Pasta dishes are frequently found in the category of comfort food. Many of us grew up on the blue box with the orange sauce called macaroni and cheese. You can find pasta dishes in the cuisine of countries all around the world. The Italians have made pasta one of the cornerstones of their cuisine. Asian recipes frequently star pasta as a main ingredient.
The ancients Greeks and Italians had a type of lasagna that was baked. The earliest mention of pasta in the Arabic world was in the Talmud, written in Aramaic in the 5th century AD. The Chinese are known to have been eating a "noodle-like food" as early as 3000 BC. The lovely myth that Marco Polo brought pasta back from China to Italy is romantic but probably not very accurate.
There are different types of pasta. A look at the grocery aisles will show fresh pasta and dried pasta of various types. There are now pastas that you don’t have to boil ahead of time. The pasta softens as it cooks in the oven. Many recipes start with making your own pasta. The normal ingredients of pasta are flour, eggs, salt and water. While wheat flours are the most common pasta can be made with rice, corn and other grains. A pasta machine is handy if you make a lot of pasta and have a large enough kitchen that you can store specialty machines. Pasta made with a rolling pin is just as good as those made by machine.
One of the great things about pasta is that it can be combined with so many wonderful sauces. Tomato or cheese sauces are probably the most popular sauces for pasta dishes. The various different types and shapes of pasta lend themselves to different sauces. The pasta most identified by kids would be the small elbow used in mac n’ cheese and spaghetti pasta used in many Italian recipes. The lasagna noodles are larger and sturdier. The large shells are perfect for stuffing.
Here are some of the ways that I have used pasta. As always please feel free to contribute your recipes. If you have a favorite restaurant that makes a fabulous pasta dish let us know about it.
Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 8
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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12 ounces fat-free evaporated milk
16 ounces elbow macaroni
1 small sweet onion -- minced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
3 tablespoons butter -- divided
2 tablespoons low sodium Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups bread crumbs -- unseasoned
1 cup low sodium Colby cheese -- shredded
1 cup Monterey jack cheese -- shredded
4 cups low-sodium cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Heat oven to 350°F.
Cook macaroni in boiling water per directions. Drain. Put in 2 quart casserole.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in large saucepan. Add onion and garlic. Cook until softened.
Add milk, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg and mustard to saucepan. Add cheese one cup at a time and stir until melted.
Add cheese sauce to macaroni in casserole dish. Mix well.
Melt butter in small fry pan. Add bread crumbs and garlic powder and stir until bread is toasted. Sprinkle on top of macaroni and cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 740 Calories; 34g Fat (42.0% calories from fat); 35g Protein; 72g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 96mg Cholesterol; 483mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 5 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Spicy Chinese Noodles
Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 8
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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boiling water
8 ounces noodles -- dry
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet sherry
2 tablespoons Tiger Sauce -- or other chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon plum vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 ounces mushroom caps -- sliced
1 cup frozen peas -- defrosted
1 small onion -- minced fine
1 clove garlic -- minced fine
1 tablespoon ginger root -- minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Make noodles according to package directions.
Heat small saucepan to medium high and add oil. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until softened.
Add soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, and brown sugar to saucepan and heat until boiling.
Drain pasta and put in bowl. Add mushrooms and peas. Pour sauce over and mix well.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 168 Calories; 3g Fat (18.4% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 27mg Cholesterol; 629mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Spaghetti with Marinara Meat Sauce
Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 12
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 medium sweet onion -- diced
4 cloves garlic -- minced
1 medium red bell pepper -- diced
1/2 cup celery -- diced
1/2 cup carrots -- diced
6 ounces mushrooms -- sliced
4 1/4 ounces black olives -- drained and diced
14 1/2 ounces tomatoes, low sodium -- diced
16 ounces no salt added tomato sauce
6 ounces no salt added tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons low sodium Worcestershire sauce
16 ounces spaghetti -- cooked
2 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese -- shredded
Add beef to large saucepan and cook until no pink remains. Drain.
Add oil, onions, garlic, celery, carrots and red bell pepper. Cook until onions are soft and translucent and other vegetables have softened. About 15 minutes.
Grind basil, oregano, rosemary, fennel seeds, salt and crushed red pepper with a motor and pestle.
Add mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, Worcestershire sauce and spice mix. Heat to boiling.
Reduce heat and simmer for one hour.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Pour sauce over and top with cheese.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 353 Calories; 12g Fat (32.8% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 371mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Jumbo Stuffed Shells
Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 8
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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3/4 pound Italian sausage
2 medium shallots -- minced
2 large cloves garlic -- minced
14 1/2 ounces no-salt-added whole tomatoes -- drained and diced
8 ounces mushrooms -- sliced
8 ounces pasta shells -- jumbo, uncooked
4 quarts boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces no salt added tomato sauce
6 ounces no salt added tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups Italian six cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Cook pasta shells in boiling water for 8 to 9 minutes. Drain.
Add olive oil to large frying pan. Add sausage, shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until sausage has browned.
Add tomatoes. Cook until vegetables have softened and liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of cheese.
While sausage mixture is cooking, in a saucepan add tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer .
Spread 1/2 of the sauce in a 13x9x2 inch pan. Stuff shells with sausage mixture and place in sauce. Pour remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Cover with the remaining cheese.
Cover and bake in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 322 Calories; 16g Fat (44.4% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 32g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 32mg Cholesterol; 499mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat.
Vegetables Galore Lasagna
Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 12
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 large zucchini -- sliced thin
1 medium sweet onion -- diced fine
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 medium red pepper -- diced small
12 ounces Portobello mushroom caps -- sliced thin
14 1/2 ounces low sodium tomato, canned -- diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
16 ounces no salt added tomato sauce
6 ounces no salt added tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
12 ounces lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese, part skim milk -- *see Note
1 cup mozzarella cheese, part skim milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Heat oil and butter under melted. Add onion, garlic and red pepper. Cook until softened.
Add mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes. Cook until softened.
Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour.
Meanwhile cook noodles according to package directions. Mix the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
In a 13x9x2 pan spread 1/3 of the tomato mixture,1/3 noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of cheese mixture, repeat layers topping with cheese mixture.
Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, uncover and bake for 20 minutes or until browned.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 277 Calories; 8g Fat (27.8% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 22mg Cholesterol; 264mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
NOTES : You can use small curd cottage cheese.
Cover unbaked lasagna tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 24 hours. If you prefer, freeze up to two months. To bake from refrigerator add 10 minutes. To bake frozen lasagna, thaw in refrigerator overnight and bake according to above directions.