Pasta & Noodles Recipes | The Frayed Apron

MUSHROOM STROGANOFF

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 22:10:02 +0000

Stroganoff loaded with mushrooms in an indulgent creamy Stroganoff sauce, served over noodles. Don’t be intimidated by the name, this is an easy, 30-minute recipe!

We love mushroom hunting season and often use different mushrooms in recipes that call for beef like teriyaki stir fry or pot roast. If you love the flavors of beef stroganoff and have mushrooms to use up, you won’t miss the beef!

Pro Tips for Making Mushroom Stroganoff

There are three considerations for a good stroganoff: (1) browning the mushrooms and (2) the order the sauce ingredients get added and (3) making the noodles simultaneously so that the sauce can be served piping hot (where the texture is the most silky smooth).

WHAT ARE THE BEST MUSHROOMS FOR STROGANOFF?

This recipe relies on mushrooms instead of beef for savory flavor (mushrooms have umami like beef), so browning is critical for concentrating those flavors. A bland mushroom will give you a bland result. Here are some of my top recommendations based on availability and umami:

Shiitake. Strong earthy flavor and can be used fresh or dried (if rehydrated). Remove the stems and slice thinly.
Cremini. Did you know creminis are the slightly more mature (flavorful) version of the common white button mushroom?
Portabella: Nice and juicy, the texture and flavor of portabellas is often compared to beef. Be sure to wipe with a wet towel to clean and slice thinly.
White Button: Widely available and sold pre-sliced.
Porcini: Available dried and considered a choice mushroom by foragers. Slice fresh porcini thinly. If rehydrating, consider rinsing to remove any dirt.
Morrel: Hands down my favorite earthy mushroom! Available dried online or at farmers markets.

Favorite Mushroom Powder

Have you tried Cordyceps Mushroom Powder? It’s known for enhancing energy and immunity. I actually love the roasted, earthy flavor in coffee and as a cooking add-on. You could sprinkle some over your dish for some extra mushroom oomph.

What is Stroganoff Sauce Made of?

Although this recipe calls for mushrooms instead of beef, the sauce has such a rich and memorable flavor. Everything works! While some versions of stroganoff call for Dijon, I’ve always made it with wine:

dry white wine
Worcestershire sauce
sour cream
Fresh parsley finely chopped (optional)

How to Serve Mushroom Stroganoff:

Mushroom stroganoff is rich and satisfying as a sauce paired with simple starches:

Egg noodles, lightly buttered (a favorite!)
Herb Infused Mashed Potatoes
Steamed rice

When did Beef Stroganoff become popular in the US?

During the 50s and 60s, stroganoff gained popularity in the US. Overtime, those nice steak cuts got replaced with ground beef and the image marred by canned cream of mushroom soup.

How to Make Mushroom Stroganoff:

See how the ingredients are cooked and added to build an impressive weeknight dinner fast.

About the Recipe (VISUALIZE THE STEPS)

Serves: 6 / Prep Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Notes and Tidbits: As you can see, you really want to get the mushrooms nice and brown. Color = flavor.

For the vegetables (onion and garlic), be sure to sweat them until they are nice and tender before combining with the mushrooms.

Lastly, cook the white wine down slightly (reduce by half) then complete the stroganoff sauce with the sour cream. Serve immediately!

FAQ

Can this recipe be made with beef?

You can serve this sauce with a steak that you cook separately or you can add ground beef (after you brown the mushrooms).

What if I want a richer flavor?

You can play with adding bouillon, fresh parmesan at the end, or use a splash of beef broth (after the wine). Feel free to add protein if you’d like, such as ribeye.

What fresh herbs can I garnish with?

Tarragon would be lovely. Fresh thyme leaves or parsley work, too.

MORE EASY DINNER RECIPES FOR YOU AND YOURS:

Dutch Oven Goulash – a timeless American classic
Lemony Chicken Piccata – a personal favorite
Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp – light, creamy, and fresh
Skillet Chicken in Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Sauce – restaurant quality
Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie – family friendly

I included a beef version of this recipe in Easy Dutch Oven Cooking but was inspired to make this mushroom version because I love foraging for wild mushrooms.

