Category Archives: pasta

Sunday Night Red Sauce (Basic Tomato Sauce) Marinara

Posted on August 11, 2011 | 3 comments

Sunday Night Red Sauce with Perciatelli

Joel and I went on a beautiful hike this past Sunday. We were gone all day and the last thing we felt like doing upon arriving home was rush to get dressed and go out to dinner. Since I always have the ingredients for this recipe on hand, this dinner was a no brainer. Red sauce and spaghetti. I also had some delicious chicken sausage on hand so I threw that on the grill and there you have it–dinner on the plate. This is my basic go-to red sauce. You can serve it and freeze the remaining sauce for a long while and then the next time you want to use it, you merely take it out in the morning and then you’ll have dinner for that night!

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole onion –chopped

6 cloves garlic (average size; increase or decrease depending on size of cloves), peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 28oz cans of whole, peeled tomatoes with their juices (San Marzano type)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

*red pepper flakes (also optional; I love the heat)

* Italian herbs (You can usually buy this in a jar. Spice Islands makes an excellent one–it’s a combo of oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary and sage. It’s a perfect blend of spices in a jar and saves a whole lot of time. This is also optional.)

*Teaspoon of sugar (also optional; I use it because it removes any acidic flavors)

* Red wine (optional but if you have it, use about 1/2 cup)

* Fresh basil (optional; you might not have on hand and it’s really okay without it but so fresh tasting with it. I actually had some in my herb pot and went out and cut some, but this certainly doesn’t always happen.)

Fresh grated parmesan cheese

You can use all of these spices or as many as you like at your own discretion. Season to your taste.

Pasta of your choice (This time I used Perciatelli. It’s thick and ropey and we love it.)

 

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in as large a saucepan as you have. It needs to be fairly large. Add the chopped onion and garlic and continue cooking on a low flame for about 10 minutes until the garlic softens and onions are translucent but don’t burn the garlic or the onions.  Add the 2 cans of tomatoes and their juice and if you have fresh basil, add a few leaves now. (A lot of the tomatoes already have basil in them.) Turn up the heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Then bring the heat down and simmer for about one hour, at the very least. I usually cook it for about 1 1/2 hours. Use the back of a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes; continue stirring often and add as many herbs and seasonings as you like. Taste it for additional salt; throw in about a teaspoon of sugar; and if you have red wine, put in approximately 1/2 cup (and then you have my permission to drink the rest with dinner). Continue crushing down tomatoes and stir occasionally. It will thicken up and your house will smell like Italy or at least you’re favorite Italian Restaurant.

Cook pasta according to directions on the package.

For just me and Joel, I use about 8 oz pasta, plate individually and freeze the remaining sauce.

* Serves 4 as a main with 16 oz of pasta or 8 as a side dish

Sunday Night Red Sauce on Stove

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Delish Bolognese (re-visited)

Posted on July 28, 2011 | Leave a comment
Bolognese Sauce
Onions, Celery, Carrots, and Garlic chopped up for Bolognese

Today was a very un Colorado like day for the summer, overcast all day and drizzly and rainy. I decided not to grill, although the sun has decided to make an appearance at 6 pm. Usually it will rain and then clear up and be super beautiful. I guess today was a day for the flowers, and grass. In any event, I decided to make Joel very happy and make my Bolognese Sauce.  As you can tell I have posted photos, didn’t use my Le Creuset b/c it was in use. I used my large All Clad Frying Pan . I decided to use Orecchiette Pasta b/c I actually had an 8 oz. package and will freeze the remaining sauce. (Orecchiette looks like little hats) I served Bolognese with Caesar Salad. Both recipes are already on blog. Very delicious, very rich, very filling. A little goes a long way. And I have another meal in freezer! Look under the pasta category on my blog to find full recipe. And Caesar Salad Dressing under Salad Dressing Category.

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Bowtie Pasta with Sausage, Peas, and Mushrooms

Posted on July 12, 2011 | 1 comment

Made with Chicken Sausage Tonite

 

Pan with Turkey Sausage, Crimini Mushrooms, and Peas

 

Cremini Mushrooms roughly chopped

This is a sauceless pasta. Very light, very tasty, and very easy to make. There aren’t a lot of ingredients, and it doesn’t take a long time to make. My husband, Joel, hates green things and loves this dish. And he even eats all the peas on his plate, which makes me very happy. A shout out to Giada de Laurentis for the inspiration here. 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup olive oil

1 lb turkey sausages, casings removed (just squeeze all the meat out; I like Italian-style turkey sausage)

1 box of cremini mushrooms (Baby Bella), approx. 10 oz. (roughly chopped)

