Pasta

Manicotti


Ingredients:
•    4 teaspoons olive oil
•    1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
•    1 pound ground beef (or Italian sausage)
•    salt and freshly ground black pepper
•    14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
•    1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
•    3 cups shredded mozzarella
•    1 cup grated Parmesan
•    2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
•    2 garlic cloves, minced
•    ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
•    3 cups marinara sauce
•    2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces


Directions:
Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool.
Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes and serve.

Spaghetti Bake

Great for large gatherings.  Or freeze and save.

Ingredients

  • 1 package spaghetti
  • 1 pounds ground beef
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/2 can tomato sauce
  • 1 package (8 ounces) sliced pepperoni
  • 1 can (8 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
  • 1 can (3.8 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a
Dutch oven, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat
until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce,
pepperoni, mushrooms, olives and seasonings. Drain spaghetti.

Spoon 1 cup meat mixture into each of two greased 13-in. x 9-in.
baking dishes. Layer with spaghetti and remaining meat mixture.
Sprinkle with cheeses.

Bake the casserole, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated
through.


Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove
from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at
350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until
cheese is melted. Yield: 2 casseroles (8 servings each).

 

Taste of Home

My Fettucine Alfredo Recipe

½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
2 cups heavy cream
4 oz cream cheese
1 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano, finely grated
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Chopped parsley for garnish

The sauce takes about 10-15 minutes to make.  Start cooking your fettuccine pasta to be done as the sauce is done.


Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add the garlic and shallots and saute until tender.  Add the cream cheese and allow to melt.  Add the heavy cream, grated cheese, salt and pepper.  Bring to a low simmer and cook until thickened (about 8 minutes).


Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the skillet and toss to combine.


Top with the chopped parsley.

Spinach Pasta

I make the dough using my Zo.
 
1.8 oz. spinach, minced
2 Tbsp.  water
2 large eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp.  olive oil
1 cup  semolina flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
 
Add ingredients to the baking pan in the order listed. Place baking pan into the Zo, close the lid and plug it in.
 
Select HOME MADE course. Press CYCLE button turning OFF the following: Preheat, Rise 1, Rise 2, Rise 3, Shape, Bake, Keep Warm. Select KNEAD cycle. Press and hold TIME until the display shows 0:20. Then press CYCLE twice to record. (homemade cycle 1)
 
When Zo says finished, press CANCEL and remove dough from baking pan. Roll dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least an hour in the refrigerator.
 
Preparation:
 
Marcato
silicone dough mat
silicone cutting mats
dough scraper
flour for sifting
pasta drying rack
 
 
I attach the Marcato to the edge of the kitchen island, with a silicone rolling mat right next to it.  I also have two smaller silicone sheets I use to cut the dough on.  I bring out my Pampered Chef flour can and a dough scraper.  I set up the pasta drying rack close by.
 
 
Divide the dough into separate pieces, a bit bigger than a golf ball, but not as big as a baseball.  Take one, cover the others to keep them from drying out.
 
With the Marcato set on "0" flatten one piece a bit with your hand and run it through.  Fold over, do it again.  Repeat about five times.
 
Set the machine on "1" and roll it through, continuing once on each progressive setting until the dough is as thin as you need it to be.  I haven't had to go past "5" yet.
 
Lightly flour the dough if it starts to get rough.  Using additions to your dough, such as spinach, it's easy for the dough to be a bit too wet.
 
Set sheet aside and do the same thing with the next piece.
 
I usually do two to three sheets before changing the handle to the pasta cutter.  It is easier with two people, but one can handle it.
 
Take your first sheet of pasta and start rolling it through the cutter.  I like the fettucini cut, just because I LOVE fresh pasta!
 
As the cut pasta becomes more than hanging chad, I bring out the wand from the pasta dryer and start hanging it from that.  After the sheet is finished, I drape the pasta on one of the drying racks and reach for the next sheet.
 
 
Once you have enough pasta, you can freeze the rest of the dough.  I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag, pushing out the excess air.
 
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add your fresh pasta, stirring gently so they do not stick.  Cook about 3-6 minutes, then drain.  
 

Toss with your sauce and you just made fresh pasta!