Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

In our home, we consider everyday a special day, and so we don't wait for special occasions to eat something special. Siguro na din because we are all foodies and I really like being in the kitchen, each chance we get, we gun for something out of the ordinary.

This plate is our own version of Shakey's Bunch of Lunch.  Instead of having spaghetti with meat sauce, I made Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Spaghetti with Garlic in Olive Oil) since the tomato sauce would be redundant, as pizza already had tomato sauce.

SPAGHETTI AGLIO E OLIO

What's In It?

300 g spaghetti
1 liter water
1 T salt

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1 head garlic, peeled and sliced crosswise
1 c Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 t salt

1/2 t ground black pepper

1 t crushed red pepper flakes

Kitchen Conjugations:

Boil water in a large pot over high heat. When water gets to a rolling boil, add salt and slowly add in spaghetti.  Stir to ensure the pasta doesn't clump together.  Cook covered for 8-10 minutes, until spaghetti is al dente.

Collect a cup of water from the pot, set aside, and drain the pasta.  Set aside.

In a deep pan or wok, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Saute garlic for about 2 minutes. Add in the pasta water and increase heat, bringing the mix to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat.  Add in the pasta, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, black pepper and chopped parsley. Toss well to distribute the sauce evenly. 

Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese if desired.  Serve hot.

Birthday Boy's Bento Box

 

This is my version of the Kiddie Meal, served in my youngest son's birthday party in school last year.

Buying party meal packs from Jollibee or McDonalds would have been simpler and less taxing for me, but I went the DIY route because:

1) I wanted to serve smaller portions, because I saw how kids often had leftovers from JB/MD packs, and
2) I had wanted a meal-lootbag-souvenir in one, to simplify distribution, and of course, to cut down on costs.❤️

I also think the Bento Box is a practical souvenir, one that can be used and reused long after the party is over. To personalize it, I scanned the lid to get the actual size of the stickers I need to make to cover the existing ones, and made my own on Photoshop.

What's In It?

• Homecooked Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, with star-shaped cheddar cheese 
• Jelly-marshmallow strips that I shaped into an M, my son's initial
• Cocktail hotdogs
• Chocolate and jelly cups
• Ham and cheese mini-sandwiches

I cut out star-shaped holes on the mini sandwiches to allow the kids to see the filling, and entice them to eat.
I wanted to make the contents as colorful and kid-friendly as much as possible as I do not want any of the food to go to waste.

Based on the reactions of the kids (and the teachers), the birthday bento box idea is a success. :)

Angel Hair with Sea Bass Mediterraneo

Given the chance, my husband will always eat fish. Even when eating out and presented with various entrees, he will choose fish, or that which has fish in it.

At Italianni's, his staple fare is Sea Bass Mediterraneo, pan-seared Sea Bass put on top of pasta, usually angel hair.  He was saddened to find then, when we lunched at the restaurant over the weekend that the dish has been taken out of the menu.*

To cure his hang-up and to assure him that it isn't the end of the world yet, I tried replicating Sea Bass Mediterraneo at home. Judging from his grin I think I've guessed the ingredients and procedure pretty
well. :)

ANGEL HAIR WITH SEA BASS MEDITERRANEO

What's In It?

For the pasta:
500 grams Angel Hair pasta, cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced
3 ripe tomatoes, seeded then diced
1/8 cup capers (in vinegar)
1/4 cup green olives, pitted then sliced into rounds
3/4 cup white wine


For the fish:
1-2 slices Sea Bass, halved
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1/2 cup olive oil

Kitchen Conjugations:

Season the fish with salt, black pepper and garlic powder (if using).  Set aside.

In a non-stick skillet heat olive oil over high heat. Add seasoned bass slices and sear for 1 minute per side or until edges turn light brown.  Remove from pan and transfer onto a plate.  Repeat until all fish slices have been seared.

Lower heat then add olive oil to start the saute.  When oil is hot enough, saute the onions until soft, then add in the garlic.  Stir fry for 30 seconds, and add in the diced tomatoes, olives and capers. Stir fry for about half a minute before adding white wine. Let boil then reduce heat to simmer for a minute or two.

Adjust seasonings by adding salt and pepper if needed. Then toss in the cooked angel hair and continue to toss to distribute the sauce for another 30 seconds.

Remove from fire, transfer angel hair onto a serving plate and top with the seared Sea Bass.
Mangia Bene!

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*We asked the manager why they took the dish out of the menu. She said it was because "Sea Bass is an endangered species." Really? We wager that the real reason was that the dish wasn't as popular as the other items and was costlier to produce/keep in the menu.

Penne al Salsa di Pomodoro e Aglio

Don't be scared of the fancy-sounding name.  This is but some fancy macaroni I whipped up using what's in my pantry, which was some leftover Tomato Garlic Dip, good ol' Corned Beef and grated Parmesan.  I think this is a good choice if you're short on time and want something quick and easy both on skills and on the pocket. 

