Mediterranean Tuna Pasta Bake
INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
5 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Large Chopped Onion
1 Diced Red Pepper
1 Diced Green Pepper
2 Teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
2 Cans Italian Tuna Packed In Olive Oil (Drained)
6 Ounces Cooked Pasta of Your Choice
1 Pound Grated Parmesan Cheese
Black Olives (optional)
Preheat oven to 350º F. Heat oil in skillet and sauté garlic until golden. Add onion and continue to cook, stirring, until transparent (for about 2 minutes on medium high heat). Add the red and green peppers and stir for about 4 minutes. Add red pepper flakes. Toss with tuna, pasta and parmesan cheese. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake, covered, for about 45 minutes. Great with a green salad. Serves 6
Linguine With Clam Sauce
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces of Linguine
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Flour
10 Ounce Can Clam Juice
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1 Teaspoon Thyme
12 Ounces Minced Clams
Prepare pasta according to directions. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and mix. Next add the clam juice and stir until smooth. Add the parsley, thyme and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the clam to the mixture and cook another 5 minutes. Serve over pasta. Serves 4
Fettuccine With Asparagus
INGREDIENTS
4 Ounces Uncooked Fettuccine
½ Pound Fresh Asparagus (Trimmed & Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces
¼ Cup Chopped Onion
1 Minced Garlic Clove
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 Ounces Cubed Cream Cheese
¼ Cup Half & Half
¼ Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 ½ Teaspoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Peel
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Cook fettuccine according to directions on package. While fettuccine is cooking, sauté the asparagus, onion & garlic in butter until tender. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is blended. Drain fettuccine and toss with asparagus mixture. Quick & Easy. Serves 2
Spaghetti With Mussels
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 Thinly Sliced Garlic Cloves
1 Cup White Wine
2 Pounds Small Mussels (Scrubbed & Debearded)
1 Pound Spaghetti
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Italian Parsley
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 2 tablespoons of salt. In a 12 inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook until light golden brown (for about a minute). Add the wine and raise the heat. Bring to a boil and then add the mussels. Cook, stirring and tossing, until all of the mussels have opened up (about 4 minutes). Meanwhile, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain well. Add the pasta to the pan with the mussels and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve immediately.
Pasta e Fagioli
INGREDIENTS
1 Chopped Onion
1 Chopped Celery Stalk
2 Chopped Carrots
2 ½ Ounces Chopped Pancetta
4 Chopped Garlic Cloves
5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Bay Leaves
6 Cups Chicken Stock
1 ½ Cups Water
½ Cup Chopped Parsley
4 Chopped Basil Leaves
1 ¼ Cups Cannellini Beans
28 Ounces Tomatoes (I like to use canned tomatoes)
8 Ounces Boiled Ditalini Pasta (short tubes)
Salt & Pepper to Taste
In a large stock pot add the oil, onion and garlic. Brown lightly. Next add the pancetta, carrots, bay leaves and salt & pepper. Cook about 6 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, water and herbs. Cook for another 20 minutes. Add the beans and cook another 5 minutes. Finally, add the pasta. Serve and enjoy.
Sinful Lasagna
SAUCE
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 8 ounces lean ground beef
- 6 ounces spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
LASAGNA
- 15 lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces)
- 2 15-ounce containers part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
- 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry
- 2 large eggs
- 4 3/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 1 1/4 pounds)
Preparation
FOR SAUCE:
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and garlic; sauté until softened, about 12 minutes. Add beef and sausages to pan; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about 5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool.
FOR LASAGNA:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Drain; cover with cold water.
Combine ricotta and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Mix in spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
Drain pasta and pat dry. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over bottom of 13×9-inch glass baking dish. Place 5 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit. Spread half of ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly over ricotta-spinach mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over cheese, spreading with spatula to cover (sauce will be thick). Repeat layering with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta-spinach mixture, 2 cups mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over lasagna. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.) Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake lasagna 40 minutes; uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.
