Pasta is a favourite among urban Malaysians because it tastes like local noodles, blends well with many cuisines, can be modified to suit all skill levels and palates, and is definitely a healthy choice. 

For working parents, pastas can be prepared quickly and easily, with fewer pots and pans to wash up after cooking. Cooked pasta refrigerates and reheats very well, making it ideal for pre-prepped meals and lunch boxes.

Where can you start? With Alce Nero of course!

Alce Nero, a leader in organic food that include pastas, pasta sauces, honey, jams, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and more, presents four simple pasta recipes that you can adapt or use as it is, with hacks to save your time to get both lunch and dinner to the table. The recipes were developed by Retna Vijayan, a business owner and a mother-of-three, who cooks dinner for five every weeknight.

Alce Nero Organic Pastas come as tricolore, naturally coloured and flavoured with tomato and spinach, adding goodness of vegetable fibre to your meal. Kids love it because the tricolore pastas elevates their experience.

Alce Nero’s pastas are bronze drawn, making it rougher and more porous, ideal for sauce absorption. Made using organically grown durum wheat, the pastas contain no preservatives or artificial substances such as sugar. They are made in Italy, low in fat and sodium, high in protein and are also a good source of dietary fibre.

Alce Nero’s new range of Kids’ Pasta, the Tricolore Alce Nero Organic Kids’ Pasta – Sport Shapes, received a 5-star rating, the highest rating possible, on Motherhood Malaysia.

All four recipes can be tweaked to suit vegetarians by substituting meat and seafood with other ingredients such as mushrooms. For speedy preparation, you could use frozen meat and seafood. The sauces contain lots of herbs to increase the fibre content, but it can be increased or reduced according to one’s taste.

Four Simple Pasta Recipes using Alce Nero Organic Pastas

Creamy Tomato Clam Spaghetti

Absolute comfort food that combines the piquancy of Alce Nero Organic Pasta Sauce with Vegetables with the richness of cream, the salty chewiness of clams, and the freshness of parsley with al dente Organic Spaghetti Tricolore.

1. Add Alce Nero Organic Spaghetti Tricolore to a pot of well salted boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or until al dente. 
2. Meanwhile, pan-fry garlic, chopped parsley and clams until the clams turn brown. 
3. Reserve some browned clams for garnishing. 
4. Add the al dente pasta (using tongs), cherry tomato halves and Alce Nero Organic Pasta Sauce with Vegetables to the clams and allow it to heat through. The juicy vegetables in the sauce contribute to a well-balanced one-pot meal. 
5. Stream in the cooking cream while stirring. 
6. If you prefer more sauce, add half a cup of the salted pasta water, and mix well.
7. Plate up, garnish with some parsley and the reserved clams. Grate some cheese over the pasta if you want it cheesier.

10 minutes prep time, 10 minutes cooking time, serves 5 pax

Fusilli with Basil Pesto (Suitable for Vegetarians)

This vegetarian fusilli pesto recipe can be made in less than 15 minutes for a light, refreshing meal that is high in fibre and full of flavours. Pesto works best with short and spiral-shaped fusilli that have more surface area for the pesto to cling on to.

1. Cook Alce Nero Organic Fusilli in a pot of boiling water until done.
2. Keep a cup of pasta water before draining the fusilli.
3. Blend or pound pesto.
4. Put drained fusilli in a pan over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of pesto for every 100g of pasta and stir well. 
5. Add a quarter cup of pasta water to loosen the pesto and for it to coat each spiral of fusilli. You could add more pasta water for a saucier pesto.
6. Plate up, drizzle a little more pesto over the fusilli, and garnish with basil leaves and roasted nuts.

If you are a weekend food prepper, blend or pound pesto on weekends and store it in a mason jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep the pesto green and fresh. 

For pesto pasta salad, add one cup of seeded and diced tomatoes, celery, garden peas and cucumber. Add more pesto for extra creaminess. For pesto chicken salad, top the pesto pasta with shredded roast or boiled chicken.

10 minutes prep time, 12 minutes cooking time, serves 5 pax

Creamy Beef Spaghetti Carbonara

Alce Nero’s bronze drawn Organic Spaghetti Tricolore is a perfect pairing for carbonara as it holds the sauce well, allowing the silky sauce to coat fully. The green and orange pasta strands contain extra colour and fibre from spinach and tomato.

1. Cook Organic Spaghetti Tricolore in a pot of boiling water until done. Reserve a cup of pasta water. Drain and reserve the spaghetti.
2. Heat olive oil or butter in a pan over medium heat and add some garlic. 
3. After a minute, add beef bacon, parsley and black pepper. Simultaneously, beat eggs, cheese and cream in a bowl. 
4. Then, put the cooked beef in a bowl. Reduce the heat to low, add some pasta water to deglaze the pan. Quickly add in the al dente spaghetti and stir to coat it with the sauce. 
5. Stream in the egg mixture (from step 3) and stir vigorously. Pour a quarter cup of pasta water into the pan for a silkier sauce. 
6. Reserve some cooked beef for garnishing and add the remaining cooked beef into the creamy spaghetti carbonara. Mix well.
7. Serve immediately, garnish with the reserved cooked beef, some fresh parsley, a sprinkle of grounded pepper and a drizzle of carbonara sauce.

Carbonara works best with beef bacon, but you could also use thinly sliced or minced beef. The eggs and beef provide sufficient protein for a balanced meal. Match this spaghetti carbonara with a garden salad as a side dish.

10 minutes prep time, 12 minutes cooking time, serves 5 pax

Shrimp in Basil Tomato Sauce Alphabet Pasta

The shrimp in basil tomato sauce is simple to prepare and it pairs well with the Alce Nero Organic Kids’ Pasta – Alphabet Tricolore. Here’s how:

1. Prepare 500g of Alce Nero Organic Kids’ Pasta Alphabet Tricolore according to the steps printed on the packaging. Drain and reserve.
2. In a large flat-bottomed pan or skillet, heat olive oil or butter and add garlic.
3. After sautéing for a minute, add chicken stock, red pepper flakes, black pepper and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. 
4. Add shrimps and sauté it until light pink. 
5. Add basil and pour in a bottle of Alce Nero Organic Pasta Sauce with Basil. Heat through.
6. Plate up the pasta. Pour the sauce onto the pasta and garnish with basil. 

10 minutes prep time, 10 minutes cooking time, serves 5 pax

Alce Nero’s Farm-To-Table Concept and Certifications

The brand’s farm-to-table concept is made possible by working with its network of organic farmers, making its products much healthier. Its extensive line of authentic Italian products is 100% organic and is certified by the European Union law and the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS). Malaysians can use Alce Nero products with reassurance as it is certified Halal by official certification bodies recognized by JAKIM. 

Alce Nero products are available at AEON, Ben’s, Cold Storage, Giant, Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer, TF Value and via Ayam Brand Shopee Official Store and Ayam Brand Lazada Official Store. For more wholesome recipes, please visit Alce Nero Recipes and Alce Nero Malaysia Facebook page. 

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