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Recipe: Rigatoni a la huancaina
Rigatoni a la huancaina is a cheap Peruvian-inspired meal that can be served as a main or as a side dish. Huancaina is a Peruvian sauce made with aji amarillo (yellow chilli) that is traditionally served with boiled potatoes. Somewhere in time, perhaps around the 80s or 90s, huancaina found its way away from the humble potato and became a dip for yuquitas fritas (cassava chips), Peruvian corn skewered in toothpicks and other finger food (as can be seen in the photo of my recipe for simple huancaina sauce. Around that time, huancaina also became a pasta sauce, typically for spaghetti. It is most often served with some protein such…
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Product review: Macro rigatoni with hemp
Macro rigatoni with hemp is a version of this short tubular pasta made with rice and hemp flour, making it higher in protein and gluten-free. Macro rigatoni with hemp This is part of the pasta range made by Macro, Woolworths’ brand of organic products. The pasta is vegan and gluten-free and comes in 200g packages with 2 serves per pack. Rigatoni are small tubes larger in diameter but shorter in length than penne. They have ridges and straight edges. This type of pasta works well with chunky sauces as the bits and pieces can stick to the ridges and get into the tubes. It is also good for cheesy baked…
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Product review: Slendier konjac pasta and rice
As its name implies, Slendier is a brand of food products designed to help with weight loss. Slendier konjac pasta and rice come in different styles to suit your culinary needs. What is konjac? The dictionary tells us konjac is “the swollen underground stem of a herb that grows in parts of Asia and is often used for adding fibre to food, or the herb itself.” (1) Konjac is very low in carbohydrates and very high in a type of fibre called glucomannan, which is linked to several health benefits, including appetite control and digestive health. Slendier konjac range All Slendier konjac pasta and rice style products come in 2-serve…
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Recipe: Pistachio pesto pasta
I love pesto and basil remains my favourite herb/vegetable base. However, I’m not too strict when it comes to nuts. This recipe for pistachio pesto pasta pairs fragrant basil with sweet pistachios for a delicious alternative to classic pesto. This recipe is vegetarian. It can be made gluten-free and/or low-carb depending on the pasta or pasta substitute you choose. I used Barilla red lentil penne but feel free to use your favourite pasta. As usual, I roast the garlic before mixing it with the rest of ingredients. However, I don’t recommend firing the oven just to roast it. Instead, pop it in the oven while you are roasting other foods…
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Recipe: Pasta alla trapanese
Pasta alla trapanese is a traditional pasta from Sicily that I had never made nor tried before. I decided to make a version of it to pair it with Barilla chickpea casarecce, which is typical in the same region. Of course, you can use any kind of dried pasta. Check my article Which pasta is better? if you want some information before choosing one. This dish takes its name from pesto alla trapanese, a tomato and almond-based pesto from the province of Trapani in Sicily. Unlike the more popular pesto alla genovese, it usually contains very little basil (my recipe has a bit more because I
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Recipe: Pasta puttanesca
Even though I don’t eat much pasta these days, pasta puttanesca is still one of my favourites when I partake in carb loading. The key ingredients (anchovies, tomatoes and olives) dial up the umami level of the sauce, making it impossible to resist. I used Barilla red lentil penne but you can use any pasta you like. Check my article Which pasta is better? if you want some information before choosing a vessel for the sauce. This recipe is not vegan but it is dairy-free. It can be made gluten-free and/or low-carb depending on the pasta or pasta substitute you choose. Finally, I served the pasta with sardines for extra…
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Which pasta is better?
Pasta (or noodles) is a staple in many traditional cuisines. Although the most common types of pasta are made with wheat flour, it can be made with alternative ingredients to suit dietary requirements. Read on to find out: which pasta is better? Ingredients Grains The common varieties of pasta that we associate with Italian cuisine are made of different types wheat flour. Asian noodles are commonly made with wheat flour (in the North of China, etc.), rice flour (in the South of China, Vietnam, etc.) or buckwheat (in Japan). Pasta made from wheat flour can be made with or without egg, depending on the style. Egg pastas are probably the…
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Product review: Barilla legume pasta
The well-known Italian pasta brand recently launched the Barilla legume pasta range. Similarly to other products in the market, their range is made with 100% legume flour, making it gluten-free and high fibre. Barilla legume pasta The range includes chickpea casarecce (rustic twisted shapes), red lentil penne (tubes) and red lentil rotini (spirals). I have only seen the first 2 in supermarkets so far. Side note: learn how to pronounce casarecce here. Barilla legume pasta is made with 100% legume flour, making the final product higher in fibre, a little higher in protein and lower in carbs than regular pasta. They also have a low glycaemic index, making it a…
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Recipe: Tallarines verdes (Peruvian pesto pasta)
This is a revised version of the tallarines verdes recipe I posted several years ago. What’s the difference? This recipe is closer to my aunties’ recipe and features gluten-free pasta. Like tallarines blancos, this dish was in rotation at my aunties’. The difference is that for a long period of time I didn’t like the pesto sauce but loved the white sauce. My uncle was the opposite, so on pasta day only one of us was happy. Obviously, I grew out of my pesto aversion and now love it. Once again, I didn’t get to ask my auntie Sumi for the original recipe before she passed away. I have tweaked…
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Recipe: Tallarines blancos con atún (pasta with white sauce and tuna)
Tallarines blancos con atún is one of the dishes that were in rotation at my aunties’ but I never got sick of it. In fact, it was one of my favourites. Sadly, I never got the original recipe from auntie Sumi. This is my best attempt to approximate the dish using my taste memory and the current family recipe. Tallarines blancos con atún (pasta with white sauce and tuna) Yield: 2-3 servings Ingredients 1 (250g) pack gluten-free pasta, preferably penne (I used San Remo pulse pasta) 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp rice flour 1 cup milk (any kind, I used A2 full fat) 2 tbsp grated parmesan 2 (185g) cans…
