The Easiest Lunch

I watch a lot of cooking shows and this is yet another recipe I saw on Everyday Italian recently. This dish comes together quickly and easily, but the real reason I say it is "the easiest lunch" is because I make the whole recipe and the leftovers are my lunch for the next 4 or 5 days! I don't generally enjoy reheated pasta but I find that this reheats surprisingly well. There are peas in the original recipe and I'm not a fan so I omit them, but they definitely add some much needed color to this dish if you're so inclined!

Oh, and yes, those clumps of cheese on top are Kraft parmesan cheese - the powdery cheese in the green container. I unapologetically love Kraft parmesan cheese on top of my pasta. I'll used fancy parmesan cheese in recipes (this one included) but to garnish I like my kraft. Feel free to use whatever makes you happy :)

Pasta with Tomato and Peas
from FoodNetwork.com, Giada De Laurentiis

1 pound linguine (I used spaghetti)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed (I omitted)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup grated Romano

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 the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water. Stir to melt the tomato paste and create a sauce, adding more pasta water if necessary. Stir in the oregano, thyme, and parsley. Gently fold in the cooked pasta, peas, and the cheeses, adding more reserved pasta water if necessary. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.