Pasta parcels

Very quick.  The pasta bit of this is really quick. I usually serve it with steak for your dad and me but it would be dinner on its own for Sara.

Buy tortelloni from the supermarket - fresh pasta section is in the refrigerator section (milk, cheese, butter, meats). I always buy the spinach and ricotta version (ricotta is a type of cheese).
While you are there you might like to get some garlic bread to have with it - they come ready to oven bake.

Method

Set a medium sized pan of water to boil on the stove

Chop up a large red onion - small pieces but not minute - I usually peel the onion (dry layers, and any blemished or soggy layers. Cut the whole thing in half. Take a half cut it into slices across and then turn it 90 degrees and cut them slices across them again - this will result in chopped pieces as opposed to slices or strips or rings.

   

Heat a bit of oil in a frying pan. When it is hot (wear an apron to protect your clothes, watch out for spitting oil) put in the chopped onion. Fry it until it slightly browns (this is called caramelised onion - no black burnt bits, but crisp edges and cooked through)

When the water is boiling put all the pasta into the boiling water and let it boil for 5 minutes (really doesn't take long, don't over cook it - over cooked fresh pasta is horribly soggy).

The pasta will go slightly paler as it cooks. After no more than 5 minutes drain the pasta (pour it, over the sink, into a seive or colander, or hold a pan lid against the food and pour the water out).

Put the cooked onions into the pasta (return the drained pasta to the saucepan), mix them well. Grind black pepper into it and mix it in.

Serve onto plates.

Grate a bit of Parmesan cheese over the top.

Good with a salad of green leaves, cucumber and tomatoes. 

Ingredients - must haves

These are things that you need to have to hand for almost everything you are going to cook. Every kitchen needs them. Over time you build up your own ideas about essentials (for your dad we have to have salad cream and uncle Paul's pepper in addition to my own regulars - ketchup, balsamic vinegar, range of herbs and spices, black pepper, salt, mustards of a variety of types, garlic, red peppers, lemon).

• Butter - unsalted (butter comes in unsalted and salted versions)
• Black pepper - in a grinder - fresh ground is best - grinders can be filled up - pepper corns are in the herbs and spices section of the supermarket
• Salt - table salt or sea salt
• Garlic (fresh, in cloves, you will need a garlic crusher)
• Red onions (it's my personal preference for red, other people like white or yellow)
• White balsamic vinegar (personal preference)
• Balsamic vinegar - dark
• Grainy mustard (the type with mustard seen kernels in it)
• Ginger root - has to be peeled 
• Flour - plain flour 
• Soy sauce (I prefer light)
• Thyme (dried)
• Oregano (dried)
• Basil (dried)
• Mixed herbs (dried)

Ingredients - oil

Oil - a light olive oil designed for roasting or frying. 

Cheese on toast

Simple snack - 10 mins maximum

1. Bread - I prefer bread that requires slicing, something with grain and seeds in, sliced medium to thick.
2. Toast one side of the bread under the grill
3. Turn it over, spread with mayonnaise (or butter if you can't stand mayo) and some whole grain mustard. Lay slices of cheddar cheese (or other hard cheese like Red Leicester) across the whole bread surface - not too thick. Sprinkle thyme (herb section at the supermarket) over it and ground black pepper to taste.
4. Stick it back under the grill and leave it until the cheese bubbles and goes slightly browned on the edges.
5. Meanwhile slice cherry tomatoes in half, ready for when the toast comes off the grill, put them on in roughly the right number to get one tomato with every bite.
6. Polish it off (eat it!) and go for another round.