More than one way to skin a cat

Ok slightly off on the title there, Im a cat lover really, but you know what I mean.  Tonight I'm making Fettuccine marinara and I thought I'd try and do it 100% in the Thermomix.  Usually my dinners are kind of half and half.  Usually involving Thermie + a pan to complete a meal.  Mostly I think because I'm a much bigger fan of pan fried protein than steamed, so nothing against good ol' Thermie.
There must be more than 1000 ways to make a good marinara, but I wanted it to be start to finish in Thermie, timed and delicious, and healthy too, so there was my task.

So here's what I did

1/2 a large onion
1 large clove garlic
1/2 chilli
Chop speed 7, 3 seconds
Add  1 Tbs olive oil
Cook varoma temp, speed 1, 4 minutes
Add 2 carrots (roughly quartered)
Chop speed 7, 5 seconds
Add 400g tin diced tomatoes or equivalent fresh (if using fresh, then puree again)
600g water
1 heaped Tbs tomato paste
2 Tbs TM stock
100ml white wine
1 tsp balsamic vinegar or pinch sugar
Good pinch dried herbs or 1 Tbs fresh
Cook 10 mins, 100C, speed 2



Add 450g fettuccine through the hole in the lid and set for 16 mins, varoma, speed soft, reverse.








Now prepare bottom varoma tray with assorted seafood and brocolli, and sprinkle with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and a splash of good olive oil.

Occasionally push on the pasta so that the blades take it in, I play with the reverse button at this stage too so that the pasta doesn't get stuck together, but make sure its on reverse once it has all entered the bowl.

Once it gets below lid level check how much time is left on the dial vs how much time your packet instructions say.  Mine was 14 minutes which was perfect for cooking the seafood and brocolli.  If you were using quick cook or fresh pasta you would probably want to steam your seafood 5 minutes before adding the pasta so that its all ready at the same time.

Now sit your trays on top while the pasta is cooking, and stir seafood once, around half way.







The pasta will end up around the blades, as you tip in out use your spatula to turn the blades gently and the pasta will all just fall out.  Some of the sauce was a bit stuck to the bottom as I had cooked on varoma temp, but came off easily with a chux.

This will feed 4-6 easily and is too much for the 2lt thermoserver.

I have to say, I had my doubts, I always do.... Every time I cook something in the Thermomix that I have cooked hundreds of times before with more 'traditional' methods, I never expect the result to be as good.  But it was delicious.  Topped with a bit more diced chilli, bon apetite! (and meow).