Pastaalfornorachaelray Recipes

PASTA E FAGIOLI AL FORNO

Steps:

• Pasta e Fagioli is a dish I keep revisiting trying to play around with methods for it so I can keep making it new to me. Here, the classic soup turns into a baked pasta dish. Loosen your belts and open wide. Have your blankies ready for a family nap.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, cook pasta to just shy of al dente.
• Chop pancetta into 1/4-inch dice.
• While pasta cooks, heat a skillet with olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add pancetta, cook 2 to 3 minutes then add celery, carrot, onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf to the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Saute the vegetables until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Add beans and heat them through. Stir in 1/2 cup wine, simmer 30 seconds more and turn off heat. Remove bay leaf.
• While vegetables cook, place a small sauce pot over medium heat, add butter, melt butter then whisk in flour and cook 1 minute then whisk in milk. Season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg and reduce 4 to 5 minutes, stir in half the grated cheese, turn off heat and adjust seasoning.
• While sauce cooks, place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat broiler to high.
• Drain pasta and return to the pot, toss with white bean mixture and sauce, stir to coat, transfer to a casserole dish, top with remaining cheese and place in oven to brown, 5 minutes.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Combine eggplant and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl with water to cover. Place a plate on top of the eggplant to weigh it down and keep it covered in water for about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse eggplant in cool water. Pat dry and cut into cubes.
• Combine tomato puree, 1 teaspoon rock salt, garlic, and basil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce flavors combine, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute eggplant until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and toss with the tomato-basil sauce; divide into 4 serving bowls. Top with eggplant. Sprinkle 1/4 the ricotta and 1/4 the diced pepper over each bowl.

PASTA AL FORNO (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil, then salt and cook the pasta to al dente on the chewy side, 7 minutes.
• Once your pasta water comes to a boil to cook the ziti, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• To a medium skillet over medium heat, add the extra virgin olive oil.
• Cook the onions and garlic in the oil 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a bubble.
• Add the cream and season with the cinnamon, salt and pepper.
• Add the chopped prosciutto to the sauce and stir with the cooked pasta to combine.
• Grease a medium casserole dish.
• Adjust the seasonings and transfer the pasta to the casserole.
• Cover the pasta with parmesan cheese and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot.

PASTA CARBONARA (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water on to boil. Add a liberal amount of salt and the rigatoni. Cook to al dente (about 8 minutes).
• Heat a (very!) large skillet over medium heat. Add EVOO and pancetta. Brown pancetta (2 minutes). Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more. Add wine and stir up all of the pan drippings.
• Beat yolks, then add 1 large ladleful (about 1/2 C) of the pasta cooking water to them. This tempers the egg and keeps them from scrambling when added to the pasta. (I use a wire whisk to whisk the water in, and do this when the pasta is maybe 3/4 done).
• Drain pasta well and add it directly to the skillet with pancetta and oil. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Toss rapidly to coat the pasta without cooking the egg.
• Remove from heat and add a big handful of cheese (the 1/2 to 1 C), lots of pepper, and a little salt. Continue to toss until the pasta soaks up the egg mixture and thickens, 1-2 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and extra cheese, if desired.