Here's a quick meal that combines the Italian and Chinese influences in our family. You can make it in half an hour using vegetables on hand and a pack of pasta - rotini twists like these, or penne or even elbows. Use green vegetables like broccoli or green beans. Patchoi (Chinese greens) is a good pairing because the pasta soaks up the patchoi liquids and the patchoi melts down into flavourful green patches. Mushrooms are a great addition. The deep flavour for this dish comes from sauteed onion, garlic, ginger and pimento. Use your judgement to estimate how much of anything you add. This recipe is for two to four depending on what else you may have in the meal.
Pasta, rotini or penne, 8 ounces or 250 gms
Patchoi, bundle (one or two heads), sliced to one inch lengths across the leaves
Onion, whole medium, sliced
Pimentos, three or four
Garlic, two or three cloves crushed
Ginger, small piece, finely sliced
Olive oil, three or four tablespoons
Button mushrooms, 8 ounces, sliced
Broccoli, small head, sliced and cut up (optional)
Green beans, trimmed to one inch pieces (optional)
Salt, half teaspoon or to taste
Put water to boil for the pasta with some salt. This usually takes about seven minutes.
At the same time, you can heat a large pot, add olive oil with ginger, garlic, onion and pimentos. Add half teaspoon salt. You can saute at medium heat until onions just start to carmelize. Add mushrooms and reduce heat while the pasta is boiling. Add patchoi just before you add pasta.
When the water is boiling, add pasta and allow to boil to al dente - firm not soggy. In the last two minutes, add the broccoli or green beans. Drain in a large colander. Reserve half cup of water just in case you may need to add it to pasta.
Add patchoi to the mushrooms just before you add pasta and broccoli or green beans. Saute on medium to high heat until patchoi has wilted.
Serve immediately with or without freshly grated parmesan. (I like my pasta patchoi without the cheese.)
Pasta, rotini or penne, 8 ounces or 250 gms
Patchoi, bundle (one or two heads), sliced to one inch lengths across the leaves
Onion, whole medium, sliced
Pimentos, three or four
Garlic, two or three cloves crushed
Ginger, small piece, finely sliced
Olive oil, three or four tablespoons
Button mushrooms, 8 ounces, sliced
Broccoli, small head, sliced and cut up (optional)
Green beans, trimmed to one inch pieces (optional)
Salt, half teaspoon or to taste
Put water to boil for the pasta with some salt. This usually takes about seven minutes.
At the same time, you can heat a large pot, add olive oil with ginger, garlic, onion and pimentos. Add half teaspoon salt. You can saute at medium heat until onions just start to carmelize. Add mushrooms and reduce heat while the pasta is boiling. Add patchoi just before you add pasta.
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| Sauted onions, garlic, ginger, pimentos is a flavourful start to pasta dishes! |
When the water is boiling, add pasta and allow to boil to al dente - firm not soggy. In the last two minutes, add the broccoli or green beans. Drain in a large colander. Reserve half cup of water just in case you may need to add it to pasta.
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| Pre cook your broccoli in the last two minutes for the boiling pasta |
Add patchoi to the mushrooms just before you add pasta and broccoli or green beans. Saute on medium to high heat until patchoi has wilted.
Serve immediately with or without freshly grated parmesan. (I like my pasta patchoi without the cheese.)
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| Tenderly cooked patchoi and mushrooms add healthful flavour to pasta. |
Looks healthy
ReplyDeleteYour pasta dishes look so delicious,yummy!!!...I make these pasta dishes with seasonal vegies,...but I cheat,...I put the vegetables in the boiling pasta about 2 minutes before it's cooked,.then drain...I normally keep seasoned olive oil with seasonings like garlic, hot pepper, bay leaf,herbs, capers etc, I put on 1 tablespoon, over the pasta....the oil is good to keep also for salads....
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