I like pasta ...

I like pasta, the thinner the better, also one that absorbs the sauce and clings together nicely as you twirl it around your folk.

My favourite: Capellini Barilla No.1

But making a sauce can be tricky, hit 'n miss, time consuming. Buying ready made sauce, or even tomatoes in a tin or jar tastes horridly processed.

So I had an idea we've got one of those bullet smoothie makers lying around at home. Perhaps I could liquify some stuff: celery, onion, red pepper, and so on, whatever, let it simmer for 10 minutes, add olive oil, boil 3-minute Capellini for 2 minutes, drain, add to bubbling sauce for a further 2 minutes, let it stand for a further two minutes (sucking up sauce), serve with grated parmesan (or other strong cheese).

Anyone tried anything like this? any ingredients, tips?

Re: I like pasta ...

Anchovies Perhaps I could get a little jar, add just a couple of fillets.

Re: I like pasta ...

We eat pasta too, sometimes having it 3 or 4 nights on the trot! I haven't tried making my own sauce, so I'm going to try your suggestion, D00d, and see what its like (sounds yummy anyway!). We have Lloyd Grossman Puttanesca sauce with seafood, and edamame bean pasta, or Lentil pasta. Other LG sauces go better with meat (chicken, or turkey mince) & pasta. We can't have the regular wheat pasta as Mr P is intolerant...and I also find it lies heavy on the tummy as well. The other kind is lighter on the digestion

Re: I like pasta ...

I like pasta any kind but don't eat it very often because it is made with white flour which I try to avoid and I am not so keen on wholemeal variety.

Aubergine lasagne is a favourite, layers of thinly sliced roasted aubergine , lasagne slices , béchamel sauce , tomato sauce, fresh basil and parmesan.
The secret to good tomato sauce is to use on the vine tomatoes , drizzle with olive oil then slowly roast the tomato in the oven, liquidise /sieve and add this to the base sauce of sweated onion and garlic.
It is not easy to make the sauce in the winter because good fresh tomatoes are not available . I make a batch and freeze small pots of it.

Re: I like pasta ...

DooD I love pasta as well
Are you making your pasta yourself?
Let me know how your sauce turns out please!

Re: I like pasta ...

I tried a Lloyd Grossman once, wasn't impressed.

Thanks, I'm trying to keep it simple in my old age. I made a pasta sauce last night: tuna, onion, mushrooms, let in simmer in a milk/white sauce. It's an old favourite but it seemed a lot of work. I'm wonder if I could, in future, just liquidise the simmer those same ingredients.

Tomatoes seem to be one of those things available all year round and rarely much good. I guess you grow your own Meg.

Re: I like pasta ...

No never made my own pasta. My brother had one of those machines years ago. A bit of fun for a while.

Re: I like pasta ...

We like pasta too but never had a problem with Ragu or Dolmio, even Tesco's own is good we've found.

Re: I like pasta ...

Hi

I make my own pasta, with the right type of flour.

I also make my own sauce, just buy the passata and add my own herbs etc.

Anchovies are great and avoid the need for salt.

Re: I like pasta ...

I tried a Lloyd Grossman once, wasn't impressed.

Ditto, D00d. However a friend recently recommended the LG puttanesca one and I enjoyed it.