Spicy Pasta with Pork, Arugula and Artichokes

Imagine dumping a load of tidbits from your refrigerator into a pound of  cooked pasta and tying it together with a homemade pasta sauce that could qualify as addicting.  Well that’s what I did a couple nights ago and I’ve been eating it ever since.

Sometimes original culinary creations work and sometimes they don’t.  I made a butternut squash soup with roasted poblano peppers a couple of weekends ago and to my dismay, it didn’t work – at all!

This yummy pasta casserole has a zesty tomato sauce with crushed red chili peppers and ground pork.  I used a half of pound, because that’s what I had.  A full pound of pork would make it much heartier.  Some chunky garlic cloves, onion, a can of artichokes and some left over baby arugula (I sneaked in some spinach too), and shredded mozzarella completed the package.

You never know the potential of a half empty fridge!

Spicy Pork Pasta with Artichokes and Arugula
serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 pound any shape pasta, cooked al dente
• 2 cans 15 ounce tomato sauce
• 2 large cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons marjoram
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 8 ounce can of quartered artichoke hearts
• 2 cups pre-washed baby arugula
• 1 cup shredded mozarella

Cooking Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil and add onions, garlic, crushed red pepper and marjoram. Saute for 2 minutes. Add pork and cook until thoroughly browned. Add tomato sauce and cook on low flame, covered for 30 minutes.
3. Next, add artichokes and arugula. Turn off flame and stir until arugula has wilted.
4. Transfer pasta mixture to a 3 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle on mozzarella and cover with foil.
5. Bake for 20 minutes. Take off foil and bake another 5 minutes to let cheese lightly brown.