On a recent weeknight, I had planned to pick up takeout on my way home. Mexican was the plan…but then I grabbed a quick after work drink at Ithaki, a terrific Greek restaurant in Ipswich, and that made me hungry for everything that the people around me were ordering for dinner. This included anything with tzatziki or a big bowl of pasta with olive oil and Parmesan. I got on the commuter rail and finally decided I wanted pasta with heaps of garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan. I ended up stopping into Harvest to pick up a box of pasta and ended up with this recipe – a quick, weeknight penne.
I’m typically a penne girl, unless homemade pasta is an option. But there is more to picking your pasta than just a favorite shape…and after reading a few articles (Bon Appetit, fine cooking, Food52), I realized I “should” have made this with a “rod” pasta like spaghetti. Maybe next time.
Penne with mushrooms, tomatoes, and cannellini beans
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| Mushrooms and tomatoes |
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I used Baby Bellas)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp oregano
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup cannellini beans
8 ounces pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
Reserved pasta water as needed
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
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| Weeknight penne |
Directions
1. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pasta water.
2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large saute pan and add garlic, cooking on medium heat until fragrant but not browned. Add sliced mushrooms, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and oregano. Stir, then cover pan just until the mushrooms release their moisture. Uncover and stir in grape tomatoes and cannellini beans. Reduce heat to low.
3. Add pasta, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese to pan with garlic, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Add pasta water if more “sauce” needed. Enjoy!
Kara Cooks and Eats 