About 3/4 bag frozen peas (take them out of freezer about an hour before, just slightly thawed is perfect)

1 lb Farfalle pasta (bow ties)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Freshly grated parmesan, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large, sauté pan, heat up two tablespoons olive oil (medium to high flame). Add the broken up turkey sausage and make sure to break up the large clumps. Cook for about 10 minutes (I like the sausage browned). When finished cooking, remove sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Heat a little more olive oil (approx. 2 TBSP). Add the chopped up cremini mushrooms and kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (approx. a little less than a teaspoon of each, depending on your taste. Keep in mind that sausage is naturally salty.) Sauté until all the liquid is gone—about another 10 minutes. Add the frozen peas and cook for a few minutes. Return the sausage to the pan and cook for another few minutes (I turn off the heat at this point and just let the flavors blend.) 

In the meantime, cook pasta (according to package) al dente. Drain the pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water from pasta (this is the trick with “sauceless pasta”) and add pasta to the pan with all other ingredients. Combine well, adding some of that pasta water at a time; as needed. Drizzle in the 1/2 cup of olive oil, mixing as you go. Taste for salt and pepper. I also add red pepper flakes, but I love spicy. 

Serve with freshly grated parm cheese and you’re good to go. 

*Serves 4 as a main dish and 8 as a side.

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Summer Tomato Pasta

Posted on June 27, 2011 | 1 comment
summer tomato pasta

Perfect for the Summer Tomato Pasta

photo (2)photo (3)

Actually this pasta shouldn’t only be for the summer b/c you can make it all year, and I do. It just seems to suit the summer best, because it’s so light in it’s taste. It can be made with fresh tomatoes from the garden, farmstand, supermarket, etc. Oftentimes I use a package of baby plum tomatoes, or the cherry tomatoes; it doesn’t really matter which ones you use. This couldn’t be simpler, and it tastes awesome the next day cold out of the fridge.

INGREDIENTS:

4 CLOVES GARLIC (MINCED)

3/4 CUP OLIVE OIL

1 LB. FRESH TOMATOES, OR A PACKAGE OF BABY PLUM TOMATOES, OR A PACKAGE OF CHERRY TOMATOES IN THE NET BAG WORKS JUST FINE. OBVIOUSLY THE FRESH ONES ARE MOST SWEET AND DELICIOUS IN THE SUMMER.

1 PACKAGE OF THIN SPAGHETTI,WHATEVER YOU PREFER 

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large frying pan. When oil is hot, add garlic and then shut off heat. Pan will be hot enough. Sometimes I even remove from heat. Let garlic sit in olive oil for a bit (if you leave heat on be very careful not to burn the garlic.)  After a few minutes of garlic sitting in oil (10 minutes), add chopped up tomatoes. If I am using little plums or little cherries I pretty much just cut in 1/2. Larger tomatoes I give a rough chop. Then put on a low flame and add tomatoes to oil and garlic. Cook the tomatoes for about an hour, adding kosher salt and freshly ground pepper along the way, check again for salt and pepper at the end of cooking before pasta goes in.  Cook pasta according to directions. The longer the tomatoes sit in the oil, the tastier and the better and the more broken down they will get. I drain pasta, and then add it to the oil in the large frying pan. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I also sprinkle red pepper flakes, but I like it spicy. Toss pasta well with tomatoes and keep tossing until sauce covers all pasta. I leave it in the pan ’til I’m ready to serve. It is best served at room temp. anyway. So you can make it ahead of time and just let it sit and give it a good toss before you serve.

Serve with salad, bread, or as a side dish with any entree.

It will serve 4 as a main dish, and 6 – 8 as a a small plate.

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DELISH BOLOGNESE (REAL DEAL)

Posted on June 13, 2011 | 6 comments

Forget engagement chicken. This is the dish to make if you’re really interested in getting engaged!  I know there is a whole lotta hoopla out there about making a roast chicken and getting an engagment ring out of the meal but I will tell you that this should really be called “The Engagement Bolognese Sauce” because it is that good; and everyone who eats it falls in love with it. Well…almost. You just have to be a meat lover and a pasta lover. Then, surely, this will work. Try it and let me know. What have you got to lose? This is my perfect Sunday night dinner. It’s pure comfort food. So, even if you’re not looking to get engaged, are already married, or just want a wonderful meat sauce to make…Serve with a green salad with my vinaigrette dressing, a nice crusty bread and you’re set. You can always make my chocolate cherry cookies as an add on bonus. Have a great meal!

(Original inspiration from Mario Batali)

Delish bolognese 

Ingredients: 

1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL

1 MEDIUM SIZE CARROT DICED

1 MEDIUM CELERY RIB DICED

1 MEDIUM ONION DICED (SPANISH ONION)

1 GARLIC CLOVE, THINLY SLICED

4 OZ. PANCETTA,  DICED (I USUALLY CAN FIND A 4 OZ. PKG. IN THE SUPERMARKET ALREADY DICED AND IT WORKS JUST FINE.)

1 LB. GROUND BEEF (NOT THE SUPER LEAN ONE, THE 85/15 IS BEST FOR THIS B/C YOU WANT THE FAT)

1/4 CUP TOMATO PASTE (Why I love the tubes of tomato paste)

1 cup milk  (not skim, whole or at least 2 percent)

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup water

salt and freshly ground black pepper

red pepper flakes

fresh parmagiano or pecorino cheese, grated

1 box (1 pound)  gemelli  or fusilli type pasta

I use my Le Creuset large cast iron casserole.

Heat the olive oil on a medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Continue to cook this stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned (you may need to lower heat). Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the pancetta to pot and crisp it up a bit, then add the ground beef breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until the beef is no longer pink; about 10 minutes . Add the tomato paste and stir it in over a low heat. It will get a shiny look to it, and a deep rust color. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the milk, white wine and water and simmer over a low heat, stirring sauce occasionally. It will get thick and saucy looking. I cook it for another 1 1/2 hours. Taste for salt and pepper here.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook 1 box of pasta according to directions on box, until al dente. Drain pasta and add it to the sauce. Stir well and coat pasta.  Serve in nice pasta bowls, along with fresh cheese. I add a few red pepper flakes but I like it hot. You can leave that on the table along with grated cheese for your guests.

Note: You can make sauce ahead and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I have frozen it as well.

This is super yummy, and I believe this is the go to engagement dish.

*serves 8 as a small side dish and 4 as a meal

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Yummy Pesto (super easy)

Posted on May 28, 2011 | 3 comments
 

Yummy Pasta Pesto Prep

I have to give credit to my BFF Suki for this one. It is her recipe that I use. It is awesome and delish. Easy easy go-to for spring/ summer meals, although I’ve been known to make it anytime I see fresh basil.

Yummy PASTA Pesto

2 cups fresh basil

1/2 cup romano cheese (grated)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)

1/2 cup pignolli nuts or use walnuts

1 cup extra virgin olive oil (use a good one)

1 – 3 tablespoons butter (hafta admit I use all 3; sometimes 2)

4 cloves garlic

freshly ground pepper

1 lb. Gemelli Pasta Noodles

Put all ingredients (except the pasta, of course!) into Cuisinart food processor ’til smooth.

I use gemelli pasta or any noodle that will let pesto hold on.

Cook pasta according to directions, and add pesto. Add a little at a time ’til you get the pasta looking (and tasting!) the way you like it. This recipe probably yields a bit more pesto than you’ll need, depending on how you like it. Unfortunately, pesto doesn’t last more than a day or so in the fridge without going an ugly brown. So make it and enjoy! It’s creamy and yummy. 

Can keep in the fridge, and again let it sit out before serving. It’s best at room temp.

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My Best(est) Pasta Salad

Posted on May 27, 2011 | 2 comments

MY Bestest Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 small box of fusilli pasta*

1 small container of crumbled feta cheese

3 cloves garlic

1 pint of grape tomatoes (if you can get different colors, that is perfect; if not red is just fine)

1/2 cucumber (preferably hot house or small Persian ones; if use Persians, then use 2)

7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons white vinegar (I use a white wine vinegar. Champagne is my favorite go-to as opposed to just plain white vinegar.)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 red pepper and 1/2 yellow pepper, sliced (you can use as much or as little as you like and you can also use one whole of either but don’t use green)

a handful of fresh basil (roll it up and use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut it up)

2 tablespoons of fresh chives 

feta cheese (how much is totally up to you!)

Cook pasta in a pan of salted water and add the 3 cloves of garlic. Cook al dente and drain. Put the garlic  aside for the dressing abd put the Pasta in a bowl to cool off.

In a New Bowl :

Cut the tomatoes, cukes, peppers, and black olives into small pieces. Give the herbs a rough chop and add to bowl. Mash cooked garlic cloves on a wooden board and add a little kosher salt, add to this bowl. Add oil, vinegar, and a little more kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add feta cheese to the mixture, then and add pasta. Mix it all up with large spoon.

Let it sit in fridge, mix before serving, and let it sit out at room temperature for at least an hour before serving. Should be room temperature. Mix it well from bottom , and add salt and pepper to taste.

*if fusilli not available, use small shells, elbows, gemelli, etc. They’re all equally good. I like the fusilli b/c cheese and dressing sticks to pasta well.

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