Baked Penne with Farmhouse Sugo

Baked Penne Pasta with Farmhouse Sugo

8 serves

2c whole milk

4T unsalted butter

3T AP flour

1 1/4c Parmesano-Reggiano

1 T kosher salt

pinch nutmeg

1 # pene pasta, cooked al dente

1 ea jar Bella Cucina Farmhouse Sugo Pasta Sauce

8 oz mozzarella, cut into 1/2in cubes

Preheat oven to 350°F

Warm milk over low heat.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted.  Whisk in flour until there are no longer any lumps.  Continue to whisk as the flour cooks for 4 minutes.  Slowly pour the warm milk into the roux, whisking all the while. Cook The Béchamel, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened and is smooth.  Whisk in 1/2c parmesaeno, 1T salt, and nutmeg.  Then stir in the sugo pasta sauce. 

In a large bowl combine the pasta, sauce, mozzarella, and 1/2c parmaseno.  Transfer pasta to an oiled oven safe casserole dish and top with 1/4c parmesaeno.  Bake for 40 minutes or until the top of the pasta is golden brown and bubbly around the edges.

Buon appetito! copyright 2011 Alisa Barry

Eggplant Involtini

 For those of you that love your veggies, you will be in heaven with this dish.

It's a vegeterian {and gulten- free} riff on the traditional stuffed ravioli.  Instead of stuffing pasta, you're stuffing baked or grilled slices of eggplant.  The filling is made with fresh ricotta and chopped basil.

Simple. Easy. So far so good.

And then there's the sauce. Depending on the time of year, you can use what's on hand. Since the summer abundance of tomato season hasn't arrived yet, I'm using a Passata . Any pasta sauce will do. If you want it slightly spicy, you can use an Arrabiata . If you prefer a sweeter sauce, try a Peperonata  made with caramelized onion and sauteed golden + red bell peppers.  In summer, you can roast or grill fresh tomatoes of any variety and puree or emulsify as they are, or add a few cloves of fresh garlic, basil and salt + pepper for seasoning.

See? This is a dish that will make everyone at the table happy.  Buon appetito!

EGGPLANT INVOLTINI
For those of you that love your pasta, use uncooked fresh lasagna  pasta sheets in place of the eggplant.

1 large eggplant cut lengthwise into thin strips

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbs. Kosher salt

 ¾ cup ricotta cheese

 ¼ parmesan cheese

 2 Tbs. fresh basil leaves, torn

 1 tsp. black pepper

 1 whole egg

 1 tsp. fresh mint leaves, chopped or 1 Tablespoon Mint and Pistachio Pesto 

 ½ cup  Eggplant Pesto * optional

 2 cups  Organic Passata al Pomodoro pasta sauce

 8 oz. Mozzarella Cheese

Arrange eggplant slices on a plate and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Grill over a medium flame on a grill until golden brown on both sides, about one minute per side. (*Alternatively you can sauté the eggplant with extra virgin olive oil  or roast in a 350 degree oven until light brown on both sides ) Set eggplant strips aside  to cool until ready to fill.

To make filling:

 In a medium mixing bowl add the  parmesan, ricotta, basil, black pepper, salt, egg, mint, and eggplant pesto {optional}. Mix until all ingredients are combined.

To assemble:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Pour passata into a medium-sized oven proof casserole. 

 Take one slice of eggplant and place 2 Tablespoons on the filling mixture at one end and slowly roll it loosely to the other end.  Continue with the remaining slices of eggplant.

Place one slice of the mozzarella over each piece and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted, slightly brown and bubbly.

Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and a grating of parmesan and serve with crusty toasted slices of Italian bread rubbed with a fresh garlic clove. 

Serve four.

Buon appetito!
copyright 2010 Alisa Barry