Lasagna Rolls for World Pasta Day

I read that today is world pasta day and since I'd eat pasta everyday for the rest of my life if my husband didn't mind, I figured a quick recipe was in order. This recipe from Giada is customizable and delicious. I was led to it initially because it wasn't smothered in tomato sauce that my tall man couldn't eat. I plated the lasagna rolls on a bed of marinara for everyone else- and I think that really made the dish- but you could leave it out if your husband is like mine! This is a fun variation from the regular sausage and tomato lasagna we normally eat- the prosciutto and spinach are flavorful and delicious... even to my two year old. Happy World Pasta Day!

Lasagna Rolls
from Giada De Laurentis

Ingredients
Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Directions
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the béchamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes.

Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Basil- my favorite herb

I think the first time I remember eating fresh basil was the summer after I started college when I studied abroad in Paris. I didn't make it to Italy, but I did enjoy many pizza marguerites while I was there. Topped with fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes, this is probably my favorite pizza combo to this day (especially when the cafe owner was adventurous and added a little goat cheese... though my husband would attest I'll eat goat cheese on just about anything). Since then I've enjoyed fresh basil in pasta, pesto, salads, even dessert dishes (see Camilla for some of those, she rocks). It's so good.

For my local peeps, Trader Joe's has these enormous basil plants right now for only $2.99. That's cheaper than the small bunch of already dead fresh basil you can buy in the produce section of Safeway. They'll make you feel very French, too, carrying home the beautiful, fragrant plant in anticipation of many delicious dishes. And with a little water and love (not that much, don't worry, since I can't keep anything alive), these will last year round in Arizona. I have a friend that even landscapes her pool with basil plants- several enormous ones are growing right off the deck and thriving in this desert.

Here are some of my favorite Basil recipes, perfect for summer (even if it's a million outside, you're almost seven months pregnant, and turning on the oven seems like torture). They're quick and painless- and so fresh and delicious you'll throw your bottle of dried basil away.

Pesto
Bell Pepper and Goat Cheese Tarts
Panzanella
Bruschetta with Sauteed Sweet Peppers and Goat Cheese
Pasta, Pesto, and Peas

Bruschetta with Sauteed Sweet Peppers and Goat Cheese

The end of the month has snuck up on me once again. I'm excited that time is flying but I feel like I scheduled (and didn't quite finish) this post ages ago- can it be June already? That's a good thing, though, since my baby ticker informs me I have 113 (Arizona Summer) days to go. This Bruschetta from Ina is quick and easy for any of those- I made it with my brother and he even did all the slicing without any whining. If he can do it, you can.

I adapted the recipe for the ingredients I had (goat cheese and mini bell peppers from Costco) but it's plenty flexible- use your favorite cheese or veggie for endless variations. See the other Barefoot Bloggers for more ideas. And next time I'll try these on the grill to keep the flavor in and the heat out- especially important as the temperature rises!

Bruschetta with Sauteed Sweet Peppers and Goat Cheese
adapted from Ina Garten

Good olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Baguette
3 ounces creamy Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook until soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Stir in the capers and basil, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Slice the baguette crosswise into 18 thin round slices. Brush the bread rounds lightly with olive oil on 1 side. Arrange them in rows, oil side up, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Top each toast round with a teaspoonful of the pepper mixture. Place 2 small pieces of Gorgonzola on top. Return the toast to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes and warm through. Serve immediately.

Soft Garlic Knots (but wait... it's Tuesday!)

It's been raining all weekend. And you know what that does for meringue. Between that and my son's double ear infection, the lack of eggs in the house, and other excuses you've heard before, I have no floating islands for you to drool over today. Don't forget to check out the other bakers beautiful versions, though, and to try these rolls. They are quick, delicious, and fun. Even the yeast part (I promise it isn't scary!) Make sure you brush the final product with a little butter like I forgot to do. They'll look and taste even better! Come back later in the week for a giveaway, too.

