Pasta Ponza

So i'm going to start posting some recipes that i try every once in a while that have worked out pretty well for me. So for all of those who read up on my blog, which i'm not sure how many there are, but for those of you who do and want some easy recipes to try. Or are just looking for something new you can enjoy it too! anyways this was one i saw on "Giada at home" cooking show and its called "Pasta Ponza" it was super easy and way good! everyone i made it for seemed to really like it! anyways give it a try and see what you think!

Ingredients

• Butter for greasing
• 2 cups (12 ounces) red cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups (12 ounces) yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/2 cup Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 pound ziti or other short tube-shaped pasta
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 ounces) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes, capers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in the prepared baking dish . (i cut up some onion and put it in the baking dish too and it gave it a little extra flavor) Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. (or you can just a little olive oil instead of the pasta water if you want to try that instead or forget to save the pasta water)

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the cheese and toss well. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

a chef's lament

So ever since i decided to go into cullinary school. I have been on this cooking/baking binge. I'm constantly on the food network website looking for new recipes to try. I figured i need to get working on my skill so i can actually accomplish something in school plus seeing as though it will probably be a little while before i actually get to go into cullinary school since they don't have one here in st. george i didn't want to waste time. I also wanted to see if i'm any good at it so if i need to change my mind and decide its not something i want to do i can figure it out now before school starts. So ever since my little(ok huge) binge started I have come to the conclusion that i'm just confused. I have days where things work out great and i think i'm really getting the hang of things and then i have other days where the recipes i'm trying for some reason doesn't work out and can't for the life of me figure out why and i get frustrated and think maybe cullinary isn't my thing. Its funny though everytime that happens where i have those moments of weakness where i say i'm going to give up and pick a new career the next recipe i try works out perfectly and it leaves me kinda annoyed. I'm excited that it worked out for sure but at the same time its like really?! now my cooking works out after all the other recipes didn't! I just would really like to know if i'm good at this or not so i can decide whether or not i need to pick a new game plan. I still feel like its what i should do because if it wasn't none of the things i made would work out so maybe it's just like what they say "anything worth having (or in my case doing) is worth working for" and i just need to continue to work at it and things will gradually get better especially once school starts. Anyways thats it for now!