Mostaccioli With Tomato Pesto Food

PENNE WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan.
• Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

MOSTACCIOLI

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Crumble sausage into a Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and pasta. In a large bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese. , Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish; layer with cheese mixture and remaining pasta mixture. , Cover and bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Uncover; top with Romano cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until heated through.

PESTO PASTA WITH CHICKEN AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• In blender or food processor, place Pesto ingredients.
• Cover and process on medium speed about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides with rubber spatula, until smooth. Set aside.
• In 4-quart saucepan, heat penne and broth just to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until al dente and liquid is almost absorbed. Remove from heat. Add pesto; stir in chicken and tomatoes; cook over medium 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
• Garnish with basil and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

MOSTACCIOLI WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
• Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, place remaining ingredients except cheese. Cover and process until mixture is almost smooth.
• In large bowl, toss pasta, tomato mixture and cheese.

THE BEST BAKED MOSTACCIOLI

Steps:

• Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, a good pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage; cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until crumbled, golden brown and no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper; cook, stirring, until the garlic is tender and the tomato paste is thoroughly combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, parsley sprigs and 1/4 cup water and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cover partially with a lid and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavors have melded, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, stir together the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the Pecorino Romano, the egg, remaining 1/4 teaspoon oregano, pinch of salt and a couple grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth and combined; set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Once the meat sauce is finished cooking, remove the parsley sprigs and discard. Stir in the al dente mostaccioli until well coated.
• Transfer half of the pasta and sauce to the prepared baking dish, then spread the ricotta mixture on top in an even layer with a rubber spatula or small offset spatula. Top with the remaining pasta and sauce, followed by the mozzarella, then the remaining 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano.
• Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is bubbling at the edges, 10 to 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

MOSTACCIOLI WITH TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a big pot of water to a boil.
• Combine the tomato paste, olive oil, pine nuts, salt, cayenne, tomato juice, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor; run the motor until you have a smooth puree; set aside at room temperature while you cook the pasta.
• Generously salt the boiling water and drop in the pasta.
• Cook, stirring often, until al dente.
• Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
• Transfer pasta to a heated serving bowl; add enough pesto to coat the noodles generously.
• Add a little pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, if it seems too thick.
• Sprinkle with cheese and pass more cheese and any remaining pesto at the table.

PENNE WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Meanwhile, pluck the basil leaves from the stems (you should have about 2 cups leaves). Wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water and dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels. Smash and peel the garlic.
• Put the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the processor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until the pesto is smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the cheese. Season with the salt and some pepper.
• Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add the penne and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and save about 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the bowl. Use tongs and toss with enough of the cooking water so the pesto coats the pasta evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
• Upgrades: a. Make the pesto creamy by adding 1/4 cup ricotta cheese when processing the basil, garlic, and pine nuts. This is great with tortellini or ravioli. b. Top dressed pesto pasta with 1/2 pound diced large or halved small fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), 3 medium tomatoes cut in large chunks, and 1/2 cup pitted black olives, (we like kalamata for this), roughly chopped. c. Add cooked 1 to 2 cups chicken or shrimp.
• Twists on Pesto: In place of basil, try the following combination: 1 cup parsley, 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves. Substitute walnuts for the pine nuts

PESTO PASTA WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• PASTA: Put broccoli in a microwave safe bowl with two tablespoons of water, cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir once half way through cooking time. Remove, drain and set aside.
• Boil pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Reserve one cup cooking water, drain pasta and set aside. Return pasta to cooking pot and stir in sun-dried tomatoes, pesto sauce and broccoli. Add warm pasta cooking water and stir just until sauce is evenly distributed (you may not use all the water). Serve immediately.
• PESTO: Pulse garlic, pine nuts and manchego cheese until coarsely chopped, about the size of peas. Add basil leaves and pulse briefly to combine. With food processor running, add oil gradually in a thin stream to make a smooth paste. Add salt to taste.

BACON AND MUSHROOM PENNE WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Cook the pasta as directed on the package. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Chop bacon, fry gently in a frying pan.
• Add mushrooms.
• Blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped.
• Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan.
• Add the pasta, mushrooms and bacon to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
• Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

ROASTED GARLIC AND TOMATO MOSTACCIOLI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300°F. Place aluminum foil on cookie sheet; generously brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Arrange tomato halves, cut sides up, in single layer on foil; brush with 2 teaspoons of the oil. Sprinkile with sugar, salt and pepper.
• Cut 1/2 inch off top of garlic bulb; drizzle 1 teaspoon of the oil over garlic bulb. Wrap in aluminum foil; place on cookie sheet with tomatoes. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until garlic is soft when pierced with a knife and tomatoes have begun to shrivel; cool slightly.
• Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
• Squeeze garlic into remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and mash until smooth; toss with pasta. Add tomato halves and basil; toss. Top with cheese. Serve immediately.

PENNE WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
• Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped.
• Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl.
• Stir in the Parmesan.
• Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
• Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.