Artichoke Heart-Stuffed Shells in Ricotta Sauce
This recipe was advertised by Bon Appetit as “A Pasta for Lovers”, and with Valentine’s Day not so long ago (my flowers are miraculously still in bloom) and its development by the brilliant Smitten Kitchen (who captures my heart weekly with her deliciously stunning and witty posts), you would think that this recipe was destined for an ultra-romantic candlelit dinner for two. But since Andreas has an aversion to artichokes and was out of town this weekend (with his magic camera that makes my food look tasty), this “Pasta for Lovers” became pasta for ONE instead. But love was still in the air, as I fell madly for this pasta before I even tasted it, and if you had been in my kitchen smelling the butter as it browned, the onions as they caramelized and melded with a glass of white wine, and the indulgent amount of dairy products as they melted and oozed, you would most certainly be in love too.
The filling is relatively light, but made complex through the little details of browned butter, caramelized onions, parmesan and pecorino, and the texture of artichokes, and the flavors only got better the second day. Each shell is nestled and smothered with a light bechamel sauce strengthened by creamy ricotta and a lemony finish for the most delightful and romantic meal I’ve ever cooked for myself.
Breakfast (for dinner) Tart
One of the best things about living on your own is having the complete freedom to eat anything you want… anytime you want! Some of my favorite things to eat now that I am the queen of my own kitchen is breakfast for dinner. I don’t know what it is that makes it seem so special… perhaps it’s just because I love everything breakfast or brunch, or because it’s got all the allure of the forbidden: my parents NEVER made breakfast for dinner… after all it’s the exchanging of the two meals at the extreme opposite ends of the day, that’s just TOO crazy!
But of course, it’s not too crazy for ME. I’ve been known to have blueberry pancakes or omelets for dinner… recently it’s been poached eggs on everything… bagels, smoked salmon, crabcakes… And if I ever get my dream belgian wafflemaker, you can bet your sweet booty I will be having waffles as well!
This tart is inspired by Smitten Kitchen’s Breakfast Pizza, but since I was prepping a simple dinner for just myself, I didn’t bother with prepping pizza dough- I used a small square of frozen puff pastry dough instead. The dough thawed on my counter in the warm late afternoon summer air in RECORD time. The tart has all your breakfast (or dinner) essentials: protein (eggs and bacon), dairy (fresh mozzarella and parmesan), veggies (arugula, green onions, and parsley), and flaky flaky puff pastry (yes, it is its’ OWN category). Paired with a nice green salad and a glass of white wine, this breakfast tart made a wonderful summer dinner!
Pasta Salad with Mozzarella, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Olives
It’s just been one sweaty day after the other since July 4th, and though I AM enjoying the sunshine and ability to wear flip flops and skirts, I just wish my apartment (on the 5th floor) wasn’t such a central-air-less, heat-retaining, efficient little OVEN. This type of weather really makes prolonged oven or multiple burner stove-top usage totally unappealing. Not just for the discomfort of having to stand over heat-producing pans in sauna-like conditions, but also because of the high probability that my own sweat will season portions of the meal!
So this is the time of the year that I rely on quick dishes that require little or no stove action: salads and grilling. This pasta salad is SO bright and vibrant with juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, briney olives, sharp parmesan, and a generous amount of fresh sweet basil, it’s perfect for summer-time meals, bbqs, and picnics. While the water is brought to a boil and the pasta cooks, the quick dressing of sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olive oil, and a bit of garlic can be made in a blender or food processor and the rest of the ingredients chopped. In less than 20 minutes of a single burner being on, I was back in the cooler comfort of my living room (thanks to my $90 window A/C unit, still chugging along after 3 hot Boston summers!) enjoying this awesome pasta salad!
Thanks to Kate, for sending me this indispensable pasta salad recipe!
Zucchini and Ricotta Galette
Sometimes I will happen upon a recipe and my stomach DEMANDS that I MUST MAKE IT NOW NOW NOW. This zucchini and ricotta galette was totally THAT kind of recipe. It combines all my favorite food groups: veggies, cheese, and buttery flaky crust! On Tuesday evening, as soon as I could get out of lab, I ran to the grocery store to pick up zucchini, cheese, and basil!
The recipe name is deceptively simple.. but this galette, though quite easy to put together, tastes anything BUT. The mild-flavored ricotta is enhanced with melty mozzarella and sharp salty parmesan. Thin slices of zucchini are roasted on top, flavored with a drizzle of garlicky olive oil and shredded basil. And the crust?
