Pasta Florentine with Orecchiette is a great quick dinner now that school’s started. Expect happy kids at your table!
Like many pastas, orecchiette pasta originates in Italy. It’s name, which means “little ears” in Italian, is perfect to describe the round concave shape of this pasta. The cup-like interior makes it the perfect vehicle to carry chunky or hearty sauces made of meats and vegetables.
A sauce of spinach, sun dried tomatoes and bits of Prosciutto go well with these “little ears”. Every bite is a multitude of flavor and this is the perfect meal to make on a weeknight. I also like to serve it on a weekend when I have guests. It is perfect with a glass of white or rose wine.
Pasta has always been a staple in my house growing up. We always had a big bowl of pasta on our Sunday dinner table. It was also served one other day of the week.
While Sunday was the day that a pot of gravy was slow cooked with meatballs or pot roast, week night pasta was put together quickly with some leftover meat or vegetables.
This dish is easy and quick to make. If you are like me and have kids running in every direction to sports practices, part time jobs and other activities, this meal will be a time saver.
Now that school has started up again, I need as many quick dinner recipes as I can get. My family and I love pasta because you can pair it with so many other ingredients and dinner can be on the table in under 30 minutes. I never get in a dinner rut when I know there are always a few boxes of pasta in my pantry.
For more weeknight pasta recipes, why not try these?
Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet
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Pasta Florentine with Orecchiette Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Dried Orecchiette Pasta
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 ounces Prosciutto Chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1/3 cup Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes
- 10 ounce package Chopped Frozen Spinach Defrosted
- 2 teaspoons Dried Basil
- 1 cup Chicken Broth Plus extra, if needed
- Red Pepper To taste
- Parmesan Cheese For serving
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of water according to package directions. Drain when cooked.
- While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil on medium high heat in a large skillet.
- Add prosciutto and cook for about 5 minutes or until crispy.
- Add garlic and sundried tomatoes to the pan and turn heat to medium. Cook for two minutes. Add spinach and dried basil to the pan. Stir well.
- Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pan and cook until simmering. Add cooked pasta and mix with a wooden spoon. Add extra broth if necessary.
- Serve the pasta in a large bowl. Add red pepper to taste and serve with grated cheese if desired.