Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Another Pantry Meal - Ziti Picchi Pacchi

 

Last week I went to my friend Gina's house and showed her how to throw together a pantry meal. Her pantry is well stocked and it was easy to come up with a quick dish. Gina and I like a lot of the same foods and like me she has kalamata olives in her fridge. I realize that I use them a lot and you all must be tired of seeing them in my recipes. If you don't like them leave them out and put in whatever you like, maybe some artichoke hearts! Yum! I call this picchi pacchi because it's made with diced tomatoes and basil and I've seen variations of this but they all contain diced tomatoes.

Gina and I have different preferences when it comes to pasta. I will always choose lined pasta such as penne over ziti. I just feel like the sauce sticks better because it fills up the the ridges. It really doesn't matter though, this dish was delicious!

Ziti with Pantry Sauce


Ingredients:

1 lb pasta
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (Dorat frozen cubes from Trader Joes)
2 teaspoons of chopped basil (Dorat frozen cubes from Trader Joes)
2 - 16 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 tablespoon capers
Splash of white wine
extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Directions:


In a medium saucepan saute onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic and basil and stir (frozen cubes will melt and cook quickly). Add a spalsh of white wine and let the alcohol cook out (about a minute or so). Add tomatoes, capers and olives, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 20- 30 minutes. About halfway into cooking time, add pasta to boiling salted water. When pasta is al dente combine it in the pan with sauce. Toss to combine sauce with pasta.



 

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19 comments:

Bob said...

Mmmmm, pasta. I always have stuff to make pasta and sauce in my pantry. I mean, what's the point of having food around if you can't whip up some pasta?

Jen said...

Absolutely lovely, Michele. This is definitely my kind of dinner. And use all the kalamata olives you want!

Lucy..♥ said...

Another great dish, Michele!!!

Theresa said...

Like that!

The Blonde Duck said...

I love pantry meals...

Shane T. Wingerd said...

Likin this!!! YUM!!

Manju said...

delicious!!

Aggie said...

This is so my kind of meal!!! And how nice of you to help your friend put something like this together!! Would love to have you nearby! :)

teresa said...

I love meals that can just be pulled from the pantry. This looks wonderful!

Anonymous said...

I'm with you girl, I dig the lined, spiraled, whatever-holds-more-sauce, type pastas LOL

Amanda said...

Looks really delicious. I love when I can throw together something from items in the pantry :0)

Dajana said...

Vote for lined pasta, too.
Nice looking dish.

rosasdolcevita said...

I love a great pasta dish! They're always quick to whip up and oh so tasty. I love the addition of kalamata olives, but unfortunately my husband doesn't like them. This is definitely something I would make for myself at lunch, though. I cook a lot of dishes for myself for lunch and then make something he would like for dinner. I don't mind cooking two warm meals during the day. :-)

Carolyn said...

OOOH - simple and delish!!!

Do you use the Dorat frozen cubes from Trader Joes often? I need to get those....did you like them? Fresh herbs go bad at my house and I hate spending the money just to throw them out!

easytravel said...

Nice pasta. it sound delicious....yummy. thanks for share. See you on my blog.I have" culinary Travel" about the most frightening food in Asia.

Stacey Snacks said...

She had no anchovies in her pantry?
You could've showed her a perfect puttanesca!
I love making meals from what I have on hand.
Enjoy the weekend!

Barbara GF said...

Great name picchi pacchi, Michele. I just love recipes that use what you've got at hand. Deliziosa!

Michele said...

You guys are too kind! Thank you!

Carolyn - Not that often. I use them when I'm out of fresh and this was my first time using the garlic. I have to say they are great to use when in a pinch!

Stacey - You are so right! This is almost a puttanesa but nope she didn't have any anchovies.

Zoe said...

I love this sauce! Kalamata olives and capers? Match made in heaven!