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Pesto Tortellini Salad
One dish I make year round that is always a crowd pleaser, is my Pesto Tortellini Salad. While the vibrant red, green, and white ingredient colors lend themselves to a holiday inspired side dish, this is really a perfect accompaniment any time of year and it is SUPER easy to throw together in a pinch. Best part? Guests go nuts over this and while it seems like a mature side dish, it is so simple to make that you’ll feel guilty accepting the compliments!
Chances are, you already have these handful of main ingredients in the house, but if you don’t they are so easy to grab from any grocery store. In the event you don’t have Tortellini, you can easily substitute this with many different types of pasta, which will work beautifully as well.
This is also the perfect way to repurpose leftovers if you made a pesto pasta dinner the night before as noted in my earlier post linked here: Orecchiette with Arugula Pesto.
The few simple ingredients in this dish are Pasta (your choice), Pesto (store bought or homemade), Fresh Baby Mozzarella, Grape Tomatoes, and Baby Spinach. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss together until well combined.
Including cooking time, this dish can be made in under 10 minutes- and who doesn’t love that?! One of the best parts of this salad is that it can be made ahead, which, when entertaining and having other dishes needing to be ready at a specific time, is very helpful.
Pesto Tortellini Salad2018-11-18 20:26:33PrintIngredients- 1 LB Tortellini (or pasta of your preference)
- 1.5-2 Cups Basil Pesto (store bought or homemade)
- 1 12oz Container of Fresh Ciliegiene (baby) Mozzarella (drained and halved)
- 5oz Baby Spinach Leaves (rough chopped)
- 5oz Grape Tomatoes (halved)
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Instructions- Cook pasta to package instructions and drain. Let cool.
- Transfer pasta into a mixing bowl and add tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, baby spinach, and pesto.
- Gently combine ingredients together until well coated in the pesto and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer onto a serving platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Paccheri Alla Bolognese
Recently, Rob and I attended a family “1st Birthday” celebration, which was held for the first born son of an Italian family, so naturally, they went ALL OUT– especially on the food. One of the stations included pasta imported from Italy and when the food far outnumbered the guests (as usual), we were left to take home leftover bags of uncooked artisanal pastas. For a couple of months, the pasta sat untouched on the shelf of our pantry, haunting me as I tried to determine the type of sauce that would compliment the uniquely shaped noodles. Lo and behold, Paccheri Alla Bolognese was born. The large, flat, tubular shaped pasta pairs beautifully with the rich, meaty ragu, and while admittedly, I tend to stay away from heavy pasta dishes, this one was definitely worth indulging!
Bolognese is such a simple sauce that is much less intimidating to make than you might think at first glance. With just a few simple ingredients and techniques, you’ll be on your way to a delicious dinner in no time!
Paccheri Alla Bolognese2018-08-22 20:01:15PrintIngredients- 1 LB Pasta (your choice)
- 1 Can Imported Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes
- 3 TBSP Tomato Paste
- 4 Cloves Fresh Garlic- Minced
- 2 TBSP Butter
- 2 Slices of Prosciutto Di Parma (cut into small pieces)
- 1 Small Package of "Meatloaf Mix" (Ground Pork, Veal, and Beef)
- 1 Yellow Onion- Small Diced
- 1 Stalk Celery- Small Diced
- 1 Whole Carrot (peeled) or 8 Baby Carrots- Small Diced
- 1 Cup- Dry Red Wine
- 1 Cup- Chicken Stock
- 1 TBSP- Fresh Chopped Parsley
- 3 TBSP- Heavy Cream
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
- 1/4 Cup- Fresh Ricotta (for topping)
- 2 TBSP- Fresh Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (for topping)
BOLOGNESE SAUCE- In a large dutch oven pan over medium heat, melt down butter and add in prosciutto, stirring for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in garlic/diced vegetables and combine well, cooking for 7-8 minutes until sweated down. Add in ground meat mixture and break up into tiny pieces with a wooden spoon. Brown meat stirring often for another 10 minutes.
- Add red wine, and increase burner to high heat, cooking out the alcohol for another 4-5 minutes until well reduced.
- Reduce heat to low, and add tomato sauce/paste, stirring together until well blended.
