Spaghetti with Baked Beans Sauce and Spam

This recipe highlights non-perishable foods that exist in pantries for prolonged periods of time and sustain us in times of desperation. It also pays tribute to AUTSA’s Foodie Godmother, which provides struggling students with free food and living essentials. Here, ubiquitous items such as spam, baked beans, spaghetti, and minted peas are jazzed up, making a point that a fine dining experience is not limited to expensive ingredients!

Ingredients

• 1 can, baked beans

• 1/2 teaspoon, ground cayenne pepper

• 1 tablespoon, dried parsley

• 1 can, spam or luncheon meat (approximately 340g), cubed

• 1 onion, chopped finely

• 1 tablespoon, olive oil

• 1 packet, spaghetti

• Salt and pepper to taste

Serve with:

• Minted peas

• Sliced black olives

• Micro greens or salad leaves

Method

1) Blend baked beans with cayenne pepper and dried parsley in a food processor to form the sauce base. Baked beans are super tasty already but if you have a heavy palate feel free to add a tiny pinch of salt for seasoning.

2) Heat a medium-sized non-stick pan over medium-high heat. No oil is needed at this stage if you are using a non-stick pan. Cook cubed spam/luncheon meat till nice and crispy on the edges. Remove from pan and set aside.

3) Using the same pan, add olive oil, throw in onions, and sauté for approximately 3 minutes over medium heat.

4) When the onions are fragrant and soft, add the baked beans sauce base in the pan to heat up. This shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.

5) Fill up a pot with water and a tablespoon of salt, bring to boil, and cook spaghetti according to the package instructions.

6) To serve, use tongs to carefully place spaghetti on the plate. Top with baked beans sauce and meat, and carefully garnish with minted peas and sliced black olives using tweezers.

Melissa Koh is a third year BA student double majoring in Culinary Arts and English & New Media. Follow her dining and cooking adventures on Instagram: @melicacy.