Pastas and popcorns: Three must-try recipes for this summer

There is no better feeling than watching a recipe come to life for the first time and now that summer is here, we can't wait to indulge in some cooling, mouth-watering recipes that we’ve been waiting to try. Many of us don't have time to cook a hearty meal for ourselves throughout the year. But there is no better time than now to explore new recipes for that carb-y fix that we all need and love.

Whether you're cooking for a loved one, watching a movie you've been waiting on for a while or sitting by the pool sunbathing, we’ve got you covered. Here are three recipes you should definitely try out this summer!

The Gigi Hadid pasta

This recipe blew up in a matter of hours and we totally understand why! A decadent dish of creamy pasta, this recipe shared by supermodel Gigi is a must try for an easy home cooked meal. All you need is onions, garlic, butter, tomato paste, heavy cream, salt, pepper, a pasta of your choice and we cannot stress this enough, lots of grated parmesan. You start by cooking down the onions and garlic in some oil.

Once that is done, caramelise the tomato paste with the cooked onions and garlic, adding in some heavy cream once that is done. Let it cook to turn into a creamy sauce, add some butter, parmesan to your heart's desire and finally add your pasta. Garnish the dish with some red chilli flakes for that extra kick of spice and you have yourself a delicious home cooked meal.

A movie night special

I think we can all agree that one of the best parts of watching a movie at the cinema is that unavoidable caramel popcorn. But, at a time when inflation has us in a chokehold, it's not always feasible to buy popcorn from a cinema at a not-so-cheap price. Therefore, we give you this easy homemade caramel popcorn recipe to eat as you stream that free movie.

Start by making your caramel by melting butter in a non-stick pan and then adding brown sugar, corn syrup and a pinch of salt. Once that comes to a boil, mix it for two minutes taking it off the heat and adding the vanilla and baking soda. Drizzle the sauce over your popcorn, toss it well with a spatula and let it bake for 45 minutes. Once that timer buzzes, take out the popcorn and enjoy your taste buds dancing as you munch away.

Tea by the pool but make it ice

With the heat becoming more and more unbearable, the only thing that can cool us down as we try to enjoy our time outdoors is an iced drink. If you want to hang by the pool but also stay hydrated and cool, we have the perfect drink for you: peach ice tea. To make the syrup, add water, sugar and diced peaches to a pot.

Once the mixture boils, lower the heat and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes or until it has a jam-like consistency. Strain the mixture to get the peach pulp out and you have yourself a sweet peach syrup. Then, boil some black tea, add it to a mug with some syrup, lemon and ice and you have yourself a sweet and cold drink to cure the summer heat!