3-24-20 Gemelli with Zucchini and Ricotta cheese

What a delightful surprise

 

What to do for dinner? After a week of sheltering at home the cupboards were a little bare. Poking around in the fridge I found a zźucchini, carrots and celeryyÿ, along with a tub of ricotta that had to be used.

While waiting for the pasta water to boil I cooked some chopped onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil. When the onions softened I added 2 cloves of slice garlic and the zucchini, along with1/3 cup of chicken stock and the dried tarragon. Several minutes later I added some white wine, and still later fresh lemon juice. All of this was done on a whim, so there is nothing fixed regarding the timing. I kept the lid off the pan after the zucchini was cooked to allow some of liquid to cook off.

I mixed in about a cup of ricotta a few minutes before the pasta was ready, tossed the pasta in the pan with the sauce, and sat down to eat with high hopes.

The result was a delightful new way (if there ever is a new way) to enjoy pasta. The  sauce was light, almost sweet, and thanks to the tarragon had a wonderfully unique flavor. I see more of this in our future.

Pasta Fagioli with zucchini and fresh tomatoes 8-22

Once again I’m faced with an abundance of zucchini that I can no longer ignore. Looking for a different way to incorporate it into a pasta dish I’ve decided to try a variation of pasta fagioli (pasta and beans).



INGREDIENTS:

Penne
Zucchini, diced
Cannellini beans (navy, northern or small white beans can be used)
Pancetta, chopped
Olive oil
Garlic, onion
Fresh tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
Fresh basil and oregano
Sweet vermouth or dry red wine

PROCESS:

Drop the tomatoes in boiling water for several minutes, remove, cool, peel, and coarsely chop. Save the water for the pasta.

Saute the pancetta in olive oil, add the garlic and onions and cook until soft. Add the zucchini and a splash of wine to deglaze the pan and the herbs plus salt and pepper. cook until the zucchini softens, then add the tomatoes and the beans and simmer covered over low heat.

COMMENTS:

I think of this as one of the “utilitarian” or peasant dishes from southern Italy…using what is available. BUT…I gotta tell you…it was delicious. I think it was the fresh tomatoes and zucchini that made the difference. Patience worked almost 13 hours today, so she is too brain numbed to comment.

SAUSAGE-ZUCCHINI-EGGPLANT & TOMATOES 8-4

If last night’s dinner bordered on elegance, tonight’s borders on utilitarianism. It is late in the day, and my plan, as it usually is, is to use what is in the fridge and freezer for tonight’s dinner, and to no one’s surprise….there was zucchini! But the culinary Gods are smiling on me because I also found some loose sausage that needed cooking. Add to that the eggplant I picked up 2 days ago, toss in some tomatoes, a little wine, and lots of love, and we have a meal!

And...we got to share this with our neighbor!



INGREDIENTS:

Spagehetti
28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes…San Marzano, imported
Zucchini, cut lengthwise and sliced thinly
Eggplant, sliced and diced
Italian sausage
Olive oil
Garlic, onion
Fresh mint, parsley, and tarragon, chopped
White wine

PROCESS:

Brown the sausage and remove from pan. After removing the fat, add olive oil and cook the garlic and onions until soft. Then add the eggplant and zucchini, plus about ¼ cup of white wine, and cook for about 10 minutes with half of the herbs. Then add the sausage and tomatoes to the pan and cook for at least 30 minutes, adding the remaining herbs.

Drain the pasta and mix in the sauce in a serving bowl.

COMMENTS:

Good – good – good! Nuf said!

SAUSAGE, ZUCCHINI, MUSHROOMS 7-30

Because of a temporary loss of internet service I'm posting last night's dinner this AM.

End of the week refrigerator check reveals a half a package of loose Italian sausage, mushrooms, and as always, an abundance of zucchini, and so tonight’s dinner quickly became obvious. I abandoned the idea of a pasta salad with chicken and asparagus…saving that for another night.



INGREDIENTS:

Italian sausage with casing removed
White mushrooms, sliced
Zucchini cut in half lengthwise then slice thinly
Garlic, onion
Fresh basil and oregano
Olive oil
Lemon Juice
White wine


PROCESS:

Cook the sausage, remove from pan and set aside. In olive oil cook the garlic and onions until soft, then add the mushrooms, zucchini and fresh herbs, and cook over medium-low heat. After 3-4 minutes add the juice of half a lemon. When the veggies and cooked add the sausage and a splash of white wine, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

Place the cooked linguini in a serving bowl and mix in the sauce.

COMMENTS:

I have a confession to make...I would like cardboard if it were served to me with sausage!

CHICKEN, MUSHROOMS, ZUCCHINI IN CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE 7-3

I’ve decided to forego the usual Sunday gravy today…entirely too hot. Plus, I still have several containers in the freezer I have to use or give away. Instead I thought I could come up with something using the chicken breast, the zucchini, and the mushrooms in the fridge with tomatoes of some sort. It’s Sunday so things have be red.

