Lasagne / Lasagna

Obviously from my posts, I like a variety of different types of food - Mexican, Asian, American, and of course Italian. My grandmother was 100% Sicilian, and I have always identified strongly with my Italian heritage. Surprisingly, she didn't cook much Italian food, but her influence on our family has inspired many recipes. My aunt originally developed this lasagna years and years ago, and my mom then took it on - whether she tweaked anything, I'm not quite sure, but I do know that I put a major wrench in it by substituting ground turkey for the beef! To be honest, most of the people who have tried this recipe don't even realize it's turkey. The only thing that tips them off is this: I'm eating it!

My aunt and mom also make a homemade sauce with it, which I've made and really enjoy, but for me, as I've mentioned before, Prego Traditional is so good that it's not worth my time to make the homemade sauce. My new favorite sauce is Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Marinara.  I only go to Trader Joe's about 4 times a year so I make sure to stock up on this sauce. I buy so much that the checker once asked me if I was buying it for an Italian restaurant.  He actually had a customer who did this before! 

The ricotta-type layer actually uses cottage cheese. I always thought this was a little strange, but it's delicious so I ever complained. Then I saw Cook's Illustrated substitute cottage cheese for ricotta in some recipes! Guess it's not that strange!

One thing this lasagna does contain is a classic St. Louis ingredient - Provel cheese.  If you do not live in the area, you probably won't be able to find this cheese (and may not even like it if you didn't grow up with it), so you may substitute mozzarella or Provolone.  

Lasagne / Lasagna

Ingredients:

For the sauce:
1 - 2 pounds ground meat (I use lean - not extra lean - ground turkey. 2 pounds if you like it a bit heartier)
homemade or store bought marinara sauce - I like a lot of sauce so I use about 40 ounces, but you may use less if desired

For the lasagna:
12 lasagna noodles
24 ounces small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
chopped parsley (fresh or dried)
Parmesan cheese
2 - 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded Provel cheese (if available - if not, you may substitute mozzarella or Provolone)

Directions:

1. Brown the meat in a skillet. If using ground turkey, you may want to add a teaspoon or two of olive oil.

2. Drain the meat if necessary.  Sometimes with ground turkey there isn't much liquid left to drain, and the small amount that is there may lend flavor to the sauce.

3. Add the homemade or prepared sauce of your choice to the meat and simmer for at least 30 minutes, ideally an hour or more. I find that ground turkey starts to break down if cooked too long, so I wouldn't do an all-day simmer.

4. Cook the lasagna noodles as directed on the package to al dente (use the lower time or even a minute less). When the noodles are done, I like to lay them in a single layer on pieces of waxed paper to cool until I'm ready to assemble the lasagna.

5. Place the cottage cheese, eggs, salt, pepper and parsley (to taste) in a food processor and blend until smooth.

6. To assemble the lasagna: spread about 1 cup of sauce over the bottom of a 9x13" pan then beginning layering: 3 noodles, sauce to cover, 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Provel cheese, and a little Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. If your pan is not deep enough for 4 layers, 3 will suffice. For the final layer, I top with lasagna noodles, sauce, and then an extra 1/c cup mozzarella and some Parmesan.

7. If the pan is full, place it on a baking sheet lined with foil because it may spill over the sides. Bake uncovered at 350F for 45 minutes. (To make ahead, assemble but do not bake, then refrigerate or freeze. If you make ahead and refrigerate, then bake for 1 hour. If make ahead and freeze, it may take up to 90 minutes or more).

8. Remove dish from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Source: My Aunt Sue and my Mom :)  

Baked Ziti

I started making this Baked Ziti when Bob and I were on a Sopranos kick many, many years ago. We had rented the last season from mail-order Netflix and watched multiple episodes a night. It was the influence of the Sopranos that led Bob to start referring to this recipe as "Meghan's Effing Ziti." Anyone who has seen this show will understand why. This makes a big pan of ziti - enough for the two of us for dinner and leftovers for lunch the rest of the week, so I like to make it on Sundays or Mondays. It's a great "Meatless Monday" meal!

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and ground black pepper

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

3 cups water

12 ounces ziti (3 3/4 cups)

1/2 cup heavy cream (I usually use milk or fat-free half-and-half)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh basil (or 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dried)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475F.

2. Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, water, ziti, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until ziti is almost tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

3. Stir in cream, Parmesan, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (At this point, I transfer the pasta to a 13x9-inch Pyrex dish). Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over pan. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Source: Adapted from The Best 30 Minute Recipe cookbook

Summer Vegetable Pasta

My mom developed this recipe years ago when she would get fresh Chinese noodles from a client at the office where she worked. My sister and I loved it so much. When she stopped receiving the noodles, she started making the dish with linguine. I haven't had this pasta in years and was reminded of it when a neighbor gave us a HUGE zucchini and yellow squash from her sister's farm.  Just to give you an idea of how big this zucchini was, I used 1/3 of it in this pasta, 1/3 to make 2 big loaves of zucchini bread, and the 1/3 for other recipes!  Here's a picture- keep in mind those bananas are the scale bar and they are average-sized bananas!

