Bakedmozzarellawithtomatoandbasilantipasti Recipes

TOMATO, MOZZARELLA, AND BASIL SALAD

Steps:

• Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and arrange casually with the basil leaves on a large platter. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve at room temperature.

BAKED SPAGHETTI AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a food processor, pulse tomatoes until coarsely chopped. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook at a rapid simmer until sauce thickens, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta 5 minutes (it will still be crunchy). Drain pasta and return to pot. Add tomato sauce, basil, and half the mozzarella and toss to combine. Transfer mixture to a 3-quart baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and edges are bubbling, about 25 minutes.

TOMATO, BASIL AND CHEESE BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt the water. Add small shell pasta and cook the pasta to al dente doneness which means that the pasta will still have a bite to it or be a little chewy. The pasta will soak up more juice and keep on cooking after we drain it, so we need it to be a little under cooked. The shells will probably cook about 9 or 10 minutes.
• Preheat a deep, big skillet or a medium sauce pot over medium heat.
• Place garlic on the cutting board and place the flat of your knife on top of each clove. Carefully give the garlic a whack with the palm of your hand to separate the cloves from the skins. Throw out the skins and chop up the garlic. Remember to keep your fingers curled under and the edge of your sharp, chef's knife tilted slightly away from your body.
• Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan by pouring a slow stream of it twice-around-the-pan. This will be about 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Do not let the oil pour out too fast. You are looking for a slow, steady stream. Add the garlic to the oil. To chop the onion, cut the ends off and cut the whole onion down the center. Wrap half and save it. Cut the other half into thin slices then twist the slices a quarter turn and chop them again. Hold the tip of knife on the cutting board and lift the back of the knife up and down over the onion to make the pieces really small. Add the chopped up onion to the garlic and oil. Cook, stirring a lot, 5 minutes until the onions are mushy and look cooked.
• Add the tomatoes to the onions and stir. When the tomatoes come to a bubble, reduce the heat under the sauce to low. Stir in basil pieces to wilt them. Season the sauce with salt and peppe, to your taste.
• Preheat your broiler to high and place a rack in the center of the oven.
• Drain pasta shells. Add them to a flameproof casserole dish. Add pesto sauce, 1 cup of ricotta cheese and a handful of grated Parmigiano, too. Stir carefully and coat the hot pasta with the pesto and cheeses. Pour the hot tomato and basil sauce over the pasta, as much as you like. You can always serve a little extra at the table, to pass around. Shred up some mozzarella cheese with a grater and scatter it over the pasta. Add a final sprinkle of Parmigiano to the mozzarella as well. Place the casserole under the broiler in the middle of oven, 10 to 12 inches from the heat. Let the cheese melt and bubble on top, 3 to 5 minutes.

TOMATO & MOZZARELLA SPAGHETTI BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in large pan, add the garlic and fry for 1 min. Add the tomatoes, chilli and seasoning, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti, then drain. Mix the spaghetti with the tomato sauce and basil, then spoon half into a large ovenproof dish. Arrange half the mozzarella over the top and sprinkle with half the Parmesan. Repeat the layers, then bake for 15-20 mins until lightly browned on top. Scatter with extra basil and serve with a big green salad.

BASIL, TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA SANDWICH

Steps:

• Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Layer the basil, tomato slices, and mozzarella cheese between the two halves of bread. Cut into four sandwiches.
• In a small dish, stir together the balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes. Use as a dipping sauce.

MILES OF MOZZARELLA BAKED MOSTACCIOLI

Steps:

• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir 1/4 cup onion and 2 garlic cloves in the hot oil until onion is slightly transparent, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; add beef broth, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, sugar, parsley, thyme, savory, red pepper flakes, and marjoram. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until flavors have blended, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook and stir 1/4 cup onion and 1 garlic clove in the hot oil until onion is tender and slightly transparent, about 5 minutes. Cook and stir ground beef into onion mixture until browned and crumbly, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain excess grease.
• Stir ground beef mixture and green bell pepper into tomato sauce mixture; simmer for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Pour meat sauce, water, mostaccioli, and shredded mozzarella cheese into a 3-quart glass baking dish; stir well. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and lay mozzarella cheese slices over mostaccioli mixture. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 10 minutes.

BAKED MOZZARELLA WITH TOMATO AND BASIL ANTIPASTI

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Lightly brush baguette slices with olive oil.
• Broil bread for about 3 minutes; turn and sprinkle with Parmesan and dried basil; broil 1 to 2 minutes until lightly toasted; set aside.
• Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.
• In four individual oven proof dishes, layer tomato sauce, garlic, and mozzarella.
• Bake 20 minutes or until mozzarella is melted.
• Remove from oven and drizzle with oil.
• Top with fresh basil.
• Serve with toasted Parmesan baguette slices.

QUICK TOMATO-BASIL PASTA WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil, garlic and pepper flakes in medium saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in crushed and diced tomatoes, bring to simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons basil, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, drain pasta, and transfer back to pot. Stir in sauce and remaining tablespoon oil, and cook over medium heat until heated through (adding reserved water if pasta seems dry), about 1 minute. Stir in mozzarella and season with salt. Serve, sprinkling with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and Parmesan.

MOZZARELLA PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Cook turkey in large skillet until done.
• Stir in pasta sauce, macaroni and Parmesan. Spoon into 8-inch square baking dish.
• Bake 10 min. or until heated through. Top with mozzarella. Bake 3 to 4 min. or until mozzarella is melted.