One tries out some recipes just because they seem so yummy, some because they seem so easy and then there are some recipes that are such a craze that everyone seems to be trying it out, with raving reviews.

Penne pizza stick, or pasta pizza sticks as some call it, is a recipe that combines all these things, and there really is no reason for not trying them out. And the verdict is — they are absolutely delicious, besides being a very attractive snack to serve when you want to impress. And yes, they are very easy to make too, except that it takes you forever to skewer all the penne pieces in the stick.

I made it in the oven as the recipe suggested and the edges of the pasta became a little dry and hard, so do not bake it for long. Maybe the next time I am going to microwave it to melt the cheese to see if they remain soft or not.

You can top these with anything that you like on a pizza and customise it to your taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup, boiled penne pasta

• 4 tbsp pizza sauce

• 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

• 1/2 cup chicken tikka chunks, chopped

• 1 small tomato, chopped

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 small jalapeno, chopped

• 1 teaspoon oregano powder

• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes

Skewer sticks

Method

Preheat the oven at 350°F/180°C.

Boil penne pasta, but do not let it become too soft as then it will break while putting in the skewer. Take small or medium-sized skewers and pin the penne pasta one by one, gently. To give it a uniform and nice look, pin it from the centre and keep the direction of the pasta the same.

Now apply pizza sauce, add chicken tikka chunks, onions, tomatoes, jalapeno and cheese. Sprinkle oregano and chili flakes.

Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and place the skewers, and bake for two to five minutes, only until the cheese melts. Serve hot.

The writer Instagrams @the_experimentalcook

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 21st, 2021