I'm so glad I've rediscovered this recipe. The girls were a little leery of the veggies but actually tried them. Pasta is always a hit with them!

Summer Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, cut in half and then thinly sliced
1 - 2 large yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds scooped and discarded, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 - 2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise then cut into 1/4-inch slices
Italian or Greek seasoning
Dill weed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
lots of Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup to 1 cup or more if you desire), plus extra for serving

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the olive oil.  Add minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds, then add onion, squash and zucchini. Season with Italian or Greek seasoning, dill, salt and pepper.

3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften. May need to put a lid on top of the veggies after a while to allow the steam to help soften.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.

5. After vegetables have softened and started to brown, add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.  Add the hot, drained pasta to the pan and stir to combine.  Add the grated Parmesan cheese. Taste to check if salt is needed.

6. Serve with extra Parmesan on top.

Source: my mom :-)

Garlicky Shrimp Pasta

Bob and I usually stay in on Valentine's Day and make a special dinner together. This year we decided to make this Garlicky Shrimp Pasta that we've been eyeing for a long time. This was a simple, quick dinner that was every bit as good as it sounds. I'm glad to add another shrimp pasta to our dinner repertoire!

Garlicky Shrimp Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients:
5 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons), plus 4 medium cloves, smashed
1 pound large shrimp (21-25), peeled, deveined, each shrimp cut into 3 pieces (we just did 2)
3 tablespoons olive oil
table salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound pasta in short, tubular shapes, such as fusilli, campanelle, or mezze rigatoni
2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine
3/4 cup clam juice (we used vegetable stock)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice plus 1 lemon, cut into wedges
ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Toss 2 teaspoons minced garlic, shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Allow shrimp to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. Heat 4 smashed garlic cloves and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is light golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove garlic from skillet; discard garlic. Set skillet aside.

3. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and transfer pasta back to Dutch oven.

4. While pasta cooks, return the skillet with oil to medium heat; add the shrimp with marinade to the skillet in a single layer. Cook the shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to bubble gently, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to medium bowl.

5. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons minced garlic and pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute; stir in vermouth and cook for 1 minute. Add clam juice (or vegetable stock) and parsley; cook until mixture starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Off heat, whisk in the butter and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and sauce to the pasta, adding reserved cooking water if sauce is too thick. Season with black pepper. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

Source: America's Test Kitchen Complete TV Show Cookbook

Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Linguine

You are witnessing a first on this blog - seafood! You see, I typically stay away from all fish and seafood, but I've been slowly trying to incorporate a few new things into my diet, and shrimp has been one that I can handle if prepared correctly. For me, it's all about the cooking method - if the shrimp is boiled, forget about it. If it's been grilled or seared to get a nice char on the outside, I love it!

My dad loves shrimp, especially shrimp pastas, but my mom hates it and will only cook it for him once in a great while. She was out of town visiting my sister earlier this month, so I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to try my hand at cooking shrimp for the first time. Bob loves shrimp, so I knew I would be making my two men happy even if I didn't like it. I showed Bob 3 shrimp recipes from my America's Test Kitchen cookbook and let him pick; he chose this one.

I purchased "easy peel" shrimp which are deveined but still have the tails. As I was removing the tails from the raw shrimp and breathing in that 'shrimpy' air, I was convinced that I would be making myself a can of soup for dinner. When the shrimp had been cooked in the brandy and were resting on a plate, Bob came over and stole one, offering me a bite. I reluctantly accepted and was amazed to discover that it was delicious! No shrimpy taste, great texture, slightly sweet from the brandy. I then started to think I might actually eat this meal with them . . . and I did . . . and it was fantastic!

Although I had some trouble with the flambe-ing (it was one of my first times using my new range, which is electric and definitely and adjustment), the shrimp ended up perfectly cooked. I suggest, if you have trouble lighting the brandy on fire and it evaporates, just go with it. It's more important to cook the shrimp properly (i.e. not over-cook) than to get the brandy to light, in my opinion.

I highly recommend this recipe, and I hope you look forward to seeing more shrimp recipes here in the future! You'll notice I added a seafood label for this post . . . we'll see how often that gets used :)

Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Linguine

Ingredients:
1 pound medium-large shrimp (preferably 31 to 35 count), peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons table salt
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
4 tablespoons minced garlic (about 12 medium or 8 large cloves)
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes , drained
1 cup medium-dry white wine , such as Sauvignon Blanc
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 pound linguine or spaghetti

Directions:
1. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil, covered, in large Dutch oven or stockpot.

2. While water is heating, heat 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, toss shrimp, half of red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Add shrimp to skillet and quickly spread in single layer; cook, without stirring, until bottoms of shrimp turn spotty brown, about 30 seconds.

3. Off heat, stir to turn shrimp, and add cognac/brandy; let stand off heat until cognac warms slightly, about 5 seconds, and return pan to high heat. Wave lit match over skillet until cognac ignites; shake skillet until flames subside, transfer shrimp to medium bowl, and set aside. *I had a lot of trouble with this part, mostly because I think my pan was too hot. Never got the brandy to light, but the shrimp were still delicious! If the brandy won't light, keep on eye on the shrimp and cook them as directed, no more.

