Tag: pasta recipes one person

Pasta alla Norma with Eggplant

Summer is now in full force, and I got some lovely tomatoes and eggplant from the Greenmarket, as well as fresh pasta and fresh mozzarella cheese from the Italian market. Inspiration struck, and I thought I’d put them together to make pasta alla norma (pasta with eggplant) and add a caprese salad.

Caprese salad is simply fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, and basil leaves. It’s an easy summer side dish that requires no cooking at all.

Pasta alla norma is  slightly spicy pasta with fresh eggplant, and tomato sauce, topped with manchego cheese. This is a great meal when you’re in a hurry, as it’s pretty easy to throw together.

And, since we’re only making one serving (and using tomato sauce instead of the original whole tomatoes, the cooking time is cut from nearly an hour to about 25 minutes. If you don’t have tomato sauce, use canned crushed tomatoes and add garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, and dried oregano to get the same effect.

The original recipe (from the New York Times) called for lots and lots of olive oil.  I think the term they used was “abundant” olive oil.  I love olive oil, but so does eggplant. It just slurps it up! However, I found that by cooking the eggplant on a low flame, it used a lot less olive than it would otherwise.

If you’re really concerned about the oil, you can drizzle the eggplant with it, and then roast it at 400 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes.




 

Caprese Salad

This is so simple, it’s hardly a recipe at all.  Just layer slices of fresh tomato, fresh unsalted mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves.  Top with a generous drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Skip the sat if you get salted mozzarella (unless you prefer salty food).

More Eggplant Recipes

vegetarian eggplant sandwichVegetarian Eggplant Sandwich for One Person

Transform a side dish salad into a full meal in minutes. This sandwich starts with Israeli salad and builds layers of flavor from eggplant, hummus, and an egg.


eggplant parmesan for oneEggplant Parmesan

This was a favorite treat as a child: tender eggplant, gooey cheese, and a rich, flavorful tomato sauce.  And yes, this is one serving!

 

rosemary olive oil broiled eggplantRosemary Olive Oil Broiled Eggplant

Velvety and creamy (but super easy) eggplant infused with olive oil and dusted with rosemary and parmesan cheese.

 

moussaka without bechamelMoussaka Without Bechamel Sauce Recipe

I love moussaka, but the standard recipe is just too much work. This one is easier (no bechamel), but still full of flavor from spicy/warm cinnamon and nutmeg, tender eggplant, ground beef, and tomatoes.




Pasta with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Chicken Sausage

This pasta with broccoli, mushrooms, and chicken sausage recipe is based on a recipe invented by Kimberly Chapman (from Eat the Evidence; she makes astonishing desserts and “Ace of Cakes” cakes too).

She had this wonderful English, locally raised bacon and fresh asparagus and decided to make pasta with it (her recipe is here).

It looked so good I wanted to try it.  But I didn’t have bacon (or asparagus).   I could have gone out and bought asparagus, but I’m not a huge asparagus fan, unless it’s drenched in Hollandaise sauce.  I did have some chicken sausage and frozen broccoli though.  So, I decided to follow her technique while changing the ingredients a bit.

I used chicken sausage instead of bacon, kept the mushrooms, added red bell pepper (as I had part of a pepper leftover from something else and had to use it up).  Then, I changed the cheese to Manchego instead of parmesan, because that’s also what I had on hand.

Tip:
When your chunk of parmesan, Manchego, or other hard cheese gets hard to grate with a box grater, use a microplane instead.  You can also save the rinds (or even buy them at the market) and use them for soup. Just put them in a plastic bag in the fridge. They’ll keep indefinitely.

Back to the recipe, you essentially, cook the sausage (or bacon), add the veggies, then the pasta, some chicken broth, and top it all with grated cheese.




More Pasta Recipes

 

pistachio pesto penne pastaPistachio Pesto Pasta Recipe

Not the usual pesto. This one was inspired by a book. No pine nuts in sight so it’s more budget-friendly. And who knows, you might solve a mystery (mysteries are known for plot twists, right?)

Spaghetti with Green Olives and Lemon Pankospaghetti with green olives and lemon panko

Zesty, salty, and easy too. My friend nearly drooled on her computer when I told her about this one. Only 30 minutes and you’re ready to eat.

 

linguine with garlic and olive oilLinguine with Garlic and Olive Oil

Quick, simple, and only requires a few basic ingredients. You can make it either with shelf stable ingredients, or go luxe with freshly grated cheese and fresh pasta.

 

pasta alla norma with eggplant

Pasta alla Norma with Eggplant

This slightly spicy pasta dish showcases sweet tomatoes, creamy fork-tender eggplant, and a dash of red pepper flakes for a kick.

