Penne with Tomato Caper Sauce

6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound dried penne
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup shrimp sauce
1/3 cup sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for accompaniment

COOK pasta according to package directions.
HEAT olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, cocktail sauce, olives and capers. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes.
STIR in cilantro, basil and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
TOSS with pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Penne with Herbed Zucchini and Goat Cheese

2 servings

Ingredients:
6 ounces penne or other tubular pasta
3 medium zucchini
1 large garlic clove
2 teaspoons mixed fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, and marjoram leaves
2 ounces (1/4 cup) soft mild goat cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil

FILL a 4-quart kettle three-fourths full with salted water and bring water to a boil for pasta.
HALVE zucchini lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Thinly slice garlic lengthwise and finely chop herbs. Crumble goat cheese.
HEAT oil in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté zucchini, stirring, until browned and just tender. Stir in garlic and herbs and sauté, stirring, 1 minute.
COOK pasta in boiling water until al dente and reserve 1 cup cooking water. Drain pasta in a colander and in a bowl toss with zucchini mixture, cheese, 1/4 cup reserved cooking water, and salt and pepper to taste, adding additional reserved cooking water if necessary.

Penne with Feta and Hazelnut Pesto

4 servings

Ingredients:
8 ounces penne pasta, cooked according to package
Hazelnut Pesto (see RECIPE LIST)
4 ounces feta cheese, at room temperature

PLACE the pesto in a large saute pan. Whisk in the cheese until smooth.
TOSS the penne into the pesto mixture and stir together over very low heat for 1 minute until thoroughly coated and heat through.
POUR into a warm serving dish and serve.

Summer Skillet Pasta

6 servings

Ingredients:
8 ounces (2 1/3 cups) uncooked dried penne pasta
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic
salt and pepper
2 medium (4 cups) zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices, halved
or 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices; cut each slice into eighths
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1 cup (4 ounces) mozzarella cheese, shredded

COOK pasta according to package directions. Drain.
MELT butter in 12-inch deep skillet until sizzling; stir in onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is lightly browned (4 to 5 minutes). Add zucchini, eggplant, red and yellow peppers. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisply tender (4 to 5 minutes).
STIR in cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and basil. Continue cooking until tomatoes are heated through. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover; let stand until cheese is melted (1 to 2 minutes).

Two Cheese Pasta Bake

4 servings

Ingredients:
3 cups uncooked penne or rotini pasta

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons freshly chopped sage (1 teaspoon dried)

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups whole, low-fat or skim milk

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) American cheese, shredded or sliced into 2-inch squares

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 dash hot pepper sauce (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
COOK pasta until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
POUR milk to a medium saucepan.
COMBINE flour, sage, salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Whisk ingredients gradually into milk to prevent lumps. Heat mixture, stirring constantly until it thickens and just begins to boil. Add American cheese, stir and remove from heat when cheese is melted. Add a dash of hot pepper sauce (optional). Drain pasta and add to cheese sauce.
BUTTER an 9-inch square baking dish and pour pasta mixture into dish. Spread evenly, top with Cheddar cheese.
BAKE uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly, serve at once.

Zesty California Walnut Penne

4 servings

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 green onions, sliced diagonally
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons dried oregano, thyme or savory or mixture of these
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts
1 pound penne pasta
1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
ground pepper
parsley

HEAT oil in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and sauté, stirring, 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, 1 minute. Add tomatoes breaking up with wooden spoon, herbs and walnuts. Cook, stirring, 10 to 15 minutes. If mixture thickens too much, add a little chicken stock or red wine.
COOK pasta, stirring, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well; return pasta to pot. Pour walnut-tomato sauce over pasta and toss to coat.
SPRINKLE with Asiago cheese and season to taste with pepper. Serve on heated plates. Garnish with parsley.

TIP: Serve this simple yet sensational meatless meal with cole slaw or tossed salad. Delicious!

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Garlic Broth

6 Servings

Ingredients:
2 carrots, cut into 2 x 1/2 inch strips
2 bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 red onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
12 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
14 1/2 ounce can vegetable broth or low salt chicken broth
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 pound penne pasta, freshly cooked

PREHEAT oven to 400F.
MIX first 6 ingredients in large bowl.
SPREAD vegetables and garlic on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
PEEL garlic and place in medium saucepan. Add broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
COMBINE roasted vegetables, garlic broth mixture, cheese, basil and pasta in large pot. Toss over low heat until sauce coats pasta but remains slightly souplike. Season with salt and pepper.

Penne Pasta with Lemon Infused Vegetables and Ricotta Salata

6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons salt
4 to 6 ounces virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 to 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 pound Shiitake mushrooms, quartered
1 cup red peppers, diced
1 pound broccoli, florets
1 each large fennel, cut into strips
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
1 pound ricotta salata cheese

COOK the broccoli and fennel by boiling for 3 to 4 minutes in salted water, drain and
reserve.
COOK pasta and stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Cook until the pasta is almost tender, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve some of the cooking liquid.
SAUTE the garlic, lemon zest, and the red pepper flakes in the olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes, being very careful not to brown the garlic. Add the red peppers and Shiitakes and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender. Add the cooked broccoli, fennel and fresh thyme and continue to cook without browning. Add the cooked pasta, half of the parsley and season with salt and pepper. If the pasta seems too dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Portion the pasta into heated bowls and garnish the tops with grated ricotta salata and the chopped parsley.

Note: Ricotta salata is a dry salted ricotta cheese that has a sharp, almost tangy flavor;
it is available in most Italian grocery stores. This is a vegetarian dish with large pieces
of Shiitake mushrooms that help give this dish a hearty, meaty flavor.

Pasta with Asparagus Lemon Sauce

4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound penne or pasta of choice
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

CUT asparagus into 1 inch pieces, reserving tips separately. Cook asparagus stems in 5 to 6 quarts boiling water with 2 tablespoons salt until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander, reserving cooking water in pot, and rinse under cold water. Drain asparagus well and transfer to a food processor or blender.
COOK asparagus tips in same boiling water until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to colander, reserving boiling water in pot, and rinse under cold water. Drain tips well. Puree asparagus stems with zest, oil and 1/2 cup asparagus cooking water. Transfer sauce to a 4 quart saucepan.
COOK pasta in boiling asparagus cooking water until it still offers considerable resistance to the tooth, around three fourths of the recommended cooking time. Reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain pasta. Add pasta, asparagus tips, and 1/2 cup reserved water to asparagus sauce and cook over high heat, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until pasta is almost al dente and sauce coats pasta. Add more cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, until sauce coats pasta but is a little loose, the cheese will thicken it slightly. Stir in Parmigiano Reggiano and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Pasta with Salmon Cream Sauce

4 servings

Ingredients:
8 ounces penne or ziti or other tubular pasta
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons onion, minced
2 teaspoons flour, all purposepepper to taste
1 cup peas1 cup salmon, fresh or canned
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cups milk


COOK pasta al dente about 10 to 12 minutes in large pot of boiling water. Drain and return to pot.
MELT butter in saucepan over medium heat; add onion and cook until tender. Stir in flour and cook for a few seconds. Whisk in milk and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add peas, salmon broken into chunks and salmon juices, parsley, cheese and pepper to taste. Pour mixture over pasta and stir gently to mix. Serve immediately.

Baked Penne with Porcini Mushroom Sauce and Mozzarella

30 minutes to prepare
50 minutes to cook

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots
3/4 cup red wine
1 jar Marinara sauce
1 box Penne
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut in 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup Parmigiano cheese

PREHEAT oven to 375. Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish.
SOAK porcini mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid, and set aside.BRING a large pot of water to a boil.
HEAT olive oil in a large skillet. Add shallots and sauté until golden.
ADD porcini mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes.
ADD wine, reduce by half.
ADD sauce and simmer 5 minutes.COOK pasta one minute under recommended cooking time. Drain.
ADD pasta to skillet with sauce. Mix well.
MIX in mozzarella cheese. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese.
BAKE for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted

TIP: Pair wih red wine.