Goats Cheese, Chilli and Basil Spaghetti

Wow look how quickly my diet changes when the weather hits above 30! Don't worry i'll be craving my stews and soups again soon enough. This is a nice light pasta where the dominant flavours are the basil and the pasta itself. As such, you cannot substitute the fresh basil for dried, and if you can, buy egg spaghetti rather than the dried semolina stuff (not that theres anything wrong with  that; it's just that egg spaghetti has a richer taste).

This pasta can be whipped up in only 3 minutes longer than it takes to actually boil the pasta in the first place. Great for a quick and easy meal.

Ingredients (to serve two):

• Spaghetti for 2
• 1 long chilli (or 2 birdseye chillis if you like heat as i do) thinly sliced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  
• 1/3 cup fresh basil
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 100gm fresh spinach
• 2 tablespoons goats feta, crumbled
  
• Salt
• Pepper
  

Method:

Boil the pasta as per packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Add the garlic and chilli and stir for 30 seconds.

Throw in the spinach and stir around for 30 seconds.

Throw in the pasta and toss to coat.

Remove the pan from the heat

Add the basil, season with salt and pepper, and toss again.

Transfer to serving bowls and top with the goats cheese.

Spanakopita

You can probably pick which recipes i'm making for my weekly lunches! Spanakopita is a Greek dish of a yummy mixture of spinach and feta rolled up in flaky filo pastry.

Ingredients:

• 250gm spinach
• 150gm good quality feta, crumbled
• 75gm parmesan finely grated
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, roasted
• 10 sheets filo pastry
• 100gm butter, melted
  
• Pepper
• 2 eggs, lighted beaten
• 5 spring onions, chopped coarsely

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsiuis.
Saute the spinach until soft and mushy and transfer to a sieve. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the spinach to remove as much water as possible.
Mix the spinach, feta, parmesan, eggs, pine nuts, onions and eggs together in a large bowl. Season with pepper. 

On a clean surface lay out the first piece of filo.
Brush entire sheet with melted butter.

Lay a second sheet of filo over the first, and also brush this with butter.
Fold the filo in half lengthways.
Place 2 tablespoons of the filling onto across the left of the pastry leaving about 5cm at each end, as per the below picture. 

Roll the filo into a log.
Curl the filo into a rough spiral, tucking the  ends of the filo underneath so that the shape stays put.
Place onto a baking tray and brush again with butter.
Repeat for the remaining 5 spanakopita. 

Bake in the oven for approximately 20minutes or until lightly browned.

Serve warm, i think it pairs well with a light caprese salad.