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Dad's One-Pan Friday Night Pasta

Source of Recipe

From "Half Baked Harvest Cookbook" by Tieghan Gerard


Recipe Introduction

"If there were just one meal I could eat forever and ever, it would be my dad's Friday night pasta. I've made so many delicious recipes, but this remains my favorite dinner of all time. It may have something to do with all the great memories I have surrounding this dish. My dad would make his pasta on Friday nights, and whoever happened to be home would enjoy it, relaxed on the couch or by the fire, watching a good movie. Dad likes to put everything in one baking dish, even the pasta. He covers it with cheese, bell peppers, and pepperoni and bakes it until the edges of the pasta are crisp, almost burnt�but the center of the dish is melty cheese."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 pound angel hair pasta
◦ � cup extra-virgin olive oil
◦ 1 tablespoon dried basil
◦ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
◦ 1 teaspoon dried parsley
◦ 1 teaspoon dried dill
◦ 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
◦ � teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
◦ ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
◦ ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (see Note)
◦ 2 tablespoons chopped pickled pepperoncini (optional)
◦ Kosher salt (optional)
◦ 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces
◦ 1 cup shredded Havarti cheese
◦ 3 or 4 red, orange, and/or yellow bell peppers, sliced
◦ 10 to 12 slices of pepperoni
◦ � cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
◦ Torn fresh basil leaves, for topping



Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375� F with a rack in the center.

Put the dry pasta in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the olive oil, dried basil, oregano, parsley, dill, red pepper flakes, black pepper, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and pepperoncini (if using). If your olives are not salty, add a pinch of salt. Use your hands to gently toss to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Add 3 cups of water and gently toss once more. Add the mozzarella and Havarti in a single layer. Add the bell peppers and pepperoni. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pasta has absorbed the water, the cheese has melted, and the peppers are lightly charred. If there is a little grease on top, you can blot it away with a paper towel.

Serve the pasta hot with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.

Serves 6







❧ Note:
I like to use the drained oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in place of the � cup of olive oil in this recipe. So much flavor! If you don't have quite enough, supplement with extra-virgin olive oil.