I saw this recipe for Pantry Pasta a few weeks ago and thought it looked simple and interesting enough to give it a try. I'll be honest that no one around here is a big olive fan, but the other ingredients were enough to convince me to try it anyhow - and I'm glad we did!
It came together quickly and easily and had a mature flavor that I was certain my daughter would hate. I didn't even have to question my husband who pretty much avoids most mainstream foods. But to my surprise, everyone not only enjoyed it, but told me to keep it on the regular rotation. Not too shabby!
I sadly did not take many photos of this dish because I really had zero intentions of sharing it, but once I got rolling, and I could see it come together and it smelled amazing, I grabbed my camera and shot a few quick pics.
The prep work on this dish is minimal, a diced half of an onion, some slivered pepperoncini. I had to pit a few olives but that was easy considering I have a tool that will do 4 at once. I grabbed some basil leaves form the garden and tore them into smaller chunks and I took the casing off of a package of sweet Italian links. I got the water boiling to par-cook my pasta and after that, I was pretty much in business.
The oil goes on the pan first to cook and crumble the sausage. Once done and starting to crisp, it's pulled out of the fat with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain. The onion, garlic and olives go into the pan to soften - then the tomatoes.
I let them cook for about 2 or 3 minutes and then I used the back of my wooden spoon to smash them a bit. Once the tomato juices thickened a bit, I added the sausage, par-cooked pasta and about 3/4 cup of reserved pasta water. I cooked this for a few minutes, making sure the pasta was well coated so that it could continue cooking to al dente. Once it did and the sauce dried up a bit, I added the pepperoncini slices, the cooked sausage and another 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water, stirring to blend well. As I tossed the mixture, I added the last ingredients, about a 1/2 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese and 2 tablespoons of butter.
i removed the pan from the heat and stirred in the basil leaves. We plated the meal and added more cheese. We all agreed, it would have been equally excellent with a few shakes of crushed red pepper, if you were in the mood for a little heat.
In all, this Pantry Pasta was pretty much awesome! It had a great balance of flavor and tasted rich and delicious. It made for a fantastic lunch but I wouldn't hesitate to serve it to guests with a tossed salad and fresh garlic bread. You don't want to miss this one!
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