Strozzapreti with Roasted Tomatoes

My husband is SPOILED. He said that this dish was “standard” fare. “We always eat fresh tomatoes and basil, ” he said. What could be better than two (plus) pounds of local farm stand tomatoes smothered in backyard basil, garlic, and loads of cheese? (That’s what I say!) Yummy!

Well… It would have been better is I had made fresh pasta, I suppose. I substituted store-bought (but special) pasta. I did include the directions to make the homemade strozzapreti because it would bring this tasty dish to a new level. It was absolutely delicious with dry pasta too! This recipe was adapted from the New York Times, contributed by Chris Warde-Jones. I tripled the recipe, reduced the oil, and used dry (store-bought) pasta.

BTW- I am so proud of my backyard basil! I told my kids (who ALWAYS want to set up a lemonade stand) that they should have a basil stand! 🙂

Yield: 6 servings

For the Sauce:

• 2 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more to taste
• 15 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups finely grated pecorino cheese
• 3/4 cup, firmly packed, fresh basil or parsley leaves

• 14 to 16 oz strozzapreti (or fresh pasta- recipe below)

For the Fresh Pasta:

• 1 cup grano duro flour or unbleached all-purpose flour, more as needed
• 2 large eggs
• Salt

To Make the Sauce:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, 3 tablespoons oil and 12 minced garlic cloves. Toss well, then spread tomatoes on a baking sheet, cut sides up.
3. Roast until soft and collapsing, about 45 minutes; do not allow to dry or brown.
4. Meanwhile, in a food processor combine remaining minced garlic, cheese, and basil (or parsley). Process until very finely chopped.
5. When tomatoes are soft, immediately spread cheese-herb mixture on top and lightly mash with a spoon so cheese melts. Drizzle with 2 more tablespoons oil (or more to taste), and set aside.

For the Fresh Strozzapreti: (I substituted store-bought pasta.)

1. On a wooden counter or large cutting board, mound 1 cup flour and make a well in center. Break eggs into well.
2. Using your hands, mix eggs in well, gradually pulling in more and more flour to make a pasty dough. Knead dough briefly, using lightly floured hands if dough is very wet; it should be moist but not sticky.
3. Scrape wooden board clean. Using a wooden rolling pin (and a very light dusting of flour if necessary), roll dough out as thinly as possible into an approximate rectangle.
4. Using a knife, score rectangle into strips an inch wide and about three inches long. Pick up one piece of dough and press it around a bamboo meat skewer about the diameter of an umbrella spoke. This is most successful if done quickly and not too carefully, so that dough fits tightly round skewer with an overlapping, visible seam. Slide skewer out of pasta and set pasta aside on a plate. Repeat to use remaining dough. Pieces should be irregular in size and shape.

To Finish the Dish:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. If desired, return baking sheet of tomatoes to a 300-degree oven just to reheat.
2. Add strozzapreti to pot and cook until tender, slightly chewy and no longer raw in center. This is best done by tasting after strozzapreti float to surface; be careful not to under- or overcook. Alternatively, if using store-bought pasta, cook according to package directions.
3. Drain cooked pasta and pour into a large bowl; immediately add tomatoes. Toss quickly and serve hot.

One Year Ago:

• Roasted Tomato & Pancetta Penne

Two Years Ago:

• Fresh Tomato Sauce over Pasta
• One-Pan Pasta

Three Years Ago:

• Cilantro Pesto

Gemelli with Mushrooms & Ricotta

I love the “RSVP” column in Bon Appetit. Readers write in to request recipes for their favorite restaurant dishes; I feel like the recipes are really “tried and true.” This recipe was adapted from CBD Provisions in Dallas, Texas, via Bon Appetit.

The dish features an ultra-flavorful soffritto base which, along with mixed mushrooms and cheese, results in a rich and hearty vegetarian main dish. We enjoyed it Easter weekend, but it would really be nice any time of the year. This is the second vegetarian pasta I’m bringing to Angie’s Fiesta Friday #63 this week. Enjoy!

Yield: Serves 6

For the Soffritto:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

For the Pasta:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms (such as maitake, shiitake, button, and king trumpet), cut or torn into ½” pieces
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound strozzapreti or gemelli
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for serving
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
• ⅔ cup fresh ricotta
• 6 soft-boiled eggs, peeled (optional)

Make the Soffritto:

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, until lightly golden, 5–8 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until vegetables have reduced in volume by two-thirds, 15–20 minutes.
3. Add paprika and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

Do Ahead: Soffritto can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

To Finish the Dish:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until browned and softened, 8–10 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Repeat with 2 tablespoons of oil and remaining mushrooms; reserve skillet.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 8–10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in reserved skillet over medium-low heat.
4. Cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Toss in soffritto, mushrooms, pasta, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chives, and half of Parmigiano Reggiano, thinning with pasta cooking liquid as needed; season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve topped with ricotta, eggs (if using- I opted to make the dish without the soft-boiled eggs), more chives, and remaining grated cheese; drizzle with oil.

One Year Ago:

• Ricotta Gnocchi with Asparagus, Peas, & Mushrooms
• Mushroom Risotto with Spring Herbs

Two Years Ago:

• Gnocchi with Bacon & Tomatoes
• Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

Roasted Cabbage and Bacon Pasta

I love finding new uses for cabbage. I was so excited to read about roasting cabbage with bacon on Cottage Grove House. I had never roasted cabbage before. Genius!– and I had two types of CSA cabbage sitting in my refrigerator waiting for a plan! 🙂 The original recipe was for a side dish but I thought it would be fabulous over pasta as a main dish. This recipe was adapted from cottagegrovehouse.com. It was DELICIOUS!!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 1/2 head green and/or red cabbage, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/2 head savoy or napa cabbage, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 6 slices of thick cut bacon, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• drizzling of avocado or olive oil
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmesan, for serving
• 3/4 to 1 pound fresh pasta noodles, such as Trofie or dry pasta noodles, such as Strozzapreti

 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (convection).
2. Place the cabbage, bacon, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and toss until well coated. Spread evenly onto two large, rimmed baking sheets. 
3. Roast, turning regularly with a spatula, about 30 minutes, or until well roasted and bacon is crispy, yet still meaty.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
5. Combine cooked pasta with cabbage mixture. Top with grated cheese and serve.