Fish dinner with pasta ready in a snap.
Savor a taste of Italy in only 10 minutes with fish fillets topped with fresh tomato slices and melted Parmesan cheese. Penne pasta tossed with fresh spinach completes this colorful dinner.
Buy whatever white fish looks best from the market. Or use flash frozen fish fillets which, I’ve found, give a true fresh taste when defrosted. The fish in a seafood case can be over a week old before you buy it. Measure the thickness of the fish and count about 10 minutes cooking time for each inch of thickness.
Helpful hints
• Any type of fish fillet can be used: tilapia, sole or flounder.
• Any short-cut pasta, such as elbow macaroni or rigatoni, can be used.
• Be sure to thinly slice tomatoes.
• Shave the Parmesan with a potato peeler.
• Lining a baking tray with foil saves cleanup time.
Countdown
• Preheat broiler.
• Place water for pasta on to boil.
• Prepare fish and place under broiler.
• Boil pasta.
Shopping list
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Dinner in Minutes.
To buy: 3⁄4 pound snapper filets, 1 medium tomato, 1 small piece Parmesan cheese, 1 package penne pasta, 1package plain breadcrumbs, 1 bottle dried oregano and 1 package washed, ready-to-eat spinach.
Staples: olive oil, salt and black peppercorns.
Snapper Parmesan
2 servings
3⁄4 pound snapper filets 2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
(about 1 cup)
1⁄4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1⁄3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preheat broiler. Line a baking tray with foil. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towel. Place on tray skin side down and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Broil 7 -8 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice tomatoes. Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oregano together. Remove tray from oven and arrange tomato slices over fish. Spread breadcrumb mixture evenly over tomatoes. Return to broiler and broil about 6 inches from heat 1 minute. Topping should be golden.
Per serving: 335 calories (31 percent from fat), 11.4 g fat (3.4 g saturated, 3.7 g monounsaturated), 71 mg cholesterol, 41.3 g protein, 15.4 g carbohydrates, 1.9 g fiber, 452 mg sodium.
Spinach Penne Pasta
2 servings
1⁄4 pound penne pasta (about cups)
4 cups washed, ready-to-eat spinach
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot with 3 to 4 2 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 10 minutes or according to package instructions. Add spinach and drain immediately, leaving about 2 tablespoons of water in the pot. Add olive oil to the water in the pot; return the pasta and spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss well.
Per serving: 265 calories (19 percent from fat), 5.6 g fat (0.8 g saturated, 2.3 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 9.2 g protein, 44.7 g carbohydrates, 3.2 g fiber, 51 mg sodium.