Mushroom Stroganoff

Nut-Free, Vegetarian

Mushrooms stand in for beef with tender egg noodles in an indulgent, yet light tasting, wine sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword mushrooms, pasta

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 457kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

1 pound egg noodles
4 tablespoons butter divided (salted or unsalted)
2 pounds mushrooms sliced
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup sour cream
Fresh parsley finely chopped (optional)
Salt
Pepper

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Strain over a colander set in the sink.
Brown the mushrooms. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the mushrooms and season well with salt and pepper. Cook the mushrooms, stirring seldomly, for 9 minutes or until brown then pour the mushrooms into a bowl and set aside.
Cook the vegetables. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Then stir in the garlic, sautéing for about 1 minute or until the onions and garlic are soft and beginning to brown.
Mix the mushrooms with the vegetables. Pour the wine over the vegetables and stir well, scraping along the bottom to release any brown bits. Return the mushrooms with any juices to the pot along with the Worcestershire sauce and sour cream. Serve the mushroom sauce over the pasta noodles and garnish with parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Mushroom stroganoff can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a splash of water to thin the sauce.

Video

Notes

Adding Beef: You can add beef after you brown the mushrooms if you like.

Technical Tip: For a thicker sauce, you can make a quick roux by adding 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour after sautéing the vegetables. Stir to toast the flour for at least 3 minutes, then proceed with the wine and other liquids. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, it will thicken into a gravy.

Nutrition

Photography by Adam Rahman

Homemade Pasta

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 21:50:11 +0000

I freaking love making pasta from scratch and am so happy you are here! The flavor and texture of homemade pasta is beyond comparison to anything mass produced. I’ll show you how to make it by hand with or without equipment. You can find special recipes by diet within this post.

Your Basic Homemade Pasta Guide

There are hundreds of shapes, sizes, thicknesses, and colors of pasta. Today, I will explore the basic ways to get started with making egg-based pasta using your Kitchenaid with pasta attachments or by hand, if you don’t own one.

You will find a basic fresh egg pasta recipe (at the bottom) but I will include my favorite gluten-free and vegan pasta recipes, too, for those of you with dietary restrictions.

Over the years, I’ve made pasta probably a hundred times every which way. You can make this recipe in the food processor, with a pasta maker, with a Kitchenaid, with a rolling pin, and even with a wine bottle and a knife.

It’s such a simple process.

How to Make Fresh Egg Pasta Dough

Step-by-Step (by Hand):

Step 1: Sift flour onto a clean counter and gather into a mound. With your fingers in the center of the mound, make a hollow nest. Crack the eggs into the hollow. With a fork, start to mix in the flour from the edge.

Step 2: Gradually incorporate the flour (it’s ok if it’s not all of it) to form a viscous paste. Put fork to the side and use both hands to heap the flour from the outside edges into the paste in the middle. Work pasta paste to form a dough. If dry flour remains, you can sprinkle with a bit of water.

Step 3: Work in water with both thumbs, then press dough into a ball and work in remaining flour. Knead by pressing the dough with the heels of your hands, then form into a ball again. Repeat this kneading action until the dough has a firm but slightly elastic consistency and no longer changes shape when you remove your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest a minimum of 15-minutes or up to 2-hours to relax.

Handling Pasta Dough With Pasta Attachment

Here’s the procedure for Shaping Your Pasta Dough:

After your dough has rested for at least 15 minutes, pinch off a piece of dough and flatten with your hand. Dust with flour and feed into the pasta attachment (set to the largest opening). Set your speed to low and feed the flattened dough through.

Repeat this step a second time.

Adjust the opening to the next size down. Dust again with flour and feed the flat dough through. Fold in half and feed through a second time.

Adjust the opening to the next size down. Dust again with flour and feed through using the other hand to catch the dough as it goes through. Fold in half and repeat. If it sticks or tears at all. Simply fold in half and repeat.

Continue this process of running the pasta through the machine 1x on each level, folding 1x at each level until you get to the absolute thinnest possible setting.

Shaping Noodles

You can use the fresh pasta sheets for lasagna or you can cut into noodles with a knife. I like to use the fettucine attachment that comes with your pasta attachment set for dishes like fettucine alfredo. These noodles can be dusted with a tiny amount of flour until you are ready to cook them.

If you want to shape your pasta by hand, you can use an over-turned measuring cup to make circle cut outs for ravioli. I like to use a light hand when filling fresh pasta and brush the outer edges with water before crimping with a fork.

You can even make spaghetti-shaped noodles if you want to just place your pasta dough into a pasta extruder.

There are so many types of noodles, if you want to see an exhaustive list, you can get started here.

Egg Free (Vegan) Fresh Pasta Variation

If you have an egg allergy, you can create an equally pliable fresh pasta by using silken tofu. This pasta won’t taste quite as rich without the egg, so I like to add a generous amount of black pepper for a bold flavor. Serves 6

Vegan Pasta Ingredients

1/4 pound silken tofu
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
pinch sea salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Vegan Pasta Dough Procedure

Blend tofu, olive oil, water, and salt in the blender until smooth.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add flour and pulse to aerate. Add black pepper and tofu mixture and process for 30 seconds. Remove dough and shape into a ball. On a floured work surface, knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes before rolling and shaping into noodles.

Gluten-Free Fresh Pasta Recipe Variation

I’ve made this gluten-free pasta many times. You can mix it in a stand mixer or by hand and use to make ravioli, lasagna noodles, or fettucine. Yield: 1 pound

Gluten-Free Pasta Ingredients:

1/3 cup super fine brown rice flour
1/3 cup arrowroot
1/2 cup tapioca starch (flour)
1/2 cup organic cornstarch
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour, plus more for dusting the counter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons guar gum-xanthan gum blend
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

How to Mix Gluten-Free Pasta:

Put the dry ingredients in the bowl of a Kitchen Aid (or do these steps by hand). Blend using the paddle.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat together the eggs and olive oil.
While the mixer is on, slowly add the eggs and oil mixture. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. The dough should have the consistency of play dough. If too firm, add a tablespoon of water at a time.
Lightly dust a counter with sweet rice flour. Cut into 8 pieces to roll the pasta out.

Using the Pasta Machine:

Start by flattening the piece of pasta dough.
Begin on the widest opening of the machine. Fold the dough up in thirds.
Lightly dust with cornstarch if the dough is tacky.
Flatten with the rolling pin and roll through the same width. Fold into thirds and repeat the process another 6 times.
Now decrease the thickness and roll through each thickness twice until desired thickness.

Cooking Gluten-Free Pasta:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add two pinches of salt.
Drop the pasta in the boiling water. Cook until al dente.
When the pasta is done, drain (save some of the cooking water to thin sauce if it is too thick) and then rinse under hot water. Toss with a little extra virgin olive oil. Use immediately or cool and refrigerate for later use.

Drying Before Storage:

Fresh pasta can be dried completely and then stored at room temperature. Shaped pasta should be laid out on a floured surface and lightly dusted with flour. The shapes should not be touching each other and they should be turned periodically to allow proper air exposure to all sides. This will allow the shapes to dry evenly.

To Dry (use either option):

Lay noodles on a floured surface, lightly dust with flour, leave uncovered and allow to remain there until completely dried. The strands should be separated so they are not touching, allowing proper air exposure. Wide noodles should also be turned over to allow the under-side to dry properly. The thin noodles should dry sufficiently without turning.
Hang noodles over the back of a chair on a floured dish towel, over a broom handle, or on a drying rack. Allow the noodles to sit in a warm dry location while drying. Long pasta noodles, such as angel hair, tagliatelle and fettuccine, are sometimes wrapped into a nest and allowed to dry.

Frayed Apron Tip: Pasta nests mush be turned over often to aid in drying thoroughly and to prevent it from molding on the bottom side. Of course, there’s no need to dry the pasta at all if you plan to use it right away.

Drying Time for Pasta

Drying times are affected by the size, shape and thickness of the pasta. The drying method and the temperature and humidity of the area in which it is dried will greatly affect drying time. Once the pasta is completely dry, it can be stored in an airtight container, in a cool dry area, at room temperature, for several months.

Tomato paste pasta shaped into ravioli

Gourmet Vegetable Colored Pasta Flavors

Once you get the hang of making the basic egg pasta recipe, there are tons of flavorful variations. These are just some of my favorites:

Saffron Pasta – crumble a small pinch of saffron threads into eggs and stir to dissolve. Follow fresh egg pasta recipe procedure.

Tomato Pasta – stir 2 tablespoons tomato paste into the eggs. Follow the fresh egg pasta recipe procedure.

Black Pepper Pasta – stir 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper into the egg. Follow fresh egg pasta recipe procedure.

Fresh Herb Pasta – Add up to 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh herbs (parsley, basil, mint, cilantro, sage, thyme, oregano, or marjoram) to the egg and proceed with fresh egg pasta recipe procedure.

Fresh Pasta Sauce Serving Tips

You don’t want to treat fresh pasta like dried. Do not dump it into a colander. It will stick together and possibly break.
It’s delicate and should be lifted out of the water with a pair of tongs.
It’s really important to the flavor and texture to toss the noodles with the sauce they will be served in right away.
Do not rinse with water and do not wait to make your sauce. Have your sauce ready before you make your pasta; that way everything comes together at the last moment.

Serve with 1 cup Olive Tapenade:

In a food processor, combine 1 cup pitted black olives, preferably Kalamata with 1 tablespoon capers, 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and 1 teaspoon grated orange zest. Process until smooth.

Fresh Red Sauce:

Serve with Butter Anchovy Tomato Sauce or use my Roasted Roma Tomato Sauce for a really fresh flavor with extra basil, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil.

Pesto:

Use my pumpkin seed pesto proportions with whatever nuts you have on hand (walnuts taste great).

Butter-Poppyseed Sauce:

Heat 6 tablespoons butter with 1/4 cup ground poppy seeds until fragrant, about 1 minute. Spoon over freshly plated pasta and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Butter and Sage Sauce:

Heat 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter with a handful of sage leaves until lightly browned. Serve pasta with crisped sage leaves and infused butter.

Noodle FAQs

What flour is best for homemade pasta?

Semolina flour is my top choice, followed by 00, then all-purpose flour (which is widely available and what I usually have in my pantry). I actually don’t like the texture of whole-wheat pasta but if you really want to work with whole grains, I’d suggest a ratio of 2 parts all-purpose: 1 part whole wheat flour.

Does homemade pasta need to dry before boiling?

No.

What’s your favorite way to mix pasta dough?

I prefer to feel the dough so I like to do it by hand on the counter. I know plenty of chefs though you prefer a food processor so have included instructions for your convenience.

Sides to Serve with Your Fresh Pasta

I know I threw a lot of information at you so I hope you’ll try it and come back here if you get stuck. I’m here if you have any questions, as always. Thanks for being here!

Fresh Egg Pasta

Fresh egg pasta is easier to handle than water only pasta and has a rich flavor. It must be used immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days. It can even be frozen for up to a month. This fresh pasta cooks in a fraction of the time necessary for dried pastas.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword pasta

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 179kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
a little water if necessary

Instructions

By Hand Method:

Sift flour onto a clean counter and gather into a mound. With your fingers in the center of the mound, make a hollow nest. Crack the eggs into the hollow. With a fork, start to mix in the flour from the edge.
Gradually incorporate the flour (it's ok if it's not all of it) to form a viscous paste. Put fork to the side and use both hands to heap the flour from the outside edges into the paste in the middle. Work pasta paste to form a dough. If dry flour remains, you can sprinkle with a bit of water.
Work in water with both thumbs, then press dough into a ball and work in remaining flour. Knead by pressing the dough with the heels of your hands, then form into a ball again. Repeat this kneading action until the dough has a firm but slightly elastic consistency and no longer changes shape when you remove your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest a minimum of 15-minutes or up to 2-hours to relax.

Food Processor Method:

Pulse the flour in a food processor fitted with a metal blade to aerate. Add the eggs and process until dough forms a rough ball, about 30 seconds. If the dough resembles small pebbles, add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time; if the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process until the dough forms a rough ball.
Turn the dough onto a work surface; knead until the dough is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours to relax.

Cooking Pasta:

When cooking fresh pasta, the more water the better (pasta cooks more evenly). It's important to allow your water to come to a rolling boil and "salt like the sea." Here are some guidelines:
1/4 pound pasta — use 2 quarts boiling water (1 tablespoon sea salt per 2 quarts of water)
1/2 pound pasta — use 2 1/2 quarts boiling water
1 pound pasta — 5 to 6 quarts boiling water

Serving Fresh Pasta

Remove cooked pasta when it is pleasantly firm or al dente ("to the tooth" or "to the bite"). This may only take 2-minutes. Use tongs to lift the noodles and plate immediately tossing with warm sauce right away for the best texture and flavor. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Dutch Oven Goulash

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 00:53:15 +0000

Who doesn’t love goulash? It’s beefy, cheesy, and full of deep herby, tomato flavor.

