Sunnys Garlic Knots And Easy Pasta Bake Recipes

SUNNY'S EASY MUSHROOM, PEAS AND PASTA WITH 1-2-3 ALFREDO SAUCE

Steps:

• For the pasta: In a large pan with sides and a lid, add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sage and fry until just crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and season with a tiny pinch of salt.
• Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring, until wilted and darkened, 5 to 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta, peas and chicken stock. Cook, stirring and tossing, until all the liquid is absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
• For the 1-2-3 alfredo sauce: Add the garlic to the pan and toss, then add the cheese and heavy cream. Stir to coat everything, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered, until the sauce has combined and thickened slightly, about 8 minutes.
• Top each portion with a fried sage leaf.

GARLIC KNOTS AND PASTA BAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Whisk together the heavy cream, pesto, flour, red chile flakes, 1/2 cup warm water and a pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside. Working on a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half and roll each half to make a rope about 3/4-inch-thick. Cut each rope in to 4 equal parts. Twist each piece into a knot, making 8 knots. Spray a large oval baking dish or large deep-dish pie pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour a third of the sauce into the bottom of the dish. Layer with half of the ravioli in a single layer. Top with another third of the sauce, then layer with the remaining ravioli and top with the remaining sauce. Place the knots along the inside edge of the pan, on top of the ravioli. Spray the knots with the cooking spray and sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake until the garlic knots are a rich golden brown and the pasta sauce is bubbly, 40 to 50 minutes. Top with Parmesan and torn basil if using.

SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Heat a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until hot, about 1 minute. Break up the sausage into small pieces, add to the Dutch oven and cook, without stirring, until the sausage is caramelized on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Begin to break up the sausage into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and continue to cook, stirring often, until caramelized all over, cooked through and broken into 1/2-inch pieces, another 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and set aside.
• If the Dutch oven is dry, add 1 tablespoon oil if needed and immediately stir in the peppers and onions. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are very soft, about 10 minutes; the vegetables should not take on much color besides what comes from scraping the bottom of the pot to coat them in the sausage flavor.
• Stir in the garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook until the garlic just begins to toast and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste coats the vegetables, toasts slightly and becomes a darker shade of red, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, basil and 4 cups water. Stir the sauce together and season with additional salt to taste; make sure the sauce is well seasoned since it will season the pasta as well.
• Stir in the rigatoni and bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes. As soon as you see the first few bubbles, simmer for 1 more minute, then remove from the heat. Stir in the reserved sausage. Carefully ladle the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Discard the basil. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours. The pasta will soften as it sits in the sauce.
• When ready to bake, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and uncover. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Dollop the ricotta in 2- to 3-tablespoon mounds over the top of the dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake until bubbling around the edges and the ricotta begins to brown on top, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then garnish with basil leaves and more Parmesan.