What's For Dinner

So I've decided I REALLY need to start taking photos while I'm cooking dinner. Lets face it, leftovers don't look nearly as wonderful as the original meal! This picture has peas in the dish, the recipe below does not contain peas.

Last night I decided to make Farfalle With Salsa Cruda from my "Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Weeknight" cookbook. This is a wonderfully fresh, easy, and lite meal. Jared and I decided it's more of a "girl" meal if you go by the recipe. I'll make it again, but I will add grilled chicken next time to make it more manly. As a side we made bread with a garlic butter on top. Yum!

Farfalle With Salsa Cruda

Makes 4 servings

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped (side note, I used petite canned tomatoes and they were just as delicious)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup basil, fresh, slivered
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 pound smoked or regular mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts (side note, I didn't use pine nuts and it was still great)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound farfalle, penne or other medium-sized pasta
2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced and chopped (I used smoked bacon, added a crunch to the dish)
Prepare the salsa:
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, oil, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Stir well and let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir in the mozzarella and let stand for about 10 minutes longer.
Toast the pine nuts:
Meanwhile, in a small, dry frying pan over medium-high heat, toast the pine nuts, sirring often, until fragrant and pale gold, about 1-2 minute. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Cook the pasta:
At the same time, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain well and add the pasta to the sauce, along with the prosciutto and pine nuts. Toss to combine and slightly soften the cheese. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Presentation:
Serve the pasta warm or at room temperature.

Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!

Tonight's meal...creamy mustard covered pork chops with green beans. I'll try and remember to take pictures!

Enjoy!
-AKL