Roasted Tomato and Shallot Pasta

Recipe courtesy Bella Collina 

Serve with a green salad

Ingredients

1-pound (2-3 cups) cherry tomatoes; stemmed, cut in half
1-pound shallots cut in half
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 pound of broccoli
12 oz. dried ziti, zitoni, or other short-tube pasta
11/2 cups regular strength chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon drained canned capers
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
¼ teaspoon crushed dried hot red chilies
Grated Parmesan cheese & salt & pepper

In a deep 10 x15 inch-roasting pan, combine tomatoes, shallots and oil.  Bake in a 425-degree oven until vegetables are brown.  50-60 minutes; stir occasionally

Trim tough ends off broccoli. Peel stems; thinly slice. Cut flowerets into 1-inch pieces.

Shortly before tomatoes are done, bring about 3 quarts water to boiling in a 5-6 quart covered pan on high heat.  Add pasta; cook uncovered, 8 minutes. 

Add broccoli; boil until pasta and broccoli are barely tender to bite, 3 to 5 minutes longer.  Drain. Pour into a serving bowl; keep warm.

Add broth, garlic, capers, basil, and chilies to roasting vegetables.  Stir over high heat to free browned bits and vegetables, and until liquid boils.  Pour over pasta; mix.  Add cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serves 4  

Pastitsio

Recipe courtesy Chef Joe Rizzi 
TheChefWorks

Servings:  4

My Grandma Sbarra prepared this dish on special occasions such as Easter and New Years Day. The common side dishes were green beans fresh from my Grandpa’s victory garden cooked al dente, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic, a simple green salad with red onions and Roma tomatoes, fresh oregano and strong home-made red wine vinegar (made in Gramps basement) and sopped up with crunchy Italian bread!

Ingredients

3/4  lb(s) ground beef, extra lean
1  medium onion, diced
3  tablespoon(s) olive oil
1  16 oz. can(s) tomatoes in juice
1/4  teaspoon(s) cinnamon
1/4  teaspoon(s) nutmeg
1 1/4  teaspoon(s) salt
1/2  teaspoon(s) black pepper
2  tablespoon(s) flour
1 1/2  cup(s) milk, hot
1/4  teaspoon(s) white pepper
2  large eggs
1/2  pound(s) elbow macaroni, large, cooked
1  cup(s) Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Meat sauce:  Brown ground beef and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Chop and add tomatoes with their juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Egg Sauce:  In a small saucepan heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in hot milk and continue whisking until the mixture comes to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Let cool a bit,

and then stir in the 2 eggs.