Creamy Tomato Sauced Linguine with Prosciutto and Peas

This is purely comfort food. Great for a winter meal, or any time you just want to get into your jammies and chow down on food that makes you warm and happy.

There are a lot of these recipes and I borrowed freely from about three coming up with my own twists.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box of pasta of your choice. I like linguine for this but you could use shells or rotini, or bowties for instance.
• 3 cloves of garlic, microplaned
• 1/4 c EVOO
• 1/2 c finely minced onion
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 c good red wine
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 c Parmesan cheese (best quality if you can)
• 1 c cream
• 6 oz prosciutto  diced, or bacon
• 1 c peas (frozen is fine)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the pasta al dente. (You can do this early and place in a bowl and refrigerate until dinner time. Add a tablespoon of EVOO which will keep it from sticking. Take it from the fridge an hour before dinner or bring it to room temperature before you complete the dish before serving.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add the garlic, keeping it cornered with the pan tipped so the garlic stays in the oil and doesn’t burn. Remove from burner entirely when the garlic smells fragrant.
3. Add the onions and turn much lower and saute until softened and translucent.
4. Pour in the wine and raise the temp a bit until it bubbles. Continue for a couple of minutes.
5. Pour in the tomatoes, oregano  and pepper flakes, stirring it all together, and reducing to a simmer. Let this go for about 30 minutes to an hour.
6. When you are about ready to serve, add the prosciutto and cheese along with the peas and stir in. Then add the cream.
7. When the mixture is well stirred, add the pasta and turn with tongs until the pasta is well coated.
8. Place all in a serving bowl with tongs to serve.
9. Serve with additional cheese.

SERVES: 4

NOTES: You can use regular tomatoes in which case you should blanch them and remove the seeds and the skins. I’d say about 8 Romas would do. You need not use the prosciutto at all if you want to be meatless. Other vegetables than peas can also be used. Asparagus would work as would broccoli or green beans.

SOURCE: Sherry Peyton

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Orzo with Parmesan and Basil

Nothing better than this. Orzo is pasta that looks an awful lot like rice, but it’s sturdier.

It’s a wonderful side for a pork roast or a roasted chicken.

Nice fragrant flavor.

Just good eats.

Enjoy.

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup uncooked orzo
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Basil sprigs (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the orzo according to package directions, omitting the salt and fat. Drain
2. While orzo cooks, heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add lemon rind and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat.
3. Add orzo, basil, and remaining ingredients; toss well. Garnish with basil, if desired.
4. Serve immediately.

SERVES: 4

NOTES: You can easily adapt this as desired to other herbs and even other cheeses.

SOURCE: My Recipes

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese with Green Chiles*

Comfort food today. Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? How about lightening up that carb total a bit, and spicin’ it up at the same time?

A winner for sure.

So get up and get busy in that kitchen.

 

INGREDIENTS:

• About 1/3-1/2 of a large head of cauliflower, broken up into fairly small flowerets.
• 1 c elbow macaroni (or other such as small shells)
• 1 1/2 c of milk
• either a roux of butter and flour (1:1 ratio) generally 2 tbsp of each, or 1 tsp xantham gum.
• 3 tbsp cream cheese
• 1 tsp dried mustard
• 1 large Poblano or other chile of your choice, charred, seeded, peeled and chopped.
• salt and pepper
• 1-3 tbsp hot sauce of your choice
• 2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar is great)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Salt a large saucepan  of water and either place pasta in cold or bring to a boil first. It really doesn’t make any difference. Cook until about half way done and then add the cauliflower and continue cooking until macaroni is al dente and cauliflower is firm but pierceable with a knife fairly easily. Drain.
2. Add the roux and milk, or add the milk to the empty saucepan, sprinkle the xantham gum on the surface and whisk, while heating until it gets bubbly and thickens.
3. Cut up the cream cheese into bits and drop in and continue whisking until it has melted in.
4. Add the mustard and salt and pepper and hot sauce.
5. Add 2 c of cheese, cheddar.
6. Add the pasta and cauliflower back in and stir until fully coated.
7. Serve.

SERVES: 4

NOTES: you can add whatever chiles you wish and also vary the cheeses as you desire

SOURCE: Sherry Peyton

Pasta Ala Trapanese

Nothing new here, just an old standard. Most recipes are pretty much the same. So don’t get all measury. Eyeballing is more than sufficient here.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c of whole almonds, roasted just until browning.
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or microplaned.
• 1 regular 15 0z can of chopped tomatoes (the best brand please) or an equivalent of fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded.
• 2/3 or so C of sun-dried tomatoes. These can be dried, or stored in olive oil. Chopped.
• 1/4- 1/3 c EVOO depending on how your sun-dried tomatoes are stored.
• a tsp or so of hot pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 c of excellent quality Parmigiano Reggiano grated.
• 1/2 c fresh basil
• pasta of your choice, about a pound

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Dump your almonds in a food processor.
2. Add the garlic, and tomatoes.
3. Whirr and slowly drizzle in the olive oil as it whirrs.
4. Add hot pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cheese, and just pulse a couple of times to mix.
5. Cook the pasta.
6. Pour the sauce over the pasta and gently toss.
7. Add a handful of chopped fresh basil on top.
8. Serve with more grated cheese.

