March 23, 2020July 23, 2020

Kids love pasta. When we ask kids about their favourite foods, pasta is at the top of the list. This dish combines fresh tomatoes, herbs and Parmesan cheese with a pasta shape of your choice to create a simple dinner everyone will like.

Yield: 4 servings
Preparation Time: About 15 minutes
Cooking Time: About 20 minutes

INGREDIENT LIST

450g tomatoes (about 5 – 6 Roma tomatoes)
3 – 4 green onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, grated
½ cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan cheese
a good handful of fresh basil, torn into small pieces, or 2 tsp. (10 ml) dried basil or 1 tsp. (5ml) dried oregano
a few sprigs Italian parsley leaves, torn into smaller pieces
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
Pinch salt and freshly cracked pepper
450g (about 2 cups or 500 ml) tomatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces

EQUIPMENT LIST

Small sharp knife
Cutting board
Micro-plane or garlic press
Grater
Large pot
Wooden spoon
Tongs
Large sieve or colander

METHOD

1. Cut tomatoes in bite-sized pieces.

2. Cut green onions into pinky-wide slices.

3. Grate a clove of garlic using a micro-plane or garlic press.

4. Grate the cheese.

5. Pluck the parsley and basil leaves from the stems, then chop or tear the leaves into smaller pieces.

6. Place a large skillet on stove-top and turn on to a medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil and heat up.

7. Add green onions and sauté. Add grated garlic after a minute.

8. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until heated through and soft. Season with salt and pepper. Mix together.

9. While the tomato mixture is on the stove-top, fill a large pot ½ full with cold water. Add a good pinch of salt. Place on the stovetop and turn the stove on to high. Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and give it a swish with a wooden spoon so that the pasta does not stick together. Boil for about 3 minutes for fresh pasta or 6 – 8 minutes for dry pasta (check the pasta package for recommended time). To check the pasta is done, remove a piece of pasta with tongs and cut through it. If it is still white in the centre, cook the pasta for another minute. The pasta should be al dente, ‘to the tooth’, not crunchy or mushy.

10. Once the pasta has cooked, place a colander in the sink and then carefully pour the contents of the pot into the colander to drain the pasta.

11. Once the tomato mixture cooked, place drained pasta in serving bowls or on plates. Top with tomato mixture, herbs and Parmesan cheese.

12. Serve right away.

SKILLS

STEP-BY-STEP – PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND HERBS!

STEP 1
Gather ingredients

STEP 2
Prepare ingredients.

STEP 3
Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in pan. Add green onions and sauté on medium heat. Add garlic 1 minute later.

STEP 4
Add tomatoes. Cook just until soft. Season with salt and pepper.

STEP 5
While tomato mixture is cooking, bring large pot of cold water to boil with good pinch of salt. Add pasta and boil as per time suggested on package.