Pasta

I've loved Pasta for as long as I can remember. There's just something about the pasta-and-sauce (or pasta-and-veggies) that just gets my attention.

To that end, here are six yummy pasta recipes to help you through the day, including Baked Cheesy Enchilada Chicken Penne and One-Pan Spaghetti and Meatballs. Enjoy!

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “This wonderful pasta is made with nothing more than fresh tomato sauce and good ricotta, plus a little pecorino. It’s most delicious if you keep the pasta quite al dente; use just enough sauce, no more; give it a good pinch of crushed red pepper; and season it with enough salt of course. For the best results, use good quality imported noodles made from hard Durum wheat.” Time: 30 minutes; makes 4 to 6 servings.

This, along with the Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, was featured in “The Time Is Right to Make Tomato Sauce”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 pound dried pasta, such as farfalle or penne

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Crushed red pepper (optional)

2-1/2 cups Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, warm (see recipe, which follows)

6 ounces ultra-fresh ricotta, at room temperature

Grated pecorino

Basil leaves, for garnish

Preparation

Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, making sure to keep it quite al dente.

Put butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add drained pasta to the pan and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.

Add tomato sauce gradually and stir to coat pasta, using only enough sauce for a light coating (you may not need the entire 2-1/2 cups).

Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl and dot top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle lightly with pecorino and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.

QUICK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

This also comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “In August and September, when tomatoes are at their ripest, make a batch of fresh tomato sauce. At the market, look for the cracked, slightly bruised tomatoes sold at a discount. The flesh of the tomato should be dense, sweet and blood red. This makes a very fresh- and bright-tasting sauce in a manageable small batch. Take advantage of good tasty tomatoes and fill a few zip-top bags for the freezer.” Time: 30 minutes; makes about 2-1/2 cups.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

5 pounds tomatoes

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 garlic clove, halved

1 basil sprig

1 bay leaf

Preparation

Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.

Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.

Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2-1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA

I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.

Ingredients

1/2 C water

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2green pepper, diced

1 T oregano

1 lb. angel hair pasta

Directions

Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)

BAKED CHEESY ENCHILADA CHICKEN PENNE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Want enchilada flavor with the family-friendly ease of a pasta bake? Look no further! This Baked Cheesy Enchilada Chicken Penne fits the bill. Flavorful enchilada sauce and melty cheese combine to create a tasty dinner with just 35 minutes of prep time. One of our favorite things about this creamy chicken enchilada pasta bake is that the spice level is totally customizable, so you can make it to your family’s preference. Perfect for feeding a crowd, this dish will see you through a potluck or a fun family dinner. And if you don’t polish it off in one meal, you’ll have chicken enchilada pasta leftovers to enjoy tomorrow!"

Prep Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Makes 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/baked-cheesy-enchilada-chicken-penne.

Ingredients

12 oz uncooked penne pasta (3 3/4 cups)

12 oz Kraft™ Velveeta™ Original Cheese Product, cut in 1/2-inch cubes (from 16-oz package)

1 package (8 oz) Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican 4-Cheese Blend (2 cups)

1 cup milk

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 can (19 oz) Old El Paso™ Enchilada Sauce

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ Chopped Green Chiles

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ Chicken Taco Seasoning Mix

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

Lime wedges, chopped fresh cilantro leaves and Old El Paso™ Crema Mexicana, if desired

Preparation

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook pasta as directed on package, using minimum cook time; drain, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in large microwavable bowl, mix cheese cubes, 1 cup of the shredded cheese and the milk. Microwave uncovered on High 4 minutes; stir, then microwave in 30-second increments until cheese melts and mixture is easily stirred smooth.

Gently stir pasta into cheese sauce. Pour mixture into baking dish.

In large bowl, mix chicken, enchilada sauce, green chiles, butter and taco seasoning mix. Spoon over pasta mixture in baking dish.

Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until bubbling at edges (165°F in center). Top with remaining 1 cup shredded cheese. Let stand 5 minutes. Top with green onions. Serve with remaining ingredients.

Expert Tips

The quick microwaved cheese sauce in this chicken enchilada pasta recipe is great for many other applications. Toss with cooked pasta and serve as is, drizzle over cooked potato nuggets, or lay it out alongside tortilla chips as an easy nacho cheese sauce.

To keep this casserole family friendly, we used Old El Paso™ Mild Enchilada Sauce. If you want to give your chicken enchilada pasta bake more of a kick, opt for Old El Paso™ Medium or Hot Enchilada Sauce.

Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix can be used instead of the Old El Paso™ Chicken Taco Seasoning Mix.

ONE-PAN SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

This recipe comes from Pure Wow, and begins, “Guys, this lazy cook's one-pan spaghetti and meatballs recipe is a total game changer. The next time you want to get dinner on the table with ease—and not deal with a million dirty dishes--we've got you covered.” Makes 8 servings.

To view this online, go to https://www.purewow.com/recipes/one-pan-spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe.

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 pound ground beef

1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg, whisked

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Spaghetti

1 pound dried spaghetti

3 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Make the Meatballs: In a medium bowl, mix the beef with the garlic powder, parsley and Parmesan to combine. Add the egg and bread crumbs, and mix to combine.

Form the mixture into balls, using about 2 tablespoons of meat per ball.In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook until they are fully cooked and golden brown all over, 3 to 5 minutes.

Make the Spaghetti: Remove the meatballs from the pan and set them aside. Drain any grease from the pan, and then fill it with three inches of water and a few pinches of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti in an even layer and boil until al dente, 8 to 9 minutes (or according to package directions).

Drain the spaghetti, then return it to the pan. Add the marinara sauce and meatballs; toss to coat. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley. Serve warm, immediately.

SLOW-COOKER BOLOGNESE

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Muir Glen® tomato paste provides a simple addition to this Bolognese that’s made using sausage and ground beef. Serve this slow cooked Italian sauce over pasta for dinner."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes; Servings: 10

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 lb bulk Italian pork sausage

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

2 large onions, chopped (2 cups)

2 carrots, finely chopped (1 cup)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained

1 can (6 oz) Muir Glen™ organic tomato paste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

16 oz uncooked spaghetti

3/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (3 oz)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In 12-inch skillet, cook sausage, beef, onions, carrots and garlic over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage and beef are thoroughly cooked; drain.

In slow cooker, stir together meat mixture, tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper and pepper flakes.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 hours.

About 15 minutes before serving, cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package. Serve meat mixture over spaghetti. Sprinkle individual servings with cheese and basil.