Thin Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

My daughter loves spaghetti. This is not a newsflash, I mean who doesn’t like spaghetti? The problem is that some days I just don’t have the time or the want to make a spaghetti sauce that takes all day to cook. Yes, a good red sauce needs to cook all day, preferably be cooled down after cooking, and then reheated to get the most developed flavors. My Grandma Londa, who also happens to be an excellent cook, taught me this and is pretty adamant about it! So I usually try to reserve my spaghetti making to days when I am going to be home all day. Those days are usually Sundays, but there are just times during the week when I want that comfort of those flavors and I want Sofia to eat a big dinner, so I was delighted when I ran across this pasta recipe.

This sauce is super easy and quick, and can be made with items in the pantry. The use of sun-dried tomatoes gives this dish that deep slow cooked flavor you get from homemade spaghetti sauce, but the whole dish can be thrown together in less than 20 minutes. I get my sun-dried tomatoes at Trader Joes, they are much cheaper there than the grocery store and you can buy them already julienned, thus reducing your cooking and cleanup time, which is exactly what you want in a good weeknight dinner. This recipe also calls for goat cheese, but this part is completely optional, I truthfully don’t think leaving it out takes away anything from the dish. If I have it on hand, I throw it in, if not I don’t. My daughter loves this dish almost as much as my trusty spaghetti (if it had ground beef, it would be a tie!) and I love that I can throw this dish together any old night and my taste buds are truly satisfied!

The idea for this sauce has been adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentis, serves 4!

1 10 Ounce Jar Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil, Chopped. (Reserve the Oil!)
1 Small Yellow Onion, Chopped.
4 Garlic Cloves, Pressed or Grated (You can do minced, but I don't like big pieces of garlic in my sauce)
2 Cups Dry White Wine
¼ Cup Tomato Paste
1 Pound Thin Spaghetti (I always use Barilla)
3 Tablespoons Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
S & P
3 Ounces Fresh Goat Cheese (Optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling add thin spaghetti and cook until al dente (about 6-7 minutes). I usually start the sauce (below) and try to drop the thin spaghetti into the water about the same time I add the wine to the sauce.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir about 30 seconds. Immediately add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and simmer bout 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water. (I do this by sticking a mug into the pasta water before draining.) Add the pasta and parsley to the sauce, toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. If using, sprinkle with goat cheese and serve!

Sofia enjoying some weeknight spaghetti!