Pasta | Simple By Cindy

Spiced Orzo with Spinach

May. 11
2017

This is a lovely Mediterranean style side dish that can accompany any main course. I happened to come across it searching for “orzo” recipes. Orzo is a short cut pasta, and looks like a thick piece of rice. It is a very versatile pasta, as it can be used in soups, salads, casseroles, or simply alone.

The combination of spices caught my eye. Cumin and coriander are found in many Middle Eastern cuisines. You rarely see them in a pasta dish. I just learned that coriander is the seed of a cilantro plant. I am just a wealth of information today!

I loved this recipe. The spices blended perfectly and the result was a savory and delightful pasta. It is very simple to prepare. The orzo and spinach cook quickly. Just watch the spinach closely; you do not want to overcook it. Set your timer! I do not like cilantro, so I used parsley for this recipe.

This recipe is courtesy of Cookstr.com and will serve 6 people who will be thrilled with the spices in this wonderful dish.

Today’s Hint: Place a wooden spoon over a pot to prevent the water from boiling over.

Ingredients for Spiced Orzo with Spinach

8 oz. orzo
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne
6 oz. baby spinach leaves, washed, but not dried
4 tbsp. chopped cilantro or parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pan off salted water to a boil.

Add the orzo and cook until tender, according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook, about 3 minutes, until softened.

Stir in the garlic, coriander, cumin, and cayenne, if using, and cook for 1 minute more.

spicey orzo oinioons, garlic, coriander, cumin

Stir the spinach (with the water clinging to its leaves from washing) into the saucepan.

Drain the orzo well, shaking off any excess water.

Add the orzo to the spinach mixture and mix well.

Stir in the cilantro (or parsley) and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot or cooled.

It’s that simple!

Cavatappi with Broccoli Rabe

Apr. 14
2017

This recipe is a go-to for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. There are several different chefs who publish this recipe, and each have their own unique version.

This particular recipe caught my attention because of the addition of anchovies. Fortunately, it lived up to all my expectations.

Combined with the red pepper flakes, the anchovies gave the dish a nice “edge” to the flavor. It helped to take out that “bitter bite” you often get with broccoli rabe.

This original recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart. I did make a few changes to the process, however. While this dish was initially prepared with orecchiette pasta, I found that it could be made with any short cut pasta, such as ziti, or cavatappi, It just so happened that they had freshly made cavatappi in the refrigerated section of my supermarket, so I decided to use it as a substitute. Because my family loves anchovies, I used a little more that Martha did. Of course I also used a little bit more garlic as well ( and you should too) and squeezed in a half of a lemon. I also changed the instructions to make it a little easier for you to follow.

This recipe says it will serve 4 people, but I think it can easily serve 4-6.

Ingredients for Cavatappi with Broccoli Rabe

1 1/2 lbs. broccoli rabe, rinsed and cut into small pieces
1 pound cavatappi pasta (I used cavatappi, you can use any pasta you prefer)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 anchovy fillets
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Lemon wedges, for serving

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt generously. Add broccoli rabe.

Prepare a bowl with a generous amount of ice and cold water.

Cook the broccoli rabe until leaves are wilted, about 1 -2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer broccoli rabe to ice bowl to stop cooking process.

Return water to a boil,, and add pasta; cook 2 minutes less than package instructions.

RESERVE 1 CUP OF PASTA WATER.

Drain pasta and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.

Add anchovy fillets and cook them until they melt, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add crushed red pepper and broccoli rabe.

Cook until heated about 4-5 minutes.

cavataappi broccoli rabe in pot with anchovies

Add pasta to the broccoli rabe mixture; toss to combine.

Pour in the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until you reach the desired thickness of the sauce.

Season with 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Garnish with lemon wedges.

It’s that simple!

One-Pan Pasta with Ricotta and Artichokes

Mar. 27
2017

This recipe is so simple that it uses one pan from the start to the finish. My kind of dish!

The artichokes, mushrooms and the fire roasted tomatoes make this recipe unique. They add so much flavor and character to each portion. The ricotta cheese gives it a flavorful dimension, while the melted mozzarella cheese adds a wonderful, creamy lushness to every yummy bite.

This is a healthy and delicious meal that you can prepare for family or friends.

Make sure to measure out all the ingredients before creating this dish. This makes the process go more smoothly. This one-skillet dish is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. My family loved it and I am sure yours will too!

This recipe is courtesy of Cooking Light and will serve 4-6 people who will be delighted with each and every bite.

Ingredients for Pasta

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 1/2 cups frozen artichoke quarters, thawed
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 (14.5-oz.) can unsalted fire-roasted tomatoes
1 (9-oz.) package refrigerated fresh fettuccine
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces
1/4 cup fresh basil

Preheat broiler to high.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Swirl to coat.

Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic; cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add stock, artichokes, salt, pepper, tomatoes and pasta; bring to a boil.

Stir to combine.

Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer 8 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Dot pasta mixture evenly with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.

Place pan under broiler.

Broil mixture 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

Sprinkle evenly with basil.

It’s that simple.

Friday Night Pasta

Mar. 13
2017

The original sauce in this recipe was similar to a puttanesca sauce. I made a lot of welcome changes, however and if I do say so myself, my sauce is outstanding.

Since I am not a lover of olives, I did not include them in this recipe. If you are fond of them, feel free to use them.

One of the secrets to making this dressing is to brown the tomato paste. This adds another depth of flavor that makes this dish so special. It is easy to do, and I hope that you take the extra few minutes to do it. All you have to do is push the other ingredients to one side of the pan. Add the tomato paste to the other side and allow it to get a little brown and caramelized. When mixed with the other ingredients, you really have added a new dimension of flavor to the sauce.

All of these ingredients combine together to make an exquisite sauce that is perfect for any weeknight meal (not only Friday!). You can use any kind of pasta with it, as it will be just as enjoyable!

This recipe will serve about 6 very overjoyed pasta lovers.

Ingredients for Friday Night Pasta

1/4 cup extra- virgin olive oil
10 anchovy fillets
6 garlic cloves
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 package spaghetti
3 tbsp. capers
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium size pot filled with water and a handful of kosher salt to a boil.

Add the pasta to the pot and cook for 2 minutes less than cooking time specified in directions.

RESERVE 1 CUP OF PASTA WATER.

Heat a large high-sided dutch oven over medium heat.

Place olive oil into the pan.

Add anchovies and cook until melted.

Place in oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.

Friday pasta anchovies oregano pepper flakes

Move the oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic over to one side of the pan.

Add the tomato paste and brown for two minutes, turning as it browns.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil.

Add the can of crushed tomatoes. Mix thoroughly.

Mix in kosher salt and pepper.

Let simmer for 5 minutes.

Add in the capers and pasta.

Pour the reserved pasta water a little at a time, until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.

Serve hot.

It’s that simple!

Crusty Baked Shells and Cauliflower

Mar. 3
2017

This is another yummy, comfort food recipe from Ina Garten. I just love her new book, Cooking for Jeffrey. There are so many recipes in it that I can’t wait to share with you. Her instructions are easy to follow, and the dishes are quick to make and always delicious.

This recipe has a combination of ingredients that I thought would be delectable together, and I wasn’t disappointed. Any recipe that has capers, lemon zest, two kinds of cheese, and pasta is a “must try” for me. I loved the addition of the cauliflower and the sage as well.

I would not label this as a quick, go-to recipe, however it was easy to make. If you measure all your ingredients first (and you should), the process runs smoothly and efficiently. It was worth it because this was a scrumptious dish. The flavors blended beautifully and every bite was delightful.

You can also make this dish ahead. Just assemble the ingredients first, cover and refrigerate. Bake right before serving.

This recipe will serve 6-8 very contented, happy people.

Ingredients for Crusty Baked Shells and Cauliflower

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound medium shells, such as Barilla
Good olive oil
2 1/2 pounds cauliflower, cut into small florets (1 large head)
3 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tbsp. capers, drained
1 tbsp. garlic, minced (3 cloves)
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups freshly grated Italian Fontina cheese, lightly packed (10 ounces with rind)
1 cup (8 ounces) fresh ricotta
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes)
6 tbsp. freshly grated Italian Pecorino cheese
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 400.

Fill a large pot with water, add 2 tbsp. salt, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the instructions on the package. Since it will be baked later, don’t overcook it! Drain and pour into a very large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp. of olive oil in a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add half the cauliflower in one layer, and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the florets are lightly browned and tender.

Shells and cauliflower cauliflower browning in pan

Pour the cauliflower, including the small bits, into the the bowl with the pasta.

Add 3 more tbsp. of oil to the pan and the remaining cauliflower, cook until browned and tender, and add to the bowl.

Add the sage, capers, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, 2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper to the bowl and stir carefully.

shells and cauliflower sage, capers lemn zest

Stir in the Fontina.

Transfer half of the mixture to a 10 x 13 x 2-inch rectangular baking dish.

Spoon rounded tablespoons of ricotta on the pasta and spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top.

Combine the panko, Pecorino, parsley and 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly on top.

shells and cauliflower pecorino and parsley

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until browned and crusty on top.

Serve hot.

It’s that simple!