Friends Food Family

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)

 

After coming home from a week of being away and eating at some great restaurants, in both Richmond, VA and Washington, DC, it was time for a big bowl of comfort food...pasta e fagioli.

As we were making it on Monday afternoon, I was laughing with Jeff about this dish being one we make quite often yet we hadn't blogged about it. Sometimes we cook so much we lose track of which dishes we have highlighted and which have been put aside.

We found this recipe 3 to 4 years ago in Giada DeLaurentiis cookbook, Giada's Family Dinners. This Pasta e Fagioli instantly became a family favorite. It's one of those meals that takes 15-20 minutes to put together and within 30 minutes you have a delicious (and nutritious) meal. We love eating it with a crusty sourdough bread. Nothing better than sopping up the last of the soup with a great piece of bread.

We have made a few adjustments to the recipe, adding more pancetta, mixing up the beans, and changing the pasta. Here are a few hints when making this pasta e fagioli soup...

1. Keep a package of pancetta in your refrigerator. It's easy to make some great recipes when it's readily available.

2. When blending the two cups of bean mixture, make sure you have mostly beans. Once you add the mixture back into the soup, taste to see if it is flavorful. If it tastes watery, blend another 1/2 cup of beans and add to the soup.

3. We used ditalini pasta but you can use elbow macaroni which is what the recipe originally called for.

4. Use fresh herbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, it truly does make a difference.

Now, create a favorite for you family! 

Ingredients:

4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 large sprig of fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup of chopped onion
4 ounces of pancetta, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 (15.5-ounce) can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can of small red beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup of ditalini pasta
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Wrap the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and secure closed with kitchen twine. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta, and garlic and saute until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, beans, and sachet of herbs. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the herbs. Puree 2 cups of the bean mixture in a blender until smooth*. Before putting the puree back into the soup, add the pasta and boil with the lid on until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8-10 minutes. Return the puree to the soup in the saucepan and stir well. Season the soup with ground black pepper.

Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with some Parmesan and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil just before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

 

Bon Appetit's Moroccan-Spiced Pastitsio with Lamb and Feta

 
Moroccan-Spiced Pastitsio with Lamb and Feta - DELICIOUS!

 

Last weekend, we entertained another round of "guinea pig" dinner. Guinea pig dinner was created a few years ago when we would have friends for dinner to try out new and different recipes. Many times our friends would arrive not knowing what would be served outside of, "we are cooking Italian" or " it's a seafood night." Thank goodness we have good friends who trust us and have enjoyed 90% of what we have served. I would say 100% but we have had a few culinary disasters.

The March 2011 edition of Bon Appetit magazine arrived a few weeks ago and had some great pasta recipes. We came across the Moroccan-Spiced Pastitsio and Lamb and Feta and thought this could be a nice twist on a lasagna recipe. The intriguing part to this recipe was the spice called ras-el-hanout. As I researched the multi-cultural spice, I realized it was a mixture of many spices. Look at some of the ingredients found in ras-el-hanout: ground cumin, ground ginger, turmeric, salt, sugar, ground black pepper, cinnamon, ground coriander, cayenne, ground allspice, ground fennel and ground cloves. I looked up a few supermarkets and found we could purchase it at Wholefoods Market. The decision was made, we would have a "Greek Night".

Normally, we like to cook every portion of the evening's meal from appetizer to dessert. We had a busy Saturday and decided we would make some portions of the meal and purchase the rest. We chose:

Appetizers: Lemon Hummus and Tabouli Salad with Baked Pita Chips (store bought)

Dinner: Moroccan-Spiced Pastitsio with a Greek Salad (Friends Food Family kitchen)

Dessert: Chocolate Fudge Cake (from White's Cafe and Pastry Shop in Brockton- YUM!)

We went to Wholefoods and found the ras-el-hanout and all the other ingredients we needed for the evening. When we got home, I couldn't wait to smell the spice and I will say, it was amazing. I love the smell of cinnamon and allspice and it was just heavenly. Everyone who came in that night had to smell the ras-el-hanout. It was the topic of conversation for dinner, it really made the meal.

The Moroccan-Spiced Pastitsio with Lamb and Feta was SOOO good. The dish was complex with flavor as there was lamb and mint, cinnamon and feta. It was a delicious comfort food that was so much more. This was a dinner that when you looked around the room, not one plate had food left and people returned for seconds. Everyone loved it. Different made the difference.

Sometimes when you make food that is far out of our comfort zone, in ingredients and taste, it becomes an instant success, leaving you to crave more. The next time you are serving a group of 8-10, take the opportunity to "wow" your friends and family with something completely different.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/4 cups of chopped red onion
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound of ground lamb
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes in juice
2 tablespoons of dried mint (we had fresh and used about 5 tablespoons)
1 1/2 tablespoons of ras-el-hanout
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
3 teaspoons of ground cumin, divided
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
3 cups of whole milk, divided
8 tablespoons (1 stick) of unsalted butter, divided
6 tablespoons of all purpose flour
3 large eggs, separated
6 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled
1 pound of penne rigate
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Ingredient info:
Look for ras-el-hanout at specialty foods stores (we found it at Wholefoods Market) or order it online at adrianascaravan.com.

Preparation:
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add lamb; cook until brown, breaking into small pieces, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice, mint, ras-el-hanout, tomato paste, 21/2 teaspoons cumin, and cinnamon. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until lamb mixture is thick, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring 2 cups milk to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; whisk until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until roux is pale golden, whisking often, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually add warm milk to roux, whisking until sauce is smooth. Whisk 1 cup milk and 3 egg yolks in medium bowl; whisk into sauce. Whisk in feta and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Bring sauce to boil, whisking often. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until slightly thickened, mashing with potato masher to break up cheese, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm over low heat, whisking often, before using.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter deep 14-cup baking dish. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; return to same pot. Mix 2 tablespoons butter into pasta. Add egg whites and 1/4 cup Parmesan; stir to blend. Spread 4 cups pasta in dish. Spread lamb mixture over. Top with remaining pasta. Spoon sauce over; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Place dish on rimmed baking sheet. Bake pastitsio until heated through, about 40 minutes.

This dish will serve 8-10 people.

3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

 

The other night, it was raining and cold and I was tired and definitely didn't want to make a big meal for dinner. We had suddenly gone from 5 people around the kitchen island to 8 people eating with us on a Thursday night. We had already had a one dish meal this week (ravioli with meat sauce) and I wasn't sure if everyone would want pasta again. I spoke with Jeff and mentioned macaroni and cheese. That has been an alternative to some of our meals over the past few weeks but it never got chosen. We decided that if we made it we could put something else with it...ham, bacon, tuna? We decided on ham and I wanted to add diced tomatoes, but ham it was and I finally got macaroni and cheese.

Just recently, I had seen a great recipe for a 3 cheese macaroni and cheese but do you think I could find it? Not Thursday night! I jumped on-line and started searching for a 3 cheese macaroni. I landed at the Food Network and found a recipe that had been highlighted during  Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It was a 3 cheese macaroni and cheese recipe from Eveready Diner in Hyde Park, NY. I loved the recipe because it started with a basic roux base of butter and flour which was followed by milk and cream and then lots (or should I say loads) of cheese. It reminded me of the way my mother made her baked macaroni and cheese.

Some quick notes before you begin:

1. We used large shells instead of elbows. It gave the recipe more substance. We love elbows, but a larger pasta holds flavor better and doesn't get lost in the cheese.

2. We used a 1 pound ham steak, chopped it into one inch cubes and sauteed them for about 5 minutes. It gave them a great flavor before being mixed with the cheese and pasta.

3. We used half the salt, only because we were adding ham and that can be salty.

4. I wish we had added a can of drained diced tomatoes. I was looking for that ham, cheese and tomato combination, like in a grilled cheese sandwich. If you decide to be adventurous and mix a can in, I would toss it with the cooked pasta and then add the cheese. Also, tell me how it came out!

5. We used panko bread crumbs and Ritz cracker crumbs. We love the buttery flavor of the crumbs.

6. We used lots of Cheddar and Monterey because when we decided to double it we didn't have everything we needed. So, I think it was 2 pounds of cheddar, 2 pounds of Cheddar and Monterey jack cheese and 8 ounces of Romano.

