Trolling around the internets I reeled in a discussion thread soliciting cheap, filling and delicious recipes. An appalling number of respondents thought jarred tomato sauce + pasta fulfilled the cheap and delicious requirements, leaving pasta to take care of filling.
I've had good jarred sauce in my time, but if it's good it isn't cheap.
This one is good, but retails around $7. And I can whip up a supremely basic, dirt cheap red sauce that kicks its ass in less time than it takes to boil the pasta water. I've probably posted this before...too bad for you! =P
super basic red sauce:
olive oil, 1 tsb
1-4 cloves garlic, to taste
28oz can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
basil, to taste
Mince or press the garlic, saute in olive oil over medium until starting to brown. Add the tomatoes, increase heat to medium high. Stir periodically until sauce starts to darken and thicken, about 10 minutes. Stir in chopped basil, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta.
You can increase the complexity a bit without adding much in the way of cost by sauteing a diced onion, then adding the garlic and proceeding as above. And if you have any half-drunk bottles of wine lying around, deglaze the pan with half a cup or so before adding the tomatoes. If you want a more refined presentation and you have an immersion blender, you can puree it right in the pan.
Total cost, roughly 4 bucks.
And that's using primo canned tomatoes- you could cut it almost in half with a 'house brand'.
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