Spaghetti in Tomato Apple Sauce

Having a good basic pasta sauce included in your cooking repertoire is key to being able to whip up a quick meal when you've just realized you've forgotten, somehow, yet again, that dinner is a meal that happens nightly and, oh yeah, you're the one who plans/shops for/cooks/eats it.

Don't misunderstand me, there's nothing wrong with keeping a few jars of your favorite store-bought sauce in the pantry. I have a few in my own. But sometimes you might want something a little fresher tasting. A sauce with an ingredient list that doesn't include the words "dehydrated" or "natural flavor", but does include apples.

Apples?

Yes! Trust me.

Spaghetti con salsa di Pomodorie e Mele

Spaghetti in Tomato Apple Sauce

Adapted from Lidia's Italy

This sauce is great because it cooks up so quickly and tastes so fresh. Apples may seem a strange ingredient, but shredded, they create a really great texture, feel and flavor.

Ingredients:

3 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 - 3 large celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound apples, tart & firm, such as Granny Smith

1 pound spaghetti

1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, freshly grated

1) Pour canned tomatoes into food processor or blender and puree until smooth

2) Heat olive oil in large skillet or pot set over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until they soften.

3) Stir in the pureed tomatoes, season with salt, and heat to a bubbling simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or so. As the tomatoes cook, peel and core the apples, remove the seeds and shred with a grater.

4) Stir the apples into the sauce. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the apple shreds are cooked and tender.

5) As the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the spaghetti until just about al dente. Drain the pasta and then place it into the simmering sauce. Toss the pasta until all the strands are coated and perfectly al dente (or cooked to your liking). Sprinkle with grated cheese and toss well.

6) Serve, passing more cheese at the table.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Feta

Saturdays are great days, and it's a shame there are so few of them. Jason and I spent ours hiking through the hills and citrus trees of Ojai with our friend Philippe, who entertained us, as always, with great conversation. As we sat in his backyard eating dessert, he noticed we were constantly staring at his orange tree (we couldn't help it) so he brought out a ladder and we ended up driving home with a bag full of fruit. If you're at all familiar with this blog, you'll understand why this makes Philippe my hero.

So after a full day of fun, I'm exhausted; the fun kind of tired that I used to feel every evening as a kid that marked the end to a successful day of playing outdoors.  So really, I should just eat a bowl of cereal and then fall asleep on the couch. 

But then there's this; a recipe who's name does it no justice because it leaves out the other two key ingredients, which doesn't seem fair, but typing "Pasta with Tomatoes, Feta, Kalamata Olives, and Basil" seems a bit cumbersome. I'm too tired to think too much about what to call it, but I'm not too tired to spend the few moments it takes to boil some water and chop a few tomatoes and olives, because this dish meets and exceeds my high standards for speedy, great tasting meals. Jason ranks this as one of his three favorite dinners, after this and this. 

It's a winner, people, trust me.

Pasta with Tomatoes & Feta Cheese

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

1 lb penne pasta (or gemelli or fusilli, or whatever works for you)

2-3/4 lb cherry tomatoes (I halve the tomatoes, but this is only out of preference)

5 to 6 oz feta cheese, crumbled (goat cheese can also be  used)

2/3 cup kalamata olives, chopped

3/4 cup basil leaves, torn

Cook pasta according to instructions and drain. Toss hot pasta with cheese in large bowl. Add everything else and salt and pepper to taste.