Sometimes you have to cook in a hurry for guest who arrives on the spare of the minute so to speak. This has to be said is typical of my friends and family, but thats how we like it. If we find ourselves in the neighbourhood or just feel like catching up with each other, we will drop in. Its nice I always feel that they feel they can do this and thats were preparing extra in the freezer and store cupboard ingredients come in to their own.

One favourite dish to make under these circumstances is one of my favourite quick recipes, so versatile it can be made with cupboard ingredients if it needs to be. Thats Salmon, parma and porcini mushroom pasta delicious!

You will need: 15g Dried porcini mushrooms (keep these in your cupboard essentials), 450g fresh salmon (or you could used a can of red salmon 418g so again keep one in your cupboard), 300g tortigiloni pasta ( your cupboard essentials should contain a selection of different pastas), 8 slices of parma ham, 100g creme fraiche, 200f ricotta cheese, few sprig of parsley and sea salt and black pepper to season.

 Its important to keep a range of cooking essentials in your kitchen cupboards and refridgerator and the above it something I always have. To make this delicious pasta dish you first put the dried porcini mushrooms into a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover then, leave these to soak foa at least an hour. Cook your salmon if using fresh by either griddling or in a microwave for about 3 minutes before flaking depending on the size of fish you have. If you using a tim just open drain and flake. In both cases reserve 2 tbsps of liquid from the cooking or can, or you could use your own fish stock too the choice is yours. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions (you can see my previous blog regarding making your own pasta). Heat a frying pan add the slices of parma ham and cook until crispy then lift them out and lie them on kitchen towelling. Drain the pasta and return to the pan with the reserved salmon liquid, the drained porcini mushrooms, then spoon in the creme fraiche, ricotta and heat through for a few minutes stirring gently. Snip in some parsley then add the salmon chunks heating gently for 2 minutes, before seasoning to taste. Divide your pasta between 4 warmed plates and arrange 2 slices of the parma ham on each. Such a hearty filling warming dish which everyone loves.

For another great pasta recipe try my peppered beef and mushroom tagliatelle as in my previous blog easy recipe for a italian supper or a great sporting pasta dish in my blog food for sport.

Have you got a favourite pasta dish why not tell us all about it?