Two Italian Dinners

Last night I cooked the Linguine Puttanesca and I wanted to share it with you along with another dish.

These are light dinner ideas and can be substituted very easily with other favorite pasta or salad items.

1.Linguine Puttanesca

2. Antipasti Salad

Linguine Puttanesca

Ingredient:

• Kosher Salt
  
• 12 ounces linguine ( I use the fresh noodles)
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives
• 1 28-ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes-or any plum tomato
  
• 4 basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
• 1 5-ounce meat of choice (you can use Tuna, Chicken, or Sausage,) (with 1 Tbsp olive oil) Note-make sure your meat is seasoned and cooked before adding to the dish. If you are light eaters you could add two pieces of meat and share the noodles.
  
• Freshly ground pepper

Note-I did two things differently. I added 1 can of petite cut tomato in olive oil and garlic and I added about a tablespoon of heavy cream to bring down the spice.(that did make it not as healthy) but It was a great dish and we loved it. Your noodles will soak up all the sauce so I would just poor your juice on top verses mixing the noodles altogether.

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the capers and olives and fry 2 more minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the skillet with your hands and reserve the juices. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved tomato juices, the basil, and salt to taste and cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add your choice of meat with 1 tbsp. of olive oil, breaking your meat up with a fork, and season with salt.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and the reserved cooking water and toss. Season with pepper and garnish with more basil.

 Antipasti Salad

Ingredient

Salad:

• 1/4 medium red onion, minced
• 1/2 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cored
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 4 jarred roasted sweet red peppers, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and quartered, if whole
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted (about 2 ounces)
• 1/2 to 1 cup freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

Dressing:

• 1 small garlic clove, peeled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

For the salad:

To mellow the minced onion, soak it in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain well, pat dry, and put in a serving bowl.

Meanwhile, make the dressing:

Smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and, with the side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Put the paste in a bowl and add the orange zest, vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper, to taste. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream to make a smooth, slightly thick dressing.

Using a hand held mandoline or a knife, cut the fennel lengthwise into long, thin slices. Add to the onion and toss with the chickpeas, peppers, artichoke hearts, arugula, parsley, and dressing. Scatter the olives and shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top.