Pats Pasta Toss Recipes

CREAMY PASTA TOSS WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
• Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and mushrooms and cook about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Remove to a plate; carefully wipe pan clean as it may be hot.
• Melt butter in pan over medium; add garlic and cook until it just begins to brown, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half-and-half and cream cheese; bring to a simmer, whisking constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add pasta and sausage mixture; toss to coat. Thin sauce with reserved pasta water if necessary.
• Serve in shallow bowls topped with pesto, basil, and remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

TWELVE MINUTE PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute chicken, garlic, salt, garlic powder, basil, and oregano in hot oil until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, 5 to 10 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Pour pasta into pot and toss with chicken until combined. Top with Parmesan cheese.

SPANISH PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic and thyme.
• Stir in sliced olives and chopped tomatoes.
• Toss with pasta and serve.

PIZZA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, mushrooms and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomato puree, pepperoni, sugar and seasonings; cook and stir for 5 minutes., Drain pasta; stir into meat mixture. Heat through. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

GREEK PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook and coarsely crumble sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 4-6 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add to pasta., Stir in spinach, olives and tomatoes; heat through, allowing spinach to wilt slightly. Stir in cheese. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.

SIMPLE PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook and drain pasta as directed.
• While pasta is cooking, in a large pot, heat olive oil and saute chicken, garlic, salt, garlic powder, basil, and oregano until chicken is cooked.
• Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook for two minutes.
• Remove from heat and toss with pasta.
• Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

VEGETABLE NOT-SAGNA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a pot of water to a boil for pasta. Salt boiling water and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: reserve a ladle of the hot cooking water just before you drain pasta.
• Place the frozen spinach on a plate and microwave to defrost it according to your microwave's directions. Place defrosted spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring out the liquid.
• Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Halve the zucchini lengthwise then thinly slice into half moons and add to the pan along with the mushrooms. Cook 2 to 3 minutes then add onions and garlic to the pan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. When the onions are tender, about 5 minutes, add defrosted spinach, separating into small bits as you handle it, and the roasted red peppers and toss to heat through. Transfer veggies to a dish and return skillet to stove top. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts into extra-virgin olive oil, add 2 rounded tablespoons of flour and cook a minute or so, then whisk in stock and milk. Bring to a bubble and thicken the sauce, reducing it 2 to 3 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Slide vegetables back into sauce.
• Place the part-skim ricotta in a large shallow bowl and combine with a ladle of boiling, starchy pasta cooking water. Stir to combine then add in a couple of handfuls of grated cheese.
• Drain pasta and toss with cheeses. Add half the vegetables and sauce to pasta and toss to combine. Tear or shred basil and toss into pasta. Adjust seasonings. Top bowlfuls of Vegetable Not-sagna with remaining veggies in sauce and pass extra grated cheese at the table.

ITALIAN PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions to al-dente, drain and set aside. Cook sausage coins in skillet until fully cooked, remove meat, leave drippings in pan and add the olive oil and garlic and sauté until garlic releases flavor, but not browned. Add zucchini, onion, squash and tomatoes and sauté until tender. Mix sausage and pasta with vegetables. Add salt and pepper. Top with cheese. Serve warm.

CREAMY SUMMER VEGETABLE PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler or mandoline to shave zucchini into long ribbons. Place zucchini in a colander; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Add green beans during last 1 minute of cooking. Reserve ½ cup pasta water. Drain pasta and green beans over zucchini in colander. Return pasta mixture to pot. Add tomatoes. Combine ricotta, zest, salt, pepper and ⅓ cup pasta water. Add to hot pasta mixture, tossing to coat and adding more pasta water, 1 Tbsp at a time, if needed. Divide among 4 plates or shallow bowls. Garnish evenly with pecorino Romano cheese, tarragon and red pepper flakes.