Greek Pastitsio

A Greek version of lasagne, the addition of cloves and cinnamon make a nice difference to the recipe.

  

Last weekend my husband and I decided to make a Greek Pastitsio. The best way to describe it is that it is a Greek version of lasagne.

It is constituted of pasta, meat sauce and white béchamel sauce. The method for assembling the Pastitsio is exactly the same as assembling a lasagne. Layer the pasta first, followed by the meat sauce. Repeat. Make sure to finish with a final layer of pasta before spreading the béchamel sauce over. Sprinkle on some cheese and bake!

We got inspired to make this dish after watching Rick Stein cook it on his Mediterranean Escapes series. I have included a link to the video here so you can watch it as well.

Rick Stein cooking Pastitsio – Mediterranean Escapes

Personally I like the meat sauce in the Pastitsio because you add in cloves and a cinnamon stick. It really adds a nice, warming aniseed flavour and smell to the sauce.

Do note that the original recipe calls for Greek kefalotiri cheese but I just used Mozzarella to substitute.

I really am looking forward to making this again. I hope you give it a try too. Enjoy!

Asian Style Salmon Pasta

A simple pasta dish with salmon cooked with Asian inspired flavours for a light and delicious dinner any day of the week.

Hi guys!

This pasta is very easy to make. 

Right now, I have been up to my ears with house moving stress. It just seems like one hurdle after another to clear when it comes to this whole house move. Not the smoothest process to say the least. 

Aglio Olio Pasta (with Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach)

This is the easiest pasta dish you can ever make. A firm lunch time favourite at Nomsies Kitchen!

Hello, how are you?

I hope everything is going well for you. I have been busy in the kitchen experimenting with some bread recipes. I hope to have the post done and up by the end of this week.

Meanwhile, I am sharing this recipe for Aglio Olio Pasta. I added in some cherry tomatoes and spinach, just because I like my veggies. Purists will say it is not true aglio olio pasta but hey, it works for me. Gives good colour too!

I know I just shared a recipe for sausage and bacon pasta last week. Don’t quite know why I am in such a mood for pasta.

A good (and also non-purist) twist to this dish is to add some tuna in just after you have sauté the garlic. Good for all you runners out there who need your protein!

Of course I added more basil in as well. Just to show off and make use of my little basil plant that is still alive!

Sausage and Bacon Pasta

Utterly delicious sausage and bacon pasta for those days when only pasta will do.

Hello hello!

How’s the weather like where you are? It is a rainy day over here in Newcastle. The good thing about that is that I don’t have to water my plants, so I shall not complain.

With the rain and all, I really feel like it has to be a pasta day. Warm and filling, just the thing I need. I used some leftover sausages I had from making hot dogs over the weekend. Add some bacon into the mix and there we have it, scrumptious sausage and bacon pasta!

For the sauce, I used passata and just added seasoning and herbs. I also used a little bit of brandy just to give the sauce some body.

I don’t know if you can tell from the photos but I used some scallion flavoured tagliatelle. It has a slight green hue to it. I was unsure of whether it would go with this pasta but it did. In fact, it added some vege flavour to the otherwise meaty dish. Obviously, you can just use whichever pasta you have.

I am also quite pleased that my basil plant is surviving this year. I bought one of the Basil pots from Asda 2 weeks ago and it has not died or wilted on me just yet. Apparently there is a difference between watering from the bottom of the pot and from the top. The instructions always say “water from the bottom” of course I never listened until now. So, that might be why. You live you learn!

Quick Bolognese Pasta

Quick Bolognese pasta that does not compromise on flavour, utterly satisfying!

Hello!

How has your week been? If you are looking for mid-week dinner inspiration, my quick Bolognese recipe may be just the thing for you.

