Pats Pasta Toss Food

CHICKEN PICCATA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until lightly golden all over, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and return the skillet to the heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, the garlic and shallots to the skillet. Saute garlic and shallots 3 minutes. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in wine and reduce liquid 1 minute. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir in capers and parsley. When the liquid comes to a bubble, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the sauce to give it a little shine. Add chicken back to the pan and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce and serve. Adjust salt and pepper, to your taste. Top with fresh snipped chives.

PESTO PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook pasta as directed on package; drain.
• Toss with remaining ingredients.

VEGETABLE NOT-SAGNA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a pot of water to a boil for pasta. Salt boiling water and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: reserve a ladle of the hot cooking water just before you drain pasta.
• Place the frozen spinach on a plate and microwave to defrost it according to your microwave's directions. Place defrosted spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring out the liquid.
• Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Halve the zucchini lengthwise then thinly slice into half moons and add to the pan along with the mushrooms. Cook 2 to 3 minutes then add onions and garlic to the pan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. When the onions are tender, about 5 minutes, add defrosted spinach, separating into small bits as you handle it, and the roasted red peppers and toss to heat through. Transfer veggies to a dish and return skillet to stove top. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts into extra-virgin olive oil, add 2 rounded tablespoons of flour and cook a minute or so, then whisk in stock and milk. Bring to a bubble and thicken the sauce, reducing it 2 to 3 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Slide vegetables back into sauce.
• Place the part-skim ricotta in a large shallow bowl and combine with a ladle of boiling, starchy pasta cooking water. Stir to combine then add in a couple of handfuls of grated cheese.
• Drain pasta and toss with cheeses. Add half the vegetables and sauce to pasta and toss to combine. Tear or shred basil and toss into pasta. Adjust seasonings. Top bowlfuls of Vegetable Not-sagna with remaining veggies in sauce and pass extra grated cheese at the table.

NOT-SAGNA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Heads up: you will need a ladle of the starchy cooking water to help form sauce before draining.
• Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add the meat and break it up into small bits as it caramelizes. Once meat has good color to it, 4 to 5 minutes, add garlic, onions and red pepper flakes and season with salt, pepper, allspice and Worcestershire sauce. Cook another 5 minutes, deglaze the meat and onions with red wine, cook off a minute, then combine about 1/2 cup of stock into the meat. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes.
• Place ricotta cheese in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Add a ladleful of boiling, starchy pasta water to the ricotta and stir to combine. Add a couple of handfuls of grated Parmesan to the ricotta and mix it in.
• Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with cheeses. Add half the thick meat sauce to the pasta bowl and combine. Tear or shred the basil and add to the meat and pasta, toss again. Taste to adjust salt and pepper. Serve bowlfuls of Not-sagna with extra sauce on top and more grated Parmesan to pass at the table.

PASTA SHRIMP TOSS

Steps:

• Cook linguini or spaghetti according to package directions, drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, Melt butter in 10" skillet until sizzling.
• Add onion, shrimp, bell pepper,garlic, salt and pepper.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink (6 to 7 min.).
• Stir cream and flour together in small bowl until smooth.
• Stir into shrimp mixture.
• Continue cooking until mixture comes to a boil (about 1 minute).
• Stir in tomatoes and basil.
• Place hot cooked pasta in large pasta bowl or onto serving platter and top with shrimp mixture.
• Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

MOUSSAKA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot water to a boil, salt it and cook pasta to al dente.
• Preheat a large, deep skillet over medium heat with oil. Add the lamb and cook until brown, about 3-4 minutes; breaking it up into small pieces with the back of a wooden spoon.
• Add in the garlic and chopped onions, season with allspice, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another couple of minutes while you chop eggplant.
• Peel off half the skin of the eggplant. Chop the eggplant into a very small dice. Add the eggplant to the lamb and cook until it becomes soft, about 8-10 minutes.
• In a saucepot, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute then whisk in the milk and thicken, about 5 minutes. Bring this mixture up to a bubble and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Add this béchamel into the meat skillet and stir to combine.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet, giving it a toss to mix everything up.
• Add the chopped parsley and grated cheese, and stir to combine.

PASTA, PESTO AND FETA TOSS

Steps:

• Cook pasta as directed and drain.
• Toss remaining ingredients with hot pasta.
• Can be made ahead and enjoyed cold.
• Prepare as directed, cover, refrigerate until serving.