It took me a long time to figure out what to call this particular pasta dish. I told Mr. X I was making trout pasta for dinner, and the look on his face made it very clear that “trout pasta” would not be an appropriate name. But if it were to appear on a restaurant menu, how could it be made clear that the trout is actually in the pasta sauce, not served on the side or anything? I’m not sure that my choice is perfect, but I guess the name of it isn’t that important, either. Because it was really super good! Way better than even I was expecting, and certainly better than “trout pasta” might connote.
I spent all day trying to think of what to do with the trout fillet I picked up at the hippy mart Monday. I’m not usually a big fan of just eating a piece of fish on its on, but I’m trying to get more of it into my diet, since it’s supposed to be healthy or something. I even thought for a minute about putting it on pizza, but I feel like I’ve been making lots of pizzas lately. Eventually, I figured it would just flake it into some pasta sauce and hope for the best.
But what kind of pasta sauce? I’ve seen recipes for trout topped with pesto, or salsa, and I’ve cooked other fish mixed into cream sauces, but none of that seemed right. Plus, I didn’t want to make a trip to the market again. So after rooting around in my larder (ha, I’ve always wanted to use that word) I came up with a hodge-podge of randomness, and crossed my fingers.
Campanelle pasta is definitely a new favorite. If I ever learn to make complicated pasta shapes at home, this will be one of the first I want to master. They are named after little trumpes, and the curls of delicate pasta catch all kinds of yummy sauce all over them. They look so pretty and unique, I am just in love with them. It’s a bit ridiculous.
Campanelle with Spicy Tomato Sauce, Trout, and Haricots Verts
- about 2 c. campanelle pasta
- about 1 1/2 c. marinara sauce (I had some leftover from last time I made pizza)
- 1 tsp. capers
- a big pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 c. haricots verts (Mine were frozen. If you’re using fresh, you could probably steam them a bit, or microwave them, but they might be fine just thrown in the sauce, too)
- 1 fillet of trout, probably about 6 ounces. I always forget to check this stuff.
- some olive oil
- some salt and pepper
Timing is all with this dinner, I think. Once your pasta water is boiling, you have about ten minutes to get everything else ready, which is exactly enough. So dump your pasta into some boiling salted water, and do this:
Mix the capers and red pepper flakes with the tomato sauce in a saucepan, and heat over medium-low heat. Once its warmed up, you can add the green beans, and keep it simmering over low heat.
Brush the trout on both sides with a bit of olive oil, and place on a shallow baking pan. Sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper, and put it under a broiler. It should take about 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillet. I flipped mine halfway through, but you may not need to do this.
The trout should be finishing up right when the pasta is. Drain the pasta and add it to the tomato sauce. Flake the trout (watching out for bones; there were only a few in mine), and add the flaked bits to the pasta and sauce. Stir it all up, let it sit for another minute or two on low heat, and then serve. And you just cooked a fifteen minute dinner. Take that, Rachel!