Italian meals in 30 minutes

Natural Health, Sept-Oct, 1998 by Jack Bishop

Tired from a day's work? You'll have these tasty vegetarian dinners on the table before you know it.

IN MY SEARCH for fast, easy, and flavorful vegetarian meals, I've found that Italian cooking ranks high. First, because most Italian dishes rely on just a few strong flavors like garlic, rosemary, olives, and balsamic vinegar, the ingredients lists are short. Second, many dishes call for a variety of healthy ingredients, such as garlic, vegetables, and beans. And, to top it off, the cooking times are quick, meaning you can have a meal on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Given the changeable nature of the weather at this time of year (one night might be sultry, the next night cool and fall-like), I have included some light dishes, as well as some that are more substantial. So when the mercury soars to 90, No-Cook Tuscan White Bean Soup will let you eat well without having to heat up the house. For a cooler night, try hearty, warm dishes such as Polenta with Portobello Mushrooms or Ziti with Tomatoes, Rosemary, and Balsamic Vinegar.

ZITI WITH TOMATOES, ROSEMARY, AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Serves 4

TIME 20 minutes

Rosemary adds a woodsy flavor and aroma to this basic tomato sauce. Stirring in a little balsamic vinegar at the end of the cooking time maximizes its sweet-and-sour punch. Follow with a salad of bitter greens--I recommend arugula, radicchio, and endive.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and diced
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound ziti
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta.

2. Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion and saute over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in rosemary and cook for 30 seconds to release its flavor.

3. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

4. While preparing sauce, add pasta and salt to taste to boiling water. Cook pasta until al dente and then drain. Stir vinegar into tomato sauce and immediately toss with cooked pasta. Mix well and divide among individual bowls. Serve immediately

PER SERVING: 528 calories, 18g protein, 9g fat, 95g carbohydrates, 7g fiber, 591mg sodium, 12% vitamin A, 52% vitamin C, 6% calcium

LINGUINE WITH OLIVADA

Serves 4

TIME 20 minutes

Olivada, a black olive puree used in many Italian dishes, can be used as a sandwich spread, slathered on toasts to make crostini, or tossed With hot pasta. Some gourmet stores sell olivada in jars, or you can make your own in just a minute with a food processor or blender. Olivada has a consistency similar to pesto's, and like pesto it should be thinned with some water from the pasta pot so that it will coat the pasta evenly. Round out the meal with a lettuce and tomato salad.

1 1/2 cups black olives such as Kalamatas, pitted
1 medium shallot, coarsely chopped
6 large fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice Salt
1 pound linguine or spaghetti

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta.

2. Place olives, shallot, basil, and thyme in workbowl of food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped. Add oil and lemon juice and process until smooth. Scrape olivada into bowl large enough to hold cooked pasta. Add salt if necessary. (It probably won't be.)

3. While preparing sauce, add pasta and salt to taste to boiling water. Cook pasta until al dente and then drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Stir 1/4 cup cooking liquid into olivada. Add pasta and toss, adding more cooking liquid if pasta seems dry. Divide pasta among individual bowls and serve immediately

PER SERVING: 586 calories, 17g protein, 18g fat, 91g carbohydrates, 7g fiber, 743mg sodium, 16% vitamin A, 6% vitamin C, 8% calcium

POLENTA WITH CORN AND TARRAGON

Serves 4

TIME 20 minutes

Instant polenta (dried precooked cornmeal) imported from Italy is a boon to hurried cooks, because it needs to simmer for just five minutes rather than the usual 40 minutes for regular cornmeal. Look for this product in natural food stores and other shops with a good selection of Italian foods. I like the flavor of tarragon in this dish, but any fresh herb, including basil, cilantro, mint, or parsley, would also work well. To remove corn kernels, stand husked ears on end and slice down with a sharp knife. You should get about three cups from four ears. You may substitute an equal amount of frozen kernels with some sacrifice in flavor. Serve with a tomato salad.

1 teaspoon salt
2 cups instant polenta
4 medium ears fresh sweet corn,
husked with kernels sliced off cobs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves

1. Set 8 cups water in heavy medium saucepan over high heat. When water comes to boil, add salt and lower heat to medium-low: Whisk in instant polenta in slow, steady stream. This should take almost 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until polenta thickens and starts to pull away from sides of pan, about 5 minutes.