Another new approach to cooking pasta dishes I've been experimenting with lately. This has to be a classic Eriba meal that requires one pan... At first I was dubious, but having tried it a couple of times now, it really does work...
Ingredients: Serves 5 (or 4 if you're hungy!)
500g (18 oz) fusilli
Olive oil
1 medium red onion finely chopped (or a couple of shallots)
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs
2 tsp salt
2 cans chopped tomatoes
140g (5oz) of tomato paste/puree
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
950 ml of boiling water (you may need more)
A few handfuls of fresh basil
250g fresh spinach
25-50g of butter
3 large spoonfuls of mascarpone
In a large pot, heat some olive oil and gently saute the onions until soft, Add the garlic and herbs, and cook on a very low heat for a further 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and balsamic vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes, until bubbling. Now add the fusilli along with the boiling water. The sauce will be very watery and runny but don't worry- the pasta will absorb all the excess water as it cooks. Bring to the boil, and then simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta has cooked and the sauce has thickened back up. If it goes too dry, add some more water. This aspect you will have to judge as the amount of water dried pasta will absorb differs. Now add the spinach, basil and butter, and stir over a low heat until it's cooked down. Finally, stir in the mascarpone until melted, giving a deliciously thick, creamy sauce.
Put on your best white shirt and enjoy!