Hands up who would rather be without the weeknight dinner rush?
Those frantic 60 plus minutes every afternoon where you are all starving and tired and the homework is hanging over you and really; you would just rather stick a frozen pizza in the oven or go fetch a take-out.
Well, step away from the phone and put down the Domino’s menu; we have got you covered. Here are three super-quick and crazy tasty pasta recipes that will have dinner on the table in 15 minutes flat. (And who doesn’t love pasta?!)
1. Penne all’arrabbiata
This dish is perfect for this nights when you are too tired and hungry to do anything other than throw some pasta in some boiling water, open up a can of peeled tomatoes, grate a bit of cheese and sink onto the sofa (glass of wine optional!).
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 fresh red chili, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 240 grams (1 can- 8.4 ounces ) peeled canned tomatoes
- salt, to taste
- 200 grams (7 ounces) ridged penne
- parsley, finely chopped
- Pecorino (or parmesan) cheese, grated
Instructions
- Chop the garlic and chili.
- Chop the canned peeled tomatoes or crashed them with a fork.
- Over medium heat, warm the olive oil in a large pan.
- Add the chopped garlic and chili and sauté for a couple of minutes or until the garlic becomes golden. Golden not burned!
- Then add the tomatoes, stir and season with salt.
- Simmer until reduced slightly, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water. Follow your package cooking times.
- Drain the pasta and add to the sauce.
- Stir well and let it cook in the sauce for 1 minutes.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle the penne all’arrabbiata with parsley and give it a quick stir.
- Serve with a generous amount of grated Pecorino (or parmesan) cheese.
- Enjoy!
Recipe via Aseasyasapplepie.com
2. Goat Cheese Lemon Pasta with Kale
Super-fresh and full of flavor, this pasta dish should be added to your weekly rota pronto!
Ingredients
12 ounces pasta (farfalle is great for this dish)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
Zest of 1 large lemon
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 small bunch kale (about 5 cups), coarsely chopped, stems removed
5 ounces goat cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add a dash of crushed red pepper flakes. Stir in the chopped kale. Stir and add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Cook until kale leaves are wilted and tender.
3. Carefully drain the pasta. Return to pot. Crumble the goat cheese over the hot pasta and stir until creamy. Add the kale/lemon mixture. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.
Recipe via Twopeasandtheirpod.com
3. Cacio e Pepe
This recipe is pretty much proof that simpler IS always better. A true Italian classic, this one is also a total crowd-pleaser, so don’t be afraid to serve it up if you are having guests over too.
Ingredients
1 pound dried spaghetti pasta
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into three pieces
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, more for topping
1 tbsp. ground black pepper, more for topping
Salt, to taste
Instructions
In a large pot, boil water and cook spaghetti according to instructions on the box.
Remove and drain well. Place pasta and large bowl and place the bits of butter on top and toss to melt.
Toss with parmesan cheese, ground black pepper and (if needed) salt.
Enjoy!
Recipe via Tablefortwoblog.com