Baked Tomato, Basil, and Parmesan Spaghetti

Notes: for a heartier meal, some cooked ground beef could be stirred into the sauce or cooked along with the onions and garlic. The tomato basil sauce could be switched out for any marinara/tomato pasta sauce on hand. Recipe can be frozen prior to baking and can be cooked frozen with an increased baking time. 

Serves 4-6. 

12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups of tomato  pasta sauce of your choice
About 10 basil leaves, julienned
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti to just under al dente. You want it to be a little firm since it will continue to cook in the oven.

While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet on medium heat and add the olive oil. Cook onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in tomato sauce and about 3/4 of the fresh basil. Gently mix in cooked spaghetti.

Spray a large baking dish (9x13 or a deep casserole dish) with non-stick cooking spray. Add in spaghetti mixture. Top with cheeses. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Garnish with reserved fresh basil.

Thai Peanut Noodles

Notes: although filling on its own, some chopped chicken would be a good addition to this quick dish. 

Serves 3-4.

1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha (more can be added according to desire heat level, but start small)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces Udon or linguine noodles (whole wheat work great)
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
2 limes, quartered
Chopped peanuts

Cook noodles in well salted boiling water. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges.

Gnocchi in Tomato Broth

Notes: this is one of our very favorite meals. The broth would also be good with ravioli, tortellini, etc, or as a base for a soup. The gnocchi can be frozen prior to cooking. Flash freeze them in a single layer on a tray, then store in a freezer bag once frozen. They do not need to be defrosted prior to cooking. The broth can also be frozen after cooking and cooling. 

From Smitten Kitchen.
Serves 4. 

Tomato Broth:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium stalk onion, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 28-ounce can tomatoes with juices
Small handful of basil leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste

Gnocchi:
2 lbs Russet Potatoes (about 3-4)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Assembling:
Shaved Parmesan, to taste
Slivers of basil leaves (optional)

Bake Potatoes:
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake Potatoes for 45 minutes to an hour, until easily pierced with a thin knife. Meanwhile, make the broth.

Broth:
Heat the oil in a heavy pot on medium-high heat. Once hot, add carrot, celery, and onion. Cook for 5 minutes, reducing heat if browning. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in stock, scraping up any brown bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Stir in tomatoes, mashing them up a bit with the spoon. Add basil leaves and simmer until the broth reduces and thickens slightly, about 45 minutes. Strain out the vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Gnocchi:
Let potatoes cool for 10 minutes after baking, then peel them. Run potatoes through a potato ricer or grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Cool them to lukewarm, another 10 minutes. Add the egg and salt, mixing to combine. Add 1/2 cup flour, and mix. Add the next 1/2 cup, mixing again. Add 1/4 cup flour, mix, and see if it is enough to form a dough that is not too sticky. If not, add the last 1/4 cup, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is soft but only a little sticky, and will hold its shape enough to be rolled into a rope. Gently knead the dough for just a minute.

Divide the dough into quarters. Roll each piece into a long rope, about 3/4-inch thick. Cut each rope into 3/4-inch lengths. If desired, use a floured fork to give gnocchi characteristic ridges, but it it not necessary. Place the gnocchi on a parchment lined tray. (If freezing, do so at this point).

Cooking Gnocchi:
Place the gnocchi, a quarter batch at a time, into a pot of boiling well-salted water. Cook until gnocchi float, about 2 minutes, then gently drain.

Assembly:
Reheat broth to a simmer. Add drained gnocchi then reheat through. Serve gnocchi and broth together, garnished with some fresh basil and/or some parmesan shavings.

Baked Penne with Smoked Mozzarella and Tomatoes

Notes: this is easily adapted to what you have on hand. Artichokes are good added in. Smoked cheddar with fire-roasted tomatoes would be great as well. 

Serves 4-6.

3 cups uncooked penne pasta (9 ounces)
2 cups diced tomatoes, undrained (from a 28-oz can)
1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
2 cups Alfredo pasta sauce, homemade or store-bought

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 1 1/2-quart casserole. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile,  saucepan, heat tomatoes to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated. Add in Alfredo sauce and heat until warm over medium-low heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Mix in cooked penne. 

Pour pasta into prepared casserole dish. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes, or until hot and beginning to bubble. 

Roasted Cherry Tomato Pesto Sauce

Serves 6.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, preferably heirloom

1 clove garlic, smashed, but still in skin

2-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ cup walnuts

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

½ cup basil leaves

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread out tomatoes on a small baking sheet. Add clove of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons, to lightly coat tomatoes and garlic. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until tomatoes are soft and skins begin to wrinkle, about 15-20 minutes.

While tomatoes roast, toast walnuts in oven until beginning to turn golden brown and fragrant, about 5-10 minutes.

Add roasted tomatoes, any juices from the baking sheet, and toasted walnuts to a food processor. Remove skin from garlic, and add clove to food processor. Add in Parmesan, basil, salt and pepper to taste, and about a tablespoon olive oil. Pulse until sauce begins to look smooth. If necessary, add another tablespoon or so of olive oil while pulsing until the sauce is smooth and not too thick.

To serve with pasta:

Cook 1 lb. of pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water. Toss the pesto sauce with the hot, cooked pasta, adding a little pasta water to thin the sauce and coat the pasta. Serve warm. 

Skillet Gnocchi with Spinach, Tomatoes, and White Beans

Serves 4-6.

