Cheated Chicken Puttanesca Style Pasta for Two

 Hello everyone!!

Last two days here in the UK were… well… HOT. And not just a little bit warm. The kind of heat where you open the window, stand there for a second, and question all your life decisions.

But funny enough, that kind of weather does something to me.

It doesn’t slow me down. It actually gives me energy.

The mood was set early in the morning. The sun was shining, slightly blinding at times, but also making me feel like summer has finally arrived.

And honestly… after the last few months we’ve had? Finally.

So naturally, I did what I always do.

I went into the kitchen.

Now usually, that starts the same way every time. Open the fridge. Look inside. Close it. Walk away. Come back five minutes later like something new is going to magically appear.

But today… there was a little twist.

The heat had already started working against me. Some of my vegetables, especially the tomatoes, were on their last leg. And I could almost hear them saying, “today is the day… or never.”

And you already know me…

I’m not letting anything go to waste.

Now quick side story, because I can’t help myself…

Recently I’ve been on a bit of a tomato journey. Testing different types, trying new varieties, figuring out which ones actually deserve a place in my kitchen.

My partner brought home these beautiful green tomatoes from a farm. Honestly, they looked incredible. Fresh, vibrant, like they should be packed with flavour.

And then I tasted them…

Nothing.

I was standing there thinking… really? That’s it?

Total disappointment.

But I’m not giving up.

Right now I’ve got five different types growing in my greenhouse and garden… and I am ready.

They just aren’t ready yet.

Anyway… back to today’s plate.

I had tomatoes that needed using, along with a few other ingredients sitting around, waiting.

And then that familiar feeling kicked in.

That little spark.

That moment where you don’t quite know what you’re going to cook… but you know something is about to happen.

So I stopped thinking too much.

And I played.

And that’s how this cheated Chicken Puttanesca style pasta was born.

And yes… I am calling it cheated on purpose, because I don’t want the puttanesca lovers coming for me 

But this is exactly what cooking is for me.

A playground.

And my friends…

I play.

And as always…

This is for two people
No waste
Just flavour, balance, and something that feels good to eat

 Ingredients for two

 Pasta and base

200 g pasta of your choice
remember… make it yours my friends

300 g ripe tomatoes chopped
1 red pepper sliced
100 g green beans trimmed and cut

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
half a small red onion finely sliced

 Flavour elements

30 g black olives sliced
2 tablespoons capers
2 anchovy fillets finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch of chilli flakes
salt and black pepper

 Chicken

2 chicken breasts around 300 g total
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and black pepper

 Finish

small handful fresh parsley chopped
optional squeeze of lemon

 Method

 Start with the chicken

Slice your chicken into thinner pieces so it cooks evenly

Season well with salt and pepper

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat

Place the chicken in the pan and leave it alone for about 4 to 5 minutes

 do not move it too much
this is how you get that golden colour

Turn and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes

 what you are looking for
golden outside
juicy inside
firm but not dry

Remove and let it rest

 Cook pasta and green beans

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil

Add pasta

After about 6 to 7 minutes

add green beans into the same pot

 this keeps them fresh but slightly softened

Cook until pasta is ready

Before draining, save about 100 ml pasta water

 Build your base

Heat olive oil in a pan

Add onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes

 you want
soft
slightly shiny
no browning

Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds

Add anchovies

 watch them melt into the oil
this gives depth, not fishiness

 Tomatoes

Add chopped tomatoes

Cook for 10 to 15 minutes

 you will see
they soften
release juices
start breaking down

Stir occasionally

You are building your base here

 Add flavour and vegetables

Add
red pepper
olives
capers
oregano
chilli flakes

Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes

 check the sauce
peppers should soften slightly
everything should come together

Taste

 this is your moment
add salt
add chilli
balance it

 Bring it all together

Add pasta and green beans into the sauce

Mix well

Add a splash of pasta water

 this creates a silky, glossy finish

Slice your chicken

Place it on top or mix through

 Plating

Divide between two plates

Top with fresh parsley

Optional squeeze of lemon

 What you get

A rich tomato base
Salty depth from olives and capers
Freshness from green beans
Soft sweetness from peppers
Tender chicken on top

 not traditional
 not perfect
 but yours

 Closing

Oi!

So my readers!

Do you feel like you have cheated?

Well… I don’t mean that literally 

But I hope you do

Because it’s not the puttanesca…

It’s your cheated one

When I was writing this today, I had a little reflection

Isn’t it beautiful that there are so many of us?

