If there’s one dish that the whole family will love, it’s pasta! From classic spaghetti bolognese to Japanese-inspired noodles, Le Fooding has got you covered with ten pasta-tively failsafe recipes that’ll leave the kiddos asking for seconds.

SERVES 4

This pasta recipe is a must for your repertoire- the perfect dish to whip up once a week because it gets the job done (and well). With its thick tomato-based sauce, made with garlic, celery, and minced beef, plus crispy pancetta and a spoonful of sugar, those little bellies will be crying out mamma mia for more!

INGREDIENTS

500 g spaghetti - 1 carrot - 2 celery sticks - 1 onion - 1 garlic clove - 200 g minced beef - 2 tsp tomato purée - 250 g peeled tomatoes - 150 g pancetta - 2 tbsp olive oil - 50 ml milk - 50 ml white wine - 1 pinch of sugar - salt

RECIPE

1. Peel and finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery.

2. Cut the pancetta into cubes.

3. Put a large casserole on a high heat, add the olive oil and pancetta. Mix then add the celery and half the onion and carrot. Add the tomato purée, minced beef, and garlic clove, smashed and cut in half. Mix before adding the peeled tomatoes.

4. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes, before adding the milk and sugar.

5. Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water with a trickle of olive oil.

6. Drain then mix with a bit of olive oil.

7. To serve, either mix the pasta together with the sauce or divide the pasta into bowls and serve the sauce on top. Dust with a generous helping of Parmesan, if desired.

SERVES 1

Another evening of doing nothing on the couch? There’s only one thing for it: mac and cheese for dinner! It’s even better when reinvented with taleggio, chanterelle mushrooms, and a sprinkling of herbes de Provence. We guarantee this recipe will make your kids mad about mushrooms.

INGREDIENTS

150 g fresh macaroni - 2 garlic cloves - 1 handful of chanterelles - 150 ml single cream - 250 g taleggio - 1 lemon - 1 small bunch of parsley - 1 pinch of Espelette pepper - 1 pinch of herbes de Provence - 1 pinch of breadcrumbs - 1 tbsp parsley oil - salt

RECIPE

1. Peel and slice the garlic. Cover in olive oil and set aside for a couple of hours. Gently fry the garlic in a hot pan off the heat, when it starts to color, add the chanterelles and return to the heat.

2. Season with salt and leave to cook until all the water has evaporated from the mushrooms. Add the single cream, lower the heat, and reduce. Cut the cheese into cubes and add to the pan, until melted.

3. Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Chop the parsley.

4. When the water is boiling, cook the fresh macaroni for two minutes. Remove and drain when the pasta floats to the surface.

5. Add the parsley and the macaroni to the sauce. Stir and leave to rest off the heat. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Mix the breadcrumbs with the herbes de Provence, Espelette pepper and parsley oil. Plate the pasta and sprinkle with a pinch of the herby breadcrumb mixture.

SERVES 4

A taste of Japan from the comfort of your living room? Yaki udon is the answer – whipped up in a flash! Made with fresh noodles, minced pork, a tasty soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil dressing, the kids will definitely be licking their bowls clean. And for more adventurous palates, why not add an anchovy, lime, and fresh chili condiment to the mix?

INGREDIENTS

For the noodles: 800 g fresh udon noodles - 4 garlic cloves - ½ white cabbage - 1 fresh ginger (2 cm piece) - chili flakes (optional)

For the pork: 300 g sausage meat - 1 tbsp minced garlic - 1 tbsp grated ginger - 4 tbsp sweet soy sauce - 4 tbsp thick soy sauce

For the sauce: 8 tbsp mirin - 4 tbsp soy sauce - 4 tbsp sesame oil

For the anochovy condiment: 100 g chopped anchovies - 1 tbsp lime juice - 1 fresh chili - 1 tbsp crushed peanuts

For presentation: 1 bunch of chives, finely chopped - sesame seeds

RECIPE

1. Prepare the sauce and the anchovy condiment.

2. Mix the pork with the other ingredients listed for the pork preparation, then cook in a frying pan.

3. Heat some oil in a wok and stir-fry the ginger, garlic, chili flakes, and roughly chopped white cabbage. Add the pork.

4. Add the udon noodles and the sauce, then continue to stir fry over a high heat.

5. Serve the yaki udon with the anchovy condiment, chopped chives, and sesame seeds.

SERVES 2

It’s never too early to taste the finer things in life… and authentic pasta carbonara sure is something else! Banish the cream to the back of the fridge, and instead, arm yourself with a mountain of pecorino and parmesan. Add some grilled guanciale and a few beaten egg yolks, and volià!

INGREDIENTS

200 g pasta - 2 egg yolks - 3 generous handfuls of grated pecorino - 1 generous handful of grated Parmesan - freshly ground pepper - 1 handful of coarse salt - 4 thick slices of guanciale

RECIPE

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

2. In a metal bowl, beat together the egg yolks, Parmesan, and two handfuls of pecorino and pepper. Add a small ladle or two of pasta cooking water to loosen the mixture until nice and creamy.

