The Bored Vegetarian

Baked Pasta Shells Stuffed with Spinach, Squash, Ricotta & Basil, with Homemade Garlic Tomato Sauce

As I mentioned in my last post, my friends Patrice and Brittnee persuaded me to do a dinner/manicure trade this week.  

Pasta Shells (for 3-4 people who are gluttons)

15  large Pasta Shells
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt

Bring water to boil in a pot with olive oil and a couple pinches of salt.  Add pasta and boil until al dente.  Set aside a cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.  Set pasta aside. 

Garlic Tomato Sauce 

6 Roma Tomatoes, stem end/core removed 
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 yellow Onion, Chopped
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3/4 cup Red Wine
1 cup Water from boiled pasta
Salt to taste

Bring water to boil in a large pot.  Add tomatoes and cook until the skins split.  Run under cold water until cook enough to handle.  Remove skins (should come off easily).  Add tomatoes to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Add olive oil to a saute pan and saute onions and garlic until soft.  Add tomatoes, pasta water and begin to simmer.  As the sauce begins to reduce, add wine and continue to cook down.  Season with salt.  Remove from heat once you have a nice consistency. 

Spinach, Squash, Ricotta & Basil Filling

2 cups Spinach, stems removed, ripped into manageable pieces
1/2 cup Yellow Squash, chopped small
1/2 cup Green Squash, chopped small
2 cups Ricotta
Handful of Fresh Basil, stems removed, chopped
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste

In a saute pan, lightly saute squash & zucchini for a couple of minutes.  In a bowl mix ricotta, squash, spinach and basil.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Assembly

2/3 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a square baking dish, layer the bottom with half of the tomato sauce.  Spoon ricotta mixture into each shell and add to the pan, forming one layer.  Top with remaining tomato sauce, covering the shells.  Spread parmesan cheese on top.  Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 3-5 minutes or until cheese on top has melted.  Everything should be hot and bubbly.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving.

It’s been a strange week, topped off with one of my best friends moving to Boston today.  Sort of just feel like staring at a wall for the rest of the weekend…or at this bodega kitty (follow me on Instagram: boredvegetarian).  

Whole Wheat Pasta with Toasted Garlic and Ricotta Salata in a Cinnamon Brown Butter Sauce

This was inspired by a dish I had in 2008 at Lula Cafe,  a seasonal restaurant in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.

2 servings Whole Wheat Pasta (I used rigatoni)
2 1/2 Tbsp Salted Butter
3 cloves Garlic, slivered
1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Tsp Sugar
1/8 cup Ricotta Salata, crumbled 
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
Salt 

Bring water to a boil in a large pot with a bit of olive oil and a couple pinches of salt.  Add pasta and cook until al dente, drain and set aside.  In a pan, heat a bit of olive oil and brown slivered garlic slightly, being careful not to burn.  Remove from heat and set aside.  In a medium-sized saute pan, melt butter with 1 Tbsp of olive oil over low heat.  Stir the mixture until it begins to brown.  Remove from heat.  Add cooked pasta and garlic and toss to coat well.  In a small bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar.  Sprinkle slowly over pasta and toss until coated.  Transfer to dishes and top with crumble ricotta salata.  Serve hot.  

Speaking of that trip to Chicago, I snapped this picture in the park, still love it.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti in a Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette with Spring Peas, Asparagus, Ricotta & Mint

2 servings dry Whole Wheat Spaghetti
1 1/2 cup Spring Peas in pods
1/4 pound fresh Asparagus
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup of fresh Mint, chopped
2/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus more for pasta)
1 Lemon
1 clove Garlic 
Salt & Pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil with a tablespoon of olive oil and a couple pinches of salt.  Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil.  Prepare an ice bath (ice in a bowl of water).  Chop asparagus and spring peas.  Once large pot of water is boiling, add pasta.   Cook until al dente and drain.  In the medium sized pot, add asparagus and peas.  Cook  for about 1 minute, then drain and add to ice bath to cool.  Add to a bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup olive oil and the juice and zest of one lemon with garlic.  Salt to taste.  In a saute pan, toss pasta with lemon vinaigrette and vegetables to coat.  Salt and pepper to taste and bring to warm temperature.  Remove from heat and plate in bowls.  Top with a few spoonfuls of ricotta, a generous amount of mint and fresh pepper.  Toss together as you eat.

This past weekend, I attended one of my best friend’s bachelorette party in Greenport, Long Island.  We stayed at the amazing Silver Sands Motel (I can’t express how I adore their bright yellow outdated kitchen, 70’s carpet, buckets of snacks), then went to a few wineries around the area the next morning.  It was a beautiful day and we tried so many delicious wines (and some so-so ones).  If you’re ever looking for a little jaunt in the New York area, it can’t be beat.  I recommend a sober, patient driver who does not care if everyone in the car sings loudly to 90’s music the entire afternoon (thanks Mads!)