Curry Pasta

Curry pasta as the name suggests is made with curry powder which embarks the yellow color to the pasta and adds a unique flavor to the recipe. Curry powder has the heat in it as well which makes the pasta slightly spicy as well, so if you are in the mood for having something spicy or you want to make a quick and easy dinner which has all the nutrition in it and yet tastes awesome this recipe is just right for you and it would be ready to served under 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups boiled rotini pasta ( whole wheat)
1/2 cup corn ( fresh or frozen)
2 table spoons marinara sauce
1 tsp curry powder
3-4 basil leaves
1/2 cup green peas
Garlic Salt and pepper to taste
1 table spoon grated parmesan cheese (optional)


Method:

Boil and drain the pasta as per the instructions on the pasta box. Whole grain pasta takes roughly around 7-8 mins to cook till it is al dente. If you want it to be more cooked you can boil the pasta for another minute or so. Please season the water with enough salt before adding pasta to the boiling water as it helps in seasoning the pasta itself. Add corn and peas to the boiling water as well and drain along with the pasta.

Take the boiled pasta along with corn and peas in a bowl and add marinara sauce, curry powder, salt and pepper (to taste) to the bowl and mix all the ingredients well. Adjust the seasoning as required. Add basil leaves to the pasta, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese to the pasta if required and serve hot.

Italian Panini with Indian Twist

Panini in italian means sandwich which is normally made from Cibatta bread which is cut horizontally , filled with the filling of ones choice and is sometimes served hot.

Panini can be made using typically any kind of bread and is a great last minute option for suppers and can be eaten in thye form of snack as well.

This sandwich or panini is made with the Italian flavors but is finished with the Indian touch.

Ingredients:

1 Cibatta bread
2-3 basil leaves
Mozarella Cheese 2 slices
1 tomato sliced
1 medium sozed onion sliced horizontally
2 table spoon green chutney
2 table spoon tomato ketchup
1 table spoon butter ( for grilling the panini)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Slit open the cibatta bread. Place sliced tomato, onion and mozarella cheese on one side of the bread. Apply green chutney and tomato ketchup on the other side of the bread. Place the basil leaves over the sliced mozarella cheese and sprinkle salt and pepper over the cheese. Place the other slice of the bread over the one holding the tomato, onions and mozarella cheese. Butter the cibatta bread from outside on both the sides of the bread. Heat the griller and place the panini on the griller and grill the panini till you have the grilled marks on both the sides of the sandwich.

Alternatively,if you dont have the griller, heat the tava or a gridle and place the buttered sandwich on the tava and place a heavy bottom pan over the panini, so that the weight of the pan presses the panini to the hot tava and we have a toasted panini sandwich with the Indian Twist ready to be served hot with some more green chutney and tomato ketchup. The Italian flavors of tomato, mozarella and basil blends pretty well with green chutney and tomato ketchup which adds the Indian twist to the sandwich.

Whole wheat Rotini Pasta with Pesto and Mozzarella Cheese

Pasta is one of my favorite comfort foods and to add to it, if it is made from whole wheat or whole grain; I really don’t feel guilty eating a big bowl of pasta. Whole wheat pasta has all the nutrition and health benefits and it’s no longer considered an ingredient which is eaten by people who are on a diet. Rotini pasta has the twisted shape to it and it blends really well with the various pasta sauces.

Pesto has the goodness of basil leaves and is blended with pine nuts, garlic and olive oil to a smooth paste, which is then mixed with the pasta to make a delicious pasta salad or it could be eaten as a stand alone as well.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat rotini pasta
2 table spoons pesto sauce
2 table spoons marinara sauce
½ cup corn kernels (frozen/ fresh)
½ cup pasta water
2 table spoons mozzarella cheese (cut into dices)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 table spoon chopped coriander leaves


Method:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the rotini pasta to the pot, season with salt. Boil the pasta till its al dente and it roughly takes about 8-10 mins for the pasta to cook. Retain ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and transfer to a mixing bowl.
• Add the marinara and pesto sauce to the pan; add corn to the bowl as well. Add salt and pepper to taste along with the mozzarella cheese. Mix all the ingredients well. Now add pasta water to the bowl little by little mixing all the ingredients well so that we have a thick sauce which is well coated throughout the pasta.
• Add chopped coriander leaves to the pasta bowl for garnish and serve warm or you could also chill the pasta in the fridge and serve chilled.


I am sending this recipe to Easy Crafts from Simple Indian Food WYF series is "Salad/Starters/Soups".

Pizza Margarita

Pizza Margarita is a very famous Italian recipe which has very simple ingredients which includes mozzarella cheese, basil leaves and tomato sauce. We have a very famous café in Maryland called Cosi and that is where I ate this pizza for the first time and loved it so much that I had to give it a try. I did add red capsicum to the pizza as it adds bite to the dish.

Try this recipe and I am sure you will love every bite of this simple Italian pizza.

Ingredients: Serves 4

Ready to bake Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough – 1 can
1 cup tomato sauce
10 -12 basil leaves
1 cup sliced mozzarella cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Oil for greasing the baking sheet
½ cup sliced red capsicum

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degree F for 10 mins. Grease the baking sheet with olive oil
• Take the thin crust pizza dough and spread it on to the baking sheet.
• Add the tomato sauce all over the pizza dough and spread it evenly.
• Now add the red capsicum, basil leaves and sliced mozzarella cheese. Keep aside some basil leaves for garnish
• Sprinkle salt and pepper to the pizza and bake it in the oven for 10 mins or till the cheese melts and the crust is golden brown.
• Garnish with basil leaves and serve hot.