ITALY ON A PLATE Using Contadina Pasta and Sauces

It was a fine afternoon and we got invited to a fun shopping blitz over at Robinsons Selections in McKinley Hill. Our friends from Contadina challenged us to a shopping spree and a cooking challenge and I think I've been able to step on the plate and whipped up ITALY ON A PLATE. My original idea was to do something with pesto but when I got there, I got overwhelmed with the tons of ingredients I could choose. SO instead of doing just one dish, I decided to do 3 to signify the colors of the Italian flag!

You see, I love three types of pasta that I usually cook for celebrations. So why not put them together and make it pretty right? It was super easy to prepare too because I used Contadina pasta. I just cooked it according to the package directions, and it stayed al dente even if I cooked it a little over 8 minutes. The sauces were also all bottled so I didn't have to put in that much spices because it was already good as is. So basically, no more chopping, no more hours spent in simmering tomato sauce because it's already in a bottle. You just have to cook the other things like chicken, tuna, beef, and bacon. I also added butter, olives and capers to give it a more authentic look. I did the video too so check this out!

So you see, it's not hard to cook. I even have one it without slaving away two days in the kitchen because sauces come in a bottle, and the pasta is easy to cook. Plus, it tastes great! That's what easy looks like, that's what CONTADINA gives guys too. Premium pasta goodness like what your Mom used to make!

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Contadina by Del Monte

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Contadina Set To Conquer Philippine Kitchens

It looks like the lives of the Filipinos will become so easy this year as one of the world's most recognized food brands finally lands in the Philippines. I'm sure you've seen Nigella Lawson in several blogs and TV programs and she was here for the same reason. Have you heard of Contandina?

It's a brand that's pretty well known in the US because that's where it started in World War 1. Three immigrant families found themselves in a situation where there was a shortage of tomatoes in America. That's when they found the soil in California apt for growing an even better harvest of these lovely fruits. They started making these products and thought of home. Now they have different sauces, canned tomatoes, rich olive oil and pasta, and a woman in the fields is representing them on the packaging. That's exactly what it means in Italian.

Trying Contadina for the first time had me thinking, why hasn't this been released in the Philippines when we're one of the most pasta loving people in the world? Even if we have our own sweet version, we have tons of people in the country who prefer the more conventional, herby and classic sauces right? Like me for example, I love Arrabbiata. The Contadina Arrabbiata Sauce is a little on the sour spicy side as it's got tomatoes, garlic and chili as it's main ingredients. It's lovely on Penne pasta and only needs a little heat when making as it's ready to serve on these handy dandy bottles which Contadina comes in. Aside from that, they also have Napoleatana which is made from vegetables mixed in with the usual ingredients like the Trinity in Italian cooking (onions, carrots, celery). The Aglio Arrostito on the other hand is made from tomatoes and the wonderful roasted garlic. I can already imagine having a hot bowl of it looking at my bed side window while the rain pours. Perfect comfort food.

I love antipastis and these olive oils would really make it special. They have Pure Olivr Oil which you can use to cook and the Extra Virgin Olive Oil for just dipping with bread or your salads, or just on top of slices of parma ham and prosciutto. I can go on and on and we'd still be hungry haha! I'm imagining things already! 

For those hearty stews, Contandina also have these canned tomatoes that'll be perfect for that. Imagine baking chicken topped with cheese and spending a few minutes on the stove, but we don't really have to wait for hours and waste precious time stewing because the sauce is already good to go.

The Linguine and Penne pasta stayed firm and al dente as we cooked it at home. I overcooked the penne a bit actually but it didn't become mushy at all. The convenience, the flavors, all come easy in a bottle or a can, plus a very competitive price range if you compare it to the existing local ones. It's hearty, homey and definitely reminds you of the Italy and how it's made by the Italians.

Are you excited about Contadina?

For more information about their products:

Official GMA Artist Center

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