Pasta In A Pinch
So many times I find myself rummaging through the pantry in hopes of not having to make another grocery run. 9 times out of 10 I reach for the pasta. Its probably one of my all time favorite foods, I’ve always been a fan of Italian. When you’re not the one rolling out the dough, pasta from the pantry is quick, easy, and versatile enough to manifest a meal out of.
I tend to always have a good hard cheese to grate over the top and some butter I can brown into a buerre. Throw in some fresh herbs, spices and whatever produce and/or protein you’ve been needing to get rid of before it losses its shelf life and…Voila! You have a seemingly gourmet meal without the fuss.
I’m all about spicing up a simple recipe by adding just a few extra touches. Heres some dishes I’ve come up with when I’m in a pinch. Enjoy!
Garden Penne Pasta with Homemade Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
1.5 cups dry penne pasta
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup fresh basil or pesto mixture
4 cups uncooked spinach
red pepper flake, salt & black pepper to taste
1 cup freshly grated parmesan reggiano
Directions
Dice vegetables so they are ready to throw in the pan
Caramelize onions, garlic, EVOO & sugar til brown
Add roma tomatoes and let simmer
Bring salted pasta water to a boil then add Penne. The pasta I used took about 11 minutes
Once sauce has been simmering for about 5 minutes; add salt, black pepper and red pepper flake to your liking and let sauce continue to simmer ( the longer the better)
Add in Pesto or fresh basil into your sauce
Throw in uncooked spinach and sauté until fulled wilted
Once pasta is cooked, strain and add into your sauce
Add 1/2 cup parmesan into the pan, save other half for garnish