So many ideas

So many ways of cooking

So many possibilities

Which means… the food creations are endless, my friends

And I truly hope

that maybe… just maybe

a few of you

will like my creations

Till the next one, dear reader

 Plates for Two — real food, real stories, real cooking

 Pork Roulade, Buttered Potatoes & The Lady of the Night

 Good evening, lovely readers 

Today marks another step in my journey as a food blogger, and I’ve got to say… I’m excited. Excited to share my knowledge, my taste, my food with you, but also my stories. Because let’s be honest, there’s always a story behind any good food.

Before I get into it properly, I should probably warn you. Well, actually, you should know this by now. I like to talk… a lot  So buckle up.

As I was saying, today’s food was inspired… well… by the fact that I was waiting for my partner to get ready to go paddle boarding, and the bugger was taking ages!! So I did what I always do, I wandered into the kitchen.

At first, I thought I’d clean, or rather tidy up. But here’s the twist, it was already clean. I know. Shocking, right?!  So naturally, I did my usual thing… let’s see what’s in the fridge.

I opened the fridge, I looked, and I looked, and I looked some more. And while I was doing that, I reached over to the cupboard next to it and grabbed one of those Lion protein bars. Don’t ask why, it’s part of the process haha.

And then… BOOM.

 The side dish came to me.

White cabbage.

She had to be the lady of the night 

In my head, I paired it instantly with onion and grated carrot. Lightly fried in butter, not too much, we’re classy here, then slowly cooked, finished with a drizzle of lemon and, of course, a good handful of dill.

And just like that, the lady of the night turned into this beautiful, soft, slightly caramelised, gently cooked cabbage dish… honestly, a proper star.

So then I sat down and thought… what else do I have in the house?

And suddenly, I remembered this cooking video from years back, about perfectly trimmed potatoes coated in a glossy reduced sauce with butter, garlic, and rosemary.

Yes. That was it.

That would be the second element of my dinner.

So there I was, already peeling the potatoes, thinking I’m not wasting time here.

And then… BEEEEEEF!

 It hit me.

Thinly beaten beef roulade… but then I stopped.

Hold on.

I’m on a journey here. A journey of exploring.

I’ve never really been a fan of pork…

But things are changing. I’m tasting, trying, experimenting.

So I thought, why not?

Let’s use pork medallions instead.

And that’s exactly what I did.

And that, my friends, is the story behind this beautiful plate.

Pork roulade, glossy potatoes, and the undeniable lady of the night.

 White Cabbage with Dill and Lemon

 Ingredients

300 g white cabbage finely sliced
1 small onion thinly sliced
1 large carrot grated
10 to 15 g butter
1 to 2 tablespoons water or vegetable stock
Fresh dill
Salt and black pepper
Optional vinegar or lemon

 Method

Start with a pan on medium low heat and melt the butter
Add onion with a pinch of salt and cook until soft

Add cabbage and carrot with a splash of water
Cover and cook gently

Keep the heat low and cook slowly until soft and slightly sweet
Add more water if needed

Finish with dill and lemon or vinegar
Taste and adjust seasoning

 Butter Glazed Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary

 Ingredients

New potatoes
300 ml vegetable stock
300 ml water
25 to 30 g butter
2 garlic cloves
Rosemary
Salt and pepper

 Method

Place potatoes in a pan with stock and water
Bring to a gentle simmer

Add garlic and rosemary and cook until tender

Reduce the liquid until concentrated

Add butter gradually and swirl the pan to create a glossy sauce

Taste and adjust seasoning

 Pork Roulade in Tomato Herb Sauce

 Ingredients

Pork loin thinly sliced
Mustard
Red pepper
Onion
Salt and pepper

Oil for searing

Water
Tomato purée
Herb mix

 Method

Season pork and spread mustard
Add pepper and onion and roll tightly

Sear until golden

Add water, tomato purée, herbs, salt and pepper

Cover and cook slowly until tender

Finish uncovered if needed to thicken

 Bringing it all together

You now have:

Soft, delicate cabbage
Glossy, buttery potatoes
Tender pork roulade

Everything balanced, everything with a purpose

Oi!

I hope you cooked it. I hope you tasted it. And most importantly, I hope your two plates were filled with the lady of the night, accompanied by THE roulade, and those soft, gentle, yet elegant potatoes.

I also truly hope you made it yours.

Maybe you added something. Maybe you changed it slightly. Maybe it turned out exactly how you wanted it to.

And if you did…

Let me know.

Because at the end of the day, that’s what cooking is about…
making something that feels right to you.

 Plates for Two — real food, real stories, and a bit of chaos in the kitchen.