So like I have said about 100 times by now we have just been crazy busy around here and it has been freezing, aside from a few strangely warm days thrown in to confuse us! So I have the added challenge of warming comfort food that is also quick and easy to make. So to me that means pasta! We usually don’t eat a ton of pasta around here but we do love it and there is little else as comforting to me as a nice warm bowl of pasta topped with cheese; well anything topped with cheese!
In the spirit of trying to be a little bit more healthy I have been trying to buy only whole grain or whole wheat pastas. For the most part this works out just fine and M can’t even tell the difference between white and wheat so that is good. I myself like the nutty taste of the whole grain pasta. The only problem I have is with variety. I usually can only find penne, elbow, spaghetti and little else. But I love fettuccine! Especially when I am in the mood for something other than red sauce. So I was thrilled when I found a fresh, whole grain pasta in my tiny little town. Add that to some canned artichokes I had in the pantry, a tomato that was on its way out, along with a few leftover garlic scapes I still had in the fridge and of course lots of cheese and you have yourself a quick and delicious warming winter meal!
Recipe:
1 lb or 1 container of Fettuccine, which ever kind you like I used a whole grain but spinach would be great too
1 can artichoke hearts quartered
1 tomato chopped
3-4 large cloves of garlic sliced Goodfello’s like
Small handful of fresh basil torn in small bits
1-2 garlic scapes chopped
olive oil
squeeze of fresh lemon (if you like)
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
In heavily salted water boil pasta al dente. Mean while in a large saute pan heat up a few turns of the pan of oil. When hot but not smoking add the garlic, saute for 30 seconds then add the artichokes and tomatoes and season with a little bit of salt and pepper. As soon as the pasta is done add directly into the saute pan with the artichokes, tomatoes and garlic. Finally add the torn basil leaves, the garlic scapes, and test for seasoning. Serve with an extra drizzle of olive oil a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (if you like) and top with as much cheese as you like. A restaurant meal in a matter of minutes!
