Penne with Sugo
I love a light pasta with clearish or red sauce; when I was younger, I enjoyed creamy sauces as well, but not so much anymore. Including veggies was not a big deal back then, but today, veggies, olive oil, garlic and perhaps parmesano or romano, are my mainstays. Penne with Sugo1 is a simple recipe that can be prepared in about 30-45 minutes. I think if you like a simple healthy meal, this tasty and economical dish might suit.
Ingredients:
1/2 LB Penne Pasta1/2 Cup Cooked Diced Meat2,31 Diced Zucchini1 Cup Diced Yellow Onion1 TB Butter1 TB Olive Oil41/2 TSP Olive OilPinch of Garlic Powder5Pinch of SaltPepper to Taste1/2 to 1 Cup Water
Place medium to large sized, covered saucepan on stove pre-filled 2/3 with waterPlace large, covered frying pan on stove coated with most of olive oil or olive oil spray, and butterPut saucepan on medium high temperature, and frying pan on medium to medium low temperatureAdd 1/2 TSP of olive oil to the water in the saucepanAdd prepared onions, zucchini, meat, 1/2 cup of the water to the frying pan, and coverBy the time the vegetables are soft and tender, the water in the saucepan should be close to boiling (if the veggies are not by then to your liking, add the rest of the water and cook at very low heat for a few more minutes)Next, uncover the saucepan and stir the pasta into the boiling water carefully, then reduce heat to a low boil, so that the water doesn’t boil overReplace lid at a slight angle to allow air to escape a bit(Standard Penne Pasta should take about 10-15 minutes to) cook just beyond al dente (if desired)Turn off the veggies and meat in the frying panTurn off the pasta when done, and drain wellWith pasta in saucepan, mix in veggies & meat (drain veggies & meat, relative to taste and fat content desired)
serves 1-4 people.
1Sugo means, “Sauce”, in Italian
2 I had some leftover Southside Rib Tips from Famous Dave’s that I used in my recipe.
3 This dish works fine without the meat, for any vegetarians out there. I’m identifying more each day with vegetarianism, due to dental issues, overall feelings of well-being, taste, and to a degree, philosophy. Ribeye’s and sausages will probably be the last to go.
4 As a side note if your cupboard is absent the olive oil: I am not a big fan of alternatives such as canola oil; while I find they work well in some basic baked foods and pancakes, for most stovetop cooking, I’m all about the olives. If you don’t have olive oil, however, the garlic and onions may still win the day. I have cooked things like Frittata with canola oil, and it’s not quite as good, but the seasonings and veggies do lend a hand. I suppose with other ethnic cooking, oils like sesame, sunflower and ghee might make more sense.
5 Fresh garlic should always be better; I don’t always have it so I used McCormick garlic powder, which I have known to keep fresh for years.
[image error]Famous Dave’s Southside Rib Tips & Sweetwater Catfish Fingers Combo with Coleslaw, Mac ‘n’ Cheese and Cornbread Sides
(this post reblogged and revised from my 2019 post of the similar content)
