Roasted Garlic Ricotta Pasta Sauce Recipes

WHOLE ROASTED RICOTTA PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Pick most of the oregano leaves, then pound to a paste in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of sea salt. Peel and bash in the garlic, muddle in 3 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of vinegar, then season with black pepper.
• Halve the cherry tomatoes, deseed and roughly chop the peppers, peel and roughly chop the onion, slice the chillies in half lengthways, and add it all to a large roasting tray along with the capers. Pour over most of the flavoured oil and toss together.
• Make a little well in the centre of the tray, pop in the ricotta and rub all over with the remaining flavoured oil. Add a splash of water to the tray, place in the oven and roast for 50 minutes, or until the veggies are soft and just starting to caramalise.
• With 10 minutes to go, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a mug of the starchy pasta water, and steam dry.
• Carefully lift the ricotta onto a board. Tip the drained pasta and a little of the pasta water into the tray and gently shake to loosen all the sticky goodness from the bottom. Toss together, then tip into a serving dish and break the beautiful ricotta over the top. Pick over the remaining oregano leaves and grate over the Parmesan, then serve.

ROASTED GARLIC-RICOTTA PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Stir in the roasted garlic and shallots and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until reduced and the pan is almost dry, about 3 to 5 minutes, to concentrate the flavors of the sauce. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Mix in the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
• Place the ricotta cheese and about 1/3 of a cup of the garlic mixture into a blender. With the blender on, slowly pour the remaining sauce through the opening in the blender lid; the sauce will thicken.
• Transfer the sauce back into the saucepan and stir in the basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Use the sauce immediately, or cool quickly by setting in a bowl of ice and water. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or freeze for about 1 month.

RIGGIES WITH ROASTED VEGETABLE AND RICOTTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut off the end of the bulb of garlic, exposing all of the cloves, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the bulb in foil to form a pouch, and roast until soft and sweet, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the EVOO on a nonstick baking sheet. Halve the eggplant and score with sharp paring knife to crosshatch the flesh. Season with salt and pepper and set into the oil, with the skin-side up. Roast until tender, 30 minutes, and then cool to handle.
• Char the red pepper over open flame on the stovetop or under the broiler. Cool in a covered bowl to handle, then peel and seed.
• Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, in small Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onions and some salt and pepper and cook, partially covered, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the basil. Break up the tomatoes and simmer 25 to 30 minutes over low heat.
• Heat a pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta until a little shy of al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
• Scrape the eggplant away from skin into the food processor. Squish the garlic away from the skins and add to processor along with tomatoes and onions, ricotta and roasted peppers. Puree the sauce until smooth and creamy.
• Drain the pasta and pour back into the hot pot. Add the sauce and the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine and adjust the seasoning. Pour into a casserole dish, top with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for a make-ahead meal.
• To serve, bring the casserole to room temp and bake at 375 degrees F until brown and bubbly.

ROASTED GARLIC PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan saute the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat until soft and lightly golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, salt, balsamic vinegar, hot sauce, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and basil, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you place them in the pan, and their juices. Stir to combine well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the roasted garlic cloves and stir to combine. Continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes longer, or until the flavors have come together.
• Serve over pasta of choice.

ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER AND RICOTTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Puree ricotta, roasted red peppers, oil, Parmesan, and garlic in a food processor.
• Stir in parsley and oregano. Toss with hot pasta and serve.

CREAMY RICOTTA PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook orecchiette according to package directions, reducing time by 1 minute, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine ricotta cheese, egg, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Mix until a paste forms. Add 1/3 cup hot pasta water and whisk well. Repeat with another 1/3 cup pasta water.
• Transfer pasta to a saucepan using a strainer, letting most, but not all, the water drain off. Reserve cooking water. Add the sauce mixture and turn heat to medium. Cook and stir until sauce thickens enough to coat the pasta evenly, about 2 minutes. Add more pasta water if sauce gets too thick. Stir in pesto. Taste and season as desired. Transfer pasta to a warm bowl.

SPICY ROASTED TOMATO AND RICOTTA PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Toss tomatoes, 4 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Place tomatoes cut-side up in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until soft and juicy, about 2 hours. Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon salt, sugar, Italian seasoning, rosemary, basil, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes evenly over the tomatoes. Drizzle tops of tomatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Return baking sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
• Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Cook sausage and onion until sausage is no longer pink and onion softens, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Transfer roasted tomatoes and any juices to a food processor. Process to desired consistency. Add ricotta and Parmesan cheeses and pulse to combine. Pour tomato sauce into a bowl; mix in sausage-onion mixture.