 




Summer Pasta with Green Olives and Feta Cheese

After a rather chilly spring, summer is suddenly here in full force. It’s hot, it’s sticky and I do not want to stand over a hot stove for one second longer than I have to. That means it’s time for salads, pasta, eggs, and other quick meals that require as little cooking time as possible.  So, with that in mind, today’s dish is a simple, but delicious summer pasta with green olives and feta cheese. This is sometimes called Greek spaghetti (their name for pasta is makaronia).

The feta cheese and olives are slightly salty, while the tomatoes add sweetness.  And really, fresh summery tomatoes (and strawberries) are the best!

I ate my pasta hot, because I was hungry and didn’t want to wait for it to cool, but I suspect it would work just as well as a cold pasta salad. It would probably be great for a picnic. Since there’s no mayonnaise it will travel well to a park or the beach.

It’s easy to make too. Just boil the water, cook the pasta, and chop up a few ingredients. Perfect when you don’t want to cook, but you still have to eat. And it’s a lot easier and cheaper than going out or ordering in to get something.

I kept it simple with just the olives and tomatoes, but you can change that if you want. Don’t fuss too much about measuring the vegetables. It’s hard to mess this up!

 




Summer Pasta with Green Olives and Feta Substitutions and Variations

  • Add extra vegetables like spinach, bell pepper, or mushrooms
  • Try goat cheese or Boursin instead of the feta
  • Use sun-dried tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes for an extra burst of flavor

More Pasta Recipes

pasta olives tomatoes capersPasta with Olives Tomatoes and Capers Puttanesca

Spicy sauce, briny olives, and sweet tomatoes, a classic combination that’s flavorful and ready quickly too.

 

quick and easy summer pastaQuick and Easy Summer Pasta

Summer in a bowl, with fresh veggies, tomatoes, and pasta. This works hot or cold too.

 

spaghetti with green olives and lemon pankoSpaghetti with Green Olives and Lemon Panko

A dish packed with zesty garlic, earthy fresh spinach, tangy capers, briny olives and a burst of citrus. Crispy, golden-brown panko crumbs mixed with dill and lemon zest add a finishing touch.

pasta with tomato artichoke saucePasta with Tomato Artichoke Sauce Recipe

A fresh change from the usual tomato sauce, this dish has marinated artichokes, a generous helping of oregano, and red pepper flakes. Spicy, fresh, and delicious.

 




Pistachio Pesto Pasta

This pistachio pesto pasta recipe is a bit different from standard pesto recipes. The usual approach to pesto is to use basil and pine nuts.  A great combination, but it’s tough to use up a whole bunch of basil when cooking for one.  Either you have to make a big batch of pesto and freeze it, or it spoils.

I do have a basil plant, but cutting enough off to make pesto would leave me without much of a plant! This is a good compromise.

Plus, pine nuts have gotten awfully expensive.  It does have some basil, but I replaced most of it with broccoli. Then I substituted pistachios for walnuts or pine nuts.

Actually, to be entirely truthful, I ‘stole’ this idea from one of Robert Parker’s Spenser novels. Shhh, don’t tell anyone. He seemed to like food as much as he enjoyed mysteries and books (my kind of author).

You get the sweet, summery taste of basil, the earthiness of  broccoli, and the crunchiness of the pistachios (use the unsalted kind).  You can use walnuts too, if you prefer.

Not to mention, the broccoli keeps better than basil. And, if you want, you can buy it frozen. That also means less prep time, and less cooking time.

It’s also quick and easy to make (which is always a plus).




 

Pistachio Pesto Pasta Substitutions and Variations

  • Use spinach in the pesto instead of broccoli
  • Skip the greens entirely and make a walnut pesto with walnuts, olive oil, parsley, parmesan, salt, and pepper
  • If you like your pesto spicier, add some chiles
  • Make it with walnuts instead of pistachios

More Pasta Recipes

pasta with sausage broccoli and mushrooms in a white bowl on a blue placematPasta with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Chicken Sausage

Salty sausage paired with crispy-tender veggies and pasta. An easy summer meal that’s also versatile. Switch the peppers for snap peas, or asparagus, or whatever other veggies you like.

spicy sesame noodlesSpicy Sesame Noodles Recipe for One Person

Takeout without takeout. Make this restaurant standard easily at home, with ingredients you likely already have.

 

pasta alla norma with eggplantPasta alla Norma with Eggplant

Rich, tender eggplant in a zippy tomato sauce that’s ready quickly.  Served with a caprese salad.

 

linguine with garlic and olive oilLinguine with Garlic and Olive Oil

Pantry-friendly and works with either upscale or budget-friendly ingredients. Just a simple, flavorful meal of linguine, some garlic, olive oil, and a touch of broth.