4. Off heat, cool now-empty skillet 2 minutes; return to burner and reduce heat to low. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and 3 tablespoons garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until garlic foams and is sticky and straw-colored, 7 to 10 minutes.

5. Add remaining red pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, sugar, tomatoes, and wine; increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until thickened and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Stir in reserved shrimp and accumulated juices, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic, and parsley and simmer until shrimp have heated through, about 1 minute longer. Off heat, stir in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. *I think I was thrown off by the flambe-ing and forgot to drain my canned tomatoes. This made for a very thin sauce, which I just reduced for longer than 8 minutes. Still turned out great!

6. While sauce simmers, add linguine or spaghetti and remaining 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water, stir to separate pasta, cover, and cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta. Transfer drained pasta back to now-empty Dutch oven or stockpot; add about 1/2 cup sauce (without shrimp) and 2 to 3 tablespoons reserved pasta cooking water; toss to coat. Divide pasta among warm serving bowls, top with a portion of sauce and shrimp, and serve immediately.

Source: America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook

Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes

This is a great summer pasta! Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil are some of my favorite flavors, and this dish combines them in perfect balance. Ina has a knack for great pasta dishes, so I knew I would love this one. I served it as our main dish, but it would be a great side as well.

I cut this recipe in half except for the pasta because I wanted to stretch the ingredients; however, I think Ina had it right, so I've posted the original. I also left out the olives because Bob hates them. I had intended to add them to my plate but forgot. This is especially great if you have a ton of fresh basil in your garden like I do - the leaves are gigantic! :)

Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta, or pasta of choice (I used angel hair)

Kosher salt

Olive oil

1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced

3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced (optional)

1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced

6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons good olive oil

1 garlic clove, diced

1 teaspoon capers, drained

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool.

2. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

3. For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

4. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

Source: Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Family Style via Foodnetwork.com

Guest Post: Mushroom and Mascarpone Ravioli

Since I've been out of the country, packing for our move, and will be losing internet access tonight (yikes!), my sister Lisa and her boyfriend Steve offered to do a guest post for me! They are both fantastic cooks, as I've mentioned before (here, here, and here), and have great palates, so you're in for a treat with this recipe. Hope to see you all soon with a recipe from my NEW kitchen! :)

Since Meghan will be busy packing and moving this week, I thought I would help her out by offering her this recipe to post. Steve and I had some mushrooms in the fridge that we wanted to use, so we decided to make mushroom ravioli. We found a recipe for Mushroom and Mascarpone Ravioli on allrecipes.com and thought it would be perfect since we had a container of the cheese in the fridge as well. It sounded so good and we had never made homemade ravioli before, so I was really excited to try this recipe out!

We had to make a few substitutions and slight changes because we didn’t have a couple of the ingredients, but overall we stayed fairly true to the recipe. One major change, however, was to use homemade pasta instead of the wonton wrappers. Steve got a pasta roller for Christmas, and we’ve wanted to make ravioli with it. The pasta can be topped with any sauce you want, but we topped it with just a little olive oil, chopped cherry tomatoes, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese. The filling of this ravioli is the real star of the recipe, so I would recommend trying to follow the filling recipe as best as you can to get the amazing flavor it adds. Some of the reviewers on allrecipes.com said this was the best ravioli filling they had ever eaten. I would have to agree! It really is that good!

If you use homemade pasta for the ravioli, I recommend making the pasta dough first and then making the filling while the dough is resting. Then you can roll out the pasta and fill it with the mixture. Enjoy!

Homemade Pasta

Ingredients:
In general, use 100 oz (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour for every 1 egg. For this recipe we used:
400 oz (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour
4 eggs
Extra flour for flouring countertop, dough, and pasta machine

Directions:
1. Put flour into a large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk eggs together.

2. Make a large well in the center of the flour and pour the eggs into the well.

3. With a fork, mix the flour into the eggs in the well. Continue mixing until the flour and eggs form a dough.

4. Shape the dough into a ball and knead it by hand on a floured countertop for 5 – 7 minutes. If the dough gets too dry, wet your hands and continue to knead. Alternately, if the dough is too sticky, add a little flour. Note: You want to have a pasta dough that tends on the dry side as it will need to be this way in order to not stick to your pasta maker, roller, etc.

5. Cover the pasta dough with the inverted bowl and let rest for one-half hour.

6. When dough has rested, slice into around 6 equally-sized pieces (to give you a top and bottom to your ravioli). Roll each piece of dough through the floured pasta roller. (Our roller has settings 1-9, and we rolled the dough up to a 6.)

7. Lay pasta sheets separately on a floured surface. (This is very important because we laid ours on top of each other and they stuck together. We had to re-roll the dough.)

