Pasta & Peppers with Fennel
Submitted by DORTEGOS
A quick pasta with sweet red, yellow and green peppers, scallions and a hit of fennel seed, all tossed in olive oil. Light, colorful and meatless, on the table in about 30 minutes.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minSometimes the simplest pasta is the one you reach for again and again. This one tosses tube-shaped mostaccioli with a confetti of sweet red, yellow, and green peppers, scallions, and good olive oil, with no heavy sauce in sight.
The quiet hero is fennel seed. Just a quarter teaspoon lends a sweet, faintly anise warmth that makes the dish taste richer and more savory than its short ingredient list suggests, almost as if there were Italian sausage in there, except it’s entirely meatless.
The key is to keep the peppers crisp-tender, cooked just until they soften but still hold their color and a little bite.
Sauté them quickly over high heat, toss in the hot pasta and fennel, and serve. It’s light, fast, and colorful enough to brighten any weeknight in about 30 minutes.
Kitchen Tips
- Cook the peppers just to crisp-tender so they keep their color and a little snap.
- Crush the fennel seeds lightly before adding to release more of their aroma.
- Use three colors of pepper for the prettiest plate, though any combination works.
- Toss the hot pasta in right away so it picks up the oil and pepper flavors.
Variations
- Add garlic, red pepper flakes, or a handful of olives for more punch.
- Finish with grated Parmesan or toasted pine nuts.
- Add cooked Italian sausage or chickpeas to make it a heartier meal.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook mostaccioli to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; rinse with hot water.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add bell peppers and onions; cook and stir 2 to 5 minutes or until crisp-gender. Add mostaccioli, fennel, salt and pepper; blend well. Cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.
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