Saturday, October 04, 2014
Recipe Round Up: Pesto and Ricotta Baked Pasta
This is really easy to make. It is a pasta you don't even precook. You mix it all together and let the water absorb as it bakes. I do cook the onion, peppers, and garlic, so you will use two pans for the whole dish. If you steam sauté another vegetable or two as a side dish, you can even use the skillet without washing it in between.
1 pound pasta (any shape you like, but not long pastas like linguine or fettuccine, unless you break them up)
2 cups pesto
2 cups ricotta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 pound sliced sweet peppers
4 cloves garlic, minced
kosher salt, to taste
2 cups water
1/2 pound mozzarella (fresh or aged), shredded
1/2 pound provolone, shredded
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Place pasta in baking dish along with pesto and ricotta, and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil when hot, then add onions and peppers. Sauté until onions are wilted and starting to brown on the edges, then add garlic and salt. Cook for another minute. Taste to make sure there is enough salt and adjust as necessary. Add to pan with pasta. Pour 2 cups of water over the mix, and mix together well. Sprinkle with cheeses and cover with foil so it isn't touching the cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes, covered. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes. Serve with a salad, fruit, garlic bread, and/or another vegetable.
This isn't the best photo, but it shows the peppers in the dish.
Labels: Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen
