Getting back on your feet, one pasta at a time.

1. Beef bolognese — the survival batch

Make this once, eat twice. Not restaurant-authentic; it is “I need a real meal” authentic.

Ingredients

• 250–300g minced beef
• 160–200g dry pasta for 2 pax
• 1 medium onion, diced; 2–4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 carrot, small dice; 1 celery stalk optional
• 1 can chopped tomatoes, usually 400g + 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt to start
• Optional: 2–3 tbsp milk, half stock cube, 1–2 tbsp grated parmesan

Alternatives

Use minced pork/chicken, plant mince, lentils, or mushrooms. If no tomato paste, simmer longer.

Steps

1. Dice onion/carrot. Mince garlic.
2. Oil in pot. Cook onion/carrot with pinch salt 5–8 min until soft.
3. Add garlic 30 sec. Add beef; brown and break up.
4. Add tomato paste; stir 1 min until darker.
5. Add canned tomato, bay leaf, oregano, pepper, half stock cube if using.
6. Simmer 25–45 min. Add water if too dry. Optional splash milk near end.
7. Boil pasta. Toss pasta with sauce + pasta water. Finish with cheese.

2. Aglio e olio — 15-minute garlic pasta

Ingredients

• 80–100g spaghetti
• 3–4 garlic cloves, thin sliced
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil; use 2 tbsp if you like it glossy
• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes, parsley optional
• 1 litre water + 1 tsp salt for boiling
• Black pepper; save 1/2 cup / 120ml pasta water

If no parsley, skip it. If no olive oil, use neutral oil + small butter knob.

Steps

1. Boil salted pasta.
2. While pasta cooks, warm oil on low-medium. Add garlic slices.
3. Cook garlic gently until pale gold, not brown. Add chilli flakes.
4. Add drained pasta and splash of pasta water. Toss hard until glossy.
5. Finish with parsley/pepper. Eat immediately.

3. Tomato basil pasta — cheapest comfort bowl

Ingredients

• 160–200g dry pasta for 2 pax
• 1 can chopped tomatoes/passata, usually 400g
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced; 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano + 1/2 tsp dried basil, or small handful fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp salt to start, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp sugar optional if acidic
• 1–2 tbsp parmesan optional

Upgrade: add mushrooms, spinach, sausage, tuna, or leftover chicken.

Steps

1. Slice garlic. Cook gently in oil 30–60 sec.
2. Add tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, tiny sugar if acidic.
3. Simmer 15–20 min until thicker.
4. Add basil at the end. Toss pasta in sauce with pasta water.

4. Tuna tomato pasta — pantry emergency

Ingredients

• 80–100g pasta for 1 pax; 160–200g for 2 pax
• 1 can tuna, usually 140–185g, drained
• 200g tomato passata/chopped tomato for 1 pax; 400g can for 2 pax
• 2 garlic cloves or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Optional: 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olives/capers

Steps

1. Cook garlic in oil, add chilli flakes.
2. Add tomatoes and simmer 10 min.
3. Add drained tuna last 2–3 min so it stays chunky.
4. Toss with pasta. Lemon/pepper if you have.

5. Mushroom cream-ish pasta

Ingredients

• 80–100g pasta
• 150–200g button/shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp butter or oil
• 120ml milk or 80–100ml cooking cream
• 1–2 tbsp parmesan/cheddar optional
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, tiny pinch nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt to start

No cream: use milk + cheese + pasta water.

Steps

1. Slice mushrooms. Cook in dry-ish pan until water leaves and browns.
2. Add butter/oil and garlic.
3. Add milk/cream, pepper, tiny nutmeg. Simmer gently.
4. Add pasta and pasta water. Cheese at end; avoid boiling cheese hard.

6. Carbonara-ish eggs & cheese

Ingredients

• 80–100g pasta
• 1 egg yolk + 1 whole egg, or 1 whole egg if keeping it simple
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan/cheese
• 50g bacon/ham optional
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Save 1/2 cup / 120ml pasta water; add 1 tbsp at a time

Not strict Roman carbonara. Goal: learn egg sauce without scrambling it.

Steps

1. Mix egg + grated cheese + lots of pepper in bowl.
2. Cook bacon/ham if using. Boil pasta.
3. Turn pan heat OFF. Add pasta to pan.
4. Wait 30 sec, then stir in egg mixture with pasta water gradually.
5. If too thick, more pasta water. If heat is on, it scrambles.