My Simple All-time Spaghetti

I prefer my dinner options vegetarian, mostly. And there are nights (thankfully one or two per week) when I don’t feel like chewing the regular Roti and sabji, no matter how lucrative an option my mum wants to put across for a sabji or curry. Basically those are the nights I only and only want to have forkful of spaghetti pasta. Saying this, I have this easy peasy, a no-brainer recipe, which I have really mastered now and I’m never bored trying this.

If a bone idle like me is saying that it’s a hassle-free yet a cozy meal, you have to trust for once here.. sooo ready??

Let’s get straight to the recipe, I don’t know why, but I’m always so excited for making this pasta. It goes so well with me!! And I can always modify it as per my mood just playing with the proportion of the same ingredients, isn’t that interesting? Guess you are raising your brows to this!!

Ingredients:

Spaghetti Pasta: about 200 gms

Onions: 2 medium size, sliced half ring. You may take more onions as per your preference, and you may cut them the way you want

Carrots: about 3 table spoon, chopped

Capsicum: about 3 table spoon, chopped

You can use Broccoli and corn if you prefer

Fresh Garlic: finely chopped. (in case it’s a tiring day, you may use garlic powder)

Olive oil- 2 table spoon or more if you prefer

Butter/ Margarine: 1 teaspoon/ or again as per your choice

Milk: 300 ml

Tomato ketchup: 150 ml

Salt-pepper- Oregno- parsley- Italian seasoning (as per your taste)

roasted peanuts: a handful (optional)

Home made potato wadges (I will share this recipe at the end as well) I love the combination of potato and pasta together, they taste yummm.

Making the Pasta:

• First thing first, cook the pasta on hot boiling water with some salt in it, as per the time mentioned on the package and keep it aside after draining the water from it.
• In a moderately heated pan, add some olive oil and some butter. Once the butter melts, add garlic, then a little later once the garlic is well mixed with the oil, add the onions.
• I don’t cook my onions for long as I try to keep little crunch intact. So after a little stir, I add the vegetables. (If it’s spinach I’m using, then after the garlic, I add the spinach, let it get soften and get rid of all the water it leaves, then I add the onions and go with rest of the cooking.) Once the vegetables and onions are well mixed with the oil and cooked a bit, add the milk and ketchup together.
• Mix them very well and once they come to little boil, add pepper, salt, Italian seasoning, Oregano and some parsley. Again give them a mix, these all together will bring a nice appetizing smell, then add the Pasta. (Now, you may add more milk if you want the pasta to look creamy, you may use the proportion I mentioned to keep it little dry. You may even use more or less of the ketchup depending on how spicy or red you want your pasta) Mix everything nicely, gently, with all your love as well. And that’s it, it’s ready to eat with a bit of roasted peanuts garnished on them.

NOW COMES THE POTATO PART..

So my Potato wedges aren’t quite those restaurant types, deep fried & crispy! But they are little crispy yet tender and little spicy…

• I cut the potatoes each time the way I feel like. This time I cut them in thin slices and per boiled them, i.e. half boiled them in some water.
• once done, I drain all the waters, dry the potato pieces with some kitchen tissue. Then in a bowl I add little rice flour which will help to crisp the potatoes, little wheat flour, salt, pepper, paprika (at times), Italian seasoning, mix them well then I add the potato pieces all together in that bowl and quote the potatoes nicely in the flour mix.
• On a well heated pan, I add some oil, not much, it’s not a deep fry as I said, then I add the potatoes and saute them. I keep the heat medium or keep alternating it as and when required, and give the potatoes some time to cook, as I am not using much oil but still want it crispy. I keep tossing the potatoes till I am pleased with the rusty sound coming from the pan.

And voila… Pasta and Potato should remain close to each other like this, no matter what… Do you agree? Have you ever tried these two Ps together? Let me know..