Baked shell and cheese pasta

Preparation time : 5 mins + time to boil pasta
Cooking time : 40 mins
Complexity : Medium
Servings : 5

Ingredients :

• Pasta- shell or macaroni - 8 oz
• Broccoli florets - 8 oz
• Onion, chopped finely - 1/6 cup
• Vegetarian broth - 1/3 cup
• All purpose flour - 1/6 cup
• Salt - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Bread crumbs - 1/6 cup
• Butter - 1 tbsp
• Cheddar, sharp (fat free or reduced fat) - 5 oz
• Parmesan cheese, grated - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Fat free or skim milk - 1 1/2 cup

Method :

Cook pasta according to package direction with salt. 

Meanwhile steam broccoli florets and put them aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Put a large and heavy pan on medium heat and melt butter. Add onion and cook for 2 mins, add flour and cook until it turns a little brown. 

Add milk and vegetable broth and stir it to mix well, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to boil. Cook until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. Put salt and pepper.

Once the sauce is thick, take it out from heat and add cheddar cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Add more salt and pepper as per ones taste, add cooked pasta and broccoli and mix well.

Grease two 8" baking sheets with vegetable oil or butter. Pour cooked pasta with sauce into baking dishes. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. 

Bake for 15-20 mins, then broil for another minute or two. Bakes pasta is ready. Serve it hot. Enjoy.

Baked rigatoni in spinach and kale pesto

Prep time - 10 mins + time to cook pasta
Cooking time - 15 mins
Complexity - easy
Servings - for 4

Ingredients :-

• Rigatoni pasta - 227 gms
• Grape tomatoes, cut in halves - 1/2 cup
• Salt - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Olive oil - 4 tbsp

For pesto :

• Baby spinach - 2 cup
• Kale - 1 cup
• Almonds - 1/4 cup
• Parmesan cheese, grated - 1/2 cup
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Olive oil or vegetable oil - 2 tbsp

Method :-

Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Grind all the ingredients of pesto sauce in to smooth paste.
Boil pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta and put tomatoes in it. Mix pesto sauce and put pasta into oven safe pan. Top pasta with parmesan cheese and put in oven for 15 minutes.

Take it out from oven and serve hot. Enjoy.

Penne pasta in smoking red pepper sauce

Prep time - 10 mins + time to roast bell pepper (30 min)
Cooking time - 15 mins
Complexity - easy
Servings - for 2

Ingredients :-

• Penne pasta or any pasta - 200 gm
• Red bell pepper - 2, medium size
• Onion, finally chopped - 1/2 medium size
• Garlic, finally chopped - 1 clove
• Heavy cream - 1/2 cup
• Salt - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Ground black pepper - 1 tsp
• Olive oil or vegetable oil - 2 tbsp

Method :-

Roasting red pepper :

Preheat oven to 500 F. Cut red bell pepper in 4 equal pieces. Remove seeds and membrane. Line up the cut bell pepper skin side up on oven safe dish and bake them for 30 mins or until the skin side gets all wrinkly.

Take bell pepper out from oven and let them cool for 20-25 mins then remove the skin and put roasted bell pepper slices aside.

Pasta recipe :

Prepare pasta with salt according to package instruction. Drain it and put it aside.

Put a medium size pan on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan and put cut onion and garlic to the oil. Fry onion and garlic until they become translucent, for 3-4 mins. Now add roasted bell pepper to the pan. Fry for another 3-4 mins.

Turn off the gas and add this mixture to the blender and make a smooth paste.

Put pan again on medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil to it. Add bell pepper and onion paste to the pan. Put salt and pepper to the paste. Add 1/4 cup of water to the paste and let the mixture heat for 3-4 mins and then add heavy cream to the paste (you can increase the amount of cream mentioned to get more rich taste). Let it heat for another 2-3 mins. Red pepper sauce is ready. Add pasta to the sauce and mix everything together so pasta is well coated with the sauce.

Take pasta out in a plate and sprinkle it with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

Linguine with lemon and mint

Prep time - 30 mins
Complexity - Medium
Serving - for 2 persons

Ingredients :-

• Dried linguine or spaghetti pasta - 1 lb
• Extra virgin olive oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Dry white Italian wine - 1 cup
• Hand torn fresh mint leaves - 1 cup
• Salt - 1 tbsp
• Granulated sugar - 1 tbsp
• Unsalted butter - 1/4 cup
• Grated parmigiana-reggiano, divided - 3/4 cup
• Zest of 4 to 6 fresh lemons (Peel the lemon very thinly, being careful not to include any of the bitter white pith)

Method :-

Boil pasta with salt according to the package instructions. Scoop out about 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a pan over high heat, bring 1 L of water to a boil. Add sugar, return to boil and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add lemon zest and cook for another 4 minutes. Drain the lemon zest and put aside.

In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until reduced by half. Put mint leaves. Add 2 tbsp of reserved pasta water and the butter and increase the heat to high. Heat thorough. Add Pasta and toss to coat evenly. Add half of the parmigiano-reggiano and mix well.

Put pasta in a plate. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and rest of the parmigiana-reggiano.

* This recipe is taken from the book 250 True Italian Pasta Dishes by John Coletta with Nancy Ross Ryan

Cold pasta salad

Prep time - 15 minutes
Complexity - Easy
Serving - for 2 persons

Ingredients :-

• Penne pasta - 1 cup ( you can use any pasta )
• Cucumber - 1/2 cup finely chopped
• Tomato - 1/2 cup finely chopped
• Olives 10-15
• Red onion 1/4 cup finely chopped
• Olive oil - 2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Salad seasoning of your choice - 2 tablespoon

You can add vegetable of your choice to this salad like lettuce, spinach, broccoli and also you can increase or decrease the quantity of vegetables.

Method :-

Boil pasta according to instruction on the pkg. Drain the pasta in cold water and mix it with all the ingredients. Place this salad in the fridge for 2 hrs to chill. Salad will be ready in 2 hrs. Serve it in brunch, lunch or dinner.