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Travel Recipe for Hostel Kitchens: Pasta Florentine

Last Updated on October 16, 2011

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After three months in Europe and 3.5 in North America, we are set to jet over to Bangkok for the start of at least eight months of South East Asia travel. We have had our own kitchen during our housesit in Canada, our first couchsurfing experiences, some nicer hotels during our NYC2NOLA road trip and an apartment in Chicago but this week it is back to hostel life and the traditional hostel kitchen cooking challenge that ensues. With limited pots, pans and utensils, it’s important to be able to whip up a quick, easy meal for little money– and stay healthy at the same time.

Kitchen at Hostal Hansi in Bocas del Toro, PanamaBackpackers Recipes: Hostel Approved

We have acquired quite a few quick and easy recipes on the road, and are sharing the recipe below in a new contest on Hostelbookers.com for the best budget recipe easily made within the restricted amenities of a hostel kitchen.

The prize? Chosen recipes will be included in the Hostelbookers Backpackers Recipe Guide, which will be featured in many of the over 20,000 Hostelbookers.com hostel kitchens. Moreover, the guide will be printable in pocket-size and online, so that you can look up some yummy hostel kitchen – approved recipes while you’re traveling. The top ten recipes will be featured with over 45,000 fans on the  Hostelbookers Facebook Page.  Read on for our quick and easy vegetarian contribution to the Backpackers Recipe Guide.

Pasta Florentine for two



Spinach pasta

Ingredients:

  1. Pasta (choose any shape or size you like, we prefer fettucine or angel hair)
  2. Fresh spinach leaves – as much or as little as you prefer
  3. 2-3 eggs
  4. Vinegar
  5. Olive oil, if on handextra: Salt, pepper, chilli flakes (or similar spicy ingredient)

Directions:

  1. Boil water and add a pinch of salt.
  2. Add pasta and let it cook thoroughly.
  3. Strain / remove pasta from pot and add to boil
  4. Add just a teaspoon of vinegar to near-boiling water, then add one egg at a time to water and let it poach for 2-3 minutes.
  5. While the eggs cook, cut up fresh spinach into small pieces and add to pasta bowl
  6. If you have olive oil, add a splash to the pasta and toss the mixture.
  7. Slide each poached egg into the bowl, and let the yoke spill out onto the noodles
  8. Add salt, pepper and lightly spice the dish

If you have Parmesan cheese on hand, you can add an extra note by sprinkling some Parmesan on top of the dish.

There you have it – a sophisticated, cheap, healthy meal using only one pot, one cooking spoon, two forks and 1-2 bowls.

If you’d like to the Backpackers Recipe Guide, head over to Hostelbookers.com to find out how to enter your own recipe!

Megan

Thursday 17th of November 2011

I can attest that this recipe is super easy and delicious! Amazing post, ladies!

Beverley | Pack Your Passport

Monday 17th of October 2011

Wow, this dish sounds (and looks!) amazing! I hate cooking in hostels and usually end up being really unhealthy when I stay in them.

I'm not too sure about poaching an egg......but hey I'll give it a try!

Dani

Monday 17th of October 2011

Thanks Beverley! Poaching an egg is not as difficult as it sounds - and the good thing with this dish is that you'll mix the egg with the pasta in the end anyway, so that even if the egg doesn't turn out perfect, the Pasta Florentine will still be delicious :)