Friday, I made pasta for Farmer H's next three suppers. Even though I don't normally eat it, I don't buy spaghetti noodles because I don't like them. Too hard to eat, too messy to eat, annoying to scrape off the sides of the pan they're boiled in. When The Pony was here, he liked macaroni noodles. I prefer a rigatoni, or a penne. I don't really know my noodles all that well. I just look at their shape before buying them. This time, I got mostaccioli noodles.
I don't like taking 90 minutes out of my evening time to make Farmer H's supper and clean up. So I made them during the morning. That's fine with Farmer H. Unlike The Pony, and sometimes me, Farmer H prefers his noodles without much sauce. He says they're better the second day. You know, after they've absorbed all the sauce, and are practically just moist noodles.
I boiled a whole bag of the mostaccioli noodles. Made the sauce from a jar, minced garlic, black pepper, ground beef, and canned mushrooms. Also a dab of butter, and a teaspoon of sugar. When the noodles had been drained, I mixed everything together in the pot I used for boiling the noodles. The concoction looked too dry for me. So I added another can of sauce. I put Farmer H's pasta into two large containers, let them cool a bit, and put them in FRIG II. Then I was able to wash up the pot and pan and utensils and strainer and skillet I had used for frying the ground beef.
That evening, I asked Farmer H if he wanted just one bowl of his pasta, or a bit more. He said a bit more. So I took out enough for two bowls. He wanted two pieces of (frozen) garlic toast. It was easy enough to warm his already-cooked pasta, and put the garlic toast in the oven.
Farmer H said after eating: "That was some of the best spaghetti you ever made!"
Well. Glad he enjoyed it. He's got two more days to go. Looks like I won't have to freeze any leftovers after all.
I am not a spaghetti fan either but make it occasionally for something different. My mom used to make her own sauce, and I do miss her spaghetti but have not been able to duplicate it so use jarred sauce. I don't bother with the hamburger anymore. I feel like I waste it by putting it in the spaghetti sauce. I do add mushrooms and garlic and some Italian seasonings and thin the sauce out a bit with pasta water. I also add a bit of sugar to knock down the twangy acidic tomato flavor. If it wasn't for the garlic cheese bread, I wouldn't bother eating the spaghetti at all. I am going to have to look up that pasta to see what it looks like. There are so many "artisanal" pastas in the store now days but I stick with the tried and true of penne, rigatoni, and fettucine. (and spaghetti) Ranee
ReplyDeleteRae,
DeleteWhen the boys were here, and we all ate spaghetti (because I was too busy working to make something else for myself), I broke it in half. Not sure Farmer H and the boys liked that, but it made it easier to manage when I was eating it! Gotta have the hamburger for my carnivorous guys, but I did not go to the trouble of forming meatballs.
I looked it up, and mostaccioli is just like penne, except penne has grooves on it, and mostaccioli is smooth.
You bought mastaccioli noodles and didn't take a picture so we know what they look like? now I'll have to google. I add grated carrot and zucchini to my spaghetti sauce as well as the garlic and mushrooms, that way I know I'm getting my veggie serves for the day.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteI can try to get a picture of the finished product. Farmer H has not eaten it all yet!
not necessary, I read Rae's comment, so now I know, penne but without the ribs.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteI already took a picture. I may use it, if Farmer H doesn't give me enough shenanigans to write about...