MACARONI MANDZA (MACARONI STEW)

This mandza is definitely a blast from the past. Something we ate as kids, I even forgot that we used to eat macaroni this way. This is a lean version, no meat. You can replace the soy crumbles with some minced meat if desired.
I wonder what would Italians say if they know we use pasta this way lol :)




Ingredients:

• 1 pack of macaroni 500 g
• 2 heads onions
• 200 g marinated mushrooms
• 75 g soy crumbles
• 850 g canned gjuvech (mixed vegetables)
• 2 tablespoons of corn flour
• 2 teaspoons Vegeta
• 2 teaspoons Bukovska pepper (red flakes)
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• black pepper, salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• oil
• fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Peel and finely chop onions, then put in a deep pot to fry on heated oil.
2. Then add the mushrooms. After they're fried add spices, Bukovska pepper and soy crumbles previously soaked in boiling water and well drained.
3. After soy is fried, add the gjuvech and fry well, then add water. All this is boiling for about ten minutes and then add macaroni.
4. After several minutes of boiling, add the corn flour first dissolved in cold water, then the oregano, the bay leaves and a little pepper and salt to taste.
5. Boil for about five minutes, then remove from fire and leave for another ten minutes, then serve. Add fresh parsley before serving or directly in plates.

*Note: gjuvech in a can that I buy contains tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onion, carrot, green peas, yellow beans and tomato sauce. Search for similar mix in stores.