Penne With Herbed Ricotta Food

CLASSIC BAKED PENNE PASTA WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside in a large bowl. Add the egg, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup chopped parsley and 2/3 of the sauce. Mix until combined.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon in penne mixture. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes; let stand for 15 minutes and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

PENNE WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the penne and cook for 10 minutes or until tender but still firm to taste.
• In the meantime, finely slice the onion and cook in a small pot with some olive oil or butter. Heat a 1/2 cup of water, add in the vegetable bouillon. Once the onion is properly cooked (should be tender), add everything else in, including the bouillon -- salt and pepper to taste. Stir the sauce frequently over low heat, should turn into a nice even mixture.
• Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain and add to the sauce. Stir a few times, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let set for 5 to 10 minutes.

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, making sure to keep it quite al dente.
• Put butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add drained pasta to the pan and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.
• Add tomato sauce gradually and stir to coat pasta, using only enough sauce for a light coating (you may not need the entire 2 1/2 cups).
• Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl and dot top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle lightly with pecorino and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.

PASTA WITH HERBED RICOTTA, TOMATOES AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Blanch the rinsed spinach leaves in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until limp, about 1 minute. Drain the spinach and cool completely under cold running water. Pat dry and chop.
• Put the ricotta cheese in a large bowl and beat with a fork until smooth. Stir in the spinach, scallions, basil, tomatoes, parsley and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook the penne until tender in well-salted boiling water. Drain, toss with the ricotta mixture, garnish with the pine nuts and serve immediately.

RUFFLED PASTA WITH HERBED RICOTTA AND PINE NUT BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Stir together ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, herbs, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large serving bowl.
• Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
• While pasta is boiling, heat butter and oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add pine nuts and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until nut and butter mixture is golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Add drained pasta to pine nut butter along with 1/3 cup of reserved pasta cooking water and stir to coat. Thin ricotta mixture with 1/2 cup more of reserved cooking water, then add pasta and toss to combine. Thin with some of remaining reserved cooking water if necessary. Serve immediately.

SPINACH PENNE WITH RICOTTA AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Toast pine nuts in oven until golden.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions, add the fresh spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to the pot.
• Add the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine, and add the pine nuts, ricotta and Parmesan.

PASTA WITH HERBED RICOTTA AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• GARNISH: halved cherry tomatoes, parsley sprigs, sweet red pepper strips, steamed asparagus spears, or sauteed mushroom caps dusted with paprika.
• Boil a large pot of warer; cook pasta until al dente.
• While pasta is cooking, in a small skillet, melt margarine.
• Add pine nuts and onion, stirring occasionally over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until pine nuts are lightly browned and onion is softened.
• Set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat cheese with remaining ingredients.
• Stir in pine nuts and onion.
• When pasta is done, drain well; toss with sauce.
• Top with freshly ground pepper and garnishes.
• VARIATIONS: - substitute raw cashews for pine nuts

PENNE WITH HERBED RICOTTA

Steps:

• Stir together ricotta, herbs, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large shallow serving bowl.
• Meanwhile, cook penne in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain penne.
• Stir 1/4 cup cooking water into ricotta mixture, then stir in penne. Thin with additional cooking water if desired and season with salt and pepper.