I want to call this a casserole. I don’t know – what do you think?

Whatever you call it, it’s the kind of dish that we grew up eating. Just like these stuffed cabbage rolls, this is old soul food that never goes out of style. In this version, you get all the familiar flavors in an enamel coated Dutch oven for easy stove-top cooking.

No transferring the ground beef in and out required. Just timing and basic cooking techniques…

American Goulash Recipe Overview

Star Ingredient: beef
Flavor Affinities: BEEF + TOMATO + CHEDDAR + ITALIAN SEASONING
Function: equal parts warming & cooling
Tastes: herby, savory, tangy
Textures: chewy, saucy
Ease: easy
Method: simmering
Wisdom: Cooking the ground beef and macaroni together in the seasoned tomato sauce results in the quintessential American casserole we all know and love.

How to Make Goulash

This is every bit a simple, crowd pleasing dish. You just throw everything together and let it cook for about 40 minutes total. Since a Dutch oven works to maintain heat and moisture – this is one of the fastest goulash recipes around.

The hardest part of the recipe is honestly remembering to scrape the bottom of the pan every so often to prevent burning. Other than that, it’s just layering the ingredients in the right order.

Ground Beef + Garlic

This forms the base layer of savory flavor:

add ground beef directly to heated dutch oven with a pinch of salt + pepper
cook mostly through (it’s ok if it’s a little pink)
stir in minced garlic

Season

I always like to add dry herbs and seasoning right after cooking meat and before adding sauce. This way, the seasoning gets more direct contact with the heat.

bay leaves
Italian seasoning (usually a combination of thyme, parsley, and oregano)
more salt

Tomato Sauce

This is where we simmer the tomato sauce a bit to work the flavors we just developed into the sauce (about 10 minutes).

Macaroni (Gluten Free Optional)

Unlike Italian cooking, goulash has more of a casserole quality because we cook the dried macaroni noodles directly in the tomato sauce.

Not Liable for Burning Tip: Ok, here’s the most important part. A Dutch oven gets really hot on the bottom. It’s important to stir and scrape the bottom every 10 minutes or so to prevent burning.

Cheese

Did you know that yellow cheese is died? I found this out semi-recently and switched to white cheddar ever since. Look for cheese that’s sold as a block and shred it yourself. Freshly grated cheese has more flavor.

Get ready for a pot full of cheesy, beefy deliciousness. Bring on the leftovers! Hope this reminds you of your mom’s homemade goulash:)

What to Serve with American Goulash:

Salad: Garlicky Green Bean Salad, Super Quick Arugula Salad with Lemon and Romano, Crunchy Cabbage Fennel Salad, or Smoky Caesar Salad

Vegetables: Roasted Broccoli with Lemon Sauce or Salt Block Asparagus

Bread: Traditional Irish Soda Bread

Dessert: Red Wine-Poached Pears, Brown Sugar Walnut Bars, or Peanut Butter Mousse with Raspberry Coulis

Goulash Meal Prep and Storage Tips:

This recipe is make-ahead friendly as long as you:

Do not overcook the pasta; cook to al dente.
Transfer cooked goulash to airtight containers, let cool, then add lids.
Reheat on the stove just until warmed through or in the microwave.

To store in the Dutch oven, cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Only reheat in the Dutch oven if you will consume the entire pot.

To Freeze: Please note that your pasta should only be cooked to al dente if you plan to freeze this recipe. Transfer the cooked goulash to airtight containers and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge then heat until warmed through.

GOULASH RECIPE FAQS

What is the difference between Goulash and American Goulash?

Goulash refers to Hungarian stew made traditionally with beef or pork, potatoes and carrots, and heavily seasoned with Hungarian paprika (served over noodles). American goulash (like this one) is made with ground beef, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and macaroni–simmered in a tomato-based sauce with Italian seasonings.

Is Hamburger Helper the same as goulash?

