Neven Maguire: pass the pasta after the parade

We are lucky at MacNean House to have a wonderful team, both in the kitchen and in the front of house. Many of our staff members have been with us for a long time. This was a bittersweet week for all of us at the restaurant as we said goodbye to a wonderful staff member.

Some time back, I met a local young woman, Aoibheann Feeley, at the National Ploughing Championships and she ended up coming to work with us in the restaurant. For the last five years she has flourished in the front of house – and we all know how important it is in any restaurant.

Now she she has decided to travel to Australia. It is great to see young people go off and see the world, and even nicer when they return with new skills and a wider perspective.

We all wish Aoibheann well and we will all miss her. The door will always be open if she ever wants to come back to us.

St Patrick’s Day falls on Monday this year, so the restaurant will be closed. It will be nice to have a few days off with the children. We spend our St Patrick’s Day in Bundoran, Co Donegal. They have a super parade which we love.

The great thing about St Patrick’s Day, for me is how communities come together to celebrate and enjoy family days out.

This also means it can be a busy day – especially if you have little ones in a parade, or you’re in one yourself.

So, while we all love a traditional feed of bacon and cabbage or stew on St Patrick’s Day, this year I thought I might share some recipes which are just as comforting and tasty but can be made ahead to be enjoyed after a day of celebrations. These recipes also travel well, so if you are visiting family for dinner, you can wrap them up and bring them along.

This first recipe, my Bolongese pasta bake, is easily made ahead of time. I often double or triple the recipe because the sauce will freeze very well in batches.

I like to serve the pasta bake with a big, leafy salad, some crusty bread and it goes down a treat with the whole family.

When I’m using mince in a sauce like this, I like to use one with a slightly higher fat content – around 10% – which will help keep the bake moist. I also make sure I always have some tinned San Marzano tomatoes on hand for any tomato-based sauces.

The mozzarella adds the perfect amount of creaminess. Sometimes, I also add a little bit of Parmesan to the top before baking. We have used penne in this recipe, but it works equally well with macaroni pasta or even spaghetti.

Handmade chocolate

When the children have time off school, I like to do some baking with them. The long weekend is the perfect time to do some batch baking and make some of these delicious chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate is increasing in price, but it’s always worthwhile using the nicest chocolate possible, especially when, like here, it’s is such an important element of a recipe. My favourite chocolate is Áine’s Handmade Chocolate which is made here in Co Cavan.

I also like investing in good quality vanilla; and I have been buying my vanilla from the same supplier for the past 20 years. It is worth taking a look at their website (vanillabazaar.com).

These cookies are the classic, American-style chocolate chip cookies. They are addictive and freeze well for up to three weeks – but I don’t think they will last that long in any household.

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

100g chestnut button mushrooms, sliced

400g minced beef

800g passata (or 2 x 400g tins of San Marzano tomatoes)

A good pinch of caster sugar

225g penne pasta

100g ball of mozzarella, cut into cubes

50g mature Cheddar or Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

Dressed green salad

Method

1 Heat the oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add the onion, celery and mushrooms and fry for about three minutes, until softened.

2 Add the mince and quickly brown, breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon. Stir in the passata or tinned tomatoes and the sugar, then season to taste. cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender.

3 Preheat the oven to 160°C.

4 Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for eight–10 minutes, until tender but still with a little bite. Drain well, then stir into the mince.

5 Spoon the pasta mixture into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle over both cheeses. At this stage, the pasta bake can be stored in the fridge or frozen. If you’re going to eat right away, bake the pasta bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden and bubbling around the edges.

6 Serve straight to the table with a big bowl of salad on the side.

Ingredients: Makes 12 large cookies

150g light brown sugar

125g butter, softened

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp milk

225g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

125g milk or dark chocolate (use drops, or a bar cut into small chunks)

125g (4½oz) white chocolate (use drops, or a bar cut into small chunks)

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line 2 large baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.

2 Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric beater. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat again until well combined, then stir in the milk.

3 Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, then fold into the butter and egg mixture.

4 Stir in the dark and white chocolate drops or chunks.

5 Drop level tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the lined baking sheets, leaving enough room between them so that they can spread out, then gently press with a fork.

6 Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Leave on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.

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