Tag Archives: Pasta

One Skillet Baked Pasta and Veggies – Zucchini, Eggplant, Peppers, oh my

Beans, Main Dish, Recipes, Veggies November 2, 2016 Comments: 3
baked pasta with eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, cheese & chick peas, yum!

baked pasta with eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, cheese & chick peas, yum!

This is the perfect time of year for me, when I can still find delicious late summer veggies, like eggplant,, zucchini and peppers, at my local farmer’s market, but the weather is beginning to turn chilly enough that I crave warm comfort foods.  This recipe marries the two and even better than that, this is a one pan wonder.  One pan, that’s right you read correctly, even the pasta cooks in the same skillet, no boiling water, draining or extra pots and pans to wash, I present to you my One Skillet Baked Pasta and Veggies.

sauteed eggplant, zucchini, peppers and tomatoes

sauteed eggplant, zucchini, peppers and tomatoes

All in one skillet - eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and pasta

All in one skillet – eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and pasta

Not only does this recipe all come together in just one pan, but it is also super versatile to suit your own tastes, moods, diet or what’s available in your market or kitchen today. I love making this with eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes, but it’s just as delicious with any one or combo of veggies. I also like adding in chickpeas and topping the whole thing with chopped mozzarella and grated Romano cheese, but if you’re not into beans and/or cheese you can easily leave those out.

Cheesy topped baked pasta with eggplant, zucchini, peppers and tomatoes, yum!

Cheesy topped baked pasta with eggplant, zucchini, peppers and tomatoes, yum!

I’ve partnered with the Westchester County Mom’s Blog as a contributor, to view the rest of this post and get my amazing one pan recipe, go to my One Skillet Baked Pasta.  Enjoy!

 

Fettucine Carbonara with Crispy Roasted Shitakes

Entrees, Main Dish, Pasta, Recipes May 20, 2015 1 Comment
Fettucine Carbonara with crisp roasted shitakes and chives
Fettucine carbonara, sounds so rich and decadent and tastes just the same, but it’s much lighter than you would think from the taste of it.  The no cook sauce is super simple and super delicious, with just egg yolks, nutmeg, fresh herbs and cheese, yum! If you want to make it extra special and a little more decadent, you can add in just a little cream, half & half or even mascarpone cheese, but even without the extra creaminess the finished dish is delicious and elegant enough for company.  
egg yolks for carbonara

 

egg yolks with optional cream for carbonara
carbonara sauce
Most carbonara recipes you will find have the addition of pancetta, but since I don’t eat meat, I replace the pancetta with crispy oven roasted shitake mushrooms and chives, which I think is even better!
Shitakes and chives, ready to roast
Shitakes and chives, ready to roast
Fettucine Carbonara with Crispy Roasted Shitakes
Author: Sweet Green Kitchen’s Jen Jones
Ingredients:
1 pound fettucine pasta (make it gluten free with your favorite GF pasta)
3 egg yolks
About ½ cup or a little more grated Romano cheese
Grated nutmeg – just a little
Olive oil
Salt
Chopped parsley and chives plus about 10 whole chives
6-10 shitake mushrooms – cleaned & sliced
Optional: about 2 Tablespoons cream or half & half or mascarpone – if you’re feeling decadent!
 

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Fusilli con Broccoli with Creamy Ricotta Sauce

Entrees, Main Dish, Pasta, Recipes, Veggies June 16, 2014 Leave a comment

Fusilli Con Broccoli with Creamy Ricotta Sauce

When I was young, my Italian Nana would often make a recipe for me that I loved.  Long strands of twisted fusilli pasta with broccoli cooked in the same pot until it was so soft it nearly fell apart when I ate it.  The salted water with the broccoli and pasta would develop a lovely brothy flavor which would be ladled into the bowl with the rest and then topped with some grated Romano cheese.  It was delicious and to this day I still dream of it.  Here I’ve cooked the fusilli and broccoli a bit more al dente, although the broccoli still is quite tender, and I added a creamy light ricotta “sauce”.  Eating this now reminds me of my Nana.  As the say in Italy, Buon Appetito!  Pasta with Ricotta Sauce

 IMG_5123

Fusilli con Broccoli with Creamy Ricotta Sauce

Author: Sweet Green Kitchen’s Jen Jones

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta – fusilli or other shape, orecchiettie is also good

1 cup Ricotta cheese

Handful of chopped Parsley or Basil

Grated Romano cheese

Grated Ricotta Salata cheese

Zest of ½ Lemon

3 cloves Garlic – chopped

Olive oil

Salt

Hot Red Pepper Flakes or Black Pepper

1 bunch of Broccoli florets, cut to bite size pieces

Directions:

Cook pasta until al dente in salted water, making sure to reserve some of the cooking liquid for the sauce.  During the last 2 minutes, add the chopped Broccoli to the pot and stir around.   IMG_5099

 

While the pasta cooks, in a small saucepan add the chopped garlic, a pinch of salt and olive oil to cover.  Warm over low heat, to infuse the oil with garlic flavor and gently cook the garlic.  – this step is optional and can be skipped if you’re not a huge fan of garlic, but I think it adds a great extra layer of flavor to the finished dish.

