Penne Alla Zucca Just The Sauce Food

NICK AND TONI'S PENNE ALLA VECCHIA BETTOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.
• Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.
• Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.

PENNE ALLA PUTTANESCA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta and the sauce: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water, stir, and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes less than what the box advises. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by heating oil in a skillet over low heat. Rinse the anchovies and the capers under cold water to remove the salt, then soak in a small bowl of water for several minutes. Remove the pits from the olives by quickly smashing them with the side of a knife, then fillet the anchovies by removing the backbone (the longer they're soaked, the easier this will be). Add the anchovies, capers, garlic, olives, and parsley to the skillet, and cook until the anchovies are broken up and the garlic is lightly browned. Using a fork or your hands, break up the tomatoes in a mixing bowl and add to the skillet. Simmer sauce for 1-2 minutes, then check for seasoning (sauce will be naturally salty) and adjust with pepper.
• Assemble the dish: Perform the pasta "marriage ceremony" by reserving 1 cup of the pasta water and draining the rest. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the pasta water and puttanesca sauce into the pot. Cook over low heat, gently tossing the pasta with the sauce for 2 minutes to allow it to marry with the sauce. The pasta should still be firm to the bite. Transfer to a platter or bowl, garnish with more chopped parsley, and serve.

SIMPLE & DELICIOUS PENNE ALLA CHECCA

Steps:

• Boil the tomatoes for about 4-5 minutes. Not fully cooked just until they kinda crack and the tomato skin come off easy. Peel them, get the seeds out and then dice them.
• In a large bowl: Add the diced tomatoes, the fresh basil, oregano and thyme finely chopped, the garlic and the extra virgin olive oil.
• Salt and pepper for taste. Mix all the ingredients and to combine this delicious flavors just put them away for a bit -- while the pasta is cooking.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente or just follow the package instructions.
• Cut the mozzarella cheese into 1/2 inch cubes.
• When the pasta is ready, save a 1/4 cup of pasta water, just in case the sauce looks a little dry or if you just want it a little more saucy.
• Drain pasta.
• Toss the hot pasta in the bowl with the fresh tomato mixture, add the mozzarella then toss again. Add pasta water if necesary.
• Plate, sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

PENNE & SAUSAGES A LA VODKA

Steps:

• Prick sausage casings several times& cook in lightly salted, boiling water for 3 minutes.
• Drain, cool& slice into rounds about 1/2 inch thick.
• Melt butter& oil in a very large skillet.
• Add sausages, onion & garlic; cook on medium heat until sausages are lightly browned.
• Add peppers & zucchini & cook for 2 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
• Add penne & cook, according to package directions, until al dente (approx 9 minutes).
• Drain well.
• In the meantime, add tomato sauce, salt, pepper & cumin to the sausage mixture.
• Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken.
• Add vodka & cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the cream, nutmeg& Parmesan; simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add pasta to skillet; toss or stir well and serve sprinkled with parsley & additional Parmesan.

PENNE ALLA ZUCCA (JUST THE SAUCE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F Cut Butternut Squash in half and put onto a rimmed baking sheet. Smear butter onto the squash and bake for 30 min. After the squash has finished roasting cut it into 1 inch cubes and reserve. Cut tomatoes in 6ths and reserve. Cut (don't mince) garlic cloves into small rounds. Heat a large pan on medium-high and put 1 tablespoon butter and the 3 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. Just after the butter has melted put the sliced garlic cloves in and sauté for 2 min. Put the cubed squash into the pan and let cook until the undersides are brown, about 4 min. Add cream and tomatoes and let simmer for 3 min. Stir in cheese, 2 tablespoons of butter, and milk, simmer 1 min. Add basil and salt to taste. Serve over Penne