Category: Pasta

Categories
Pasta Vegetarian

Tortellini Pasta in Garlic Spinach Tomato Sauce

  • 220g ricotta cheese stuffed tortellini
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 1 medium onion minced
  • 4 Roma tomatoes diced (or 1 can low-sodium diced tomatoes)
  • 2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • Salt and fresh cracked pepper
  • 60ml vegetable stock
  • crushed red pepper flakes
  • Grated parmesan cheese  for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. To make this tortellini pasta in garlic spinach tomato sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and cook onion until fragrant and translucent. Add fresh tomato and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring from time to time.

2. Add garlic, vegetable stock, and spinach to the skillet and cook on medium, about 2 – 3 minutes until spinach wilts just a little. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and set aside off heat.

3. In the meantime, cook tortellini pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse.

4. Add cooked and drained tortellini pasta to the skillet with spinach and tomato sauce. Stir everything together to combine and warm on medium-low heat, adjust seasoning and serve the tortellini pasta in garlic spinach tomato sauce with a good sprinkle of parmesan and a drizzling of olive oil. Enjoy!

Categories
Pasta

Homemade tortellini

PREPARATION40 minutes

COOK TIME15 minutes

SERVINGS Serves 4 to 6

  • 2-3/4 cups of Flour
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp of Salt
  • 1/4 cup of Water
  • 2/3 cup of Ricotta
  • 3 Tbsp of Freshly Grated Parmigiano

To make the pasta, in the food processor add flour salt olive oil and eggs and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand, with the motor running, stream in water and mix until the dough comes together.

wrap the dough in some plastic wrap and put in the fridge for at least one hour.

In a small bowl mix together the ricotta and parmesan and set aside.

Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Pass through the pasta machine up to 6 or 7.

Cut circles out of the sheets of dough and fill with a small amount of cheese mixture. Then fold in half then wrap the corners around to form the tortellini.

Cook in boiling salted water until they float.

Categories
Pasta Shrimp

Shrimp Bolognese

  • ½ small fennel bulb, roughly chopped
  • ½ small onion, roughly chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon red-chile flakes
  • 1 ⅓ pounds/600 grams peeled, raw king prawns or extra-jumbo shrimp (or use the largest shrimp you can find)
  • ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon/90 milliliters olive oil
  • 1 lemon, finely shaved to get 5 strips of peel and squeezed to get 1 tablespoon juice
  • 3 tarragon sprigs (about 5 grams), plus 1 tablespoon chopped leaves for serving. Note: I omitted this entirely and decorated the top of the dish with finely chopped chives.
  • 3 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¼ pound/120 grams cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
  • Salt and black pepper
  • ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon/90 milliliters Pernod (or a similar anise liqueur)
  • 2 cups/500 milliliters vegetable stock
  • 12 ounces/320 grams dried tagliatelle pasta

Add the fennel, onion, garlic and chile flakes to the bowl of a food processor and pulse about 10 times, until more finely chopped. Add the shrimp and pulse another 10 times, until finely chopped. (Don’t process too much. You don’t want the shrimp to turn to a paste. Smaller shrimp will require less pulsing, though.)

Add 1/3 cup/70 milliliters oil to a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat with the lemon peel and tarragon sprigs. Gently fry for 2 minutes, then add the shrimp and fennel mixture. Fry, stirring every now and then for about 10 minutes, or until the shrimp have released and then reabsorbed their liquid.

Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and a very generous amount of black pepper and fry for 4 minutes, stirring every now and then until the tomato paste becomes thick and sticky and begins to brown. Carefully pour in the Pernod and let it bubble away for 1 minute (it may flame).

Add the stock and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, turn the heat down to medium and simmer gently for 15 minutes, lowering the heat if it is bubbling too much. Discard the tarragon sprigs and lemon peel.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta per package instructions until al dente, then drain well and add to a large bowl. Pour over the sauce and toss together well. Transfer to a platter and drizzle over the remaining tablespoon/20 milliliters oil. Finish with plenty of pepper and the chopped tarragon or chives and serve.

Categories
Pasta Shrimp

Creole Crawfish Baked Ziti

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil3 tablespoons flour
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup bell pepper (green or red), diced
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 3 green onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 15 oz. containers seafood stock (such as Bar Harbor)
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can diced tomato (14.5 oz.)
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere)
  • 10 ounces queso melt (1 tub)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 pound crawfish tails (typically in the freezer section)
  • 1 pound ziti
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley plus more for garnish
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Queso Dip

  • 1/2 cup grated jalapeno cheddar cheese or Pepper Jack cheese
  • 1 cup grated white American cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated white queso cheese
  • 1/2 cup half and half or whole milk

Add cheeses and half of the half and half or milk to the double boiler over low heat. Stir as the cheese melts and add more of the half and half or milk until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. The cheese sauce should be thin, but still thick enough to coat a chip when dipped. Serve immediately or pour into a small slow cooker on the warm setting to serve.

