Everyday Pasta Page 5
Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells
Gnocchi with Thyme Butter Sauce
Ricotta Gnudi in Parmesan Broth
Tagliatelle with Short Rib Ragù
Penne with Swordfish and Eggplant
Baked Pastina Casserole
Baked Gnocchi
Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
6 servings
Here’s a great way to get all your veggies in, with tons of flavor. I used to make this often when I was a caterer as an alternative entrée for non-meat eaters because it’s an elegant dish with lots of colors and textures. It’s also quite convenient, because it can be prepared ahead of time, so if you have vegetarian guests at your next gathering, you can assemble this early and then just pop it in the oven while you’re making the rest of the dinner. But don’t think this is strictly for vegetarians; it’s a real crowd-pleaser all around.
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend or herbes de Provence
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
1 cup grated fontina cheese
½ cup grated smoked mozzarella
¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus ⅓ cup for topping
1½ cups frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
On a baking sheet, toss the bell peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onion with the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, ¼ teaspoon of the pepper, and the herbs. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure it is not completely cooked. Drain in a colander.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, fontina, mozzarella, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, the peas, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Gently mix using a wooden spoon until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.
Pour the pasta into a greased 9 × 13 × 2-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining ⅓ cup of Parmesan cheese and the butter pieces. Bake until the top is golden and the cheese melts, about 25 minutes.
Repurposed Pasta
Many times you don’t need an entire pound of pasta to serve your family or guests, but who wants to be left with half-filled boxes of pasta in their pantry? Next time, cook the whole package, use what you need for the meal, and get creative with the leftovers. What can you do with leftover pasta? More than you would imagine:
• Make a pasta frittata by stirring a cup of cooked pasta into beaten, seasoned eggs.
• Deep-fry strands of angel hair or capellini to use as a garnish for soups or salad.
• Dress with a vinaigrette and toss with salad greens.
• Add to soups or plain broths to make them more substantial and satisfying.
• Mix with tomato-based or cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake for a simple impromptu casserole.
• Toss in a skillet with extra-virgin olive oil or butter and garlic to serve as a side dish for grilled meats or fish.
You can also freeze individual portions of pasta for super-fast dinners. Place cooked pasta in a resealable bag with some water and let it cool in the refrigerator, then pop it in the freezer. Just be sure to press as much air as possible from your freezer bags before sealing to prevent freezer burn, and use the frozen pasta within two to three months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or dump the frozen pasta directly into boiling water until just heated through.
6 servings
Although it’s not a true-blue, all-American macaroni and cheese because it’s made with wide egg noodles rather than the more traditional elbow macaroni or small shell pasta, this is probably the version I make most often. It’s a dish I fell in love with when I first had it years ago at Harry’s Bar in Venice. Later I re-created it at home as the ultimate comfort food and
also to bring back memories of Venice.
Butter for the pan
12 ounces wide egg noodles
2½ cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (packed) grated fontina cheese
¾ cup (packed) finely grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup (packed) grated mozzarella cheese
4 ounces cooked boiled ham, diced (optional)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Butter a 9 × 13 × 2-inch glass baking dish. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Drain well (do not rinse).
Whisk the milk, cream, flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup of the fontina, ½ cup of the Parmesan, ½ cup of the mozzarella, the ham, and parsley. Add the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Combine the remaining 1 cup of fontina, ¼ cup of Parmesan, and ¼ cup of mozzarella in a small bowl and toss to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Crab and Ricotta Manicotti
6 servings
This dish is very elegant, and the combination of crab and creamy béchamel sauce is unusual and delicious. It’s a showstopper.
1 box manicotti pasta (about 12 shells) or an (8-ounce) box cannelloni
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus ¼ cup for sprinkling
1 egg yolk
½ cup chopped fresh basil
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Butter for the pan
Béchamel sauce
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, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, ¾ cup of the Parmesan, the egg yolk, basil, crab, salt, and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 × 13 × 2-inch glass baking dish.
Fill the manicotti with the crab mixture and place in the prepared baking dish. Top the filled manicotti with the béchamel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
4 to 6 servings
Stroll through any Italian-American street fair and you’ll smell this classic combo. But while sausage and peppers are great in a sandwich, I think they’re even better tossed with rigatoni. Using turkey sausages instead of the more traditional pork also makes it a little lighter.
