Quick Pasta Night

The Ohio City Pasta that we carry provides the canvas for a perfect last-minute meal. The rest of the ingredients are pretty typical staples. Want to make a vegetarian version? Add in some summer squash, zucchini, or mushrooms instead of the meat in the first step.

 Salt
 1 tbsp oil
 1 lb sausage (Italian, Pork, Lamb, Chicken or Turkey), or swap in vegetables instead (zucchini, squash, mushrooms, bell peppers, sliced fennel...)
 1/2 onion or shallot
 2 cloves garlic, sliced
 1# fresh pasta
 1/4 cup red wine (or 1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar)
 Heirloom tomato sauce (about 2 cups/1 pint)
 Greens (Spinach, Kale, Chard or other, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
 Butter (optional) to finish
 Grated hard cheese (for serving)

1

Bring a pot of salted water to boil while you're making the sauce. Give it a little extra water so it doesn't evaporate, but timing is everything here and boiling water takes a while. Use about a full tablespoon and 4-5 quarts of water.

2

In a high-sided skillet, heat up the oil and brown the meat (or veggies), breaking it up with a spoon as you go. If your meat is unseasoned, add in a little dried oregano and basil if you'd like. Once it's cooked through, remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

3

Remove all but 1 tbsp of oil from the skillet, and brown the onions until translucent over medium heat. Add in garlic, and then the wine (or vinegar.) Scrape up all cooked-on residue on the bottom of the pan, and let the alcohol will cook off a bit. Add in the tomato sauce, and reduce heat to low.

4

Drop the fresh pasta into the water, and cook following directions (2 minutes for fresh linguine.) Before you drain, dip in a mug and take out 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Then drain the rest of the pasta water.

5

Add the pasta into the skillet with the sauce along with a quarter cup or so of the pasta water. Add in the greens, and toss well, so the sauce starts sticks to the pasta. Optional to finish (add in at the end) with a pat of butter. Plate, and serve with grated cheese.

Ingredients

 Salt
 1 tbsp oil
 1 lb sausage (Italian, Pork, Lamb, Chicken or Turkey), or swap in vegetables instead (zucchini, squash, mushrooms, bell peppers, sliced fennel...)
 1/2 onion or shallot
 2 cloves garlic, sliced
 1# fresh pasta
 1/4 cup red wine (or 1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar)
 Heirloom tomato sauce (about 2 cups/1 pint)
 Greens (Spinach, Kale, Chard or other, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
 Butter (optional) to finish
 Grated hard cheese (for serving)

Directions

1

Bring a pot of salted water to boil while you're making the sauce. Give it a little extra water so it doesn't evaporate, but timing is everything here and boiling water takes a while. Use about a full tablespoon and 4-5 quarts of water.

2

In a high-sided skillet, heat up the oil and brown the meat (or veggies), breaking it up with a spoon as you go. If your meat is unseasoned, add in a little dried oregano and basil if you'd like. Once it's cooked through, remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

3

Remove all but 1 tbsp of oil from the skillet, and brown the onions until translucent over medium heat. Add in garlic, and then the wine (or vinegar.) Scrape up all cooked-on residue on the bottom of the pan, and let the alcohol will cook off a bit. Add in the tomato sauce, and reduce heat to low.

4

Drop the fresh pasta into the water, and cook following directions (2 minutes for fresh linguine.) Before you drain, dip in a mug and take out 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Then drain the rest of the pasta water.

5

Add the pasta into the skillet with the sauce along with a quarter cup or so of the pasta water. Add in the greens, and toss well, so the sauce starts sticks to the pasta. Optional to finish (add in at the end) with a pat of butter. Plate, and serve with grated cheese.

Quick Pasta Night

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