Easy Pantry Pasta
Life is beginning to get back to normal now, with kids heading back to school, and many can now take part in after-school activities. Having a busy family, often with both parents working, creates a struggle to get tasty, filling meals on the table each night. Pasta is one dish I tend to turn to when I’ve had a busy day and do not have a lot of time to spend on making dinner.
You can create new and unique pasta dishes every night of the year and never make the same dish twice. Many pasta sauces can be prepared in the time it takes to boil a pot of water and cook the pasta. When you think about it, getting a hot, homemade meal on the table in under thirty minutes gives a whole new meaning to fast food!
This pasta dish can be created from basic pantry items that most of us have in our cupboards. You can play around with the ingredients in this pasta, adding a tablespoon of chopped Calabrian chili peppers if you like it spicy, capers if you want a salty bite or some peppery arugula for a fresh touch.
You can use any type of dried pasta with this sauce, although I prefer long pasta shapes such as spaghetti or linguine. I used sliced salami in my pasta, but you could use diced hard sausage or even pepperoni if you prefer. If you want to keep this pasta dish vegetarian, simply skip the addition of the salami.
This pasta really doesn’t need the addition of cheese, but if you like cheese on your pasta, a sharp, grated Pecorino Romano cheese would be the best choice.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Easy Pantry Pasta
A tasty, quick and easy pasta made from basic pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Spaghetti (See Notes Above)
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 Ounces Diced Salami (See Notes Above)
- 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 1 (14 Ounce) Can Chopped Tomatoes
- 1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Sun-dried Tomatoes
- 1 1/2 Cups Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Drained & Coarsely Chopped
- 1/3 Cup Chopped Pitted Kalamata Olives
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes (Optional)
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley Leaves
- 1/4 Cup Pine Nuts Lightly Toasted
Instructions
- Put a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the salami and cook two minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the garlic and cook a minute or two until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, taste, and season with salt and pepper and the red chili flakes if using.
- Cook the pasta until it is "al dente".
- Drain and return to the pot.
- Add the sauce to the pasta along with the parsley and pine nuts and toss until well mixed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 501Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 1150mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 16g
