Tag: Family

Pasta, pronto!

The world’s fastest and most delicious pasta recipe.

Pasta la vista, baby

There are three things I’ve never been able to give up…not for Lent, for a diet, or for charity. I’ve tried and I’ve failed. My three non-negotiables are: pizza, potatoes and pasta. I live off these magnificent carbs and they are a firm staple in our weekly shop, although if I had to pick, based on versatility then pasta would have to be my MVP. This is my favourite way to cook pasta because it’s so speedy. I try not to eat once I get home from working at the theatre, but on the off chance that I’ve had an after hours medicinal wine at the bar and have no self control, this is my go to. It’s faster than ordering a take away and tastes far superior too!

Come and spaghett it!

Pronto Pasta

Serving Size:
2
Time:
20 mins
Difficulty:
If Chip had thumbs, he could do this

Ingredients

  • dried oregano or mixed Italian herbs
  • salt and pepper
  • bunch of spaghetti or linguine
  • a good chunk of butter, (or a vegan alternative)
  • parmesan/cheddar/hard cheese of choice
  • 2 x bay leaves

Directions

  1. Put a pan on to a medium heat and bring a large pot of salted water to boil
  2. Drop your pasta of choice into rumbling water and sprinkle your dried herbs or oregano into your heated pan to release their flavour. I just eyeball this but I assume it’s roughly 2 tbsp
  3. Once you can smell the herbs, add in a ladle full of the hot pasta water and your bay leaves. It should sizzle and then simmer, so turn the heat down
  4. Add your chunk of butter – notice I said chunk and not knob, please don’t skimp on the butter, it’s what makes the dish so damn delicious
  5. Once the butter has melted away, (roughly enough time to top up your wine or lay the table) remove the bay leaves and add a good helping of cheese. Again, I don’t measure for this but I’d say it’s a fair portion, maybe a cup?
  6. Drain your pasta, but reserve a little of the cooking water in case you want a looser consistency
  7. Add the steaming fresh pasta to the cheesy, creamy sauce and mix with love
  8. Garnish heavily with cracked black pepper and extra cheese. I like to adorn with any loose fresh herbs that I have, basil works nicely. Mix in pre-cooked bacon to turn this into a carbonara or mushrooms cooked in liquid smoke for a vegan alternative. Add a garlic flatbread and a green salad and this super speedy meal can satisfy a whole family.
One dish, so many pastabilities…

What’s your favourite recipe for something yummy in a hurry? Let us know in the comments ~L.

Happiness in a bowl

Theatre Is Back!

L gives us her round up of the top shows you should be supporting now!

With the news that 17 May has been given the green light for socially distanced performances, L gives her round-up of the top shows you should be supporting now!

Phantom Curtain Call – Photography by Pamela Raith
  • Les Misérables – The Staged Concert: Do you hear the people sing? Well officially from Thursday, 20 May you can – live! Les Mis has always been one of my favourite scores and this staged production has an all-star cast that will ensure you leave the theatre dreaming the dream. https://www.lesmis.com/concert
  • Pretty Woman – The Musical: If you love the film as much as I do then I’m sure you’ll love this show too. I have a couple of friends in the cast and I had heard amazing things from them about the production. When the pandemic hit and Pretty Woman closed, I was gutted to have missed it. Well, with tickets from just £18 and a new home at The Savoy, to miss this would be a big mistake. Big. HUGE. https://prettywomanthemusical.com/
  • Heathers – The Musical: Again, this is another film favourite but the musical has cultivated its own fan following. There are tickets available for a run at both Theatre Royal Haymarket and a UK Tour, but don’t dally as they will sell out very quickly! https://www.heathersthemusical.com/
  • This Is Going To Hurt – stand-up show from Adam Kay: I devoured this book during the first lockdown, and doesn’t that feel like a 100 years ago? I’m ready to fall in love with Kay all over again, especially as the TV series is due to be aired soon! How apt to hear tales from the NHS, whilst wearing a mask. https://www.adamkay.co.uk/
  • Witness for the Prosecution – play of Agatha Christie’s novel: Vince and I had just missed out on booking tickets for this production, pre-pandemic, and I’m thrilled that it will be back this Autumn. We love a whodunnit and this one is performed in the magnificent London County Hall. https://www.witnesscountyhall.com/

