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| A delicious imported 2007 Fattoria Vignavecchia Chianti Classico Riserva, the perfect way to relax before dinner is served! |
Today's high (in Minnesota, mind you) was 77 degrees, and it is only March 16th!!! Can you say Record High?!
Typically, I would have avoided using any kind of cooking element that emits gobs of heat into our little apartment, but I was eager to create a baked pasta casserole today (meatless, since it is indeed a Friday during Lent).
So, this afternoon, I went to work chopping and sauteing veggies for my culinary creation. I must warn you that often times I decide to cook 'off the cuff' without any written recipe in front of me. And. 9 times out of 10, this 'off the cuff' recipe is something Italian and fabulous :-)
It is here that I will share with you this inventive recipe, and hope that you like it as much as we (my Fiance and I) did.
I shall call it... Lenten Pasta Bake. It seems rather appropriate, since today, we finally remembered to make something sans meat!
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Lenten Pasta Bake
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups uncooked Mostaccioli, Penne, or Rigatoni (I used Mostaccioli, but would have preferred Penne -- it's all about the ribs, and how the sauce adheres to them perfectly!)
1 - 28oz. can Hunt's Whole Tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped into small bite-size pieces
1 small package of whole baby bella mushrooms, quartered
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, saute the chopped onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add the baby bella mushrooms and saute for about 2-3 minutes longer. Stir in the rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley, and red pepper flakes and saute for one minute. Stir in the can of whole tomatoes. Break up the whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon, or slice with a pair of kitchen scissors into smaller, bite-size chunks. Simmer the sauce for about 10-15 minutes over low heat to allow flavors to come together.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, and 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese. After the tomato sauce has simmered for 10-15 minutes, add the cheese mixture and stir to combine. Turn the heat off and add the chopped broccoli.
Fill a large saucepan about two-thirds full with water and place on the stove. Add a tablespoon of salt to the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add in pasta and cook for half of the recommended time for al dente pasta. Drain the pasta well and add it to the pan with the tomato sauce mixture. Let the pasta and sauce cook over low heat for another 5 minutes while you preheat the over to 350 degrees.
Spray a medium size baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer the pasta mixture to the dish. Top with the 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining grated Parmesan cheese.
Cover the pasta and bake for 40 minutes. Then, remove the cover and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the pasta has a golden, cheesy crust.
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| Lenten Pasta Bake, fresh out of the oven and cooling ... yum! |
Let the pasta set, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes to cool before serving.
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| Who needs meat when you have this waiting for your tastebuds? |
Whether you are vegetarian, a Lenten observer, or just enjoy meals that focus on the veggies, you should give this a try. Using the same basic technique for making pasta-based casseroles, you can throw together whatever you have in your pantry or refrigerator and come up with a pretty tasty meal for you and your family or friends! Trust your instincts and cook with passion and love. (Just don't overcook the pasta!)
Enjoy... and stay tuned for culinary highlights from tomorrow's St. Patrick's Day evening festivities, which, of course, will include delicious food!
Librarian turned Foodie
Ohh.... I swear you are cooking all things that either: I enjoy, want to cook, have thought about cooking, and would love. Our tastebuds must be on the same food-plane or something.
ReplyDeleteThis looks yummy! It just so happens that the Pirate house follows lent and this would have been a perfect meal.... plus vegetarian hippie sister would approve.
The parmesan cheese in the last pic looks like huge grated flakes! Are you using a typical grater? Also, do you think you could cook this with angel hair pasta instead? That is my fav.... and most recipes I swap it in because I'm a rebel and like to eat angels.
So, here are some substitutions that I would recommend...
ReplyDelete1) if you have Ricotta Cheese on hand, definite use this in place of the cottage cheese (cottage cheese is the 'poor man's' ingredient, and a substitution that was made when Italian immigrants couldn't find Ricotta in the grocery stores)
2) Definitely try it with Angel Hair... I also love it for its light texture! Although I would probably choose to slice the mushrooms thin instead of quartering them so that they mix up into the pasta better.
3) The Parmesan on top was actually bought pre-grated in a package at the store! I would prefer to buy a brick of Parm Reggiano, but that stuff is like Gold in the world of Cheese, and also pretty pricy. Although, if you want to splurge, it's totally worth it!
4) If you aren't in the mood for a tomato based sauce, you could also make this with an olive oil and garlic base as well. I have done that (using TONS of fresh garlic) and it is fabulous! I think in that recipe, I used fresh spinach in place of the broccoli. Hmmm... I will have to make that again and post about it :-)
The majority of the meals I make revolve around Italian ingredients and cooking methods... we would get along quite well in the kitchen I think!
Happy St. Patty's Day!!! I guess I should be making something green today?!