One of the most wonderful things about cooking is that you have the freedom to create whatever you'd like in the comfort of your own kitchen. Each ingredient is an expression of your unique style and taste. I like cooking all types of dishes, but my favorite thing to cook is Italian cuisine. Over the years I have fallen in love with the authentic herbs such as parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary, the art, the history, the culture, and the flavor of Italy. So, in my kitchen I like to take Italian inspired dishes, and put a twist on them to make them more complementary to my style of cooking.
Today, I was inspired to create a meal that was simple, full of flavor, and healthy to eat and came up with this dish:
Piccola Farfalle (Little Butterflies)
What you'll need:
Farfalle Pasta
1 medium sized (red or yellow) onion
2 tbs of Italian seasoning
2 tbs of (dried or fresh) parsley
2 tbs of dried red crushed pepper
2 tsp of black pepper
1 tsp of salt
1 block of extra sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbs of unsalted butter
1 bag of fresh spinach
3 tbs Classico brand mushroom and ripe olives pasta sauce
Directions:
What you want to do first is bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Note: Be sure to drizzle some extra virgin olive oil in the pot of water as well to make sure that the pasta doesn't stick to the pot. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, pour the box of farfalle pasta into the pot. Allow the pasta to cook for approximately 8-10 minutes or until tender. When the allotted time for the pasta is complete, drain the pasta, while running cold water over top of it to stop the pasta from cooking. Once drained, return the pasta to the pot. To the pasta add the salt and pepper along with one tablespoon of the butter over a low heat. Continue by adding the parsley,Italian seasoning, and red crushed peppers. Stir these ingredients first to make sure all of the pasta is coated. To this add the pasta sauce. Note: This is not a spaghetti dish what you are looking for here is a light pasta sauce coating over the faralle noodles. Add the roughly chopped onion to the mix, along with the spinach and shaved extra sharp cheddar to go over top of the pasta. Stir the mixture again, and allow the cheese to melt completely. Serve hot.
This meal is simple, but full of vibrant flavors, plus a little bit of kick, and it's super easy to make.
Bon Appetit