Later in the year we’re really looking forward to seeing Laura Marling in Brighton, (I know E is also hunting down some Billy Bragg tickets for the same venue) and the Van Gogh Exhibition in the new year. There’s so much to see and do over the next coming months but it goes without saying, do be gentle with yourself as we ease out of this hibernation. Personally, I have found pencilling events into my diary to be such a tonic the last couple of weeks. I can’t believe we can finally have things to look forward to and there are so many artists who are going to need our support now more than ever. For me, buying tickets for arts events now is my way of paying it forward, after all, I’m hoping some people will want to do the same when I open in The Phantom of the Opera in June!

Phantom at the Leicester Curve, pre pandemic. Photography by Pamela Raith

What are you looking forward to seeing in the next few months? ~ the de-la-Haye Girls.

My Favourite Podcasts

Trust us, they’ll really speak to you…

Aerial shot of my Dad’s record room…considering creating a similar podcast snug for the new house!

If you haven’t got into the world of Podcasts…where have you been? They’re the perfect combination of radio and audiobook. L likes to have them on while cooking and running. E loves them on a long car journey. However you take yours, there’s a whole host of genres and styles to delve into. So, in true de-la-Haye Girls style, we thought we’d round up our current ear-worms in a handy little list!

  • If you loved Making A Murderer, then you’ll love Serial. Season 1 is our personal favourite, following the tragic murder of high school student, Hae Min Lee. This is the podcast that got us into podcasts! For further listening we recommend; Undisclosed, My Favourite Murder and Casefile.
  • If you love a horror movie, then Spooked will be music to your ears. The audio mixing on these non-fiction scary stories will have those hairs on the back of your neck quivering. I wouldn’t listen to this one before bed, though. Lore and The Battersea Poltergeist are also thrilling, thought not quite as terrifying.
  • If you’re missing your gal pals, then for your essential listening it has to be The High Low with Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton. This weekly conversation between these two, long-time friends covers both the high brow, (the arts, book recommendations, political movements) and the low brow, (pop culture and celebrity gossip). Already binged it? Give these three a try: Table Manners, The Guilty Feminist and Delicious Ways to Feel Better.
  • If you love to learn, try the fantastic Stuff You Missed In History Class. These factual episodes cover a range of topics from historical figures – the episode about Princess Alexandra of Bavaria is fascinating – to disaster stories (the recently solved Dyatlov Pass Incident is the stuff of nightmares). I’m also a big fan of This Podcast Will Kill You especially during this pandemic and Food For Thought with Rhiannon Lambert debunking wellbeing and nutritional myths.
  • If you wanna be an actor, The 98% is the podcast for you. Actors Katie and Alexa lift the curtain on those artists who don’t make up the top 2% of earners in our workforce. Those of us who are still hustling and working hard to make moves. It’s hilarious, honest and heart breaking. Actor’s Aesthetic is another enjoyable listen and there are plenty of actors sharing insights into their lives over on the ever-popular, and E’s favourite, Desert Island Discs.

During this week, I was lucky enough to be asked to join host and CEO, Anna Brailsford, on the Code First Girls Podcast sharing my thoughts on Imposter Syndrome. It was fascinating to be able to share my experiences as an actress and educator through this platform that aims to help woman in the competitive world of tech. The episode goes live in a couple of weeks, so why not catch up on the other brilliant guests of the series beforehand? Happy listening, gang. ~L.

What have you been listening to this month? Drop us your recommendations in the comments or reach out on our socials.