Italian Pasta Bake

Cheesy goodness - this dish is full of it! It is the perfect comfort dish for the season. Warm cavatappi pasta melded with fresh pesto, fire roasted tomatoes, ground beef and fresh asiago cheese make this casserole fabulous. It it the perfect quick solution to a weeknight meal that will feed the entire family, or feed just you and your roommates with enough leftovers for lunch for the rest of the week. Even though the panko breadcrumbs are optional I would highly suggest including them as they give this dish the perfect crunch!

Source: Simply Scratch

You Will Need:

• 1 pound Ground Sirloin
• 1 {16 oz.} box Cavatappi Pasta
• 1 cup Basil Pesto
• 1 {15 oz} can Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce
• 1 bag Fresh Baby Spinach
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and minced
• 1-1/2 cups Freshly Grated Asiago Cheese
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs {optional}
• Olive Oil

 Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with kosher salt
• Add pasta and cook to just shy of al dente
• Reserve a cup of pasta water
• To the pasta add the pesto and Asiago cheese and mix
• Meanwhile; over medium heat cook the ground turkey and garlic until the turkey is fully cooked, about 8 minutes
• Add the entire can of tomatoes and stir
• Place all the spinach on top of the simmering tomato and turkey mixture; reduce heat and cover to cook the spinach about 2-3 minutes
• Next, add the pesto pasta to the tomato mixture and toss
• If desired add a little of the pasta water to thin out the sauce
• Immediately add the pasta to a lightly oiled baking dish
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese
• For more texture; sprinkle with a cup of panko bread crumbs and drizzle with a little olive oil, this step is totally optional
• Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until the top is golden (about 20-25 minutes)
• Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving

Serves 6-8
Happy Feasting!

Greek Pizza

This greek pizza is so full of flavor and gorgeous colored vegetables that if you close your eyes hard enough you might be able to imagine that you are eating this somewhere in the Mediterranean (wouldn't that be nice?). The "icing" on this pizza was topping it with fresh spinach half-way through cooking - what a great addition! When I make this pizza again I might add artichokes for even more flavor but this pizza is definitely tasty just the way it is.

You Will Need:

• 2/3 cup red pepper, diced
• 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/3 cup red onion, diced
• 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• handful of fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 ball pizza dough (white or wheat)
• 1 1/4 cups pizza sauce
• 1/2 bag of mozzarella cheese (12 oz bag)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
• Roll out dough to desired thickness using your hands or a rolling pin if you have one
• Rub pizza stone with olive oil and place dough on pizza stone or baking sheet
• Top dough with pizza sauce, cheeses and vegetables, except fresh spinach
• Add fresh spinach half-way through cooking (after roughly 5-6 minutes)
• Bake for 10-12 minutes on top rack, or until golden brown

Makes 8 Slices
Happy Feasting!

Rigatoni with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

I have already made a fresh basil pesto and an arugula pesto, but I thought that a sun-dried tomato pesto would be delicious, especially for summer! A little while back in my simple greek salad post, I talked about the amazing sun-dried tomato pesto that we ate with that meal. Well, as promised here is the recipe! This pesto is super easy and is such a great change from your regular basil pesto. This pesto could be used as a sandwich spread or served over chicken if you are not much of a pasta eater, although this pesto might make you one!

You Will Need:

• 1 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 Tbsp pine nuts
• 2 peeled garlic cloves
• 3/4 cup olive oil

Here We Go:

• Add first five ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until smooth
• Add the olive oil and process until thick paste forms
• Garnish with fresh basil and fresh parmesan, if desired

Happy Feasting!
This pesto also freezes very well so you can save the leftover pesto for later!

Summer Veggie Pizza

This summer pizza is packed  full of tasty veggies and the addition of feta gives it a nice little punch with every bite. Local farmers' markets are packed full of gorgeous summer vegetables right now so go out and get them and give yourself the opportunity to use them with this easy recipe. This pizza is a wonderful change from the traditional pepperoni or sausage pizza that is a little lighter on the waistline but you are still getting that great pizza flavor!

You Will Need:

• 1 ball pizza dough (white or wheat)
• 1 1/4 cups pizza sauce
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 bag of mozzarella cheese (12 oz bag)
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
• 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup green pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup yellow or white corn kernels
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup zucchini, diced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
• Roll out dough to desired thickness using your hands or a rolling pin if you have one
• Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in small skillet and saute veggies until soft, roughly 5-7 minutes 
• Rub pizza stone with remaining Tbsp of olive oil and place dough on pizza stone or baking sheet
• Top dough with pizza sauce, cheeses and sauteed vegetables
• Bake for 10-12 minutes on top rack, or until golden brown

Makes 8 Slices
Happy Feasting!

Fresh Basil Pesto

I adore fresh basil. I love cooking with it and putting it on anything that I can. It can get pricey which leads a lot of people to use the dried basil found in a pre-packaged spice canister. I definitely used to be one of those people until I had the real thing.  And I can now tell you that it is just not the same! After countless trips to the grocery store to buy fresh basil, I decided that it was time for me to purchase a few basil plants to grow myself. I bought two basil plants, because you can never have enough basil, and one thyme plant. I have had these plants for just over a month and they have already doubled in size...look!

