Sardiney Pasta

Here's something you can make when you have almost nothing in the fridge, AND when you're watching the Gator Game at home alone on a Saturday night.

Sardiny pasta:



Don't give me that face, Sardines are so good for you. To quote this article, which quotes a different article: "In a 1984 issue of the Town & Country magazine, James Villas wrote an article entitled 'The Unsung Sardine' in which he said that 'ounce for ounce, sardines provide more calcium and phosphorus than milk, more protein than steak, more potassium than bananas, and more iron than cooked spinach.'"

I'll often toast a piece of rye bread, open a can of sardines and put them together with tons of lemon juice and thinly sliced onions. But this pasta is my newest creation. Here's what's in it:

1 can of bonesless, skinless sardines in olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large tomatoes diced
1-2 cloves garlic chopped
1/4 cup of red wine (optional)
the juice of half a lemon
black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1/4 cup water
1/8 cup of bread crumbs (eyeball it)
8-10 Kalamata olives chopped
Parmesan cheese
Half a box of angel hair or linguini*

*For optimum health, make it whole wheat or quinoa. But as I mentioned above, I was home alone on a Saturday night watching a Gator game. Alone. So I went for the full-on, enriched, WHITE pasta. I'm not proud.

First, boil the pasta in a large pot. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Throw in the garlic, let it sizzle, but not burn for about 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and let them cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the red wine (aw yeah). Let it cook about 4-5 more minutes. If the tomatoes start to stick to the bottom, add the water. Let it all simmer until you get something resembling a sauce. It doesn't have to be super liquidy, just so that the tomatoes are stewed. Add salt and pepper.

Next, open the can of sardines and break them up into the sauce. If some of the oil gets in, that's fine. Fold the sauce to heat the fish. Throw in the olives, bread crumbs and about a palmful of Parmesan. Toss everything until its heated.

By now, your pasta should be cooked. Drain, rinse it, add a little olive oil and toss it with the sauce. Put lemon juice on top and make sure the sauce gets all through the pasta. Plate it, add some more Parmesan to the top, and Voila! A pasta dish packed with protein.

Have something minty for dessert.