Penne with Grape Tomatoes &Vegetables

What to do with our leftover cheery tomatoes from the garden? Make pasta!

I put this dish, Penne with Grape Tomatoes & Vegetables, together hoping it would be good and it is delicious! I did not take pictures of this while I was cooking because I was not sure about blogging it but Murray told me I had to!

I love a really quick and delicious supper. This dish really comes together in the time it takes for the pasta to cook. I like pasta softer than al dente so it works out time wise for me. IF you like your pasta al dente, then make the sauce first. Turn off the heat while the pasta is cooking then turn it back on just before you add the pasta to the skillet

Here is the recipe (Makes enough for 3-4 smaller portions or 2 large ones )

Ingredients

I/2 pkg ( 225 gr approx) of Penne

4 tbsp olive oil

1 large shallot, finally chopped

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3 inch pieces

salt to taste

red pepper flakes to taste. options;

4 frozen pucks of spinach or if you have fresh or loose frozen use what you would like, defrosted do not drain the liquid.

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Boil the penne according to pkg instructions
2. While the penne is cooking heat olive oil run a large skillet with at least 2 inch sides
3. Sauté the prepared shallots until soft
4. Add the cut tomatoes & cook them on medium heat until they soften and kind of melt.
5. Lower the temperature of the stove and add the sugar and mix well continuing to cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat off
6. Parboil the asparagus and when they get bright green take a slotted spoon and put them into the skillet. Mix well. Turn the heat on under the skillet to med low
7. Season with the salt & red pepper flakes
8. Quickly microwave the frozen spinach or cook fresh if that is what you are using until defrosted/wilted. Add the spinach and water from the spinach to the skillet. Mix well
9. When the pasta is cooked use a slotted spoon to put the cooked penne right into the pan with the vegetables. Add approx half a soup ladle of the pasta cooking liquid to the skillet. M<ox Mix Mix!! Keep the cooking liquid in case you need to add more.
10. Cook over med/low heat until you see that the ingredients have combined well. Add more liquid if needed but just a bit at a time as you do not want this watery.
11. Add the parmesan, you can more or less according to your taste, and mix well so the cheese melts and is well combined with the pasta
12. Check the seasonings and adjust if needed

Serve hot & Enjoy!