But naturally

Organic spinach and carrot flavoured fusilli with prune and lemongrass dressing

I’ve often imaged myself in knee high gumboots, wading through my personal vegetable patch, looking for the perfect piece of fresh tomato. I would someday like to dress up my salad with herbs that have been plucked from my own garden and roast crunchy carrots that have been unearthed minutes before they go into the oven.

Since I am far from ploughing my own patch, I often hit the weekly organic market where I can get my hands on locally grown vegetables and other goodies.

The whole idea of organic food fascinates me. Natural, unprocessed food that has not been through any drama has such a wholesome taste and texture. It manages to have a real taste that can never be found otherwise.

Recently, I visited an all-organic store in the neighbourhood city and got myself a packet of spinach and carrot flavoured pasta, among other things. Since the pasta had an obvious wheat flavour, I dressed it with a sweet and sour prune and lemongrass salad dressing. 

Making a first impression

Spaghetti in tomato and basil sauce with caramelised walnuts and mushrooms

I’m a fool for spaghetti. I love it in any form – dunked in drippy, chunky tomato sauce or simply sprinkled with exceptional parmesan cheese or gently tossed in olive oil or gracefully lying in pesto, topped with black olives. Any kind of warm spaghetti is spaghetti enough.

When I make it at home, I try to do it as differently as possible from last time. I play around with sauces, pair it with random ingredients, toss it in flavoured oils and do with it, what I wouldn’t do with penne, farfelle or any other kind of pasta. Because unlike its shapely cousins, spaghetti holds little sauce and always remains the hero of the dish.

Today, I made the spaghetti with the classic tomato and basil sauce.  To give the dish some spunk, I tossed some fresh mushrooms and walnuts in homemade caramel and served it alongside.