Baked Rigatoni

 

Like baked ziti, baked rigatoni is a comforting classic and one that is not complicated to make. The quick homemade tomato sauce with ricotta cheese is quite tasty and goes well with the zucchini and mushrooms, and with a generous blanket of bubbly mozzarella cheese it pairs perfectly, adding the most cheesiest tomato flavour you can devour in a dish.   

Doesn't really mater how you plate it, does it. It's delicious and comforting, and sometimes that's all you need. 

Baked Rigatoni

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serves 6 to 8 

1 x 454 g box Rigatoni pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large onion, chopped

2 -3 medium zucchini, chopped

1 pint (227 g) sliced mushrooms, rinsed and patted dry

1 can (796 ml) low salt diced tomatoes

1 can (796 ml) low salt crushed tomatoes

3 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2  teaspoon pepper

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

slices of fresh tomato, optional

Arrabbiata Pasta Seasoning 

Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

In a large stock pot of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni until it is almost completely tender but still has a bit of chew to it. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Heat a sauté pan with the oil to medium heat, then add the garlic and onion and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the zucchini and mushrooms a cook for another 5 minutes until tender. Add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes, letting it all come together and reduce a bit then turn off the heat.

Stir the ricotta cheese into the sauce until it blends well, then fold in the pasta and mix well to coat everything. Spoon half of the pasta and sauce mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, then sprinkle with some of the mozzarella cheese. Add the rest of the pasta and sauce and top with the remainder of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with slices of fresh tomatoes, if using. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbly. Serve hot and sprinkle with Arrabbiata Pasta Seasoning and parmesan cheese.  

Notes: You can make the sauce a meaty one by adding 1 pound of minced beef when sautéing the onions, sautéing together for 5 to 7 minutes or until the beef has browned, then add the chopped vegetables and continue with the rest of the recipe. You can also top or serve with fresh basil leaves.   

Breezy Tomato Salad

 

With warm spring... summer like temperatures, some say, the season of salads is upon us, honestly, I think they never left. Forego the leafy greens and a salad can change according to seasons, ingredients, your own personal taste and what's available at the grocery store. Grilled, tossed, marinated, grained, pastafied or noodleious even the most modest of salads can be reimagined. This vibrant four ingredient salad is fresh yet simple and savoury and is a breeze to make in advance. 

Breezy Tomato Salad

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half a cucumber

1 small pint (approximately 15 to 20) grape tomatoes

2 green onions

mozzarella cheese

4 to 6 tablespoons Greek salad dressing

fresh basil leaves, optional 

Wash and pat dry vegetables throughly.

Slice the cucumber into thick slices and chop those slices into pieces, place in a large bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half, then add to the bowl with the cucumber. Chop the green onions and add to the cucumber and tomatoes.

Cut thick slices of mozzarella cheese into cubes. Add to the to the vegetable mixture. 

Make a Greek salad dressing, or any herbed oil and vinegar dressing you wish, you may also use a ready made dressing, if you have that on hand. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine and coat evenly. Allow to mellow in the fridge for and hour. Serve with fresh basil leaves.

Leftovers #60 ~ Chilli Poutine

Forlorn potatoes and yams, leftover chilli and shredded mozzarella cheese hanging about the kitchen, you can create a scrumptious meal such as this chilli poutine. It's a bit of a mix due to the fact that I used potatoes and yams, rather than strictly potatoes, which are used in classic poutine. The potatoes and yams were cut into chunky wedges, tossed in olive oil and mixed herbs and then oven roasted until golden brown. The leftover chili was warmed up and spooned over the heap of mixed roasted potato and yam wedges and topped with a hand full of mozzarella cheese. This may not replace traditional poutine however it created a scrumptious dinner... a culinary bliss of creating a wonderful meal from leftovers that otherwise might get overlooked. 

Oven Baked Tortellini

Still riding on the baked pasta theme I thought I would try baked tortellini. I opted for a less creamy sauce by not adding any type of cheese to it therefore making a more tangy tomato sauce. Another tasty meal in minutes!    

Oven Baked Tortellini

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2x 350g packages cheese tortellini

3 cups tomato sauce, homemade or from a jar

1 tablespoon thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

frozen spinach, defrosted and any excess liquid squeezed out

parmesan cheese

mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.

Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain well.

In a large bowl stir to combine the tomato sauce, herbs and spinach.  Add the drained cooked tortellini to the sauce mix and gently stir. Add the now sauced tortellini into the prepared baking dish. Top with shredded parmesan cheese then some shredded mozzarella cheese. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbly. Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.   

Hope everyone had a good weekend! It's back to school so I am expecting a bit of a flurry over the next couple of weeks. - JD 

Oven Baked Ravioli

Ravioli is great however baked in the oven with extra sauce and cheese is delicious. This dish mimics lasagne without all the layering; so if you are in a hurry this would be the recipe for you.   

Oven Baked Ravioli

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2 x 350g packages of fresh Cheese and Spinach Ravioli

3 cups pasta sauce, homemade or from a jar

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

shredded parmesan cheese

shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9x13inch baking dish.

In a large bowl whisk together the pasta sauce, Herbs de Provence and mascarpone cheese until nicely blended and smooth. Set aside.

Cook the fresh ravioli according to package directions. Drain well. Add the ravioli to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the ravioli to the prepared baking dish. Top with the shredded parmesan and the shredded mozzarella. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 to 20 minutes or until the cheese and sauce are nice and bubbly. 

It's been a lovely week and a bit of relaxing and enjoying. I hope everyone had a great one and a great weekend too. - JD  

Leftovers #44 ~ Noodle Lasagne

Leftovers are a great way to create a delicious meal without wasting a morsel. Leftover pasta is never a miss when some sautéd onions and mince meat are added. You can also use veggie ground or mixed vegetables, if you wish. Add the cooked meat and onions to the leftover pasta and toss with a bit more sauce; pop it in the oven to warm up. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top; allowing the cheese to melt and bubble and one has created a Noodle Lasagne. Filling and comforting, yes! 

I call this Noodle Lasagne not only because of the way it looks in the baking pan but because of it's flavour. It tastes exactly like lasagne without the layers.

Hope everyone has been having a great week so far. - JD 

Mozza Melt

Dinner last night was a bit of a light one. Chicken mozzarella melt sandwiches on organic cranberry pistachio bread. After reading that name I take that back! These palm sized sandwiches where quite filling. Apples and mixed greens would have been a great addition to the filling. You can also serve this with a side of raw veggies, mixed greens or coleslaw.  It is really simple and quick and a great way to use up some leftovers. -JW