Baked Penne with Sausage and Creamy Ricotta

© Tina Rupp

Baked Penne with Sausage and Creamy Ricotta

CONTRIBUTED BY MARIA HELM SINSKEY

·         ACTIVE: 1 HR

·         TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS 15 MIN

·         SERVINGS: 8

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 pound hot or sweet Italian fennel sausage, casings removed
• One 28-ounce can tomato puree
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound penne
• 3 cups Creamy Ricotta
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• 1.       Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato puree, water, sugar, bay leaf and fennel. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove the garlic, mash it to a paste and stir it back into the sauce; discard the bay leaf.
• 2.       Meanwhile, cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked sausage to the pasta, then add 1 cup of the tomato sauce and toss to coat the penne.
• 3.       Spoon the pasta into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the pasta and dollop large spoonfuls of the Creamy Ricotta on top. Gently fold some of the ricotta into the pasta; don't overmix—you should have pockets of ricotta. Scatter the mozzarella on top and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake the pasta for about 45 minutes, or until bubbling and golden on top. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
• MAKE AHEAD The baked penne can be refrigerated, covered, overnight. Rewarm before serving.

Pennette with Spicy Tomato Sauce

© David Prince

Pennette with Spicy Tomato Sauce

CONTRIBUTED BY MARK STRAUSMAN

·         ACTIVE: 15 MIN

·         TOTAL TIME: 20 MIN

·         SERVINGS: 4

• One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in tomato puree, drained
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Salt
• 3/4 pound whole wheat pennette or penne
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 1.       Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree the tomatoes until smooth. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the sliced garlic and cook over moderately low heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add the pureed tomatoes and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Season the tomato sauce with salt.
• 2.       Salt the boiling water. Add the pennette to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce in the skillet. Toss well and spoon into bowls or a serving dish. Sprinkle the pennette with parsley and serve.
• NOTES One Serving 460 cal, 16 gm total fat, 2.3 gm saturated fat, 74 gm carb, 2 gm fiber.

Penne with Shrimp and Spicy Tomato Sauce

© Christina Holmes

Penne with Shrimp and Spicy Tomato Sauce

CONTRIBUTED BY QUICK FROM SCRATCH PASTA

·         SERVINGS: 4

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
• 3/4 pound penne rigate
• 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled

• 1.       In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the olive oil and the lemon juice with the paprika, cumin, ginger, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and the cilantro.
• 2.       In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne rigate until almost done, about 12 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until it and the pasta are just done, about 1 minute longer. Drain. Toss with the tomato sauce.

NOTES

Variations

• Penne with Mozzarella and Spicy Tomato Sauce: Use 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, in place of the shrimp. Toss the cheese in at the end.

• Penne with Sausage and Spicy Tomato Sauce: Use grilled sausage cut into bite-size pieces in place of the shrimp. Toss the sausage into the pasta with the tomato sauce.

• Penne with Grilled Vegetables and Spicy Tomato Sauce: In place of the shrimp, use grilled or sautéed vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, or green beans, cut into bite-size pieces. Toss the vegetables into the pasta with the sauce.

Spaghetti with Pancetta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Spaghetti with Pancetta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

CONTRIBUTED BY JOYCE GOLDSTEIN

·         SERVINGS: 4

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound thickly sliced pancetta, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
• 2 small red onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons very finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup shredded basil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

• 1.       Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the pancetta and cook over moderate heat until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate.
• 2.       Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook over moderately high heat until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the pancetta and sun-dried tomatoes and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes longer. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper.
• 3.       Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the spaghetti to the skillet along with 1/4 cup of the cooking water and toss over moderate heat until combined. Transfer to a bowl and serve, passing the Parmesan

Spaghetti with Fresh Soppressata

CONTRIBUTED BY ANDREW CARMELLINI

·         ACTIVE: 30 MIN

·         TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS PLUS OVERNIGHT MARINATING

·         SERVINGS: 6

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 1/3 cups dry white wine
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• One 28-ounce can plus one 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed, with their liquid
• Salt
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 1.       In a blender, puree the garlic with 1/3 cup of the white wine. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the sausage, fennel, black pepper and crushed red pepper and knead lightly to combine. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
• 2.       In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage mixture and cook over high heat, breaking up lumps with a spoon, until lightly browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup of wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and their juices to the pan and season lightly with salt. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 5 cups, about 40 minutes.
• 3.       In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until just al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss with the grated cheese, basil and parsley. Add the reserved cooking water and toss the pasta over moderately high heat, until nicely coated, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
• MAKE AHEAD The pasta sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Spaghetti with Mussels, Clams and Shrimp

Spaghetti with Mussels, Clams and Shrimp

CONTRIBUTED BY MARCIA KIESEL

·         SERVINGS: 4 TO 6

• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 dozen mussels, scrubbed
• 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes (1 1/2 pounds), halved
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 3/4 pound medium shrimp—shelled, deveined and halved crosswise
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 1.       Bring the wine to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the mussels, cover and cook over high heat until they open, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the mussels to a bowl. Add the clams to the saucepan, cover and cook until they start to open. Transfer them to the bowl with the mussels. Pour the cooking liquid into a small glass measure, leaving behind any grit. Shell the mussels and clams and return them to the bowl.
• 2.       Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper and half of the cherry tomatoes and cook over moderate heat, crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until the juices thicken, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved shellfish cooking liquid and simmer over moderate heat until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.
• 3.       Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Meanwhile, bring the sauce to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining cherry tomatoes and the reserved mussels and clams and simmer briefly to heat through.
• 4.       Drain the spaghetti and return it to the pot. Add the seafood sauce and toss to coat. Season with salt and black pepper and transfer to a warmed bowl. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve at once.