Soft Garlic Knots

For the dough:
3 cups bread flour
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. instant yeast
1 ¼ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup milk
1 cup + 2 tbsp. lukewarm water

For the glaze:
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. herbes de provence (or Italian seasoning)

Directions:

To make the dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the dry ingredients. Add the olive oil, milk and water. Mix until ingredients have formed a dough. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10 inch long rope and tie into a knot. Take the end lying underneath the knot and bring it over the top, tucking it into the center. Take the end lying over the knot and tuck it underneath and into the center. Transfer shaped rolls to a baking stone, or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes, until puffy.

To make the glaze, finely mince the garlic or press it through a garlic press. Mix with the melted butter and Italian seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Brush the glaze onto the shaped rolls. Bake until set and lightly browned, about 15-18 minutes.

Adapted from Annie's Eats

Barefoot Bloggers- Panzanella

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I love Ina Garten. So I can't help but enjoy the Barefoot Bloggers Event. A few weeks ago I was googling something about her and stumbled on a nasty board where everyone was raving about how pretentious and insincere she is and I was hurt. LOL. I think she's wonderful and can't wait to watch every episode. Aside from her beautiful house, fine German automobiles, and cute relationship with her husband, she has the BEST recipes. I gathered the ingredients for this Italian salad last minute and didn't know how it was going to come together. I don't know why I was worried, though, because it was amazing. I think everyone that ate it agreed it was the best salad we've had in a long time. One of the great things about Panzanella is that it's kind of a "leftover salad", using day old bread, whatever tomatoes and veggies you have on hand and tossing with a simple vinaigrette. This is the kind of thing that is easy to through together and improvise, too. And for the sake of improvisation, I subconsciously forgot to add the cucumbers sitting happily in the fridge to mine. So go ahead and make it your own- it will still be tangy, sweet, crunchy, and delicious.

Coincidentally, a just saw Alton Brown's tomato episode so I incorporated a few tricks from his Panzanella recipe into Ina's. He sears half of the tomatoes for another texture, so I did that before adding the bread to the pan to crisp. I also sliced and baked my bread for a few minutes to replicate Alton's step of leaving it out overnight. Then, I added one head of romaine lettuce to the final product. I thought it came out just perfect and I LOVED Ina's dressing. I'm always looking for a good vinaigrette that pleases many different palates- not too sweet, not to sour, not too tangy, not to bland. This one was wonderful and while the recipe made more than I needed for the Panzanella, I was happy to put the leftovers in the fridge for our next salad. Thanks Melissa, for the awesome choice!


Panzanella
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties
Note: This salad makes a very large portion and is best served immediately after tossing. I would half it for 2 adults and serve with Rotisserie chicken for an easy summer meal.

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used about 3 cups of grape tomatoes)
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1 head of Romaine Lettuce, chopped

For the vinaigrette: (even with the lettuce, I only used about 2/3 of this, so pare down according to your tastes)
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, lettuce, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Barefoot Bloggers- Pasta, Pesto, and Peas

This week's Barefoot Blogger recipe was chosen by Elizabeth from Ugg Smell Food. I was so excited that I made it the day I saw it and it was a good as it looks! I made a half recipe and it yielded a big batch of pasta that tasted yummy warm and great cold out of the fridge. This recipe is also easy to assemble and is much more interesting than a normal pasta salad. The pesto is also easy to make and worth the extra flavor the homemade stuff adds. I omitted three quarters of the mayo and used healthy pasta so between that and all the spinach and peas I felt pretty good about this dish, not to mention the amazing taste! Don't miss the other Barefoot Bloggers' takes on this recipe- with all that pesto, it's sure to make you crave Italian!

Pasta, Pesto, and Peas
from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto, packaged or see recipe below
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (I would not recommend fresh spinach, it significantly changes the flavor of the dish)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignolis, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Pesto
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.
Yield: 4 cups

Ina's Perfect Pesto

One of my best friends used to work at Macaroni Grill as a summer job. She had a day job as well so she would run from one to the next and it left little time in between- so she just ate Macaroni Grill bread and pesto for dinner every night. I'm not going to link to her blog, though, because you'd be disgusted how thin she is for having eaten that for everyday for a whole summer. Anyways, I never knew they had pesto there for your bread... but since Robyn gave us her insider tip we never go without asking for some to dip our bread into. It is SO good.