Finally, served on the table, it was delicious. It is that great comfort food which made the cold and rainy day seem less miserable. Everyone loved the cheesy flavor, the addition of the ham and plenty of leftovers. They went out the door as lunch for at least two of my kids. Who says you can't bring macaroni and cheese to lunch when you are in high school!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt, plus more for pasta water
• 1 pound large elbow macaroni
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound white Cheddar, shredded
• 4 ounces Romano, shredded
• 4 ounces Asiago, shredded
• 2 cups bread crumbs (suggested: panko (Japanese) available at most markets)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In large pot filled with water add 3 pinches of salt and the macaroni and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and let cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Sprinkle flour over butter and cook 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, whisking until a roux or paste forms. Add cold milk and whisk vigorously until dissolved. Cook sauce on medium-low heat until thick and bubbly. Add heavy cream, all cheeses, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper. Cook until cheeses are fully melted, stirring occasionally.

Add cooked macaroni to cheese mixture and mix thoroughly. Place macaroni mixture in a 13 by 9 baking dish and top with bread crumbs. Place in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Top with fresh parsley and serve.

For variations, add cooked lobster meat, truffle oil, bacon and/or garden fresh vegetables.

Note: This recipe feeds 4-6 people, but when we doubled the batch (having eight people) we had more than enough. One batch will definitely feed 6-8 people.

 

 

Giada's Pasta e Ceci Soup (Chick Pea Soup)

 

Earlier this year, when the weather was a bit cooler, I came across a recipe for Pasta e Ceci Soup. In August, on probably one of the hottest days of the year, I decided to make the chick pea soup again. My family is still trying to figure out why I made the soup that night as we sweat through dinner. I guess I was craving chick peas! But, for the life of me, I could not find that recipe. I searched in all the cookbooks but came up empty.

I finally came across the recipe on Serious Eats, posted by Kristen Swenson of Cheap, Healthy, Good. I was so excited. It was such a great soup and I wanted to keep the recipe in a place where I could find it. As she had mentioned it was in Giada DeLaurentiis' Everyday Pasta Cookbook.

The ingredients are common staples and the recipe is very similar to another soup Giada makes called Pasta e Fagioli. Like Kristen, I enjoy a pasta-style soup with pancetta. It gives the soup a wonderful flavor. I also like the way you thicken the soup by pureeing the chickpeas. It makes a hearty soup that can be complemented with a loaf of crusty bread.

Cooking is so easy when the ingredients are staples, the time and preparation is about 30 minutes and there are hungry people waiting to try something new.

Ingredients - serves 4 to 6

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1 large fresh rosemary spring

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)

3 ounces pancetta, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 (14.5 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

3/4 cup ditalini or other small, tubular pasta

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Preparation

Wrap the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and secure with kitchen twine to make a sachet.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta and garlic and sauté until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes and herb sachet. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.

Discard the sachet. Transfer 1 cup of the bean mixture to a blender and reserve.

Add the ditalini to the soup pot, cover, and bring the liquid back to a boil. Boil gently until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Puree the reserved bean mixture until smooth, then stir the puree into the boiling soup. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls.

Sprinkle each serving with some Parmesan and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Cook's Illustrated - Pasta and Squash with Tomatoes, Basil and Pine Nuts

Having fresh vegetables in the garden makes it very easy to prepare meals at our house. We were laughing tonight about how we have been eating meals with cherry tomatoes all week. When they are coming out of the garden faster than we can consume them, you get to eat cherry tomatoes at every meal.

The other night we pulled out the Cook's Illustrated "Summer Entertaining" Magazine. It had some great recipes for garden vegetables. We made this recipe of Pasta and Squash with Tomatoes, Basil and Pine Nuts and served it with a Grilled Lemon Chicken which was amazing. (I will be blogging about that recipe next...). The grilled zucchini along with the tomatoes and basil had a deliciously refreshing taste especially when paired with the tanginess of the lemon chicken. We loved the basil and pine nuts, giving it a bit of that "pesto" flavor. Of all the pasta salad recipes we have highlighted this summer, this has definitely been one of our favorites. Probably something we should probably add to our cook-out checklist.

