Penne with Wilted Arugula and Salami

Do you ever buy something and have absolutely no idea what you plan to do with it? I rarely do, because I am a big-time planner. I have to know what I'm going to make for dinner the whole week, or I sit and fret about it during the day, when I should be sitting and fretting about how to make my students do their work. I have plenty of normal everyday fretting to do without adding dinner to the mix. So, when I was lured into buying some salami, it sat, and sat, and sat in my fridge. Finally, it was nearing it's expiration date, so I sat down to gather ideas.

In serendipitous fashion the first book I looked through was Off The Shelf: Cooking From the Pantryby Donna Hay. I have already spread the love about this book, so I'll spare you any more gushing.

And to what to my wandering eyes should appear?? A recipe for Penne with Wilted Rocket (Arugula) and Salami. So, I added arugula to the grocery list, and a quick, weeknight dinner was planned. Mission accomplished. This was good, and oh-so-easy. The crisp salami married well with the bitter arugula and the creamy tang of the goat cheese.

Penne with Wilted Arugula and Salami
Serves 4

14 oz Penne
10 oz sliced salami (or chorizo)
2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
7 oz arugula, stems removed and leaves halved
7 oz goat cheese, sliced
Fresh ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water per directions on package and drain.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the salami and cook for about 4 minutes until crisp (stirring). Add the capers and the garlic and cook until fragrant about a minute. Add the arugula and toss until it just wilts, then remove from the heat. Toss the salami mixture with the pasta. Serve, topped with the goats cheese and fresh black pepper.

This will be my entry for this week's Presto Pasta Nights, hosted by Theresa at Food Hunter's Guide to Cuisine.