Living Tastefully
  • Home
  • PAINTINGS
  • About
  • Passions-to-Pastry Blog
  • Contact
  • Recipes

Baked Pasta Shells and Cauliflower

1/18/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture

    
Blame it on January...

     I find motivation difficult this time of year and feel like I accomplish very little.  January is the perfect time for projects; paint a room, organize, clean or plan the summer garden, right?  But I don't.  That may be because I tend to go full throttle during the holidays and I need an effortless January to even me out.  I take a break from everything... even cooking and my beloved baking.  But with time, that changes.  This week I prepared several old favorites, but I also made, for the first time, this recipe for Baked Crusty Pasta Shells and Cauliflower that came across in an email from Food & Wine recently.  It's fabulous on a cold, dark January night in Minnesota, and for those in my family that are eating less meat or none whatsoever.  Anything made with salty capers, lemon zest and fresh ricotta is a winner, as far as I'm concerned.  Yes... I'll be making Pasta Shells with Cauliflower again.
    (NOTE) When purchasing the ingredients for this recipe, my cheesemonger suggested I cut back on the Fontina Val d'Aosta, which is pricey.  I used half the amount that is shown in the original recipe below, and replaced the remaining 5 ounces with a container of pre-grated cheeses that included fontina in the mix.  I had no complaint with doing that nor with the results.  I loved this pasta.  




Picture
Ina Garten | Food & Wine, November 2016, slightly adapted
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound medium pasta shells
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 pounds cauliflower, cut into small florets (1 large head)
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh sage leaves (I substituted 2 tablespoons rubbed sage)
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups freshly grated Italian Fontina Val d'Aosta cheese (10 ounces with rind)... see NOTE above
• 1 cup (8 ounces) fresh ricotta
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes)
• 6 tablespoons freshly grated Italian Pecorino cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves


1.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2.  Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the instructions on package.  Drain and pour into a very large bowl.
3.  Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat, add half of the cauliflower in one layer and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the florets are lightly browned and tender.  Pour the cauliflower into the bowl with the pasta.  Add 3 additional tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and add the remaining cauliflower.  Cook until browned and tender; add to the bowl.
4.  Add the sage, capers, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper to the bowl; stir gently to combine.  Stir in the Fontina.  Transfer half of the mixture to a 10 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish.  Spoon rounded tablespoons of ricotta on the pasta and spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top.  Combine the panko, Pecorino, parsley and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly on top.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until browned and crusty on top.  Serve hot.



TAKE a LOOK:






1 Comment
stacey snacks link
1/23/2017 12:01:07 pm

yum. that's all. yum.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture




    Picture
    Picture
    Enter your Email

    Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz






    Categories

    All
    Amana
    Appetizers
    Beef
    Breads
    Breakfast
    Cakes
    Chocolate
    Condiments
    Cookies
    Daring Bakers Challenge
    Desserts And Sweets
    Drinks
    Eggs
    Espresso
    Etcetera
    Fish
    French Bulldogs
    Friday Night Dinner
    Fruit
    Germany
    Gratins
    Great Kitchens
    Grilling
    Ice Cream
    Lamb
    Main Dishes
    Muffins
    My Garden
    My Kitchen Renovation
    New Years Day Brunch
    Paris
    Pasta
    Pork
    Poultry
    Provence
    Restaurants
    Rhubarb
    Rice
    Salads
    Scones
    Seafood
    Side Dish
    Soup
    Sunday Mornings
    Sweet And Savory Tarts
    Thanksgiving
    Tomatoes
    Vegetables
    Vegetarian

  • Home
  • PAINTINGS
  • About
  • Passions-to-Pastry Blog
  • Contact
  • Recipes