Story and Photos by Alex Stoltze
I enjoy having dinner parties at my tiny college apartment. However, welcoming many hungry mouths, especially those of men, means preparing a gigantic meal. I prefer cooking with fresh and numerous vegetables and as many organic products as possible. However, this doesn’t need to lead to a big bill at the grocery store when entertaining.
My favorite party entree is pasta. It can jump two to ten servings without adding much cost and can easily incorporate low-cost organic produce. I start by sauteing a few vegetables, only a couple dollars at the store, and then adding tomato sauce to add volume and flavor to my pasta sauce. A can of tomato sauce can be purchased for around seventy cents and a bag of pasta costs only a dollar. This leads to a cheap, easy, and delicious way to satisfy empty bellies and eager mouths.
Party Pasta
Yields about five servings
Ingredients:
4 T olive oil
2 med zucchini (roughly 2.5 cups)
1 sweet onion (about 2 cups)
8 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2 med tomatoes (about 2 cups)
2 15oz cans of tomato sauce
One bay leaf
Dried red pepper flakes to taste (I add about 2 t)
1.5 T brown sugar
1.5 t dried or fresh rosemary
2 t dried or fresh basil (fresh is always better)
1 box pasta (I use angel hair pasta)
Add the olive oil to a large pot on medium heat. Chop the zucchini in half length wise and then chop vertically to make quarter inch thick half medallions and add those to the pot. Chop the onion and tomatoes and add to the pot and stir. Begin boiling about six cups of water for the pasta in a separate pot. Chop the garlic cloves and add to the pot. I was taught that using a garlic press subtracts from the flavor of the garlic so I always chop my cloves.
Let these vegetables cook for about four minutes while occasionally stirring and then mix in the tomato sauce. Add the whole bay leaf (remember to remove before serving), the red pepper, brown sugar, rosemary, basil, salt and pepper. Add the pasta to the boiling water and drain when it is done cooking, about seven minutes. Let the sauce cook for about ten minutes while occasionally stirring.
Finally, add the strained pasta into the large sauce pot, mix together and enjoy!
In the photos, you will see steamed cauliflower, which you may want to serve with your meal. I always love serving vegetables with my meal and with a large group of people you may choose to serve a simply salad or steamed veggies. To steam cauliflower, simply chop off the end of the stem and steam for about twenty minutes. If you begin steaming the cauliflower when you begin cooking the sauce, it will be perfectly cooked when you are finished cooking the pasta. I enjoyed my cauliflower with some white wine vinegar, but it is also delicious with salt and pepper or simply plain.
 
 

Gallery • 1 Photos

Clever Cooking: Party Pasta