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini and/or summer squash (2 pounds) halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces

3 tablespoons of kosher salt

1 pound of farfalle pasta

5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about one tablespoon)

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1 pint of grape (or cherry) tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted in a small dry skillet over medium low heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes

Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Toss zucchini and/or summer squash with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt in a medium bowl, transfer to a colander and set the colander over bowl and let stand for 30 minutes. Spread squash evenly over a double layer of paper towels, pat dry with an additional towel and wipe off residual salt.

2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil, covered in a stockpot. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and pasta, stir to separate and cook to al dente. Drain and return to pot.

3. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over high heat until just smoking, swirl to coat skillet. Add half of squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and slightly charred 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to baking sheet or large plate. Repeat with remaining squash.

4. Return empty skillet to medium high heat; add 1 tablespoon of oil to coat skillet. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add squash mixture, remaining two tablespoons of oil, tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar and pine nuts to pasta in pot, toss to combine. Adjust seasonings (salt and pepper), if necessary and serve, passing cheese separately.

Greek Pasta Salad

 

With all the fresh vegetables coming from our garden, I love putting together healthy, delicious meals. For the past few years, I have been making a Greek pasta salad that has been a hit at a few of our summer cookouts. Based on the concept of a Greek Salad, I try to incorporate the ingredients with pasta rather than lettuce greens.

I was able to use fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and oregano right from the garden. It gives the salad an amazing flavor and freshness. I also love the fact that I can add this to any type of pasta and always get the same results...no leftovers!

Try this as your next side dish whether for a cook-out or dinner, people will come back for seconds...and thirds, providing there is any left.

Ingredients:

1 pound of cooked pasta (according to directions), we used large rigatoni

1 pint of cherry tomatoes (cut in half)

1 large cucumber, remove seeds and cut into one inch cubes

1/2 small red onion, chopped

1 large red or green pepper, remove seeds and cut into one inch cubes

1 small can (4 ounces) of sliced olives, drained

1 container (6-8 ounces) of crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons of fresh oregano, chopped

1 bottle of Greek salad dressing, your choice

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and place into a large bowl. Add chopped vegetables, olives, feta and oregano. Add about one cup of Greek salad dressing. Add more if necessary to incorporate the pasta with the vegetables. Serve immediately or chill for 2 hours before serving (for best flavor). This will feed 4-6 people as a side dish, double the recipe for bigger crowds.

Rigatoni with Sausage and Parsley - Easy and Light Summer Meals

 
Back about 10 years ago, I went on a kick of buying Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. I saved the recipes I liked but never really got around to making many of them.

About 5 years ago, as I was cleaning out all my cooking magazines and recipes, I came across this simple recipe. What started out as an experimental dinner has become a family favorite. Our family goes back and forth between Rigatoni with Sausage and Parsley and Epicurious' Penne with Sausage and Tomato Sauce. They are both great recipes that start with a sausage base. I find we eat the rigatoni with sausage and parley during the warmer months as it is a lighter meal and wonderful with freshly cut parsley from the garden.

When we talked about what people liked best about this recipe, it was the taste of sweet onions with the sausage. The parsley brings a clean taste to the palette with the light broth and parmesan cheese. The meal is quick and easy and never yield leftovers. It's too good to put away.

It paid off, gathering all the recipes from Everyday Food. I just wished I had experimented sooner.

Ingredients:

1 pound of bulk spicy Italian sausage, remove from casings and crumbled

2 medium red onions, halved and slices 1/4 inch thick

1 can (14.5 ounce) chicken broth

1 pound of rigatoni, cook according to package instructions

3 cups of packed fresh Italian parsley leaves

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

Coarse salt and ground pepper for seasoning

Preparation:

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until browned, breaking apart large pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions; cook stirring occasionally until onions are caramelized and sausage is cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Add broth; cook until heated through, 3-5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook 1 pound of rigatoni (or other short tubular pasta) until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain; return to pot.

3. Add sausage mixture, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to the pasta, toss to combine. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

This dish serves 4-6 people.

Bon Appetit's Fettuccine with Peas, Asparagus and Pancetta

 

When our cooking magazines come, it's like Christmas. Both Jeff and I send time reading them from cover to cover looking for our next cooking project. This dish of fettuccine with peas, asparagus and pancetta was on the cover of the May 2010 edition of Bon Appetit. It looked light and refreshing with the peas and asparagus, along with the lemon juice and lemon rind.

