The Times Magazine - UK (2022-04-16)

32 The Times Magazine

SAUCY, SPEEDY SPAG BOL

Serves 4

This speedy method, all in one pan, is

a game changer.

• Spray oil


• 1 onion, very finely chopped


• 500g lean minced beef (less than
  5 per cent fat)


• 3 garlic cloves, crushed


• 1 large carrot, peeled, very finely chopped


• Salt and pepper


• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce


• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning


• 500ml tomato passata


• 500ml hot beef stock


• 250g spaghetti, broken in half


• Salt and pepper

To serve

• Parsley or basil leaves


• Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Spray a sauté pan (with a lid) with oil, then
   fry the onion, minced beef, garlic and carrot
   for 8 minutes, stirring and breaking up any
   clumps in the meat (I use a wooden spoon
   for this).


2. Stir in salt and pepper, the soy sauce and
   Italian seasoning. Pour in the passata and
   hot stock and bring to the boil.


3. Add the broken spaghetti to the sauce,

make sure it’s all submerged and simmer fast

for 15 minutes. Give it the occasional stir with

a wooden spoon and try to shuffle the pasta to

prevent it from sticking together (make sure it

stays submerged, though). Place the lid on for

the final 5 minutes of cooking.

4. Stir well and test that the spaghetti is
   cooked through. If it isn’t quite cooked and
   the pan is a little dry, add a splash of boiling
   water, pop the lid on and cook for a few
   more minutes before checking again.


5. Serve scattered with herbs and parmesan.

FANCY CHICKEN KIEVS

Serves 2

Just a few simple ingredients creates

something that feels utterly indulgent.

• 2 skinless chicken breasts


• 40g garlic and herb roulé soft cheese


• 4 slices of prosciutto


• Spray oil


• 220g cherry tomatoes on the vine


• 125g asparagus spears, woody ends
  trimmed away


• Coarse sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 190C (non-fan 210C).


2. Slice the chicken breasts down the middle
   lengthways, being sure only to slice halfway
   through. Stuff each breast with half of the
   cheese. Wrap each stuffed breast in 2 slices of

prosciutto, paying attention to cover the split

that contains the cheese.

3. Spray a baking tray or shallow oven dish
   with oil and lay the chicken breasts in it. Place
   the tomatoes (still on the vine) in the dish and
   spray with a little extra oil.


4. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove the tray from
   the oven, place the asparagus around the
   chicken and tomatoes, then roast for a further
   10 minutes.


5. Check that the chicken is cooked through
   (slice through the thickest part and check for
   any sign of pink; roast for a final few minutes
   if it is not ready before checking again). Place
   on warmed plates. Grind a little salt over the
   asparagus and tomatoes and spoon any juice
   left in the tray around the chicken, then serve.

NOTE Other vegetables you could add to roast

in this bake are red onions, field mushrooms,

courgettes, peppers and fennel (add these

with the chicken in step 3), or green beans,

cauliflower and Tenderstem broccoli (add

these with the asparagus in step 4). n

Extracted from The

Slimming Foodie in One

by Pip Payne (Aster, £20)

5 6

THE MINI PULLOUT

CALS 469

COOK

25 MINS

CALS 351

COOK

25 MINS

‘This speedy method of making spag bol, all in one pan, is a game changer’