Wheat-Free Pasta Salad, with Garlic and Onion Mayo

The garlic and mayo salad was made a couple of days before this dish, and kept in the fridge. Made by using a food chopper to dice one clove of garlic, and half a medium sized onion. Mixed together with two dessert spoonfuls of standard mayonnaise.

The vegetables were: half a dozen cherry tomatoes, each cut into three with a sharp vegetable knife, half a green bell pepper, a handful of diced spinach leaves, and one diced spring onion.

The pasta was cooked for nine to ten minutes at a low heat in salted water under glass, then drained, and rinsed in cold water until cool. Drain again.

The vegetables, pasta and the garlic and onion mayo were stirred together in a glass bowl, and then decanted to the serving dish. Topped with some finely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. Fifteen minutes preparation time!

Bacon and Tomato Pasta

Penne pasta with a tomato and parmigiano regiano sauce salsa, with bacon chunks, garlic and herbs.

I cooked the bacon first at a medium heat, together with the garlic, which takes around fifteen to twenty minutes, until the bacon pieces are slightly browned. Then I added boiling water and pieces of the cheese (about 75g). Cooked for twenty minutes to half an hour until the cheese has melted, stirring frequently.

Then I added about 150g of tomato passata, plus the herbs basil, oregano, and a pinch of paprika. Added a dash of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. Stirred together thoroughly. This is essentially a neopolitan style salsa, which is the basis of many excellent Italian meals.

I left it  to cook at a low heat under glass for another twenty minutes to half an hour. During which time I prepared the wheat-free, gluten free pasta from Sainsbury's. I boiled water, and added about a third cupful of the dried pasta. I also added a quarter teaspoonful of turmeric, for both flavour and colour. The pasta was stirred frequently to prevent sticking.

The pasta was ready to serve in ten minutes. I spooned the salsa into a pasta bowl and used a slatted spoon to capture all of the bacon chunks. The pasta was drained, and decanted into the bowl. The dish was served with black pepper. Delicious!