Sometimes our time is limited, but we still want to have a nice delicious meal and at the same time we don't want to spend too much. Cans and partly prepared food can help us to do things faster, however not always that kind of food tastes great. Here Is how I prepare the pasta using the sauce from a can, which I improve by adding own ingredients. The meal is cheap, economic and healthy, cos the added ingredients are coming directly from our organic garden. Everything is done in approx. 25 minutes.

TOOLS & PANS:

• Big pot for boiling water to cook pasta
• Big quality pan for sauce
• Sharp knife / chopping board
• Big fork to mix the pasta
• Wooden spoon to mix the sauce
• Deep plates to serve the pasta
• The parmesan grater

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PERSONS:

• 400g Macaroni (I like Barilla cos they stay al dente if cooked properly)
• 400g Barilla bolognese sauce
• 1 medium onion
• Some slices of zucchini (optional)
• 1 medium clove of garlic
• Fresh basil leaves
• Fresh parsley
• 40+40g butter
• 2 big spoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chili Powder
• Red Paprika powder
• Parmesan Grana Padano Cheese (Can be other kind of aged cheese like pecorino or so)
• A spoon of tomato concentrate
• Half chicken cube (or Chicken/Beef stock if you have)
• Half glass of white wine

 

 

 

Cooking Macaroni:

For 400g Macaroni you need a big pot of 4L water. The water must be salty (sea taste) and when boiling put macaroni inside. Mix well and cook uncovered on a medium fire, just enough to boil, but must be boiling all the time. Cook exactly the time that is written on the pasta box, or one minute less if you will continue with cooking inside the sauce. Never add oil into the boiling water and never wash pasta after cooked with cold water. Pasta when it is cooked will go directly to the big pan with bolognese sauce to have a final touch and then gets served without waiting too much.

Cooking bolognese (improved version of a bolognese in can):

Put the big pan on medium fire and when hot put some olive oil and fine chopped onion. Onion must become gold to light brown, the temperature of the pan must be quite hot, when you see that onion will burn if you don't react, add some white wine and continue cooking for a while until the wine evaporates completely. Now add ½ of your available butter, chopped garlic, small part of your available parsley, small slices of zucchini (optional) and tear some basil leaves. Add some stock or hot water and continue cooking. If you don't have a chicken/beef stock you can use half of a chicken/beef cube. Now reduce the fire and when you see that the sauce in the pan is drying again add the tomato concentrate (1 big spoon) and the Barilla bolognese can (that is what I use but of course you can choose your own brand). At this point also add some water from pasta, mix and continue cooking for couple of minutes. Taste the sauce and add pepper, salt, chili, paprika...other spices if you wish, second your taste. In meantime your pasta is cooked. Remove the water and put macaroni into the pan with the bolognese sauce. DO NOT WASH THE PASTA WITH COLD WATER. Mix all together, turn off the stove and finish the meal with key 3 ingredients. On pasta put fresh fine chopped parsley, the second half of your butter (optional if you don't like butter you can use a quality extra virgin olive oil) and grate some Parmesan. Mix again and quickly serve it.

  

 

 

 

 

Serve:

Macaroni, are served best with a fresh green salad (dressing of your choice, I like italian) and I would suggest a glass of Istrian red wine Refošk. Also the parmesan must not be missing from the table.

Buon Appetito!

RULES FOR A GOOD PASTA

• Don't wash with cold water after cooked.
• Mix immediately after putting pasta into boiling water.
• Cook exactly the amount of time that is written on the box, don't overcook.
• Never put oil into boiling water.
• Add fresh fine chopped parsley, butter or quality extra virgin olive oil and Parmesan at the end, when you have already turned off the fire. 
• Serve quickly after done.

Don't stop believing, your turn will come.

Big thanks to all :)