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Directions#
Finely dice onion and chop ham into bite-sized pieces.
Heat oil in fry pan. Gently cook onions, garlic and capsicums for about 10 minutes, until tender.
Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, vinegar, salt, sugar and water.
Simmer sauce gently for 20 minutes, stirring regularly.
Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and cook spaghetti according to instructions.
Strain spaghetti, rinse with cold water and drain well.
Transfer spaghetti to a chopping board and roughly cut into quarters.
Blend sauce with a stick blender or liquidiser. Combine sauce with spaghetti and heat through.
Toast bread or serve bread fresh. Cut in halves.
Serve toast/bread alongside spaghetti topped with ham and cheese.
Portioning guidance
Weigh out a reference plates for each meal size to visually guide your portioning.
- Years 0 to 3: 1 slice of toast cut diagonally, about 120g of spaghetti mix, 2 heaped tablespoons of grated cheese and 20g of ham.
- Years 4 to 8: 1 slice of toast cut diagonally, about 160g of spaghetti mix, 3 heaped tablespoons of grated cheese and 30g of ham.
- Years 9 and above: 1 slice of toast cut diagonally, about 200g of spaghetti mix, 3 or 4 heaped tablespoons of grated cheese and 35g of ham.
Special diet substitution ideas#
If catering for Years 9 and above students with special diets, we recommend a substitute meal as this meal will not meet protein requirements.
- Vegetarian: omit ham, increase cheese to 40g.
- Vegan: blend lentils through the sauce, use plant-based cheese.
- Gluten-free: GF pasta and GF bread.
- Dairy-free: increase ham to 40g, use plant-based cheese.
- Halal: omit ham, increase cheese to 40g.
- Mix spaghetti and sauce close to service time to avoid too much sauce absorption.
- Try mixing ham and cheese through the spaghetti mixture if desired.
- Spread bread or toast with catering spread if preferred.
- Add half a slice of toast (or more) to bulk up the Years 4 to 8 and 9 and above meals.
Gilmours product information#
Products and pricing are valid as at 19 February 2026 and are subject to change.
| Product description | Pack size |
|---|---|
| Value canola oil | 3L |
| Sb onion diced (frozen) | 1kg |
| Sb capsicum diced (frozen) | 1kg |
| Gilmours garlic crushed in oil | 1kg |
| Gilmours tomato paste a9 | 2.2kg |
| Gilmours tomatoes crushed | 2.5kg |
| Gilmours vinegar malt | 5L |
| Pams salt iodised | 2kg |
| Pams sugar white | 500g |
| Turkman pasta spaghetti | 5kg |
| Huttons shaved manuka smoked ham | Per kg |
| Alpine cheese edam grated | 5kg |
| Wholemeal toast sliced bread - estimate | 1 Loaf (17 slices) |