It was easy as well as quick to make. In the time it took us to boil and cook the pasta, the rest of the mealwas ready to go. The dish was very good. It had a light cream sauce that complimented the fresh herbs and vegetables. Lots of seconds with no leftovers, that's always a good sign.

My only suggestion would be to add a bit of salt and pepper (maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of each) and Jeff would say to add some red pepper flakes.  

Ingredients

12 ounces fettuccine or penne

3 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped

1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces

2 cups shelled fresh green peas, blanched 1 minute in boiling water, drained, or frozen peas (do not thaw)

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts separated from dark green parts

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided

Preparation

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, cook pancetta in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon drippings from skillet. Add asparagus to drippings in skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add peas, white and pale green parts of green onions, and garlic; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add vegetable mixture, 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, dark green parts of green onions, 1/2 cup Parmesan, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, half of parsley, and half of basil to pasta. Toss, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle pancetta, remaining parsley, and basil over. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

Giada's Rigatoni with Squash and Prawns

 

As I began Monday, this week is made up of a few recipes from Giada DeLaurentiis' Giada's Kitchen, New Italian Favorites. Last night we made Rigatoni with Squash and Prawns. I had remembered this recipe from one of her shows. I had been meaning to look for the recipe but just forgot.

The recipe worked in three parts, cutting the butternut squash, boiling the water and preparing the shrimp. We found each process worked into each other and at the end of 45 minutes, we had a great meal.

The butternut squash mixture had a smooth, almost creamy consistency. I loved the mild flavor which had a hint of cheese. The shrimp was juicy and complimented the pasta and butternut squash. When we started making the dish, my son kept saying he didn't really like butternut squash. At the end of the meal, his plate was empty and he said, "That was pretty good." We'll take that as a big compliment from a 15 year old.

If you are looking for a meal that is out of the ordinary, try this rigatoni dish. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon

1 cup vegetable stock

1 pound rigatoni

1 pound prawns, peeled and de-veined

3/4 to 1 cup whole milk 

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation:

Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butternut squash, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Saute until the squash is golden and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the squash is very soft, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the squash mixture to a blender or food processor and puree.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the prawns with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Add the prawns to the pan and cook until just pink, about 3 minutes.

In a large pot over low heat combine the cooked pasta, pureed squash mixture, and 3/4 cup milk. Stir to combine. Add the remaining 1/4 cup milk if the sauce needs to be moistened. Add the cooked prawns, basil, and cheese. Stir until warm and serve. 
 

Giada's Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

 

Sunday morning I was taking inventory of our many cookbooks. Each week we try and pick out recipes for dinner and create the grocery list according to the ingredients. The past two weeks have been hectic at the house and I feel like we have eaten out more than in.

I was looking at all of our Giada de Laurentiis cookbooks and realized I haven't made much from one of her newer cookbooks, Giada's Kitchen, New Italian Favorites. I flipped through the book and immediately found some recipes I liked as well as some recipes she recently prepared on her show. Last night we started with Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs. Be prepared, this could be "Giada Week" as we have two more meals from the book and a dessert. What's a week of delicious meals without dessert!

This was a fairly easy recipe to put together and it finished in one big pan. I love anything that has chicken meatballs because they are very mild and juicy. They always remind me of Italian Wedding Soup. The combination of ingredients were delicious with the three cheeses and fresh cherry tomatoes. I also liked the fact that it fed a family of six, no problem. My only suggestion for this recipe is to add some additional bread crumbs to the meatballs. They are very wet to work with. Even with the additional bread crumbs (maybe 1/4 cup more), the meatball mixture will still remain wet.

Ingredients:

1 pound orecchiette pasta 

1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon whole milk

1 tablespoon ketchup

3/4 cup grated Romano

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ground chicken

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, hot

4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

8 ounces bocconcini mozzarella, halved

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, Romano cheese, and the salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently stir to combine.

Using a melon baller (or a teaspoon measure), form the chicken mixture into 3/4-inch pieces. With damp hands, roll the chicken pieces into mini meatballs.

