Pasta In Tomato Sauce With White Beans And Spinach Food

PENNE WITH PAN-ROASTED TOMATOES AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander and return it to the pot.
• Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half, scrape the seeds out of each half with a small tool or your finger, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Peel the garlic and leave the cloves whole. Coarsely chop the basil leaves.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the garlic is soft. Remove the garlic from the pan and set aside. Put the beans in a strainer and rinse under running water. Drain the beans and add them to the pan, then remove the pan from the heat. Smash the garlic with a fork and add it to the drained pasta. Add the tomatoes and basil, stir well, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the pasta into a large serving bowl, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.
• Basil is native to India, though it's since become integral to the cooking of countries as far a field as Italy and Thailand. When it migrated to Italy, it became a symbol of love, with young women wearing sprigs in their hair to encourage their suitors.

PENNE WITH TOMATOES & WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5-7 minutes to allow flavors to blend., Add spinach, olives, salt and pepper; cook and stir over medium heat until spinach is wilted. Drain pasta; top with tomato mixture and cheese.

PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, and stir together until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes with juice and a pinch of sugar. Raise the heat slightly, and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are bubbling vigorously. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook gently, stirring and mashing the tomatoes often with the back of your spoon until they have cooked down into a thick, fragrant sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the beans and the herbs, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• When the pasta water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. Cook al dente, following the recommendations on the package but checking about a minute before the indicated time. When the pasta is just about done, check to see if the tomato sauce seems dry. If so, add up to 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pan and stir. Drain the pasta, toss with the sauce and serve, passing the cheese for sprinkling.

PASTA IN TOMATO SAUCE WITH WHITE BEANS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to the package directions. When it's done, drain and reserve a little of the cooking water (1/2 cup or so). Return to the pot and keep warm while the sauce cooks.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs to the pot and stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat while the pasta cooks. Toward the end of the cooking time, add the spinach to the sauce and cook just until heated through.
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix thoroughly, adding enough of the pasta water to make the sauce the consistency you like. Serve hot, garnished with the grated Parmesan.