Italian & Pastas
Pasta Carbonara
An Italian favorite and a classic Roman dish whose name translates as "charcoal burners" pasta. Traditionally made with spaghetti, it is equally delicious with fresh egg tagliatelle.
12 oz. - 1 lb fresh tagliatelle
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz ham, bacon or pancetta cut into 1 inch slices
4 eggs, lightly beaten
4 oz (about 10) button mushrooms, sliced thin
5 tbsp light cream
2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper
Fresh basil springs, to garnish
Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water with a little oil added, for 3-4 minutes or until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the ham, bacon or pancetta. Fry for 3-4 minutes, add the mushrooms and fry for a further 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and reserve. Lightly beat the eggs and cream together in a bowl and season well.
Drain the cooked pasta and return to the pan. Add the ham, bacon, or pancetta, the mushrooms and any pan juices and stir into the pasta. Pour in the eggs and cream and half the Parmesan cheese. Stir well and as you do this the eggs will cook in the heat of the pasta. Pile onto warmed serving plates, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with basil. Serves 4
Pasta Primavera
1 pound fresh asparagus
2 cups fresh broccoli flowerets
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 large carrot, scraped and diagonally sliced
1 medium sweet red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium sweet yellow pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried whole basil
8 oz uncooked linguine, broken
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Remove scales with vegetable peeler or knife. Cut asparagus diagonally into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Place asparagus pieces and broccoli flowerets in a vegetable steamer over boiling water; cover and steam 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat; set aside. Saute onion and garlic in oil in a large skillet until tender. Add carrot and chopped peppers to onion mixture; sauté until crisp-tender. Remove from heat.
Combine whipping cream, broth, green onions, basil and slat in a medium skillet. Cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain well; place in a large serving bow. Add reserved vegetables, whipping cream mixture, and sliced mushrooms; toss gently. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pepper; toss gently. Serve immediately. Serves 8
Pizza Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium pepper, chopped
3-4 large mushrooms sliced
28 oz. Jar Spaghetti Sauce, or prepare your sauce from scratch
16-oz package pasta spirals (pre-cook to package directions)
1-1/2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Provolone Cheese, shredded (I use a jong cheese if I don’t have provolone)
8 oz. Package Pepperoni slices
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated.
Preheat oven to 350-F degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the lean ground beef with the chopped onion, pepper and mushrooms. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and the pasta. Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch oven proof baking pan. Sprinkle the Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses over the top of the pasta. Evenly distribute the pepperoni slices over the top of the cheeses. Finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheeses are bubbly. Serves 4 to 5
Serve hot and with my special Cheesey Garlic Bread.
Tagiatelle with Hazelnut Pesto
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup hazel nuts
7/8 cup skim mild soft cheese
8 oz dried tagliatelle or 1 lb fresh
salt & black pepper
Place the garlic, basil, hazel nuts, and cheese in a food processor or blender and process to a thick paste. Cook the tagliatelle in lightly salted boiling water until just tender then drain well. Spoon the sauce into the hot pasta, tossing until melted. Sprinkle with pepper and serve hot.
Cook's tips: Italian ricotta cheese makes a good alternative to skim milk soft cheese into this recipe. Serves 4
Tortellini, Ravioli, Cappelletti
alla Panna with Cream, Ham and Mushrooms
500 gram Tortellini, Ravioli or Cappelletti
100 gram butter
50 gram mushrooms
150 g cooked ham
¼ litre cram
120 gram grated parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Cook Tortellini, Ravioli or Cappelletti according to package directions. Melt butter in oven proof dish or pan, add the slices ham and mushrooms. When slightly fried add the cooked, drained pasta and the cream. After mixing together, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve warm. 4 servings