Paul's Pope's Pasta Perfection

It has been too long since my last post Peas and I know you have been after me to get to writing so here I am to spill the pasta shells on what my mister and I have been up to cookin in the kitchen. Tonight was our weekly pasta night which is one of my favourite nights. There is nothing better than the smell of fresh basil and simmering onions in a rich napolitana sauce. Paul never ceases to amaze my taste buds when he gets behind the stove top with some fresh ingredients from our little herb garden along with great EVOO!! On the menu for tonight was Pope's Pasta, remember the one we had when you came to visit Peanut? For anyone who doesn't know we call it Pope's pasta because it's rumored to be the only pasta the Pope eats (it is made from special grains with a high protein content) and it always comes out al dente!
The only problem with this dish is that its too good to stop after just one bowl and then the inevitable happens which is me sitting on the couch too full to move.


Paul's Pope's Pasta
Ingredients:
1 can of whole tomatoes
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (diced)
3 big mushrooms sliced (any type that suits your fancy)
2 tbls. balsamic vinegar or red wine (any variety of red that is in your wine cupboard)
1 cup of chopped fresh parsley (must be fresh not dried Peanut..I know you would call me and ask)
2 cups of fresh chopped basil
Salt and Pepper
EVOO for sauteing and extra to add to the sauce
1 package of Pope's Pasta (Squisito is the brand we use but could substitute with Fusilli Pasta)
Best Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) you can get your hands on!

Recipe:
In a large pot saute onion and mushroom with EVOO. Making sure mushroom browns just a little. Add in garlic and saute for a minute or so until just brown. Pour in balsamic vinegar or red wine. Then add in whole tomatoes and diced tomatoes and give mixture a healthy sprinkling of salt and pepper. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for 45 minutes. Meanwhile boil a pot of water and add salt to the water. Once to a boil add in pasta and cook until al dente. Then turn off heat on the sauce mixture and add in the fresh parsley and half of the fresh basil. Drain pasta and return to pot that it was boiled in. Paul likes to add some sauce through the cooked pasta and then serve into bowls and add more sauce on top with rest of fresh basil and freshly grated parmesean.


Our Fresh Basil from our little urban herb garden