Tag: Pasta
Beef and Pork Ragu with Spaghetti
If it was up to my daughter, I would be making spaghetti bolognese once or twice a week.. this is twist on a true bolognese..
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ pound ground grass fed beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 cups milk
- Salt
Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Add the ground beef and pork. Saute on medium high heat while breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and brown for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the thyme, onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Add a teaspoon of salt. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Add the red wine and bring to a boil and add the tomato sauce and milk. Bring to a boil and simmer with lid on for an hour. Take lid off and cook for another 20 minutes. Check for seasoning and add salt. Serve with spaghetti.
Mushroom Lasagna with Broccoli Rabe and Parsley Pesto
Great vegetarian lasagna!!!
- 20 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- Salt
Heat a frying pan with the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté on medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, till golden brown. Add the garlic and salt and sauté on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn heat off and keep aside.
- ½ cup full fat ricotta cheese
- ½ cup parsley and broccoli rabe pesto (recipe below)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl and keep aside.
- 3 cups homemade tomato sauce
- 9 lasagna noodles (I use no-boil but the regular ones can be first cooked and used as well)
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 8X8 oven-proof dish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spoon ½ cup tomato sauce onto the bottom of the dish. Dip and place three lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Add half of the ricotta mixture and evenly distribute on top of the noodles. Add half of the mushroom filling and top with three more noodles. Spoon ½ cup tomato sauce on top of the noodles, spreading it evenly. Repeat a layer of the remaining ricotta filling and mushrooms. Top with three more noodles and the remaining sauce. Top with the cheese and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes in the oven and take the top off. Bake for another 10 minutes and serve after resting the lasagna for 10 minutes. 
Broccoli Rabe and Parsley Pesto
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano, grated
- 2 cups broccoli rabe, the leaves taken off and chopped
- 2 cups parsley, chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
Transfer the garlic, almonds and cheese to a food processor. Pulse this the garlic and almonds are chopped. Add the broccoli rabe, parsley and lemon juice. Process till everything is chopped well. Slowly drizzle the olive oil while processing the mixture. Take out of the processor and transfer to bowl. Check for seasonings and add salt. Serve on top of any meat, fish or mixed with pasta.
Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Meatballs
How can I repost recipes and not include a meatball one??? This is particularly delicious!
- 1 large red pepper
- Drizzle of olive oil
Drizzle the olive oil on the red pepper and roast under a broiler until the skin is charred on all sides. Let cool and remove the skin and chop the pepper and keep aside. You can eliminate this step and use some jarred peppers instead- but nothing like fresh!
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ cup basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup panko crumbs soaked in ¼ cup milk
- 4 cups marinara sauce
Transfer turkey, shallot, garlic, basil, red pepper, salt and egg into a medium bowl. Mix well and let it sit for 2 to 3 hours. Add the panko crumbs and mix well. In the meantime, add the tomato sauce to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Form the meatballs and add to the simmering tomato sauce. Cook the meatballs covered with a lid for about 20 minutes. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Serve with spaghetti.
Pasta with Pistachio Pesto and Mushrooms
Here is a yummy pasta for Meatless Monday! Delicious pistachio pesto is added for a nutty flavor and the mushrooms add an amazing earthy taste…
Pistachio Pesto
- 1 cup roasted unsalted pistachios
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup mint, chopped
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- Salt
Transfer the pistachios and garlic to a food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds. Add the mint and parsley. While the processor is on, drizzle the oil in. Add the cheese and salt to taste. Keep aside.
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups Cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ pound pasta cooked al dente, ½ cup pasta water spare
- Salt
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
Heat a large frying with the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté on high heat, stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes or till they are golden brown. Add the pasta and stir well. Start by adding ½ cup of the pesto and adjust as needed. Add salt to taste. Garnish with cheese and serve.
Chicken and Beans Stew
This is a great one pot meal to make through the week as it doesn’t take very long to make. Serve with some crusty bread and a crispy salad and you have an amazing meal!!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 to 5 chicken thighs, bone in with skin
- Salt
- Pepper
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 4 to 6 cups chicken broth
- ½ pound pasta
- Salt
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over the chicken pieces Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces with skin side down, about 5 minutes on each side. Keep aside. Add the pancetta and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, carrots and celery. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and sauté for a minute. Add the beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and continue to simmer till the pasta is cooked through. In the mean time take the skin off the chicken pieces and shred with fork and keep aside. Add the chicken pieces to the stew. Check for seasonings and garnish with cheese.
Chicken and Bean Pasta Stew- One Pot Meal!
Yummy, hearty stew with chicken thighs and beans… I flavored it with some pancetta and decided to make it a one pot meal by adding the pasta to the mix!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 to 5 chicken thighs, bone in with skin
- Salt
- Pepper
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 4 to 6 cups chicken broth
- ½ pound pasta
- Salt
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over the chicken pieces Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces with skin side down, about 5 minutes on each side. Keep aside. Add the pancetta and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, carrots and celery. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and sauté for a minute. Add the beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and continue to simmer till the pasta is cooked through. In the mean time take the skin off the chicken pieces and shred with fork and keep aside. Add the chicken pieces to the stew. Check for seasonings and garnish with cheese.
Chicken and Bean Stew
So my daughter just got a full set of braces- so she has to eat all soft stuff for a bit. I decided to make a play on pasta fagioli- I changed it by making it a stew instead of a soup. I also added chicken to it as I wanted more protein in the dish and I thought a one pot meal would be a lot easier to make. This is a great dish to make today- especially with all the snow coming…
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 to 5 chicken thighs, bone in with skin
- Salt
- Pepper
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 4 to 6 cups chicken broth
- ½ pound pasta
- Salt
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over the chicken pieces Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces with skin side down, about 5 minutes on each side. Keep aside. Add the pancetta and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, carrots and celery. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and sauté for a minute. Add the beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and continue to simmer till the pasta is cooked through. In the mean time take the skin off the chicken pieces and shred with fork and keep aside. Add the chicken pieces to the stew. Check for seasonings and garnish with cheese.