Pasta: A Clash of Sauces

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Arataki: “One pan to boil them all, one pan to fry them, one pan to season them all and in the spices bind them.”

Levi: “Under no circumstances should sesame derived products be introduced to this dish.”

Serves: 3–6
Taste: 4/5
Preparation: 3/5
Health: 3/5 (base), 4.5/5 (with all vegetable and protein additions)

In the beginning there was one sauce recipe, beloved by all denizens of the pasta kingdom. Levi, that recipe’s creator, was celebrated for the rich, succulent flavours of his sauce – a modification of the classic Italian pasta dish. But Arataki was not satisfied – he preferred pasta to go with his vegetables and protein – so he crafted his own recipe variant, one that optimises for nutrition in addition to taste. Which recipe reigns supreme? Find out for yourself!1

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • 2-3 medium onions, diced
  • 4–5 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
  • 1-2 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
  • 2 cans chopped tomatoes or 1 bottle passata (~700g)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Dried herbs (e.g., oregano, thyme) and/or fresh herbs (e.g., basil, parsley)
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  • 500g pasta (penne recommended)
  • Cream (optional)
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)
  • Sundried tomatoes and/or capers (plus their oil) (optional)

Arataki Variant:

  • 1–2 aubergines, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1-2 courgettes, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1–2 bell peppers, diced
  • 300g mushrooms, sliced
  • 150–200g textured vegetable protein (TVP)
  • Nutritional Yeast
  • Siracha Sauce
  • Tahina Sauce

Method

1. Prepare the Main Pan

  • Select a large, heavy-bottomed pan or wok. Place it over medium-low heat and add a generous amount of olive oil. This pan will remain on the heat throughout the cooking process.

2. Cook the Aubergine (Arataki variant)

  • Add thinly sliced aubergine to the main pan. Season lightly with salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the slices are soft, golden, and reduced in size. This may take up to 30 minutes.

3. Add Courgette (Arataki variant)

  • Incorporate the sliced courgette into the main pan with the aubergine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the courgette is tender and lightly browned.

4. Sauté Bell Peppers (Arataki variant)

  • Add diced bell peppers to the main pan. Cook until they begin to soften, maintaining a slight crunch for texture.

5. Prepare Mushrooms Separately (Arataki variant)

  • In a separate pan, place sliced mushrooms with a splash of water. Simmer over medium heat until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to shrivel. Once the water has mostly evaporated, add a small amount of oil and sauté until the mushrooms are browned. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to the main pan.

6. Incorporate Onions

  • Add diced onions to the main pan. Season with salt. Cook until the onions are translucent and starting to caramelize.

7. Add Garlic

  • Stir in diced garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

8. Tomato Paste

  • Add tomato paste to the main pan. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens slightly, enhancing its flavour.

9. Deglaze with Wine

  • Pour in red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Allow the wine to reduce slightly.

10. Add Tomatoes and Seasonings

  • Introduce chopped tomatoes or passata to the pan. Stir to combine. Season with black pepper, additional salt, and your choice of dried or fresh herbs. If using sundried tomatoes or capers, add them now along with some of their oil. Simmer the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the flavours meld.

11. Incorporate TVP (Arataki variant)

  • If using TVP, rehydrate it by soaking in hot water or reserved mushroom liquid for 5–10 minutes. Add the rehydrated TVP to the sauce, stirring well. Be prepared to adjust the sauce’s consistency by adding more liquid if necessary. Note that TVP absorbs flavours readily, so consider adding more seasoning.

12. Final Adjustments

  • For added richness, stir in a splash of cream. Grate Parmigiano-Reggiano into the sauce and season with MSG if desired. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

13. Serving (Arataki variant)

  • Sprinkle nutritional yeast and layer Tahina sauce to complete the sacred rite. Sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds can also be added at this stage, but only if you want the full Arataki experience.

Pasta Preparation

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt.
  2. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions.
  3. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining in case the sauce needs more liquid.
  1. Arataki: My recipe emphasizes the importance of cooking each component to its optimal state before combining, using a main pan that remains on the heat throughout with auxiliary pans as needed to prepare individual elements before incorporation. ↩︎
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