Recipe: Cheesy Green Spaghetti by Chantelle Nicholson

Recipe: Cheesy Green Spaghetti

Feeding the Family

Recipes

Published on Thursday, 09 May 2019 17:13

Last Updated on 09 May 2019

Monica Costa

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This recipe for Cheesy Green Spaghetti has been donated to London Mums by chef, author and Montessori culinary ambassador, Chantelle Nicholson.Kale is a vegetable that grows very easily in the United Kingdom. It contains many vitamins and minerals and comes in many different colours, including purple as well as green! This Cheesy Green Spaghetti pasta is a lovely green colour and is super tasty.

Ingredients to serve four:

300g dried spaghetti

3 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and finely diced

1 courgette, grated

1 head kale (or 100g), washed and finely sliced

100ml chicken or vegetable stock, or water

150g peas

100ml milk

4 tbsp cream cheese or soft cheese

1/2 tsp salt

50g grated cheese

Method

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until just soft to bite. Drain and set aside, setting aside a few tablespoons of the pasta water.

Whilst the pasta is cooking, heat the butter in a large frying pan. When melted, add the onion and salt and cook until soft, but not browned. Add the grated courgette and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the kale and the stock and cook until the kale has softened. Add the peas and cook for 2 more minutes. Place the contents of the frying pan into a blender, or a large bowl and use a stick blender. Add the pasta water, cream cheese and cheese pulse until a slightly chunky sauce is formed.

Mix the pasta and the sauce together to serve.

The recipe’s origins

The Garden Dip recipe has been donated to London Mums by the Montessori St Nicholas charity. They have collaborated with Chantelle Nicholson to introduce recipes that can be created by children. Inspired by the Montessori Centenary Children’s Garden which opens at RHS Chelsea in May 2019, the recipes show the importance the Montessori approach places on both hands on learning, and engaging children with the natural world.

Instead of a play kitchen, Montessori nurseries and pre-schools will give their children access to a real one with real working tools to slice, chop, wash, pour and strain. Montessori teachers are guides who nurture freedom and self-development in a carefully prepared environment. As part of the Montessori day, children aged from three upwards might make bread rolls, chop vegetables, prepare the morning snack and pour juice into a glass – and clear up afterwards.

Run by Chantelle Nicholson, Tredwells was one of the first restaurants in the UK to have a five-course tasting menu for small children – with different tastes and textures – as well as fine linen and fragile glassware. Reflecting on the recipes and her new role as culinary ambassador Nicholson says:

“I grew up in New Zealand surrounded by a bountiful, natural garden, which fuelled my passion for fresh, nutritious food. Working with the Montessori St Nicholas charity, I see how important it is to get children comfortable with, engaged and interested in food at a young age, including how it is grown. It is vital for children to learn to have a go in the kitchen – cooking with garden or windowsill grown produce is a great way to do this, and these recipes have been designed to show the end result is achievable and delicious.”

2019 marks the centenary year of Montessori in the UK; Early Years education pioneer Maria Montessori always advocated cooking with children as a great way to learn. The recipes reflect Montessori’s child first approach to education and the importance the approach places on engaging children with the natural world. Nicholson’s first four Montessori recipes include the Garden Dip with crunchy veg, cheesy green kale pesto spaghetti, tomato and thyme pizzas and sweet beetroot & chocolate cakes.

The Montessori Centenary Children’s Garden, hosted by the Montessori St Nicholas charity, will be at the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show 21 – 25 May 2019.

Monica Costa

Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums