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Summer of Salads: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

partysugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:15:42 -0700

Whenever I'm cooking for a crowd and need a recipe that's portable, I always consider pasta salad. It's filling and easy to make a large batch. While sometimes I assemble a Mediterranean pasta salad with orzo and feta, I also like to make this recipe with tomatoes and mozzarella.

What provides this salad with incredible flavor is the sun-dried tomato dressing - it's so good I've enjoyed it with fish! Made in a blender or food processor, the dressing is a mixture of tomatoes, capers, and garlic, thinned with oil and red wine vinegar. A generous handful of parmesan cheese and fresh basil finish off the satisfying salad that only tastes better the next day. To make it before tomato season is over get the recipe now

Fast & Easy Dinner: Penne With Mushrooms

partysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:50:30 -0800

Although some people may think all pasta dishes are loaded with carbs and cheese, this recipe proves them wrong. It's chock full of mushrooms and kale, and combines whole wheat pasta with a rich sauce made from hazelnuts. Most grocery stores carry whole wheat pasta these days; you can find it in the regular pasta aisle. There's no meat, but the mushrooms and nutty gravy give this dish a complex heartiness. To check out this vegetarian-friendly, cheese-free pasta recipe, read more.

Penne With Mushrooms
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Salt
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
A handful dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups vegetable or mushroom broth
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 portobello mushroom caps, halved and thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
Freshly ground pepper
¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup chopped peeled hazelnuts
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
While the pasta is working, in a small saucepan, soften the dried mushrooms in the broth over low heat.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil, over medium heat. Add the portobellos, shallots and garlic and cook until tender, 6 minutes. Add the kale, cover the skillet and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and the nutmeg and toss.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the porcinis to a cutting board and chop, then add to the kale mixture.
Pour the porcini broth into a bowl or cup, discarding any grit at the bottom of the pan; set aside.
Wipe out the pan, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the hazelnuts and rosemary and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the reserved porcini broth and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
Toss the pasta with the kale mixture and gravy; season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Capellini-Tomato Pie

partysugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:50:19 -0700

When it comes to pasta, sometimes it pays to think outside the box. This recipe isn't your grandmother's baked pasta dish. It's healthy, meatless, and not oversaturated with melted cheese.

Instead, it's a clever rendition of a pie with cooked cabbage leaves acting as the crust. Mediterranean ingredients - kalamata olives, capers, tomatoes, and fresh basil - make a filling that is high in flavor, but not in fat.

To serve this creative one-pan meal to your family, get the recipe and read more.

Capellini-Tomato Pie
From Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

1 Tbs. breadcrumbs
8 oz. capellini or other thin, spaghetti-like pasta
6 large outer leaves of savoy cabbage, or more if needed
2 cups chopped tomatoes plus 1 large tomato
30 black olives, chopped, preferably kalamata
1 Tbs. large capers
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. fresh sweet basil, minced
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Minced parsley for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray deep 10-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray, and dust with breadcrumbs.
Bring large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil, and cook pasta about 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and set aside in large mixing bowl.
Trim off any tough ribs at base of each cabbage leaf, and cook leaves in boiling water about 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove from water, drain, and pat dry with paper towels.
Line pie plate with cabbage leaves, using scissors to trim leaves evenly along rim of dish. Make sure to overlap leaves so they completely cover bottom.
Combine cooked pasta, chopped tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic, olive oil, sweet basil and pepper in large mixing bowl, and toss together. Place pasta mixture into lined pie plate, and pat down firmly with wooden spoon or spatula.
Cut tomato into thin slices, and arrange evenly over top of filling. Scatter grated cheese evenly over tomatoes.
Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on rack. Garnish with minced parsley, and serve at room temperature.

Serves 8-10.

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Electric Pink Pasta Is Oh-So-Scrumptious

partysugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:00:38 -0700

All month long, we've bombarded you with decadent macaroni and cheese recipes. While mac and cheese is delicious and comforting, with an excess of milk and cheese, it's not the healthiest pasta. That's why I thought it was time I share a light and fresh pasta like this rigatoni with ricotta and roasted beets.Don't be alarmed by the vibrant color, the beets stain the pasta pink. It may look unfamiliar, but it tastes earthy and thanks to the ricotta, slightly creamy. Roasted red onions and tons of spinach make this pasta hearty enough to serve as a main course. The alarming yet fun color would please the palate of children, especially around Halloween. To check out the recipe, read more.

Rigatoni With Ricotta and Roasted Beets
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

4 beets (about 3/4 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 pound rigatoni pasta
5 cups baby spinach (about 8 ounces)
1 cup ricotta cheese
Grated peel from 1 lemon, plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°.
On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly with foil and roast for 15 minutes.
Unwrap, then arrange the beets in a single layer.
In a small bowl, toss the onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper; arrange on the baking sheet. Roast, tossing halfway through, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente.
Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the spinach.
In a bowl, whisk the ricotta, reserved pasta water, lemon peel, lemon juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add to the pasta along with the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper; toss.

Serves 4.

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Summer of Salads: Mediterranean Pasta Salad

partysugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:42:29 -0700

Mediterranean-style pasta salad has quickly become one of my picnic staples. It's super easy to make a huge batch and tastes better after the flavors have mixed for a few hours. When making pasta salad, I prefer to employ orzo. There's something about the small, rice-like shape that makes the salad seem modern and more glamorous. This recipe is my own invention: it uses two types of tomatoes, olives, green onions, and feta cheese. The dressing is a simple red wine vinaigrette. Feel free to look at the recipe as inspiration for your own pasta salad. Whatever you do, be sure to make a large batch because this salad is an ideal portable lunch! To check out the recipe, read more.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Original Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. of orzo
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
half of a lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 small jar sundried tomatoes in oil
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise
1 bunch green onions, dark greens removed, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

Fill a large pot with water and season with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the orzo according to the instructions on the package.
Drain well and rinse with cold water until the orzo is cool.
While the pasta is cooking, make the vinaigrette. Whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, shallot, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Slowly pour in the olive oil, in a steady stream, whisking constantly to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a big bowl, combine the orzo with the tomatoes, olives, green onions, fresh herbs, and cheese. Pour on half of the vinaigrette. Season the salad generously with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Add more vinaigrette until the pasta is moistened to your liking. Chill until serving.

Serves 10-12.

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Reader Recipe: Italian-Style Pasta Salad

YumSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:13:31 -0700

I was checking out the Kitchen Goddess group when I came across this salad from Bettyesque. I'm on a bit of a ridiculous olive kick at the moment, and the green and black olives - combined with all the yummy stuff like artichoke hearts and sopressata - just sounded so divine. To check out her original recipe for an Italian-style pasta salad, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member Bettyesque.

Italian Pasta Salad
Original Recipe

It's a stretch from a down-home cookout, but I'm not all that country yet so this is what I bring... We are off to cookout this evening and a I just made this so I figured that I would share.

Ingredients

2 lbs. of tri-colored pasta
12 oz. of chopped black olives
16 oz. of green olives
6 oz. of marinated pimentos
6 oz. of marinated artichoke hearts - chopped
1 stick of sopressata - sliced
1 stick of pepperoni - sliced
1/2 lb of fresh mozzarella or provolone depending on your taste - cubes or balls
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of vinegar balsamic or regular
Italian seasonings to taste
fresh garlic to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Real simple sugars boil your pasta . . . to al dente . . . drain . . . and put in large bowl.

Throw everything above in there . . . mix and your done.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Pasta Salad With Grilled Vegetables

partysugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:00:26 -0700

Go veggie tonight with this quick Summer pasta salad. It's chock-full of grilled tomatoes, zucchini, pepper, and scallions. Black olives provide a salty brininess to the dish. A simple garlic and red wine vinaigrette coats the pasta and vegetables. This salad tastes great the next day and is easy to pack, so make the whole batch and you've got lunch for tomorrow. Want extra richness? Toss in crumbled feta or goat cheese. For the recipe, keep reading

Fast & Easy Dinner: Tuna Pomodoro

partysugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:50:15 -0700

Before I lived in Spain, I never thought of putting canned tuna in pasta. However, the Spanish think everything tastes better with olive-oil packed tuna (including guacamole!), so I learned to love this savory pasta combination.

I suggest you give it a try with this simple recipe. The tuna is tossed with a quick garlic tomato sauce and whole wheat pasta. It's a healthy and affordable meal that comes together in mere minutes, so check out the recipe and read more.

Tuna Pomodoro
From Eating Well

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 anchovies, minced (optional)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can chunk light tuna, drained and flaked
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 9 to 11 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add anchovies (if using) and crushed red pepper and cook for 30 seconds more.
Add tomatoes, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Stir in tuna and cook until it is incorporated into the sauce and heated through, 2 minutes more.
Divide the spaghetti evenly among 4 plates, top with sauce and garnish with basil. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

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Make Your Own Pappardelle Pasta

YumSugar — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:00:04 -0800

It's popular practice today for kitchens to focus on culinary traditions and heirloom techniques, and these days, chefs spend a lot of time extolling the virtues of slow produce and agriculture. But what about those prepared goods that are an essential component in our everyday meals, like ketchup, or pasta, or cheese?

That's why I'm starting a new series, Make Your Own, where I'll show you how to make homemade gourmet versions of ingredients that you normally but at the grocery store. My first project is pappardelle pasta. It's a crucial part of Italian cuisine, and the fresh version, with its toothsome bounciness, tastes worlds apart from the commercially packed, dried version. To see step-by-step photos and learn how to make it yourself - no pasta maker necessary! - read more.

Homemade Pappardelle
From Michael Chiarello

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup semolina flour, plus more for dusting
6 large eggs, at room temperature
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

Directions

Make the dough: Sift both flours together on a large work surface and make a well in the center. Place the eggs, olive oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then pour into the well; with a fork, break up the eggs, then gradually mix the wet ingredients into the flour mixture just until combined.
Knead by hand. Gather the dough into 2 equal-size balls; flour the surface. To knead each piece, push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, fold the dough over itself and turn it counterclockwise. Continue pushing, folding and turning until the dough is smooth and elastic, 4 to 5 minutes.
Rest the dough. Pat each piece into a ball. Flatten slightly, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. (You can freeze 1 ball for later, or roll out both and freeze the cut pasta.)
Roll out the dough. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and dust with flour. Starting in the middle, push away from you with a rolling pin, easing up on the pressure as you approach the edge. Continue rolling the dough into a sheet, turning occasionally, until you can see your fingers through the bottom. Let dry about 10 minutes.
Cut the pappardelle: Dust the top of the sheet of dough with flour and loosely roll it into a cylinder. Using a sharp knife, cut into 3/4-inch-wide slices.
Unwrap the noodles; dust with semolina and gently toss to separate. Place on a sheet pan and cover with a tea towel until ready to cook (or freeze in freezer bags for up to 2 months).

Makes about 20 ounces pasta.

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Monday's Leftovers: Summer Vegetable Pasta

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:50:55 -0700

Sundays are my shopping nights, but in a chaotic turn of events, I had a jam-packed weekend and wasn't able to squeeze it in. Thankfully, I've got everything I need for a spectacularly seasonal meal with leftover zucchini, gruyere, and basil from last night. The only other ingredients are pantry items - olive oil, corkscrew pasta, breadcrumbs, and garlic - and frozen corn works as well as fresh in a pinch. I've dodged tonight's potential dinner snafu and created a dish that tastes great fresh and hot, or served chilled the next day.

If only everything in life were so easy! See the recipe