15 min kid friendly zoo pasta

Universally loved by 97% of children and grown-ups alike, it's hard to go wrong with pasta and a simple red sauce.

But what if you don't have tinned tomatoes on hand? Or you don't have the extra time needed to turn those tinned tomatoes into a sauce?

Tomato powder to the rescue! In seconds, tomato powder can be turned into the most gloriously silky, full bodied and satisfying red sauce. Made from 100% dried tomatoes, you can use it in pasta, soups, casseroles, jaffles, nachos and parmigiana! See under recipe for more ideas on how to use tomato powder.

Here I've paired it with our popular zoo pasta for a simple, 15 minute dinner. My kids and I love this dish, and I bet you will too!

Serves 3-4

Ingredients: 
300g zoo pasta
50g/2 tbsp tomato powder 
2 handfuls broccoli florets
½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
+1 cup reserved pasta water

Method:
Fill a large pot with water, add 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil then add pasta. The pasta takes aprox 12 mins to cook. At the 9 or 10 minute mark, add broccoli to the pasta pot. Then take a ladle or large spoon and scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and pour it into a jug or small saucepan. At the 11 minute mark (or when pasta is al dente), drain pasta and broccoli, then return it to the pot. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over it. Set aside while you make your quick-as-a-flash sauce.

Sauce: add tomato powder to the cup of reserved pasta water, then whisk together til smooth. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
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Place pasta and broccoli into serving bowls, then spoon the silky red sauce on top. Finish with grated parmesan or cheddar if desired.

PIMP MY RECIPE

• Use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan for vegan version
• Make a pink sauce by stirring through a splash of cream at the end. 
• Add ½ tsp Italian spice mix for extra kick.
• Add tuna, salami, chilli, olives, fresh basil or chorizo for a more complex flavour.

SOME MORE USES FOR  TOMATO POWDER 

• Sprinkle it on popcorn 
• Add to vegan cheese sauces for extra oomph and colour 
• Sprinkle over a baked potato with sour cream for a simple, delicious supper 
• Add to mayonnaise for a delicious variation of regular mayo, and enjoy on sandwiches and salads. (Shall we call this concoction 'Tomayo'? ☺) 
• Sprinkle a little on cheese when making a toastie. 
• It's delicious sprinkled over hot chips 
• Try adding a pinch to a Bloody or Virgin Mary for extra kick