Vegetable Not Sagna Pasta Toss Recipe Courtesy Rachael Ray Food

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.

VEGETABLE NOT-SAGNA PASTA TOSS RECIPE COURTESY RACHAEL RAY

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.

RATATOUILLE VEGGIE TOSS

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, zucchini and onions. Toss vigorously for 5 or 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, parsley. Reduce heat and simmer 6 to 8 minutes, then serve.

BAGNA CAUDA VEGETABLE TOSS

Steps:

• Bring a couple of inches water in a skillet to a boil, over medium heat. Salt the water and add the broccolini. Cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, run under cold water and reserve. Return the skillet to the stove top over medium to medium-high heat and add the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the anchovies and stir to melt them into the oil. Stir in the red pepper flakes, the garlic, capers, parsley and all the vegetables including the reserved broccolini. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

NO PASTA VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Slice the eggplants lengthwise into long, 1/4-inch strips.
• Use 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to season both sides.
• Place the strips on a nonstick or greased baking sheet; bake for 5-7 minutes on each side.
• You may also grill the vegetable strips.
• Decrease oven temperature to 350°.
• With a fork, mix together the ricotta, egg white, chives, and remaining salt and pepper.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of the pasta sauce on the bottom of an oblong dish, about 13 x 9 inches.
• Then place a single layer of vegetables on top.
• Evenly spread half the ricotta mixture on top of the vegetables.
• Place another layer of vegetables on that, and the remaining ricotta, and top with the remaining vegetables.
• Cover with the remaining sauce, then evenly distribute the mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
• Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.
• Remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes.

VEGETABLE NOT-ZAGNA PASTA TOSS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and then pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes, drain reserving a cup of the pasta cooking water.
• While the pasta cooks, halve the zucchini lengthwise, then thinly slice into half moons. Peel the carrot then holding the carrot at the root end, use the peeler to thinly slice lenghtwise. Place the carrot strips on the cuttiin gobard and chop into small pieces (like confetti).
• Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zuchhini, carrot confetti, and mushrooms to the skillet.
• Cook the vegetables for 3 minutes, tossing once, then add the onion and garlic to the pan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and toss with tongs. When the onions are tender, about 5 minutes more, add the peas and roasted red pepper and toss to heat through. Transfer the veggies to a large dish.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-low heat and ad the butter. When the butter melts, add the flour and whisk for a minute or so, then whisk in the broth and milk.
• Bring to a bubble and thicken the sauce by letting it reduce for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Slide the vegetables into the sauce.
• Return the reserved pasta water to the pasta pot and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the ricotta, then add the grated cheese. Add the pasta to the cheeses. Top the pasta with the veggies and sauce then toss to combine.
• Tear or shred the basil and toss into the pasta.
• Adjust the seasonings. Pass around extra grated cheese at the table.