So like many others, I was totally seduced by the “One Pan pasta” on the Martha Stewart blog from June. It basically went instantly viral, its simplicity and sensual photos of dried pasta in water with some herbs and tomatoes were irresistible as is usually the case with anything Martha puts her name on. A lot of bloggers have blogged it as is, and one even deemed it virtually impossible to use gluten free pasta in it, now as with most things in my life when I am told it is “impossible” or “crazy” I go straight for it, is this poor judgment or genius….I’ll take the latter thank you! So this is a plant-based, gluten free version of this simple idea, which actually kinda reminded me of making “Hamburger helper” or “Pasta- roni” for me and my sisters as a kid. I also added some extra tasties, switched out a few things to use what I had on hand, and topped with my mushroom bacon here(this time I used button mushrooms as that is what I had on hand), I skipped the cheese I am on week five of my plant based experiment, but I’m sure some pecorino or a dollop of pesto would be outrageous.
Ingredients:
2 cups Tru Roots gluten free, whole grain pasta ziti (the original recipe used spaghetti)
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, I had the Organic ones from Costco in my pantry (original called for fresh cherry tomatoes)
3 cups Vegetable stock, I used this instead of plain water, I bet a little wine would be good too
¼ cup chopped black olives, I used these to add richness that the extra oil would’ve done
1 pinch salt, dried Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes
10 turns of the pepper grinder, or 1 tsp ground black pepper
In a pot place everything except pasta, bring to a boil (the original called for putting the pasta in too, but since gluten free pasta has a shorter cooking time I boiled the other stuff first), when it is at a full boil add pasta, cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and pasta is al dente about 8-9 minutes.
Top:
I used some chopped “Mushroom bacon”here totally optional, but delicious and some fresh parsley, the original called for fresh basil but I didn’t want to go to the store to get it so I used Italian, flat leaf parsley since I usually always have a bouquet sitting in a vase in my fridge.
So it can be done with delicious results, another ingenious idea, reinvented, in the words of Steve Jobs “Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal” Haha! Thanks Martha….or should I thank Pasta-roni?
