Friday, January 24, 2014

One-Pan Pasta

Every once in a while I get the privilege of staying with a youth from my church when their parents need to be out of town.  (We also house-sit like it's our job, but that's another story...)

Last night I was with a young woman named Lily.  She plays basketball and volleyball, and we learned that we like a lot of the same TV shows and both dream of going to Paris.  Lily feels like a rare kid in the world of Middle School.  I never had to ask her to do anything.  She cleaned up after herself, did her homework, and even got herself to bed on time.  

I knew it would be a little bit weird for her to have me there but I wanted to at least start off our time together with a good meal.  I also wanted that meal to be simple because the point was not to impress her with fancy food but to have some quality time at the table.

Enter one-pan pasta.



If you have a pan and a knife you can chop with, you can make this dish.  It's super easy and delicious with a surprising little kick.  

I whipped this meal up last night and I had a great time getting to know an awesome young lady.  Why I get blessed with these experiences, I don't know, but I'm grateful.

One Pan Pasta
Total Time: less than a 1/2 hour
Serves 4


Ingredients
  • 12 oz. linguine (I used whole wheat)
  • 12 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I'm not sure this matters as much as Martha wants it to.)
  • 1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes
  • 2 sprigs fresh basil, plus more for serving
  • 2 tsp coarse salt
  • 4 1/2 cups water
Add all your ingredients to a skillet.  

Bring to a boil over high heat.  Boil for about 9 minutes, or until pasta is al dente, turning and stirring the pasta frequently with tongs.

Take pan off heat and let sit two minutes so sauce can thicken.

Serve with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.


This super simple pasta dish is satisfying and fantastic the next day for lunch.  If you're brand new to cooking, this is the perfect dish to whip up to impress your friends and loved ones!

Bon appetit!



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