pasta with yogurt, peas, basil and chile

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
2/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lb. frozen peas, thawed
1 lb. pasta shells
scant 1/2 cup pine nuts
1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 2/3 cups basil leaves
8 oz. feta cheese
salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Put the yogurt, 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, and 2/3 cup of the peas in a food processor. Pulse to a make a uniform pale green sauce and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/3 cup oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and red pepper flakes and fry for 4 minutes, until the nuts are golden and the oil is deep red.
4. Drain the cooked pasta, shaking well to get rid of the water and add the pasta gradually to the yogurt sauce (adding it all at once will cause the yogurt to split). Add the remaining peas, basil, feta, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Toss gently and transfer to individual bowls. Spoon over the pine nuts and their oil.

*Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's Jerusalem a Cookbook

traditonal pork and spinach ravioli

Ingredients
*Makes just short of 16 dozen raviolis

10 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and thoroughly drained
2-4 shallots, thinly sliced
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 cup parmesan
4-6 oz. marscapone cheese

Instructions

Make the filling:
1. Heat oil in large saute pan. Add garlic for about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon remove garlic before browning.
2. Add shallots to pan with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a couple grinds fresh pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon remove shallots from pan. Once cool, mince garlic and shallots on a cutting board.
3. Add pork to pan with more salt (about 1/2 tsp.) and more pepper. After browned, drain meat in colander to remove excess fat.
4. Turn off heat. Return meat to pan. Add all other ingredients to pan. Mix thoroughly to combine and melt cheese. Let the mixture cool before proceeding.
5. When cooled, make tiny balls (maybe 1/2 tbsp. big) with the filling so that you can easily plop them in the ravioli mold when needed. 

Assembly
*I use my KitchenAid Stand Mixer fitted with these Pasta Attachments to make the ravioli pasta sheets. It's much easier than rolling them out by hand.

Prepare the pasta sheets:
Using a dough scraper cut the dough ball into fourths (keep any unused pieces wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out). Taking one fourth at a time, roll out the dough into a long, thin rectangular pasta sheet (until setting #5 if using the KitchenAid pasta roller attachment). You will continue to make pasta sheets in this fashion, only as needed though. Do not roll out all of the sheets ahead of time, otherwise you will dry out your dough which will make sealing the raviolis challenging.

Make the ravioli:
Lay the prepared pasta sheet over a ravioli tray. Take the prepared filling balls and gently flatten them out with your index finger and thumb, creating small flat discs. Place them in the middle of each ravioli mold. Lay another pasta sheet over the filling. Using a rolling pin, seal the two pasta sheets together. Suggested method of rolling: first roll one short end, then the other short end, then one long end, leaving one long end open so that any air can escape. Roll over the top lightly to press out any air, then crimp the last long end. If you crimp the interior too much (i.e. roll too hard), they won't drop out of the tray in one piece. After you've sealed the sheets together, turn the tray upside down and gently help the raviolis out onto a parchment-lined tray or cutting board. Finally use a pastry crimper to ensure all sides around the ravioli are sealed. On a slight angle gently run the pastry crimper along all sides of the raviolis. At this point, I recommend popping them in the freezer for 10 or so minutes. After some time in the freezer, the individual raviolis will easily break apart. If you aren't cooking them immediately, place the raviolis in a freezer bag and store in the freezer. *Incorporate any dough scraps into your next pasta sheet.

Cooking the ravioli:
1. Gently boil the fresh raviolis for 4 minutes.
Tip: lower the raviolis into the boiling water using an Asian strainer rather than throwing/dumping them in the pot. This helps prevent water from splashing and the fragile raviolis from breaking open.
2. When the raviolis have finished cooking, using the strainer again, remove them and place in a colander to remove any excess water.
3. Serve with a basic marinara sauce and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

* Serving Suggestions:
Dinner: 1.5 dozen per person
Lunch or Holidays: 1 dozen per person

homemade pasta dough

Ingredients

4 eggs (approximately 200 grams)
375 grams flour (approximately 3 cups flour)
1 tablespoon olive oil
(will make approximately 2 lbs. of fresh linguini or 8 dozen raviolis)

Instructions

1. Measure or weigh out all ingredients and place in a food processor fit with metal blade, flour first. Process for approximately 15 seconds, just until ingredients are well incorporated and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough may look a little crumbly and will feel slightly tacky at this point .
2. On a lightly floured surface, gently knead the dough until it comes together (about 15 times).  Form into log about 5 inches long. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let rest on kitchen counter for at least 1 hour.

italian wedding soup

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

3/4 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots (about 3 carrots), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3/4 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
10 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup small pasta, like tubetini, stars, or orzo
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round.)
3. Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
4. In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil.
6. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
7. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.

*Adapted from Ina Garten

pasta alla norma

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
salt and pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes, San Marzano are the best!
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
12 oz. whole wheat penne
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, grated

Instructions

1. Line a large microwave-safe plate with a double layer of paper towels and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Toss the eggplant with 1/2 tsp. of salt and spread evenly over the plate. Microwave the eggplant on high until dry to the touch and slightly shriveled, about 10 minutes, tossing halfway through the cooking time. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Gently toss the cooled eggplant with 1/2 tsp. olive oil in a bowl. Heat 1/2 tsp. more olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
3. Add the remaining tbsp. oil, garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes.
4. Stir in the eggplant and simmer until it is heated through, 3-5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and season with pepper to taste.
5. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
6. Add pasta to the eggplant-tomato mixture and toss to combine. Before serving, add the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

*from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Cookbook

baked ratatouille

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
2 zucchinis
2 red or green bell peppers
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
1 yellow onion
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cups fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. As you prepare each of the following vegetables, add it to the prepared pan. Cut the unpeeled eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Cut the zucchini crosswise into rounds 1/2-inch thick. Halve the bell peppers through their stem ends and remove the stems, ribs, and seeds. Cut the peppers in to 1-inch thick squares. Depending upon the size of the mushrooms, cut them into halves or quarters. Thinly slice the onion.
3. In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste, vinegar, water, oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and stir until blended and smooth. Add to the roasting pan, then stir and toss to combine and coat the vegetables evenly.
4. Bake until the vegetables begin to soften, about 30 minutes, stirring once at the halfway point. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F. Cover the roasting pan and bake until the vegetables are soft and tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes longer, stirring every 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven, uncover and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold.

*From Healthy Cooking cookbook

penne with zucchini pesto

Ingredients

8 oz. whole wheat penne

olive oil
1 large or 2 medium sized zucchinis
1/4 tsp. salt

1 small vidalia onion, chopped finely

1/2 cup pesto
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Cook pasta following the directions on side of box, omitting any salt and fats.
2. Saute the zucchini in a bit of olive oil. Remove from pan when soft.
3. Saute the onions until golden brown.
4. Using a food processor, puree half of the cooked zucchini with 1/4 tsp. of salt. Then add your pesto to your pureed zucchini and process again until well incorporated.
5. Mix together pasta, zucchini pesto, and onions.
6. Top with freshly grated cheese.

*Adapted from Cooking Light

ravioli toss

Ingredients

4-5 Plum tomatoes, chopped

1 (12-oz) jar roasted red peppers drained, rinsed, and chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 lb. store-bought fresh or frozen cheese ravioli

5 cups arugula leaves, coarsely chopped (about 5 ounces)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, roasted peppers, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Let the vegetable mixture sit at room temperature while you are cooking the ravioli.
2. Cook the ravioli according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the vegetables along with the arugula. Toss and serve immediately.

*From Ellie Krieger

pasta with asparagus, pancetta, and pine nuts

Ingredients

cavatappi pasta

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp. minced garlic

3 tbsp. pine nuts
2 oz. pancetta, diced

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 cup crumbled Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook pasta; add asparagus to pan during last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to pan. Sprinkle pasta with garlic, toss well.

3. Bake pine nuts for 3 minutes or until golden brown at 400 degrees on half sheet. Place in small bowl.

4. Increase oven temperature to 450.

5. Bake pancetta on half sheet for 6 minutes or until crisp.

6. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta; mix well. Sprinkle pine nuts, pancetta, and cheese.

*From Cooking Light

pesto pasta with mushrooms and peas

Ingredients

1/2 lb. of pasta
olive oil
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1 (8 oz) container of mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup pesto
Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Cook pasta; drain and set aside.
2. Toast walnuts in a dry skillet. Finely chop once cooled.
2. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil, swirl to coat pan. Saute mushrooms until softened. Reduce heat to low. Add pesto, peas, and walnuts; stir well. Once peas are heated through (only takes a couple of minutes), mix in pasta. Top with cheese.

squash macaroni and four cheeses

Ingredients

cooking spray

1 box of pasta

2 (10 oz) packages of frozen pureed winter squash

1.5 cups low fat milk

1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 tbsp. breadcrumbs

4 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 13- inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook the pasta. Drain and transfer to the baking dish.

3. Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk in a large saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until it is defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheddar, Jack cheese, ricotta, salt, mustard, and cayenne. Pour the mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine.

4. Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake until the cheeses are bubbling around the edges, about 20 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.

*Adapted from Ellie Krieger

baked chicken with broccoli

Ingredients

2 (10 3/4 oz) cans of Campbell's Cream of Broccoli
10 3/4 ounces low-fat milk (just fill the empty cream of broccoli can to measure)
2 chicken breasts
Egg noodles, extra wide
3 lbs. fresh broccoli, cut into florets
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the cream of broccoli and milk. Pour mixture into a deep baking dish that has a cover. Lay chicken breasts in milk mixture. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, make pasta and steam broccoli.
3. To serve, make a bed of pasta and then place chicken and steamed broccoli on top. Pour cream of broccoli sauce over the chicken, broccoli, and noodles. Finally sprinkle with cheese.


*Recipe from Mom

ziti with spinach, cherry tomatoes, and gorgonzola sauce

Ingredients

4 oz. uncooked ziti
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
5-10 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup  half-and-half
6 tbsp. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 bag of fresh spinach

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting fat and salt; drain.
2. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cherry tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper, and minced garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in half-and-half and Gorgonzola cheese; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in spinach and pasta; cook 1 minute or until spinach just wilts, tossing occasionally.

*Adapted from Cooking Light

vegetable lasagna

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup (8 oz) part-skim ricotta cheese
cooking spray
1 (8 oz) package of precooked lasagna noodles
1 medium zucchini (1/4 inch slices)
1 medium summer squash (1/4 inch slices)
2 1/2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp. salt; let stand for 15 minutes.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to pan; saute for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Combine basil, ricotta, and remaining 1/2 tsp. black pepper in a small bowl.
5. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9- inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over tomato mixture. Top with half of eggplant, zucchini and summer squash. Then spread half of ricotta mixture on veggies (do a plop then press method). Then start again with another layer of noodles. Then 1/2 of the remaining sauce. Then the rest of the veggies. Then the rest of ricotta mixture. Then finish with a final layer of noodles and sauce. Top it all with shredded mozzarella.
6. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until browned.
7. Cool for 5 minutes then enjoy!

*Adapted from Ellie Krieger

pasta with sausage, broccoli, and roasted red peppers

Ingredients

1 1b. pasta
1.5 lbs. of broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces and stalks peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 oz. sausage (hot or sweet Italian)
1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
6-10 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup water
1 cup freshly grated cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions

1. Cook pasta.
2. Remove sausages from casing and brown in skillet on medium heat; break into small pieces with spoon (I like to use a potato masher for this).
3. Stir in roasted red peppers and garlic; cook 15 seconds.
4. Add broccoli, 1/2 tsp. salt, and water. Increase heat to high and cover skillet; cook until broccoli turns bright green, about 2 minutes
5. Uncover and continue to cook until liquid has evaporated and the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes longer.
6. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to pot.
7. Stir in sausage and broccoli mixture, cheese, pasta water, and oil. Toss to coat evenly

*adapted from America's Test Kitchen

pasta with prosciutto and spinach

Ingredients

1 package fresh cheese tortellini
1 tbsp. pine nuts
1 tbsp. olive oil
10 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 (6 oz) package of spinach
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 lb. Boar's Head prosciutto, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Toast nuts in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat; stirring occasionally. When toasted place nuts aside in large bowl.
2. Cook pasta. Drain and transfer to bowl.
3. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes. Add spinach to pan; cook until just wilted. Add spinach mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients to bowl; toss well.

*Adapted from Cooking Light