I’m a pretty lucky kid.
I live at home with the ‘rents and get my washing done for free.
Yeah, it’s all pretty chill, there’s no complaints here.
(Muchus gracias mum and dad by the way!)
Although, ya know, every now and then I have to dive into the moola to fuel a sometimes always pit-less stomach.
And you know what this means?
I need cheapness. A whole lottttta cheapness.
I like to say that i’m ‘frugality at it’s finest‘ when it comes to money, which is kinda true….
Yes, I do bring a packed lunch to Uni.
Yes, I sometimes eat my breakfast before going to a cafe for a breakfast meet up , so I can save money. (where I end up just sitting there feeling dumb and sorry for myself sipping on my peppermint tea (why am i even paying for leaves in water…. Note to self; bring tea from home) )
and Yes, I certainly do put my foot on the clutch and car into neutral going down any hills to save petrol…. cause well let’s be honest, that stuff ain’t cheap, and nobody got time for dat.So, when push comes to shove, and my bank account is like “Beccccccccc yo givin’ me a bashin, lay off the unnecessary junk that you think you need, but buy anyway cause your life motto is stupidly ‘yolo‘” (yes my bank account talks gangsta, what of it)
In response, I go into lockdown mode. (Well not literally, but the wallet sure seals up for a week at my best)
Result?
This budget friendly (and uber delicious) Homemade Spaghetti with Garlic, Chilli & Herbs.
But you’re probably all wondering about the title of this mysterious ‘Student Blogger Series’ mischief i’m guessing.
Well my friends, this is an exciting collaborative series with a few other wonderfully talented cooking fanatics (headed up by the wonderfully sweet Wallflour Girl ). Get round it pals, this is gonna be drool worthy 3 weeks alongside these other talented cooks! (links below)
Soooooo this weeks theme was budget (hence the title ‘The Starving Student’, annnnd my random shbeel above).
Pasta was first thing that came to mind that was a common staple to most. It is cheap, easily accessible AND scrumptious (yep, it is possible to eat cheap without compromising flavour, you heard it here first ).
And believe it or not, but I literally spent around $10 all up shopping for this meal that serves 4. (Taking into account having the basic ingredients at home; eggs, garlic, olive oil).
But far out folks, this is one cracking pasta dish.
And the secret?
Simple. Homemade pasta goodness!
It literally makes a world of difference, I tell no lie.
It’s light (so we can eat more, woooo), quick to cook and literally makes just about any sauce sing to its heart’s content.
With a sauce that relies on soul and all manner of simplicity, so every little nook and cranny of flavour shines, and boy is it good.
I made this for lunch on Sunday, and came home in the evening raring for more. I could pretty much hear the pasta welcoming me home.
But no. Dad and the bro had literally consumed the whole other 3 servings of pasta themselves.
To say my stomach was fuming at the is an understatement…
But we’re gonna pick ourselves up, and I just guess I’m gonna have to make it again… what. a. pity. 😛
Homemade Spaghetti with Garlic, Chilli & Herbs
Ingredients:
400g ‘OO’ Flour
4 eggs
6 garlic cloves
2 fresh chilli, cut in half, seeds removed
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup fresh parsley
1 cup fresh mint
2 lemon worth of juice (+ more to garnish)
salt and pepper to season
parmesan grated to serve
Method:
1. Place the flour and eggs in a food processor and blitz until ball of dough is formed.
2. Knead the dough for around 2 minutes, then cover in plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Cut the pasta dough into quarters. On a floured surface flatten one of the quarters slightly, then run through the widest setting on your pasta maker. (1 being widest, 6 thinest). Work your way up the widths, making sure the dough remains intact and smooth. Be sure to continually dusting flour over the dough and on top of the presser helps to make sure the dough doesn’t stick. (As the dough becomes longer and longer, and therefore harder to handle, I find to easier to cut it in half at width 4 and then continue).
4. Run the thinned dough through the spaghetti cutter, then dust generously with more flour then set aside on a lined baking tray. Repeat this with the remaining dough.
5. Toast the sliced almonds on a fry pan, until golden, then remove the nuts from pan, setting aside for the final assembly.
6. Blitz the garlic and chill in a food processor, until in very small pieces, then heat the oil on a large frying pan. Add the garlic and chilli mix, and cook, stirring, for around 5.
