Jewel Box Pasta Food

JEWEL BOX PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 210oc and butter a large baking dish or 4 gratin dishes.
• Cook for pasta for half the time on the packet, drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, reserve 6 tablespoons of the tomato sauce and heat the remainder in a pan.
• Add the double cream and 3 tablespoons of the grated parmesan.
• Once the sauce is bubbling, take off the heat and add the part-cooked pasta.
• Empty the contents of the pan into a lightly greased baking dish and spread evenly.
• Cover the pasta with the proscuitto, chopped into large pieces.
• Cover with the sliced mozzarella.
• Add reserved tomato sauce and spread on top.
• Sprinkle the remainder of the grated parmesan.
• To finish, spinkle the oregano and black pepper.
• Bake for 15 - 20 mins at 210oc, until cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
• Serve with salad and crusty bread.

JEWEL BOX COOKIES

Steps:

• COMBINE flour and sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until coarse crumbs form. Add beaten egg yolk and vanilla. Mix until dough holds together.
• SHAPE into small balls using half teaspoonfuls. Place 1-inch apart on cookie sheet. Make small indentation in center of each cookie. Chill 20 minutes.
• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Fill each cookie with scant 1/4 teaspoon jam, jelly or preserves. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until just golden around the edges.
• For added sparkle, unbaked cookies may be rolled in coarse bakery sugar crystals before being placed on cookie sheet to chill.

JEWEL BOX COOKIES

Steps:

• COMBINE flour and sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until coarse crumbs form. Add beaten egg yolk and vanilla. Mix until dough holds together.
• SHAPE into small balls using half teaspoonfuls. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Make small indentation in center of each cookie. Chill 20 minutes.
• HEAT oven to 350°F Fill each cookie with scant 1/4 teaspoon jam, jelly or preserves. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until just golden around the edges.
• For added sparkle, unbaked cookies may be rolled in coarse bakery sugar crystals before being placed on cookie sheet to chill.

MEAL PREP: PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Arrange the red onions, red pepper, courgette and aubergine in lines on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with a little oil and roast for 15 mins.
• Cook the pasta for 10-12 mins until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, loosely wrap the salmon fillet in foil and do the same with the chicken and pesto in another foil parcel, then put them on another baking tray.
• When the veg have had their 15 mins, put the salmon and chicken in the oven and cook for a further 12 mins (or until the chicken is cooked through). Drain the pasta, put in a bowl and toss really well with the lemon zest and juice, rapeseed oil, garlic and two-thirds of the basil. When everything is cooked, add the red onions to the pasta. Toss together and divide between three lunch boxes.
• Top the first box with the salmon fillet (remove the skin first), then add the red pepper from the tray. Scatter over the capers and add the rocket. To the second box, add the chicken and pesto with any juices, the roasted courgette and the halved cherry tomatoes. In the third box, toss the aubergine into the pasta with the quartered cherry tomatoes, olives and the remaining basil. Seal up each container and chill. Eat within three days, preferably in the order of the salmon, then the chicken and then the aubergine.

CHICKEN PARMESAN BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Pulse the tomatoes and their juices in the food processor until coarsely chopped, about 12 pulses.
• Cook the oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, water, 1 cup of the broth, oregano and the pasta. Bring to a vigorous simmer, cover and cook until pasta is tender, 15 to 18 minutes, stirring often.
• Stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and the chopped chicken. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. If the pasta seems dry, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of broth.
• Transfer to a buttered oven-proof baking dish and sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with basil and serve.