Welcome to another Sunday Dinner Recipe! Ok, I know, the name needs work. And yes, I am an English major so I do realize that two double negatives cancel each other out, so the recipe’s name is essentially “pasto”, but oddly, even though it is grammatically incorrect, Anti-antipasto is the perfect name for this recipe. So deal with it.
This recipe was inspired by my travels in Italy and love of Italian food. I have always loved Italian food-even though when I was a kid I thought macaroni totally counted as Italian cuisine so maybe that doesn’t technically count-and always leap at the chance to have some. One of my favorite Italian dishes is the antipasto salad, which is exactly what it sounds like: everything but pasta. It has roasted and sauteed veggies, marinated olives, salamis and prosciutto, mozzarella and provolone, basically everything in this world that is delicious is found in the dish. Yum. The anti-antipasto takes my favorite elements from a traditional antipasto salad, and adds pasta! It can be served cold as a pasta salad, or warm alongside a traditional salad. I prefer to serve it warm because then the cheese gets slightly melty and extra yummy.
With no further ado, I now give you the Sunday Dinner Recipe of the week…Anti-Antipasto!
Active time: 40 mins
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
- Pasata (any variety will do, but I prefer penne)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 16oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 jar olive tapenade (i prefer to use the more coarsely chopped tapenade as opposed to the finely chopped more pesto like tapenade)
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 package pancetta (prosciutto will also work-but my grocery store was all out!)
- Mozzarella/provolone/feta cheese (I prefer mozzarella, Ollie likes Feta, and provolone is always good too!)
- EVOO divided
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. While oven is warming trim asparagus and arrange on a non-stick cookie tray. Drizzle with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Cook in oven for about 12 minutes or until desired crispness
- Heat water on stove until boiling. Cook pasta as per directions on box, about 8-10 minutes for al dente, 12+ for softer.
- As pasta and asparagus are cooking, slice onion into thin pieces. Heat EVOO in a saute pan on stove. Add onions and saute until soft, but not brown. Add balsamic vinegar to onions and let simmer for a few minutes until the onions have absorbed the vingar. Remove from heat.
- Cut pancetta into small strips. You may mix the cold panccetta with the pasta or you can warm it on the stove in the same pan you used for the onions (which is what I did).
- After pasta is has finished cooking drain well and put in large serving bowl.
- In a separate bowl combine asparagus, balsamic onions, artichoke hearts, pancetta, and tapenade. Stir to mix well. (feel free to sample at this point!)
- Pour bowl with asparagus etc. into pasta serving bowl. Stir well to combine.
- Top individual servings with mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, or provolone cheese, or if you’re Ollie- all three.
- ENJOY!
I served this pasta warm along side a simple Cesar salad and french bread roll. I am very excited for the warmer summer months to come because I think this will make a divine pasta salad for when it’s too stifling to eat warm foods. I hope you all enjoy this Sunday Dinner Recipe and I would love to hear your thoughts on it!
