Tag Archives: pasta

Pasta with Peas and Pancetta

1 T salt
1 small carrot
1 stalk celery
3 T olive oil
6 oz chopped pancetta
6 cloves garlic, sliced thickly
¼ c chopped fresh basil
2 T chopped fresh Italian parsley
¼ t red pepper flakes
12 oz canned Italian style tomatoes, drained, peeled, and chopped, juice reserved
1 c white wine
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
1 c peas
1 lb penne pasta
6 T freshly grated romano cheese

Bring a large pot of water with the salt to a boil over high heat. Make a mirepoix with the carrot, celery, and onion by finely chopping or gently whirling them in a food processor until just blended. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the pancetta; sauté until it starts to brown, 2-3 minutes.  Add the prepared mirepoix, garlic, basil, parsley, and red pepper flakes and sauté until tender, 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and cook until their water has evaporated, 7 minutes or so. Deglaze the pan with wine and continue cooking to reduce liquid by half. Add the reserved tomato juice, the ½ t salt, and ¼ t pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened to a sauce-like consistency, 10-12 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook until tender, 3-5 minutes.

Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and simmer over a low heat, stirring constantly until the pasta is well coated, about three minutes. Turn the pasta out onto a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Serve immediately.

Chicken Rigatoni

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, in pieces
olive oil
garlic
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 jar alfredo sauce, Five Brothers brand
1 chicken bouillon cube
6 hot cherry pepper slices
1 lb rigatoni, cooked
Romano cheese, grated

Saute the chicken in olive oil and garlic. Be generous with the garlic. When chicken is done, pour in the spaghetti sauce and alfredo sauce, chicken bouillon cube, chopped cherry pepper slices (or 1 1/2 to 2 whole hot cherry peppers, cut up, seeds removed). Simmer 1/2 hour. Add the sauce to cooked rigatoni, coating pasta well. Pour into a large baking pan and top with grated Romano cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Summer Salad

2 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
12 oz penne pasta
¼ c Kalamata olives, chopped
2 T capers
3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 c spinach, chopped

Combine all ingredients and toss well.

Penne with Vodka and Tomato Cream Sauce

1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 20 oz can plum tomatoes, drained, seeded, and chopped
1 cup whipping cream
¼ c vodka
¼ t dried crushed red pepper
1 pound penne pasta
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Minced fresh chives

Melt butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onin and sauté until translucent, about eight minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until almost no liquod remains in pan, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Add cream, vodka, and red pepper, and boil until thickened to sauce consistency, about two minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, but firm to bite, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl. Bring sauce to simmer. Pour over pasta and toss well. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and chives, and serve.

Notes: (From Shannon) This one was originally from Bon Appetit, and has been a regular in the houses of Tom and Rita, Allan and Linda, and Michael and me. I prefer to use tomato puree so it’s saucier, ignoring the part about cooking “until almost no liquid remains”…but here’s the recipe as it appeared in the magazine.

Stone Oven Pasta Salad

Salad
2 9-oz pkgs cheese-filled tricolor tortellini
3 handfuls tri-color dried corkscrew pasta
1 pkg basil, torn up
1 jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 c shredded parmesan cheese

Dressing
1 c olive oil
¼ c lemon juice
1 ½ t salt
½ t garlic
2 T Worcestershire sauce

Cook and drain pasta. Toss with remaining salad ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients and shake well. Pour over salad and toss until coated.

Deli Bean and Pasta Salad

1 t salt
½ t sugar
¼ t black pepper
2 ½ T red wine vinegar
1 T lemon juice
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ t Dijon mustard
1 large shallot, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
¼ c extra virgin olive oil
¼ c salad oil
1 T parsley, chopped fine
1 T chopped fresh basil, or ½ t dry
16 oz kidney beans, canned, rinsed and drained
16 oz garbanzo beans, canned, rinsed and drained
½ pound pasta
2 cans olives, sliced and drained
3 large roma tomatoes, diced
2/3 c carrot, diced
2/3 c red onion, diced

Combine ingredients through shallot in a measuring cup. Turn on food processor, drop shallots and garlic on. Pour in vinegar mixture, then add the oils slowly. Add the parsley and basil. When well mixed, stop machine. In a large bowl, toss rinsed and drained beans with the dressing and let marinate for at least a few hours. Cook pasta in a large volume of salted water for three to four minutes. When tender, drain well. Toss with the beans and dressing. Stir in half the olives, half the tomatoes, half the red onion, and half the carrots. Place the salad in a serving bowl and garnish with remaining vegetables.

Red Sauce by Bruce

Bring to a simmer in one cup of olive oil 2 large onions, chopped, and one bud of garlic, crushed. Cook until onions are translucent. Add three large cans of whole tomatoes and one large can of tomato paste. Add spices to taste: 1 t oregano, 1 t black pepper, 2 T sweet basil, 1 T red pepper, and 2 cloves. Add about one pound or so of browned (boiled) spare ribs, 8 oz fresh mushrooms, and allow to simmer for a few hours. Add about 2-3 pounds of hot Italian sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces, precooked and drained. Allow to simmer.

White Clam Sauce by Bruce

For four persons:
1 c virgin olive oil
1 c clam liquor
1 dozen clams, large, or 20 medium clams
3 T fresh parsley or dried flakes
Garlic

Heat oil. Add parsley flakes. Add one bud garlic, crushed. (Good and strong—less if you are a nonhacker.) Let simmer for one minute. Add one cup clam liquor. Allow to simmer over very low heat while you dice cleaned clams into very small pieces. Add to oil and bring almost to a boil, then simmer for three minutes. Serve over homemade pasta or very thin pasta with lots of freshly grated parmesan and romano cheese.

Stuffed Manicotti

Great to do ahead for guests. Serves 6-8.

1 pound ground beef
½ c chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 6-oz cans tomato paste
2 c water
2 T chopped parsley
1 T dried basil, crushed
1 ½ t salt
Dash pepper
1 ½ pound fresh ricotta or cream-style cottage cheese, drained
2/3 c grated romano or parmesan cheese
2 slightly beaten eggs
¼ c snipped parsley
½ t salt
Dash pepper
8 manicotti shells
½ c grated romano or parmesan cheese

Brown meat lightly. Drain off fat. Add next 8 ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, combine ricotta, parmesan, and next four ingredients. Cook manicotti shells in salted water until tender. Drain. Rinse in cold water. Stuff with cheese mixture. Use a small spoon or cut shells open to fill. Pour half of the tomat-meat sauce into a 12×7.5×2” baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti shells on top. Top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Mom’s Meat Sauce for Spaghetti

2 Tbsp salad oil or olive oil
1 clove garlic, mashed
¾ c chopped onion 1 c chopped green pepper
1 ¼ lb ground beef
1 6-oz can tomato paste
3 c hot water
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
½ tsp oregano
1 lb cooked spaghetti

Heat oil in skillet.  Sautee garlic, onion, green pepper and beef.  Stir in tomato paste, water, sugar and seasonings.  Cover, simmer over low heat 1 hour. Uncover and continue cooking 15-20 minutes or until sauce thickens.  Serve over hot spaghetti.