Quick and Easy Pasta
Pasta with cabbage and anchovies
As my polytunnel came down so the last of my cavolo nero came up. I grow Italian black cabbage under cover every year, it will, like swiss chard grow outdoors but I find it less open to attack indoors.
When I cook for myself I make it as easy as possible, I only do technical when I’m getting paid for it. Life is busy and I don’t want to spend an age cooking when only I am going to eat it. Now that Christmas is over I am back to hitting the weights again with a vengence and my appetite is back. I eat a lot of protein but now and then a bowl of carbs mixes things up a bit and gives the energy levels a boost.
Pasta is incredibly cheap, I don’t make it at home because I see no point. I know how to make fresh pasta but don’t pretend to make it for myself. My cavolo nero is even cheaper and combining the two makes a great winter supper.
Don’t get too hung up on the type of pasta to use, who keeps six or seven varieties ‘just in case’ ? Yes, there are different pastas for different dishes but I’m single, busy and tired from the gym so I’ll use what I’ve got.
Pan on for the pasta, boiling salted water with a drop of oil. Wide bottomed pan goes on for the sauce. A good glug of olive oil covers the surface and in goes a sliced onion and a pinch of dried chilli. As the onion cooks I shred the cabbage leaves, I’ve got some anchovies in oil and a few salted capers left in the fridge, they go in now. The anchovies begin to melt into the oil, the salt stays on the capers and saves me a seasoning job later.
Cabbage goes in with the onions, chilli, anchovy and capers, a few black peppercorns and fennel seeds get crushed with the pestle and mortar and goes over the cabbage. Pasta in the water, stir and cook rapidly. Once the cabbage has surrendered to the heat of the pan I add enough passata (Italian sieved tomatoes) to bring everything together. The pasta is drained and added to the cabbage along with some residual cooking water to thin the sauce slightly.
Mix it all together, balsamic vinegar and parmesan is an optional extra but a glass of something white, cold and crisp is a must.
Miles,
I’m really liking this style of recipe and cooking you’re beginning to show us.
How’s that for a simple, cheap and tasty recipe ?
It really does show you that you can eat healthily and cheaply as well as enjoying great tasting food.
I think it would be great if you kept these coming
Rod
January 19, 2008 @ 9:28 am
Miles,
surrendered to the heat of the pan … so you get two points today, one for this tasty treat and one for your prose.
I love the dark green cavolo nero, it’s a sculptural veg and must be packed with goodness.
Hark, no rain…. hope this means you are out and about enjoying the day. Have you been to Clumber Park?
Cid
January 19, 2008 @ 10:22 am
Rod,
It really is down to how I want to cook at home and what I want to eat. Will save the stuffed saddle of rabbit with langoustines and chorizo milk for another day!
Miles
January 19, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
Cid,
Thanks! cavolo nero is great, very easy to grow and to cook, especially good in soups by the way. Yes I have been out and about today, too overcast for photography and every time I parked the car and got out it began to threaten rain. Quite disappointing to be honest.
Miles
January 19, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
Miles,
.
It must be great to be able to grow cavolo nero and things like that. Slugs in my garden would think it is Christmas every day. Unfortunately, we do not have a polytunnel.
Cid, I think Miles needs to be transported to better climes. Downside is, we would miss our daily fix
January 19, 2008 @ 7:20 pm
Elsie,
Polytunnels are still prone to attack, it just seems less so for me (so far!)
Miles
January 19, 2008 @ 8:16 pm
Elsie,
I think he’s going to have to promise to take a laptop with him regardless of terrain…. the show must go on
Cid
January 20, 2008 @ 12:18 am