{September 9, 2013}
Italian Wonderpot Pasta

Italian Wonderpot Pasta

I used this recipe. I love creamy pasta and marinara pasta, but I didn’t feel like either and I wanted something that was kinda “light.” This pasta fits the bill!

I made the mistake of using stewed tomatoes and adding in the original amount of herbs called for in the recipe together. The stewed tomatoes are a great addition compared to plain diced tomatoes, but stewed tomatoes are seasoned with herbs and stuff already….so I felt like it made the pasta little bit of an herby overkill. However, apparently my entire family loved it, which is a really rare occasion! So…I don’t know! Maybe it’s not too herby after all?

I added some Italian sausage that I broke up and cooked into the pasta as well, so that definitely added some more flavor. Next time I might saute extra garlic in some olive oil and drizzle the olive oil over the pasta to have more garlic taste, since I didn’t taste any distinct garlic in there.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s all in one pot and you just boil away, so besides the prep work, it feels so much more convenient. I have to remember next time to really scrape the bottom of the pot, though. It ended up a little burnt, and burnt herbs do not smell/taste good. I guess this recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz. fettuccine
8 oz. frozen chopped spinach
1 28oz. can diced tomatoes
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 Tbsp dried basil
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2 oz. shaved Parmesan

Add four cups of vegetable broth to a large pot. Break the fettuccine in half and add it to the pot along with the canned tomatoes (with juices), olive oil, frozen spinach, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper.

Make sure the ingredients are submerged under the liquid, place a lid on top of the pot, and then turn the heat on to high. Allow the pot to come up to a full boil over high heat, then remove the lid and turn the heat down to medium.

Allow the pot to continue to boil over medium heat, without a lid, for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir the pot every few minutes as it cooks to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom, but avoid over stirring which can cause the pasta to become sticky.

Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan just before serving.