Apart from random tidbits here and there, I didn’t know much about the life of Princess Diana. I was too young to follow her in the news or really understand what her death meant in 1997. When I saw Diana (2013) on Netflix Instant, I was intrigued. I knew nothing about her secret romance with Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, or about the timeline of events between her divorce and final days. I thought Diana could have been a stronger film if it had more depth, a clearer depiction of what allegedly happened, and more insight into why Princess Diana was incredibly beloved by the world. However, the romance between Diana and Hasnat was moving, and I enjoyed the cinematography of the film, with many close-ups and quick jumps and zooms in and out.
During an early scene when Diana and Hasnat are on their first date, Diana has her friend come over to make them dinner. Diana’s friend tells her that all she has to do is “boil the pasta for 8 minutes and drain.” We see Diana escape to the kitchen to microwave the homemade tomato sauce and serve dinner as if she had prepared everything. On the plates we see shell pasta with a chunky tomato sauce, which I have recreated (my recipe below). Diana confronts Hasnat when he picks at his food, and he tells her that he wants a hamburger. I do have to say, though, that this homemade tomato sauce is so good that you won’t be craving a Burger King hamburger.
Homemade Chunky Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
3 tomatoes (diced)
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 large sweet onion (chopped)
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
Basil for garnish
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in sauce pan on medium heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Heat until soft and onions are translucent (5-6 minutes).
3. Add tomatoes and thyme; simmer for 25-30 minutes while stirring occasionally.
4. Boil shell pasta for 8 minutes, drain, and serve with sauce on top.
{Food photos by Lauren; Diana photos via Ecosse Films}
