Chilly autumn days call for hearty meals, and that means pasta. If you’re looking for easy-to-make dinners, I put together a few dishes featuring pasta that will hit the spot.
One great thing about pasta is it is a simple and affordable way to feed a large family. If you want to put together a meal for a crowd, but don’t want to serve a basic spaghetti, try a baked pasta.
I added ground beef and tomato sauce and ricotta to cavatappi, and baked it in the oven. My nephew was with us for dinner that night so I had four hungry men to feed. This baked pasta dish was a winner with all of them.
Last week I had leftover pot roast that I wanted to use. I shredded the leftover roast, added beef stock to the meat and vegetables, and served it over the noodles. Pasta to the rescue for a fast meal.
Another quick way to get a hearty pasta dish together is to sauté chicken sausage with onions, garlic and peppers and spoon it over a pile of pasta.
There are so many types of pasta that pair well with this combination that you can make dozens of versions of this dish. One interesting noodle I have found is the garlic penne I picked up at a gourmet shop.
You can find interesting varieties at the grocery store, too, and of course, penne will also do the trick.
Baked Cavatappi
16-ounce box cavatappi pasta
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
14-ounce can diced tomatoes
6-ounce can tomato paste
4 garlic gloves, diced
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8 ounces sliced whole milk mozzarella
2 tablespoons feta cheese
15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Cook and drain the pasta according to package directions and set aside.
Add olive oil to a deep skillet and set over medium-high heat.
When the oil is warmed, add garlic, onions and ground beef, and sauté until the beef is cooked throughout. Break up any large pieces of beef as you cook.
Drain any excess fat, then lower the heat to medium and add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, red pepper, oregano, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Stir well to combine and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, adjusting seasonings to suit your taste.
Lightly spray an 8 x 11 baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon enough sauce into the dish to cover the bottom, then add pasta to fill up the dish about 3/4 of the way.
Add ricotta to a bowl and stir in the parsley; mix well. Add dollops of the ricotta to the pasta evenly throughout the dish. Spoon the tomato sauce over the pasta and ricotta, stirring gently as you distribute a generous amount of sauce.
Cover with aluminum foil and set the dish in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and add the sliced mozzarella to the top of the pasta. Turn the oven to broil and set the dish under the broiler. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted and begins to brown. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh oregano before serving, if desired.
Leftover Roast Beef Pasta
16-ounce package egg noodles
1 pound cooked roast beef, shredded
2 cups peeled and sliced cooked carrots
2 tablespoons butter
1 white onion, chopped
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 ounces of mushrooms
1 3/4 cups beef stock
2 teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, if desired for garnish
Cook and drain the egg noodles according to package directions and set aside.
Add the butter and olive oil to a sauté pan and set over medium-high heat.
When the butter is melted, add the carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms and celery. Saute, stirring frequently until the vegetables have softened.
Add the shredded beef, then sprinkle the flour, salt and pepper over the beef and vegetables and cook for an additional minute.
Stir in the beef stock and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened.
Spoon the beef and vegetable sauce over the egg noodles to serve; garnish with parsley if desired.
Chicken Sausage Pasta with Peppers
16-ounce package penne pasta
11-ounce package Italian-style chicken sausage
1 large sweet onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 cups kale, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or black pepper)
2 tablespoons fresh Parmesan, shredded
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped, if desired for garnish
Cook and drain the pasta according to package directions and set aside.
Add butter and olive oil to a sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the sausage, onion, garlic and peppers and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the sausage is cooked throughout and the peppers and onions start to brown.
Sprinkle the cornstarch, salt and pepper over the sausage and vegetables, then stir in the chicken broth and kale.
Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until the broth is heated throughout and slightly thickened.
Stir in the cooked penne and the cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with shredded Parmesan and basil before serving, if desired.
November 04, 2020 at 08:30AM
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