Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax

White beans and pasta, and some observations on my writing style

I haven't posted a recipe in awhile. I really haven't been cooking a lot (so much for that resolution) but I got home early today (to beat the ice storm, which promises to make the commute treacherous) and (since I expect the gym will be closed) I think I'll go all out and make a real dinner.

What's the record for parenthetical comments in one sentence? I'm bad about that...and ellipses...because I'm typing as I think, and I'm too lazy to go back and edit.

Anyway: dinner. (I also frequently try to re-rail my train of thought by saying "anyway." Is this breezy and conversational, or annoying?)

This bean & pasta dish is very simple, and I like it because I can make it without looking up an actual recipe. In fact, I have no idea where the actual recipe came from originally.

Cook about two cups of ziti, penne, or other short, tubular pasta. (The twisty kind like rotini works, too. One of the things I like about this dish is the "use what you have around" aspect.)

Mix together
One can of white beans (Great Northern or Canellini)
One 28-ounce can of tomatoes (something chunkier than crushed...I usually use whole, and break the tomatoes up with my hands. Don't squirt tomato sauce all over yourself doing that.) Drain the tomatoes, but reserve the sauce in case the mixture looks too dry.
8 ounces of ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
About half of a red onion, chopped (or white, or yellow...use the whole thing if it's a small onion)
Spices like crushed red pepper, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme...pizza-like spices
The cooked pasta (drained, but you probably figured that out)

I find this is easiest to mix together with my hands (gloved, of course).

Spread the mixture in a baking or casserole dish (sprayed with Pam or something first, unless you like soaking dishes for three days before you can scrub them) and sprinkle the top with shredded mozzarella. (I've skipped the mozzarella since I cut back on cheese, it isn't critical.) Bake in the usual way (350 degrees for 45 minutes or so) until it's bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown and it looks like a casserole should look.

If you don't go crazy with the cheese this is pretty healthy, and I usually use wheat pasta to add even more fiber. I'm not a huge fan of wheat pasta by itself or with light sauce, but I think there's enough liquid and strong flavors in this that the gumminess and the flavor of wheat stuff fades to the background.

You can mix everything up the night before and bake the next day, if you are better organized than I am.

Posted by Nic at January 27, 2004 03:05 PM | TrackBack