The Cheapest Pasta I’ve Ever Made… But It Tastes Expensive

Title / Presenter

“The Cheapest Pasta I’ve Ever Made… But It Tastes Expensive” — Backyard Farm (presenter not named)

Ingredients

(quantities not all given in the subtitles; amounts included where present)

• Spaghetti — cook to packet instructions (amount not specified)
• Half a white cabbage
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• Garlic, minced/mashed (amount not specified)
• Butter — “a lump” for frying onions/cabbage
• Olive oil — a little with the butter
• Cream — a splash to make the sauce (amount not specified)
• Parmesan cheese — grated (amount not specified)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Pasta cooking water — reserve and use to loosen/emulsify the sauce
• Parsley — small amount for garnish/brightness

Optional / substitutions

• Cooked bacon or pancetta — optional for meat-eaters (add as bacon bits)
• Dijon mustard — optional, adds flavor/tang
• Chili flakes — optional; Korean chili flakes recommended for smoky flavor without too much heat
• Mandoline — suggested as an alternative for thin slicing

Equipment & preparation

• Large pot for boiling pasta; add salt to the water
• Frying pan / sauté pan for buttered cabbage and sauce
• Colander or bowl to drain pasta (drained spaghetti was placed in a bowl and pasta water reserved)
• Knife and chopping board (presenter stabilizes the board with a damp tissue)
• Grater for parmesan
• Spoon or tongs for tossing
• Optional: mandoline for thin slicing

Step-by-step method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and start the spaghetti. Cook to packet instructions but stop slightly underdone so it finishes cooking in the sauce.
2. Prep aromatics:
   • Mash/mince the garlic (size up to you; visible bits are fine).
   • Thinly slice the onion.
   • Thinly slice the cabbage, including the core if desired.
3. In a frying pan, add a lump of butter and a little olive oil. Add the sliced onion and fry briefly to remove rawness — do not salt at this stage.
4. Add the sliced cabbage to the pan. Season with salt and pepper when you add the cabbage (reduce salt if your parmesan is very salty).
5. Fry the cabbage and onion over medium heat until you get some caramelization/tinge on the cabbage — aim for light browning for extra flavor.
6. Optional: add chili flakes while frying for smoky flavor; add cooked bacon/pancetta now if using (bacon should be already cooked).
7. When the cabbage is caramelized, pour in a splash of cream and a little reserved pasta water. Stir to form a creamy base.
8. Optional: stir in a little Dijon mustard to brighten the flavor.
9. Add grated parmesan and stir until the sauce becomes creamy and silky. If it becomes too thick, add more pasta water a little at a time — pasta starch will thicken the sauce as it combines.
10. Return the drained (slightly undercooked) spaghetti to the pan and toss thoroughly so the sauce coats the pasta.
11. Stir in a little parsley for color/brightness. Adjust seasoning (salt/pepper) and consistency with more pasta water if needed.
12. Serve immediately. Top with extra parmesan and/or bits of cooked bacon if desired.

Chef tips & common mistakes to avoid

• Cook pasta slightly under packet time so it finishes in the sauce and doesn’t go mushy.
• Reserve pasta water — the starchy water loosens and emulsifies the sauce.
• Do not salt the onions when you first fry them; add salt with the cabbage to keep seasoning balanced (parmesan may add a lot of salt).
• Aim for a light caramelization on the cabbage — buttered cabbage is a key flavor component.
• Adjust sauce thickness gradually: parmesan and starch will thicken it, so add pasta water slowly.
• Korean chili flakes give smoky flavor without much heat.
• Dijon mustard is optional but helps brighten the sauce.

Plating / serving suggestions

• Toss pasta well in the sauce and serve hot.
• Garnish with chopped parsley and extra grated parmesan.
• For a meatier finish, sprinkle crisp cooked bacon or pancetta bits on top.

Variations

• Vegetarian: base recipe as described (butter, olive oil, cabbage, onion, garlic, cream, parmesan).
• Meat option: add cooked bacon or pancetta.
• Flavor variations: add Dijon mustard (tang) or chili flakes (smoky/spicy) — Korean chili flakes recommended for milder smoky flavor.

Referenced source

• Backyard Farm — YouTube video: “The Cheapest Pasta I’ve Ever Made… But It Tastes Expensive”