SERVES: 4

NOTES:  This dish depends in large part on using the best ingredients. Roasting whole almonds makes a big difference.  The better pastas are those with nooks and crannies to catch and hold the sauce. Make sure your almonds are chopped well enough that they aren’t chunky. The basil must be fresh…Dried is a waste of time.

SOURCE: Sherry Peyton

Sexy Puttanesca Sauce

I adore this sauce. It’s spicy and so full of flavors that it begs for special attention.

Not that it takes much time. In fact it’s very quick to put together. But it will be ordinary unless you use the best of ingredients. So splurge a bit and get the best and you will end up with a masterpiece worthy of company, or yourself for that matter.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped, rinse well if you are not overly fond and to remove some of the saltiness
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic (about 3 medium cloves)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly broken up by hand (again buy good quality Italian canned Roma tomatoes)
• 1/3 c good quality red wine
• 1/2 cup black olives, preferably oil-cured, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb of your favorite pasta cooked al dente

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place olive oil, anchovies, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbles form around the garlic, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the wine and reduce to about half.
3. Stir in tomatoes, olives, and capers and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately over pasta.

SERVES: 4

NOTES: It is in my opinion best if you use the oil-cured olives usually available in markets in an olive kiosk. If you can’t get them, substitute kalamata as the next best choice.

SOURCE: Substantially taken from Serious Eats

Roasted Red Pepper Linquine Alfredo

I made this some weeks ago as one of those “don’t have a lot of time, throw it together” kinda recipes, and was rather surprised at just how good it was.

We really enjoyed it.

It’s quick and easy and yet perfectly elegant if you need it for a company dish.

Do try it.

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 ounces linguine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
• 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in milk, heavy cream, goat cheese and Parmesan until cheeses has melted, about 1-2 minutes. Add red peppers and puree with an immersion blender. Stir in pasta and gently toss to combine; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan, if desired.

SERVES: 4

NOTES: You can vary the pasta as you desire of course. You could of course roast your own red peppers, two I would guess would be enough.

SOURCE: Damn Delicious

ELicious Egg Noodles

Okay, I don’t make egg noodles all the time. The commercial variety are just fine most of the time.

Except when I go to the trouble of making homemade chicken noodle soup. Then everything must be from scratch otherwise, well, they make it canned ya know?

This does take some time, but not as much as you think, and you will be gloriously rewarded. Everyone on the planet can tell a homemade noodle from a commercial one, so the admiration of friends and family will be worth the effort. Not to mention the taste!

So do indulge yourself once in a while and cook the way your grandma did. Most of the recipes are similar but this one was one of the best and turned out some great noodles.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c flour
• 3 egg yolks + one whole egg
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4- 1/2 c water (add until dough is the correct consistency)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Make a well in the middle and add the eggs. With a fork, push flour into the eggs and stir until well distributed.
3. Add the water a bit at a time, stirring well each time. Use your fingers to squeeze and see when the dough hangs together. The dough needs to be just past being sticky. You should be able to knead it without it clinging to your hands.
4. Either knead by hand for 10 minutes, or place in a heavy-duty mixer with dough hook and knead for 5. You want the dough elastic, not sticky, smooth.
5. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll out each one until as thin as you would like, as much as a rectangle as you can. You should be able to lift the dough and see you hand through it–at least that thin. Then sprinkle the top with flour, and smooth around, roll the dough very loosely from the long side until you have it rolled up. Then cut it into strips with a knife or pizza cutter.
7. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment or a towel,  sprinkled with flour. Unroll each piece and then loosely place on the baking sheet. They don’t need to be not touching, and you can put them a bit on top of each other. Just not a glob, so the air can circulate. Don’t worry if some break. They are homemade after all!
8. Let it sit out for a couple of hours to dry. This is not essential but will help them when you put them in to cook from clumping.
9. Place in boiling, salted water or broth and stir occasionally until done, about 12-15 minutes.

SERVES: 4

NOTES: If serving separately, I use a bit of olive oil to keep them from sticking together in the serving bowl and add a tablespoon of fresh parsley, chives, cilantro or other herb that you wish. You can also spritz with a squeeze or two of lemon or lime depending on the menu.

SOURCE: Food.com (Kind Cook)

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