Pasta Cheese And Trees Food

PENNE WITH FIVE CHEESES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.
• Combine all the ingredients except the penne and butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
• Drop the penne into the boiling water and parboil for 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl, tossing to combine.
• Divide the pasta mixture among 6 shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2-cup capacity). Dot with the butter and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 7 to 10 minutes.

THREE-CHEESE PASTA WITH GREENS

Steps:

• Place carrots in a large pot with lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook carrots until fork-tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix well. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and stir until a thick roux forms, about 10 minutes.
• Mix fontina cheese and goat cheese into the roux. Cook until cheeses are completely melted and sauce is thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Drain carrots and bring water back to a boil, pouring in more as needed. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
• Cook garlic with olive oil in another saucepan over medium heat until starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add Swiss chard, tearing them as they go into the pan. Cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add baby arugula and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Chop 1 basil leaf into the pan using herb shears. Cook until wilted, about 30 seconds more. Mix in some of the cheese sauce if desired.
• Drain pasta and divide over serving plates. Add carrots, chard, and arugula. Top with Parmesan cheese and more cheese sauce. Garnish each plate with a basil leaf.

THREE CHEESE BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain.
• Meanwhile, cook ground meat and onion in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until meat is browned. Stir in pasta sauce, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer the ingredients in the prepared baking dish as follows: half of the cooked pasta, all the provolone cheese, all the sour cream, half of the sauce mixture, remaining pasta, mozzarella cheese, and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

BAKED FETA PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Toss the cherry tomatoes and olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Transfer to a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish, place the feta in the center of the tomatoes and season with a pinch of black pepper. Bake until the tomatoes have burst and the feta has softened, about 30 minutes. Raise the heat to 450 degrees F and continue to cook until the tomatoes and feta are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 13 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then thoroughly drain the pasta.
• As soon as the tomatoes and feta come out of the oven, stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). Use the back of a spoon to smash the tomatoes and feta into a smooth and creamy sauce (it's okay if some of the oil isn't fully integrated). Add the pasta and half the basil and toss until evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, stir in some pasta water a couple tablespoons at a time. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the remaining basil and a pinch of sea salt.

CHEESY SPINACH BAKED PENNE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mist a 2 to 2 1/2-quart rectangular or oval baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook according to package directions for al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a medium pot set over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and garlic and cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil sprig, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, lowering the heat if the sauce bubbles too vigorously, until the sauce has thickened slightly, the flavors have blended together and the raw tomato taste has cooked out, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the basil and season with additional salt and pepper. Pour over the cooked pasta and toss well to coat. Add the cubed mozzarella and transfer half the pasta to the prepared baking dish.
• Put the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan and pulse two to three times. Combine half the cottage cheese mixture with the spinach and mix to break up the spinach. Drop in spoonfuls over the pasta in the baking dish. Top the spinach layer with the rest of the pasta and then the remaining cottage cheese mixture.
• Bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes, and then scatter the torn basil over the top.

PASTA, CHEESE AND TREES

Steps:

• Put a big pot of water on to boil for the pasta.
• Separate the broccoli into small trees by pulling them apart. Trim off the woody stems of your trees so you can break them up.
• Put the broccoli florets (trees) into a pot and add water enough to just cover the tops.
• The broccoli should cook about 5 minutes once the water comes to a boil. Drain.
• When the pasta water boils, put 4 pinches of salt into the pot and add pasta. Cook to al dente (that's Italian for "done but still with a bite to it"), according to package directions.
• Pour oil and butter into a deep frying pan and heat it up over low heat. When the butter melts, add the garlic and cook it 5 minutes.
• Add the broccoli to the garlic.
• Drain the pasta and add to broccoli. Add the ricotta and grated cheese, and have the GH stir it all up in the big frying pan.
• Add a little salt and pepper and taste the pasta and trees to see how the seasoning is.