This is a really simple, flavorful, and healthy pasta dish to prepare. But as usual the recipe is not carved in stone. Add or subtract the ingredients you like. I happen to like fish, so I made it with salmon. But this could easily be made with chicken instead, or even vegetarian. The simple recipe is below.
Tag Archives: Pasta Recipe
Pasta with Broccoli, Garlic, Oil, and Other Good Things…
Spaghetti con broccoli, aglio, olio e brodo…
I haven’t posted this in a while but I made it for dinner tonight and thought I would. It is so simple but yet so delicious. Substitute any vegetable for the broccoli.
Spaghetti con broccoli, aglio, olio e brodo
(Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil, Broccoli, and Chicken Broth)
Yield: 4 servings
½ pound spaghetti
¼ cup virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed hot pepper
1 cup chicken broth
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 large head broccoli, chopped
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Cook the spaghetti and drain it. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet with the garlic and hot pepper flakes. When the garlic just starts to change color add the chicken broth and salt. Cook the broth for one minute, until it reduces by half, and then add the broccoli. Toss the broccoli for a few minutes. Add the cooked spaghetti, and stir it until thoroughly coated with the other ingredients. Stir in the cheese just before serving.
Pasta for a winter’s eve…
If you’ve been to this blog before then you know a few things about me. One is that I like one-pot meals such as rice or pasta…especially pasta. And this is a good example. I’ve been ill for the past few days (a cold) and actually took the day off work yesterday, which is unlike me. But while being self-sequestered at home had difficulty doing absolutely nothing, so I did something that nourishes both body and soul…I cooked, and also baked bread. Checking my fridge I came up with the ingredients for this dish and it turned out to be just what I needed…perfect comfort food for a winter’s evening. And as usual, this recipe is simply a guide and not a blueprint…it is really just a sort of elaborate variation of the many aglio e olio recipes posted on this blog. Add or remove whichever ingredients you have at hand or suit your taste.
Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Kale
Serves 2-4
½ pound whole wheat spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 cups kale, coarsely chopped
3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
2 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Boil the spaghetti al dente, drain, and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or shallow sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and sautes them until they begin to brown, then add the garlic and hot pepper and saute another minute or two. Stir in the kale and sun-dried tomatoes, coating it with the oil and seasonings, then add the broth and salt. Bring the broth to a boil then lower it to a simmer. Simmer the broth for 5-10 minutes, or until it reduces by two-thirds and is concentrated in both flavor and viscosity. Add the cooked spaghetti and simmer it while stirring gently for a minute or two, allowing flavors to permeate the pasta. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese.
Pasta for a winter’s eve…
If you’ve been to this blog before then you know a few things about me. One is that I like one-pot meals such as rice or pasta…especially pasta. And this is a good example. I’ve been ill for the past few days (a cold) and actually took the day off work yesterday, which is unlike me. But while being self-sequestered at home had difficulty doing absolutely nothing, so I did something that nourishes both body and soul…I cooked, and also baked bread. Checking my fridge I came up with the ingredients for this dish and it turned out to be just what I needed…perfect comfort food for a winter’s evening. And as usual, this recipe is simply a guide and not a blueprint…it is really just a sort of elaborate variation of the many aglio e olio recipes posted on this blog. Add or remove whichever ingredients you have at hand or suit your taste.
Penne Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Twice-Cooked Garlic
This is such an easy summertime recipe you’ll want to make it all the time, especially if you have your own victory garden. It’s bursting with flavor and it comes from the vine-ripe tomatoes, twice cooked garlic, and herbs. And the best part is that the entire dish can be prepared in about 20 minutes (if you are somewhat organized). I finished the dish with a liberal sprinkling of crushed hot pepper and grated Parmesan cheese (which are not reflected in the recipe).
Penne Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Twice-Cooked Garlic
Serves 4
½ pound whole wheat penne pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
3 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch basil, chopped
Cook the penne in plenty of boiling water, then drain it and set it aside. Combine the olive oil and garlic in a sauce pot over medium heat and cook the garlic slowly for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the garlic from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pot. Turn the heat up to medium high, and add the diced onion and pepper to the hot oil. Cook the onions and peppers for a few minutes. While the onions and peppers are cooking, mince the cooked garlic. When the onions and peppers just begin to brown add the garlic back to the pot and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth, and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower to a simmer, and cook the sauce until it reduces by about half and becomes slightly thick. Add the pasta to the sauce, gently turning it to coat it evenly and to reheat it. Then stir in the basil and parsley and remove the pot from the heat.
Penne Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Twice-Cooked Garlic
Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Asparagus Aglio e Olio!
So this is yet another rendition of cooking vegetables (and usually pasta) aglio e olio, or with garlic and oil (and hot pepper and chicken broth). The recipe below contains broccoli but today I made it with asparagus (’tis the season). Substitute whatever vegetable(s) that you like or have at hand. This recipe is so delicious and so easy to make. And to make it completely vegetarian simply replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. For other variations on this recipe, click here.
