Simple Family Feasts

May 22 2009 by The Journal

portrait: natasha hamilton (PA: FOOD do no reuse)

WITH a husband who doesn't cook, two young sons and a new album due out this year, you'd forgive former Atomic Kitten Natasha Hamilton for ordering takeaways.

But after spending the day working on her solo career, Natasha relishes the challenge of cooking up a storm at home.

"I like to cook a nice meal – do the nice role of the wife," she says, with only a hint of irony.

Not one to rotate seven tried-and-tested recipes throughout the week, Natasha prefers to improvise every night.

"I make it up as I go along. I'll just go to the shop and think, ‘that looks nice’, then I’ll put some salad with it, and some potatoes. Everything’s grilled, so my cooking is quite health-conscious."

According to a recent survey by Dolmio, family meal times are firmly back on the agenda, with four in five people believing it’s important to eat with the family.

Natasha agrees, but adds that cooking for lots of mouths doesn’t need to be complicated.

"Keep it simple. Make a simple pasta with a bolognese sauce and get the kids involved. They can stir the sauce with a wooden spoon or set the table. It doesn’t have to be a slap-dash rush."

Happy to use cook-in sauces if it can make her life easier, Natasha just wants her two boys Harry, aged four, and Josh, six, to eat well.

"Often, if you give the kids a pile of peas and carrots, they end up flicking them across the table. You’ve got to try and make it interesting for them. It’s nice to buy sauces that have got lots of veg in them anyway."

The singer has also taken inspiration from former bandmate Liz McClarnon, who triumphed on Celebrity Masterchef last year.

"Liz was thrilled. Every step of the way she said, ‘I can’t believe what’s going on’. But she’s always had a passion for food.

"Even in the band in the early days, when we’d be really boring and eat steak and chips, Liz would be eating lobster and balsamic. And we’d all be like, ‘Oh my God, what's that?’"

This summer is set to be busy for Natasha with her solo album to release. But will her husband of 18 months, businessman Riad Erraji, start lending a hand in the kitchen?

"It doesn’t bug me that he doesn’t help me. It’s quite cute really. He depends on me to feed him. So it makes me feel a bit proud, ‘There’s my man not cooking’."

Just to prove that she’s a housewife through and through, Natasha says her signature dish is her roast dinner.

"I always rub the skin with Oxo. It makes it really tasty."

Natasha presents these recipes for a tasty family meal, with a little help from Dolmio...

MEATBALL SPAGHETTI (Serves 4)

THESE juicy meatballs are made with sage and onion so have a delicious ‘sausage’ flavour that both children and adults will love. This sauce is ideal for making ahead and reheating to serve.

@400g extra lean minced pork

@25g fresh breadcrumbs

@1 egg, beaten

@1 onion, very finely chopped

@2tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1tsp dried sage

@500g jar Dolmio Original Sauce for Bolognese

@400g spaghetti

In a large bowl, mix together the pork, breadcrumbs, egg, onion and sage. When well combined, shape the mixture into 20 firm balls.

Heat a large non-stick pan and lightly brown the meatballs. Add the sauce, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling water, according to the packet instructions, then drain well.

Spoon some of the sauce onto the pasta and toss so it is well coated. Divide between bowls and spoon the remaining sauce and meatballs on top. Serve immediately.

Cook’s Tip: Any breadcrumbs – white or wholemeal – are suitable for these delicious meatballs. Just whiz up some day-old bread, don’t worry about removing the crusts, or the ends of a loaf in a food processor to make fine crumbs and freeze until needed.