10 power pastas for runners carb-loading for their next race

Metabolism-boosting dishes from Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett

By The Runner’s World Editors

Getting bored of pesto pasta during your carb-load? If you’ve started carb loading for your next race, we’ve got the recipes to help keep things interesting. Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett came up with these ten metabolism-boosting dishes to get you race-day ready.

Read next: Carb loading – what is it, when should you do it and why

Ingredients:

200g fresh peas

200g fresh broad beans

1 garlic clove crushed

50ml olive oil

600g fresh tagliatelle

Handful mint chopped

50g parmesan grated

Method:

1. Cook the peas and beans in salted water for 2-3
   mins. Drain and plunge into iced water.
2. Cook the garlic in oil for 1 min, then add the
   drained peas and beans for a further 2 mins. Remove
   from the heat.
3. Cook the tagliatelle until al dente, drain and add
   to the pea mix. Toss, season and add chopped mint.
   Serve with grated parmesan.

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower

375g dried fusilli

1 tbsp olive oil

100g pancetta

chopped 100g pine nuts

100g raisins

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Grated parmesan, to serve

Method:

1. Boil cauliflower until done. Remove, but keep the
   water and use it to cook the pasta.
2. Sauté the pancetta. Add cauliflower, nuts, raisins and season.
   Drain pasta and mix in.
3. Finish with parmesan.
   

Ingredients:

200g walnuts

2 tbsp breadcrumbs

25g butter
100ml crème fraîche

375g dried linguine

50g parmesan grated

1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method:

1. Soften walnuts in boiling water, then crush in a bowl.
2. Add the breadcrumbs, butter and the crème fraîche, and season.
3. Cook pasta. Drain, put back in the pan with the walnut mix.
4. Finish with parmesan and parsley.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves crushed

100ml red wine vinegar

6 ripe tomatoes, diced

375g dried rigatoni

125g ricotta cheese, crumbled

Handful torn basil

Method:

1. Slice aubergine into 5 × 2.5cm strips. Place in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let drain for 30 mins.
2. Sauté the garlic and aubergine until golden.
3. Add the vinegar, then tomatoes and cook for 10 mins.
4. Cook pasta, add the ricotta and basil.

Ingredients:

2 cooked lobsters

320g linguine

2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

4 spring onions, finely chopped

1⁄2 tsp finely chopped red chilli

25ml dry white wine

1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method:

1. Cut lobster meat into pieces and cook the pasta.
2. Heat the oil, add the garlic, onions and chilli and fry for 1 min.
3. Stir in the lobster and heat for 1 min. Add the wine and reduce.
4. Drain the linguine and add to the pan.
5. Stir in the parsley and season.

Ingredients:

4 zucchinis

4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

800g plum tomatoes

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 tsp tomato purée

Pinch sugar

1 sprig rosemary

Method:

1. Cut courgettes into penne shapes, blanch in boiling water for 2-3 mins.
2. Heat oil and cook onion. Squash tomatoes and add to the pan with garlic, purée, sugar and rosemary. Simmer for 30 mins.
3. Take rosemary, mix with courgette and drizzle with oil.

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, sliced

2 dried red chillies, crushed

1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Handful grated parmesan

Method:

1. Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and bake for 30 mins before scraping out with a fork.
2. For the sauce, fry garlic and chillies for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add the squash strands.
3. Stir in parsley, season and add parmesan.
4. Microwave for 2 mins. Done.
   

Ingredients:

375g dried fusilli

2 courgettes

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chopped chilli

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

Handful grated pecorino cheese

Method:

1. Cook pasta. While it’s boiling, cut the courgette into thin strips.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil and sauté the chilli, garlic and courgette for 3 mins. Season and set aside.
3. Drain pasta and toss with courgette mix.
4. Finish with pecorino and the rest of the oil.

Ingredients:

3 eggplants

100ml olive oil

200g fresh peas
1 garlic clove, crushed

200g crumbled goat’s cheese

Handful mint, chopped

Handful grated parmesan

Method:

1. Cut aubergine into 1cm-wide strips, sprinkle with salt and drain for 15 mins. Rinse, then fry in 50ml oil.
2. Cook peas for 2-3 mins. Heat the remaining oil, add garlic for 1 min, then peas for 2-3 mins.
3. Mix with goat’s cheese and aubergine, then serve with mint, parmesan and a drizzle of oil.

Ingredients:

2kg mussels

350g linguine

2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, sliced

Pinch chilli powder

250g tomatoes

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp torn basil

Method:

1. Scrub the mussels, remove the beards and sit them in cold water for 10 mins. Add to a hot, dry, lidded pan and steam for 5 mins, until they open. Cool, remove shells, then cook the linguine.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil, add garlic, chilli and chopped tomatoes, cook for 5 mins.
3. Drain the pasta, toss with mussels and sauce. Serve with the rest of the oil, zest and herbs.