Mushroom and Mascarpone Ravioli

4 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large shallots, minced (We only had one shallot)
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped (We used white mushrooms and shitakes)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (We substituted one-quarter tablespoon of finely chopped dried thyme)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (We substituted 1 green onion)
1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
salt and pepper to taste
32 (3.5 inch square) wonton wrappers (We made our own pasta instead – See recipe above)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk

Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots; cook and stir until starting to brown. Reduce the heat to medium and add the mushrooms, thyme, garlic and chives; continue to cook until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the mascarpone cheese and mushroom mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

3. *Lay out 16 wonton wrappers on a clean surface. Whisk together the egg and milk in a small cup. Brush the egg wash onto the wrappers. Place one tablespoon of the cheese mixture onto the center of each square. Place a second wonton wrapper over the top of the filling and press to seal the edges. You may refrigerate the ravioli on a baking tray covered with plastic wrap.

4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli one at a time and cook until they float to the top, 3 to 4 minutes. (We cooked our ravioli at a simmer for about 10 minutes as recommended by a reviewer to prevent ravioli from opening up.)

5. Top with a little olive oil, pepper, and Parmesan cheese (or any other sauce) and enjoy!

*Step 3, if using homemade pasta: Drop the filling mixture by tablespoons onto one of the pasta sheets, leaving 1-2 inches between each spoonful. Whisk together the egg and milk in a small cup. Brush the egg wash onto the sheet in between and around the filling, wherever dough is exposed. Place another pasta sheet on top of the first, and press the top sheet onto the second, being careful not to press the filling out from the sheets. Press around the filling to form the pockets of filling. Use a biscuit cutter, pasta cutter, or scalloped edge cookie cutter to cut around each pocket of filling, forming the ravioli.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ricotta Gnudi in a Parmesan Broth

Although it's nearing the end of April, we've had another cold front come through Chicago, so I thought I would post this comforting soup-like meal. I made it sometime this winter, and I really liked these tasty ricotta dumplings bathing in a warm Parmesan broth. This was definitely not one of Bob's favorite meals, mainly because he doesn't really like ricotta cheese. I naively thought I could change his mind :)

Giada has this meal filed under "hearty pastas" in her cookbook, Everyday Pasta, but I think a small portion could be served as a soup course at a dinner party. If you like ricotta cheese, you should give these a try!

Ricotta Gnudi in a Parmesan Broth

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
Parmesan Broth
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Ricotta Gnudi
2 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 egg white
2 ounces prosciutto, chopped (I omitted this)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or 1/2 Tablespoon dried)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup for dredging

Directions:
1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the broth has reduced to 4 cups, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the gnudi: bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer over high heat. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, egg white, prosciutto (if using), parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; mix thoroughly.

3. When the water is simmering and ready, stir the flour into the ricotta mixture. It is important not to add the flour too soon; otherwise they will become dense and gummy rather than light.

4. Shape the gnudi using 2 large soup spoons: scoop up a large spoonful of ricotta mixture into one spoon, then scoop the mixture onto the other spoon and back again, forming a three-sided oval. I have also seen these shaped into little round balls, like meatballs.

5. Drop the gnudi into the dredging flour. Form another 8 or 9 gnudi at a time, dredge in flour on all sides, and tap off the excess.

6. Slide the formed gnudi into the simmering water, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the gnudi using a slotted spoon after they have floated to the top and have cooked for about 4 minutes total.

7. While the gnudi cook, create another batch of gnudi and dredge them in flour. Continue cooking and forming gnudi, transferring cooked gnudi to a platter in a single layer, until you have used all the ricotta mixture.

8. Divide the gnudi among the serving bowls. Pour the reduced broth over the gnudi. Sprinkle with a pinch of the pepper and a spoonful of grated Parmesan and serve.

Source: Everyday Pasta

Baked Ricotta Cavatelli in a Mascarpone Cheese Sauce

Back in October when Bob's and my families came to Chicago for my thesis seminar, we went to Carmine's restaurant. Carmine's is located on one of the hottest streets in Chicago, Rush Street, very close to what is referred to as "viagra triangle." I don't need to get into that, but basically it's a premium location.

The restaurant has a nice ambiance. The first floor has a bar area that is louder than the table-only upstairs. Our party of 10 was seated upstairs away from the windows, but I can imagine that a table by the windows would give you an incredible view of Rush Street.

I ordered the most delicious pasta dish called the "Cavatelli al Forno," described as "Homemade ricotta dumplings simmered in marinara with imported cheeses, topped with mozzarella and baked." The cavatelli had a texture almost gnocchi-like; dense but soft. I loved everything about this dish. It was super rich, but unbelievably tasty. Coincidently, I had a recipe for ricotta cavatelli saved on my laptop desktop for quite some time before this visit to Carmine's, and this was just the push I needed to try making it at home. I decided to try to recreate the entire dish, or at least my interpretation of it.

I've never made my own pasta before, and although this is a tad different than most homemade pastas, I really enjoyed the experience! Shaping the cavatelli took quite a bit of time, but it was fun. This was a really delicious dinner! It's very rich, filling, and satisfying. My only problem was that the cavatelli recipe doesn't call for salt. I figured this was not a problem given the ricotta and the fact that the pasta is bathed in cheesy tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella, but I thought that the actual cavatelli themselves were a little bland. A sprinkle of salt into the dough would have made a big difference, so I've added it to the recipe below.

