RECIPE: Penne With Artichoke Hearts

[Guest guest]

Lunch today:

 

PENNE WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS

 

For 2 persons. (Can be multiplied, of course.)

 

120 g. penne, cooked according to package instructions

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, rehydrated (in hot water for 1/2 hour, soaking liquid

retained)

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large plum tomato, roughly chopped

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp crushed chilies, or to taste

1 red bell pepper (half to be sliced very thinly, half to be blended - see

below)

2 or 3 canned artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

 

Put a large skillet over medium-high heat with a little water to ÔsauteÕ the

onion until

translucent. (Okay, if you don't cook fat free, by all means use a little olive

oil for the

saute-ing part of the recipe!) Add the garlic and stir well for a minute or two

and then the

chopped tomato, basil and chilies. Add the sundried tomatoes, chopped, but save

the

liquid for cooking as needed. Cook on medium heat until the fresh tomatoes have

broken

down.You may need to add a little water or liquid from the sundried tomatoes.

 

Slice half of your red bell pepper very thinly and set aside until the tomato

mixture is

almost cooked.

 

Chop the remainder of the bell pepper and add a little water to liquify in a

blender.

 

When your penne is almost cooked and the tomato mix is almost ready, add the

finely

sliced red bell pepper to the tomato mix and stir well, raising the heat a

little if necessary

to slightly soften the bell pepper. Then add the artichoke hearts and the

liquified red bell

pepper from your blender jar and heat through.

 

Taste for seasoning. We cook salt free, but you might want to add some.

 

Drain your penne and add to the skillet, stirring to mix well and to coat the

penne in all

those lovely juices.

 

Serve on plates or in pasta bowls (with any ÔcheezyÕ topping you like).

 

Love, Pat