Rigatoni With Brie Grape Tomatoes Olives And Basil Food

BAKED RIGATONI WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Prepare oven-dried tomatoes:
• Skin the tomatoes by placing them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then plunging them right away in ice water. This will help you remove the skin without cooking the tomatoes. Using a paring knife, peel the skin off the tomatoes and then cut them in 1/2 lengthwise. Place the tomatoes in a bowl, sprinkle with alt and add the thyme and 2 ounces of olive oil. Arrange the tomatoes with the thyme sprigs on a non-reactive baking pan. Leave enough space around the tomato halves so they don't touch, allowing air to circulate and dry them out. Put them in a 300 degree F oven to dry for 2 hours.
• Prepare the garlic:
• Place the garlic cloves in a small pot and cover with 2 cups of olive oil. Simmer very slowly for 40 minutes, until the garlic is soft. Remove them from the oil and set aside at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Prepare the eggplant:
• Slice the eggplant into 1-inch rounds. Put them in a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt. Drizzle olive oil over them and toss. Arrange the rounds on a baking pan, leaving enough space between each slice so that they cook evenly. Bake until they are soft and slightly brown, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the pasta:
• In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of salted water. Add the rigatoni and cook until "al dente" or even slightly undercooked, about 6 to 8 minutes. Since the pasta will be cooked in the oven, it's important not to overcook the pasta in the boiling water. Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with a little olive oil to prevent them from sticking. Set aside.
• Assemble and bake dish:
• Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the pasta, eggplant, tomato, garlic, scallion and basil and mix well. Add the ricotta and toss gently so that the ingredients are distributed among the pasta but that the ricotta is not completely mixed through. The idea here is to have distinct and differing flavors, so it is important that the ricotta be spread in roughly tablespoon size pieces. Season, if necessary, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Transfer to a large greased earthenware or glass baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake in the oven until the pasta is brown and crisp on top, about 10 to 15 minutes.

RIGATONI WITH ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES AND BURRATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Spread the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until softened, about 20 minutes. Return to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes and make a chunky sauce.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes; add to the bowl with the tomatoes.
• Add the pasta to the tomato mixture and toss, adding enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce. Stir in the oregano and season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with the burrata, basil, a drizzle of olive oil and a few grinds of pepper.
• Cook's Note: Burrata is fresh mozzarella that's filled with cream and curds, so it oozes when cut. If you can't find it, top your pasta with ricotta instead.

RIGATONI WITH BRIE, GRAPE TOMATOES, OLIVES, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Off heat, place cheese, tomatoes, olives, garlic, and crushed red pepper in large skillet. Stir, separating cheese pieces. Mix in chopped basil.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.
• Add hot pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta liquid to skillet with cheese mixture. Place over medium heat and toss until cheese is partially melted and sauce coats pasta, adding more reserved pasta liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry, about 5 minutes. Season pasta to taste with salt. Transfer to large shallow bowl. Garnish with basil sprigs and serve.

RIGATONI WITH FRESH TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat oil in large skillet.
• Add garlic and fry until sizzling.
• Add tomatoes and basil and saute until tomatoes are tender. (about 5 minutes).
• Stir in salt and pepper.
• Add cheese cubes, stir quickly, and pour over pasta. (Cubes should be slightly melted but still retaining their shape).
• Serve and enjoy!

RIGATONI AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except rigatoni and cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Cook and drain rigatoni as directed on package. Immediately toss rigatoni and tomato mixture. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Sprinkle with cheese.

RIGATONI WITH TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.
• In a small skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until tender and just beginning to take on color, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in red-pepper flakes.
• Stir garlic mixture into reserved tomato mixture. Add parsley, oregano, mozzarella, and pasta; toss.

RIGATONI WITH ROASTED TOMATOES AND BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Toss tomatoes, garlic, oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper together in a 9x13-inch metal baking pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven until tomatoes are shriveled, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir in navy beans, and return to the oven to heat through, about 5 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Toast bread crumbs in the hot butter, stirring often, until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
• At the same time, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Add tomato mixture, 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese, and parsley, tossing to coat. Serve sprinkled with bread crumbs and remaining Parmesan cheese.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND PEPPER

Steps:

• Pulse tomatoes with juice in a food processor to a coarse purée. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
• In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add yellow pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.
• Add tomatoes, sugar and salt to taste, and turn up heat to medium-high. When tomatoes begin to bubble briskly and sputter, turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down to a fragrant, thick sauce, about 15 minutes. Add olives, black pepper and basil, stir together, taste and adjust seasoning.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish or gratin with olive oil.
• When water in pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add rigatoni. Cook al dente, removing from the water 1 minute sooner than indicated in the package instructions. (Reserve some of the cooking water.) Transfer pasta to a large bowl.
• If the tomato sauce seems very thick, thin out as desired with 2 to 4 tablespoons pasta cooking water. Scrape into bowl with pasta, add cheeses and toss well. Scrape into prepared baking dish. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top. Cover with foil.
• Bake 25 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until bubbly and beginning to brown in spots. Serve hot.

PASTA WITH BRIE, TOMATOES, OLIVES, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet *off heat*, place cheese cubes, tomatoes, olives, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Still off heat, stir to separate cheese pieces. Mix in chopped basil.
• Add hot pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta liquid to skillet with cheese mixture.
• Place over medium heat and toss until cheese is partially melted and sauce coats pasta, adding more reserved pasta liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry, about 4-5 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt (if needed) and serve.