Like most people, I love Bolognese. I can eat it during warm or cold weather. It’s one of those meals that you constantly crave for. However, sometimes I want Bolognese but I don’t want to stand peeling carrots and simmering the sauce for 2 hours. I want it done in less than 30 minutes. If you can identify with me then let me share my go-to quick Bolognese sauce recipe with you.

It’s amazingly simple and most importantly does not skimp on flavour. The result is a stomach warming, utterly satisfying pasta dish.

I use lean beef mince here, but in the past, I have also used lean turkey mince in this recipe and it works a treat too. You have to season the meat, I find that makes a huge difference so don’t skip that step. You can make some extra sauce if you like, so handy for when you need it to feed a family fast. This sauce also goes well ladled on top of a piping hot and fluffy jacket potato.

Vegetarian Lasagne

Hello everyone! For last week’s Meatless Monday edition, I shared a recipe for a homemade tomato based pasta sauce (“Pasta Sauce”), if you missed it, you can click here for the recipe.

I did mention in that post that the Pasta Sauce makes a great addition to lasagnes or as a base for any tomato sauce based pasta dish. Following on from that, I thought it would be nice to share a recipe that actually uses the said Pasta Sauce with you. As such, for this week’s Meatless Monday’s post, I am going to be sharing a recipe for vegetarian lasagne.

Homemade Tomato Based Pasta Sauce

Delicious Homemade Tomato Based Pasta Sauce, full of vegetable goodness

Hello and a very happy Meatless Monday!

I hope you had a great weekend and got your batteries all recharged to face this week. It was an eventful weekend for me. If you read my previous post you would know that I have decided to start selling my cookies. I have always hesitated to do so but have finally decided to go for it. I have been unemployed for more than a year now. I have lost count of how many rejections I have received from countless job applications. No wait, I do know how many as I have a special folder just for them. Anyway, as times are bad, I decided to start helping myself and I am hopeful that this negative can be turned into a positive! I figured I have nothing to lose. If you have any tips for me or if you have encountered such an experience before, do share them with me, I would love to hear from you.

Looks like tomato soup? Just thought it looks better here than in a jar!

Ok, enough of this self-help guru philosophising. Back to this Monday’s meatless recipe. This time, I am sharing a recipe for homemade tomato based pasta sauce. Have you ever made your own pasta sauce before? If you haven’t you should really give this a go as it tastes so much better than store bought jars with the added bonus that you know exactly what is going in it. Definitely more healthful and it is packed full of vegetables. You see, I really am trying to help you stick to your healthy/healthier resolutions this year. We all want to be better right?

Use this sauce for anything from adding into lasagnes or as a base for marinara pasta. It’s so easy to make and have on hand for quick weeknight pasta dishes. Remember, a good tasting pasta sauce is the foundation of a great tasting pasta dish. 

15 Minute Anchovy Pasta

15 Minute Anchovy Pasta

Once again, it is Friday! I simply cannot believe that it has been five days since I last said hello to you. Where did the week go? Before you know it, Christmas will be upon us! Have you started you preparations? Well, I have started experimenting in the kitchen and I do hope to share some Christmas perfect fast and fail proof recipes with you soon. Do let me know if there are any particular recipes that you want me to share with you! Just drop me an email or comment.

Since all these kitchen experiments have been taking up my time, I have been eating really “fast” food. This superb 15 minute anchovy pasta dish is sure going to be a staple in your busy week. It certainly has been in mine. The secret ingredient here is brandy. Just little over a tablespoon of brandy will lend a nice full bodied taste to this pasta dish.

Pasta Aglio Olio e Funghi for Meatless Monday

Pasta Aglio Olio e Funghi

Happy Meatless Monday!

How was your weekend? I hope you had a blast or at least some much needed rest and relaxation.

Today for Meatless Monday, I am going to cook a simple and classic pasta dish. I always marvel at how this recipe can be so simple and yet so flavourful and satisfying. More things in live should be this simple. Sometimes we need to just go back to basics.

If you have some pesto on hand, go ahead and add some in.