Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola (Vodka) & Spinach with Feta and Pine Nuts

A few weeks ago we had a little date night at home and we always love to treat ourselves to a nice filet when we do this! I was tired of all the same old salads and sides that we normally made, so I opened up one of my favorite Ina Garten cookbooks and found both of these recipes!

This Penne dish is really just a fancy name for a pasta with vodka sauce. It was seriously delicious. I made it with chickpea pasta and my hubby didn’t even have a clue. The sauce is so good, you can’t tell the difference.

My hubby also loves this spinach Madeline dish which is great, but full of cheese and fattening. So when I found this lighter spinach side with feta and pine nuts, I knew I wanted to try it. I thought it was delicious.

Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

Ingredients

1/4 cup good olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup vodka
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound penne pasta
4 tablespoons fresh oregano
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.
3. Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.
5. Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.
6. Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.

Spinach with Feta and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups chopped Yellow Onions
1 Lemon
1 Pound Fresh Spinach Leaves, washed, and spun dry (baby spinach works great too)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup crumbled feta (or 1/2-inch diced feta)

Directions:
1. Once all of the veggies have been prepped, grab a large saute pan and add the oil. Heat it over medium heat and add the chopped onion to the oil. Stir regularly for about 8-10 minutes. You’re looking for the onions to be tender without browning.

2. While the onion cooks, zest a lemon and reserve the zest. Then juice the lemon. Once the onions are cooked, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the onions.

3. Time for the spinach. Grab the spinach and add by the handfuls. You’ll need to stir as you’re adding the spinach. Once it’s all in the pan, stir it for about 1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste to the the spinach and combine. Aim for about 1/2 teaspoon of each.

4. Finally remove the pan from the heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest along with 1 1/2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts, and 1/2 cup of feta. Lightly toss the spinach and then serve while it’s still hot. Enjoy!