Fast Foodie Friday, Easy Pasta, DInner in minutes!

So I know I promised you guys easy dinner recipes, well I haven't forgotten. This one might be the easiest yet. This is one of those recipes where you might think, it's so simple/boring how could it be good? You will have to trust me and try it for yourself. It is amazing how delicious this dish is. All of the ingredients are showcased in the finished dish, so make sure you use high quality ingredients. That being said you probably have most of these ingredients on hand.

• Angel hair or cappelinni pasta
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil(no subs on this, vital to flavor)
• 1 large can of whole plum tomatoes
• kalamata olives
• garlic, thinly sliced not minced
• fresh basil
• Parmesan cheese the real deal not pre shredded or grated, you need a chunk.
• zucchini or other vegetable, optional.

This dish is fast and easy, you can have an impressive looking pasta on your table in 20 minutes! However, for the finished flavor to be impressive you need to follow these guidelines. Use a decent quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, it is part of the sauce so you will be tasting it. Also slicing the garlic vs. mincing make a difference in flavor! Sliced garlic will have less punch and be more mellow. The last thing that is very important is using a chunk of Parmesan, you need to shave thin sheets of parm onto your finished pasta, if you use grated Kraft bullshit parm or even preshredded, you might as well just not make this dish. Ok you get the idea now to the how to.

• Get your pasta water on the stove.
• open can of tomatoes and drain of extra juice, then crush with hands and drain of most of extra juice again. place tomatoes in bowl.
• add about 6 kalamata olives torn in half/or 12 halves.
• Julienne about 6 leaves of fresh basil and add to tomatoes
• thinly slice 2 cloves of garlic
• Then add about 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, I know it seems like a lot but Olive oil is heart healthy remember.
• Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Your sauce should look like this

• When your water is boiling add your pasta/about one fist full(make a circle with thumb and forefinger....that much)
• If using zucchini or other vegetable have it sauteed and ready in pan when you add pasta to water. If not using skip this step.
• Add all of your sauce to the saute pan, cook a few minutes.
• Your noodles should be al dente now take them directly from water to saute pan. Some water is ok it will add to your sauce.
• Cook together until liquid is absorbed by noodles.
• Plate and using a vegetable peeler shave a generous amount of Parmesan on top.

Enjoy!

Other Fast Foodie Friday Posts

•  Roasted Pork from Forgotton Skills Cookbook