I have already shared several Indian lunch-box meal plans and also many of my lunch-friendly combinations. Today, I share with you a wonderful and super quick Italian meal combination – creamy tomato penne pasta and bread pizza. I prepared this combination using the very delicious Chef’s Basket recipe kit – Creamy tomato in penne.
I am delighted to share my experience with the Chef’s Basket recipe kit and this post of mine today, would be slightly lengthy one 🙂 as I give you my experience with this recipe kit or in other words, a review for this kit. So, do read it out as this will surely be an interesting and useful product to you.
What is the product?
Chef’s Basket recipe kit – Creamy tomato in Penne (Check their website here)
What is the product information?
Net wt – 559 grams
Serves – 3
Spice level – Mild
Price – Rs 300
You can purchase this kit online or through Amazon.in also (check the link here).
What is in it?
The Chef’s Basket ‘Creamy tomato in Penne’ recipe kit has got all the components required to make a delicious creamy penne pasta. It has –
Penne pasta, sea salt, green olives, creamy tomato pasta sauce, herbs and extra virgin olive oil.
What can be cooked with it?
The recipe kit is designed to prepare penne pasta using all the ingredients provided in it. But, I slightly modified it and prepared pasta along with bread pizza adjusting the components from the recipe kit. Check my detailed recipes below the review.
What are the pros of the recipe kit?
1. It is comfortable to use, has all the ingredients to make a complete recipe.
2. The creamy tomato pasta sauce provided is sensationally delicious. It was so wonderful and is similar to the restaurant-style pasta sauce.
3. The cooking directions given on the kit works perfect to make a delicious pasta recipe.
4. Ingredients like sea salt and olives are optional to cooking for lot of people including me, and many would be glad that you get them in the kit.
5. The kit is wonderful to make a pasta recipe and I am sure everyone who loves Italian food would crave to purchase another of this kit.
What are the cons of the recipe kit?
1. The kit says that it can serve 3 people, but I find it can feed sufficiently only for 2 people.
2. The components in the kit have to be used all at once (you cannot use some and store remaining portions for later), which would be a problem if you want to cook for only one person.
3. I thought the addition of red chili flakes would be good, which anyway is optional to many.
4. The price of the kit might seem slightly on the higher side for many, but when you take into account that the kit has olives (which is expensive in itself), extra virgin olive oil (which is costly too) and a lip-smacking sauce, I feel it is worth the purchase.
What is my verdict?
Try it out!! It will please your palate. If you find it slightly above your budget, I recommend buying it for any special occasions when you can celebrate along with your family as the recipe that comes with it will definitely satisfy your taste-buds.
Creamy tomato penne pasta recipe
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Serves: 2 |
Cooking time: 20 mins |
Ingredients:
Pasta – 2 cups (I used Chef’s basket penne pasta)
Pasta/marinara sauce – 1 cup (I used Chef’s basket creamy tomato sauce; alternately you can check my recipe)
Butter/oil – 1 tbsp
Mixed Italian herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil etc) – 1 tsp, optional
Red chili flakes – ½ tsp, optional
Broccoli florets – ½ cup
Onion – 1, small (finely chopped)
Green olives – 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves/parsley – 1 tbsp (very finely chopped)
Sea salt/regular salt – 1 tbsp
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Procedure:
- Boil about 2 liters of water in a large vessel. Add the sea salt and let it come to a boil.
- Add the pasta and broccoli and cook for about 10-12 minutes. Make sure that you do not overcook the pasta.
- Strain the pasta and place it in cold water. Keep aside for now.
- Heat oil or butter in a pan and add the herbs and red chili flakes. Fry for few seconds and add the onions. Fry till they turn soft.
- Then add the creamy tomato sauce and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
- Then add the pasta and broccoli and toss well. Cook for another minute, sprinkle the olives and remove from heat.
- Drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil on top, sprinkle some more herbs and parsley and serve hot with breadizza or garlic bread.
Breadizza (bread pizza) recipe
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Makes: 2 |
Cooking time: 10 mins |
Ingredients:
Cheese, grated – ¼ cup (I used mozzarella)
Bread – 2 slices
Pizza sauce – ¼ cup (I used Chef’s Basket creamy pasta sauce, or check out my recipe)
Olives – 1 tbsp, optional
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp (very finely chopped)
Olive oil – 1 tsp
Italian herbs – 1 tsp
Red chili flakes – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 teaspoon or to taste
Black pepper powder – as per taste
Procedure:
- Roast the bread on both sides with a brushing of little oil.
- Then on one side apply the pizza sauce, top with cheese, olives, coriander, herbs and red chili flakes, salt and pepper.
- Cover with a lid and roast for another minute on low flame till cheese melts.
- Serve hot with pasta.
If you are interested in purchasing this kit, check out the product website – link here or you can also purchase it at amazon.in – link here.