7. Turning the heat to low, add the homemade spaghetti, and toss to fully coat the pasta in the olive oil garlic chilli mixture. (if there seems that a little more olive oil is needed, don’t be afraid to add a good glug on to coat it all nicely). Season with salt & pepper and the juice of 2 lemons, then toss through the herbs and almonds.
8. Serve fresh off the pan, with another good coating in pepper, a wedge of lemon, and of course a generous handful parmesan.
Enjoy!
Show our #gradstudentbloggers and #undergradstudentbloggers your support! Check out the whole list of featured Starving Student recipes now:
Brussel Sprouts and Sausage Pizza via Bacon Egg Cheese(cake)
http://www.baconeggcheesecake.com/blog/brussel-sprouts-and-sausage-pizza
http://wp.me/p4vNEx-17z
We would love to have you: email Ala at wallflourgirl@gmail.com to sign up!
looks delish!
thank-you very much Hannah! 🙂
I would love to come home to this delicious recipe 😀
Us student bloggers certainly have it hard! Thanks for joining, I am so glad you decided to – isn’t Ala lovely?
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Hehe thanks Uru! 😀
Haha it’s a hard life eating delicious food and then raving about it as we drop crumbs all over the keyboard 😛
Thanks so much for the invite to join! that was so nice of you gurl! 🙂
She’s sooooooo lovely! So nice of her to organise this all for us 🙂
hope Uni is going well!
Hope it is going well for you too mate 😀
Haha crumbs ont the keyboard is such a given! No worries, I thought it sounded perfect for you too haha
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Looks incredibly delicious…and with six kiddos to feed this could definitely go on our menu occasionally! 🙂
Thank-you! 🙂
And of course, bought spaghetti is always an option to make it even quicker to whip up 😀
Hope you have a great week!
love this! the garlic and chili sounds delicious, and i wish i had a pasta maker at home!
Thanks Chaya! 😀
The flavours are so simple and devine it’s amazeballls haha 😛
No pasta maker, have no fear! Jamie Oliver tells you how here;
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/a-basic-recipe-for-fresh-egg-pasta
Hope your having a great week!
Ohmygod thank you so much for this post. That’s exactly what I am–a starving college student who must cook for herself on a low budget!
-mikayla
http://thetastetracker.wordpress.com
No problemo at all!
It’s cheap, easy and delish – win win win! 😀
Enjoy! 🙂
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What a tasty and rustic looking dish!
Thank-you very much!
It’s made the Father’s Day menu 😛
Will love for this to happen every night!!!! I love your pictures and blog 🙂 Glad Ala started this series for us to meet each other!!
thank-you very much! 😀
me too! i’ve got to try your orange zucchini bread, looks fab! 🙂
hope your having a great week!
I love this so much, I can’t. Even. Begin. Bec! You’re making your own pasta?! That is hands down AMAZING, and I have so much respect (because student schedules = whatisfreetime)! Love love love. And omg, I totally bring my own tea bags now because I am not paying some sucker to stick a 10-cent little bag into my cup of free steaming hot water, tyvm. I cannot WAIT to hear more about your school experiences! You rock, and this is awesome! So glad you could join!
Thank-you very much lovely Ala! 🙂
far out, free time just slips through the fingers! haha
I’m so gonna do that now, who has that money to spend on tea haha. We are such frugal geniuses 😛
Thanks so much for the invite! it’s such a fun series, and you’ve done an awesome job putting it all together 🙂
Can’t wait to hear about all your fun uni adventures!
keep up the amazing work gurl 🙂
Your pictures are beautiful and this spaghetti look so great! Happy that I got to meet you through the grad/undergrad series 🙂
thank-you very much shelley! 😀
me too! so many delicious cheap recipes i now am so excited to try 🙂
hope your week is going wonderfully!
Ugh this is my ultimate favourite combination. I also have a fancy pasta maker that I should make some more use of! Amazing styling.
Thank-you very much Bec! (Ahh it’s so fun to meet another Bec 😀 )
my new fave pasta combo too! so simple, yet so effective 😛
yessss pasta makers are actually da bomb. It will be your italian best friend! 😛
enjoy and hope your having a great week 🙂
That looks amazing!! Making my own pasta seems intimidating, but I may have to try it!
Thanks a bunch! 🙂
You sure should! Pasta’s a two ingredient dream 😀
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