Pasta bake is a really nice meal but we would prefer to make our own sauce because the bought ones, have oodles of ingredients. It took us a while to get this basic sauce and once made to your own tastes, can be jazzed up to change flavour.
To a food blender/liquidizer/magik bullet tall containers, add:
1 can chopped tomatoes, 1 can of water, 1 stock cube (reduce to 1/2 a cube if adding bacon, gammon or ham to finished dish), 1/2 clove grated garlic, 1 level tablespoon tomato puree, 1/2 level teaspoon dried herbs (we use basil or tarragon):
Into a lasagne dish, put 6oz of dry pasta (GF or normal). Pour over the sauce and stir to even out pasta and make sure it is all covered with sauce:
You can see above, that I have added 1/2 a diced sweet red (bell) pepper.
Bake in a 200C oven for 20 minutes. We added some cooked diced bacon before topping it with 2oz grated cheese, it looked like this:
Bake for another 20 minutes and it is ready:
There is plenty on its own for us:
If you want to add 8oz dry pasta then add another 1/3rd can of water to the initial mix. You may also need to add a little more half way through baking!
Gammon and pineapple, chicken, garlic cream sauce, will all alter the flavour. Chilli or curry pasta can also be added. The world is your oyster as far as flavour goes.
We found 8oz too much for us but with a little salad, it is just about right for 4 people who aren't too hungry.
I've never used a tin/jar/packet of pasta sauce at home, always make my own.But tried one once in the caravan when we were on holiday.....UGH - very strange taste.
ReplyDeleteThey do taste odd to me as well.
DeleteThat looks so very good!
ReplyDeleteJ x
Thank you. We have used this basic sauce as the starting point for other flavours.
DeleteI will definitely try this. I am also wary of the extra ingredients in bought sauces. X
ReplyDeleteWe made it originally with a whole clove of garlic but it overpowered the dish.
DeleteA well timed recipe for me. I'm trying to cut out all commercial sauces as my OH is responding badly to something at present.
ReplyDeleteI think this will be tomorrow’s meal. Thank you.
Sue.
GF as well with GF pasta and stock cube.
DeleteI always make my own sauce, but have never done abake with dry pasta. Definitely worth a try though( one less saucepan to wash!)
ReplyDeleteA good one dish meal, very tasty. If cooking for more than 2, I would recommend using 2 dishes.
DeleteThis looks really good. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou’re welcome.
DeleteHave you ever prepped the sauce and pasta separately and then combined them for a bake later? I wondered if that shortens the baking time or alters the taste/texture?
ReplyDeleteNo. I’ve tossed pasta in sauce then served once both are cooked. You could utilise the oven for other things at the same time.
DeleteLike you I make my own pasta sauce. The others seem to have no taste. Your pasta bake looks scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
This satisfies our taste buds better than bought I must say.
DeleteSomething I do regularly now is to chop and roast two red peppers, two red onions and two cloves of garlic. After being in the oven for 20 or so minutes tip them into the Nutribullet tall cup or a blender, add a cupful of milk, I use almond milk, but any will work and blitz it all together. Add salt and pepper to taste and use as a pasta sauce or pizza topping, it really is delicious.
ReplyDeleteSounds lovely, will have to give it a whirl.
ReplyDelete