I definitely recommend this dish!

Handmade Italian Ricotta Cavatelli

Ingredients:

3 cups (1 pound) all-purpose flour

1 pound ricotta cheese

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Salt, if desired (this recipe suggests 1/2 teaspoon)

Directions:

1. Put 2 1/2 cups of the flour into a bowl, make a well in the flour, and add the cheese and eggs (add salt at this point if desired). Gradually work the mixture together, adding more flour if necessary, to make a soft but not sticky dough.

2. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it is smooth. Let the dough rest at room temperature, covered with an inverted bowl or wrapped in plastic, for 30 minutes.

3. Form the dough into a round and cut into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time (cover the remaining dough with an inverted bowl to keep the dough from drying out), on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rope 1/4-inch in diameter (mine was closer to 1/2-inch).

4. With a knife, cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces (mine were closer to 1-inch). With your index and middle fingers held together, gently press down on each piece, beginning at the top and moving down toward the bottom, dragging your fingers toward you and causing the pasta to roll over on itself.

Will look something like this:

5. Transfer the formed pasta to a lightly floured jelly-roll pan and let dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil.

6. Salt the water, and add the pasta. Cook until the cavatelli are al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. They are done when they float to the top (mine took closer to 4 minutes or even less!) Drain and proceed with recipe below, add your favorite sauce, or freeze.

Source: Adapted from FoodNetwork

Baked Ricotta Cavatelli in a Mascarpone Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

1 batch Handmade Italian Ricotta Cavatelli (see above)

~23 ounces of your favorite pasta sauce (I used Prego Traditional)

8-ounces mascarpone cheese

grated Parmesan cheese

8 slices mozzarella cheese, or enough to cover the dish

olive oil for greasing baking dish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

1. In a large saucepan, melt mascarpone cheese over medium heat. Stir in pasta sauce. Season with a little Parmesan cheese, if desired.

2. Add ricotta cavatelli to sauce and stir to coat. Transfer to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish that has been lightly greased with olive oil. Top with mozzarella slices.

3. Bake until cheese is melted, approximately 20 minutes.

Source: Inspired by the Cavatelli al Forno at Carmine's

Roasted Vegetable Orzo

Ina Garten is my hero! Everything I've made of hers has been fantastic and this dish just hammers home that point. I first saw this on Live.Love.Eat., and it looked so fresh and so good. Although it's great for summer, I thought it would be a nice year-round dish. My lab had a holiday potluck lunch and, in addition to the Buche de Noel, I wanted to bring a meatless option for a vegetarian graduate student in the lab (and for my poultry-only self!) This dish was perfect! The awesome roasted vegetable flavors, the tender orzo, the light dressing, the fresh basil - SO SO SO good. I made it the night before and it was perfect - any dish that can be made in advance is a plus in my book.

Last month I was dabbling a bit in reducing my dairy intake, and in the process visited a few vegan cooking blogs, so I'm more aware of vegan dishes. I realized that I am not prepared to give up my precious dairy, but I'm conscious of when I eat it and whether it's absolutely necessary in the dishes I prepare. I actually thought the feta cheese was a little much for this - I may have preferred it without. Don't get me wrong, it does add an interesting flavor and creaminess, but I think this would still be an outstanding dish without it. If any of you out there are vegan or vegetarian, or cooking for someone who is, I highly recommend this dish!

Roasted Vegetable Orzo

Ingredients:

1 small eggplant, peeled and diced into 3/4-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 yellow (or orange) bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/3 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound (8 ounces - dry) orzo pasta

For the dressing:

1/3 cup good olive oil

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1-2 lemons)

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Finishing touches:

green onions,

feta cheese,

pine nuts (I omitted)

15 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F.

1. Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, or until browned, turning once with a spatula.

2. Meanwhile, cook orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes (according to package directions), until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

3. Add roasted vegetables to the orzo, scraping all the liquid and seasoning from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

4. For the dressing, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and pour on orzo/vegetable mixture. Cool to room temperature.

5. Add the scallions, feta, pine nuts, and basil, if using. Check the seasonings and adjust with salt and pepper if necessary (not necessary for my taste). Serve at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Adapted from Live.Love.Eat., originally from the Barefoot Contessa

Skillet Lasagna

This is another recipe from "The Best 30 Minute Recipe" cookbook (from the kitchens of Cook's Illustrated). I have yet to make something from this book that we don't love, and this is no exception!

Lasagna is one of my favorite meals, but it takes a long time to assemble the components, and it makes a TON of food - so much that we end up throwing a lot out, which really bothers me. It's kind of a catch 22, because I feel that it's too much work to just make enough for 2-4 servings, but we can't possibly eat the 12 that a full pan makes. I would love if I could make multiple casseroles and freeze the others, but our tiny freezer is already packed to the brim (our apartment building supplies the fridge/freezer and it's not even a full-sized one!) Maybe someday when I have a big deep freeze . . . Ok, back to reality, so casseroles aren't always the best option for the two of us. This skillet lasagna is the perfect solution for now because it only makes 4 servings. Plus it's a one pot meal! I used ground turkey instead of meatloaf mix and reduced the amount of Ricotta cheese. We really liked this dinner and will make it again!

