Penne al Pomodoro

Penne al Pomodoro

We all have days where we have no idea what to make for dinner. Usually for me, that is when the temptation of Dominos pizza, McDonalds, Chinese take-away or  fish and chips becomes too powerful to resist and I have some kind of terribly unhealthy meal, which tastes amazing at the time but fills me with remorse afterwards!
 I am trying to break this cycle, and one thing I find consistently comforting, quick, easy, cheap and healthy (ish) to make is pasta. Last night, I started to prepare some Penne pasta on the hob and then I realised I did not have a jar of pre-made pasta sauce in the cupboard, so I improvised one and it ended up tasting delicious, so I thought  I would share.

Ingredients.

 (Serves 2)

Enough dried Penne pasta to serve two people

A glug of olive oil

Half an onion, peeled and diced

One tin of chopped tomatoes

Two tablespoons of tomato purée

One tablespoon of Italian dried mixed herbs (combo of Basil and Oregano would be fine)

Generous sprinkle of mild chilli powder (less to taste depending how spicy you like your food)

Half a packet of Quorn mince

Salt and Pepper

To serve:

Chopped cherry tomatoes (optional)

Half a mozzarella ball, chopped

Grated cheddar (parmesan would be ideal too)

Garlic bread or ciabatta (optional)

Method.

Pasta:

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Carefully add the dry pasta to the hot water and reduce the heat to a simmer. Monitor the pasta and set it aside when it is ‘al dente’ (slightly hard still) or softer depending how you like it. Ten minutes is a rough guide to cooking time for the pasta. 

Sauce:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, then fry the diced onion until soft. Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, purée, chilli powder, herbs and Quorn mince to the pan and stir gently (if using frozen mince it will take a few minutes to thaw, so encourage it with a gentle stir here and there) make sure the heat is not too high as the sauce will splatter everywhere! Stir frequently until the sauce is bubbling away nicely and heated all the way through. Taste it regularly and season it to taste with salt and pepper or even an extra dash of chilli powder or another sprinkle of herbs. I added an extra glug (about a tablespoon) of olive oil to the sauce towards the end of cooking and I found that it really enhanced the flavour. Drain the Penne and add it to the pan of sauce. Stir thoroughly and allow to heat through together for another minute or two.

Serve with grated cheese and chopped mozzarella on one side. Top with cherry tomatoes if desired. A few fresh basil leaves would also look lovely shredded over the top of each serving.

A note on wine:

I served this with a Tempranillo red wine, a really full bodied wine from Spain which complimented the rich flavours of the pasta perfectly.

So there we have it, simple, classic and delicious food that speaks straight to the heart. I have to admit, this meal makes me so happy. I am not a chef in any way, but  do love to make hearty, flavoursome food which can be enjoyed with a side order of good company!

Best wishes until next time!

Camille xo