PENNE AL SALSA DI POMODORO EL AGLIO (Penne in Tomato Garlic Sauce)

What's In It?

500 g. Penne Rigate, cooked according to package directions
200 g. (one jar) of Tomato Garlic Dip
200 g. (one can) of Corned Beef
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
half a head of garlic, peeled and mashed
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1/8 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano (optional)

Kitchen Conjugations:

Heat cooking oil over medium heat in a wok or a deep non-stick pan.  Saute onions for one minute or until soft and translucent, then add garlic and continue sauteing for about 30 seconds.  Add in the corned beef. Stir fry for about a minute, then season with salt, pepper and oregano (if using). Stir in the tomato garlic dip, let boil then bring heat down to let the mixture simmer for one and a half minutes.

Add in the cooked penne. Pour in the olive oil and toss the mixture to allow even distribution and coating.  Check and adjust seasonings.

Top with parmesan cheese.  Serve while hot.

Note:  You can also add sliced mushrooms and finely-diced red bell peppers when the corned beef is half-cooked, then stir-fry for another 30 seconds before adding in the tomato garlic dip.

Macaroni Salad

In most Filipino households, the making of salads -- macaroni, potato, fruit -- herald festivities or an important occasion.  I remember around Christmastime, or during my birthday, my lola would usually be found boiling potatoes or chicken breast or both to make a big batch of macaroni or potato salad.  The salad gets stellar billing on the dining table, and whatever's left after noche buena or after the party gets distributed in mayonnaise jars to neighbors and/or relatives who are more than happy to receive them. 


In my case however, I made macaroni salad as a way to break the potato salad fixation pervading in our house. :) I've made potato salad two nights in a row, which my sons took to school as baon, and happily gorged on again upon coming home.  When they egged me to make potato salad a third time, I said, "Tantanan na ang potato salad, puede ba? Macaroni salad naman! (Let up on the potato salad, will you? Let's move on to macaroni salad!)"


Because salads are fairly easy to make, as all it takes is the mixing and tossing together of ingredients, there are as many versions of a particular salad as those who make it. This recipe therefore is but a drop in the bucket, so to speak, but I'm posting it just the same because I've been requested to do so. :)  This version also is my lola's version, updated just a wee bit. :)

MACARONI SALAD

What's In It?

400 g Del Monte salad macaroni, cooked al dente
1 470 ml pack (about 5 cups) Best Foods Mayo Magic all-purpose dressing*
1 250 ml pack (about 3 cups) Lady's Choice chicken sandwich spread
1 chicken breast, skinned, boiled and flaked
1 large scallion (red onion), peeled and minced
1 large red bell pepper, minced
3-4 stalks celery, minced
1 medium or 2 small carrots, peeled and diced finely
1 can Del Monte crushed pineapple, syrup drained and reserved
3-4 cooked ham or luncheon meat slices, diced (optional)

Kitchen Conjugations:

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, ensuring the dressing is well distributed to coat the other ingredients.  Check taste, adjust by adding sugar or salt or a little of the drained pineapple syrup if necessary, in order to achieve a good harmony of the tang, sweetness and saltiness.  Serve chilled. :)

Notes:

1. I add ham, luncheon meat, hotdog or sausage slices -- whichever is in my refrigerator -- to boost flavor as chicken breast is kind of bland.  It also adds color and texture, therefore interest, to the salad. :)

2. Feel free to use leftover fried or roast chicken if that's what's you have available instead of boiled chicken breast. Use any part, not just the breast, but be sure to flake or chop it into small bits.

3.  Add raisins if you like.  I didn't because my sons are not raisin fans. :)

4.  If you'd be using regular mayonnaise you may have to sprinkle a little sugar, salt, ground white pepper into the mix as mayonnaise is usually unseasoned.   Both the Mayo Magic and the chicken sandwich spread I used here already had salt, spice and sugar in them so I didn't need to add any, and so they are not mentioned in the recipe.


5. Like I always say, I am an oido cook...I do not measure while cooking. So the measurements here are approximations of what I think were the volumes of the ingredients I used. I suggest therefore that you start with the smaller values first (i.e., if I say 1 to 1 1/2, try 1 first) and just adjust or add seasonings, spices or dressing little by little until you get the desired result. :)  

Penne with Sausage and Eggplant Rounds in Olive Oil

Friday is 'leftover day' in my household, and today is no exception.  However, rather than reheating leftovers I opted to cook a pasta dish from what I have left over in my freezer and veggie crisper, with the intention of using up what's left over from the packs of pasta my lola sent all the way from NZ. So voila! Penne with Sausage and Eggplants it is!

What's In It?

