Being too busy and having little time to cook a decent meal, isn't an excuse to eat the same things over again - all the time. Whether you're a student or in employment, we all know we don't always have the time to be creative and experiment on trying new recipes. Some meals can be time-consuming, but for someone who is known to move quite slowly around the kitchen, this definitely helps me. This is particularly the case when I need to be at some place else in two hours.
Introducing: the Ham Cappelletti with spinach in a tomato base - the easy way. A super quick meal that's tasty and actually rather easy to make.
You'll need:
Ham Cappelletti (can be substituted with spinach- or cheese-stuffed tortelloni)1 Can of chopped tomatoes in tomato sauce
Tomato paste
1 Medium-sized onion
1 Clove of garlic (add more if you like a lot of garlic)
Spinach
Cheese
Salt & Pepper
Cooking Olive Oil
Optional: chili flakes and fresh chili.
Method:
- Take a few handfuls of spinach and wash in a colander until all clean.
- Add a bit of salt into boiled water in a saucepan.
- Put in cappelletti in the water - boil for approx. 4-5 mins, check the pasta occasionally (option to cook the pasta slightly 'just past al dente').
- Chop the onion and garlic clove (and the chili, if you choose to add this in)
- Sauté the onions in a pan filled with a little dash of olive oil, until transparent, then add in the chopped garlic (also the chopped chili and flakes).
- Pour in the can of chopped tomatoes (or passatta).
- Add in a little water to the pan to make it more 'saucy' and tomato paste according to how strong of a tomato taste you want.
- Add the spinach on the top and cook until all have wilted - put a lid on the saucepan to speed up this process.
- Drain the cooked pasta in another colander and place the pasta into the main pan with the sauce.
- Mix everything well - season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Dish complete!
Additional:
- Sometimes I grate in cheese whilst the pasta is still in the pan, put the lid on and wait until the cheese has melted. Stir everything then serve on a deep plate, then season if needed.
- Another option is to serve the pasta with the sauce on a deep plate, then grate cheese on top and season to taste.
Such a simple and quick way to cook up a delicious dinner. What's more is that it's a flexible recipe. I tend to form my meals based on what I have available. You can adjust the amounts to your liking, season it to taste and you can vary the elements for days you want to 'spice things up' a little.
Examples of variations. Just add to the ham cappelletti (or to Spinach tortellini):
- Tomato passatta, diced chicken breasts, half a red chili, mushrooms.
- Diced paprika chicken, half red chili, chili flakes, bell peppers.
Why not be more inventive and try other combinations?
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