Tomato, squash and chilli pasta with crunchy breadcrumbs
This quick pasta dish pairs roasted butternut squash (prepared earlier in the week as part of the meal plan) with cherry tomatoes and chillies.
This recipe is part of a budget student meal plan for one. It is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard .
Ingredients
- 80g/2¾oz dried penne pasta (or other pasta shape of your choice)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ¼ onion, finely chopped
- ½ red chilli, finely sliced
- 165²µ/5¾´Ç³ú cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ½ portion leftover roast butternut squash, roughly chopped (see Recipe Tip 2)
- leftover pitta breadcrumbs (prepared as part of the spicy sardine pasta recipe, see Recipe Tip 4 for how to make more)
- salt
Method
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat for about 4 minutes until softened but not browning. Add the chilli and cook for 1 minute before adding the tomatoes and roast squash. Encourage the tomatoes and squash to break down by stirring regularly.
When the pasta is ready, drain, reserving some of the cooking water, and add to the onion mixture. Mix well and add some of the pasta cooking water to bring it all together. Serve topped with the breadcrumbs.
Recipe Tips
Tip 1: If you’re following the budget student meal plan, tomorrow’s lunch is Leftover dal with a 6-minute egg. Remove the frozen portion of dal from the freezer and thoroughly defrost. Place the dal in a saucepan or microwave-safe container and heat until piping hot. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and carefully lower in 1 free-range egg. Set a timer for 6 minutes and boil the egg. Once the 6 minutes is up, carefully peel the egg (placing it under cold water as it will be hot) and break the egg in half. Place the egg halves on top of the hot dal.
Serve with a little finely chopped red chilli if you like. If you have any strained yogurt left over, use it here too if desired.
Tip 2: The butternut squash used here will have been precooked as part of the meal plan. If following the plan in order it will use all the squash you have left (otherwise it's half of one of the portions). If cooking from scratch, roast about 200g/7oz chunks of squash at 180C for 25 minutes until tender and browning at the edges.
Tip 3: At the end of this week’s recipes, you should have used up all fresh ingredients, except for a chilli and some fresh root ginger leftover (unless you were able to buy loose). Both things freeze well. Slice or chop the chilli up and put inside a freezer-safe bag or small container, to use in future. The ginger can be frozen whole and grated straight from frozen!
Tip 4: To make more pitta breadcrumbs, toast a pitta until well browned before blitzing to rough crumbs in a food processor or blender (alternatively, put the toasted and cooled pitta in a sealed bag and smash up with a rolling pin or a tin). Tip into a dry frying pan and toast further until fully dried out, crispy and brown.