Skillet Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground turkey (recipe calls for meatloaf mix, so you may use that if desired)

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

6 ounces curly-edged lasagna noodles (8 sheets), broken into 2-inch pieces

1 26-ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups water

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese (or less as desired)

1/4 cup shredded basil

Directions:

1. Brown meat in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop garlic and measure out the pasta. Drain meat on paper towels and return it to skillet.

2. Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Sprinkle broken noodles in skillet, then pour in tomato sauce and water over top. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until noodles are tender, about 20 minutes. (Mine took a little longer to soften so I had to add a bit more water to maintain the sauciness of the dish).

4. Off heat, stir in half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot heaping tablespoons of ricotta over noodles, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and let stand off heat until cheeses melt, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before serving.

Source: Adapted from The Best 30 Minute Recipe cookbook

Creamy Chicken with Bowtie Pasta

This recipe was originally served inside an adorable puff pastry shell, but Leslie suggested that it would great over pasta as well. I love bowtie pasta, so I decided to make the chicken and sauce with that. This recipe is so delicious!!! I love all of the flavors. I highly recommend this recipe!

Creamy Chicken w/ Bowtie Pasta

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, diced

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 ounces light cream cheese, softened

4 basil leaves, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons sundried tomatoes

1 clove garlic, chopped

3 slices turkey bacon, cooked crispy and broken (Recommended: Oscar Mayer brand)

1 1/2 Tablespoons grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup white wine, or a little more

Milk or cream, optional

Parmesan cheese, optional

~ 6 ounces pasta, prepared according to package directions

Directions:

1. Heat a pot of water to boiling for the pasta, and cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, basil, sundried tomatoes, garlic, bacon, cream cheese, and wine. Mix until smooth.

4. Slowly add the mixture to the chicken and mix until no lumps remain.

5. Add extra wine or milk/cream to achieve desired consistency.

6. Serve over pasta, or add pasta to pan, mix, and then serve. Top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Source: Adapted from The Hungry Housewife

Orzo Stuffed Peppers

My infatuation with orzo doesn't seem to be going away. These Orzo Stuffed Peppers looked so amazing I had to try them. Originally I thought about stuffing tomatoes with this orzo mixture, but ultimately Bob and I decided to use the peppers. I love cooking orzo in chicken broth - it truly imparts a wonderful flavor to the pasta. We loved this dinner!!!

Note: I made the entire recipe of 'stuffing' (enough for 6 peppers) and just used it to stuff 2 peppers, then baked the rest in a casserole dish to have for my lunches the rest of the week.

Orzo Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

2 14-ounce cans petite cut diced tomatoes

1 zucchini, grated

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish if desired

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, grated

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups dry orzo

6 sweet peppers (any color) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl. Add the zucchini, basil, cheese, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

3. Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the orzo and cook for 4 minutes (I think you can even reduce this amount depending on the thickness of your orzo because the orzo really expands when it's cooked in the peppers). Do not fully cook. 

4. While the pasta cooks, prepare the peppers by cutting off the tops and scooping out the ribs and seeds. 

5. Pour the orzo/chicken broth into a strainer set above a 3 quart baking dish so that the broth collects in the dish. Transfer the orzo to the large bowl with the vegetables. Stir the orzo into the vegetable mix to combine. 

6. Fill the peppers with the orzo mixture and place in the baking dish containing the warm chicken broth. Cover the dish and bake for 45 minutes. (If using less than 6 peppers and you have leftover orzo, put it in a covered casserole dish and bake alongside). 

7. Remove the foil and sprinkle the top of each pepper with Parmesan cheese. Continue baking uncovered until cheese is golden, about 15 additional minutes. 

8. Remove from oven and carefully transfer peppers to serving dish. Garnish with extra fresh basil if desired.

Source: Adapted from La Bella Cook

Ale-braised Sausages and Peppers

Another orzo recipe?!? Yep, but you can use any pasta shape you want, or omit the pasta and serve alongside mashed potatoes, as the original recipe suggests.  The first time I made this, I served it with sliced new potatoes sauteed with onion. More recently, I tossed in some orzo, which was really delicious. If you prefer to serve with potatoes, just omit the pasta from the recipe below. I adapted the recipe for 3-4 servings and used Trader Joe's chicken sausage. I only buy chicken sausage that is 'skinless' (i.e. no casing), so I'm a bit limited on flavors. The jalapeno chicken sausages I used have a strong flavor, but we liked it. 

Ale-braised Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients:
3 skinless chicken sausage links, sliced
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 1/2 Tablespoons flour, divided
3/4 cup ale
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 Tablespoons dried chopped thyme
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

Directions:
1. Heat a pot of water to boiling for the pasta.

