Penne Alla Mary Recipes

PENNE ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain pasta; return to pot.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add eggplant to skillet; season generously with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook until eggplant begins to release juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover; cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes (if bottom of pan browns too much, add a few tablespoons water, and scrape with spoon).
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/4 cup water to skillet; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Toss sauce and basil with pasta; gently reheat if necessary. Top each serving with a spoonful of ricotta, and garnish with more basil.

PENNE ALLA BETSY

Steps:

• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until al dente (firm yet tender). Drain and set aside.
• Begin by peeling and deveining the shrimp and rinsing them under cold water.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the shrimp. Stir and cook on both sides until just starting to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and allow to cool slightly.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic and onion. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Pour the wine into the pan if using. Stir and allow it to evaporate, about 45 seconds. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the cream. Mmmm. Stir well to combine; reduce the heat to simmer.
• And now for the fun part: remove the tails from the shrimp, chop the shrimp into medium-size pieces and add them to the sauce. Stir gently to combine.
• Next, dump in the parsley and basil and stir. Add the cooked, drained pasta. Stir gently to coat. If the sauce is too thick, splash in a little milk to get it to the right consistency. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper. Be sure to taste the seasonings at the end, adjusting if necessary.
• Serve directly out of the skillet, or pour the contents of the skillet into a pretty serving bowl. Serve with crusty French bread - and more wine.

PENNE RUSTICA

Steps:

• 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 transfer to a large bowl; mix in shrimp and prosciutto.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Brush olive oil over chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 5 minutes per side. Cool briefly before slicing into strips. Add to the penne mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Prepare the sauce by melting butter over medium-low heat. Add garlic, cover, and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Pour in Marsala wine and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, milk, chicken broth, cornstarch, mustard, rosemary, thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors combine, about 10 minutes.
• Pour sauce over the penne mixture and mix well. Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and paprika over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top slightly browns, 10 to 12 minutes.

PENNE ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Char the eggplants and the tomatoes over the coals of a grill. Skin and chop them, discarding the tomato seeds.
• Soften the onion with the garlic in the olive oil. Add the eggplant and the tomatoes and simmer them gently over low heat for about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then stir in the basil leaves.
• Meanwhile, bring six quarts of water to a roiling boil. Add the penne and cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain and put the penne in a serving bowl with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Toss and add the sauce, mix well and sprinkle with basil leaves. Pass the ricotta salata separately at the table.

PENNE WITH SPICY VODKA TOMATO CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In large skillet, heat oil over moderate heat. Remove casing from sausage and add to skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat, until brown. Add garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring until garlic is golden brown.
• Add tomatoes and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• Add vodka and cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and add pasta, toss for 1 minute. Stir in fresh parsley and serve!