Margherita Penne

I love the Milk Calendar. I’ve been kind of obsessed with it since I was younger and I would read all of the recipes over and over again and ask my mom which ones we could try. Since we were vegetarian, there were only a few recipes we could try, so it was pretty easy to pick them out!

I was excited to get a copy of the 2015 Milk Calendar this year, even more so because I once again had the opportunity to try one of the recipes, with ingredients generously provided by the Dairy Farmers of Canada. The test recipe this time was Margherita Penne and I knew I would enjoy this dish as soon as I saw the ingredients list. Tomatoes, bocconcini, basil…..yum!

Margherita Penne

Link to the original recipe from the 2015 Milk Calendar recipe site (please note that I have not changed the original recipe, I’ve just included my own notes below) – http://www.dairygoodness.ca/recipes/margherita-penne

Course – Main Dishes

Prep. Time – 10 mins

Cooking Time – 13 mins

Yields – 4 to 6 Servings

This yummy pasta is based on the classic pizza margherita, which is topped with tomato sauce, cheese and fresh basil – sometimes the simplest things taste the best.

Sandy’s notes:

-The recipe calls for 1 1/2 tsp of dried thyme but I’m not a huge fan of thyme in pasta dishes so I only added a 1/2 tsp. It was more than enough to flavor the dish nicely in my opinion. I think 1 tsp of dried oregano would be a great substitute as well.

-If you want to be able to see the bocconcini in the dish then add it in seconds before serving it, otherwise it will melt into the pasta.

-While I enjoyed this pasta hot, I enjoyed it even more after I reheated it the next day. I just needed to add a few tablespoons of water to get the sauce going again.

-See additional tips from the Dairy Farmers of Canada below the recipe.

Ingredients:

12       oz  (375 g) penne pasta

2          tbsp  (30 mL) butter

4          cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2  tsp       (7 mL) dried thyme

1/2     tsp       (2 mL) salt

1/4     tsp       (1 mL) hot pepper flakes

2          tbsp    (30 mL) all-purpose flour

2 1/2  cups    (625 mL) Milk

2          cups    (500 mL) cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2     cup      (125 mL) grated Canadian Parmesan

12       1-inch (2.5 cm) mini Canadian Bocconcini

1/2     cup      (125 mL) fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Canadian Parmesan, for serving

Preparation:

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for about 11 min or until al dente, or according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme, salt and hot pepper flakes. Cook 1 min. Sprinkle with flour; cook, whisking for 1 min. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Whisk for 3 to 5 min or until smooth and thickened. Stir in tomatoes and Parmesan.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Pour in sauce; toss, stirring 1 to 2 min over medium heat to coat pasta. Stir in Bocconcini, basil and salt to taste, if needed. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Tips from the Dairy Farmers of Canada:

-Bocconcini come in different sizes, so if you need to cut the balls, the pieces should be about ¾-inch (2 cm) in size.

-Try cubes of Mozzarella instead of Bocconcini.

-Add some of your favourite pizza toppings to the sauce, such as pepperoni, olives or sun-dried tomatoes. Or use your favourite short pasta in place of penne.

To check out the rest of the recipes from the 2015 Milk Calendar, please visit – http://www.dairygoodness.ca/milk/my-milk-calendar/recipes/year/2015

 

Eggplant Ricotta Bake

I love Eggplant Parmigiana (my husband makes an amazing version of it by the way) but most of the best recipes take a long, long time to make and you often have to fry the eggplant slices.

On my search to find a tasty eggplant recipe that was relatively easy to make and hearty, I found this great recipe from Everyday Food. Roasting the eggplant slices makes them sweeter and softer, so after you have baked the dish, you will end up eggplant that melts in your mouth! The recipe makes the perfect amount for dinner for two plus leftovers for lunch the next day (it tastes even better the next day!).

Eggplant Ricotta Bake

(Inspired by a recipe from Everyday Food – found here: http://to.pbs.org/qZLrmP)

Makes approximately 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants (1 to 1 ¼ pounds each), sliced lengthwise ¾ inch thick (leave the skin on!)

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for your baking dish

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese (approximately 1-2/3 cups)

3 large eggs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil OR oregano (use dried if you don’t have fresh)

2 cups store-bought marinara sauce

Equipment you will need:

2 baking sheets

1 8×8 square baking dish

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°.  Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets.  Brush lightly on both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper (watch the amount of salt you use!).  Roast until eggplant is tender and golden, turning eggplant slices halfway through, for 25 to 30 minutes.

Note:  if you have both baking sheets in the oven on different racks, you will have to switch the position of your trays halfway through, to avoid burning the eggplant on the lower rack.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, eggs, ½ cup Parmesan, basil, 1 ½ teaspoons salt (Note: If you seasoned the eggplant slices with a lot of salt, you may NOT need any more in this part of the recipe), and ¼ teaspoons pepper.

Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with oil. Lay a fourth of eggplant slices in bottom of prepared dish; spread with half of marinara sauce.  Top with another fourth of eggplant; spread with half of ricotta mixture.  Repeat layers, ending with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Parmesan.  Bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes before serving.

I enjoy serving this with a garden salad on the side for a tasty after-work meal. This also tastes great with some buttered spaghetti on the side (freshly cooked spaghetti tossed with a few tablespoons of butter, a little bit of salt, fresh ground pepper and chopped parsley if you have it).

P.S. The Eggplant Ricotta Bake is terrific the next day as the flavours develop even more. It’s one of those work day lunches you will look forward to eating!

Mushroom Risotto

After having an amazing Mushroom Risotto at La Societe restaurant the other night, I felt like making another attempt at making some at home. This was my 4^th time making risotto at home and I think I finally got the formula right!

Today, I followed the recipe below, based on Giada De Laurentiis’ Mushroom Risotto with Peas recipe. I made it vegetarian by using vegetable broth and I also added a cup of chopped baby portobella mushrooms to add more texture and flavour. It came out really, really well and my husband and I gobbled it up!

Risotto really is one of those things you have to keep playing with, to finally understand exactly what you need to do to get it right. Once you do…watch out, you will want it all the time!

Mushroom Risotto

(Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis’ Mushroom Risotto with Peas recipe – found here: http://bit.ly/q9nF7J)

Makes approximately 6 servings.

Ingredients:

8 cups vegetable broth

1/2-ounce dried porcini mushrooms

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups finely chopped onions

10 ounces white mushrooms, finely chopped

1 cup of chopped baby portobella mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or short-grain white rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

2/3 cup grated Parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional

+ patience!!!  : )

Directions

Bring the broth to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the porcini mushrooms. Set aside until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Keep the broth warm over very low heat.

Melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the white mushrooms, chopped portobellos and garlic. Transfer the porcini mushrooms to a cutting board. Finely chop the mushrooms and add to the saucepan. Saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and let it toast for a few minutes. Add the wine; cook until the wine is absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of hot vegetable broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, adding more broth by cupfuls and stirring often, about 28 minutes (the rice will absorb 6 to 8 cups of broth). Mix in the Parmesan. Season with pepper if desired.

What’s your favourite type of risotto?