Creole Seasoning

  • 4 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 4 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons sweet paprika powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or less if you don’t want it as hot)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place all of the spices in the food processor or blender. Pulse until you get a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar in a dark cupboard until ready to use. For optimal flavor use within 2 months. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Baked Ziti recipe

  1. Bring queso dip to room temperature. Defrost the crawfish tails (if frozen).
  2. In a medium stock pot, heat 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Make a roux by adding 3 tbsp flour to the oil and stir the flour; cook and stir constantly (this is important otherwise your flour might burn), about 4 minutes (enough to cook out the raw flavor but keeping the color light).
  3. Add the onion and the white part of the green onion, bell pepper and celery; cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir to fully incorporate into the roux. Cook another 2 – 3 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Slowly add the stock and stir to fully incorporate the flour. Cook for about 4 – 5 minutes to allow to thicken. Add the half and half and the diced tomato and continue to stir. Add 1 ½ tsp creole seasoning, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 15 – 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Stir in the crawfish and any liquid, the queso cheese and lime juice. Simmer for a few minutes until the crawfish are heated through (go ahead, have a taste!). Taste and adjust with the Creole seasoning to your liking. You shouldn’t need additional salt beyond the spice seasonings. The spice mix has its fair share of salt.
  6. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter, a little at a time. Stir until melted. Stir in the chopped parsley. Remove from heat and cover; allowing it to sit while cooking the pasta.
  7. Preheat oven to 375°F
  8. Boil pasta in a medium pot of salted boiling water until about halfway cooked (about 2/3 of recommended cooking time). Drain the pasta. (Save about ½ cup of the pasta water, just in case you need something to thin out the pasta and you don’t feel you have enough sauce. It’s easy enough to just toss it if you don’t need it).
  9. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with about 2 ½ cups of the crawfish sauce with all of the crawfish tails. It should be loose with some sauce pooled on the bottom, but not soupy. The pasta will absorb liquid as it bakes. Add additional sauce (or pasta water) to thin it if it looks dry. Scrape the pasta into a large casserole dish (or foil baking pan for an easy clean-up). Spread 1 cup of sauce over the top and sprinkle about ¾ cup of grated parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
  10. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes or until you start to see some bubbling around the edges. Remove foil and bake additional 5 – 10 minutes until bubbling on the sides and the cheese is browning. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before serving.
  11. Garnish with parsley and green onion. Heat any remaining sauce and serve with the pasta along with more Parmesan cheese.
Categories
Pasta Vegetarian

Baked Alfredo Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Lemon

slat

  • 8 tablespoon butter cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 c panko bread crumbs
  • 2 c finely grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
  • pepper
  • 1 lb pasta
  • 1 bunch broccoli rabe trimmed then cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 c cream
  • 1 small garlic clove minced
  • 6 oz fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Heat the oven to 260c. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Place the butter in a 9-by-13-inch/3-quart pan or baking dish and transfer it to the oven to melt while the oven heats; remove it from the oven once it’s melted.

In a small bowl, stir together the panko, 1/4 cup Parmesan and the lemon zest. Add 1 tablespoon of the melted butter from the baking pan, stir until the panko is moistened with butter, then season with salt and pepper.

When the water’s boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package instructions suggest. During the last minute of cooking, add the broccoli rabe. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and broccoli rabe.

Whisk the cream, garlic and pasta water into the melted butter in the baking dish until smooth. Add the remaining Parmesan in large handfuls, vigorously whisking until smooth and combined. Add the pasta, broccoli rabe and half the mozzarella. Taste, and season well with salt and pepper. Stir until very combined.

Top with the remaining mozzarella, then sprinkle evenly with the panko mixture. Bake until the mozzarella has melted and the panko is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Categories
Pasta Vegetarian

Summer Squash and Basil Pasta

  • ¼cup olive oil
  • 8garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2pounds assorted summer squashes and zucchini, quartered lengthwise, sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • 1teaspoon Aleppo-style pepper, plus more for serving
  • 12ounces paccheri, ziti, or other large tube pasta
  • 2ounces Parmesan, grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
  • 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½cup basil leaves, divided

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until very lightly browned around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add squash and increase heat to medium high; season with salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until squash begins to break down. Turn down heat once it begins sticking, and continue to cook until the squash is jammy and soft, 12–15 minutes. Toss in 1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente.

Transfer pasta to skillet with squash using a slotted spoon or spider and add ½ cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook pasta, adding 2 oz. Parmesan in stages along with more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente. Toss in lemon juice and most of the basil.

Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan and Aleppo-style pepper and remaining basil.

Categories
Pasta Vegetarian

Summer Bolognese

  • 1 lb. thin spaghetti
  • Kosher salt
  • 1⁄4 cup olive oil
  • 1 lb. veg meat
  • 2 tsp. chile flakes, or 3 red Thai chiles, minced
  • 2 tbsp. minced thyme
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tsp. granulated sugar
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 lb. mixed cherry tomatoes
  • 1⁄2 cup Ligurian or kalamata olives
  • Torn basil leaves, for garnish
  • Grated parmesan cheese, to serve
  1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup water; toss pasta with 3 tablespoons oil and keep warm.
  2. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high; cook veggie meat, chile, thyme, and garlic until beef is browned, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper and cook 2 minutes more. Add wine and cook until it has almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add in pasta, vinegar, and lemon zest and juice and toss to combine. Add in reserved pasta water, tomatoes, and olives and cook 2 minutes more.
  3. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with basil leaves and parmesan cheese.
Categories
Pasta Vegetarian

Orecchiette with Mushrooms, Leeks, and Almonds

  • ¼cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • ½cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
  • ½cup parsley leaves with tender stems, chopped
  • 1teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 2tablespoons plus ⅓ cup grated Parmesan, dividedKosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, large caps torn in half
  • 2large leeks, pale-green and white parts only, halved, sliced into ¾-inch pieces
  • 2garlic cloves, grated
  • ¾cup vegetable stock
  • 12ounces orecchiette

Heat ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook almonds, tossing frequently, until lightly golden, 1–2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer almonds to a medium bowl, leaving that almondy-oil goodness in the skillet.

Let almonds cool 10 minutes. Toss with parsley, lemon zest, and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil to almond oil in skillet. Heat over medium-high and cook mushrooms, undisturbed, no matter how much you may wish to give them a toss, until browned on 1 side, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, undisturbed, until browned on underside, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until mushrooms are tender but still retain their shape and have some bite, about 2 minutes more. Add leeks and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until leeks are bright green and just getting tender, 4–5 minutes. Add stock and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 8–10 minutes. Drain and transfer to skillet with mushroom mixture. Add remaining ⅓ cup Parmesan and cook, tossing, until sauce is nice and silky and creamy and lightly coats pasta, 2–3 minutes.

Serve pasta topped with reserved almond mixture.

Do Ahead: Pasta can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Categories
Pasta Vegetarian

Spinach & ricotta cannelloni

Ingredients

  • 400 g spinach
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 x 400 g tins of quality plum tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ a bunch of fresh basil , (15g)
  • ½ a lemon
  • 1 large free-range egg
  • Parmesan cheese
  • 250 g ricotta
  • 150 g cannelloni , about 14 tubes
  • 2 x 125 g mozzarella balls

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
  2. Cook the spinach and a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the nutmeg, season with salt and pepper, cover . Place in a sieve to drain into a bowl and set to one side to cool.
  3. Dice the onion and cook in a drizzle of olive oil. until soft. Put aside
  4. Make tomato sauce. Break apart the canned tomatoes in the pan and add crushed garlic and bay leaf. Pick in a few basil leaves and grate in the zest of the lemon half, then let it gently simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Squeeze the moisture out of the spinach into the bowl. Chop the spinach on a board so you can chop it up. Return the spinach to the liquid in the bowl.
  6. Beat the egg and grate 2 teaspoons of Parmesan cheese. Stir the ricotta, egg and Parmesan into the spinach. Season to taste.
  7. Spoon in the spinach mixture into the cannelloni shells. Lay them in a 20cm x 25cm oven dish.
  8. Spread the tomato sauce over the cannelloni. Pick the remaining basil leaves and scatter most of them over the tomato sauce. Slice the mozzarella and lay the slices on top, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season.
  9. Place in the oven and cook for 35 to 40 minutes or till the top is golden and the pasta tender (if the top browns too fast, cover the dish with foil). Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving with the remaining basil leaves.
Categories
Pasta Shrimp

Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Penne

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for 8 servings

  • 1 box Barilla® Penne
  • 1 Pound Large Shrimp Peeled and Deveined
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper Freshly Ground
  • 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Pepper Flakes
  • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
  • 28 Ounces Diced Tomatoes Canned Reserve Liquid no salt added
  • 1 Cup Dry White Wine
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Oregano Dried
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Italian Parsley
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Basil Chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, heat the oil over a medium-high flame in a large, heavy skillet
  • Add the shrimp and sauté until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp using a slotted spoon to a large plate and set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano, and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes
  • Meanwhile, add the Penne to the boiling salted water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.