3. Cut the guanciale into chunks. Fry in a pan without adding any oil, until the chunks are crispy and golden. Set the guanciale aside. Pour the cooking juices into the egg mixture and beat together. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pasta from the pot and place it into the bowl containing the egg mixture. This mixture now needs heating up: create a bain marie by placing the bowl over the pot of pasta water. Use a spoon to cover the pasta with the creamy mixture, being careful not to let the eggs get too hot and curdle.

4. If it seems too dry or clumpy, add a little extra pasta cooking water to loosen the mixture, tossing together until nice and creamy. Add the guanciale.

5. Plate the pasta and finish off with some freshly ground pepper and a sprinkling of the remaining pecorino.

SERVES A DOZEN OR SO

The kids are bored and you have some time on your hands? Try your luck at this worthy-of-the-name ragù, with tender lamb and a sofrito made from scratch. Once they’ve tasted this ultra-rich sauce, your kids will be grinning from ear to ear.

INGREDIENTS

For the lamb: 1 leg of lamb - 4 heads of garlic - 1 onion - 5 carrots - 1 celery stick - ½ L white wineFor the sofrito: butter - 3 onions - 2.5 kg peeled Pomodoro tomatoes - 200 g carrots, brunoise cut - 100 g celery stick - 2 pinches of fennel seeds - ½ bunch of thyme - ½ bunch of rosemary - olive oilFor the pasta: Butter - 1 kg pappardelleTo garnish: Parmesan - arugula - salt flakes

RECIPE

For the lamb:

1. Rub and massage the lamb with olive oil and salt. Leave to rest in the fridge overnight.

2. Cut the lamb into pieces, put in an ovenproof dish, and roast at 220°C/428°F for 30 minutes, until the meat is caramelized.

3. Remove the dish from the oven, reserve the cooking juices, and add the roughly chopped garlic, onion, celery, and carrots.

4. Cover with white wine.

5. Cover with parchment paper and aluminum foil, creating a seal to braise the meat. Return the lamb to the oven and leave to cook overnight at 110°C/230°F.

6. The following morning, take the dish out of the oven and remove the parchment paper and aluminum foil.

7. Leave the meat to rest in its juices at room temperature, so that the meat becomes juicy and tender from soaking up all the juices.

8. Remove the meat and strain the juices through a fine sieve. Set the juices aside.

9. Shred the lamb and remove any bones or gristly cartilage. Set the meat aside.

For the sofrito:

10. Add a little butter and olive oil to a large pan over a low heat.

11. Sweat the onions, carrots, and celery with the thyme, rosemary, and fennel seeds.

12. Cook until the onions start to color and all the vegetables are soft and tender.

13. Add the shredded lamb and then the peeled tomatoes.

14. Add the lamb cooking juices to the top of the pan (save some for the next step).

15. Leave to simmer all day long, topping up with the reserved cooking juices whenever the pan looks dry.

For the pasta:

16. Cook the pappardelle until al dente, reserve the pasta cooking water.

17. Add five generous spoonfuls of butter to a clean pan, add some pasta cooking water, and pour in the pasta along with ten generous spoonfuls of ragù.

18. Stir until well combined and cook for about a minute and a half.

19. Divide between the plates and season with some salt flakes, arugula, and Parmesan. Dig in and enjoy!

SERVES 6

Ditch the bog-standard potatoes and switch things up with sweet potato gnocchi: these plump little pillows make for the ultimate comfort food dinner that hugs your soul. With their light, squidgy texture, they’re so fun to shape and make as if using playdough – all the more reason to get the whole family involved.

INGREDIENTS

600 g sweet potatoes - 300 g flour - 200 g fourme d’Ambert cheese (or any other soft textured blue cheese) - 1 egg yolk - 1 knob of butter

RECIPE

1. Bake the sweet potatoes whole (do not peel!) in the oven at 180°C/356°F for one hour. Check they’re done by pricking them with a knife.

2. Remove from the oven and peel off the skin, then mix the flesh to obtain a smooth, creamy texture.

3. Add the egg yolk and mix. Add the flour and mix again to obtain a smooth dough.

4. Roll the dough into long sausages and cut into 2 cm chunks (if you want ridged gnocchi rather than plump, smooth “pillows,” roll each gnocchi over the back of a fork).

5. Tip the gnocchi into a pan of salted boiling water. When they float to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon and add to a warm pan with a knob of melted butter.

6. Toss the gnocchi then add the cheese and leave to melt. Stir then serve!

SERVES 4

If your little ones don't eat enough greens, simply hide them in pesto pasta. Here, we’re making it with parsley, sorrel, mint, and coriander, all topped off with oyster mushrooms and bok choy blossoms. While these ingredients aren’t classic store cupboard staples per se, this variation on a classic is absolutely irresistible.