Oh. Em. Gee.
I have tried a fair number of pie crusts with minute variations (shortening, vodka vs. water, egg yolk), but this one, with the addition of a bit of sour cream and lemon juice, was seriously a-MAZING. It was moist and happily rolled out without any cracking or resistance. As advertised, it baked into one of the most flaky crusts I’ve ever had- which in combination with the soft cheese-y filling has pretty much set the standard now for SAVORY STUFF WITH CRUSTS.
Pasta Shells Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, and Sausage
How lovely are these shells?! The juxtaposition of their smooth sloping lines and ridges only hint at their potential beauty… stuff them with an excessive amount of cheese (and veggies and meat, just to cover all the food groups) and their true beauty is revealed in a hearty, satisfying, comforting weeknight meal. I liked these stuffed shells because each shell was like its own bite-size, all-inclusive lasagna (though I don’t believe anyone would be capable of eating just one.)
Unfortunately, gobs of cheese flecked with green oozing out of pasta, smothered in a red sauce don’t necessarily yield the most attractive photos (to some), but I assure you that even if you perhaps don’t find the pictures particularly appetizing, the shells themselves were amazing. I stuffed the shells with ingredients that I was feeling on that particular night (spinach, chicken sausage, parmesan, and basil), but you could simply stuff these shells with just ricotta and some aromatics and it would still be awesome. Or jazz it up with some “higher end” ingredients like crabmeat, lobster, or substitute tomato with a bechamel sauce. To me, this demonstrates one of the most useful recipes- endlessly versatile by substituting, adding, or subtracting ingredients based on your preference or availability of what’s in your kitchen, and extremely forgiving in terms of not requiring a strict recipe or quantities. Melt enough cheese and sauce together with some pasta, and it’s always a good meal.
Pasta Shells Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, and Sausage
These are the quantities of ingredients that I specifically used for our Thursday night meal. As I mentioned above, there are countless variations of this dish; you could imagine using ingredients such as shallots, leeks, butternut squash, other cheese toppings (pecorino, fresh mozzarella, asiago, fontina), ground meat, mushrooms, crabmeat. Go wild.
1 box (12 ounces) jumbo pasta shells
about 1 pound of Italian-seasoned chicken sausage (could subsitute pork sausage), removed from their casing
10 ounces fresh spinach (frozen could be substituted)
16 ounces of ricotta (whole or part skim, whatever you prefer)
1 egg
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1/2 cup grated parmeggiano reggiano
1 bottle spaghetti sauce, or home-made (simple sauce recipe following) *note, this amount of sauce is just enough to lightly coat the shells, if you prefer your shells smothered or swimming in sauce, you’ll need more.
2 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper for seasoning
- Heat a large pot of water. Once the water boils, add salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente, about 10-12 minutes. The shells will go into the oven to cook some more once stuffed, so if you like your pasta with bite, remove the pasta before it is al dente. Once the pasta is cooked, dump it into a strainer and run under cold water to cool the pasta down. The shells will be easier to stuff if they are at room temperature and not scalding hot.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. If you are making your own sauce, you can simmer your sauce while you prepare the shells.
- Remove sausage meat from the casings. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat and brown sausage, constantly turning and separating the chunks using your spatula. Cook until the sausage is fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Transfer cooked sausage to a paper-towel lined plate. Return saucepan to heat, add a bit more oil if needed.
- Cook garlic and onion in saucepan until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 5-8 minutes. Salt spinach mixture, about 1 teaspoon. Transfer spinach to a colander or strainer and let cool a bit.
- Beat 1 egg in a large mixing bowl. Add ricotta (I added about 12 ounces, reserving some for future use in another recipe) and mix with a spoon.
- By now the spinach should be a bit cooled, squeeze the excess water out of the spinach and chop the spinach. Add to the ricotta mixture. Then add the sausage, 1/4 cup parmesan, and basil. Add another teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper. Mix together.
- Stuff each shell with about 1-2 tablespoons of filling. Place stuffed shells into a 9x13 pan. I ended up using all the pasta shells and all the filling, which filled up one 9x13 and one 9x9 pan. Pour sauce on top of the shells and cover with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for additional 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and you just can’t wait any longer to eat.
Simple tomato sauce
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (I love San Marzano)
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1 cup red wine
1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely minced
- Heat a medium pot over medium heat and add oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and red wine, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add dry seasoning and basil, as well as salt and pepper if needed.
