garden herb sundried tomato parmesan pasta
For some reason, I remember the night I whipped up this Garden Herb Sundried Tomato Parmesan Pasta. I took a COVID test straight beforehand.
The result of the rapid test was negative. A huge relief. What’s wild is I didn’t quite imagine that a short few months later – I say short, but really time snailed and it felt like an age – I’d proudly display evidence of my vaccination against the virus that squeezed the life out of 2020 and spat it out in the sewers. For so long, I feared lab results, feared having to take a test to receive lab results, feared others around me who are much less privileged in health than I coming down with an irreversible version of the sickness.
My recipe-relevant point here is the test took a good chunk of my evening and I needed a fast dinner so I didn’t end up eating the tile. This pasta is fast, uses easily accessed ingredients, and tastes like a dish whipped up by a fabulous Italian restaurant.
Aside from the obvious need to boil the pasta, you just need to wield your tongs and be ready to toss-toss-toss until the cows come home. If the cows don’t come home, you’re screwed.
Warm the dried herbs, olives, lemon zest, and sundried tomatoes in plenty of olive oil to infuse the latter and cause excessive drooling from anyone who smells the aromas. You need only stir the blend occasionally and aren’t in danger of burning fat unless you have the heat too high. My stove warrants a setting of either 2 or “low”.
While the sauce base infuses your kitchen with dreamy scents, boil the pasta. Be sure to separate some of the starchy water before draining. This helps glue the pasta to the sauce and prevents random clumps and weirdness from forming once the cheese and fresh herbs come into the picture.
Speaking of – the fresh basil, parsley, and arugula marry with freshly grated parmesan only after the pasta is poured into the olive oil. This is where the good ole tongs come in. Flip and turn and shake the contents of the pan about, pouring dashes of pasta water in, until the consistency you like comes to fruition. Give the noodles a taste and add desired amount of salt and pepper.
Final step? The pasta twirl. I’m shit at it, so I hope you have more talented fingers.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you’ve made!
More fun with noods:
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Stuffed Shells
Scallops Alfredo with Spicy Charred Broccolini
Spicy Butternut Squash Alla Vodka Pasta with Garlicky Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti or linguini
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes
- 1/3 cup mixed olives
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup arugula
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium-low in a skillet. Toss in sundried tomatoes, olives, red pepper flakes, oregano, garlic cloves, and lemon zest Warm for at least 10 minutes but up to 20. Keep the heat low and stir occasionally.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Toss pasta into the skillet with the sauce, adding pasta water to thin as needed. Slowly sprinkle in parmesan and continue tossing until well combined, then sir in arugula, parsley, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with more parmesan and arugula, as desired.