Spaghetti alla Aglio e Olio con Broccoli in Brodo
(Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil, Broccoli, and Chicken Broth)
Makes 4 servings
3/4 pounds spaghetti
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Cook the spaghetti and drain it. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet with the garlic and hot pepper flakes. When the garlic just starts to change color add the chicken broth and salt. Cook the broth for one minute, until it reduces by half, and then add the broccoli. Toss the broccoli for a few minutes. Add the cooked spaghetti, and stir it until thoroughly coated with the other ingredients. Stir in the cheese just before serving.
Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Asparagus Aglio e Olio!
So this is yet another rendition of cooking vegetables (and usually pasta) aglio e olio, or with garlic and oil (and hot pepper and chicken broth). The recipe below contains broccoli but today I made it with asparagus (’tis the season). Substitute whatever vegetable(s) that you like or have at hand. This recipe is so delicious and so easy to make. And to make it completely vegetarian simply replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. For other variations on this recipe, click here.
Spaghetti alla Aglio e Olio con Broccoli in Brodo
(Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil, Broccoli, and Chicken Broth)
Macaroni al forno con cavolfiori…
I posted this recipe about a month ago but made it again for dinner yesterday. It is so easy and delicious I thought I’d re-post it. Now if you’ll excuse me I think I’ll go have some leftovers.
Baked Macaroni with Caramelized Cauliflower and Two Cheeses
Make four small or two large servings
1 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ head cauliflower, sliced
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed hot pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
2 ounces grated Parmesan
Preheat an oven to 400F. Boil the macaroni al dente, drain it, and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet, then add the cauliflower and onion. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and hot pepper; cook a couple minutes longer. Stir in the tomato sauce, bring it to a boil and simmer it for a minute or so, then remove the pan from the heat. Carefully fold in the macaroni and most of the cheese. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese across the top of the macaroni, then bake it for about 15 or 20 minutes, or until the macaroni is thoroughly heated and the top is brown and crispy.
Macaroni al forno con cavolfiori…
I posted this recipe about a month ago but made it again for dinner yesterday. It is so easy and delicious I thought I’d re-post it. Now if you’ll excuse me I think I’ll go have some leftovers.
Baked Macaroni with Caramelized Cauliflower and Two Cheeses (yum!)
Okay. So this is really delicious. How delicious is it, you may ask? Well if you notice in the servings I wrote that it makes either four small or two large portions. When I first put it in the oven I looked at it and thought it would easily serve four, but when it came out it was so delicious I ate half of it.
Anyhow, as usual this is just a guide…use different ingredients or interchange them. I just happened to have some cauliflower in my cooler I needed to use up. You can also multiply this recipe, or make extra because leftovers are equally good.
Baked Macaroni with Caramelized Cauliflower and Two Cheeses
Make four small or two large servings
1 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ head cauliflower, sliced
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed hot pepper
1 tomato sauce
2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
2 ounces grated Parmesan
Preheat an oven to 400F. Boil the macaroni al dente, drain it, and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet, then add the cauliflower and onion. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and hot pepper; cook a couple minutes longer. Stir in the tomato sauce, bring it to a boil and simmer it for a minute or so, then remove the pan from the heat. Carefully fold in the macaroni and most of the cheese. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese across the top of the macaroni, then bake it for about 15 or 20 minutes, or until the macaroni is thoroughly heated and the top is brown and crispy.
Baked Macaroni with Caramelized Cauliflower and Two Cheeses (yum!)
Okay. So this is really delicious. How delicious is it, you may ask? Well if you notice in the servings I wrote that it makes either four small or two large portions. When I first put it in the oven I looked at it and thought it would easily serve four, but when it came out it was so delicious I ate half of it.
Anyhow, as usual this is just a guide…use different ingredients or interchange them. I just happened to have some cauliflower in my cooler I needed to use up. You can also multiply this recipe, or make extra because leftovers are equally good.
Spicy, Baked, and Cheesy (Yum!)
So here is another recipe that is super easy to make but bursting with flavor. It’s really just a sort of Mediterranean-style macaroni-and-cheese. The key flavor techniques are browning the vegetables (making a sort of sofrito), reducing the chicken broth for concentrated flavor, and allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce so it absorbs flavor as well. If you want to make this vegetarian you can replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. This makes a great main course or side dish. Anyhow, here’s the recipe in words and pictures.
Spicy Baked Whole-Wheat Macaroni with Caramelized Vegetables, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Two Cheeses
Makes two large portions or four side dishes.
1 cup whole-wheat macaroni (about 4 ounces)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed hot pepper
8 sun dried tomatoes, diced (about ½ cup)
1½ cups chicken broth
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup shredded white cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
Preheat an oven to 425F.
Cook the pasta al dente in a pot of salted water, then drain it and set it aside.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion, carrot, and bell pepper. Cook the vegetables, while stirring or tossing, for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to brown.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then stir in the hot pepper and sun dried tomatoes; cook for another minuter or two.
