As anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows, the Toddster is really not very fond of pasta at all. I do make it from time to time, but more often than not I make something completely different for him, or he has the sauce, but on a potato instead. I adore pasta myself and cannot imagine anyone not loving it, but then again, I would never eat snails or frogs legs, but there are a lot of people who adore them. I guess we all have our own likes and dislikes, and its okay!
Today I cooked a simple spicy tomato cream sauce to have with some cappellini. I chose this for a number of reasons . . . one . . . I quite simply adore simple tomato sauces, using tinned tomatoes. (I always use a really good Italian brand myself, Ciro brand . . . especially when it's a sauce that isn't going to be cooked for a long time period.) You want to use a tinned tomatoe that has a really nice flavour, and Cirio are the best tasting in my opinion. (You probably get tired of hearing me say that I know!)
Two, this is a really quick, QUICK sauce to make. It's done in approximately the same time as it takes to cook your pasta, 10 minutes tops.
Oh, and for a simple10 minute sauce, it packs a lot of flavor . . . with the addition of garlic and chilli flakes . . . and cream. Delicious. Quick. Easy. You can't ask for much more than that!
*Cappellini with a Spicy Tomato-Cream Sauce*Serves 4Printable Recipe
With a spicy basic 10 minutes sauce, angel hair pasta and freshly grated cheese, you can have a filling and delicious supper on the table in less than 20 minutes!
2 TBS olive oil2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and finely choppeda large pinch of crushed chillies2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice, undrained (two 14 ounce tins)125ml of heavy cream (1/2 cup)fine sea salta pound of Cappellini pastaa large handful of flat leaf parsley, coarsely choppedfreshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil over high heat. While you are waiting for it to boil, heat the oil in a large deep saute pan. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and some salt. Cook, stirring, just until the garlic becomes very fragrant. Tip in the tomatoes and their juices. Bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer until fairly thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the cream and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Keep warm. Add your cappellini to the boiling water, stirring to separae the strands, Cook according to the package directions. Drain well, reserving about a cup of the cooking water. Toss the drained pasta in the hot sauce, along with some of the cooking water and the parsley to combine. Top with some cheese and serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.
Note - if you are watching the calories, you can use an equivalent amount of undiluted low fat evaporated milk in place of the cream. You can also cut the amount of olive oil in half with no problem.
I am one of those people who always has to have garlic bread with my pasta. I am not sure why that is, only that it is. I like to make my own. The ready made ones you buy in the shops just taste really foul to me. Yes, I AM a garlic bread snob.
Its such a simple thing really, making your own, and it tastes a bazillion times better! Mix together the butter, herbs, seasoning and half the cheese and spread it on the cut edges of a loaf you have cut in half horizontally. Then sprinkle on the remaining cheese, cut almost all the way into 2 inch thick slices, wrap in foil and bake. So yummy!
Its perfect for anytime really . . . with your pasta dinners, or even as an appetizer while you and your family or guests wait for the main course to be done. Oh, its even great with salads! And, simple really. Such a simple thing to do.
*Herbed Garlic Cheese Bread*Serves 8Printable Recipe
This is the perfect bread to go with dinner. It also makes a great appetizer while everyone is waiting for dinner. This also makes great use of all the fresh herbs in the garden when they are in season.
125g of butter at room temperature (1/2 cup)3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped90g freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)1 TBS finely chopped fresh basil1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme1/4 tsp fresh oregano leavesfine sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste1 large french loaf or sourdough loaf
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Have ready an oven tray and two very large sheets of aluminiun foil.
Cream together the butter, garlic, 1/2 of the cheese and all the herbs, salt and pepper. Cut your loaf of bread with a serrated knife in half horizontally through the middle. Spread half of the butter mixture onto each half loaf. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Using the same knife make cuts two inches apart down through each half loaf about 3/4of the way down, leaving it attached at the bottom.
Cover with the aluminum foil, leaving a gap at the top so that the cheese mixture doesn't touch the foil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, open up the foil and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Note - You can use dry herbs if you wish, just use roughly half of the amounts listed for each.
Pasta with a great sauce and crisp hot bread . . . this is heaven on earth to me. I dare say I am not alone in that! Bon Appetit!
