Linguine is a ribbon like pasta which is traditionally served with seafood or presto sauce. Here its a simple chicken meat balls in creamy sauce. Instead you can use spegatti for this recipe. Adding double cream in place of milk as I’ve used here will give a rich and thick sauce. You can further cut down the calorie count by using low-fat milk.
Preparation time: 15 mts
Cooking time : 15 mts
Serves : 4
Ingredients for the meat balls:
- Chicken mince – 250 g
- Ginger – 1/2 tsp (minced)
- Garlic – 1 (minced)
- Salt – 1/8 tsp
- Pepper – 1/8 tsp
- Bread crumps – 1/4 cup
Mix all these ingredients together and keep it aside for at least 10 minutes.
Ingredients for Sauce :
- Butter/ Olive oil – 2 tsp
- Garlic – 2 (minced)
- Onion – 1 (small chopped)
- Cardamom – 1pod
- Cinnamon – 2 cm long
- Cumin powder – 1/8 th tsp
- Plain flour / corn flour – 1 table spoon
- Green chilli – 1 (optional, sliced in the middle)
- Milk – 1/2 cup
- Green olives – 4 (pitted and crushed)
- Fresh thyme leaves – 4 sticks
- Fresh Parsley – 1 table spoon
- Baby tomatoes – 4(halved, optional)
- Grated parmesan cheese – 1/2 cup
Inedients for cooking pasta:
- Linguine – 1/4 th packet
- Water – 3 cups
- Salt – 1/2 tsp
- Oil – 1 tsp(optional)
Add all the ingredients for making pasta in a sauce pan and cook the pasta. It’ll take around 8 mts. when you feel that the pasta is cooked slightly less than your preference, take it off the heat and drain. Do not over cook the pasta or it’ll turn mushy. Keep some of the pasta water for later use.
Method:
- In a heated pan add butter/oil and cook the meat balls turning once in a while. It’ll take around 5 mts to cook because of its small size. Keep the heat at medium low.
- When the meat ballas are almost cooked transfer it to a plate. In the same pan add the cardamom and cinnamon stick. When it starts to release the aroma add in the minced garlic and saute it for a minute.
- Add in the onions and allow it to soften. If you’re adding chilli add at this time. If you just slit the chilli in the middle, you can control the heat and it’ll be easy for you to take it out before serving.
- Now you can add the plain flour/corn flour and roast it till the raw smell is gone. It’ll take around two minutes and the flour will slightly turn light brown.
- Roast the cumin powder for a few seconds.
- Add the milk slowly and mix it without making any lumps.
- Add back the meat balls.
- Add in the olives, thyme and mix it slowly without breaking the meat balls.
- Add in the cooked pasta and if required the reserved pasta water bit by bit.
- Now it’s time for seasoning, keep in mind that cheese and pasta water contains salt. Add the pepper too.
- Switch off the gas and add in the cheese, tomatoes and sprinkle the parsley leaves.
- Give it one more mix and serve hot.
Comments by Seema Nair