What could be more romantic than sharing home-cooked food on a cosy winter evening? Cooking for your date is a great way to show that you care. Here, we share some of our favourite delicious date night recipes for two.
Chicken Parmigiana
This dish is super tasty yet simple to prepare. Serve with spaghetti, asparagus or green beans and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
Ingredients:
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 skinless chicken fillets
- 2 oz dry breadcrumbs
- 2 oz shredded mozzarella
- Lashings of Parmesan cheese
How to Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a medium baking tray.
Tip the egg into a small bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a separate small bowl. Dip the chicken fillets into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs. Place coated chicken on the prepared baking tray.
Bake the chicken in a preheated oven until no longer pink and juices run clear. This should take around 40 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Pour 1/2 of the spaghetti sauce into a baking dish. Place the chicken breasts over the sauce and then cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top. Continue baking until heated through and cheeses have melted.
Spanakopita
This spinach and ricotta filled savoury pie is a traditional Greek dish. Impress your date with your buttery phyllo crust!
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 8 sheets phyllo dough
- ¼ cup olive oil, or as needed
How to Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a square baking pan.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion, green onions and garlic in the hot oil until soft and lightly brown. Add the spinach and parsley. Continue to sauté until spinach is soft. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Mix the feta cheese, ricotta cheese and eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach mixture.
Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the prepared baking pan. Brush lightly with olive oil. Lay a second sheet of phyllo dough on top and brush with olive oil. Repeat the process with two more sheets of phyllo dough ensuring that the sheets overlap the pan.
Spread the spinach and cheese mixture into the pan. Fold any overhanging dough over the filling. Brush with oil.
Layer the remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into the pan to seal the filling.
Bake until golden brown.
Cut your pie into squares. Serve hot with a tossed salad.
King Prawn Linguini
A quick and easy taste of the Mediterranean!
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ small bags of cooked king prawns.
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (16 ounce) package linguini pasta
How to Prepare:
Boil a large pot of salted water.
Add linguini when boiling and simmer for approx. ten minutes.
Melt butter in a large skillet over a medium heat.
Add garlic and cream , stirring continuously.
Reduce heat and add prawns. Heat prawns through.
Remove from heat.
Drain pasta, add cream sauce.
Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Toss and serve.
Create A Vibe
To ensure a great vibe for your date night at home, here are a few 'musts':
- Prepare a chilled playlist on Spotify
- Light your dining area with candles
- Research the correct wines to go with your dishes
- Select some great cheeses for an après dinner treat
- Finish with freshly made coffee
Enjoy!
