RECIPE: Penne with Tomato Sauce, Arugula and Parmesan

This was a great dish that I made the other night, and it will definitely make a repeat in my kitchen.

Penne with Tomato Sauce, Arugula and Parmesan
Bobby Flay (Serves 4)

1/2 pound of penne
Salt
(reserve pasta water)
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz can of diced tomatoes
Sugar, if desired
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Couple of handfuls of baby arugula
Fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Bring water for pasta to boil in a large pot and salt water. Stir in pasta, cover and bring to boil. Cook until just slightly under al dente (about 8 minutes), since it will finish cooking in the sauce. Remove 1/2 cup of the pasta water and reserve. Drain the pasta well. Set aside.

To make tomato sauce, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large high-sided pan. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes and half of the reserved water and bring to a simmer, cook for 15 minutes and then gently crush the tomatoes with a potato masher until slightly smooth. Taste for seasoning and add sugar if needed. Add the red pepper flakes and continue cooking until thickened, about 25-30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water if needed, and 1/2 of the cheese.

Toss in a couple handfuls of the arugula (about 2 ounces) and herbs. 

Serve with garlic bread and sprinkle with extra parmesan. This was very good, and good for you! It's even better the next day!

RECIPE: Raw Marinara Sauce

I can't believe that I haven't posted this recipe on here before, but 'twould seem so. This is a delicious recipe for raw marinara that can be quickly pureed in a food processor and served over pasta, spaghetti squash or shredded zucchini.

Raw Marinara Sauce
Serves 2 (1 cup)

1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked or oil-packed (I rinse off the oil-packed and pat dry)
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbs minced fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic (1 clove)
1/4 tsp salt
Dash black pepper
Dash cayenne

Place all ingredients in food processor, and process until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stored in sealed container in frig, it will keep 3 days.

 

I usually serve this over spaghetti squash, but this time served it with whole grain pasta. It's one of those dishes that tastes even better after a couple of days in the frig to allow the flavors mingle.

RECIPE: Tortellini Soup

The other day I had a craving for some simple soup. Something like minestrone. I decided to go with a tortellini soup. This was adapted from a recipe I found on allrecipes.com.

Tortellini Soup
Serves 4-6

1 tbs olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
1/2-1 tsp minced garlic
6 cups vegetable broth
a splash of red wine (maybe 1/8-1/4 cup)
1 can of diced tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes with onions)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
small can tomato sauce
About 3 cups of frozen Italian vegetables (zucchini, carrot, green bean)
9 oz fresh tortellini (I used garlic and cheese stuffed)
1 green pepper, seeded and cubed
salt to taste
grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add broth, wine, tomatoes, seasoning, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

Add frozen vegetables, and bump heat up to medium-low. Cook about another 15 mins.

Add tortellini and green pepper. Simmer uncovered for about another 25 minutes. Salt to taste.

 Serve in individual bowls and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

This was very tasty. I've been eating it for days now. The red wine and tomato sauce both really helped add a lot of body and depth to the broth. The soup was even better the second day. This is a definite keeper!