Baked Paccheri & Sausage

Baked Paccheri & Sausage
I Love Using Different Cuts Of Pasta!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 bag Paccheri pasta
5 Italian sausage links, cut into 1" pieces
1 jar marinara sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup onions, diced
8 oz. Mascarpone cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp minced parsley, garnish

Cooking Tools
Large stock pot
Large skillet
4 individual baking dishes

Directions
Preheat oven 350 Degrees F.  Boil water in stock pot, salt water and cook pasta according to directions.  In a skillet on medium heat, add sausage pieces.  Saute sausage until browned and then add garlic and onions.  Saute sausage, onions and garlic until onions are translucent.  Pour in the marinara sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Incorporate Mascarpone cheese in and mix well with the Marinara sauce.  Drain pasta and place into the Marinara sauce and toss until well coated.  Place equally into baking dishes and bake for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of pasta for the last 5 minutes of baking.  Garnish with minced parsley and serve hot.

Serves 4

 

Pappardelle Bolognese

Pappardelle Bolognese 
This Recipe By Far, Is My Favorite Bolognese Sauce!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-8 hours

 

Ingredients
Pappardelle pasta for 6
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground veal
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/4 lb. chicken livers
5 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup red wine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 cup carrots, minced
1/2 cup peppadew, minced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
3 whole bay leaves
1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese

 Cooking Tools
Slow cooker
Skillet
Food processor

Directions
In a skillet on medium heat, add; butter and chicken livers.  Cook chicken liver until nice and crispy, almost black and fully cooked, about 20 minutes.  Remove chicken liver and set aside.  De-glaze pan with 1/2 cup of red wine, scraping all the bits and piece from the bottom. Take skillet with the red wine reduction off the heat and set aside.  Place the cooked chicken livers into a food processor and pulse until the livers are finely minced. In the slow cooker on medium-high heat, add; chicken livers, red wine reduction, beef, veal, pork, marinara sauce, garlic, onions, carrots, peppadew, vinegar, sugar, olive oil, bay leaves, oregano and thyme.  Mix all ingredients together, the meat will break down.  Slow cook for at least 7 hours, salt and pepper to taste, towards the end of the cooking.  Cook the pasta, drain.  Toss pasta in the Bolognese sauce, don't over dress the pasta. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Cook's Note: You do not have to cook the ground meats, before placing in the slow cooker, but if you prefer to do so, the meat will be chunky and not break down as well.
Serves 6

Fettuccine With Cognac Cream

Fettuccine With Cognac Cream
A Hint Of Orange And Lemon Compliments This Pasta Dish!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 lb. fresh or dried Fettuccine pasta
2 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp sugar
zest of 1 large lemon + garnish
zest of 1 large orange + garnish
1 tsp fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup Cognac
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools
Large pot
Skillet
Zester microplane

Directions
Cook pasta according to directions, set aside about a half a cup of pasta water before draining pasta.  In a skillet, add; olive oil, butter, minced garlic, sugar, red pepper flakes, lemon and orange zest.  Saute on low heat to bring out the oils in the zest and the garlic start to soften. Do not burn the butter zest mixture.  Add to the skillet the heavy cream, and simmer on low heat to reduce the cream to a sauce.  This process will take about 20 minutes.  Pull skillet away from heat and add the Cognac and place back on heat. Whisk Cognac into the cream and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Toss in drained pasta into the sauce and coat evenly, if the sauce is to thick add some reserved pasta water. Adjust seasoning to suit your taste. Place in serving bowls and garnish with lemon and orange zest and minced parsley.
Serves 4

Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta Puttanesca
Such A Flavorful Pasta Dish!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Serve With A Tuscan Crusty Loaf

 

Ingredients
1 lb. fresh or dried pasta, cooked
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
4 anchovies fillets
2 tsp anchovies paste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup black olives or cured, rough chop
1/4 cup capers
3 cups chunky crushed tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tsp sugar
3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools
skillet

Directions
On medium heat, add olive oil to pan with garlic, anchovies fillets, anchovies paste and red pepper flakes.  Stir and cook until anchovies melt into the oil and garlic slices are tender.  Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, sugar, black olives, capers and cook on low heat until bubbly and liquid reduces a bit, about 10-15 minutes.  Toss in cooked spaghetti and fresh parsley and coat the pasta with tomato sauce and cook for additional 2 minutes until completely heated through.  Salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4