Friday evening is a wonderful time to pull together a quick pasta dish. But don’t overload: to maintain good portion control, use 8 ounces of pasta for a family of four. If you make the whole pound, you will eat the whole pound. Substitute other fresh or dried herbs to customize the meal to your family’s tastes try thyme instead of parsley. And, if you prefer, use ground turkey instead of lamb.
Ingredients
For the Lamb Penne
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 8 ounces whole wheat penne
- 1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 1 pound ground lamb
- ¼ medium red onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
- ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
For the Simple Green Salad
- 1 head butter lettuce, such as Bibb, leaves separated, washed, dried, and torn into pieces
- 2 Tablespoons Pantry Dressing of your choice
- Dash of black pepper
How to Make It
-
For the Lamb Penne
- Fill a large pot with water, add 1 teaspoon of the salt, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot and keep warm.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, brown the lamb, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion, garlic, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the red pepper and parsley, then add the broth and the reserved pasta water and simmer gently over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the pepper softens.
- Add the lamb to the pasta and stir well. Divide among bowls and serve. For the Simple Green Salad
- In a salad bowl, toss the lettuce with the dressing and sprinkle the pepper on top.
