A Squared: What's For Dinner Wednesday: Spicy Pepper & Olive Pasta

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

What's For Dinner Wednesday: Spicy Pepper & Olive Pasta

This simple pasta dish was born from leftover ingredients in my refrigerator and has become one of my husband's new favorites. Easy, uses up leftovers, and Alex loves it? Dinner success!


This pasta dish reminds me a bit of a puttanesca sauce. It has the sweet and savory taste of tomato and garlic and the briny flavor of olives, minus the capers-- an ingredient that I just can't get behind. I also added a splash of white wine, which is one of my favorite ways to add flavor to a simple pasta sauce. Red bell peppers add nice sweetness and the key ingredient here-- spicy picante green olives (Dellalo brand from my grocery's deli department)-- give the pasta some great heat. Topped with mini mozzarella pearls, it's a complete meal full of bold flavors.


This dish is super easy to make, it's a one skillet dinner, and it made my husband very happy. I know a meal is good when we fight over who gets to take the leftovers for lunch.


Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. dry rotini (or any other short cut pasta)
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, ribs removed
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 Tbs. butter
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch dice
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
  • 1/3 cup picante green olives, pitted and thinly sliced
  • 8-10 basil leaves, thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls

Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and set aside.

To roast bell peppers: Preheat the broiler. Flatten pepper pieces skin side up onto a foil-lined metal baking sheet.  Broil until skin is blackened and blistered.  Transfer peppers immediately to a medium sized bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Set aside and let peppers cool, about 10-15 minutes.  Peel the skin from the outside of each pepper and discard the skins. Dice peppers into 1/2-inch pieces.

In a large skillet, heat 1/2 Tbs. olive oil and the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and saute-- stirring often-- for 10 minutes until softened, but not browned. Add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook for another 8-10 minutes, until tomatoes soften and begin to break down. Pour in reserved pasta water as needed if the pan mixture becomes dry.

Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in olives and peppers, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and toss with pasta and basil. Serve warm, topping with mozzarella. 


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