Zucchini Olive Ricotta Rolls Spinach Pasta And Tomato Sauce Food

SUMMER PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
• Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

ZUCCHINI, OLIVE, RICOTTA ROLLS, SPINACH PASTA AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Cheese filling -- In a small bowl mix the ricotta, the mozzarella, parmesan and pepper.
• Sauce -- In another pot on the stove add a little olive oil, garlic mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes until soft and then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste and just simmer for 15-20 minutes.
• Zucchini -- Just wrap in a wet paper towel and cook 30-45 seconds on medium high heat, just until plyable or easy to roll. Remove and let cool slightly.
• Roll up -- Make the rolls, spread a little of the olive tapenade of each zucchini plank and then top with the cheese mix and roll up. Put a tooth pick in to hold them together. Now in a medium sized oven proof saute pan, add a little olive oil and cook until golden brown. Transfer to a 325 degree oven to keep warm as you cook the pasta.
• Pasta -- Make the pasta according to directions. Once cooked drain and plate. Top with 2-3 rolls per plate, some of the mushroom tomato sauce and garnish with fresh basil and parmesan. ENJOY!

ITALIAN ZUCCHINI SAUTE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and cook until tender. Mix in tomatoes with juice and zucchini. Season with Italian seasoning and salt. Cook and stir until zucchini is tender. Mix in sugar and adjust seasonings to taste.

PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI RICOTTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when hot add zucchini, along with a large pinch of salt and a sprinkling of pepper.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini begins to brown, then lower heat and cook until it is quite tender, about 15 minutes total. About 5 minutes before it is done, stir in garlic and begin to cook pasta.
• While pasta cooks, warm a serving bowl and put ricotta in it, along with about half the basil. When pasta is tender but not mushy, remove and drain it, reserving about a cup of its cooking liquid.
• Use as much of this liquid as necessary, a bit at a time, to thin ricotta until it reaches a saucy consistency. Toss with pasta, zucchini, remaining basil and Parmesan, if you are using it, then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve.

ZAVIOLI WITH SPINACH AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, and pepper together in a bowl.
• Grind basil, oil, and garlic together into a chunky paste using a mortar and pestle. Add pine nuts to the pesto; grind to the size of small peddles.
• Slice zucchini lengthwise into strips using a mandoline.
• Arrange 2 zucchini strips in the shape of a cross. Spoon some of the ricotta cheese mixture in the middle of the cross. Top with a dollop of pesto. Fold ends into the center to create a parcel, starting from the bottom end and moving clockwise. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining zucchini strips, ricotta cheese mixture, and pesto.
• Spread some of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Arrange zucchini parcels on top, spacing them 1/2 inch apart. Spoon a bit of pasta sauce on top of each parcel. Sprinkle Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until sauce and zucchini begin to brown, about 20 minutes.