pasta recipes

[surgtech1956]

I love pasta, all kinds and I'm always looking for new recipes. Please share your favorite pasta recipes.

[snapdragen]

I get the Butoni Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, cook according to package directions. I add it to some asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces, and sliced mushrooms, that I've microwaved with either chicken or vegetable broth. I really like Trader Joe's veggie broth.

[withm]

I get the Butoni Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, cook according to package directions. I add it to some asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces, and sliced mushrooms, that I've microwaved with either chicken or vegetable broth. I really like Trader Joe's veggie broth.

Funny, I just discovered the mushroom agnolotti - it's delicious! And hard to find. I've done a similar recipe but I saute the mushrooms in a skillet until all the liquid is cooked off and the mushrooms start to brown. Heavenly.

[surgtech1956]

Is this mushroom agnolotti in with the refrigerated pastas??? Sounds yummy, I've never heard of it but love mushrooms.

[indysteel]

I love just about any kind of pesto. Classic basil, tomato/almond, argula/walnut. If you have a food processor, they're super easy. This time of year, I love mixing a combination of lightly sauteed fresh veggies with pasta, a little olive oil and fresh parm.

I make something--mostly during the colder months--called "bean bolognese." I can't remember where I found the original recipe, but I've doctored it anyway. I can PM you the specifics, but the basic premise is that you saute onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Add white wine (that's then cooked off), plain tomato sauce, and a combination of pinto, kidney and garbonzo beans and serve over your favorite pasta. Obviously, it's a little heavy, but it's tasty. Of course, a real bolognese is pretty darn tasty, too.

[Trek420]

We've been trying some pastaless versions of pasta.

I love pasta in all it's ramifications and will always cook with it. A recent meal at a brew pub we shared a dish of paper thin sliced lightly sauteed vegies over greens. It was so good I decided to just run with it.

No recipe here, more of a theory Pick some colorful vegies that can be sliced very thin: squash, colorful peppers, red onions, eggplant (salt and drain them first or use the Japanese eggplant), 'shrooms ... etc.

Saute the vegies maybe use a low fat option like stock, wine, throw some garlic and or shallots in there.

One night I used very thinly sliced free range grass fed happy beef, another night added shrimp (I don't know how happy the shrimp were). You can use a meat product like bacon or sausage or ... or not. Or use really nice portobello mushrooms ... have fun.

Anyway so now we have this nice saute of thin sliced vegies, with or without animal products, all in this nice garlicy, pan drippings, whiney oops I meant winey pan drippings stuff.

Pour that over mixed greens such as baby spinach, Thai greens and basil, arugula ... mixed flavorful, spicy greens and voila! Pasta Primavera over greens? Or like a warm spinach salad but much moh bettah.

[shootingstar]

I tend to sautee/lightly stir-fry my pasta dishes..it's the fastest and keeps me moving in the kitchen.

And I make things up/rarely use recipes.

So: Sauteed Anise Bulb and Tomatoes with Pasta (your choice of pasta, whole wheat is nice, egg noddles, any light pasta). Slice up half fresh anise/fennel bulb, 1-2 tomatoes, white onion and red pepper if you want. Sautee with abit of oil, small jot of soy sauce. Then add with freshly drained, cooked pasta.

Done under 15 min.

Oh yea, add the chopped up feathery fronds just 5 min. and mix in before serving. It's an elegant dish...with a touch of anise flavour. Sweetness comes naturally from tomatoes.

[surgtech1956]

I've never had 'pesto'. Its easy to make? Thanks for the great ideas

[Trek420]

I've never had 'pesto'. Its easy to make?

Yes!

If you haven't had it before try some of the commercial stuff that's widely available so you you have an idea of taste and texture before you make it. Homemade is best!

If you have a blender or cuisinart fill to the tip top with fresh basil leaves. Just the leaves, not stems, flowers and all. Add lots of whole peeled garlic cloves. No, more than that. Pesto means "it smells". Add more garlic

Press start with the top of the blender on but leave an opening.

Drizzle in a great olive oil while it's going till you have a very thick paste.

Add pine nuts, freshly grated parmesan cheese, whir the blender again. Done.

I use a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice to keep it green. Voila! pesto.

I feel you should never heat pesto sauce, it gets brown and or separates, gets oily. Your pesto should be at room temp and toss into the fresh hot pasta.

Master this and there are so many variations; spinach pesto, arugula, cilantro pesto ...

[OakLeaf]

Pesto freezes really well. I've still got three meals' worth left in the freezer from last year's basil crop.

I like to put parsley in mine, too. As Trek said, unlimited variations. The Italian pignoli have been hard to get for the last year or two and I don't much like buying the Chinese kind - probably going to try walnut pesto next time.

[Trek420]

Pesto freezes really well. I've still got three meals' worth left in the freezer from last year's basil crop.

I like to put parsley in mine, too. As Trek said, unlimited variations. The Italian pignoli have been hard to get for the last year or two and I don't much like buying the Chinese kind - probably going to try walnut pesto next time.

Oooh, forgot that! Parsley's great in pesto, both the traditional or Italian. Basil's in season right now so let's get cracking on the pesto. Walnuts work well in pesto. Local or at least US grown pine nuts are available:

http://www.pinenut.com/index.shtml

[snapdragen]

Is this mushroom agnolotti in with the refrigerated pastas??? Sounds yummy, I've never heard of it but love mushrooms.

Yes, it should be!

Funny, I just discovered the mushroom agnolotti - it's delicious! And hard to find. I've done a similar recipe but I saute the mushrooms in a skillet until all the liquid is cooked off and the mushrooms start to brown. Heavenly.

For a while I had a hard time finding it too, now our LGS seems to keep it in stock. I think I'll try sautéing the mushrooms tonight...guess what we're having?