So what do you do with too much basil? You make fresh pesto of course!

You Will Need:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan – Reggiano
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Here We Go:

• Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in food processor or blender
• Add garlic, pulse a few times more
•  Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on
• Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula
• Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended
• Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Makes 1 Cup
Happy Feasting!



Spaghetti Carbonara

I was asked last week by one of my readers for a spaghetti carbonara recipe. She said that she had attempted to make it at home and it had turned into a complete disaster. Now, before I go ahead and share this recipe with you guys, I will say that I know this reader personally and she is a fabulous cook. I highly doubt that it was a disaster but nonetheless I loved how this carbonara turned out so I wanted to share it with all of you!

I have copied the directions from bell'alimento literally verbatim because I think she hit the nail on the head. Timing is EVERYTHING with this dish. The main ingredients are spaghetti, garlic and fresh Parmesan - heaven! This dish will turn out perfectly if you just follow the directions below word for word because it is essential that each step is done while something else is cooking....you following me? Follow the steps below and you will have restaurant style carbonara at home in no time!

Source : Bell'alimento

You Will Need:

• 1 package spaghetti
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6 oz pancetta – diced
• 4 large cloves of fresh garlic -minced
• 2 large eggs -room temperature – beaten
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• freshly cracked black pepper

Here We Go:

• Place a large pasta pot with enough water onto boil and season generously with salt
• Once water comes to a boil, add spaghetti & stir so that the pasta separates
• Cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente and reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water.
• WHILE the spaghetti is cooking, in a large pan over medium heat add olive oil and cook pancetta/bacon until fairly crisp (about 3-4 minutes).  Reduce heat to low, add in garlic and cook for another minute (you don’t want your garlic to burn).
• WHILE the bacon/garlic are cooking crack your eggs into a small bowl & add 1 cup of cheese. Mix together and set aside.
• Drain your pasta well and add to bacon mixture. Is is IMPORTANT that your pasta is HOT when adding it to the mixture. Toss well (I find two forks or tongs work really well for this). Take off of heat.
• To your plating bowl, add cheese & egg mixture. Transfer the pasta to plating bowl and toss well to combine. If you find the mixture is too thick, you can thin it out with a little of the pasta water (remember you can always add more so add sparingly) Season well with pepper. Garnish with the remainder of your cheese.

Serves 4
Happy Feasting!

Cook the Cover: Simple Pomodoro Sauce

Bon appetit's May issue is entitled "The Italy Issue" and I am in love. I have now read the entire magazine front to back and found so many recipes that I want to try. My husband and I are taking a twenty-two day trip to Europe once he graduates from business school, and Italy is the country where we will be spending the most time while we are abroad. Lucky for us, this issue also told me where the best pasta, gelato and pizza are in Rome - I was drooling while I was reading and jotting down the list.

This simple pomodoro sauce is so easy and unbelievably delicious. Bon appetit says it is "The simplest, silkiest sauce you'll ever make" and I would have to agree with them. This sauce would be great over spaghetti, ravioli or even over top chicken parmigiana.

Source : bon appetit May 2011

You Will Need:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28 oz. can peeled tomatoes, puréed in a food processor
• Kosher salt
• 3 large fresh basil sprigs
• 12 oz. bucatini or spaghetti
• 2 Tbsp. cubed unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino

Here We Go:

• Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-low heat
• Add minced onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 12 minutes
• Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2-4 minutes
• Add crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute more
• Increase heat to medium, add puréed tomatoes and season lightly with kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes
• Remove pan from heat, stir in basil sprigs, and set aside
• Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot
• Season with salt; add spaghetti or bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender
• Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water
• Discard basil and heat skillet over high heat
• Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce; bring to a boil
• Add pasta and cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes
• Remove pan from heat; add butter and cheese; toss until cheese melts
• Transfer to warm bowls; serve with more cheese, if desired



Serves 4
Happy Feasting!

 

Spring Green Risotto

My new obsession is a cookbook. It's not a new cookbook that has just hit shelves, but it is fairly new to me and I am in love. It is Ina Garten's "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients". I have yet to make a recipe from this book and be disappointed with the outcome. Her risotto is no exception. The title says it all. This cookbook produces the most wonderful, distinct flavors from everyday ingredients. And now that spring has finally arrived, why not celebrate the season with this! You will love this spring risotto, I promise.

ps: I know this looks like a long process but this can be made in about 30 minutes!

You Will Need:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
• 1 cup chopped fennel
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 pound thin asparagus
• 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Here We Go:

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat
• Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender
• Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter
• Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed
• Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more ( This process should take 25 to 30 minutes)
• Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends
• Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente
• Drain and cool immediately in ice water
• When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper
• Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm
• Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl
• When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives
• Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese

Serves 4 as main course or 6 as side
Happy Feasting!