Pasta is so convenient for those weeknights when I’m looking for something quick and easy. My family loves it, and it only takes a few ingredients to whip up. So, as fate would have it, my husband stumbled upon a pile of used books on the sidewalk (a common occurrence in downtown Toronto) which included this little gem “Easy Pasta: Simple Recipes for Great-Tasting Pasta.”
I was inspired by the recipe for Pork and Lemon Ragu. I made it healthier by using organic ground chicken instead of pork, spelt pasta instead of regular wheat and excluded heavy cream.
The resulting lemon pasta was delicious! Lemon really gives a refreshing, zesty flavour. And thanks to my hubby for the sweet cookbook!
Find more delicious pasta recipes here. 🙂
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 14 oz ground chicken
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- thinly sliced 4 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
- finely grated peel and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 12 oz spelt pasta or brown rice pasta (rigatoni, penne or macaroni)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2/3 cup green olives, stoned and chopped
- good grating of fresh nutmeg
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shavings, plus extra to serve
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
SERVES 4
Method
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat and add the ground chicken. Leave it for a few minutes until it browns, then turn it over to allow the other side to brown.
- Add the onion, garlic, anchovies, and lemon peel, and stir to combine with the chicken. Reduce the heat, cover, and leave the onion to soften for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the ingredients don’t stick to the bottom of the skillet.
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, or according to the packet instructions. When the onion is translucent, add the milk, lemon juice, and olives, and bring to a boil, uncovered, scraping the base of the pan to loosen any sticky, flavorsome bits and incorporating them into the sauce.
- Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until about two—thirds of the liquid has evaporated and the pork is soft. Remove from the heat, then season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Drain the pasta, put it back in its pan, and spoon in the ragu.
- Add the Parmesan, stir well, and divide between 4 serving plates or bowls. Sprinkle with the extra Parmesan shavings. VoilĂ , lemon pasta!
Image: Flickr via jeffreyw