INGREDIENTS

500 g oyster mushrooms - 400 g spaghetti - 30 g olive oil - 20 g white wine - 40 g coarse salt - 1 garlic clove - 1 chili
Bok choy blossoms

For the pesto: 200 g olive oil - 100 g Parmesan - 80 g Sicilian almonds - 2 garlic cloves - ½ lemon - 1 bunch of parsley - ½ bunch of sorrel - ½ bunch of mint - ½ bunch of cilantro - 1 pinch of salt flakes

RECIPE

1. Discard the stems from the oyster mushrooms then chop. Chop the chili and grate the garlic. Add the olive oil to a hot pan and cook the garlic and chili. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan, add the mushrooms, and leave to cook for five minutes over a high heat. Set aside.

2. To make the pesto, you’ll need a mixer or a stick blender. First, blend the almonds to a powder. Then add the roughly chopped herbs, garlic cloves, Parmesan, the juice of half a lemon, olive oil, and salt flakes, then mix to form a slightly runny, bright green pesto.

3. Bring five liters of water to the boil, add the coarse salt then cook the spaghetti. Reserve a small cup of pasta water before draining the pasta three minutes before the cooking time indicated on the packet. Finish cooking the pasta in a frying pan with a little olive oil, adding a dash of cooking water just before they are done. Stir in six teaspoons of pesto.

SERVES 2 TO 3

What if you introduced a little buckwheat into your little rascals’ daily diet? And to top it off, this noodle recipe has the merit of mixing savoy cabbage, a few toasted walnuts, and homemade breadcrumbs, for extra healthy-eating bonus points!

INGREDIENTS

200 g buckwheat noodles (soba noodles) - 250 g savoy cabbage - 100 g walnuts - 1 garlic clove, minced - 75 ml beer (lager or amber ale) - 100 g Parmesan, mature mimolette and mature Comté, grated - 1 tbsp lemon juice - 1 tbsp walnut oil - 2 tbsp olive oil - ½ tsp saltFor the breadcrumbs: 100 g stale bread - 1 tbsp rosemary - ½ garlic clove, minced - 2 tbsp olive oil - ½ tsp salt

RECIPE

1. Toast the nuts in the oven at 160°C/320°F for six minutes. Leave to cool then chop.

2. Next prepare the breadcrumbs: bake the bread in the oven for about 10 minutes to completely dry it out. Add to the mixer with the garlic, olive oil, rosemary, and salt, then mix to get a fine breadcrumb. Spread on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for a further six minutes.

3. Put a large pan of boiling water on to boil for the pasta.

4. Remove the large leaves from the cabbage, then wash and dry them. Remove the thick stems, place the leaves on top of one another, and thinly slice. Slice the remaining cabbage as thinly as possible.

5. Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the garlic, beer, and cabbage, leave to cook for six minutes over a medium heat. Meanwhile, cook the pasta for one minute less than the time stated on the packet. Drain and add to the pan with the cabbage.

6. Add half of the grated cheese, the breadcrumbs, lemon juice, walnut oil, chopped nuts, and salt, and mix together for one minute (still over a medium heat).

7. Divide between the plates and top with the remaining grated cheese. Enjoy!

SERVES 1

Why overcomplicate things when all it takes to whip up a feast is just a couple of ingredients? The recipe for instant noodles with Comté can be boiled down to one sentence: cook the noodles and bean sprouts for a few minutes in boiling water, drain, add half the seasoning packet, mix, pour everything into a bowl, and add herbs, an egg yolk, and grated Comté cheese – hey presto!

INGREDIENTS

1 packet of instant noodles - 20 g Comté - 1 egg yolk - 5 g spring onion - 5 g bean sprouts - 5 g coriander and mint leaves

RECIPE

1. Cook the noodles and bean sprouts for three to four minutes in a pan of boiling water. Drain, add half the seasoning packet, and mix. Pour into a bowl, add the thinly sliced spring onion, herbs, egg yolk, and grated Comté cheese, and mix together.

SERVES 2

All kids love parmesan cheese, but yours will love it even more in this recipe for trofie pasta – a plump little shape that’s a universal crowd-pleaser. Mix together some basil, parsley, pine nuts, and, of course, a hearty dose of parmesan, perfect for when hangry kids are lurking.

INGREDIENTS

300 g trofie pasta - 200 g Parmesan - 200 g pine nuts - 1 garlic clove - ½ bunch of basil - ½ bunch of parsley - ½ bunch of mint - olive oil - coarse salt - freshly ground pepper

RECIPE

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add a handful of coarse salt.

2. While the water is coming to the boil, toast the pine nuts in a small, dry frying pan. Set aside.

3. Mince the garlic and gently cook in olive oil in a frying pan over a low heat.

4. Remove the stems from the herbs and finely chop the leaves.

5. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to the instructions on the packet. Reserve a small cupful of cooking water. 6. Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the garlic. Then add the pine nuts, Parmesan, and fresh herbs. Mix.

7. Season with salt and pepper, add a little olive oil and a splash of pasta cooking water. Top with more grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

Thank you to Fooding for these recipes. Fooding is an independent brand.

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