Category Archives: Pasta

Penne Pomodoro Pasta Recipe

Penne pomodoro pasta
Penne Pomodoro Pasta

Ingredients:

1 can (500 gr.) peeled Roma tomatoes in tomato juice,
4 tablespoons olive oil,
1 tablespoon chopped basil,
1 small onion, chopped,
1 tablespoon minced garlic,
2 teaspoons sugar,
1 teaspoon salt,
2 bay leaves,
1 teaspoon dry oregano,
1 tablespoon butter,
1 teaspoon white pepper.

Recipe

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until slightly golden.

2. Blend briefly the tomatoes with a stick blender and pour them in the saucepan. Add the salt, white pepper, oregano and bay leaves.

3. Simmer the tomato sauce over low temperature for about 30 min. (or until the desired consistencyis achieved), stirring occasionally.

3. Add the sugar, chopped basil and butter 10 minutes before the sauce is ready. 

Cooking tip: Make sure you are using real butter, not margarine, in this recipe. Use this Italian tomato sauce for pastas or on top of veal or chicken parmesan.

Rigatoni Melanzane Eggplant Pasta Recipe

Rigatoni melanzane eggplant pasta
Rigatoni Melanzane Pasta (with eggplant)

This recipe serves three or four dinner servings. Rigatoni Melanzane is a very simple and tasty recipe, one of the best ways to enjoy the great taste of the eggplant.

Ingredients:

1 lb. rigatoni pasta,
2 cups tomato pasta sauce,
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,
2 cups diced eggplant,
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil,
2 garlic cloves, chopped,
1/4 small yellow onion, chopped,
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese,
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano, salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet and saute the eggplant, onion and garlic until the eggplant cubes are soft and nicely browned.
  2. Add the tomato sauce, basil and oregano and reduce the sauce slightly by simmering it at low heat for about 5-10 minutes.
  3. Boil the rigatoni pasta according to the package instruction, usually about 12 minutes. Strain the boiled rigatoni and toss them with the melanzane pasta sauce.
  4. Serve the Rigatoni Melanzana with some grated Pecorino Romano cheese on top.

Gnocchi Arrabbiata Pasta Recipe

Gnocchi arrabbiata pasta image
Gnocchi Arrabbiata

Ingredients:

1 pounds of gnocchi (dry or frozen),
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes,
3 tablespoons olive oil,
1 teaspoon chili flakes,
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil,
2 garlic cloves, chopped,
1 teaspoon butter,
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Recipe:

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan and saute the garlic until golden.

2.Add the chili flakes 1 minute before the garlic is ready, followed by the crushed tomatoes and basil. (Optional: You can add 1/4 cup of chicken stock to the sauce).

3. Season the Arrabbiata sauce with salt and pepper and cook it for several minutes over meduim heat until the desired consistency.

4. Boil the gnocchi according the package instructions, strain it and toss it with the Arrabbiata sauce. I boil my gnocchi by dropping them in a large pot with boiling water and little salt, then after they have been floating on the surface of the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, I take them out with a collander and mix them with the sauce right away.

This Gnocchi Arrabbiata recipe is for 5 servings of pasta. I served the gnocchi with some freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese on top.

Orzo Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Orzo pasta salad
Orzo Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. orzo pasta,
1 romaine lettuce heart,
1/4 cup chopped purple onion,
3 ripe tomatoes, diced,
10 green olives, pitted and sliced,
1/4 cup sunflower oil or light olive oil,
1/2 cucumber, diced,
1/2 lemon, juiced,
2 tablespoons light mayo,
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled,
salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe:

1. Boil the orzo pasta according to package instructions, strain it, spread it thinly in a hotel pan or a tray and mix it with the oil. Let it cool down and then refridgerate for at least 30 minutes for the orzo to get cold. The oil serves two purposes – it’s part of the dressing, and it prevents the orzo from sticking together.

2. Cut the other ingredients and mix everything together with the cold orzo.

I love the texture of the orzo pasta salad compared to say penne, macaroni or fusilli pasta salad. It’s also more compact and presentable.

Cooking tip: You can give the orzo pasta some extra flavor by putting a few cubes of vegetable stock in the boiling water.

Gnocchi with Pancetta and Snap Peas in Blush Sauce

Gnocchi pasta with blush sauce
Gnocchi with Pancetta and Snap Peas in Blush Sauce

Ingredients for 4:

2 pounds of potato gnocchi,
4 oz sliced and chopped pancetta,
2 garlic cloves, chopped,
1 shallot, chopped,
1 cup snap peas,
2 tablespoons olive oil,
1 cup pasta sauce,
1/2 cup 18% cream,
1 heaping tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese,
salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe:

1. Saute the garlic and shallot with the olive oil in a large heavy pan for 2 minutes.

2. Add the pancetta and snap peas and saute for 5 minutes more.

3. Add the pasta sauce and the cream and cook at medium heat for 5 minutes or until the desired consistency is achieved.

4. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.

5. In the meantime, boil the gnocchi according the package instructions in a large saucepan with at least 4 liters of water. I usually boil them for about 3-4 minutes, or 1 minute after they all swim up to the surface of the water.

6. Strain the gnocchi with a colander and immediately toss them in the sauce. Serve and enjoy.

Cooking tip: I like my snap peas to have a little crunch, but if you like them softer you can blanch them before adding them to the frying pan.