Red Bean & Vegetable Rigatoni

6 servings

Ingredients:
4 ounces uncooked dried rigatoni* or your favorite uncooked dried pasta
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves** or 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves.
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic
2 cups broccoli florets
1 medium (1cup) red pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 (15-ounce) can red or black beans, rinsed, drained
1 (11-ounce) can whole kernel corn with green and red peppers, drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

COOK rigatoni according to package directions. Drain. Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon basil. Keep warm.
MELT remaining butter in 10-inch skillet until sizzling; add green onions and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened (1 to 2 minutes).
ADD broccoli and red pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until peppers are crisply tender (3 to 4 minutes). Add remaining basil and all remaining ingredients except Parmesan cheese. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through (2 to 3 minutes).
TOSS together hot vegetable mixture and hot cooked rigatoni; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Portobella Lasagna

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
8 ounces lasagna noodles (9 noodles)
2 (6-ounce) packages sliced Portobellas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water1/4 teaspoon fennel seed (or anise seed)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 (28-ounce) jar marinara or spaghetti sauce
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella

PREHEAT the oven to 350*F (175*C). Follow package directions and cook lasagna noodles al dente.
PLACE the mushrooms in a Dutch oven, add salt and water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; remove the lid, add fennel, basil and oregano, stir, and cover again. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes. The mushrooms will have released much of their liquid and there should be about 1/2 cup in the pot.
REMOVE mushrooms out of the liquid with a slotted spoon and set aside. Over high heat, reduce the remaining liquid to 2 to 3 tablespoons. Add the marinara sauce; mixing well. Remove from heat.
COMBINE ricotta, egg and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese in small bowl; season with salt and pepper; mix well.
LAYER 3 noodles in the bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2 - inch baking dish. In the order given, spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 cup of mozzarella 1/3 of the mushrooms and 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat two more times. For the top layer, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes, or until heated thorough. Remove cover last 5 minutes of baking. Allow lasagna to sit for 15 minutes to before serving.

Pumpkin Gnocchi with California Walnut Brown Butter Sauce

6 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg yolk
salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

COMBINE pumpkin and butter in large bowl; add flour, yolk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Knead into soft dough (if necessary, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time); divide into 4 sections. On floured surface, roll dough to 3/4-inch thickness; cut into 3/4-inch pieces, rolling each piece against the tines of a fork to create ridges. Repeat with remaining dough.
BRING 6 cups salted water to boil in large pot, and cook gnocchi in 2 batches; dropping into water and cooking 2 minutes or until pieces float. Remove with slotted spoon to warmed bowl.
MELT butter in skillet over medium heat, cooking until it just starts to deepen in color. Add walnuts, sage, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute more. Drizzle walnut butter over gnocchi and top with shaved Parmesan.

Plum Tomatoes with Fettuccine and Mozzarella

4 servings

Ingredients:
1 (9-ounce) package Fettuccine
1 pound plum tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

COMBINE tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil and parsley in a medium bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes.
PREPARE pasta according to package directions. Toss pasta with tomato mixture. Top with Parmesan cheese.

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.

Pasta with Pesto and Beans

4 servings

Ingredients:
7-ounce package Pesto (see RECIPE LIST)
8 ounces rotini pasta, prepared according to package directions
15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped, drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

COOK pesto, beans and tomatoes in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat. Add pasta, red pepper flakes and cheese; stir well to combine.

Pasta & Vegetables in Wine Sauce

6 servings

Ingredients:
9-ounce linguine
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium thinly sliced red onion
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic
2 medium (2 cups) yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise, sliced 1/8-inch
1 medium (1 cup) tomato, cubed 1/2-inch 1 pound
(24) asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into thirds
1 medium red or green pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill weed or 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
Freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

COOK linguine according to package directions; drain.
MELT butter in 10-inch skillet until sizzling; add onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened (3 to 4 minutes). Add squash, tomato, asparagus and red pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisply tender (8 to 10 minutes). Stir in wine, dill weed, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through (3 to 5 minutes).
SERVE over linguine; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Asiago cheese. Serve with additional Asiago cheese.

