Spinach and Three-Cheese Stuffed Shells Whatever the season, spring food is nice. It’s tasty and light and, if you behave yourself, full of fresh vegetables. The following, from purewow.com , also are easy to prepare. ORECCHIETTE WITH SPRING GREENS from purewow.com serves six 1 pound orecchiette (or other small […]
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Whatever the season, spring food is nice. It’s tasty and light and, if you behave yourself, full of fresh vegetables.
The following, from purewow.com, also are easy to prepare.
ORECCHIETTE WITH SPRING GREENS
from purewow.com
serves six
1 pound orecchiette (or other small dried pasta)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 cups baby spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
1¼ cups peas (fresh or thawed)
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for finishing
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
⅓ cup chopped roasted almonds
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the orecchiette and cook until al dente according to the package instructions (or about 7 to 9 minutes).
While the pasta cooks, heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach in batches, cooking until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and peas, and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.
Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the pasta and the reserved pasta water to the skillet and toss well to combine. Add the Parmesan and stir until the mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes more.
Season the pasta with salt and pepper (and red pepper flakes, if using). Garnish with almonds and Parmesan cheese before serving.
CHICKEN AND SNAP PEA STIR FRY
serves four
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2½ cups snap peas
1¼ cups boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons Sriracha (optional)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, plus more for finishing
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for finishing
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bell pepper and snap peas, and sauté until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook until it is golden and fully cooked and the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha (if using) and sesame seeds; toss well to combine. Allow the mixture to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro, then garnish with a sprinkle of extra cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
KETO SHEET-PAN CHICKEN AND RAINBOW VEGGIES
serves six
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 bunch radishes, halved
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 small eggplant, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pint red cherry tomatoes
1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 small zucchini, diced
1½ pounds chicken sausage, thickly sliced
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, stir together the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic.
On a large baking sheet, arrange the carrots, radishes, bell pepper, and eggplant in an even layer. Drizzle about half of the lemon garlic butter over the vegetables and toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast until the veggies are just tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Add the tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini and sausage. Drizzle the remaining lemon garlic butter over the mixture, and toss well to combine.
Roast until all the vegetables are very tender and the sausage has begun to brown, 17 to 20 minutes.
SPINACH AND THREE-CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS
serves eight
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes (such as San Marzano or Pomi)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
One 8-ounce bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
One 1-pound box jumbo pasta shells
16 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Gouda cheese
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for serving
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the crushed tomatoes, bell pepper, oregano, red-pepper flakes and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the spinach. Taste and add more salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the shells and cook according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain well.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Gouda and basil. Transfer the mixture to a gallon-size zip-top bag. Push the mixture into one corner of the bag, squeeze the air out of the top of the bag, and snip about ½ inch off that corner.
Working with one at a time, pipe about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into each shell, then place them in the skillet. Sprinkle the shells evenly with mozzarella.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and is lightly browning on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then top with fresh basil to serve. Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.
HERB-CRUSTED PORK CUTLETS
serves six
6 thinly sliced pork cutlets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, tarragon, sage or oregano)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup olive oil
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper.
Prepare a Breading Station: Place three shallow bowls on your work surface. Fill the first with the all-purpose flour, the second with the beaten eggs and the third with the bread crumbs. Add the herbs and cheese to the bread crumbs and mix to combine.
Bread the Cutlets: Dip a cutlet into the flour and shake off the excess. Next, dip it into the egg and let the excess drip off. Finally, press the cutlet into the bread crumbs to coat it on all sides, then set aside. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.
Cook the Cutlets: In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the cutlets until golden brown on each side, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Remove the cutlets from the pan and finish with flaky salt. Serve warm.
SALAMI, ARTICHOKE AND RICOTTA PASTA SALAD
serves six
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound bite-size pasta (we used farfalle)
2 cups diced salami
One 12-ounce can artichoke hearts, quartered
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup ricotta cheese
Whisk the olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and mustard to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package’s instructions. Drain and let cool slightly.
Toss the cooled pasta with the salami, artichoke hearts and rosemary. Add the dressing and toss well to coat. Finally, drop dollops of ricotta across the surface of the pasta salad and gently fold to combine.
Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days.
