Dishes like pasta with tomato sauce (from economic, taste, convenience, and time perspectives)

[Mibr01ac]

Hi all,

I'm finding myself cooking pasta quite a lot. I lived in Italy for two years so know how to cook this dish like an Italian. The main factor for me cookin this dish so much is the convience factor i.e. most ingredience I have on stock so it dosn't require me going shopping and also it is quick to make. I also cook variation i.e. with Tuna and bacon...

I have started to cook more thaifood. The thai dishes are also fast to make but I find that it's sometime a pain to shop for and the ingrediense also often go to vaste if not used within a short time frame.

Do you guys have any suggestion for new dishses for me to make i.e. which dishes do you turn to that have the same caracteristics as pasta with tomato sauce?(fast to make, very tasty, easy to make from stock in house i.e. ingrediense do got to waste and cheap). Its not a very important factor that the dish is cheap the other factors are more important for me...

Would be happy to receive any suggestion especilly that would be using nordic ingredients (I live in the UK).

Thank you and merry Christmas to all.

Michael

[glennbech]

Hi,

We have some kind of vegetable soup & grilled cheese sandwiches about once a week. Suggestions;

- Jerusalem Artichoke

- Broccoli

- Cauliflower

- Onion

I use any bacon, salami or other things in the fridge that fits on the the sandwiches. I have invested in a good box of, organic, MSG free vegetable stock powder.

We find this very convenient as any left over soup can be frozen and heated later. It is also very, very affordable.

[Mibr01ac]

Ok, thank you. I actually also do soup sometime but good idea to supliment with a sandwich.

[glennbech]

Home made pizza is also a low cost/left-over favorite in this house.

Sometimes i do a slow raising dough before work, or some times I do it quick/cheating straight dough with some sugar in the dough. (for crust color).

This pizza, has, of course, nothing to do with "artisan"/gourmet pizza. Its just everyday quick food - and I throw on ingredients about to end its shelf life. Tomato sauce + pizza dough are very affordable.

Yesterday I made one with the MCAH, pressure cooked, tomato sauce, and some home cured bacon. When the fridge has goodies prepared in advence. Everything becomes much easier

[Paul Bacino]

Crusted fish..baked comes to mind.

Using different nuts..

Cashews, Pistashio, macadamia

Quick and easy..healthy.

[annachan]

When I want a quick meal, I look to eggs. Carbonara is always quick. I know it's not traditional, but I add vegetables (i.e. asparagus) to it sometimes. Or just some nice pasta (I used to get this fantastic lemon pasta back in San Francisco), a little cheese and a fried egg on top. If I have some on hand, I also add some toasted breadcrumbs.

More on the Asian side, fried egg over rice, with a little soy sauce. Or an omelet with Chinese sausage with rice. Egg fried rice if I have any leftover rice. Tomato eggs over rice or noodle is another one.

[huiray]

Do you have anything against instant noodles/ramen? If not, simply cook a pack of it and gussy it up with eggs (poached in situ), whatever stray meats and veggies you have on hand. Voilà! Instant meal.

Do you eat/cook rice? If so, you are likely to have leftover rice around. Fried rice with whatever strikes your fancy is fast and easy. Plain celery, eggs scrambled in situ and maybe scallions (loads) fried rice make one of the simplest and most satisfying meals for me especially when I am under the weather or just plumb tired.

Or even just scrambled eggs (the less-than-a-minute-marbled-scrambled-type) with rice and chilli sauce.

BTW, in my opinion Marcella Hazan's simple tomato sauce (tomatoes - canned or fresh; butter; half an onion; salt; simmer) with pasta of your choice is a thing of absolute beauty and simplicity.

Edited December 30, 2013 by huiray (log)

[Plantes Vertes]

Tarka dal + rice

Frittata/tortilla/souffle/omelette

Fried rice

Pasta puttanesca/carbonara

Kimchi pancakes

Tofu + ramen

Risotto

Pea soup

Chorizo and lentil soup

[ChrisTaylor]

I'd use the pasta + tomato sauce thing as a base. You can sex it up with, say, the addition of canned tuna. Or sauteed eggplant. Or a handful each of anchovy fillets, capers and olives. I guess nothing's stopping you from working in some chunks of roasted vegetables, nodding in the direction of something like ratatouille, either.

It's only economical so long as you don't get tired of it.

Edited December 30, 2013 by ChrisTaylor (log)

[Franci]

Being Italian my consumption of pasta is quite high. Not only because I like it but it make a very quick meal and having two small children it is a must for me.

But, besides pasta, there are other things I make very quickly, to do so, for myself it means that I must have a good pressure cooker and some good stock in the freezer. With the pressure cooker and a total of 15 minutes cooking time I can make very nice soups, risotto 7 minutes in the pressure cooker. I try to keep always some greens cleaned and cut up (no more than 1 day or 2) that requires only few minutes sauteing, to that I add a frittata. Some beans/chickpeas cans are also useful to go along quinoa or couscous dishes.

I make very tiny meatballs and just saute' and freeze. Add a bit to a soup.

Crepes keep very well in the fridge for a few days, you can fill with what is around. Precooked polenta cookes in less than 10 minutes you can add a mushroom ragu' or some sausages and you have a very tasty quick meal.

Smoked fish since you are in the UK? Add some steamed potatoes and some greens.