Category Archives: Pasta

Chicken Cacciatore

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Chicken Cacciatore
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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Ingredients
  • 3½ - 4 lb. chicken, cut up
  • ½ c. flour
  • ½ c. olive or cooking oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1 green pepper, finely diced
  • 2 c. diced tomatoes
  • ¼ lb. mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp oregano
Instructions
  1. Dredge pieces of chicken with flour. Heat oil in large skillet.
  2. Brown chicken on all sides in oil. Add remaining ingredients.
  3. Cover; simmer 1 hour or until tender.
  4. Serve with hot cooked spaghetti & grated Parmesan cheese.

Photo Courtesy of Peter Sejersen on Flickr

Basic Tomato Sauce

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Submitted by Ruth
Serves 2

Ingredients

5 truss tomatoes, skinned, diced, & crushed 2 tbsp tomato paste
large handful of oregano large handful marjoram
small handful parsley small handful basil
small package pine nuts ½ c. button mushrooms, diced
1 medium onion, quartered salt
pepper 1 c. vegetable stock or broth

Directions

  1. Slit the skins on the tomatoes & put them in boiling water for a minute to get the skins off.  Once skinned, put them in the blender to crush them.  Add tomato paste to thicken it.  Set aside.
  2. In a food processor, pulse the onion, herbs, & pine nuts until neatly smooth.
  3. In a nonstick pan, cook the mushrooms & onion/herb mixture with a bit of vegetable stock until translucent, then add the tomatoes.  Cook for about 1 hour on a very low simmer until reduced by about ¼.

Chef’s Note: When serving I add a chicken breast with all fat removed, thinly sliced & dry grilled, & some heart healthy bacon dry grilled.

Brad’s Simple Spaghetti

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Submitted by Brad Waller
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

6 oz. tomato paste (1 small can) 12 oz. tomato sauce (1 medium can)
15 oz. stewed or stewed & diced tomatoes (1 large can) 1 pkg spaghetti noodles
salt Italian Seasoning
garlic

Carnivore Option

1 lb. ground meat of choice

Vegetarian Option

1 pkg frozen spinach 1 pkg firm tofu

Directions

  1. Empty all cans to a medium saucepan on medium heat. Season to taste. Experiment, add you own ideas.
  2. For the carnivorous option, brown the meat & add to the sauce.
  3. For the vegetarian option, drain the spinach & stir into sauce. Squeeze the tofu to drain & crumble into the sauce.
  4. Taste & adjust spices as tofu will dilute flavors a bit.
  5. Boil noodles to desired finish & serve with sauce.

Tagliatelle with Chestnuts & Pancetta

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Submitted by *Vilification*
Serves 4

Ingredients

3 oz. pancetta (Italian unsmoked cured bacon), chopped 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, fine chopped 4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp fine chopped fresh sage 8 oz. peeled roasted whole chestnuts, coarsely crumbled
8 oz. dried flat egg noodles such as tagliatelle or fettuccine 2 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tbsp unsalted butter 1 tbsp fine chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

  1. Pancetta by Patent and the Pantry on FlickrCook pancetta in oil in a 12″ heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Add onion & cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic & 1 tbsp sage & cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in chestnuts & remove from heat.
  3. Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-qt. pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1½ c. cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander & add to pancetta mixture in skillet.
  4. Add 1 c. reserved cooking water along with cheese & butter & cook, tossing constantly, over high heat until pasta is well coated (add more reserved water if necessary), about 1 minute.
  5. Add salt & black pepper to taste & serve sprinkled with parsley & remaining tbsp sage.

Old World Manicotti

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Submitted by Trish
Serves 6

Ingredients

12 large manicotti shells 4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 c. ricotta cheese 6 tbsp chopped fresh basil or
1 (26 oz.) jar prepared spaghetti sauce, divided 2 tbsp dried basil
½ c. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Directions

  1. Manicotti Before Cooking by I Believe I Can Fry on FlickrPreheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13″ x 9″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cool water. Let pasta dry on paper towels.
  3. For filling, in medium bowl, stir together 3 c. mozzarella with the ricotta & fresh basil. Using a teaspoon, carefully stuff pasta shells with prepared cheese mixture.
  4. Spoon 2 c. spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed pasta over sauce. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
  5. Bake manicotti for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan; bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.