Also, while the pasta cooks, to a large serving bowl add Ricotta, Parsley or Basil, grated cheeses and Lemon Zest.  Mix together. Ricotta Sauce

Add the cooked Pasta and Broccoli to the Ricotta mixture adding in some reserved pasta liquid a little bit at a time, until the sauce is the consistency you like.  Pour the infused Olive Oil and Garlic over the Pasta and top with a bit of Red Pepper flakes or ground Black Pepper, whichever you prefer.  Finish with a little extra grated Cheese if you like.  Serve warm and Enjoy!

IMG_4682Pasta with Broccoli and Creamy Ricotta Sauce

Recipe Notes:  I love the lemon zest in this sauce but if you’re not a fan, feel free to skip it.  In it’s absence I would add a little nutmeg. 

Click here for printable version

 

Rainbow Chard with Melty Fresh Mozzarella and Fusilli Pasta

Entrees, Main Dish, Pasta, Recipes, Veggies April 7, 2014 Leave a comment

IMG_4218

I found a gorgeous bunch of  rainbow chard at the market the other day, with bright yellow, orange and pinkish red stems and veins of color running through the green leaves, after all the darkness and cold of winter it just felt like a lovely bunch of spring had walked into my day.  The whole drive home I thought and thought about what to make with my beautiful rainbow greens and then I came up with this recipe and I’m so happy I did.  A simple but perfect combination of sautéed greens, a little garlic, a little zest, fresh mozzarella warmed through with a little hit of saltiness from the sun dried tomatoes and grated pecorino.  This comes together in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.  I paired this with short, twisty fusilli cooked to al dente perfection, the greens and cheese twirl around the fusilli to create a deliciously complete bite with every forkful.

Rainbow Chard with Melty Fresh Mozzarella & Fusilli Pasta

Author: Sweet Green Kitchen’s Jen JonesIMG_4260

 

Ingredients:

1 pound Fusilli Pasta

1 large bunch Rainbow Chard or 2 small bunches (at least 12 large leaves)

2-3 large cloves Garlic

5-6 Sundried Tomatoes

4 ounces Fresh Mozzarella

Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

Zest of ½ – 1 whole Lemon

Olive Oil

Red Pepper Flakes – just a pinch or more to taste

Sea Salt

Directions:

Cook Pasta in salted water until al dente. BEFORE draining the cooked pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water to add to the sauce.

Chop Garlic and Sundried Tomatoes. Wash Rainbow Chard and then cut into ribbons. I do this by stacking all the leaves and then folding them over lengthwise, then slicing across (a sharp knife should cut through the stack pretty easily). Cut Mozzarella into small cubes. IMG_4231IMG_4236

IMG_4234While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet (deep enough to hold the veges and pasta), add a good drizzle of Olive Oil and then toss in the chopped Garlic and season with a pinch of salt. Cook until the Garlic is just beginning to get a little color and then add in the chopped Sundried Tomatoes. Stir the Garlic and Tomatoes as they cook another minute or so.

IMG_4235To the Garlic and Sundried Tomatoes, add in about a third of the chopped Rainbow Chard, starting with the chopped stems and some leaves, after a minute or two once the Chard has wilted down a bit, add in another third and stir, adding in the remaining Chard once the last bit has wilted some. Season with a little more salt. Cook the Chard for a few minutes, stirring as you go, until it has wilted but still has it’s vibrant color.IMG_4237

Stir in about 2 – 3 Tablespoons of Grated Romano cheese and then the Lemon Zest and Red Pepper Flakes. At this point you can pour in some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to start creating a bit of a sauce (note, you may not need to use all the reserved liquid, add a little at a time and more as needed).IMG_4249

Next pour in the cooked Pasta and then the chopped Mozzarella, plus another drizzle of Olive Oil, stir to combine and until the Mozzarella begins to melt into the chard and pasta. Add more liquid if necessary and top with a little more grated Romano if you like.IMG_4256

IMG_4253Serve with extra grated cheese at the table. Enjoy!IMG_4259

 

Recipe Notes: If you can’t find Rainbow Chard, substitute with Swiss Chard or Beet Greens. Spinach would also be fine, except you’ll need a lot more as it wilts down quite a bit more than chard does.

Click here for printable version

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