Being a foodie, it behoves me to eat out as much as I can, so it was quite a pleasure to have, for once, nothing on last night. It was wonderful to not have to get ready to go out yet again ... except for the fact that I had to cook!
So I peered into the fridge, which as you can imagine can be eerily empty, as we so seldom eat at home. There was a bit of leftover cooked spaghetti from way back when. AHA! That was a start. I took out everything I thought I could use: chopped fresh garlic (I usually process a load then stick it into as airtight a container as possible in the freezer or fridge - usually lasts for a few weeks), dried herbs de provence (in this case oregano and thyme), some fresh but rapidly-going-soft tomatoes, a tin of chopped tomatoes and a half empty pack of smoky bacon. Final touch was a small block of cheese.
I kid you not - Nigella Lawson herself would have been proud of me. Fried the chopped garlic in a bit of olive oil, then added the bacon and fried till almost crisp. Bunged in the tinned tomatoes and a little bit of water, cooked until it reduced slightly then added the sliced fresh tomatoes, herbs and seasoning (salt and pepper and any left-over puree).
Finally, in went the leftover spaghetti, a good stir and Bob, as they say, was my uncle. All that took less than five minutes - are you or are you not impressed with Speedy Gonzales! Eaten with some grated Cheddar cheese on top, it was, to put it immodestly, a raging success.
Moral of the story is: always have the following in your larder as they make excellent stand-by ingredients and don't go off: tinned tomatoes, pasta, bacon (can be frozen), and olive oil. The cheese is optional but lasts for a while; Parmesan even longer.
Alternatively, sprinkle the cheese on top then place under a hot grill till it melts and goes slightly brown. MM mm!
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