Green Pasta Mediterranean Style Food

MEAN GREEN PASTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• For the pureed greens: Meanwhile, add the spinach, arugula, basil, mint, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and garlic to a food processor. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil and puree. Stop before the mixture is completely smooth; you want a bit of texture. Set aside.
• For the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and mustard powder, whisking to combine. Cook, whisking constantly, for a minute or so. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook the sauce until thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the half-and-half, salt and pepper. Add the Cheddar, fontina and Monterey Jack. Stir until the cheese all melts.
• For the assembly: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• Combine the melted butter, breadcrumbs and parsley in a small bowl.
• Add the cooked penne to the cheese sauce, making sure every noodle is covered in sauce. Next, stir in the pureed greens until barely combined. Pour the pasta mixture into the buttered baking pan and top evenly with the breadcrumbs. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• If you are serving later, top the assembled casserole with aluminum foil and pop in the freezer. When you are ready to serve, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight and bake the following day at 350 degrees F until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 hour covered and an additional 15 minutes uncovered.

GREEN PASTA, MEDITERRANEAN STYLE

Steps:

• To prepare the pasta, put all ingredients in a bowl, and knead together. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest for approximately one hour. Roll out the pasta to the thinnest setting on a pasta machine and lay out to dry for about 5 minutes. Cut the pasta into strips, or feed through a pasta cutter. Set pasta aside until ready to be cooked.
• To begin the sauce, heat the olive oil and add the basil, so the flavors infuse into the oil. Add the cherry tomatoes and salt, and cook for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta for 6 to 7 minutes.
• In a separate pan, heat some oil, and fry the eggplant. The eggplant must be golden brown when done. Lightly salt when eggplant is still hot.
• To serve: Heat the sauce and add the drained pasta. In the center of each dish, place a tomato star filled with the golden eggplant. Surround the plate with the pasta, and place a basil leaf on top for decoration.

MEDITERRANEAN PASTA WITH GREENS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in pasta, cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
• Place chard in a microwave safe bowl. Fill bowl about 1/2 full with water. Cook on High in the microwave 5 minutes, until limp; drain.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, green olives, and garlic. Mix in the chard. Cook and stir until tender. Toss with pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the zucchini, mushrooms, green pepper and onion in oil until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, olives and pepper; heat through., Drain pasta; divide between two plates. Top with vegetable mixture and cheeses.