End of the Week Pasta
Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Eggs, Fruit, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Vegetables, Vegetarian
It’s nearing the end of the week. And the cupboards are a little bare, the pantry is kinda empty, the produce drawers are filled with distant memories (and a few stray veggies).
Sound familiar?
Maybe this only happens at our house.
In any case, I’ve learned to be clever with those final few ingredients before the crisper drawers are re-stocked. Usually, this involves some sort of pasta. Fresh pasta, dried pasta, leftover pasta… just pasta. (Of course you could also use wild rice, quinoa, lentils, or potatoes. They’d all be fabulous!)
The additions change every time though.
Sometimes it’s tuna and peas. It could be artichokes, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Today, it was zucchini, bell pepper, and tomatoes.
It starts with some oil. For this particular recipe it was olive oil. Butter is also great with pasta. Coconut oil could also work, but make sure you’re ok with a hint of coconut if you go that route.
Then, you know the drill… some of the veggies are added to the hot oil. They cook for a few minutes with some salt and pepper.
Easy.
Then things like kale and garlic are added. Kale wilts, garlic smells amazing.
You could use other greens, like chard, mizuna, mustard greens, spinach, or collard greens.
You could add tons more garlic, or use none at all.
I prefer the tons route.
Pasta is cooked and added. I had some leftovers that I’d frozen, then defrosted in the fridge overnight. Worked just fine. If you’re cooking fresh, reserve a bit of the starchy cooking water to add to the veggies. Helps the sauce to stick to the pasta, but isn’t essential.
Serve yourself a huge bowlful. Green goodness all around!
While the pasta hangs out for a minute, fry an egg in the veggie pan. One egg per person. Unless you want two.
Salt the eggs when they’re hot.
Then slide them onto the pasta. The yolk, if it’s still a bit runny, will add to the sauce.
End of the week fridge situation isn’t so bad after all.
Happy Eating!
- pasta, cooked
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 C zucchini/summer squash, chopped (or carrots or radishes, grated)
- 1 bell pepper, any color, chopped (or broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, green beans, celery, or peas)
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 C kale (chard, spinach, or mizuna would also be great), chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/2 to 1 C pasta water (optional)
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 egg/person
- to taste salt
- handful fresh herbs (basil, parsley), chopped, for topping
- Cook pasta, reserving 1/2 to 1 C pasta water.
- Heat skillet. Add olive oil. Add zucchini, bell pepper, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic, kale, and tomatoes. Cook for about 3 minutes more, stirring often.
- Add pasta water, if using. Remove from heat, stir in pasta. Pour pasta in a bowl and keep warm.
- Add remaining olive oil to skillet. Add egg and cook to desired doneness. Sprinkle with salt.
- Divide pasta between bowls. Top each bowl with an egg. Top egg and pasta with fresh herbs.
