Debbie, our wonderful 'chef to ostomates' is back today with not one, but two delicious spaghetti recipes. All of Debbie’s recipes are, of course, designed with Ostomates in mind and in case you’ve missed any of her recipes to date, you can find them all in our Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support group here. So why not put an apron on and get cooking!
Enjoy…
Here are two recipes with pasta, a failsafe for me when I need to thicken my stoma output. I love to have mushrooms in my Bolognese but with that and celery, I was a bit wary of it at first - until I decided to try blitzing the veg et voila! Dry frying the meat means it’s a healthier recipe than most Bolognese, which add oil.
The Carbonara is a great comfort food that I often ate after chemotherapy. It is a much-loved family recipe usually prepared by my husband, though both my son & daughter now make it just as well! Many people tend to stay away from bacon because of the preservatives, particularly nitrates, but I use Naked Bacon, which is free from preservatives. It can be found in many supermarkets.
"Carbonara is a great comfort food that I often ate after chemotherapy..."
Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 2, easily doubled
Ingredients:
6 slices of Back bacon
2 large eggs
150g parmesan cheese
200ml single cream
200g spaghetti
Olive oil
Preparation:
1.Trim any fat off the bacon & cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
2. Grate parmesan cheese.
3. Beat eggs
Method:
1. Heat tablespoon of oil in frying pan and bring plenty of water to boil in a large saucepan, adding salt & some olive oil as it stops the spaghetti sticking together.
2. Fry bacon until cooked.
3. Put cream into frying pan with bacon & gently heat through. Don’t over boil!
4. Add spaghetti to pan, gently pushing it into the boiling water.
5. Cook spaghetti on rolling boil for some 10 mins until it is al dente – firm when bitten.
6. Drain spaghetti; keep it in the hot saucepan & add the beaten eggs. Stir around to help the eggs cook through; if necessary, put the pan back on the heat but don’t allow the eggs to scramble.
7. Serve the spaghetti; cover with half the parmesan, keeping the other half for the table.
8. Serve the bacon & cream onto the top of the pasta.
9. At the table, serve with the extra parmesan cheese and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Enjoy – our kids always do!
"Dry frying the meat means it’s a healthier recipe than most Bolognese, which add oil..."
Spaghetti Bolognese
Serves 4, easily halved, freezes well.
Ingredients:
500g lean beef mince
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove
2 sticks celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
100g mushrooms (optional)
1 bay leaf
1tsp dried rosemary or oregano
500ml tomato passata
1 beef stock cube
Glass of red wine (optional)
Salt & pepper
400g pasta
Parmesan, to serve
Method:
1. Heat a large pan over a medium heat then add the mince to brown it.
2. Remove the mince with a slotted spoon, then add the onion, celery and carrots and cook until the onions begin to soften. Add in the garlic and mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften.
3. If you are a new Ostomate (with an ileostomy), blitz the ingredients in the pan until pureed.
4. Put the mince back into the pan with the herbs, then stir in the passata. Add the wine if using.
5. Crumble the stock cube over everything, and season to taste. Stir well.
6. Bring to the boil then simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, or longer if you can.
7. Serve with pasta and parmesan.
Click here to find links to all Debbie's recipes.
Thoughts on food and cancer, or perhaps a recipe you wish to share? Go ahead and do so using the comments section below. You might also like to join our Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support group to talk to other Ostomates.
