Tunafish Pasta

Submitted by: Carie

Prep Time: 15 mins   Serves: 3   PerPerson: $2.04

Dietary: dairy-free

Description: sound weird? It's delicious, I swear it.

Ingredients
$1.59  1 package of pasta (used Rainbow Rotini)
$1.34  2 cans of tuna, drained
$1.99  1 can diced tomatoes
$0.80  8 tbsp olive oil
$0.15  3 cloves garlic, chopped
$0.05  salt
$0.05  pepper
$0.05  red pepper flakes
$0.10  oregano                             
$6.12  Total ($2.04 per serving)


Directions
Super-easy, and only takes as long as boiling pasta.

1. Cook the pasta in salted water.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet and fry the garlic until golden brown
3. Add the canned tuna and toss with the rest of the oil, fry for 2 mins stirring constantly
4. Add the canned tomatoes and simmer on low until sauce is heated and pasta is done
5. Flavor sauce with salt, pepper, chili flakes, and oregano
6. Drain the pasta and toss in the sauce 
7. Serve warm or cold

Notes: By using cheaper pasta or cutting your own tomatoes, you could make this recipe even cheaper.

Grilled Radicchio & Eggplant Pasta

Submitted by: Carie

Prep Time: 40 mins   Serves: 4   PerPerson: $1.68

Dietary: vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free

Description This delicious pasta recipe comes from Epicurious. The bitterness of the radicchio is nicely balanced by the sweetness of the eggplant and tomatoes.

Ingredients

$0.65   large eggplant

$2.99   can peeled tomatotes (peel your own for more savings!)

$1.20   1 head radicchio

$0.20   4 cloves garlic (chopped)

$0.15   1/2 onion (chopped)
$0.25   1 vegetable bullion cube
$0.10   1 Tbsp Italian parsley
$0.10   1 Tbsp thyme
$0.59   basil (1/2 c. chopped)
$0.50   1/2c. dry white wine (the one sitting half-drunk in your fridge...)

$6.73   Total ($1.68 per serving)

Directions

1. Cut the eggplant into 1" thick strips, salt lightly, and lay out on paper towels to "sweat" the eggplants for 30 minutes. Pat dry, brush with olive oil, and salt lightly. Meanwhile...
2. Heat a grill.
3. Cook pasta. Meanwhile...
4. Cook onions and garlic in oil on medium heat until onions are translucent. Add parsley & thyme and cook a few more minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, wine, vegetable broth cube, basil, and red pepper. Simmer for 8 minutes.
6. Cut the radicchio into quarters, remove the heart. Brush with olive oil.
7. Grill the eggplant and slice into bite-sized pieces. Grill the radicchio until slightly wilted.
8. Turn off the heat and add the eggplant and radicchio to the sauce.
9. Toss the pasta in the sauce.

Notes
This recipe can easily be modified to add meat, e.g. ground beef or sausage. That makes it a little more expensive, but this is still a dirt-cheap meal!

More Photos

"Sweating" the Eggplant slices

Grilling the Eggplant on a Foreman Grill