Pantry Penne
Scrounging in the pantry for dinner is something my husband abhors, so it's become one of my favorites. I like to scrap together random crap and then present my masterpiece. This pasta almost fits that bill, but you have to have fresh parsley and chives. It's also a recipe that everyone purports is easy to make good, but I think it requires more skill and effort than is advertised. I've made it for years in an attempt to make it taste as good as it looks and sounds. I think I'm finally there. But I didn't follow the recipe, exactly. Measured is an aspiration.
Ingredients
1 lb pasta of your choosing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup capers
1/4 cup mixed olives, chopped
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
handful of chives, minced
handful of parsley, chopped
Directions:
Set a large pot of water to boil.
While water is boiling, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry capers and olives until crispy.
Add shallots and garlic and cook until translucent, 2-3 minutes.
Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook another 3 minutes until everything is softened and combined.
Cook pasta. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid. Remove pasta from pot when al dente and toss in skillet with pasta water. Cook pasta and sauce together, stirring frequently until water has evaporated and pasta is creamily coated with sauce.
Plate and top with chive and parsley or whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. Serve immediately.