Bistro Ole and Pasta

First of all, I want to plug Bistro Ole in Asbury Park, NJ.  Mark and I went here on Tuesday for our 1st wedding anniversary.  The food was great, the ambiance very nice, and the service excellent.  If you are in the mood for Spanish and Portuguese food (especially seafood!), you should give this place a try.  Check out their website for menus here.

Today when I was thinking about dinner I realized that it had been awhile since I made a straight up pasta with marinara sauce.  So that's exactly what I did.  I had a can of artichoke hearts, so I added these to the sauce.  It added a meaty texture to the sauce, and of course, great artichoke flavor.  Definitely one of my favorite veggies, and super convenient in a can.  i would have loved to make this sauce with fresh plum tomatoes, but unfortunately, my plants all have a bad case of anthracnose, a fungus.  Maybe next year.  Thank goodness canned tomatoes can be had for a reasonable price and be of excellent quality.

SPAGHETTI WITH MARINARA AND ARTICHOKE HEARTS

-1 box spaghetti, cooked

-1 32 oz. can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano are the only kind I use, and you will too once you try them)

-olive oil

-half an onion, diced

-6 garlic cloves, minced

-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

-1 tbsp tomato paste

-2-3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (I used my usual mix of basil, parsley, and oregano)

-1 can artichoke hearts, quartered

-salt and pepper

-Coat a pot (I used a Dutch oven) with olive oil and turn heat on medium.

-Add onion, cook 5 minutes.  

-Add garlic and red pepper flake, cook 2 minutes.

-Add tomato paste, and stir to combine with the garlic and onion.

-Add crushed tomatoes, and stir to combine all ingredients.  Add a bit of water if it's too thick.

-Cook sauce for 10-15 minutes.

-Add herbs and artichokes, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook another 5-7 minutes.

-Combine cooked pasta with the sauce, and serve.

I added thick slices of Italian bread with this, to make sure none of the sauce went to waste.  This is a real comfort dish that is pretty quick and easy.  The sauce is a great base for anything, really.  This would be good with white beans, arugula, or roasted red peppers.  A shave of pecorino romano is a good idea too, alas, I forgot I had it in the fridge until after dinner.  That's what leftovers are for!