Before I moved to London in 2011, the only things I knew how to make were my Aunt Mimi's famous french toast, Swedish spritz cookies, and boxed cake. My family aren't really big cooks, and so coming to a foreign country with no family support and no culinary knowledge was a real wake-up call.
For the first time in my life, I had to cook for myself. Not just one meal every once in a while. Every. Single. Day. It was daunting. It was scary. But it was also liberating. I could go to a grocery store and buy whatever I wanted. I could experiment -- although that also meant I'd have to eat the burned, botched results if things went awry.
I eventually expanded my horizons, but for the first several weeks in London, I tethered myself to a safety line: pasta. Cooking pasta came easy -- just throw it in some water and boil it until it's soft. Simple, right? But plain pasta's no fun, so what to do about sauce? My family always used Prego, but I wasn't in California anymore.
And that's how I discovered Homepride Creamy Tomato & Bacon Pasta Bake sauce.
This stuff is Jesus in a jar. And they say the British don't have good food...
It's been almost 10 years since I've had it. But I have adult money now, so I bought 8 jars. I was so worried they'd changed the formula, or that it wouldn't taste the same anymore. But as I cracked the seal and sampled a spoonful, tears pricked my eyes. It was exactly as I remembered. So naturally I had to make a dish.
Pasta bake differs from American pasta sauce in the consistency and the preparation method. It's almost easier. Mix it in a baking dish with uncooked pasta, set the oven, and go. If you want to spice it up, you could add White Cheddar to the top and let it form a crispy, gooey crust.
If you're ever feeling adventurous, try a jar. You can find it on Amazon - the shipping fees can be murder, though. Or swing by my place. I'll almost assuredly have some on hand.
In the meantime, I'll just be waxing nostalgic about those good ol' days in London town.
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