Antipasto Penne

Are the few boys that read this blog sick of all the recipes? Sorry. It's all I've got right now! With the cold weather, I've been on a cooking and eating-in kick.

The other night, Keith and I made Antipasto Style Penne. I read on someone's blog that they had made it and loved it. So, I stole the idea and whipped it up right away. It was GREAT!

It came from a Cooking Light magazine, which I do receive, but I must have not paid attention to it there. Here's the recipe, photos to follow!







Antipasto Penne
click here for printer-friendly version

Ingredients

• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 1/3 cup refrigerated pesto
• 2 packages pre-cooked chicken
  
• 1 (7-ounce) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained and chopped
• 1 (6-ounce) jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 8 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel and chop bell pepper; place in a large bowl. Stir in olives, pesto, prosciutto, tomatoes, and artichokes.

3. Begin heating the chicken in a skillet on low. Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Add cooked pasta and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to bell pepper mixture, and toss gently to combine. Add the chicken. Spoon about 1 cup pasta mixture into each of 6 bowls, and sprinkle each serving with 2 teaspoons remaining cheese and 2 teaspoons pine nuts.

I decided to start taking pictures after I'd already prepped the pepper and stuck in the oven, oops!

Broil those babies!


Yes, BLACKENED. Don't be scared.


Using tongs, carefully put into ziplock bag and seal.


Get everything else pulled together.



Toast the pine nuts under the broiler on low


Just toast for a little bit to release the flavor


In a bowl, add the kalamata olives


Then the pesto. Yum!


Drain the sun dried tomatoes


Then chop them up, add to the bowl


Drain the artichoke hearts and chop


Add that to the bowl, too


Get the red peppers out now, and peel off the blackened layer


It's really pretty easy


Congrats! You've now roasted a red pepper!
Chop that up


Add to the bowl and stir it around. Beautiful!


Grate Parmesan cheese. It's the best that way!


Over 1/4 of a cup


Heat the chicken on a skillet


Boil the pasta until cooked, then drain.


Add the cheese


Then add the pasta and chicken


Stir it up. It's ready!

Oh, pasta heaven!