Halloween Vegetarian Bolognese Pasta Party Meal 👻🎃
- Stephane Janett
- Oct 30, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: May 10, 2023
Get ready to lose your marbles with this spooktacular meal that'll have your taste buds screaming with delight and your tummy grumbling with excitement! Just imagine pasta shaped like creepy crawlies and ghosts, coated in scrumptious Bolognese sauce that's bloody good! It's a meal that'll have your Halloween party guests shrieking with joy, no matter their age. So, my dearest ghouls and ghosts, gather 'round and get ready to scare away bland meals with this wickedly fun recipe! Muahahaha!⠀
Time: 40 mins | Serves: 8
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INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion (finely chopped)
6 cloves of garlic (crushed or finely chopped) to warn off those vampires!!!
2 celery sticks (peeled and finely chopped)
6 carrots (washed and finely chopped)
800g plant-based vegan mince
10 brown mushrooms (finely chopped)
3x 400g tinned crushed tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves (handful - finely chopped)
1 bunch fresh flat-leafed parsley (handful - finely chopped)
1 vegetable stock cube
200ml red wine
3x dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
1 handful of grated parmesan
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
750g Halloween-shaped pasta (we found them at Lidl but you can also use Penne Pasta)
* If you're a meat eater, you can substitute the vegan mince for beef mince!
HOW TO MAKE IT
The Bolognese:
1. Heat up the pan to medium, sauté onions in oil for a minute, then add garlic and let them soften like a ghost in the night.
2. Add vegan mince and stir until it's browned and luscious for 5 minutes.
3. Toss in mushrooms, carrot, celery, oregano, rosemary, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Let it cook for 5 minutes and conjure up those flavours!
4. Pour in tinned tomato, basil, bay leaves, stock cube, red wine, and parsley. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes, and let those mouthwatering aromas spook you!
5. Keep it simmering for 25 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. And in the final 5 minutes, add a handful of grated parmesan to give it that extra oomph!
The Pasta:
1. In the Bolognese's final 5 minutes, start boiling water with a splash of olive oil and salt.
2. Once the water is boiling, drop the pasta in, and give it a good stir to make sure all the pasta is swimming in its jacuzzi.
3. Let it simmer for about 8-10 minutes until it's "al dente". Test it by tasting it. Don't rinse, that pasta my dears, you'll lose its Italianess!
~ Serve the pasta topped with your delicious Bolognese and sprinkled with grated parmesan. Now, let's howl with pleasure, my spooky ones!
Bon appétit bébé!
THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN
Halloween is a holiday with ancient origins that has evolved over time into the modern-day celebration known for costumes, decorations, and trick-or-treating. Its history can be traced back to various cultural and historical influences, including pagan festivals, Christian traditions, and folk customs.
One of the earliest origins of Halloween can be found in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced "sow-in"), which was celebrated by the Celtic peoples in what is now modern-day Ireland, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year, and it was believed that during this time, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead was blurred, allowing spirits and other supernatural beings to cross over into the mortal realm. It was also believed that these spirits could cause mischief or harm, and the Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off evil spirits.
With the spread of Christianity, Samhain was incorporated into the Christian calendar as All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, which was a day to honor saints and martyrs. The night before All Saints' Day came to be known as All Hallows' Eve, and eventually, Halloween. Christian traditions, such as attending church services and lighting candles, became associated with Halloween.
Over time, Halloween also absorbed customs and traditions from other cultures. For example, during the Middle Ages, a practice called "souling" emerged in Britain, where poor people would go door-to-door on Halloween, offering to pray for the souls of the deceased in exchange for food. This practice later evolved into the modern-day tradition of trick-or-treating, where children dress up in costumes and go from house to house asking for candy.
Irish and Scottish immigrants brought the tradition of Halloween to North America during the 19th century, where it blended with local customs and became popular. Halloween gradually evolved into a secular holiday with festivities such as pumpkin carving, bobbing for apples, and costume parties. Today, Halloween is celebrated in many countries around the world, with a wide range of customs, traditions, and commercial aspects, making it a unique and diverse holiday with a rich history.
A FICTIONAL STORY BY THE CHEF!
Beware the Bolognese: Salem's Haunted Halloween Party
Once upon a time in Salem, Massachusetts, there were two teenage friends, Sarah and Emily, who loved Halloween. They had grown up hearing stories about the infamous Salem witch trials and were fascinated by the town's spooky history. They decided to host a Halloween party at Sarah's house and planned to create a unique dish for the occasion - a Halloween-themed Vegetarian Bolognese.
On the day of the party, Sarah and Emily spent hours in the kitchen, chopping vegetables, simmering sauce, and boiling pasta. They used special pasta in the shapes of ghosts and bats to add a fun Halloween twist to their dish. As the clock struck midnight, they proudly brought out their creation to the party guests, who were amazed by the creative presentation.
Everyone dug into the delicious-looking Halloween Bolognese, but little did they know that their culinary creation was about to take a spooky turn. As the first bite was taken, the pasta in the shape of ghosts and bats suddenly came to life! The pasta creatures flew off the plates and started swirling around the room, leaving trails of Bolognese sauce that looked like blood.
Panic quickly spread among the party guests. They tried to run out of the house, but to their horror, they found that all the main doors were locked, trapping them inside. The flying pasta creatures were everywhere, scaring everyone with their eerie movements and dripping sauce.
But Sarah and Emily, being brave and quick-thinking, had an idea. They remembered reading a Halloween superstition that ghosts and bats were afraid of parmesan. They grabbed bags of shredded parmesan and encouraged everyone to join them in a daring plan to defeat the pasta creatures.
With shouts and laughter, the party guests started throwing shredded parmesan at the flying pasta ghosts and bats. The creatures squealed and hissed as the parmesan hit them, and one by one, they turned back into regular pasta. The crisis was averted, and the party guests cheered as the flying pasta creatures disappeared.
The rest of the night was filled with laughter, games, and dancing. Sarah, Emily, and their friends had a blast, and the Halloween party turned out to be a memorable and thrilling experience. As the sun rose, they unlocked the doors and bid farewell to the eventful night, looking forward to the next Halloween with excitement and anticipation.
Little did they know that their Halloween adventures were far from over. The pasta creatures had returned to their dormant state, but whispers of their existence spread throughout Salem. Rumors of the haunted Halloween Bolognese spread far and wide, and Sarah and Emily became local legends. They couldn't wait to see what surprises the next Halloween would bring, as they knew that in Salem, the spirits of Halloween were always watching, waiting to play their tricks on unsuspecting souls. And so, the story of the haunted Halloween Vegetarian Bolognese in Salem became a chilling tale told by generations to come.
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