Bedsit Pasta and Some Foodie Research
Looking back over the last week, I realised that we seem to have had a lot of rice, this was not a conscious decision, I just happen to really like it, but there are other things I really like too and on a Thursday after ballet, tap and modern is done and dusted, Lauren is tucked up in bed and Mr H is visiting Ma and Danda then my thoughts turned to tea and to pasta. By far my favourite pasta is spaghetti. I can eat it on it's own (cooked! - but does anyone else remember eating it raw when they were little, just the odd little bit that had missed the pan, I tried it again recently it's disgusting!), with a little oil, black pepper and parmesan or with a delicious Bolognese sauce or something similar. Tonight though I thought I would treat myself to what traditionally in my old bedsit we used to call Pasta Shells as it was made with you guessed it pasta shells but I will call
Bedsit Pasta
It's not a very healthy recipe this one, as it's from the days in my 20's before I reached the age where I had to start being concerned about everything I applied, ate or did (to little avail)!
So you must use butter and oil to fry your onion and garlic. Next add some chopped bacon, I used some Waitrose essential thick cut, smoked bacon. I like to add mushrooms too - some brown skinned chestnut mushrooms. Fry until onions are soft and golden and the bacon is fully cooked and a little crispy.
Meanwhile cook a pan of spaghetti in some boiling, well salted water. If I use a massive pan with plenty of room I don't add any oil, but tonight as I was using a small pan with not much room for the spaghetti to circulate, then I added a little oil to stop the strands sticking together.
Mix the bacon, onions and mushrooms into the spaghetti and serve on a warm plate topped with some grated cheddar. It must be cheddar and not parmesan.
(I must take better pictures, all the dinners look like dog's dinners - or perhaps only photograph the food in the pan as the steam makes them look super tasty!!)
Variation
Mr H also loves pasta and bacon and mushrooms and onions, but he would much rather have a sauce, so as I had some tomato, onion and garlic sauce left over from Lauren's tea, I stirred that through the pasta , warming gently.
If you prefer you could stir in some green or red pesto, or some soft cheese to make an alternative sauce.
And there you have, an evening meal ready in 15 minutes. I'm sure you cook these all the time - let me know if you have any interesting variations.
Foodie research
I found a lovely website today
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/how-to-cook.It had some interesting step by step guides to making sausages, something my parents have done in Spain, but I have never attempted. There is also a guide on making salami, which set me to thinking about perhaps making some chorizo's (cho - ree - tho). Again my mum and dad have been involved in this in Spain when they have a metanza, where a pig is slaughtered and then every single bit is used, some as joints of meat and some as delicious, red, dry cured, paprika laden sausages called chorizos, the blood makes morcilla a Spanish black pudding, they even eat the ears as tapas. Nothing goes to waste. While I don't intend to slaughter a pig in my back garden (audible sighs of relief!), I would like to have a go at making some chorizo. I've started researching some sausage making machines and I will keep you posted as to whether I get round to it.
Leading on from this, starting at 8pm next Thursday on BBC2 Rick Stein has a new series starting simply called "Spain", where he will travel around all the regions of Spain exploring all their culinary delights. The reason I mention it is because he kicks off in Galicia, the home of my forefathers, and if anyone has heard me wobbling on about Pulpo a la Feira or Pulpo a la Gallega, I've had a sneaky look in the book and believe he will be making it, it is Lauren's favourite food (see below) ...so pay attention!
http://www.rickstein.com/NEW-BOOK!-Rick%E2%80%99s-Stein%E2%80%99s-Spain-News.htm
Bedsit Pasta
It's not a very healthy recipe this one, as it's from the days in my 20's before I reached the age where I had to start being concerned about everything I applied, ate or did (to little avail)!
So you must use butter and oil to fry your onion and garlic. Next add some chopped bacon, I used some Waitrose essential thick cut, smoked bacon. I like to add mushrooms too - some brown skinned chestnut mushrooms. Fry until onions are soft and golden and the bacon is fully cooked and a little crispy.
Meanwhile cook a pan of spaghetti in some boiling, well salted water. If I use a massive pan with plenty of room I don't add any oil, but tonight as I was using a small pan with not much room for the spaghetti to circulate, then I added a little oil to stop the strands sticking together.
Mix the bacon, onions and mushrooms into the spaghetti and serve on a warm plate topped with some grated cheddar. It must be cheddar and not parmesan.
(I must take better pictures, all the dinners look like dog's dinners - or perhaps only photograph the food in the pan as the steam makes them look super tasty!!)
Variation
Mr H also loves pasta and bacon and mushrooms and onions, but he would much rather have a sauce, so as I had some tomato, onion and garlic sauce left over from Lauren's tea, I stirred that through the pasta , warming gently.
 |
| Definitely a man-sized portion!! |
And there you have, an evening meal ready in 15 minutes. I'm sure you cook these all the time - let me know if you have any interesting variations.
Foodie research
I found a lovely website today
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/how-to-cook.It had some interesting step by step guides to making sausages, something my parents have done in Spain, but I have never attempted. There is also a guide on making salami, which set me to thinking about perhaps making some chorizo's (cho - ree - tho). Again my mum and dad have been involved in this in Spain when they have a metanza, where a pig is slaughtered and then every single bit is used, some as joints of meat and some as delicious, red, dry cured, paprika laden sausages called chorizos, the blood makes morcilla a Spanish black pudding, they even eat the ears as tapas. Nothing goes to waste. While I don't intend to slaughter a pig in my back garden (audible sighs of relief!), I would like to have a go at making some chorizo. I've started researching some sausage making machines and I will keep you posted as to whether I get round to it.
Leading on from this, starting at 8pm next Thursday on BBC2 Rick Stein has a new series starting simply called "Spain", where he will travel around all the regions of Spain exploring all their culinary delights. The reason I mention it is because he kicks off in Galicia, the home of my forefathers, and if anyone has heard me wobbling on about Pulpo a la Feira or Pulpo a la Gallega, I've had a sneaky look in the book and believe he will be making it, it is Lauren's favourite food (see below) ...so pay attention!
 |
| Lauren and Nanny enjoying Pulpo a la Gallega |
Home made Chirizo Yes please.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting article, just thinking about it made our mouths water. We have Chorizo with uncut bread for a snack which is delicious.It is also fantastic in Paella or added to a guiso (stew) with chicken or meat.
ReplyDeleteJustin loves Chorizo, so I will give this ago.
ReplyDelete