Damn! I’ve Been Cooking Pasta The Wrong Way All This While

There was a time when I loved pasta even more than pizza. In fact, my early pizzeria visits were pretty much centered on pasta. The thought of baked pasta could make me drool and that’s how I started trying it at home. And I used to be pretty good at it that I confidently served baked pasta for the parties we hosted then. Probably because I overdid it or something, for some reason, I stopped making it altogether. Anyway, as they say “distance makes the heart grow fonder”, of late I’ve been feeling very lovingly about pasta and I give full credit to this recipe.

So how do you cook pasta?

I think the same way as most of us do – Cook the pasta as per package instructions and prepare the sauce separately. Finally toss it together and we are good to go. Awesome! Oh, I so wish I could say so, but not any more…

For some, you may already know this, but at least for a few (like me) this is going to be a revelation and absolute sensation. Seriously, I wasn’t feeling stupid about having cooked it the wrong way all this while, but I was damning my common sense for not thinking about cooking it this way. Anyhow, the result definitely took me by surprise and I’m going to experiment with this further.  

I think I’ve held the suspense for long and I’m going to spill it out.

I cooked pasta with the sauce!!!

Well, how? Here it is…

Pasta Cooked in Creamy Tomato Sauce

You could try any other sauce of your choice.

YOU NEED:

Olive oil, 1 tbsp

Minced meat/Sausage, 200 gms

Finely crushed garlic, 1-2 tbsp

Chicken broth, 3/4 cup

Favourite pasta sauce, 1 cup (I used my leftover pizza sauce)

Tomato puree, 200 ml

Fresh cream, ½ cup

Salt to taste (check and add, you may most probably not require extra salt, I did not add any)

Fusilli pasta, 1 ½ cups

Pepper powder, 1-2 tsp

Fresh herbs, chopped, 2 tbsp (I used coriander because my leftover sauce was of this flavour and any other herb would not have gone with it)

Powdered cheese, 1 tbsp (optional)

HOW TO:

Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan and add the sausages (or meat) and in medium heat cook it until nicely browned. To this add crushed garlic and sauté for about half a minute until it turns golden and releases flavour.

Now add the chicken broth, pasta sauce and followed by tomato puree. Add in the cream and mix well to combine.

Now comes the twist! :P Add the pasta to this sauce (no, we will never ever cook pasta separately and sauce separately), sprinkle pepper powder and salt (if needed). That’s it! You have it all in nice and easy; mix in, cover and cook in medium heat as per package instructions for pasta.

As you uncover, believe me, you’re in for a treat! Garnish with herbs and cheese powder.

Plate up the deliciously luscious pasta warm and as the first spoonful touches your lips, you’ll agree, “Damn! I’ve been cooking pasta the wrong way all this while!”