilli, and stir for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juices, then gently break up the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Stir in oregano.
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
5. Gently toss the sauce through the hot pasta and serve immediately.

Pasta with salami and olives

For serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
185g salami, cut into small chunks
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 cup (125ml) dry marsala*
1 tbs chopped rosemary
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
400g spaghetti
200g mixed green and black olives, pitted, roughly chopped
Grated parmesan, to serve

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Add the salami, garlic and chilli and cook, stirring occasionally, until the salami begins to crisp. Add the marsala and rosemary and cook until the liquid has reduced by half, then add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes until thickened slightly.
2. While the sauce is cooking, cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente or according to packet instructions, then drain. Stir olives into the sauce and season to taste (this will vary, as the olives can sometimes be salty). Toss sauce with the pasta and serve with grated parmesan.

Panne with Italian sausage

For serves 4)

Ingredients:

375g dried penne pasta
4 (600g) Italian sausages
3 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tbs McCormick Fresh Chopped Taste & Aroma Parsley
175g (1 cup) kalamata olives
2 tsp McCormick Pasta & Pizza Blend
Shaved parmesan, to serve
McCormick Cracked Pepper, to serve

Preparation:

• Cook the pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain and return to pan.

• Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook, turning occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cut into 2cm-thick slices.

• Add the sausage, tomato, McCormick Fresh Chopped Taste & Aroma Parsley, olives and McCormick Pasta and Pizza Blend to the pasta and gently toss until just combined. Spoon among serving bowls. Top with parmesan and season with McCormick Cracked Pepper and serve immediately.

Fettuccine with Lobster sauce

For Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

4 frozen lobster tails (6 oz. each; 1 1/2 lbs total weight), defrosted and well drained
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Salt
Freshly milled black pepper
1 tbsp minced sun-dried tomatoes, well drained or 1 tbsp tomato paste
2 medium zucchini
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 lb fettucine
2 tsp vegetable or olive oil
1 tbsp minced parsley leaves
Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese

Preparation:

1 - In a 6-quart pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add lobster tails, cover pot and bring to a boil. As soon as water returns to a boil, uncover and cook just until the tails start to curl and turn pink, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer tails to a colander and quickly rinse under cold water. With a pair of kitchen shears, snip shell lengthwise along the underside and top side of tail. Remove the tail meat and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Set aside.

2 - In a 2 1/2-quart saucepan, melt 1 1/2 tbsp butter over low heat. When butter begins to froth, add the flour. Mix well with a wire whisk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until lightly golden. Add milk, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; turn heat to low. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, for about 2 minutes. Add minced dried tomatoes or tomato paste and cook, for another 30 seconds. Cover pan and set tomato bechamel sauce aside.

3 - Scrub zucchini well and blot dry with paper towel. Trim ends and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths. Halve each piece lengthwise and slice into 1/4-inch strips.

4 - In a 12-inch skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over low heat. Add scallions, turn heat to medium and saute, stirring constantly, until tender-crisp, for about 1 minute. Add zucchini and saute, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add lobster meat and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute. Season with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Stir in tomato bechamel sauce and mix well. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.

5 - Cook pasta in 6 quarts boiling water with 1 tbsp salt and 2 tsp oil until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander, transfer to a bowl containing 1 tbsp butter and toss quickly. Add half of the lobster sauce to pasta and toss well. Spoon remaining sauce on top of pasta and garnish with minced parsley. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.