Pasta dish for a lazy Saturday

Today we didn't feel like cooking but at the same time we were hungry and wanted to eat well. So I decided to cook a pasta dish.

We used to call this pasta recipe macarrons a la italiana, although to my knowledge nobody prepares them like this in Italy. Anyway, these penne rigate or macaroni au gratin are the Catalan way and they are delicious and easy. And quite quick actually: In half an hour you can prepare a one dish meal that feels like a real meal.

You can use macaroni or penne rigate, whatever pasta type you prefer.

Now that I think of it, in my web site I have published a more elaborate but similar macaroni and cheese recipe. It is a step by step recipe with the exact times and ingredient amount.

But if you like to cook without measuring exact cooking times and ingredient amounts, here's the pasta recipe.

Ingredients: 1/2 pound penne or macaroni; 1 onion, 4 or 5 small ripe tomatoes, 5 or 6 raw pork sausages, flat Italian parsley, parmigiano or another cheese for grating, salt

How to prepare this pasta dish

Heat olive oil in a saucepan and add the chopped onion. Cook for a while and add the sausage and the parsley. Cook for some minutes. Add the peeled and chopped tomato. Cook for at least 20 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and stir into the cooked pasta. Put the pasta in a baking dish. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese to taste over the pasta and broil for 7 or 8 minutes. Serve hot.

An orange or apple piece as dessert completes this lazy Saturday Mediterranean diet menu.

Related cooking articles directly related to this pasta recipe:
Cooking pasta
Peeling tomatoes

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© Núria Roig,

Strawberry and orange fruit salad

This is a refreshing fresh fruit salad for the beginning of the spring. In March, oranges are very sweet and we can also the first seasonal strawberries. It's a joy to be able to marry these gorgeous fruits for two or three months.

At this time of the year, this fresh strawberry salad is a delight. However, if you prepare it in the winter with greenhouse strawberries full of chemicals, it will not have a very good taste. The Mediterranean diet uses seasonal products as much as possible.

Here's how you prepare this simply delicious Mediterranean recipe for 4 guests:

Peel 4 oranges. Take care to remove the pith. Cut them into about half an inch (1 cm) slices.

Slice 7 ounces (300 g) of strawberries lenghtwise.

Line a fruit salad bowl with the orange slices as in the picture.

Top the oranges with the strawberries slices. Distribute them artistically.

Here you have it a quick and easy fresh fruit salad recipe: Colorful and succulent.

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Technorati Tags: fruit salad, strawberry recipe, dessert recipe, Mediterranean diet, food blogs, fruit salad recipe, food writing, Mediterranean, European

© Núria Roig,

Pesto recipe cooking apron

Original Mediterranean cooking apron with the popular pesto recipe printed on it.

This cooking apron design celebrates the mythical Mediterranean joy most people love. And the pesto recipe is traditional and authentic.

Click to enlarge the cooking apron with the Italian Genoese pesto recipe.

In my Mediterranean diet web site you'll find more details about the delicious pesto recipe sauce.

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© Núria Roig,

Click for a treasure chest of authentic Mediterranean diet recipes