Stir in the chicken broth and salt, bring it to a boil, then lower it to a simmer.
Cook the sauce for about 5 minutes, or until it has reduced by about half.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and cook it in the sauce for a couple minutes while gently folding it with a spoon to allow flavors to absorb. Fold half of the cheddar and Parmesan into the pasta and sprinkle the remainder over the top. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the top is crispy and lightly browned.
Spicy, Baked, and Cheesy (Yum!)
So here is another recipe that is super easy to make but bursting with flavor. It’s really just a sort of Mediterranean-style macaroni-and-cheese. The key flavor techniques are browning the vegetables (making a sort of sofrito), reducing the chicken broth for concentrated flavor, and allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce so it absorbs flavor as well. If you want to make this vegetarian you can replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. This makes a great main course or side dish. Anyhow, here’s the recipe in words and pictures.
Pasta d’oro con fagioli
This is an easy and delicious variation on the classic pasta dish, pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans), which is often meatless but when it does contain meat it is usually pork. In this particular recipe I used smoked turkey which offers some of the smokiness of bacon or other pork products. I also added a healthy pinch of saffron, which gives it its lovely golden hue (hence the d’oro title). As usual, this recipe is not carved in stone and is just a suggestion; use whichever flavor combinations you like. And while this recipe is scaled to serve a crowd it can be halved (or quartered) and freezes well also. But something tells me that after a taste there will be no need to freeze it…
This is way more fun than cutting a lawn…
It has been more than ten years since I tore up my teeny front lawn and planted a teeny vegetable garden which yields big results. And over the years it–the garden–has spread to other areas around the house; the side and rear, mainly. But this year–because of various reasons–I have only planted the front yard garden…sort of getting back to basics. It’s doing well and tonight was the first significant haul of the season…broccoli. It is so satisfying picking the broccoli and cooking it just feet from where it grew and remembering when you planted it (I could go on). At any rate, I’ve posted this recipe numerous times prior but it is one f my favorite. It is simple, nutritious, and really easy to make. If you haven’t made this yet I hope you give it a try.
Penne alla aglio e olio con broccoli in brodo
(Penne with Garlic, Oil, Broccoli, and Chicken Broth)
Farfalline with Asparagus, Tomatoes, Chicken Broth, Saffron, Garlic Confit, and Fontinella
This is a continuation of a previous post regarding garlic confit…here’s an example of a recipe in which I used it. I made this for staff lunch at work yesterday. At first glance this may look complicated but it is really very simple…and really delicious. Other than the chicken broth this recipe is meatless but it would go really well with seafood or poultry. This is also a restaurant-quality recipe that can be made in your home kitchen for a fraction of the cost. If I were only allowed one word to describe this dish it would be: Flavor (and the accompanying sound would be: Mmmm…)
Verdure aglio e olio (due ricette)
Okay. By now–if you’ve been to this blog before–you know that I like things cooked with olive oil and garlic. A lot. I could eat it in variation nearly every day…and I almost do. I posted a similar recipe about a month ago but this combo was too good not to share…whole wheat penne with broccoli aglio e olio, layered with spaghetti squash cooked in the same fashion. I also used extra garlic and hot pepper in the recipe and a liberal dousing of Parmesan to finish it. Yum. I just ate but I salivate at it’s remembrance. Anyhow, the recipe for the penne and broccoli is below (substitute penne for the spaghetti, and vegetable broth for the chicken broth if you want to keep it vegetarian). To see how to cook, shred, and saute a butternut squash in this fashion (with pics and step-by-step instructions), see this post. For multiple recipes on cooking nearly anything aglio e olio, click here.
Spaghetti alla Aglio e Olio con Broccoli in Brodo
(Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil, Broccoli, and Chicken Broth)
A Really Simple (but Superbly Delicious) Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe with Homemade Whole Wheat Noodles
What is it about chicken soup? Even when I go through one of my “very-little-meat” phases I still welcome and crave this simple food. It’s a sort of cultural phenomenon…every culture and nationality has their own version of this humble dish. One of my favorite names for this recipe is “Jewish Penicillin,” making reference to its supposed properties to cure the common cold. And historically speaking it is likely one of the oldest recipes…next to cooking over a live fire, putting things in a vessel and boiling them is one of the oldest known cooking methods. There are plenty of ways to make this dish, and a seemingly endless variety of ingredients one can use, but this is a version I made the other day. It is easy and delicious. The homemade noodles were an added bonus, but if you want to make the recipe and use store-bought (or none at all) it will be equally delicious. This is also a good Base recipe,” meaning one in which you can add or subtract flavorings or ingredients to make it your own. The addition of chilies would make this interesting, as would a bit of fresh ginger and soy for an Oriental flare. More garlic, a splash of lemon, and a few sprigs of cilantro (and a sprinkling of curry) would give it a distinctive Near East flavor. You get the picture. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go have a second bowl of soup…