It has a comforting familiarity with its light golden color and chewy, wheaten flavor. Boredom at dinnertime, while something to treasure, is not.
Let’s face the facts; everyone has stared at a package of pasta and wondered, “How can this be creative?”
You can make pasta great with a little creativity and some additional ingredients.
What is penne pasta?
Because the pasta’s angled ends resemble a quill pen, the Italian word “penne” means pen (quill). Penne is available in smooth or ridged forms and can be a great addition to many dishes.
Right (or ridged) penne can go with almost any sauce, thick or thin. The ridges soak up every drop of sauce and are strong enough to hold thick sauces. These hollow tubes are filled with delicious, saucy goodness.
Although smooth penne (lice) doesn’t absorb as much sauce as the other types, it is just as delicious. Smooth penne is best reserved for soups, casseroles, and as a side dish to stew.
Durum wheat flour is used to make penne and other pasta shapes. It’s a tough grain that makes a strong noodle that can be easily accessed even when not convenient.
Penne is resilient and chewy after cooking. Pasta made from softer wheat, however, will break down when overcooked. It’s easy to make penne with little hands, even if it is not sauced or seasoned.
Recipe: Penne with easy pink vodka sauce
This easy pink vodka sauce is my favorite way to serve penne. The tender penne tubes are served in a creamy tomato sauce flavored with vodka and infused with garlic, onion, and fresh basil. It’s then topped with parmesan cheese as well as fresh basil. This dish can be made using items you already have in your kitchen and takes only 20 minutes.
Why would you add vodka to the sauce? Vodka adds a rich flavor to tomatoes by concentrating and pulling out their natural sweetness. The alcohol also adds a subtle taste to the sauce, making it a great contrast to the sweet cream.
Is it possible to leave out vodka? Yes! You can replace vodka with equal amounts of vegetable broth, chicken soup or reserved pasta water.
Makes: Four Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb penne or any other pasta shape you choose
- 2 cups tomato sauce/purée tomatoes
- 1/4 cup vodka, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water (see note below)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
- Parmesan cheese grated for serving
- Fresh basil chopped for serving
Preparation
- Follow the instructions on the package to cook pasta. Drain pasta and reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water (if using vodka). Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Combine the vodka, tomato sauce, olive oil, dried basil and dried oregano with the onion powder, garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan.
- Place the saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a boil. Let the pan simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn down the heat and add the cream. Cook the pasta for about 1 to 2 minutes. Once cooked, fold in the cream and heat for 1 minute.
- Season with salt and black Pepper. Serve with fresh basil, parmesan cheese, and extra parmesan cheese.
What can you do with a pound worth of penne pasta?
- Consider penne as a blank canvas on which to create your masterpiece. You can transform a bland, chewy wheaten pasta into something extraordinary by adding just one ingredient from your kitchen. Simple pasta can be transformed into a gourmet meal with the addition of capers, olives and pesto.
- These are some ideas to spark your creativity with pasta ideas:
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- Spicy Sausage and Penne – Create a meat sauce using sweet or spicy sausage.
- Penne Arrabiata – add spicy sauce to the dish and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Seafood Penne: Add shrimp, clams and canned tomatoes
- Penne Pie is a version of spaghetti pie that’s much more manageable.
- Penne Primavera – Add a variety of vegetables to your Penne Primavera.
- Penne Florentine: Toss the pasta in creamed spinach
- Penne Alfredo with Eggs & Bacon – Add store-bought Alfredo sauce to the pasta and top it off with over-easy eggs & bacon
- Penne Mac N Cheese – swap in penne for elbow macaroni
- Penne with Tuna, Tomatoes and Capers – Add canned/pouch tuna and cherry tomatoes to the pasta.
- Penne with Broccoli, Garlic and Olive Oil – Tossed with olive oil
- Cacio e Pepe Penne is a classic dish of spaghetti made with toasted black Pepper.
- Penne with Olive Tapenade–add store-bought olive tapenade
- Caprese Penne: Add fresh mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, and drizzle balsamic glaze
- Thai Penne with Chicken and Creamy peanut Sauce – Add store-bought peanut butter
- Penne with Thyme and Mushrooms – Add sauteed mushrooms to the recipe.
- Pesto Penne: Use store-bought basil pesto to make it!
- Penne Jambalaya: Add Cajun seasoning, shrimp, or andouille sausage
- Chicken Caesar Penne – add cooked chicken, Caesar dressing, and crushed croutons; serve over Romaine lettuce if desired.