500 g penne, cooked according to package directions
2 medium sized eggplants, sliced into rounds
2 Hungarian sausages, sliced into rounds
1 large scallion, sliced
half a head of garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, sliced into strips
2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips
4 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced
about 3/4 cup olive oil (I used Borges)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Kitchen Conjugations:


Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick skillet or wok and fry eggplant slices until slightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add a little more olive oil into the pan and saute onions and garlic.  Add in sliced sausages, stir fry for 2 minutes.  Add in ripe tomatoes and bell pepper slices.  Sprinkle half of the salt and pepper.

Add remaining olive oil and the cooked penne.  Add in cooked eggplant slices, stir until the veggies and sausage slices are well distributed in the pasta.  Check and adjust seasoning if necessary using remaining salt and pepper.  Sprinkle a little red pepper flakes if desired.

Enjoy! :)

Notes: 


1) I am an oido cook. I do not measure while I cook, so the measurements of spices and seasonings I give here are approximations of the amounts I remember to have put in the dish.  Feel free to adjust if you think it's a little bland.

2) Make sure you use good quality olive oil.  It does make a difference.  I did NOT use virgin or extra-virgin olive oil as they tend to burn easily and are not advised for cooking.  They're better used for salads dressings and dips.

3) Other pasta like spirals, cut macaroni work just as well.

4) Hungarian sausage is spicy.  If you're averse to spice, other sausages (except Vienna sausage, which would crumble during the stir-frying) would work just as well.

5) I opted not to reheat leftover dishes because I would be bringing food to my hubby-boss for lunch. (Kahiya namang pakainin ng tira yung nagpapakain sa akin....hahaha!)

Happy cooking!

Pasta Negra

Since sampling Pasta Negra at The Old Spaghetti House I've been wanting to make a go for my own version, but I haven't had luck finding squid ink pasta in Shopwise or SaveMore. Last Saturday, as I was cleaning some giant squids my husband brought home from the weekend market, one of the ink sacs burst and gave me a "try and see" opportunity. First, to see whether I can blacken regular spaghetti by adding some of the ink to cooked spaghetti and then to see whether I can make savory squid ink sauce without the lansa.

I failed the first test. The spaghetti didn't blacken. Maybe I should've added the ink to the water during cooking, before adding the pasta, to give the spaghetti enough chance to absorb the blackened water.

I passed the second challenge however. The sauce wasn't malansa. Yipee. The secret? Check out the recipe:

Pasta Negra (Squid Ink Spaghetti)

What's In It?

250 g. spaghetti, cooked according to package directions/until al dente

3 T olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, minced

250 g. squid, sacs removed and ink reserved, sliced into rings or bite sized pieces

2 packs 250g Clara Ole Mushroom Spaghetti Sauce

1/4 c cooking wine or white wine*

1.5 t iodized salt

1.5 t ground black pepper

1/2 t dried basil leaves (or rosemary)

Kitchen Conjugations:

In a saucepan heat oil then saute onions and garlic for one and a half minutes or until onions are soft. Turn up heat then add in squid, stir frying for 30 seconds, then stir in salt and pepper and (cooking) wine. Let simmer for 30 seconds then add in spaghetti sauce and squid ink, then leave to simmer for 2 minutes. Sprinkle dried herbs and let simmer for 30 seconds more, then adjust seasonings as necessary.

Stir in cooked pasta and toss to coat. Serve with garlic toast (and a glass of chilled Riesling, Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc. Hehehe).

Would have been great for Halloween, and what shrieks would have been if the tentacles suddenly moved on their own just as you were digging in! :)

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*You may also use Mirin, Sake with a little sugar, some beer, or whatever wine you have available AND enjoy drinking.

Beef Stroganoff

I've been finding more and more justifications for having pasta everyday. Variety. Less calories. Ease of use. And just because... I love pasta. Fact is, I've been dining at The Old Spaghetti House for almost everyday in the past two weeks. (More about that, later.)

Anyhow, about a month ago (yes, yes, I've been blog silent...shush!) I made Beef Stroganoff (still part of my pasta series), for reasons I no longer remember, but more probably because that's what I wanted at the moment. :) Lesson here: Food bloggers ought to blog right away so that they not only share a recipe, but a story, too. :)

BEEF STROGANOFF

What's In It?

1/2 kg. spaghetti, cooked al dente
1/2 kg. beef sirloin, cut into strips
1 small can (about 1/2 cup) button mushrooms, sliced into strips
50g. butter (about a 1" x 1" x 1" cube) or 3 T garlic margarine
5 cloves garlic, minced (unnecessary if you're using garlic margarine)
2 medium onions, chopped finely
1 beef bouillon cube dissolved in
1/2 c hot water
1 c sour cream (or all purpose cream + 2 t vinegar or calamansi juice)
1/2 t mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Kitchen Conjugations:

Melt half of the butter or margarine over medium heat, then saute garlic and half of the onions until onions are soft and translucent. Add mushrooms and stir fry for one minute. Remove from heat. Melt the rest of the butter or margarine, saute the rest of the onions. Add in the beef and stir fry until beef loses its pinkish tint. Add in beef broth, salt and pepper. Boil then simmer until beef is done.