Baked Four-Cheese Spaghetti

CONTRIBUTED BY MARC MURPHY

·         ACTIVE: 30 MIN

·         TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 10 MIN

·         SERVINGS: 8

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
• 1/2 pound imported Fontina, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
• 1/2 pound mozzarella, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
• 1/2 pound Gruyère, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
• 1/4 pound Gorgonzola dolce, crumbled
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.       Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and spread the spaghetti on a baking sheet; let cool.

2.       In a large bowl, toss the Fontina with the mozzarella and Gruyère. Spread one third of the spaghetti in the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mixed cheeses and half of the Gorgonzola over the spaghetti and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with another layer of spaghetti, mixed cheeses, Gorgonzola and salt and pepper. Top with the remaining spaghetti and mixed cheeses.

3.       Bake the spaghetti in the center of the oven until the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting into squares and serving.

MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 early in the day and covered with plastic wrap. Uncover the dish before baking.

Spaghetti with Sun-Dried-Tomato-Almond Pesto

CONTRIBUTED BY MARCIE TURNEY

·         TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN

·         SERVINGS: 4

·         FAST

·         VEGETARIAN

• 1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (3 ounces)
• 1/3 cup salted roasted almonds
• 1 large garlic clove, sliced
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 1.       In a food processor, pulse the tomatoes, almonds and garlic. Add 1/4 cup of the oil and puree. Season with salt and pepper.
• 2.       In a skillet, toast the bread crumbs in 2 tablespoons of the oil, stirring, until golden. Transfer the crumbs to a plate; season with salt and pepper.
• 3.       In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. In the pot, toss the pasta with the pesto, reserved cooking water and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until the sauce clings to the pasta. Transfer the pasta to bowls, sprinkle with the bread crumbs and parsley and drizzle with olive oil. Serve.

Spaghetti with Anchovy Carbonara

• TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN

• SERVINGS: 4

• 12 ounces spaghetti

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• One 2-ounce can flat anchovies, drained and chopped

• Pinch of Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano

• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 2 large egg yolks

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

2. In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil with the garlic and anchovies and cook over moderately high heat until the anchovies have dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper, zest, oregano and parsley, then add the pasta and toss to coat. Remove from the heat.

3. In a small bowl, whisk the yolks with the reserved cooking water and add to the pasta. Cook over low heat, tossing until the pasta is coated in a creamy sauce, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

CONTRIBUTED BY MELISSA RUBEL JACOBSON

·         ACTIVE: 45 MIN

·         TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 45 MIN

·         SERVINGS: 6

• 2 slices white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped basil, plus 1 large basil sprig
• 1 teaspoon chopped oregano
• Two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti

1.       In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk until the milk is absorbed, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, gently mix the ground meats with the soaked bread, 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1/2 tablespoon of the garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon of the chopped basil and the oregano. Form the meat mixture into golf ball–size meatballs and transfer to a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
   2.       Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the tomatoes with their juices until finely chopped. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook over moderate heat until light golden, about 3 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper, chopped tomatoes and the basil sprig. Bring to a simmer and cook over moderately low heat until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 25 minutes. Discard the basil sprig and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
   3.       In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Brown the meatballs in batches, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the meatballs to the tomato sauce and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Discard the fat from the skillet. Add 1/4 cup of water and cook over moderately high heat, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes. Pour the water into the tomato sauce.
   In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Pour in 2 cups of the tomato sauce and toss until the pasta is well coated, about 1 minute. Transfer the pasta to large shallow bowls. Spoon the meatballs and remaining tomato sauce over the spaghetti. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped basil. Serve at once, passing grated cheese at the table.

1. MAKE AHEAD The meatballs and sauce can be cooked up to 2 days in advance. Reheat gently before serving.

Bucatini all'Amatriciana

Bucatini all'Amatriciana

CONTRIBUTED BY MARIO BATALI

·         TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN

·         SERVINGS: 4

Chef Way At New York City's Babbo, Mario Batalicreates a simple, brilliant version of this classic dish, tossing the long, hollow pasta strands with house-curedguanciale (pork jowl) and a spicy house-made tomato sauce.

Easy Way Use pancetta, which is simpler to find thanguanciale, and buy a good jarred tomato sauce instead of making one.

MORE ∨

·         1/2 pound thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped

·         1 red onion, thinly sliced

·         3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

·         1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

·         12 ounces prepared tomato sauce

·         Kosher salt

·         1 pound bucatini

·         1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

·         Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving

1.      In a large, deep skillet, cook the pancetta over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet. Add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Return the pancetta to the skillet. Add the tomato sauce, season with salt and simmer until very thick, about 10 minutes.

2.     Meanwhile, in a pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

3.     Add the pasta to the sauce along with the parsley and the reserved cooking water and stir over moderately high heat until the pasta is evenly coated, 2 minutes. Serve the pasta in bowls, passing the cheese at the table.