Mediterranean Pasta with Pistachios

4 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups onion, cut into narrow wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil (can use oil drained from tomatoes)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 cup pistachios
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
1 tablespoon dry basil
1 tablespoon dry oregano
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley (optional)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces angel hair pasta (capellini), broken up

SAUTE onions in oil in 12-inch skillet for 5 to 10 minutes or until cooked through. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Stir flour into onions and garlic; add wine and cook, stirring until mixture comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Add pistachios, tomatoes, basil, oregano and parsley to pan and heat through. Keep warm.
COOK pasta in boiling water 3 to 5 minutes or just until tender (note package directions). Drain.
Combine pasta and sauce; sprinkle with cheese and toss lightly. Offer additional cheese as garnish, if desired.

Rigatoni with Spicy Tomato-Cheese Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 14 1/2-ounce can tomatoes, drained, diced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt to taste
1 pound rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions
Additional freshly grated Parmesan

HEAT oil in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add flour; stir and saute for 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk and chicken broth. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, pepper and basil and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low. Add cheddar and 1 cup Parmesan and stir until well blended. Season with salt to taste. Pour sauce over rigatoni. Toss thoroughly.
Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese separately.

Lemon & Thyme Roasted Vegetables with Pasta

4 servings

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups 1-inch pieces fresh asparagus
1 1/2 cups lengthwise quartered baby carrots
1 1/2 cups thin strips red bell pepper
1 cup sliced 1/2-inch leeks
1 cup cubed 1/2-inch rutabaga
8 ounces uncooked dried spaghetti, linguine or angel hair pasta (capellini)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

HEAT oven to 400°F.
COMBINE oil, thyme, garlic and salt in small bowl.
PLACE vegetables in 13x9-inch baking pan. Spoon oil mixture over vegetables; toss well to coat. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
BAKE, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes. Uncover; continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once, or until vegetables are tender and just start to brown.
COOK spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.
TOSS hot spaghetti with parsley, butter and lemon peel. Spoon roasted vegetables over pasta mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Fusilli Provencal

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
Salt1 cup trimmed and chopped string beans (2 inch lengths)
1 pound dried or fresh fusilli or another short, chunky pasta shape
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
12 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained of excess oil and cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 cups milled or crushed canned plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

BRING a large covered pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. When the water boils, add the green beans and cook about 8 minutes, until tender all the way through; with a slotted spoon, transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking.
RETURN the water to the boil. Add the pasta, stir well, and cover until it returns to the boil. Uncover and boil until just tender to the bite all the way thorough.
MAKE the sauce: In a skillet (with a lid) large enough to hold the pasta later on, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, stir, cover and cook 4 minutes. Add the cooked green beans, both kinds of tomatoes, oregano, and salt to taste, and cook, uncovered, 2 minutes more.
Reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, drain the pasta in a colander. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix well, adding a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water if needed to coat the pasta evenly. Cover and cook 1 minute. Taste for salt. Serve immediately, generously sprinkled with Parmesan.

Farfalle, Tomato, Peas and Ricotta Salata with Lemon

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound farfalle pasta (bow ties)
2 cups frozen peas
6 ounces ricotta salata cheese, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
4 large "garden-ripe" tomatoes, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

COOK pasta according to package directions, stirring in peas the last 30 to 45 seconds of cooking time. Drain well.
COMBINE cheese, tomatoes, lemon juice, zest, basil into a large bowl . Add hot pasta and peas to mixture and toss to combine. Season pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan, as desired.

Broccoli Pesto Linguine

4 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
2 bouillon cubes or 2 teaspoons chicken flavored soup base or granules.
10-ounce package frozen chopped broccoli,
1/3 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
9-ounce package Linguine
4 fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

COMBINE water and bouillon in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Place bouillon mixture, broccoli, cheese, basil, oil and garlic in food processor or blender; cover. Process until smooth to form pesto.
PREPARE pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss pesto with pasta. Season with ground black pepper. Garnish with basil leaves.

Pasta with Asparagus and Pistachios

4 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup asparagus tips and pieces cut into 1-inch slices
8 ounces spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil - divided
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice

BOIL the asparagus in a small pot and time for 1 minute. Rinse with cold water, drain and set aside.
COOK the spaghetti according to package directions, adding 1 tablespoon olive oil to the cooking water.
HEAT 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan and slowly sauté the green onions, shallots and garlic until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the asparagus, stir and cook 2 minutes.
DRAIN the spaghetti and add to the pan. Stir in the pistachios, parsley, Parmesan and lemon juice.

Homemade Manicotti

6 servings

Ingredients:
Crepe Noodles:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
3 eggs
salt
Filling:
1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
28-ounce jar spaghetti or marinara sauce (or your own)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

PLACE flour in a bowl; whisk in milk, eggs and salt until smooth. Pour about 2 tablespoons onto a hot greased 8-inch skillet; spread to a 5-inch circle. Cook over medium heat until set; do not brown or turn. Repeat with remaining batter, making 18 crepes. Stack crepes between waxed paper; set aside.
filling
COMBINE cheese, egg and parsley. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons down the center of each crepe; roll up. Pour half of the spaghetti sauce into an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Place crepes, seam-side down, over sauce; pour remaining sauce over top. Cover and bake at 350*F (180*C) for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Fettuccine Alfredo

6 servings

Ingredients:
1 (16-ounce) package fettuccine pasta
1/2 cup butter
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (see TIP) and additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

COOK pasta according to package directions.
MELT butter in large skillet; add cream, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes uncovered to to reduce and thicken sauce. Remove from heat and add cooked fettuccini and 1 cup Parmesan. Toss to combine and serve immediately with an extra sprinkling of Parmesan cheese over the top, if desired.

TIP: The success of this dish depends entirely on the use of fresh Parmesan cheese. Do not use the canned or pre-grated variety, it will not melt properly besides having an inferior taste.

Farfalle with Zucchini

6 servings

Ingredients:
6 small zucchini
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1 pound farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

CUT zucchini crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices and in a colander toss with salt. Let zucchini stand to drain 45 minutes. Rinse and pat zucchini dry with paper towels.
CUT basil into thin strips and bring a 6-quart pasta pot three fourths full water to a boil for farfalle; salt the water just before adding the farfalle. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in colander.
SAUTE zucchini, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in half of basil. Stir in pasta and butter and gently toss until butter is melted. Stir in 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and gently toss (adding more pasta water as needed if mixture becomes too dry). Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, remaining basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve pasta with additional cheese.

Pasta with Tomatoes, Zucchini and Pesto

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes zucchini
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 pound spaghetti
7-ounce pesto (see the RECIPE LIST)
1/2 cup packed, thinly sliced fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

HEAT oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, onion and garlic and sauté until zucchini is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes.
COOK pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite (al dente). Drain but do not rinse; return to pot.
ADD pesto to pasta and toss to coat. Add zucchini mixture and toss over low heat to combine. Mix in basil. Season pasta with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Serve, passing Parmesan cheese separately.

Pasta Primavera - yet another

4 servings

Ingredients:
8 ounces (2 cups) fresh wax or green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 ounces (1 1/2 cups) fresh asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup broccoli flowerets
8 ounces dry vermicelli or spaghetti
1/2 of a medium red or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
Dash ground nutmeg
1 cup (8 ounces) plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds, toasted

COOK beans in a small amount of boiling salted water in a large saucepan for 15 minutes. Add asparagus and broccoli. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes more or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain; keep warm.
COOK the pasta according to package directions, preferably al dente (firm to the bite). Drain; keep warm.
COOK the sweet pepper and green onions in butter until tender. Stir in chicken broth and nutmeg. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
STIR together yogurt and flour; add to broth mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until smooth; season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over vegetables; toss to combine.
ARRANGE pasta on individual plates or a large serving platter. Spoon sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts or almonds.

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).