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausages
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomato
es, with juice
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound rigatoni pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pan.
Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the bell peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and basil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until incorporated, then add the Marsala, tomatoes with their juice, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Bring to a simmer.
Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each. Return the sausages to the pan. Simmer uncovered until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
While the sauce simmers, 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, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the thickened sauce; toss to combine. Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.
Roman-Style Fettuccine with Chicken
4 to 6 servings
This is a typically Italian way of preparing chicken, but Italians rarely combine chicken with pasta; by serving chicken over wide ribbons of fettuccine I’ve created a hybrid Italian-American one-dish meal.
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1½ pounds fresh fettuccine
2 tablespoons drained capers
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the bell peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juice, wine, thyme, and oregano. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fresh pasta, stir, and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Drain.
Remove the chicken and let it cool slightly on a cutting board. Using a fork and knife, gently shred the chicken. Return the chicken to the pan. Stir in the capers and parsley.
To serve, spoon the pasta into serving dishes and top with the chicken and sauce.
4 to 6 servings
The assertive flavor of Gorgonzola cheese gives the sauce for this dish a nice, sharp bite. This combination of flavors is very typical of northern Italian food, and it makes for a particularly earthy, satisfying dish. You can have fun with this recipe, varying the kinds of mushrooms you use; try to incorporate a few varieties. The frozen peas add a welcome pop of color.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2½ cups whole milk, at room temperature
5 ounces creamy Gorgonzola cheese, cubed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound assorted mushrooms (such as cremini, oyster, stemmed shiitake), sliced
¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 pound farfalle pasta
In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter starts to sizzle, add the flour and whisk until smooth and the flour loses its raw flavor, about 2 minutes. Carefully add the milk all at once and whisk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the Gorgonzola and stir until melted. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender and golden, about 12 minutes. Stir in the peas. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 10 minutes. Drain. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add the Gorgonzola sauce and mushroom mixture, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
6 servings
I really prefer the texture of fresh pappardelle with the savory lamb stew; it just seems to absorb the flavors better. If you can’t find fresh pappardelle, though, the dried kind is perfectly acceptable, and it’s good to have on hand to toss with any leftover braised meats and their braising liquid for a quick, warming meal.
3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat and sinew, meat cut into 1½- to 2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ cups dry red wine
3½ cups beef broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
18 small cipolline onions
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ pounds pappardelle pasta, preferably fresh
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. Toss the lamb with the flour in a large bowl to coat. Heat the oil in a heavy, large pot over medium-high heat. Working in 2 or 3 batches, add the lamb to the pot and cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a bowl. Add the garlic to the same pot and sauté over medium heat until tender and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Return the lamb to the pot and stir in the broth, tomatoes with their juice, and tomato paste. Cover partially and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
While the stew simmers, cook the onions in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool. Peel the onions and cut off the root ends. When the stew has cooked for 1 hour, add the onions and carrots. Simmer, uncovered, until the lamb and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes longer. Season the stew with salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, stir, and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Drain the pasta and toss with the butter and Parmesan.
Spoon the stew over the pasta, and top with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
4 to 6 servings
Using cinnamon to flavor a beef dish may sound strange to anyone who is not familiar with the cuisine of southern Italy, where the Moorish influence is apparent in the seasonings of many dishes. I promise, though, the spice is a fantastic addition. The cinnamon gives the sauce a little sweetness and a little heat all in one without being spicy, per se. Try it.
Cinnamon-Scented Ravioli
2 (15-ounce) containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ t
easpoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
72 small square wonton wrappers
Beef Ragù
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¾ cup dry red wine
3½ cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
To make the ravioli: Combine the ricotta, basil, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, pepper, and egg in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Place 8 to 10 wonton squares on a dry work surface. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture into the middle of each square. Dip a pastry brush in a bit of water and wet the square around the ricotta mixture. Place another square over the filling. Carefully smooth out all the air bubbles and press firmly around the ricotta mixture to create a seal. Use a 2¾-inch square cookie cutter or a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out a ravioli. Place the ravioli on a dry baking sheet and continue with another batch of ravioli. The mixture should make about 36 ravioli.
To make the beef ragù: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until it is starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic. Continue cooking to brown the onion and carrot, about 4 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, tomato paste, and red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and dissolve the tomato paste. Continue cooking until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Add the marinara sauce and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes over low heat.