2. Heat sausage slices in a pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate, set aside and keep warm.

2. Heat the olive oil in the same pan and add the onion and pepper. Cook until golden, around 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the orzo.

3. Stir in 1 Tablespoon flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Whisk in ale until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Add the thyme and broth, whisking to blend and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Return the sausage to the pot. Add orzo, and season with salt and pepper.

Source: Adapted from Good Things Catered and Williams-Sonoma

Tomato, Zucchini, and Olive Orzo

I found this recipe quite a while ago on the Williams-Sonoma website. It's supposed to be "Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes, Zucchini, and Olives," but I didn't feel like thawing chicken the day I made this, so I decided to adapt it to a meatless pasta dish using orzo because 1) the recipe suggests to serve with either rice or orzo, and 2) I've been on a big orzo kick lately! This was delicious! I've made it several times now, and I love taking the leftovers for lunch.
Tomato, Zucchini, and Olive Orzo

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 zucchini, diced (I've also tried adding yellow squash as well)
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 package small tomatoes, such as grape or Sweet 100s
2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped black Mediterranean olives
1 teaspoon fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dry rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup orzo pasta

Note: I didn't feel the rosemary flavor was necessary, so you can omit it unless you love rosemary.

Directions:
1. Start a pot of water to boil for the pasta.

2. Add oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Cook pasta.

3. Add the tomatoes, olives, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are heated through but not collapsed, about 2 minutes. (I cooked longer because I prefer the tomatoes that way). Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the white wine and cook for a few minutes until some evaporates and a nice sauce is left. Add the cooked orzo, stir to combine and remove from heat. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Source: Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Chicken Sausage and Penne in a Pumpkin Cream Sauce

From the title, and even the picture, you may think this a rich dinner made with heavy cream. I'm delighted to say that's not the case - but it tastes like it is! I saw this recipe on Cara's Cravings last year and have made it several times. Cara ingeniously came up with the idea to make a puree using skim milk, canned pumpkin, and - get this - 1% lowfat cottage cheese! I was skeptical when I first made it, and a little worried when I added this 'cream sauce' to the pan and saw tiny bits of cottage cheese peppering the pan. But then, the most amazing thing happened: the tiny bits melted and created this creamy, slightly cheesy, sauce. I really want to use this trick to make this Giada recipe again, because it was far too creamy for me the first time. This idea can also be adapted for other sauces, like a butternut squash cream sauce - mmm.

Bob and I both really like this recipe. I've made it using different kinds of chicken sausage, but the combo of the apple sausage and the pumpkin is quite nice. I've made a few slight modifications to the recipe, but Cara's original version, which serves 2, is available through the link below. My version serves 3-4 because we like to have leftovers for lunch.

Chicken Sausage and Penne in a Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
6 ounces penne pasta
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, grated or more to taste
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
3 sliced chicken sausage links, such as apple from TJ's
3/4 cup 1% low fat cottage cheese
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup skim milk
5 oz. baby spinach, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add garlic, sage, and chicken sausage; continue to saute.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. In a small food processor or blender, combine pumpkin, cottage cheese, and milk. Blend until smooth. Add to sausage mixture in the skillet and continue to cook over low heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

3. Drain pasta and add to sausage mixture with the baby spinach. Toss together until the spinach is wilted. Raise heat if necessary to melt any remaining bits of cottage cheese, while continuing to stir until creamy. Top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Cara's Cravings

Spaghetti and Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

I originally found this Rachael Ray recipe on Annie's Eats and tried it right away. I of course substituted ground turkey for the beef, and used my favorite jarred spaghetti sauce instead of Rachael's because I have yet to find a homemade sauce that is better than Prego, in my humble opinion. Below I've included the recipe for how to turn jarred spaghetti sauce into Arrabiatta (thanks to Giada) in case you feel like jazzing it up.

These meatballs are so good! It's not just the mozzarella surprise inside, of course that helps, but the actual flavor of the meatballs is incredible. It reminds me of something you would get in a really good Italian restaurant. I think I am turning in my old turkey meatball recipe (which was adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook) for this one. The other BIG plus of this recipe is that it's FAST because the meatballs cook in the sauce - which also means less clean-up. Plus, cooking the meatballs in the sauce gives the sauce a really delicious flavor. The last time I made these was for my family, and they loved them! My sister who hates spaghetti even liked the dinner!

Although this is a Rachael Ray recipe, I saw Giada De Laurentiis make a very similar one - again a mozzarella-stuffed meatball. The best tip Giada gave - which might be obvious to most but wasn't to me - is to make the meatball and then create a small hole to put the mozzarella cube inside. I wasn't even thinking when I made the recipe the first time that forming the meat around the cheese is not exactly the most efficient way. I tried pre-forming the meatballs the last time I made these and it was a little dificult to do using the turkey mixture because it's much softer and stickier than ground beef - maybe it would still be difficult with beef using this meatball recipe, I'm not sure. Anyway, I've made the change to the recipe below.