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 16-ounce package gnocchi

½ medium yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup chicken broth or water

4-5 cups spinach leaves

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, regular or Italian seasoned

1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped up and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook for another minute. Stir in broth, cover, and cook until the onions are soft, about 5-10 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook for another 10 minutes. Add spinach, and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and let cook a few more minutes until gnocchi is warm, cheese is melted, and sauce is bubbling. Serve warm.  

Tortellini with Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce

Serves 4.

1 lb cheese tortellini

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions, until al dente. Drain.

While pasta cook, cook the butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, and continue to cook until the butter turns a golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let cool for about 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add walnuts.

Add tortellini to sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately with Parmesan sprinkled over the top. 

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Mozzarella, and Pancetta

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, foodtv.com.

Serves 4-6. 

2 lbs asparagus, washed, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces

¾ lb spaghetti

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

6 ounces sliced pancetta, cooked and crumbled

6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced into small cubes (about 1 cup)

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Cook asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 2-3 minutes. Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, strain and set aside.

Return the water in the pot to a boil, adding additional water if needed. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Heat the oil and butter in the pan. Add the garlic and sauté about 1 minute. Add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the pasta and pasta water if needed. Toss to coat. Add pancetta, mozzarella, and basil and toss to combine. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper and serve. 

Creamy Baked Ziti

Freezes well. Serves 8-10. 

1 lb. dry ziti pasta

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb. lean ground beef

2 (26 oz.) jars tomato sauce

1 lb. bag Italian blend cheese

1 ½ cups sour cream

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add ziti and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown onion, garlic, and ground beef over medium heat. Add sauce and simmer until meat is cooked through completely, about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 in. baking dish. Layer pasta as follows: ½ ziti, ½ sauce, ½ cheese, sour cream, remaining ziti, remaining sauce, remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven. Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes, or until cheese in melted and beginning to brown and sauce is bubbling.   

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

From Giada De Laurentiis, Foodtv.com

1 cup pastina pasta or other small pasta                       

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast

1/4 cup diced onion 

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup shredded mozzarella            

½ teaspoon Italian seasoning                                   

Salt and pepper to taste

1 6-ounce can tomato sauce           
1/4 cup bread crumbs                                                

1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and seasonings. Stir to combine. Add enough tomato sauce to make sure mixture will stay moist during cooking. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Mizithra and Brown Butter Pasta

Serves 2-3.

½ lb spaghetti

6 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup grated mizithra cheese

Cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente. Drain.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over moderate heat. Cook until butter begins to turn a golden brown color, being careful not to burn. Turn off heat. Add cooked spaghetti to sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle mizithra cheese over the top. 

Spinach and Feta Pasta Salad

Serves 4.

8 ounces spiral shaped pasta

½ cup pine nuts (can also substitute chopped walnuts)

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

1 ½ cups chopped baby spinach

1 ½ tablespoons walnut or olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced shallots

1/3 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and then rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Toast nuts in a dry sauté pan over moderate heat until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes or so. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together cooked pasta, toasted nuts, feta, and spinach.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, shallots, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over pasta salad and mix well. Serve cold.

Penne with Fried Prosciutto and Butter Sauce

Adapted from Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta

4 oz. prosciutto, sliced 1/8 thick strips

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

½ lb. penne

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Fill a large pot with water. Salt lightly and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add prosciutto strips, and cook until they have have lost their raw color and begin to crisp, about 5 minutes or less. Remove from heat.

When pasta is al dente, drain, but leave the noodles still fairly wet. Add penne to skillet with prosciutto. Toss to coat. Serve immediately and top with Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

Baked Lemon Pasta

1 lb penne pasta (or any other pasta)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 whole lemon, juiced and zested

1 2/3 cups sour cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

1 ½ cups parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese

Salt and Pepper

1 ½ cup cooked diced chicken (optional)

¾ cup Panko bread crumbs

1 ½ tablespoons butter, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Reserve pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over low-medium heat. When butter is melted, add minced garlic and cook until softened, a few minutes. Add lemon juice and zest. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream, heavy cream if using, and about 1 cup of cheese and stir mixture until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add a few spoonfuls of the pasta water to thin the sauce a bit. Add chicken if using. Combine mixture with cooked and drained pasta in an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for about 15-20 minutes, until heated through. Remove foil. Combine bread crumbs and remaining cheese, sprinkle evenly on top of pasta. Place butter slices evenly on top of pasta. Return to oven. Cook, uncovered, until golden brown on top, about another 15-20 minutes. 

Simple Meatless Lasagna

9 no-boil lasagna sheets, about ½ package

2 cups shredded Italian cheese mix  (1 8-oz package)

8 ounces ricotta cheese

1 egg

½ cup grated parmesan

3-4 cups tomato, butter, and onion sauce (at least double recipe of sauce)

4-6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix ricotta, ½ cup parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper until well combined. In the bottom of an 11x7 in. pan, spread ¾ to 1 cup sauce evenly. Arrange three no-boil lasagna sheets on top of sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over noodles. Top with 1 cup of Italian cheese mix. Follow with about ¾ to 1 cup sauce. Add another layer of lasagna noodles, then ricotta mix, then cheese, then sauce. Arrange remaining 3 noodles on top. Add the remaining sauce. Top with fresh mozzarella slices. Cover with foil and bake for about 50 minutes, until sauce is boiling and lasagna is heated through. Uncover and continue baking until lasagna begins to brown on top, about an additional fifteen minutes.

Browned Butter and Parmesan Orzo

2 Tbsp. butter

1 cup orzo

2 ½ cups chicken broth

¼ cup parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add orzo to browned butter and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 13 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese, parley, salt, and pepper. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes, then serve warm.