Penne Ortolano Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add penne. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.
• Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until lightly golden. Add eggplant and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add peppers and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add half the basil; season with a pinch of salt. Stir in tomatoes, and cook for about 3 minutes. Add cooked penne and enough reserved cooking water to loosen the mixture slightly. Toss to combine. Stir in remaining basil. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt. Divide evenly between two serving plates; serve immediately with cheese, if desired.

Steps:

• Core and seed peppers and cut them into 1/4-inch strips. Cut eggplant into cubes 1/2-inch or smaller.
• In large frying pan, saute garlic and peppers in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat until they are very soft. Remove and set aside in medium bowl. Add remaining oil to pan, and raise heat to medium-high. Add eggplant, and brown quickly, removing cubes as they brown and adding them to peppers.
• While vegetables cook, cut zucchini in half lengthwise, and then slice about 1/2-inch thick. Add zucchini pieces to pan, brown quickly on both sides, and add them to eggplant and peppers.
• Remove pan from heat, and immediately stir minced herbs into hot oil. Pour over vegetables and keep warm.
• Bring 5 to 6 quarts water to rolling boil. Add at least 2 tablespoons salt and then the pasta.
• While pasta is cooking, warm the tomato sauce in separate pan.
• Start testing pasta at 6 minutes. When pasta is done, drain it and turn it immediately into preheated bowl. Mix rapidly with hot tomato sauce. (Or drain pasta when it is not quite done, and finish cooking in sauce.) When sauce is thoroughly mixed in, add sauteed vegetables, and mix lightly. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain pasta; return to pot.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add eggplant to skillet; season generously with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook until eggplant begins to release juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover; cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes (if bottom of pan browns too much, add a few tablespoons water, and scrape with spoon).
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/4 cup water to skillet; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Toss sauce and basil with pasta; gently reheat if necessary. Top each serving with a spoonful of ricotta, and garnish with more basil.

Steps:

• Shred zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. (You should have about 4 cups.) Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta directly over zucchini in colander set in sink. Transfer both to pot; toss with olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, and red-pepper flakes. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve, dressed with more oil and cheese.

Steps:

• 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add penne. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.
• 2. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until lightly golden. Add eggplant and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add peppers and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add half the basil; season with a pinch of salt. Stir in tomatoes, and cook for about 3 minutes. Add cooked penne and enough reserved cooking water to loosen the mixture slightly. Toss to combine. Stir in remaining basil. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt.
• 3. Divide evenly between two serving plates; serve immediately with cheese, if desired.