Dougherty Family Recipe Box

Category: Pasta

  • Skillet Stuffed Shells

    Ingredients

    • 18 jumbo pasta shells 
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1/2 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced
    • freshly ground black pepper
    • salt
    • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
    • 5 oz. frozen chopped spinach
    • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 3 cups marinara sauce
    • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 2 cups whole-milk ricotta
    • 1 cup Italian hard cheese, finely grated
    • 3 tablespoons oregano, finely chopped

    Method

    1. Cook shells according to package directions until very al dente.
    2. Drain shells, rinse with cold water, drain again.
    3. Heat oil in a large skillet over high. 
    4. Add mushrooms and cook until browned (about 5 minutes).
    5. Season with pepper and salt. 
    6. Reduce heat to medium, add vinegar, and stir while cooking until reduced by half (about 2 minutes). 
    7. Add spinach, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. 
    8. Uncover and continue to cook until spinach is completely wilted and most of the liquid is evaporated (about 3-5 minutes). 
    9. Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl.
    10. Return skillet to medium-high heat.
    11. Cook garlic and butter in skillet, stirring occasionally, until garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown (about 2–3 minutes). 
    12. Reduce heat to low.
    13. Add marinara sauce and red pepper and cook until warmed through (about 10 minutes).
    14. Stir into the mushroom mixture: add ricotta, hard cheese, oregano, and salt. 
    15. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. ricotta mixture into each shell. The shell should be full but not overstuffed.
    16. Nestle stuffed shells into hot sauce in skillet. 
    17. Cover and cook over medium heat until shells are warmed through (about 4–6 minutes). 
    18. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

          Source

        1. Linguine with Chicken and Mushrooms

          Ingredients

          • fresh pasta, cut into linguine noodles, uncooked
          • 1 tablespoon butter
          • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into thin strips
          • 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
          • 1/2 cup heavy cream
          • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
          • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
          • 1/2 teaspoon salt
          • fresh ground black pepper

          Method

          1. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.
          2. Add chicken and cook.
          3. Add mushrooms to chicken and cook.
          4. Add cream and reduce heat to low.
          5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook pasta for 60 seconds.
          6. Stir a splash of pasta water into the sauce.
          7. Stir parsley, cheese, salt, and pepper into sauce.
          8. Serve sauce warm over pasta.

          Source

        2. Fresh Pasta

          Takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours from start to finish.

          Ingredients

          • 2 cups all-purpose white flour
          • 3 whole large eggs
          • 4 egg yolks
          • 1 teaspoon salt

          Method

          1. Make sure that the kitchen counter is clean and dry.
          2. Pour flour onto counter in a mound, make a well in the centre.
          3. Pour eggs, yolks, and salt into the well.
          4. Use a fork to beat the eggs.
          5. Gradually incorporate flour into the eggs – dough will start wet and sticky then become dry.
          6. Knead dough for about 5 minutes.
          7. Wrap ball tightly in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
          8. After resting dough, cut into quarters.
          9. In turn, for each quarter,
            1. Use a rolling pin to roll 1/2 inch thick.
            2. Run through pasta maker on widest setting 3 times.
            3. Letter fold and use rolling pin to roll 1/2 inch thick.
            4. Run through pasta maker another 3 times.
            5. Reduce size setting by one, run through 3 times.
            6. Reduce size setting by one again, run through 3 times.
            7. Flour and gently fold, store under a tea towel until ready to cut and use.
          10. Cut pasta into desired shape, cover.
          11. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil.
          12. Cook pasta for 90 seconds.
          13. Drain, add sauce, and serve.

          Source

        3. Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

          Ingredients

          Vegetable Filling

          • 1 tbsp. olive oil
          • 1 white onion, chopped fine
          • 1 head garlic, minced
          • 1 large package (4.5 cups) frozen chopped spinach
          • 4 packages (7 ounces each) fresh sliced white mushrooms
          • Salt
          • Pepper
          • Dried basil
          • Dried parsley

          Tomato Sauce

          • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
          • 3 large carrots, coarsely grated
          • Salt

          Cheese Sauce

          • 1 medium container (1 pound) low fat cottage cheese
          • 2 eggs

          Cheese Topping

          • 1/2 pound low fat mozzarella, coarsely grated
          • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

          Noodles

          • 1 package (1 lb.) lasagna noodles cooked 5 minutes short of al dente (recipe is very wet, noodles will finish cooking in the oven)

          Method

          Vegetable Filling

          1. In a large skillet brown the onion and garlic over medium heat.
          2. Add mushrooms, spinach, and spices and continue cooking until mushrooms are browned and liquid from the vegetables is reduced.

          Tomato Sauce

          1. Mix together crushed tomatoes, grated carrots, and salt.

          Cheese Sauce

          1. Mix together cottage cheese and eggs.

          Cheese Topping

          1. Mix together mozzarella and parmesan.

          Lasagne

          1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
          2. In a 9×13 pan, layer: noodles, cheese sauce, vegetable filling, tomato sauce, cheese topping, noodles, cheese sauce, vegetable filling, tomato sauce, cheese topping.
          3. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbling.
          4. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

          Source

        4. Tuna Noodle Casserole

          Ingredients

          • 1 1/2 cups dry uncooked egg noodles
          • salt
          • 3/4 cup sour cream
          • 1 egg
          • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
          • ground black pepper
          • 2 tablespoons lemon juice divided
          • 1 (12 ounce) can tuna drained and broken into chunks
          • 1 cup frozen peas
          • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
          • 1/2 cup crushed potato chips

          Method

          1. In a large skillet, pour in egg noodles and cover with water by 1 inch.
          2. Lightly salt the water.
          3. Bring to boil over high heat and cook.
          4. Drain all but 1 cup of water.
          5. Return to heat and simmer until water is almost entirely gone.
          6. In a separate bowl, beat together cream, egg, cornstarch, and half the lemon juice.
          7. Add cream sauce to noodles, stirring constantly until sauce thickens and coats noodles.
          8. Season with salt and pepper.
          9. Remove from heat.
          10. Fold in tuna, peas, parsley, and lemon juice until warmed through.
          11. Sprinkle top with crushed potato chips.
          12. Serve immediately.

          Source