Spaghetti Diable

Growing up in the 60's this dish was one that my mother used to make when we were having visitors.  I guess it sounded posh - Spaghetti Diable!!!  Really it is just spaghetti and chicken, and in fact that is the name it goes by now in our family.  The original recipe called for tinned champignon mushrooms - I seem to recall that mushrooms were not that readily available, like they are now, and I guess those little canned morsels were quite exotic!!!  This recipe has evolved over the 40 odd years that we have been making it - but you know what, it is still good!


Spaghetti and Chicken

Serves 6

1 BBQ chicken, meat removed, and broken into small pieces

1 x onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, sliced

800g can chopped tomatoes

300g  mushrooms, sliced

300g spaghetti

Cayenne pepper (to taste)

1 x dessertspoon sugar

salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 cup romano cheese, grated

Cook spaghetti in large saucepan of boiling salted water.  Cook until al dente.  Drain once cooked.

In a non stick frypan sprayed with olive oil spray saute onion and garlic until tender.  Add mushrooms and gently saute until just tender.  Add tomatoes, pinch of cayenne pepper, sugar, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  The mixture should have a slightly sweet, hot taste - adjust to suit.  Remember that the intensity of the flavour will be difused once added to the pasta - so make sure that you can tast both the hotness of the cayenne and the sweetness of the sugar.  Add the chicken, and taste again.  Remember the name is really Spaghetti Diable (the Devil) - so you want to have a bit of a kick with the cayenne.  If you are serving children - you might want to hold back though!!

Toss sauce through cooked spaghetti.  Place into a large flat baking dish that has been lightly sprayed to prevent sticking, and top with the grated cheese and bake at 180 degrees C for 25 - 30 minutes or until cheese is golden and melted.

This is a dish that I make whenever I am in a bit of a rut - I know I can whip it up in an instant!!  It is also good for serving a crowd - just increase the amount of spaghetti to 500g.

By the way - it is great the next day too - I have even been know to turn it into a "jaffle" - now there's a throw back to the 60's - "the darlings" wouldn't know what I was talking about - OK Toasted Cheese Sandwich (made in the electric toasting machine!!!).

Dear Readers what sort of food memories do have from your childhood?  How much has your culinary appetite changed over the years?  Can you remember something that was "exotic" or very adventuresome for the time, that is taken for granted now?

Memories!!  Food memories - what could be better??