Basil pasta and meat ball gravy

Off late I wanted make some variation in cooking pasta. Usually I cook pasta in very simple way. Yet I to do any experiment with pasta. I usually cook with typical tomato-pasta sauce. However, everybody at home was already bored with that kind of pasta. Anyway, few days back I wanted to cook pasta for dinner. I thought that after coming back from market I would cook. 

We took a lot of time in the market, and when we came back home it was already 8 at the night. I had very less time to cook. Fortunately I bought a bunch of basils and walnut from market. I love the aroma of basils. I made a paste of walnut, basil, and olive oil. I cooked the pasta with that. I don’t know whether I can call it pesto or not. So, I’m calling my recipe as “Basil Pasta”.

Here is the recipe:

Four cups fully cooking pasta

Three tbsp. olive oil

One big garlic

One cup basil leaves

One fourth cup walnut

Salt to taste

One cup cheddar cheese

One tsp. dried oregano leaves

One tsp. dried cilantro leaves

Two tbsp. olive oil for cooking

Method:Cook the pasta according to direction written on the packet.  Drain the pasta, and preserve one cup of the water in which you have boiled the pasta. The gravy like water helps to make the pasta thick; otherwise the pasta will be dry. Make a paste of basil leaves, walnut, and one tbsp. olive oil. Heat two tbsp. of oil in a frying pan. Add oregano and cilantro. Stir for few seconds, and add the pre cooked pasta along with preserved water. Stir for few minutes, and add the basil paste. Lower the heat and cover the pan. Let the pasta for 5-6 minutes. Add cheese from the top. Switch off the stove. The pasta is done.

Meat ball gravy

Ingredients of meat ball

One pound ground chicken

One small onion

One tsp. ginger power

One tsp. garlic powder

Enough bread crumb to make a tight dough

One egg

Salt to taste

For gravy

Two large tomato

Four-five cloves of garlic

One tsp. dried oregano

One tsp. dried cilantro

One small bunch of fresh basil leaves

Salt to taste

One tbsp. olive oil

Method:

The meat ballsMix all the ingredients to make tight dough. Pre heat the oven at 350 degree F. Cover the baking tray with a piece of parchment paper. Spray olive oil (or any other oil) on the parchment paper. Make small balls out of the dough and arrange them one inch apart on baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes. Flip them around the 20 minutes after starting of baking. 

The gravy

Cut the tomatoes into two halves. Into a saucepan add one cup of water, tomato halves, and garlic cloves with salt. Boil until tomatoes become soft. Switch off the gas. Let the mixture cool down. Then make a smooth past with the mixture, and basil leaves..  Heat one tbsp. of olive oil, add dried cilantro and oregano into it. Stir for few second, and add the tomato paste. If you need, then one half cup water. Bring it into boil. Add the meat ball. Boil to your desired consistency.