Penne Arrabbiata (“Angry Pasta” = Pasta in a Spicy Tomato Sauce)

This simple and delicious pasta sauce is a camp favorite with everyone, it’s cheap, and you don’t need a lot of ingredients. The dish is called "Arrabbiata", which means angry in Italian, because the sauce is a little spicy. Use wholegrain pasta so it's more nutritious!

Read the entire recipe from start to finish. Trust us! You’ll be more familiar with the steps and cooking the dish will be a stroll in the park. Before you begin, make sure you have a good fire going, wash your hands and give all vegetables a rinse!

For the Sauce

• Chop onions and garlic, chop the chili.
• Cover the bottom of a big pot about a thumb high with oil, and heat it over the fire.
• Add the garlic and onions to the oil and fry for a minute or so until the onions become glassy and clear.
• Add the canned tomatoes, dried Arrabbiata herbs (or stock cube, or fresh herbs) and the chillies. 
• Cook the sauce over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the pasta is done. If it gets too thin, add a small cup of water.
• Taste the sauce: add salt and a teaspoon of sugar if needed.

For the Pasta

• Start heating a pot of clean water for the pasta.
• Add a few tablespoons of salt to the boiling water and add the pasta.
• Cook the pasta for 8 minutes (or as long as indicated on the bag).
• Strain the pasta through a colander and dump into the pot with the sauce. 
• Give everything a good stir.

Make the Sides and Serve

• Grate the cheese and serve in a bowl.
• A simple green salad goes really well with this dish if you want to make a side.
• Serve piping hot with with some grated cheese on the side or on top of everyone’s bowl.

Shopping List for 8 Scouts

• 1kg wholegrain “Penne” pasta (...if you’re very hungry - otherwise 700g will do)
• 3 cans of chopped tomatoes
• 3 onions
• 1 cup of dried Arrabiata herbs (Usually this is a mix of dried onions, chili, garlic, parsley, peppers and you can find it at most supermarkets in a glass. If you can't find it, replace with 1 stock cube or 1 bunch of mixed herbs, for example basil and oregano, chopped finely)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 fresh red chillies
• 1 bag of grated cheese
• You’ll also need: Oil, salt, pepper, sugar

Spaghetti Carbonara (with Peas)

Carbonara is a classic Italian white pasta sauce and really easy to make from scratch with just a handful of ingredients. Adding peas and using wholegrain pasta makes this dish more nutritious - which is important on camp!

Read the entire recipe from start to finish. Trust us! You’ll be more familiar with the steps and cooking the dish will be a stroll in the park. Before you begin, make sure you have a good fire going and wash your hands.

Prep Work 

• Boil a big pot of water and add a small handful of salt
• In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream, a table spoon of salt and a table spoon of pepper
• Cut the rashers into small pieces
• Chop the mint finely
• Grate the Parmesan cheese.

Cooking the Pasta and Bacon

• Fry the rashers in a small pan
• Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the packet instructions. Set a timer!
• When the pasta is nearly done, add the peas for the last 30 seconds (they really don’t like being overcooked, they just need to thaw).
• Drain the pasta and peas through a colander and immediately put everything back into the pot (it’s ok if a few spoonfuls of water are left in the pot).
• Add the fried rashers and mint.

Finish the Carbonara Sauce

• Now add the egg and cream mix to the pasta. It’s important you add the sauce while the pasta is still piping hot. This way, the heat of the pasta will cook the eggs.
• Stir! The hot pasta will cook the eggs so it’s creamy and silky. It shouldn’t look like scrambled eggs.
• Add the grated cheese, and give it one more stir.
• Serve immediately!

Shopping List for 8 Scouts

• 1kg wholegrain pasta
• 2 eggs
• 200ml cream
• 24 rashers or streaky bacon
• 1 bag of frozen peas
• 1 big piece of parmesan cheese
• A few leaves of mint if you can find it
• You’ll also need: Oil, salt, pepper