Stir in the mushrooms and onions, simmer for 30 seconds then stir in sour cream and mustard. Serve over cooked pasta (spaghetti, fetuccine or tagliatelle) or steamed rice.

Baked Ziti

"Mommy Anne, sa susunod, gan'on uli ha?" Robyn said as she kissed me goodbye.
"Okay!"
"Baliktad uli, ha?" She was on her way out the door.
I chuckled, then called out after her, "Okay!"

Robyn was referring to the "rearranged" meal sequence we had when they came to visit. Their father, my brother Ryan, hankered for lunch at 9 am, complaining he didn't have breakfast.

"'Kala ko ba nag-drive thru kayo? (I thought you had drive-thru breakfast?)" I asked him.
"Eh ako kaya ang nagda-drive! (But my hands were on the wheel!)"

So I made brunch. I wanted Baked Chicken Macaroni (I even poached and flaked chicken to boot), like the ones mom used to make at Christmas, but alas, I only had ziti in the house. Baked Ziti it was.

Then, at 11 am, Gambel, who didn't have any of the ziti, asked for pancakes and so I made some and served them at lunch time. So, as Robyn put it, baliktad. We had lunch at 9 am, and breakfast at lunchtime!

Then again, we enjoyed both eatings.


Baked Ziti

What's In It?

400 g. ziti, cooked al dente
5 T canola or olive oil
1 chicken breast, poached and flaked
5 salami slices, diced
1 large onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red bell pepper, minced
1 t salt
1 large pack (750 ml) spaghetti sauce
Mozzarella or quickmelt cheese

Kitchen Conjugations:

Heat oil over medium heat. Saute onions until almost translucent, then add garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds more.

Add chicken flakes, diced salami and bell pepper, then stir fry for one minute. Season with salt, then pour in spaghetti sauce. Let boil then simmer for another 30 seconds. Stir in cooked ziti and toss to coat.

Transfer into a baking dish and top with mozzarella or quickmelt cheese, then bake for 5 to 10 minutes at 250C or until cheese bubbles and/or has melted. Serve with garlic bread toast or biscocho. :)

Spaghetti Mafia

This recipe is courtesy of my friend Jeng's dad, Papa Mario Anlap, who first had it at Bravo! Ristorante, liked it and decided to replicate it in his kitchen. (Thanks, Jeng, Papa!)

The recipe originally calls for a can of anchovy fillets, but since I didn't have any in my pantry I decided to use what's on hand, a bunch of dried dilis. The result? Same taste, albeit a little more work (as I had to break the dilis into pieces then soak them in olive oil for a few minutes), but nonetheless a simple, quick, flavorful, semi-vegetarian dish for a fraction of what you'd shell out at Bravo. :) Great for a quick meal for when you have surprise guests, or as a refreshing change from tomato-sauce spaghetti.

SPAGHETTI MAFIA

• 1/2 kg. Spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
• 1/4 cup black olives, sliced into rings
• 1 small red bell pepper, julienned
• 3 shallots or onions, peeled and quartered
• 1 can anchovy fillets,* diced or flaked, oil reserved
• 1/4 kilo ripe tomatoes, sliced and seeded
• 1 can button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 whole head garlic, peeled and sliced into strips
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil*
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 to 5 pieces siling labuyo, sliced lengthwise and seeded, or 1 to 1.5 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)

Kitchen Conjugations:

Heat olive oil in a pan and saute garlic, scallions, tomatoes, anchovies, bell peppers, olives and mushrooms. Add in cooked spaghetti and toss for one minute. Season with salt and pepper and toss for another 30 seconds or so.

Serve warm with garlic bread and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 4 to 6.

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* You can also use 50 grams dried dilis, cut into smaller pieces crosswise and soaked in 1/4 cup olive oil. If you opt to do this, use the olive oil where you soaked the dilis for sauteing.

A can of Taby anchovy fillets costs P86.50 at Shopwise; if you use dried dilis, P20.00 worth is good for two cook-ups.

Instead of spaghetti, you can opt for other pasta sciutta like linguine, fettucine or even papardelle. You might want to pound the dried anchovies to granules, and mince the garlic, if you have picky eaters.

Papa serves this dish the hot and spicy way, which I actually prefer because it kicks, but I chose to forego the chilis in deference to Mike's acid reflux.

If you're wondering why there is a toy train engine in the picture above, it's because Gambel was playing on the table where I was taking the shots, and he insisted on putting his toy in, to good measure. :)