Mangia Bene Pasta
Mangia Bene Pasta Favorite Pasta Recipes
This page contains recipes for:
Broccoli and Cavatelli
Trenette al Pesto
Orecchiette with Spinach and Navy Beans
Linguine with Marechiaro Sauce
Sauteed Shrimp and Scallops over Linguine
Penne with Broccoli and Tuna
Hay and Straw Fettuccine
Spinach Lasagna for 2
Broccoli Cavatelli
(Serves 4)
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pound cavatelli
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter, optional
Salt and pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Parmesan cheese, grated
Cook broccoli in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, and set aside.
Cook the cavatelli in boiling salted water.
Cook for 2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time.
Heat olive oil in a wide saucepan.
Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté 1-2 minutes.
Add broccoli and saute another minute.
Add chicken broth, butter (optional), salt and pepper.
If you are adding grilled sausage or shrimp, add it at this time.
Bring to a simmer and cook 2-3 minutes.
Add the cooked cavatelli and simmer for 2 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
Place the mixture in a large pasta bowl.
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
Trenette al Pesto
(Serves 4)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
6 ounces green beans, cut into 3" lengths
1 pound ribbon or string pasta, cooked to al dente
Parmesan cheese, grated
Pesto sauce (recipe below)
Cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 5 minutes.
Remove potatoes from water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a pasta bowl.
Add beans to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender.
Remove beans from water and transfer to the bowl with the potatoes.
Set aside.
Reserve cooking water.
Add cooked pasta to beans and potatoes in the bowl.
Add pesto sauce to pasta mixture and gently blend.
Add some of the reserved water if dish seems too dry. Toss to coat.
Serve on a platter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Pesto Sauce:
1 cup fresh basil leaves
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons pignoli nuts
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
In a food processor, grind basil, Parmesan, nuts, garlic, salt and pepper.
Add olive oil slowly to make a medium-thin sauce.
Orecchiette with Spinach and Navy Beans
(Serves 4)
1 pound orecchiette
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Pinch of red pepper flakes
12 ounces fresh spinach leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 can navy beans, drained
2 tablespoons butter (optional)
Parmesan cheese, grated
Grilled Italian sausage, sliced (optional)
Cook the orecchiette in boiling water for 1-2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time.
Drain but do not rinse.
While the pasta is cooking, saute garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a saute pan for 1-2 minutes.
Do not allow garlic to brown.
Add spinach, salt and pepper. Saute until spinach is wilted.
Add broth and simmer about 5 minutes.
Add beans, butter (optional), and drained orecchiette to the broth mixture.
If you are including sausage, add it at this time.
Stir to combine and cook 1-2 more minutes.
Transfer to a serving dish.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Linguine with Marechiaro Sauce
(Serves 4)
1 pound linguine
1 (10- ounce) can chopped clams
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1-1/2 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
18 to 24 littleneck clams
3 tablespoons fresh parsley,chopped
Salt
Cook linguine in boiling salted water for 2 minutes less than the time recommended.
The pasta will cook later in the sauce and allow it to absorb some of the sauce's flavor.
In the meantime, place canned clams in a strainer over a bowl to catch the juices.
Set drained clams and clam liquid aside.
In a wide saucepan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes.
Saute until the garlic just begins to turn golden, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the dried basil and saute another 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato juice, wine (optional), and the reserved clam liquid.
Add the littleneck clams to the sauce, cover, and cook about 5 minutes or until clams begin to open.
As the clams open remove them to a bowl, so they don't over cook. *
When all the clams have opened and been removed, add the drained canned clams and the
parsley.
Also add the cooked, drained linguine at this time.
Cook the mixture for 2 minutes. Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary.
Transfer the pasta and sauce to a serving bowl.
Top with littleneck clams and serve.
* Discard any clams that have not opened after sufficient amount of cooking,
as they may not be safe to eat.
Sauteed Shrimp and Scallops over Linguine
(Serves 4)
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled
1/2 pound sea scallops
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup flavored Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound linguine, cooked
Traditional Tomato Sauce
Put milk in a small bowl.
Add seafood and stir to coat all pieces.
In another bowl, combine flour and bread crumbs.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
Remove a few pieces of seafood at a time from the milk and place in the bread crumb mixture.
Coat each piece well and then add them to the oil in the skillet.
Cook 2-3 minutes, or until light brown.
Remove cooked seafood from the skillet to a paper-towel covered plate.
Continue to add and remove seafood in the skillet until all pieces are sautéed.
Do not crowd the pieces in the skillet or they will steam and not get as crisp.
Add tomato sauce to cooked pasta. Combine well.
Top pasta with sautéed seafood.
Penne with Broccoli and Tuna
(Serves 4)
8 ounces penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup broccoli, cut in bite-size pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons pesto (recipe below)
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1 (12 ounce) can tuna in oil, drained
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
10-12 black olives, sliced
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Cook pasta, drain, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, stir, and set aside.
Add water to a saucepan and bring to a boil,
Add broccoli and cook about 2 minutes. Drain. *
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon. vegetable oil in a large skillet.
Add broccoli, garlic, salt and pepper.
Cook until broccoli is tender, about 2-3 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine broccoli mixture with pasta, pesto, scallions, tomatoes, and olives.
Place pasta mixture on a serving platter.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
* Alternately broccoli may be steamed
Pesto:
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
10 pignoli nuts
Salt and pepper
Olive oil (about 1/3 cup)
In a food processor, grind basil, parsley, Parmesan, nuts, garlic, salt and pepper.
Add olive oil slowly to make a medium-thin sauce.
Hay and Straw Fettuccine
(Serves 2)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6-8 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
4 ounces prosciutto or smoked ham cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
6-8 ounces egg and spinach fettuccine
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
To make the sauce:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
Add 2/3 cup cream and Parmesan to the butter and bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup of cream and the yolks.
Slowly pour the hot cream into the bowl to temper it.
Add the pepper. Whisk to combine.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and set it aside off the heat.
In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of butter, 2-3 minutes.
Add the onion, prosciutto or ham, and garlic.
Saute until the prosciutto is crisp and onions are slightly golden, 3-4 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
In the meantime, cook the fettuccine in boiling salted water until al dente.
Add the peas to the cooking pasta just to heat through.
Drain the pasta and peas into a large serving bowl.
Pour the sauce over and gently toss to coat the pasta.
Top with the prosciutto/mushroom mixture and sprinkle with parsley.
Optional: Top individual servings with a dollop of Traditional Tomato Sauce. Stir in.
Spinach Lasagna for Two
8 lasagna strips
8 ounces ricotta cheese
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg
1/2 (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
Pinch of nutmeg
2 cups traditional tomato sauce
Cook lasagna strips in boiling salted water for the time recommended on the package.
Drain the pasta, rinse with water and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, spinach, and nutmeg.
Use a (9 x 5-inch) loaf pan or individual lasagna dishes.
Put a little of the tomato sauce in the pan and spread it to cover the bottom.
Begin layers, first with 2 lasagna strips laid side by side.
You will probably have to cut them to fit the length of your pan.
Then add a thin layer of the cheese mixture followed by a layer of sauce.
Repeat this 3 more times, ending with the sauce layer.
Cover pan with foil. Bake in 375-degree oven for 45 minutes.
Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.