Penne Senese

Ingredients

1. 1 lb penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
2. 2 Tbsp butter
3. ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4. ½ cup yellow onions, chopped
5. 3 cloves garlic, chopped
6. ½ lb mushroom, sliced
7. 6 Italian sausage links, casing removed
8. ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp white wine
9. 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
10. 1 quart heavy cream
11. ¼ lb prosciutto ham, chopped
12. 1 Tbsp fresh sage (or 1 tsp dry)
13. 1 Tbsp fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dry)
14. ½ lb grated Parmesan cheese
15. 1 tsp garlic pepper (optional)
16. Salt to taste

Procedures

1. HEAT pan over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt. Add oil, onions and garlic. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sausage. Cook until pink is no longer visible in sausage.
2. ADD white wine and bring to a boil. Whisk in flour and let cook for 1 minute to remove flour taste. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until sauce reaches desired consistency.
3. ADD cooked, drained pasta to pan with sauce. Toss well.
4. TRANSFER to large serving platter and garnish with fresh basil, sage and additional parmesan cheese, if desired.

Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

1. 7 oz pack goat cheese
2. 1/3 cup pitted black olives, chopped
3. 1 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dry), chopped
4. 1/2 Tbsp fresh basil (or ½ tsp dry)
5. 1/2 Tbsp fresh oregano (or ½ tsp dry)
6. 2 tsp garlic, minced
7. Salt and pepper to taste
8. 4 cups prepared pasta sauce (your choice)
9. 1 lb whole-wheat lasagna, cooked according to package directions
10. Freshly ground black pepper
11. 2 small zucchinis, diced
12. 2 small summer squash, diced
13. 3/4 cup roasted red pepper, diced
14. 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Procedures

Pre-heat oven to 375ºF.

1. MIX goat cheese, olives, thyme, basil, oregano, and garlic in a bowl; season with salt and pepper.
2. SPREAD 1 cup pasta sauce on bottom of a 9” x 13” baking dish.
3. ADD a layer of cooked lasagna and season with black pepper.
4. ADD a layer of zucchini, squash, and red pepper. Drop spoonfuls of goat cheese mixture over vegetables and spread to cover.
5. REPEAT layers, finishing with pasta and sauce.
6. SPRINKLE Parmesan cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 ºF.
7. UNCOVER and bake 5 minutes or until top browns. Let stand 10 minutes; serve immediately.

Cheese Ravioli with Mushroom Ragu

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup Spanish onions, diced
2. 1/2 cup fresh carrots, diced
3. 1/2 cup fresh celery, diced
4. 2 Tbsp sweet butter
5. 6 oz pancetta, diced in 1/4” cubes
6. 1/2 lb beef tenderloin, diced in 1/2” cubes
7. 6 garlic cloves, chopped
8. 1/2 lb domestic mushrooms, sliced
9. 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced & de-stemmed
10. 1/4 lb portobello mushrooms, cubed
11. Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
12. 1 cup dry white wine
13. 1 cup chicken broth
14. 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
15. 1/4 cup sweet butter
16. 1 lb square cheese ravioli, cooked according to package directions
17. 
    
18. Parmesan cheese, grated
19. Fresh parsley

Procedures

1. MELT 2 Tbsp butter in a heavy bottom roasting pan. Add pancetta, beef, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Brown on medium-high heat while stirring for about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 5 more minutes, then season with black pepper. Add white wine, chicken broth and tomatoes.
2. SIMMER sauce on medium heat and cook about 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Add 1/4 cup of chilled butter while stirring sauce until butter is completely melted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
3. ADD cooked, drained ravioli to sauce and stir to coat pasta. Place sauced ravioli on serving plate. Top with grated Parmesan and parsley.

CHEF TIPS

• Substitute reconstituted dried porcini mushrooms for domestic mushrooms
• Substitute thick bacon for pancetta
• Add roasted red peppers to sauce
• Add capers or black olives to sauce

Caserecce Pasta & Red Sauce

Ingredients

1. 1 lbs caserecce pasta (or your favorite small shaped pasta), cooked according to package directions
2. 1/4 cup olive oil
3. 2 Tbsp garlic, chopped
4. 1 cup onions, chopped
5. 1 bay leaf
6. 3 29-oz cans tomato sauce
7. 1 12-oz can tomato paste
8. 3 ¾ cups water
9. 3/4 cups granulated sugar
10. 2 tsp basil, dried
11. 1/4 tsp oregano, dried
12. 1 tsp salt
13. 1 tsp black pepper, ground
14. Fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

Procedures

1. HEAT oil in a saucepot and add onions, garlic and bay leaf. Saute until golden brown, being careful not to burn. Add tomato sauce and paste, water and seasoning. Simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
2. TOSS cooked, drained pasta into sauce.
3. TRANSFER to large serving platter. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.