Pasta Family Dinners

Match tonight’s pasta to both the clock and the cook: Lemony Ricotta & Pea Pasta takes 15 minutes and suits beginners, while Lasagne Bolognese needs 90 minutes and confident skills. For the lemony pasta, have the ricotta, lemon zest and mint ready before draining. Spoon out some pasta water first, then add it gradually if the sauce needs loosening.

For a family wanting less washing-up, Trofie al Pesto Genovese cooks the pasta, potatoes and green beans in one pot. Cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces and follow the recipe’s timings rather than adding everything together automatically. If trofie is missing from your cupboard, use another short pasta shape and check its cooking time before coordinating the vegetables.

At a mixed-diet table, Hörnli mit Ghacktem needs a little planning because its sauce contains beef. Keep the sauce separate from the macaroni for serving, but don’t mistake plain pasta for an equivalent vegetarian dinner. Instead, choose one of this collection’s four vegetarian-tagged dishes as the shared main if that suits everyone. Serve the Hörnli’s cheese and apple sauce separately so each diner can choose their finish.

For a couple, One-Pan Greek Baked Orzo offers an oven-based option without a separate pan of sauce. If reducing the recipe, use a suitably smaller baking dish and follow the recipe’s liquid guidance; a thin layer in a large dish can dry out. Keep the feta in place for its creamy finish, and try extra cherry tomatoes instead of olives if their salty flavour divides your table.

For solo diners planning ahead, the lasagne is the collection’s meal-prep-tagged choice. Divide the finished bake into individual portions for storage rather than repeatedly warming the whole dish. At a family table, portion that same bake according to appetite. For the lemony pasta, parsley can replace mint if that is the herb your household prefers.