In a large (14-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatoes are soft and meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and add the Parmesan. Toss to lightly coat orecchiette, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Add the meatball mixture, mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of the basil. Gently toss to combine. Garnish with the chopped basil.

Saveur's Spaghetti alla Carbonara

 
With 18 people coming for Easter dinner, Saturday was a long day of food preparation. By 5 PM, we were exhausted and the thought of making dinner was overwhelming. We were looking for something that was easy, quick and tasty. Jeff had found a recipe for Spaghetti alla Carbonara in April's Saveur Magazine. Seeing as he had picked up a 1/2 pound of pancetta from the North End on Friday, what better way to use it. In the time it took us to cook the spaghetti, the sauce was completed and just waiting to be mixed.

Over the past few month's we have been doing quite a few recipes that call for pancetta, I am really enjoying the taste that pancetta brings to a dish. I can best describe it as "better than bacon". The sauce was thick and coated the spaghetti. It was a perfect blend of pasta, pancetta, parmesan and pepper. I liked how the pepper was cooked in the pan with the pancetta, it gave the dish a fragrant tone.

We sat down and enjoyed generous helpings of this traditional Italian dish. I actually went back for seconds...it was good, really good!

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz. thinly sliced guanciale or pancetta cut into 1⁄2" pieces
2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
1 3⁄4 cups finely grated Parmesan
1 egg plus 3 yolks
Kosher salt, to taste
1 lb. spaghetti

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Add guanciale and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 6–8 minutes. Add pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 2 minutes more. Transfer guanciale mixture to a large bowl and let cool slightly; stir in 1 1⁄2 cups Parmesan and egg and yolks and stir to combine; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente, 8–10 minutes. Reserve 3⁄4 cup water; drain pasta and transfer it to guanciale mixture. Toss, adding pasta water a little at a time to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper; serve with remaining Parmesan.

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

  

So often we come home after a long day and wonder what we can make for dinner. When our window of opportunity for dinner is one hour, finding a recipe that finishes in 30 to 40 minutes is wonderful.

Here is an easy recipe that tastes great and makes up in the amount of time it takes you to cook your pasta. This Shrimp Scampi Pasta recipe came from a site called Group Recipes. This dish was a nice flavor with a little bit of heat and a glass of white wine doesn't hurt either!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp (raw; 20 to 25 per lb)

4 large garlic cloves, left unpeeled and forced through a garlic press

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 lb capellini (angel-hair pasta)

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

1. Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shrimp, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes, and transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
3. Add garlic to oil remaining in skillet along with red pepper flakes, wine, salt, and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, 1 minute.
4. Add butter to skillet, stirring until melted, and stir in shrimp.
5. Remove skillet from heat.
6. Cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, about 3 minutes.
7. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
8. Toss pasta well with shrimp mixture and parsley in large bowl, adding some of reserved cooking water if necessary to keep moist.

 

Epicurious' Three Cheese and Mushroom Orecchiette

 
Over the past two months, Jeff has been going through our old cooking magazines and cutting out recipes. Last week, he came across this recipe in a 2007 Gourmet magazine. The Three Cheese and Mushroom Orecchiette looked like a quick recipe which we could serve as a one dish meal.

The dish was easy to prepare and was ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. I'm not a big "blue cheese" fan and wasn't sure if I was going to like the dish. I didn't tell anyone there was blue cheese in it because I was afraid of the "I don't like that."

The meal was good. There was a blue cheese flavor which came through in the cheese sauce, but it blended well with the peas and mushrooms. The more I ate it, the more I liked the three cheese blend. My kids didn't utter a word and went back for seconds.

If you are looking for a twist on an alfredo sauce recipe, this is worth adding to your recipe file.

 Ingredients:

1 pound dried orecchiette

1 cup frozen peas (5 ounces)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup finely shredded Monterey Jack

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Preparation:

Cook pasta in boiling salted water in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot according to package directions. Four minutes before pasta is done, add peas. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta with peas in a colander.

While pasta cooks, heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until any liquid they give off is evaporated and mushrooms are golden, about 4 minutes. Add cream and reserved cooking water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheeses until sauce is fairly smooth. Add hot pasta and peas and stir until coated with sauce. Serve sprinkled with chives.