INGREDIENTS:

Mushrooms
Chicken breast, grilled and cut into small pieces
Zucchini cut lengthwise then into small pieces
Diced tomatoes
Heavy whipping cream
Olive oil
Garlic, onion
Fresh basil leaves, chopped
Red pepper flakes

PROCESS:

Grill or sauté the chicken and set aside. Sauté the garlic and onion with the red pepper flakes in olive oil. Cook the mushrooms and zucchini, then add the diced tomatoes, and chicken along with the basil and cook for 10-20 minutes. Add heavy cream and stir well about 10 minutes before the pasta is finished.


When the pasta is done add it to the pan and mix well. Use some of the pasta water if needed.

COMMENTS:

Patience gave this a 20! The cream, which I decided to add at the last minute really makes a difference.

I failed to note that somewhere along the line I added fresh parsley.

PASTA QUEST…JUNE 24 SAUSAGE, ZUCCHINI, BEANS

Farfalle wirh sausage, Cannellini beans, and zucchini. 6-24



INGREDIENTS;

Farfalle (bowties)
One zucchini cut into small pieces
Fresh Basil and Thyme
Italian sausage…out of the casing
One can of Cannellini beans
Red pepper flakes
Garlic, olive oil, and green onion

PROCESS;

Brown the sausage and remove. Saute the garlic and green onion with red pepper flakes, then add the beans and cook for about 5 minutes before adding the Basil and the sausage and simmer.

Add the pasta when it is ready, mix, and serve. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

COMMENTS;

I don’t know it it is the sausage, the beans, ot the combination of the two, but this dish has a low brow, peasant, soul food kind of feeling and taste to me. Patience says it’s all in my head. Whatever….it is delicious! And it it so easy to prepare. It doesn’t take much of an imagination to come up with a number of variations and possibilities for this meal.


FYI...this is the 35th pasta dish I've prepared since we started in the beginning of May. There are still so many more dishes to explore!

PASTA QUEST…JUNE 15…DAY 3

Farfalle with zucchini, tomatoes, and a bunch of good stuff

INGREDIENTS:

Farfalle
Olive oil
Garlic
Anchovies, 2 fillets finely chopped
Zucchini, cut into small pieces
Green onions
Fresh oregano and basil
Lemon juice
Sweet Vermouth
Red pepper flakes
Grape tomatoes, halved
Tomato paste, 1 tsp

PROCESS:

Saute the garlic, onions, anchovies, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste until soft. Add the zucchini, lemon juice, and herbs and cook for 4-5 minutes then add the sweet Vermouth and the grape tomatoes, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Add the pasta when cooked, along with some of the past water, mix and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Comments:

I’ve served pasta with zucchini a number of different ways, but this is my favorite. I think the achovies and sweet vermouth gives this dish a distinct flavor.

PASTA QUEST DAY...week 3...DAY 15

This is one of my creations...like all the others there is nothing fancy about it except the taste!



Penne pasta w zucchini, sausage, celery.

INGREDIENTS:

Pasta
Loose sausage
Zucchini, cut into small pieces
Celery, chopped
Garlic, chopped
Onion
Tomato paste, 2 tablespoons
Olive oil
Ciabatta bread cut into crouton size pieces

PROCESS:

Cooke the sausage and remove from pan. Deglaze pan with wine if needed, add olive oil and 1 pad of butter and cook the bread until golden brown and remove. Add more oil and cook the onions and garlic along with 1 tablespoon of tomato paste until soft. Then add the zucchini , celery, and sausage, along with a splash of white wine and cook. Add the pasta and mix well then top with the croutons and grated cheese…we used Romano tonight.

Add the pasta and mix. Salt and pepper to taste.

COMMENTS:

Patience gave it a 10, after all, it is my birthday. I’ll give it a nine and a half. I don’t think I would change anything when I make it again.

I forgot to mention…salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Basil.

PASTA QUEST DAY 5

I really wanted to prepare a thick tomato sauce with sausage and chicken today. Unfortunately I had some veggies in the fridge that needed attention, so the sausage will have to wait until the weekend. Tonight it will be:

Fusilli with zucchini, mushrooms, peas, celery, and bacon cooked with white wine and served with ricotta cheese.



INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb. Fusili
3 pieces bacon, chopped
1 zucchini sliced
mushrooms, chopped
celery, chopped
!/2 onion or 1 shallot
2 medium cloves of garlic
fresh parsley finely chopped
ricotta cheese
Olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon

Process:

While the pasta is cooking, cook bacon, remove and discard bacon grease. Cook garlic and onions in olive oil until soft then add zucchini, mushrooms, and celery plus salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of white wine. Cook until veggies are done and the wine has reduced. Add the pasta and mix in about 1/3 cup of ricotta, the bacon and the parsley.

Comments:

I gave this a 7. Patience, who did not get home from work until almost 8 PM (and was exhausted) gave it a 6.5 but said "it was good". We both agreed it would have been better if either of us had got up to get some parmesan to add to the dish. The best I can say is that I used up the veggies! I don't think I will do this again...unless I can come up with some changes.