Easy Baked Penne With Ricotta And Basil Food

EASY BAKED PENNE WITH RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook until tender, about 9 minutes. Drain and set aside to let cool for about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine ricotta cheese, basil, 1 1/2 cups of the pasta sauce and pepper in a large bowl. Transfer pasta to bowl with cheese mixture and toss gently to coat.
• Spread 1/2 cup of the remaining pasta sauce over the bottom of a 7x11-inch baking dish. Spoon pasta mixture into dish and spread out evenly.
• Drizzle remaining sauce over the top, sprinkle with mozarella and bake until golden brown and hot throughout, about 30 minutes.

PENNE WITH RICOTTA AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil, and salt it. In a separate pot, cook peas in boiling salted water to cover, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again and set aside.
• Cook pasta in the large pot. While it is cooking, mix ricotta, butter and half the Parmesan in a warm bowl. When pasta is almost done, remove about a cup of its cooking water, and use as much as you need to make ricotta mixture into a sauce.
• Toss pasta with ricotta mixture and peas. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, add more cooking water if necessary, and serve, passing remaining Parmesan at the table.

BAKED PENNE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brown meat with vegetables in large nonstick skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup cooking creme and 1/2 cup mozzarella: cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted. Add pasta; mix lightly.
• Spoon into 2-qt. casserole; top with remaining cooking creme and mozzarella. Cover.
• Bake 20 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 15 min.

PENNE WITH LEMON, RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Cook the penne in a pot of salted water until al dente, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain and set aside.
• In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, and whisk in the ricotta, lemon juice and lemon zest.
• Moisten with some of the reserved pasta water to make a sauce-like consistency.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Toss the pasta with a bit of olive oil. Divide among plates and top with sauce and basil.

RACHAEL RAY'S PENNE WITH RICOTTA AND BACON

Steps:

• Cook penne to al dente in a large pot of boiling salted water.
• Reserve 1 ladle of cooking water, then drain pasta and transfer to serving bowl.
• While pasta is cooking, fry bacon until crisp in a skillet, and transfer to plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• Drain most of grease from skillet, leaving a small amount in skillet.
• Add onions and cook until golden.
• Stir onions and ricotta into pasta along with reserved pasta cooking water.
• Crumble the bacon and sprinkle it over the pasta along with the basil.