From carbonara to meatballs, we love a good, comforting bowl of spaghetti. Treat your family to one of these pastalicious meals!  

Spaghetti with boerie meatballs

Serves 4  

Cooking time ± 1 hour 

Ingredients 

200 g boerewors, casing removed 

3 tbsp breadcrumbs 

1 tbsp olive oil 

410 g tin chopped tomatoes 

1 tbsp caster sugar 

1 tbsp soy sauce 

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

Salt and pepper 

500 g spaghetti 

Parsley, to garnish 

Method

1. Mix the boerewors and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Roll into 20 balls.
2. Heat the oil in a pot over high heat and brown the meatballs.
3. Reduce the heat, and add the tomatoes, sugar, soy and Worcestershire sauces and balsamic vinegar. Simmer for 25 minutes, then season.
4. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, then drain.
5. Serve the meatballs and sauce with the pasta, and garnish with parsley.

Tomato and bacon pasta

Serves 4  

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients 

500 g spaghetti 

200 g pack of bacon 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tin (410 g) tomato & onion mix 

Parmesan, to serve 

Handful basil, to serve 

Method 

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
2. Fry the bacon over medium-high heat until golden. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Chop into pieces.
3. In the same pan, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, bring to a simmer and stir, scraping off all the bits stuck to the base of the pan.
4. Add in the tomato-and-onion mix and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until slightly reduced. 
5. Add your pasta to the sauce and toss until all the sauce is soaked up. Add a little more pasta water if it is too thick.
6. Place the pasta into serving bowls, sprinkle over chopped bacon and grate over some Parmesan. Garnish with basil leaves to serve.

Pro tip: If the sauce tastes too acidic, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to help balance it out. 

Wholewheat spaghetti with feta and maca pesto

Serves 4 

Cooking time 35 minutes 

Ingredients 

400 g wholewheat spaghetti 

4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 

2 avocados, sliced 

2 wheels feta, plus extra to serve 

½ cup rocket 

½ cucumber, sliced 

6 tbsp basil pesto 

½ lemon, juiced 

2 tbsp maca powder 

Pinch salt 

1 handful of pine nuts, toasted 

1 handful fresh basil 

Method 

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and drizzle with oil.
2. In a food processor, blend together the avocado, feta, rocket, cucumber, pesto, lemon juice, maca powder and salt.
3. Stir the sauce through the spaghetti.
4. Serve topped with pine nuts, crumbled feta, basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil 

Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

Spicy shrimp pasta

Serves 4  

Ingredients 

Vegetable oil, to sauté 

1 red onion, peeled and chopped 

10 baby tomatoes, halved 

½ tsp chilli flakes 

1 tsp crushed ginger 

1 tsp crushed garlic 

250 ml sour cream or double-thick plain yoghurt 

100 ml milk 

½ tsp cornflour 

400 g shrimp 

1 bunch of spring onions, sliced 

500 g spaghetti 

Salt 

Parmesan, to serve  

Method 

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the onion, tomatoes and chilli. Fry until the onion is soft. (About 5 minutes).
2. Mix the corn flour into the milk and add to the pan with the ginger, garlic, and sour cream or yoghurt. Cook until the sauce is creamy.
3. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain.
4. Add the shrimp and spring onions. Sauté until the shrimp is cooked and the sauce is thick. (This should only take about 1–2 minutes).
5. Mix in the pasta, season and serve with Parmesan.

Also read: Fresh pastas to celebrate summer