Quick Pasta Salad

This is a bachelor survival dish.

How we all wish we had a magic wand and could create a tasty dish in a minute. Well, here is one recipe which takes just 10 min to prepare and can be made by one and all (even a cooking novice like me can prepare this). And best is that it appeals to the Indian palate very well.




Ingredients:

• Pasta (uncooked bows or spirals or penne pasta) - 2 cups


• Onion -1 chopped


• Garlic -4 flakes chopped


• Pickled olives(optional)


• Tomato puree -1/2 cup


• Tomato ketchup -3 tbsp


• Salt and pepper (according to taste)


• Oil –Olive oil preferably


• Oregano-1 tsp

Preparation:

1. Boil the pasta with salt and water, till it becomes soft (you can add a little oil to prevent the pasta from sticking)


2. Pour it through a strainer and leave it there for all water to drain out


3. Now saute the chopped onions in a little olive oil (do not overcook)


4. Add chopped garlic and fry for 30 secs


5. Add the tomato puree, salt and pepper. Cook for a min.


6. Add the pasta and then the tomato ketchup. Stir for a min.


7. Turn off the burner and leave for a few minutes


8. Sprinkle oregano and add pickled olives and serve hot
   

Add-ons:

The pasta tastes great with garlic bread. To prepare at home, heat some butter in a pan and add crushed fresh garlic to it (fresh coriander or oregano also tastes great). Spread over a piece of bread and bake it in an oven for a few mins or toast for a minute. Serve it hot with the fresh pasta.

Gotchas:
The pasta should be had as soon as it is prepared, else it tends to turn a little dry.