Vegetable Not Sagna Pasta Toss Recipe Courtesy Rachael Ray

NOT-SAGNA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: you will need a ladle of the starchy cooking water to help form sauce before draining.
• Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add the meat and break it up into small bits as it caramelizes. Once meat has good color to it, 4 to 5 minutes, add garlic, onions and red pepper flakes and season with salt, pepper, allspice and Worcestershire sauce. Cook another 5 minutes, deglaze the meat and onions with red wine, cook off a minute, then combine about 1/2 cup of stock into the meat. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes.
• Place ricotta cheese in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Add a ladleful of boiling, starchy pasta water to the ricotta and stir to combine. Add a couple of handfuls of grated Parmesan to the ricotta and mix it in.
• Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with cheeses. Add half the thick meat sauce to the pasta bowl and combine. Tear or shred the basil and add to the meat and pasta, toss again. Taste to adjust salt and pepper. Serve bowlfuls of Not-sagna with extra sauce on top and more grated Parmesan to pass at the table.

RATATOUILLE VEGGIE TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, zucchini and onions. Toss vigorously for 5 or 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, parsley. Reduce heat and simmer 6 to 8 minutes, then serve.

BAGNA CAUDA VEGETABLE TOSS

Steps:

• Bring a couple of inches water in a skillet to a boil, over medium heat. Salt the water and add the broccolini. Cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, run under cold water and reserve. Return the skillet to the stove top over medium to medium-high heat and add the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the anchovies and stir to melt them into the oil. Stir in the red pepper flakes, the garlic, capers, parsley and all the vegetables including the reserved broccolini. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

CHICKEN PICCATA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until lightly golden all over, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and return the skillet to the heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, the garlic and shallots to the skillet. Saute garlic and shallots 3 minutes. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in wine and reduce liquid 1 minute. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir in capers and parsley. When the liquid comes to a bubble, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the sauce to give it a little shine. Add chicken back to the pan and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce and serve. Adjust salt and pepper, to your taste. Top with fresh snipped chives.