Pasta Recipes
 

[b]Post Tomato Pasta recipes here~~~ :D[/b]

[b]Angel Hair Tomato Basil Toss

1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sliced green onions
3 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 tbl chopped fresh basil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1/2 lb angel hair pasta, uncooked
Grated Parmesan cheese

Variations:
6 slices cooked, crumbled bacon or
1 cup chopped cooked ham or
1 cup chopped cooked chicken or
1 cup chopped cooked turkey

In large skillet, heat olive oil. Add garlic and green onions, stir-fry for one minute. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.

Toss tomato mixture with hot pasta; add meats, if using. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings. [/b]

[b]Fettuccine with Tomato-Avocado Sauce
Yield: 4 servings

1 tbl olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 hot chile pepper seeded and minced
4 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
12 oz fettuccine
2 medium ripe avocados, peeled, stone removed, cut into 3/4" cubes
3 tbls extra virgin olive oil
2 tbls lime juice

Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chile pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, and stir in the cilantro. Keep warm. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, cook the noodles until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a warmed serving bowl.

Add the tomato sauce, avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, and lime juice. Toss to mix well, and serve immediately. [/b]

[b]Pesto Linguine in Fresh Tomato Sauce
Yield: 4 servings

Light vegetable oil cooking spray
1 c Onion, chopped (1 medium)
1/4 c Green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c Carrot, grated
1 tb Dried oregano
1 tb Dried thyme
1/2 c Red wine
4 1/2 c tomatoes, about 2 lb, peeled, seeded chopped
2 tb Jalapeno pepper (1 large)
1 Chicken bouillon cube
8 oz Dried llinguine
7 Garlic cloves, peel & chop
1 c Mushrooms, chopped
1 tb Balsamic vinegar
1 tb Tomato paste
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground - to taste
2 tb Rosie's pesto, See recipe
1 ts Parmesan cheese, freshly - grated

Preheat a heavy saute pan for about 1 minute over medium heat. Spray 3 times with the vegetable oil. Toss in the onion, green pepper, and carrot and saute for 2 minutes. Add the oregano, thyme, and wine. Cook for about 5 minutes, until most of the wine has been
absorbed. Stir in tomatoes, jalapeno, and bouillon cube. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, add linguine. Cook pasta 8 to 12 minutes, to desired tenderness.

To the simmering vegetable mixture, add garlic, mushrooms, vinegar, tomato paste, and salt and black pepper. Raise heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in pesto.

When linguine is done, drain and transfer to a warm serving bowl. Add sauce and toss. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.[/b]

[b]Shells with Tomatoes, Arugula and Parmesan Cheese

1 pound medium shells
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 cups small cherry tomatoes,rinsed and stemmed
1 cup (1/2 bunch) arugula, rinsed and trimmed
1 medium bell pepper, quartered, seeded and cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 cup small chunks(1/2" )Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in a large saucpan of boiling salted water until al dente, or firm to the bite, about 10 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well, shaking colander to extract excess water.

Whisk oil, vinegar, and lemon juice, salt and pepper to blend; set aside.

Combine pasta, cherry tomatoes, arugula, bell pepper, Parmesan cheese chunks, basil, parsley and grated Parmesan cheese; toss to blend. Add dressing; toss again. [/b]

[b]Rigatoni with Tomatoes & Artichokes

3 cups uncooked rigatoni
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil or 3 tablespoons fresh basil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook rigatoni according to package directions. Rinse and drain. In large serving bowl, combine remaining ingredients except parmesan cheese. Toss with cooked rigatoni. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top to serve. Serves 4.[/b]

[b]Stuffed Shells in Creamy Tomato Sauce
[i]Country Living[/i]
Yield: 6 servings

1 T olive oil
3 lg (about l1/2 lb) onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cn 28-oz crushed tomatoes
1 T fresh or 1 t dried thyme leaves
1 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1 pk (1-lb) large pasta shells
2 10-oz pk fresh spinach
1 pk 3-oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 C finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C heavy cream

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; add onions and cook until soft and golden, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook 3 minutes longer. Transfer two-thirds of onion mixture to food processor fitted with chopping blade or blender and set aside.

Add tomatoes, thyme, sugar, and 1/2 t salt to onion mixture remaining in skillet; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare pasta shells following package directions; drain well and spread hot shells on baking sheet to cool.

To make filling for shells, stem spinach and rinse in colander. In 8-quart saucepot, cook wet spinach, covered, just until wilted. Return spinach to colander and press to remove excess liquid. Add spinach, cream cheese, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1/4 t salt to reserved onion mixture in food processor or blender. Process or blend mixture until very smooth.

Remove tomato mixture from heat and stir in heavy cream to make sauce; ladle half of sauce into 2 1/2-to 3-quart flame-proof casserole. Fill pasta shells with spinach mixture (a pastry bag fitted with large round tip is recommended for piping the spinach mixture into pasta
shells) and place filled shells in sauce. Ladle remaining sauce into spaces between shells, then cover casserole and cook over low heat 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Serve immediately.[/b]

[b]Herbed Garlic Rigati with fresh Tomatoes

8 oz rigati or rigatoni pasta
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 thin lemon slices
2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, finely diced
2 tbl fresh parsley, minced
2 tbl fresh basil, minced
1/2 tsp dried marjoram, crumbled
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook pasta per package directions with garlic and lemon slices. Combine chopped tomatoes in a bowl with parsley, basil, and marjoram.

Drain pasta and turn into a warmed serving bowl. Remove lemon slices and garlic cloves. Push garlic through a press into the tomato mixture along with the oil. Spoon tomato mixture over hot pasta and toss until ingredients are combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. [/b]

[b]Fresh Corn, Tomato & Scallop Pasta
Serves 6

1 pound medium shells, ziti or other medium pasta shape, uncooked
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
3/4 cup sliced red onion
1 pound bay scallops or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (2 ears)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (4 cups)
2 tbsp. minced fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 to 1 tsp. hot sauce
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 oz.)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp. oil in large skillet. Add red onion and cook about 2 minutes. Add scallops, corn and garlic and cook 4 minutes, stirring often. Add tomatoes, oregano, rosemary and hot sauce, simmering just until scallops are done and mixture is thoroughly heated, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and lemon juice.

When pasta is done, drain well. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with remaining 1 tsp. oil and toss well. Spoon tomato mixture over pasta and sprinkle with cheese, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.[/b]

[b]Crispy Angel Hair Cakes with Scallops, Escarole and Tomato Coulis
Serves 4

from "America's Signature Pasta Recipes"

8 ounces angel hair pasta
6 plum tomatoes, quartered
5 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 sea scallops (or shrimp)
4 ounces pancetta, diced (or ham)
1 large shallot, minced
1 small head escarole, washed, trimmed and chopped
4 basil sprigs, for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse, drain and set aside.

On a sheetpan with sides, toss together tomatoes, garlic, 1 tsp. olive oil, and salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes until they are very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove tomatoes from oven and reduce temperature to 375° F.

While the tomatoes are roasting, make the pasta cakes. Warm 1 tsp. olive oil in a small, non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a generous 1/2 cup of pasta to the pan and flatten it into a pancake shape. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Transfer to a sheetpan. Make 3 more cakes in the same way and then 4 small, lacy cakes to use as tops. Set the cakes aside until needed.

When tomatoes are ready, puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Strain into a saucepan, cover and set over very low heat until needed.

Warm 1 tsp. olive oil in a medium, non-stick sauté pan over very high heat. Add scallops and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Do not overcook. Transfer to a small sheetpan and set aside until needed.

Reduce heat under sauté pan to medium and add last tsp. of olive oil. Sauté pancetta and shallots for 3 or 4 minutes. Add escarole and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. While the escarole is wilting, put pasta cakes and scallops in oven to warm.

To assemble: Spoon some tomato coulis onto each of 4 plates. Set a large pasta cake on the coulis, then top each with 1/4 of the escarole. Slice scallops in half crosswise and set 4 slices on each mound of escarole. Finish with a small pasta cake set in place at an angle. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.[/b]

[b]Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

10 ounces small shell pasta, cooked and well drained
6 medium chopped plum tomatoes (juices reserved)
1 bunch minced scallions
4 crushed garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 cup chopped olives
1 Tbl freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Serve immediately at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.
Makes 8 servings. [/b]

[b]Pasta With Fresh Tomatoes, Basil and Mozzarella

6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small dice
4 medium tomatoes, cut into small dice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne or spaghetti

In a bowl, toss mozzarella with tomatoes, olive oil, basil and kosher salt. Season generously with black pepper and let stand for 30 minutes.

Bring a stockpot of water to a boil. Salt the water and stir in pasta. Boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain well. Return pasta to pot, add sauce and toss very well. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.[/b]

[b]Creamy Italian Spiral Salad
from [i]Taste of Home[/i] Magazine
Note: yields 30 (3/4 cup) servings

2 pkg (16 oz each) multicolored spiral pasta
1 medium head broccoli, cut into florets
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen peas and carrots, thawed
2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 bottles (16 oz each) creamy Italian salad dressing

Cook pasta according to directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine pasta, broccoli, cauliflower, peas and carrots, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, onions, green pepper and olives. Add dressing and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until chilled.[/b]

[b]Chicken And Pasta With Jalapeno And Tomato Dressing

2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
8 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total)

----- Jalapeno and Tomato Dressing -----
4 tomatoes
2 jalapenos or other fresh hot chili peppers
2 cloves garlic
1 small red onion
1 cup minced fresh mint
1 cup minced fresh coriander
2 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

1/2 lb fusilli or other dry pasta

Mint and/or coriander sprigs (optional garnish)

Mince garlic and ginger. In a bowl, combine garlic, ginger, cumin, the 3 tablespoons vinegar, the 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken, stir to coat, and let stand at room temperature, stirring once or twice, for about 1 1/2 hours.

Jalapeno and Tomato Dressing;

Peel, seed and chop tomatoes and place into a large bowl. Seed and mince jalapenos, mince garlic, onion, mint and coriander. Add to the bowl with tomatoes. Stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste and let stand at room temperature, stirring once or twice, for at least 45 minutes.

Recipe can be made to this point a few hours ahead.

COOKING and SERVING;
Heat grill. If using wood chips, soak a handful in water for 20 minutes. Put chips on the fire. Grill chicken, turning occasionally and brushing with marinade, until crisp and dark brown on both sides, about 15 minutes total. Or broil for about 20 minutes.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender. Drain and toss immediately with tomato dressing.

Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper and put onto plates. Top each serving with 2 grilled chicken thighs and garnish with mint and/or coriander sprigs. Serve warm.

Yield: 4 servings[/b]

Secret to spicy, full-flavored spaghetti sauces?
 

I go to restaurants and order spaghetti and meat sauce and the sauce has a sharp, inviting tomato flavor. It's acidic and very flavorful.

Then I go home and make spaghetti sauce and for whatever reason, the flavor is flat.

Are there secret techniques or ingredients I should be trying to get that tangy, interesting flavor? I've seen Worcestershire sauce, dried porcini mushrooms, etc. Am I overcooking a certain ingredient that should be added later or last to keep the flavor strong?

I like a tangy flavor and when I use straight tomatoes, fresh or canned, I always add a little bit of sugar (or even Splenda) to cut the acidity of the tomato a bit and give it a little tang. A little splash of balsamic vinegar or some dry red wine is also nice. If you use dried herbs, add them early. If using fresh herbs, don't add them until the very end. I also like mine a little spicy and used to use hot sausages or some cayenne but now that I have two little kids eating the sauce with us, that's on hold for a while. I would think the porcini mushrooms would provide an earthy sort of flavor, which sounds good to me.

I think a good splash of dry wine with a small pinch of sugar and lots of basil is mandatory....Also use paste tomatoes...They give very good flavor cooked...It is not just the meatiness as I have made sauce from meaty , sweeter heart types and the sauces and salsa were not anything like a sauce made with an acidic or paste tomato...Try adding more spice again in the final 1/2 hour of cooking...I like Basil as the main, but use plenty of Oregano, parsley and thyme too... Simmer a few dried peppers along with the sauce if desired.

Jeanne

Great advice, thanks!!

Try oven roasting garlic before adding it to sauce. It will give it a smokey-sweet flavour. Fire-roasting peppers before adding them to pasta/tomato sauce is always good for adding a punch of flavour. If you're adding garlic while sauteing onions, add nearer the end so that they don't become burnt/bitter. Sometimes a dash of cumin or sumac will kick up the sauce a bit. Browning any meat before adding it to the sauce is usually good for some extra flavour too.

Feldon,

Hi. I like my sauces a little on the spicy side, too. I often add a pepper that I buy in the Mexican section of the supermarket. I buy it by the can. It is Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I like this not just for the little kick, but also for the smoky flavor it imparts.

I may also use cilantro in my sauces (with or without the above item). I don't think of the cilantro as being spicy, but it adds a little something extra that I really enjoy.

