Episode Five: Fasta Pasta
Recipe One
Pumpkin Rigatoni with Capsicum and Fetta
Creamy, comforting, and packed with roasted vegetable flavor, this Pumpkin Rigatoni with Capsicum and Fetta is a must-try for pasta lovers. With a velvety sauce made from roasted pumpkin, capsicum, and fetta, topped with toasted walnuts for crunch, this dish is perfect for a cozy dinner.
Click play to watch Steph make the recipe
Ingredients:
200g block of fetta cheese
¼ Kent pumpkin, diced into 2x2cm cubes
1 medium brown onion, halved (skin on)
1 large red capsicum, cut into chunks
1 tbsp crushed garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
500g rigatoni pasta
Handful of walnuts for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Roast the Vegetables:
Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place diced pumpkin, capsicum chunks, halved onion (skin on), and a halved head of garlic on the tray.
Place the block of fetta in the center of the tray. Drizzle everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and fetta is soft.
Cook the Pasta:
While vegetables are roasting, cook rigatoni according to packet instructions.
Reserve 2–3 ladles of pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.
Make the Sauce:
Once roasted vegetables have cooled slightly, squeeze the softened contents out of the onion and garlic into a blender or jug.
Add roasted vegetables, fetta, and 2–3 ladles of reserved pasta water. Blend with a stick blender until smooth and creamy.
Toast the Walnuts:
Toast walnuts in a pan or oven until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
Assemble the Dish:
Stir the creamy sauce through the cooked rigatoni, ensuring it’s evenly coated.
Spoon into serving bowls, sprinkle with toasted walnuts, and crack fresh pepper on top before serving.
Recipe Two
Pesto Cannelloni
Rich, creamy, and bursting with pesto flavor, this Pesto Cannelloni is a game-changer for pasta night! Fresh lasagne sheets are filled with a ricotta-pesto blend, baked in tangy passata, and topped with gooey cheese for a dish that’s sure to impress. Perfect for busy weeknights or weekend indulgence!
Click play to watch Steph make the recipe
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh basil (reserve 6 leaves)
1 cup shaved Emporium Selection parmesan (or Grana Padano)
½ cup Oh So Natural pine nuts
1 lemon (zest and juice)
2–3 tbsp The Olive Tree extra virgin olive oil
500g Emporium Selection fresh ricotta
1 packet fresh World Kitchen Lasagne sheets
700g jar Remano passata
250g Westacre shredded pizza cheese
Stonemill salt and black pepper to taste
Optional: Stonemill chili flakes
Method
Prepare the Pesto Filling:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Use a stick blender to blitz basil (reserve 6 leaves), pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil until nearly smooth.
Add ricotta, salt, and pepper, and stir until combined.
Construct the Cannelloni:
Bring lasagne sheets to room temperature before filling.
Spoon the pesto mixture vertically down the center of each sheet (two lines per sheet) and roll into tubes, enclosing the filling. Repeat with all sheets and filling.
Assemble the Dish:
Pour 1 cup of passata into the base of a 34x24cm baking dish as a thin layer.
Place cannelloni tubes side by side in the dish.
Sprinkle chili flakes (optional), then pour the remaining passata over the top. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake:
Sprinkle shredded pizza cheese evenly over the cannelloni.
Place reserved basil leaves on top.
Bake for 35 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling, and the center is cooked through.
Serve:
Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy this creamy, flavorful dish!
Recipe Three
Speck Linguini
Quick, creamy, and bursting with flavor, this Speck Linguini is a one-pan wonder perfect for busy weeknights. With savory speck, blistered cherry tomatoes, and a luxurious cream cheese sauce, this dish is both simple and indulgent. Ready in just 12 minutes, it’s sure to become a family favorite!
Click play to watch Steph make the recipe
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Pure Valley butter
200g Berg speck, diced (skin removed)
1 red onion, diced
1 tsp Stonemill minced garlic
Handful of cherry tomatoes
1L Chefs’ Cupboard chicken stock
500g Armando linguine
Stonemill salt and black pepper to taste
225g block Westacre cream cheese
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Method
Prepare the Ingredients:
Remove the skin from the speck and dice it into small cubes.
Dice the onion and set aside.
Cook the Speck:
In a high-sided frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced speck and cook until browned and crispy.
Add the Aromatics:
Add diced onion to the pan and stir. Cook until softened.
Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add whole cherry tomatoes and sauté until they blister.
Cook the Pasta:
Pour in chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pan for added flavor.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then add linguine. Cook for 8–10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the stock has reduced by half.
Finish the Sauce:
Add cream cheese and stir until fully melted, creating a silky, thick sauce.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve:
Plate the pasta and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
That’s a Wrap for Episode 5: Fasta Pasta
This week, we’ve shown how to create delicious pasta dishes in no time at all. From the creamy Pumpkin Rigatoni with Capsicum and Fetta to the flavorful Pesto Cannelloni and the indulgent Speck Linguini, these recipes are proof that pasta can be both quick and gourmet.