I've tried the recipe from Everyday Food and a couple others but when I made Ina's Pesto for next week's Barefoot Bloggers event, I knew I'd found a winner. This is easily as good as Macaroni Grill's- easy to whip up (even in my junky, tiny Chefmate mini-food processor), garlicky, and tasty.

This pesto tastes awesome dipped in crusty bread, spread on a sandwich, or served with pasta. I cooked up some Penne (that awesome new healthy Barilla), browned some spinach chicken sausage, tossed in some sauteed onions, grape tomatoes, arugula, fontina cheese, and about 3/4 cup of the pesto.

Pesto
Recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves) (I only used 4 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil (I only used about 3/4 to 1 cup)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Yield: 4 cups

Lemon Shrimp Linguine

I've had some frozen shrimp falling out of the freezer everytime I go hunting for some chicken, so I thought I would try this recipe out again. I made a few modifications but it got a "make it again" review so I guess it's a keeper! I served it with fresh green beans and think broccoli could be delicious too. My husband doesn't like seafood so I might try it with chicken next time, I think it would work well (and would make me feel less guilty for adding cheese, which I think it needed!) I always love Giada's recipes and this was no exception!

Lemon Shrimp Linguine
adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

For the pasta:
1/2 pound linguine pasta
2 T. olive oil
2 shallots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb. frozen shrimp
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 t. kosher salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 C. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes (be careful not to burn!). Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Add a few red pepper flakes if you like it hot. Add the cooked linguine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, parsley, cheese, and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Wolgang Puck's Pizza

After I finished watching Julia Child's chefography yesterday, I watched the beginning of Wolfgang Puck's. Seeing all the gourmet pizza inspired dinner so did a Google search for his pizza dough recipe, and what do you know, he conveniently had it on his website. I made it in my Kitchenaid with the dough hook and not only was it fast, it was delicious! It's definitely the best pizza dough I've made yet (thanks for perfecting the recipe, Wolf!) We made four individual pizzas and used whatever we had in the fridge for different flavors- BBQ Chicken, a few Pesto pizzas, and a Hawaiian. I think next time I'll try brushing one with butter and garlic and leaving it bare for an appetizer like they do at The Smokehouse. Yum.

Wolfgang Puck's Pizza Dough

1 package active dry or fresh yeast (I used 2 1/2 t. since I don't buy the packages)
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup warm water (105º F to 115º F)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 cup of the warm water.

2. In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of water and mix on low speed until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and clusters around the dough hook, about 5 minutes. (This only took about three for me)

3. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and firm. (I oiled my hands and surface first, and then the bowl)

Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled.)

4. Place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500º F. (My pizza stone is in storage so I just used two regular rimmed baking sheets, and did the oven at 500 convect bake)

5. Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

6. To prepare each pizza, dip the ball of dough into flour, shake off the excess flour, place the dough on a clean, lightly floured surface, and start to stretch the dough. Press down on the center, spreading the dough into an 8-inch circle, with outer border a little thicker than the inner circle. If you find this difficult to do, use a small rolling pin to roll out the dough. Lightly brush the inner circle of the dough with oil and arrange the toppings of your choice over the inner circle. (I skipped the oil and used pesto, marinara, or BBQ sauce according to the toppings)

7. Using a lightly floured baker’s peel or a rimless flat baking tray, slide the pizza onto the baking stone and bake until the pizza crust is nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remember that the oven is very hot and be careful as you place the pizza into and out of the oven. Transfer the pizza to a firm surface and cut into slices with a pizza cutter or very sharp knife. Serve immediately.

Toppings we tried:

BBQ Chicken Pizza- BBQ sauce, grilled chicken, sauteed onions and peppers, fontina cheese
Artichoke Pesto Pizza- Pesto, artichoke hearts, grilled chicken, fontina cheese
Hawaiian Pizza (I know, so creative)- Marinara sauce, ham, pineapple, fontina cheese
Pepper Pesto Pizza- Pesto, sauteed onions and peppers, fontina cheese