Elegant and easy!
People love smart phones. Why? Because they also serve as an alarm clock, a flashlight, a camera, calculator, a computer, a record store (remember those?) and so much more. It's the ultimate handy multi-tool.
If you can boil water, you make this!
Think of Perfect Pantry Pasta as the smart phone of recipes. It's an elegant main dish, a creative side dish, a recipe to take to a gathering or tailgate. If that weren't enough to convince you, it's also easy on the wallet, takes 20 minutes and is made with freezer and pantry staples.
If you can boil water, you can make this! One pot, one bowl make it quick to clean up too!
Perfect Pantry Pasta is a colorful combination of briny olives, roasted red peppers and bright green peas. I had neighbors sample this, and they couldn't guess the secret ingredient - a tin of anchovies that melt into the dish. Only the rich umami flavor comes through and pairs nicely with the bright lemony Mediterranean flavors. Even anchovy pizza haters will love this dish! (You can always make this for any vegetarians by leaving out the anchovies.)
I had neighbors sample this, and they couldn't guess the secret ingredient.
For pasta, we used good quality organic Italian torchietti ("little torches") to grab the sauce, but any hardy pasta will do. (Think penne rather than capellini.)
I can't say enough about buying great pasta. For a buck or two more a box, it makes a difference. The peas cook with the pasta, so both come out at the same time.
For the sauce, here’s a great cooking hack. Warm the bowl first with hot water and dry it. Then make the sauce right in the warm bowl. No need to cook a separate sauce. Chop or mash the anchovies in the bowl with the minced raw garlic and the cream cheese. The hot pasta will soften and "cook" the garlic and "melt" the anchovies and cream cheese. Then add the other ingredients and toss. The dish comes together in minutes.
Interested in more pasta dishes, then whip up our Artichokes & Browned Scallops Pasta.
Perfect Pantry Pasta
Recipe Ingredients
Everything you'll need for this delicious recipe is below.
Serves 6 depending on portion size
1 box good quality pasta
1 tin anchovies (drained and chopped fine)
1 16 oz jar roasted red peppers (drained and chopped)
1 16 oz. bag frozen English peas
1 8oz whipped cream cheese or onion cream cheese (softened)
3/4 c black Kalamata olives (whole, drained)
2 T fresh dill and more to garnish
2 t salt (one teaspoon for the pasta water, one to go in the dish)
3/4 t pepper
Dash nutmeg
1 clove fresh garlic minced
1 lemon (zest first and then juice)
1/2 t red pepper flakes (optional if you want more heat)
1- 1 1/2 c ground or grated good parmesan cheese
Preparation Instructions
1. In a big pot, heat 3 quarts of water until boiling for pasta.
2. While waiting for that to boil, finely chop drained anchovies and fresh garlic. Set aside.
3. Drain roasted peppers and rough chop.
2. Add 1 t salt to the pot of boiling water
3. Add pasta to boiling water and cook pasta until al dente (firm but not hard) according to package directions.
4. During the last 6 minutes of cooking time for the pasta, add frozen peas into the water with the boiling pasta.
5. You may need to turn up the heat or put a lid on the pot to get it back to boiling because the peas will cool the pasta water.
6. While that's boiling, warm the serving bowl.
7. For mine, I warmed a big stainless steel bowl with boiling water. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes and then poured it out.
8. To the warmed boil, add the finely chopped garlic, anchovies and the softened cream cheese. (If you forget to soften the cream cheese, you can put it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, but don't overdo it. It should be soft to melt into the pasta.)
8. When pasta and peas are ready, pour contents into a colander, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water in a measuring cup.
8. Shake the peas and pasta to remove some of the excess water.
9. Immediately, pour the damp pasta and peas over the garlic, anchovies and cream cheese.
10. This will melt the cream cheese and anchovies while softening the garlic.
11. Add the lemon zest, juice, 1 t salt, pepper.
12. Mix to coat the cream cheese over the pasta.
13. Add the chopped roasted red peppers and olives and dill.
14. Toss to mix and serve.
15. If the pasta seems a little dry, drizzle some of the pasta water on it to moisten.
16. Garnish with more dill.
17. Serve with plenty of parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes for those who would like it
spicier.
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