Thursday, April 29, 2010

Two Pasta Recipes

I was going grocery shopping and wanted to make sure I had all the ingredients for this pasta recipe I wanted to make, but instead of getting the recipe down from the messy folder on the top shelf in the kitchen to read the ingredients, I just searched the Internet. This usually works - you might not find the exact recipe you want, but you'll find something similar enough that you can determine the key ingredients.

Only I couldn't find anything like this recipe. So I started worrying that my pasta happiness relied on the 4-year-old printout I made from the Post-Gazette website. And it's the kind of ink that runs when it gets wet.

So here is the Pasta with Ricotta and Broccoli Rabe recipe, so I won't lose it.

Ingredients:

  • coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1.5 pounds (1-2 bunches) rapini (broccoli rabe), coarsely chopped
  • 1 pound gemelli or other short pasta (whole wheat pasta is good too)
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 4 anchovy fillets (optional)
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/2 t red pepper flakes
  • 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese (1 2/3 cups)
  • 1 cup milk
Boil rapini in a large pot of boiling salted water for 1 minute. Transfer to a colander using a slotted spoon. In the same pot of water, cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta and return to pot.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add anchovy fillets, garlic, and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant (30-60 seconds). Add rapini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender - 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in ricotta and milk; cook just until heated through (3-4 minutes).

Add contents of skillet to pasta. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Six servings with 472 calories, 12.5g fat, 23.7g protein, 67.5g carbohydrate, 2.4g fiber

And just because I like it and it's also pasta, here's another recipe. It's not so easy to forget.

Linguini with Zucchini and Chick Peas

Ingredients:
  • 12 oz (3/4 box) linguini
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 3 small zucchini, cut into thin half-moons
  • kosher salt
  • 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1/4 t crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (2oz)

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain, and return the pasta to the pot.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, tossing often, until just tender (4-5 minutes). Add the chickpeas, garlic, and red pepper and cook until heated through, 2-3 minutes.

Toss the pasta with the reserved pasta water and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the zucchini mixture and the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan

serves 4
from Real Simple August 2009 issue