Spaghetti and Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

For the sauce:
1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, grated*

crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 26-ounce jars spaghetti sauce (my favorite is Prego Traditional)

For the meatballs:
1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup milk

1 package (~1 lb) lean ground turkey (I like Purdue or Jennie-O)**

1 garlic clove, grated
2 teaspoons dried parsley

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg
1 teaspoon salt

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 16 equal-sized cubes***
cooking spray

spaghetti, regular or whole-wheat

*I grate my garlic with a Microplane grater. I find that it's super fast and releases much more flavor than chopping, and it's easier to clean than my garlic press.

**I've seen Giada make meatballs using a mixture of ground turkey and turkey sausage before - I think around 2/3 ground to 1/3 sausage. I plan to try this sometime. Jennie-O makes spicy or sweet Italian sausage - both of which we really like depending on the recipe.

***I thought it might be easier to cut uniform pieces using low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella string cheese. I compared the melting properties of equal-sized pieces of regular mozzarella to the string cheese. Both melted and solidfied similarly, so I think the string cheese is a good option if you want to make cutting the cheese easier.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk.

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add 2 cloves of grated garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. If you like your sauce a little spicy (a la Arrabbiata sauce), toss in some crushed red pepper flakes - probably an 1/8 teaspoon is plenty. Add jarred spaghetti sauce. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water for the spaghetti.

3. Add the ground turkey, 1 clove of grated garlic, parsley, Parmesan, egg, and salt to the bread crumbs. Stir with a fork until mixed.

4. Divide the meatball mixture into fourths, then form 4 meatballs out of each portion (for a total of 16). Make a hole in the center of each meatball and place a cube of mozzarella inside. Reform the meatball so the mozzarella is completely covered with the meat mixture. Place each meatball on a sheet of waxed paper sprayed with cooking spray after cheese has been placed inside, so that all of the meatballs can go in the sauce at the same time.

5. Place meatballs in sauce so they are submerged. Cook for 20 minutes over medium-low, or until meat is cooked completely. I find that I must cover the pot at this point to prevent spaghetti sauce from splattering all over. You may want to vent the lid to allow some moisture to escape so the sauce is a little thicker in the end. When only 8-9 minutes remain, add spaghetti to boiling water and cook according to package directions.

Enjoy! :)

Source: Sauce adapted from Everyday Pasta; meatballs adapted from Annie's Eats and Rachael Ray, with technical support from Giada De Laurentiis

Rigatoni with Sausage, Pepper, and Onions

I first found this recipe on Food Network, and when I got Everyday Pasta, I realized it's part of the "Hearty Pastas" section. Again, Giada does not disappoint. The Marsala wine really adds a wonderful flavor. And the best part, Giada calls for turkey sausages, so I didn't have to change the recipe! I do, however, remove them from their casing, because I don't even like to think about the source of that casing (although I know what it is). I've made this many times, and it's never failed. It is SO good - probably one of our favorite dinners. I do have to space out my recipes that call for red pepper though - Bob gets heartburn! He's only 26, so I can't imagine how he'll be when he's older!

This recipe serves 4 to 6, so when I make it for just Bob and I, I halve the recipe, and there's *sometimes* some left over :)

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausages (optional: remove from casing)

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

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons dried)

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup Marsala wine

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice*

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 pound rigatoni pasta

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

*I use petite cut diced tomatoes

Ingredients:

1. 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. I find that I don't even need oil since I remove the sausage from the casing, so I might just add a bit before the next step.

2. 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.

3. 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. *Note: I never let it simmer this long. I usually just do 5-7 minutes. We like it to have a little more sauce! Because of this, I start the water boiling during step 1 and cook the pasta while I make the sauce.

4. 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.

Source: Adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis

Creamy Orzo

I received Everyday Pasta by Giada De Lauretiis from my MIL.  I have yet to find a disappointing recipe of Giada's!  I really love orzo pasta, and the taste and texture of this dish are just great.  I try to avoid using heavy cream except in desserts but decided to try it the first time.  It was a little too creamy for my taste, so I've included suggestions below on how to lighten it up a bit. 

When I was shopping for the ingredients, I noticed "petite peas" in the freezer case.  I tend to like anything 'mini,' so of course I opted for them, and I loved their smaller size and sweeter taste.  It wasn't until several days later that I picked up a copy of Cooks Illustrated my mom had given me and noticed an article on petite peas, also called petit pois or baby sweet peas, and how their taste testers found them to be sweeter and less starchy than regular-sized peas. I found this quite amusing and will be using them from now on.

I halved this recipe but used the full amount of shallot and garlic as not to waste them.

Creamy Orzo

Ingredients:

1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)*

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained**

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 cup frozen peas, thawed (regular or petite)

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

*I like Barilla brand for orzo because the 'grains' of pasta are small.  I bought Prince brand once and don't like how big they are.

**I like using petite cut diced tomatoes so there aren't big chunks.

Directions:

1. Bring a large, heavy saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. 

3. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan cheese to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to create a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Note:  For a lighter version, you could try replacing some or all of the heavy cream with fat-free half-and-half, milk, or a mixture of cottage cheese and milk (seen here at Cara's Cravings).

Source:  Adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis