Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes

August 24, 2011 by Susan

My relationship with pasta during this pregnancy has taken on a whole new dimension. I can’t seem to live without it. Pasta is on my mind. Very often.

The more I eat pasta the more I realize that it really is the perfect food. First and foremost, it is usually very easy to prepare. And when you are starving (20 times a day) and exhausted (all day long) you want the pasta and you want it quick. Also, it is satisfying, comforting and filling. Love.

This little gem is my new favorite pasta that I would be thrilled to eat practically every single day. It is light and so delicious – perfect for a summer evening.

Here’s what you will need to serve 2-3 hungry (pregnant) people…

Recipe

1 pound spaghetti

pasta water (do not drain the pasta)

3 packages of cherry tomatoes (approximately 25-30 tomatoes)

1/3 cup italian bread crumbs

4-5 garlic cloves, 1/2 minced, 1/2 sliced

1 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like a little kick)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp butter (optional)

4 tbsp olive oil

basil leaves (1/2 a bunch)

parmigiano reggiano cheese

salt & pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Half the cherry tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Place on a large baking sheet (either spray with cooking spray or use parchment paper) in a single layer and bake for 60 minutes.

In a large skillet heat 2 tbsp olive oil and butter over low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add white wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add 6-8 large, whole basil leaves. Turn off heat.

When tomatoes are 3/4 done, remove about 15 tomato halves from the oven and add them to the wine mixture. Smash them gently with the back of the spoon. Turn the heat back on and cook the tomatoes in the wine mixture for a few minutes. When the rest of the tomatoes are done add them to the skillet.

When the spaghetti is almost fully cooked (still al dente) add to the skillet. I use thongs for this. It is perfectly fine to bring along whatever pasta water is on the noodles. Also add 3 ladles of the pasta water to the pasta and wine mixture. Stir to combine over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, add a few fistfuls of cheese to the pasta as well as a ton of torn basil leaves.

Recipe inspired by Lidia Bastianich

Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti
pasta water (do not drain the pasta)
3 packages of cherry tomatoes (approximately 25-30 tomatoes)
⅓ cup italian bread crumbs
4-5 garlic cloves, ½ minced, ½ sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like a little kick)
½ cup dry white wine
1 tbsp butter (optional)
4 tbsp olive oil
basil leaves (1/2 a bunch)
parmigiano reggiano cheese
salt & pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Half the cherry tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Place on a large baking sheet (either spray with cooking spray or use parchment paper) in a single layer and bake for 60 minutes.
In a large skillet heat 2 tbsp olive oil and butter over low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add white wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add 6-8 large, whole basil leaves. Turn off heat.
When tomatoes are ¾ done, remove about 15 tomato halves from the oven and add them to the wine mixture. Smash them gently with the back of the spoon. Turn the heat back on and cook the tomatoes in the wine mixture for a few minutes. When the rest of the tomatoes are done add them to the skillet.
When the spaghetti is almost fully cooked (still al dente) add to the skillet. I use thongs for this. It is perfectly fine to bring along whatever pasta water is on the noodles. Also add 3 ladles of the pasta water to the pasta and wine mixture. Stir to combine over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, add a few fistfuls of cheese to the pasta as well as a ton of torn basil leaves.

Fusilli with Sausage, Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

July 17, 2009 by Susan

Oh, do I love pasta! Love it. Crave it. Can’t live without it. I am Italian, afterall. As I get older I do notice it’s harder to keep the weight off, so I try not to overdue it with the pasta. I try to limit my intake to once a week. I also have switched to either multi grain pasta or whole wheat. These little fusilli are multi grain, and I’ll tell you that you can barely detect a difference at all. Whole wheat is a slightly different story. Certainly the pasta is a darker color but also the taste and texture are different and noticeable. And whole wheat pasta is more filling, as far as I’m concerned. Of course, you can make this dish with regular pasta as well, I’m just trying to keep things on the healthier side over here. When I want to make this super healthy I use turkey sausage, but let’s face it, there’s nothing like pork sausage.

I adapted this recipe from Giada and I have been making it for a few years now, so it is a staple, here to stay. Why? Because it’s easy to make, I keep most of the ingredients in my pantry at all times so it’s quick to throw together last minute and…it’s delicious!

Now, some of you might say that frozen artichokes are a bit on the pricey side. And you would be right. They are. But you know what? They are worth it. If you ever found yourself actually buying dozens of whole artichokes (what would be needed for this dish) and cleaning them to finally get down to that small heart in the middle, then I’m sure you would agree with me. SO worth it. Thank you Bird’s Eye for having frozen artichokes to make our lives so much simpler!

Here’s what you will need to serve 4…

Recipe

1 cup (7 or 8 oz jar) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved

1 pound Italian hot & sweet sausages, casings removed

2 (9-ounce) packages frozen artichoke hearts, slice very large ones in half lengthwise

2-3 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 lb box fusilli, multi grain or whole wheat

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus additional for garnish

1/3 cup (heaping) chopped fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup (heaping) chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Salt & pepper

Method

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a spoon, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes to the same skillet and saute one minute. Add garlic and stir, cook for one minute. Add sun dried tomatoes, salt & pepper, saute one minute. Here’s how things should look right about now…

Now, add the broth and wine and boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli in boiling water until tender but still firm, roughly 1-2 minutes short of directed cooking time on the box. With a large spider spoon remove all the pasta and add to the artichoke mixture. DO NOT throw away pasta water.

Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture, stir to combine well then turn off the flame. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Gradually add some pasta water to the pasta mixture 1/2 cup at a time, if needed. I usually add in almost one full cup of pasta water. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, if needed.

Just before serving I like to sprinkle just a touch of olive oil over the pasta and add some grated parmesan to each individual bowl.

Giada’s original recipe can be found here…

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/fusilli-with-sausage-artichokes-and-sun-dried-tomatoes-recipe/index.html

Fusilli with Sausage, Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 cup (7 or 8 oz jar) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved
1 pound Italian hot & sweet sausages, casings removed
2 (9-ounce) packages frozen artichoke hearts, slice very large ones in half lengthwise
2-3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1¾ cups chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
1 lb box fusilli, multi grain or whole wheat
½ cup grated Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
⅓ cup (heaping) chopped fresh basil leaves
⅓ cup (heaping) chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt & pepper

Method

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a spoon, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes to the same skillet and saute one minute. Add garlic and stir, cook for one minute. Add sun dried tomatoes, salt & pepper, saute one minute.
Now, add the broth and wine and boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli in boiling water until tender but still firm, roughly 1-2 minutes short of directed cooking time on the box. With a large spider spoon remove all the pasta and add to the artichoke mixture. DO NOT throw away pasta water.
Add the pasta, sausage, ½ cup Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture, stir to combine well then turn off the flame. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Gradually add some pasta water to the pasta mixture ½ cup at a time, if needed. I usually add in almost one full cup of pasta water. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, if needed.

Pasta With Lentils

December 6, 2008 by Susan

The Italian name for this deliciousness is Pasta e Lenticchie. The way I see it, this dish should really be called Lentils with Pasta. It is mostly lentils with some pasta thrown in, not the other way around. It is an Italian dish that I grew up eating, my mom cooked this for us all the time. It is traditionally from the Campania region of Italy, specifically the Naples area, which is where my family is from.

I can’t quite decide if this is more of a stew or a soup. I think it is a mixture of both. A stoup! It is quite hearty and as most of you might already know, lentils are super healthy. They are loaded with folate, fiber and potassium and are an excellent source of protein.

I put my own slight spin on this recipe, it is not the exact same one my mother makes. However, it’s very close. I saute my vegetables first in some olive oil (she doesn’t) and I thought to add the bay leaves and thyme. Basically, you make a big pot of the lentils and you store it in the fridge. When you want to eat it, you boil up some pasta and then add the lentils to the pasta. If you add all the pasta into the lentils and store it that way, the pasta tends to get mushy. About the pasta – you can use any small shape you like. Normally, this is made with spaghetti broken into 1 inch pieces, or the little elbows that I used in the photo above. Both are fantastic. I usually get the whole wheat or multi grain pasta.

Once the pot of lentils is made, this is a very quick and easy meal that you can enjoy all week long for lunch, dinner or a comforting snack on a cold day.

Here is what you will need to serve 4-6…

Recipe

2 cups lentils (picked through and rinsed)

3 cups water

3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

2 medium carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon pepperoncino

2 bay leaves

1 tsp thyme

4 whole peeled tomatoes, chopped with their juice

chopped parsley

short/small pasta (shape of your choice)

parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese

Method

Coat the bottom of a dutch oven with olive oil and saute onions, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add garlic and pepperoncino and saute for one minute. Add lentils and stir one minute. Add water, stock, tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer , cover and cook for approximately 70-90 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Lentils are done!

For reheating/serving: boil water and cook the pasta until just about done (one minute shy of the directed cooking time). Drain pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. This is important! The lentils thicken up and you most likely will have to add some pasta water to the mixture to loosen it up a bit. Add some lentils to the pasta, as much as you like and depending on how many people you are serving. Stir and cook together for one minute. Turn off heat and add a handful of fresh parsley. I love alot of parsley in this, it really give a nice, fresh flavor. Top with a spoonful of cheese and enjoy!

Pasta With Lentils

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

2 cups lentils (picked through and rinsed)
3 cups water
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
2 medium carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon pepperoncino
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme
4 whole peeled tomatoes, chopped with their juice
chopped parsley
short/small pasta (shape of your choice)
parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese

Method

Coat the bottom of a dutch oven with olive oil and saute onions, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add garlic and pepperoncino and saute for one minute. Add lentils and stir one minute. Add water, stock, tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer , cover and cook for approximately 70-90 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Lentils are done!
For reheating/serving: boil water and cook the pasta until just about done (one minute shy of the directed cooking time). Drain pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. This is important! The lentils thicken up and you most likely will have to add some pasta water to the mixture to loosen it up a bit. Add some lentils to the pasta, as much as you like and depending on how many people you are serving. Stir and cook together for one minute. Turn off heat and add a handful of fresh parsley. I love alot of parsley in this, it really give a nice, fresh flavor. Top with a spoonful of cheese and enjoy!