Penne Pasta with Peas

Video

Images

Ingredients/ Instructions

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion - diced
• a few thin slices prosciutto - chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• hot red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 lb frozen peas - thawed
• 1 15-oz can white beans - drained
• 14.5-oz box penne pasta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan - optional

Instructions

Step 1

Add 1 tbsp olive oil into a pot over med-high heat.
Add 1 diced onion.
Chop a few thin slices prosciutto, and add them in the pot.
Cook for about 5-6 minutes.

Step 2

Add 3 cloves minced garlic,
some fresh ground black pepper,
some hot red pepper flakes,
and a big pinch of salt.
Stir well.

Step 3

Add 6-8 cups chicken broth,
1 tsp dried thyme,
1/2 cup tomato sauce,
1 lb frozen peas - thawed,
and 1 15-oz can white beans - drained.
Bring it to a boil, stir well.
Adjust the flavor as needed.

Step 4

Then dump in the pasta. Boil for 6-7 minutes, turn off the heat.
Dump in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan.
Cover for 5-6 minutes.

Step 5

To serve, transfer the pasta to a serving plate or bowl, topped with some grated Parmesan cheese and hot red pepper flakes.

Comments

• John - Tue 02 Mar 2010 @ 15:10

  Inspired by Clara and her depression-era pasta and peas, I decided to do my own take on this meager macaroni. I hope I'm wrong, but I think the next big thing in the food world is going to be these types of "frugal fabulous" recipes. During this video recipe for penne pasta with peas and prosciutto you're going to see a few of the classic strategies for stretching those dwindling dollars. There's the pasta and beans (get used to seeing those), as well as the see-through width slice of meat (you could read the paper through it, if you could afford the paper). The hardest part about making this video was resisting the temptation to make the recipe better, but I really wanted to stay true to the mission of achieving maximum flavor and satisfaction, with a minimum of cost and ingredients. The result was a delicious, filling, cheap, and soulful bowl of food. Enjoy!