- Add chicken stock and let simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally.
- Add fresh parsley, heavy cream, salt, & pepper, and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Serve hot over "al dente" pasta and top with dollop of fresh Ricotta and grated cheese.
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Linguini with White Clam Sauce
Linguini with White Clam Sauce is arguably my favorite dish of all time. Even from the time I was a young child and didn’t eat seafood, I always looked forward to when my mother would make this for dinner.
While the recipe has changed over the years, this has remained a favorite and is always a go-to meal the entire family enjoys. Something about this dish reminds me of loved ones gathering around a dinner table, telling stories and laughing together, which adds nostalgia to the already delicious meal.
Between the fresh garlic, white wine, butter, and light essence of a shellfish broth, you really can’t go wrong.
Linguini with clams is a simple dish to prepare- even for a beginner, but goes a long way from a presentation standpoint. Your friends and family will believe you put in much more effort than you actually did- and those kind of meals are always the best kind!
Linguini with White Clam Sauce2018-06-21 19:32:24PrintIngredients- 1 LB Linguini
- 12-15 Fresh Littleneck Clams
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 6 Cloves Fresh Garlic (smashed & sliced)
- 2/3 Cup White Wine (Chardonnay)
- 4 TBSP Salted Butter
- 1 10oz Can of Bumblebee Whole Fancy Baby Clams
- 1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock/Broth (College Inn)
- 1 TBSP Fresh Chopped Parsley
- Salt, Black Pepper, & Hot Pepper Flakes (to taste)
Instructions- Heat a large pot of water until boiling in advance (the sauce itself cooks relatively quickly so the water should be hot and ready beforehand).
- Scrub clam shells and transfer into a bowl of cold water *(see notes). Drain water and replace with fresh water every so often to remove any sand from the bottom of the bowl.
- In a medium saute pan, heat and add extra virgin olive oil. Once oil is hot, add fresh garlic to the pan, stirring often for approximately 2-3 minutes or until a light golden brown. Add 3-4 shakes of hot pepper flakes to the garlic oil and stir for another 45 seconds or so to incorporate.
- Add white wine and deglaze the pan, cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until reduced down.
- Add 2 Tablespoons of butter. Once melted and well- combined, pour the juice (only) from the canned baby clams into the pan along with the chicken stock/broth and bring to a simmer.
- Add linguini to the pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally until just under "al dente" (the noodles will finish cooking in the sauce later).
- Add the additional 2 tablespoons of butter to the saute pan and cook for 2-3 more minutes to infuse flavors together.
- Drain the fresh clams and add to pan, covering with a lid to steam. After 2-3 minutes, add fresh parsley, salt, pepper, & canned baby clams, stirring to well-combine. Cover with lid again until the clams pop open. Simmer for another minute or two to complete the cooking process and allow flavorful broth to penetrate the clams.
- Remove clams and set aside for topping. Add pasta to broth mixture and stir for another minute until the pasta is "al dente."
- Transfer the pasta and any remaining juices onto a serving platter and top with clams and fresh parsley. Serve hot.
Notes- *Adding black pepper to the bowl of fresh clams is known to help them spit out more sand than standard tap water
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Campanelle with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
Its Sunday…so that means pasta, right?
One of the staples in our house is Sausage with Broccoli Rabe. This is one of the most traditional Italian meals with several variations.
I make this many ways, whether it be switching up the type of pasta, using spicy sausage instead of sweet, or even using Turkey Sausage for a leaner dish. Other times, I will substitute the pasta for Cannellini Beans.
Overall, this preparation is one of the easiest and most delicious so it’s the one I’ve chosen to share with all of you!
It can be adapted into several other forms, but once you have the basic technique down, it is always a crowd- pleaser. What you’ll need: There seems to be hundreds of options in the grocery store as far as which brand, type of meat, or seasoning, but I tend to stick to a basic “Sweet (or Spicy) Italian Pork Sausage,” which has a nice bite to it, and great flavor. It also produces a decent amount of fat renderings, which is vital in getting a depth of flavor into the finished dish.
You will also need a fresh bunch of Broccoli Rabe, Chicken Stock, Fresh Garlic, and some type of short-cut pasta (I typically use either Campanelle, Mezze Rigatoni, or Orecchiette).
