Sunday, September 19, 2010

Pasta something-or-other

I don't know what this recipe is called, it's got a lot of Italian-sounding vowels and such.

It's adapted from a Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meal, and it really does only take about 30 minutes

1 pound penne pasta
salt
pepper
olive oil
6 slices peppered bacon, chopped
1 medium onion (she uses red)
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped or minced
1 dry pint sliced mushrooms (this is my addition, I used baby bellas)
1 cup chicken stock
28 oz fire roasted tomatoes diced or chopped
handful each fresh parsley, fresh basil
salt & pepper

Put pasta water on to boil, salt heavily (tablespoon or so). Meanwhile, add olive oil to large stockpot, enough to just coat the bottom of the pan. Add bacon, cook till browned. Add onion, mushrooms, cook till mushrooms are tender and onions are translucent. Add garlic. Deglaze pot with chicken stock, add tomatoes. Meanwhile, cook pasta to just al dente. Simmer sauce till slightly reduced. Taste, add salt & pepper as needed. Drain pasta, and add to sauce pot and continue cooking till pasta is done. Serve with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, or other strong-flavored cheese like good parmesan.

I think another good addition to this dish would be roasted red peppers, sliced/chopped, and maybe some cream at the end of cooking for a little extra silkiness. Otherwise, it is a dairy-free dish (without the cheese) and approved by the toddler.