Post Festival Pasta

Yesterday I returned from my 10th, and by far the best, summer music festival I've been to: Kendal Calling 2011. I had a fantastically hilarious time with this bunch of reprobates (visor clad boy not included):

We drank copious amounts of cider, dressed as 'Beasts and Machines', watched and bounced around to lots of amazing bands, met a wonderful rainbow of colourful characters, and laughed more than I ever thought possible.

The food that was available was some of the best I've seen at a festival. Just about every cuisine was catered for including Mediterranean, Indonesian, Japanese, Tibetan and good old British grub. However, I'd decided to cook my own food to save money and spent a lot of time crouched over my trusty stove creating culinary atrocities including chili con carne with a powdered sweet potato concoction and a chicken tikka risotto. It seemed a good idea at the time. I'm hopefully returning next year and will probably buy arena food as I was well jeal of my mates teatime exploits and the prices weren't too unreasonable.

Anyway, on returning home from the festival on Monday afternoon I collapsed on the couch awaiting on 170 photos to appear on Facebook (remove tag, remove tag, remove tag), and for my mum to get home and feed and fuss over me. So imagine the horror of my exhausted, filthy and confused self when she turned up and said she had shopping and errands to do and I had to cook the tea! I very nearly cried.

After being presented with some leftover lamb in gravy to use up, and spending a ridiculously long time both mentally and physically preparing (finely chopping is literally impossible with a 4 day hangover) this is what I served up:

Ingredients (served 5, 3 for tea and 2 for dinner the next day):

3 large handfuls macaroni pasta (that's how I measure mine anyway, but just enough for whoever you're wining and dining)

2 tins chopped tomatoes

Leftover roast lamb and gravy (or brown some cubed lamb, works fine without the gravy)

1/2 a courgette

1 large white onion

2 peppers of different colours

2 cloves garlic

Olive oil for frying

Crème fraîche to taste

1. Fry the courgette, onion, peppers and garlic in a little olive oil until softened.

2. Add the chopped tomatoes and lamb. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. While this is simmering cook the macaroni according to the  packet instructions.

4. Add the pasta to the sauce and serve with a dollop of  crème fraîche if desired. I desire very much!

  

Perfect post festival fodder! Comforting, meaty and easy to rustle up. What are your festival food experiences? Any amazing stalls you've come across? And what would be your ideal meal to eat on your return?