Spice things up with hot penne dish
Penne Arrabbiata gets its inspiration from Rome. In Italian, arrabbiata means “angry,” a perfect name for this spicy, hot tomato sauce.
Crushed red pepper creates the heat.
It can be found in the spice section of the supermarket. Beware: Rather than risk making the sauce too hot, place the crushed red pepper on the table for those who want more than the recipe recommends.
Penne are straight, short tubes of pasta that are cut on the diagonal.
The pasta and sauce are topped with pecorino Romano cheese. Made from sheep’s milk, Pecorino Romano has a hard, yellow rind and a lighter color interior.
It has a sharper flavor than Parmesan. If difficult to find, use Parmesan cheese.
Helpful hints:
■ A quick way to chop basil is to wash, dry and snip the leaves right off the stem with a scissors.
■ Any short pasta such as macaroni can be used.
■ Any type of washed, ready-to-eat salad can be used.
Countdown:
■ Place water for pasta on to boil.
■ Make arrabbiata sauce. ■ Prepare salad.
Shopping list:
To buy: 1 package washed, ready-to-eat Italian Salad, 1 lemon, 6 ounces lean or low-fat ham, 1 can reducedsodium diced tomatoes, 1 small package crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 pound penne pasta and 1 small piece Pecorino Romano cheese.
Staples: olive oil, onion, garlic, sugar and salt.
PENNE WITH ARRABBIATA SAUCE
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer 1/2 pound penne pasta
(about 2 cups) 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, sliced (1
cup)
3 garlic cloves, crushed 6 ounces lean or low-fat ham, cut in 1-inch cubes (3 cups)
2 cups canned reducedsodium diced tomatoes (including juice)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red
pepper flakes 2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped
fresh basil leaves Salt
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Place a large pot filled with water on to boil. Prepare sauce ingredients. When water boils, add pasta and cook 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions 3 minutes. Add garlic and ham and sauté 2 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes with their juice and crushed red pepper. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and basil. Add salt to taste. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 559 calories (8 percent from fat), 5.4 g fat (2.1 g saturated, 1.9 g monounsaturated), 9 mg cholesterol, 20.8 g protein, 105.2 g carbohydrates, 9.6 g fiber, 200 mg sodium
ITALIAN SALAD
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer 2 tablespoons fresh lemon
juice
2 teaspoons olive oil Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1 package washed, readyto-eat Italian salad (4 cups)
Whisk lemon juice and olive oil together in a salad bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the salad and toss well.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 60 calories (71 percent from fat), 4.8 g fat (0.7 g saturated, 2.2 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 1.2 g protein, 4.4 g carbohydrates, 1.4 g fiber, 13 mg sodium
Linda Gassenheimer is the author, most recently, of "The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook," "Delicious OnePot Dishes" and "Quick and Easy Chicken." Her website is dinnerinminutes.com. Follow her on Twitter @lgassenheimer.