Just my two bits.

Good luck.

Michael
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feldon,

Aunt Gertie's Gold makes an "interesting" sauce.

To me, any home cooked sauce tastes much better the next day.

And, just keep adding to the pot, until you get it to the way you like it.

Gary

I think Zana touched on something important. Saute a medium sized onion until almost clear, then add some garlic... The onion adds richness. Also, I like to use diced tomatoes. I put them in next, then cook it down further. I put tomato sauce in last. I think slow cooking this way makes a better sauce.

Feldon, one of the "secrets" is to add your herbs just a few minutes before you serve up. Tenish or so. Especially if you are using dried herbs. Long cooking destroys the flavor. You can also try adding your herbs in two batches - half at the usual time with the tomatoes, the other half about 10 minutes before you are going to serve.

Also, the tomato product that you use does make a huge difference.

[COLOR=#0000ff]Fried sweet peppers, any variety, adds a great flavor to sauce. I have 1" pieces frozen from last summer that I defrost, chop and sauté in olive oil. Minced onions will sweeten the sauce, I don't eat sugar by choice but I bet that'd really change the flavor![/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff].[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff]Crushed fennel seeds also add a spicy licorice flavor, cook with the peppers and onions. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff].[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff]I usually crush garlic and fry it with the peppers/onions BUT I now think that adding the crushed garlic when the sauce is done really allows the garlic to remain strong and distinct, I like that. Frying the garlic removes the volatile oils and makes it too mild. I've heard that in Italy they use some garlic but prefer to not have it over power the food, that surprised me. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff].[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff]And lastly, add red wine when the sauce is just about done. I use Burgundy, about 4 oz for a 28 oz can of tomato puree or crushed tomatoes. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff].[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff]I use bay leaf, oregano, basil (all dried) but without peppers, raw garlic vs cooked and red wine my sauce was missing something too.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff].[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff]OH, btw, I know this sounds crazy but use 1 piece of clove per 28 oz can of tomatoes. The same clove used to stud a baked ham, the flavor is amazing! Now I just told the world the real secret![/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff].[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000ff]Tom[/COLOR]

I've usally added all the same ingredients that have been mention, to include the whole clove or two depending on the size of the pot. A dash of cinnamon is a must. Just a dash and nothing more, LOL. I used to add a little sugar but now I add a few pieces of chocolate. These off the wall additions give the sauce a little depth that you didn't know you were missing.

I've got to admit that I've tried the addition of chocolate too....and its definitely a different and rich taste...especially if using a dark bittersweet chocolate. Purists might run or shriek in horror, but it definitely adds a je ne sais pas quoi to the mix.

I am taking some serious notes from this thread, including the [I]au Cincinnati[/I] suggestion of adding chocolate. ;)

I haven't tried chocolate in sphagetti sauce, but it is a pretty common Mexican addition to tomato. The "secret" to several chili-type dishes.

Marinara Sauce

This is great sauce. I've typed it from the cookbook Garlic Garlic Garlic. I used 56 ounces of fresh heirloom/OP tomatoes instead of canned Italian plums. I blanched the tomatoes, removed skins, cut them in half, squeezed out seeds and strained them from the juice and added juice back to tomatoes. If it takes you more than a few days to try this recipe, you will regret it once you try it. :-)

Makes 2 Quarts

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably very fruity
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 plump garlic cloves, smashed and minced
1 large yellow onion, minced
1 large carrot, scraped and shredded
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes, crushed, with their juice
2 teaspoons dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed dried red chilies
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper [cayenne]
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In a large, heavy non-reactive saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add garlic, onions and carrots, and saute, stirring often, until carrots are soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, chilies and cayenne. Bring sauce to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt, pepper and baking soda. Blend thoroughly and serve [over your favorite pasta or mix pasta into sauce when finished]. Sauce freezes well so you may want to split it up if batch makes to much for one meal.

The Meat Sauce I make at work is as follows...

-More onion and garlic than you would think to use
-Lots of herbs...Basil,Oregano,Parsley,Thyme
-S&P
-A little Worcestershire,Cumin,Coriander
-2 hours of simmer time to let it thicken up
-Season early... during...and close to finish
-Taste often
-Sugar near the end

The Marinara is...

-Lots of fresh Basil
-Much more Garlic
-S&P
-Sugar near the end
-Simmered an hour tops, to keep the toms chunky

-Jimmy