Everyday Pasta (11 page)

6 servings

Here’s a great way to get all your veggies in, with tons of flavor. I used to make this often when I was a caterer as an alternative entrée for non-meat eaters because it’s an elegant dish with lots of colors and textures. It’s also quite convenient, because it can be prepared ahead of time, so if you have vegetarian guests at your next gathering, you can assemble this early and then just pop it in the oven while you’re making the rest of the dinner. But don’t think this is strictly for vegetarians; it’s a real crowd-pleaser all around.

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch strips

2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 cremini mushrooms, quartered

1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend or herbes de Provence

1 pound penne pasta

3 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or
homemade
)

1 cup grated fontina cheese

½ cup grated smoked mozzarella

¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus ⅓ cup for topping

1½ cups frozen peas, thawed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

On a baking sheet, toss the bell peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onion with the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, ¼ teaspoon of the pepper, and the herbs. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure it is not completely cooked. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, fontina, mozzarella, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, the peas, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Gently mix using a wooden spoon until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 × 13 × 2-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining ⅓ cup of Parmesan cheese and the butter pieces. Bake until the top is golden and the cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

Many times you don’t need an entire pound of pasta to serve your family or guests, but who wants to be left with half-filled boxes of pasta in their pantry? Next time, cook the whole package, use what you need for the meal, and get creative with the leftovers. What can you do with leftover pasta? More than you would imagine:

You can also freeze individual portions of pasta for super-fast dinners. Place cooked pasta in a resealable bag with some water and let it cool in the refrigerator, then pop it in the freezer. Just be sure to press as much air as possible from your freezer bags before sealing to prevent freezer burn, and use the frozen pasta within two to three months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or dump the frozen pasta directly into boiling water until just heated through.

6 servings

Although it’s not a true-blue, all-American macaroni and cheese because it’s made with wide egg noodles rather than the more traditional elbow macaroni or small shell pasta, this is probably the version I make most often. It’s a dish I fell in love with when I first had it years ago at Harry’s Bar in Venice. Later I re-created it at home as the ultimate comfort food and

also to bring back memories of Venice.

Butter for the pan

12 ounces wide egg noodles

2½ cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups (packed) grated fontina cheese

¾ cup (packed) finely grated Parmesan cheese

¾ cup (packed) grated mozzarella cheese

4 ounces cooked boiled ham, diced (optional)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Butter a 9 × 13 × 2-inch glass baking dish. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Drain well (do not rinse).

Whisk the milk, cream, flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup of the fontina, ½ cup of the Parmesan, ½ cup of the mozzarella, the ham, and parsley. Add the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Combine the remaining 1 cup of fontina, ¼ cup of Parmesan, and ¼ cup of mozzarella in a small bowl and toss to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

6 servings

This dish is very elegant, and the combination of crab and creamy béchamel sauce is unusual and delicious. It’s a showstopper.

1 box manicotti pasta (about 12 shells) or an (8-ounce) box cannelloni

1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus ¼ cup for sprinkling

1 egg yolk

½ cup chopped fresh basil

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Butter for the pan

Béchamel sauce

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, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, ¾ cup of the Parmesan, the egg yolk, basil, crab, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 × 13 × 2-inch glass baking dish.

Fill the manicotti with the crab mixture and place in the prepared baking dish. Top the filled manicotti with the béchamel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

4 to 6 servings

Stroll through any Italian-American street fair and you’ll smell this classic combo. But while sausage and peppers are great in a sandwich, I think they’re even better tossed with rigatoni. Using turkey sausages instead of the more traditional pork also makes it a little lighter.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausages

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced

2 yellow onions, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves, chopped

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ cup chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup Marsala wine

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 pound rigatoni pasta

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pan.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the bell peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and basil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until incorporated, then add the Marsala, tomatoes with their juice, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each. Return the sausages to the pan. Simmer uncovered until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, 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, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the thickened sauce; toss to combine. Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.