Once you have your basic ingredients in hand and ready to go, it’ll only be approximately 15-20 minutes before you have a dish your guests are sure to love.
Check out the recipe below:
Campanelle with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe2018-04-08 17:33:31PrintIngredients- Sweet (or Spicy) Italian Pork Sausage (one small pack, 6 links)
- Broccoli Rabe- 1 Bunch
- 1/2 LB Campanelle Pasta (or pasta of your choice)
- 1/2 Cup Starchy Cooking Water
- 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
- 4 Cloves Fresh Garlic
- 1 TBSP Butter
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Hot Pepper Flakes (optional)
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Instructions- Boil a small/medium pot of water. Rinse, and trim broccoli rabe (about 3-4 inches of thick stalk) and remove any outer leaves. Cut into approx. 1 inch segments, and blanch in boiling water for approximately 2 minutes. Remove and shock under cold water to discontinue the cooking process- set aside. Smash and chop fresh garlic. Set aside.
- Boil a second medium pot with salted water. Add pasta and cook until just under "al dente." Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy water.
- Remove casings from sausage and place into a (hot) frying pan- using a wooden spoon to break up into small, bite-sized pieces. Stir occasionally until sausage is cooked through, caramelized, and crispy on the outside. Once cooked through, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer onto a paper towel lined plate/bowl.
- In the same pan (with the fat renderings from the sausage), add fresh olive oil and garlic. Stir for approximately one minute and add a few shakes of red pepper flakes. When garlic has begun to brown, add butter. After the butter melts down- add in the starchy water and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer. Add back in the broccoli rabe, sausage, and pasta.
- Season with salt & pepper and continue cooking until the pasta and the broccoli rabe is "al dente," approximately 2 minutes.
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Old World Pasta Fagioli
Its “Good Friday,” which means its the last day of Lent and abstaining from meat on Fridays for many. If you’re getting tired of ordering Pizza, this Pasta Fagioli recipe is so easy and flavorful, only requiring a handful of ingredients that you might just have on-hand.
This serves as the perfect light-but-satisfying lunch or dinner for any bitter cold or rainy day. With “comfort” food season coming to a close, we have to enjoy these dishes while we still have the chance!
This Pasta Fagioli is a go-to recipe to keep on file for nights when you are running low on groceries but still long for a home cooked, thoughtful meal.
While this soup will seldomly go to waste, if you find yourself with any leftovers, or are crunched for time and prefer to double your recipes for later use, it can be easily frozen and brought back up to temperature for several months after the initial preparation.
Old World Pasta Fagioli2018-03-30 16:56:32PrintIngredients- 2 15oz Cans of Small White Beans
- 1 32oz Box of Chicken Broth (see noted)
- 1/3 Box of Ditalini Pasta
- 1 Shallot
- 4 Cloves of Garlic
- 4 Stalks Celery Hearts
- Rind from Reggiano Parmesan
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Leaves Fresh Basil
- 2 TBSP Tomato Sauce
- Salt & Pepper, & Red Pepper Flakes to Taste
Instructions- In a colander, empty both cans of white beans and rinse through with water. Using hands, mash about 1/2 of the beans and leave the other half whole. Set aside. Cut celery stalks into 3 smaller strips and small dice. Small dice shallots. Peel garlic and leave the cloves whole. In a large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven, heat over a medium flame & add EVOO. Once the oil is hot, add celery, garlic, & shallots and saute, stirring often until sweated down. Add in a (light) shake of red pepper flakes and the white beans- coating well. Add in the whole box of chicken stock and the Parmesan rinds (can also add a cup of water, optional, to stretch the broth further). Add tomato sauce (broth should be a light pink in color). Lower flame and simmer (partially covered) on low for an hour. Add fresh basil and pasta into the stock pot and stir. Turn off flame so pasta will not overcook. Once the pasta is "al dente," the soup is ready to serve. Remove the whole garlic cloves and Parmesan rinds. Top with cracked black pepper & fresh Parmesan cheese.
Notes- **I prefer College Inn Chicken Stock/Broth for each of my recipes when required
- **Do not add seasonings in until the end to keep the beans tender
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