Both are American comfort food classics but goulash contains more of a tomato-based broth with vegetables whereas hamburger helper has a rich, dairy-based sauce.

Can you freeze goulash?

Noodles make this tricky to freeze. You can either leave the noodles out and freeze the beef stew portion or you can slightly under-cook the noodles so they won’t get mushy when you reheat.

More Dutch Oven Recipes for You:

Dutch Oven London Broil Pot Roast
Dutch Oven Meatballs
20-Minute Spicy Black Bean Soup
Maple-Bacon Baked Beans
Rise-and-Shine Brandy Berry French Toast Casserole
Bucatini with Butter Anchovy Tomato Sauce
and if you want them in cookbook form, Easy Dutch Oven Cooking

Dutch Oven Goulash

This beef and cheese goulash is comforting and flavorful, just like your mom made it. Everything is cooked in a dutch oven or large pot for a convenient meal that everyone will love. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword dutch oven, gluten free, goulash, ground beef

Prep Time 0

Cook Time 50

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 484kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

Large Dutch Oven

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
3 cloves garlic minced
salt and pepper see instructions
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
3 tbsp tamari shoyu, or soy sauce
3 cups water
1 29-oz can tomato sauce no salt added
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
1 cup white cheddar cheese freshly shredded (4 oz)
fresh thyme optional for garnish

Instructions

Cook ground beef in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until mostly cooked through. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add garlic and stir every so often, 2 minutes.
Add bay leaves, Italian seasoning, tamari, and 1 tablespoon salt. Stir to distribute. Add water, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. Put a lid on the pot and lower the heat to medium. Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
Pour 2 cups dry macaroni to the pot, stir, and return the lid and simmer for 20-25 minutes (*use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot and stir every so often to prevent the noodles from sticking and burning).
Just before serving, remove the bay leaves and stir in the cheddar cheese. Garnish with fresh thyme for a little somethin' somethin'.

Notes

This dutch oven recipe calls for an enamel coated dutch oven but a large heavy pot works equally well. It’s a simple, one pot recipe that layers flavors, cooking the macaroni in the same pot. Watch out for sticking – stir every so often to prevent the food from burning on the bottom.

Medium heat works well electric burners, but I recommend medium low for gas burners. When it doubt, test the macaroni for doneness.

Nutrition

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

Bucatini with Butter Anchovy Tomato Sauce

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 19:28:27 +0000

If you have a glut of ripe tomatoes, it’s worth the effort to make my roasted Roma tomato sauce. For the rest of the year, this simpler tomato sauce recipe, featuring canned, peeled tomatoes, is every bit as flavorful and impressive thanks to:

butter
anchovies
plenty of garlic
and a time-saving method: simmering in the Dutch oven, as opposed to oven-roasting, which melds everything together into one lush, rustic sauce in just 30-minutes

I find most jarred pasta sauce to be overly sweet. Not so with this. It’s tangy with true tomato flavor–a winning combination. This is a great all-purpose red sauce that I’ve paired with Bucatini though I’ve also tried it with thick spaghetti noodles.

And I haven’t yet tried this, but I’d love to work in a white beer with some clams and serve with a side of crostini. Any votes?

And how about those anchovies?

Years ago, when I was working in a restaurant kitchen, I realized something about the way chefs sub anchovies for salt. Because, those little fish are little umami bombs that, when worked into a dish in the beginning, yield powerful results. Nothing fishy. Think more savory goodness.

Honestly, anchovy-haters will love this sauce. And anchovy fans? You’ll want to work in a couple extra fillets.

As always, I hope you find this super simple pasta as satisfying and worthy of your dinner table as I.

PS: Another favorite Dutch oven sauce: Dutch Oven Meatballs.

PPS: Another favorite pesto sauce that can be made with walnuts or pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Ingredient FAQs

Can I leave out the anchovy fillets?

While this sauce would still be amazing without them, I recommend trying it at least once.

Where can I find anchovy fillets?

You can find anchovy fillets packed in oil in a tin can in the grocery store next to the canned tomatoes or order the jarred kind online because they have an incredibly long shelf life and can be used for many months stored in the refrigerator.

Where can I find Bucatini?

It’s sold next to the spaghetti but is becoming harder to find. You can substitute any toothsome pasta noodle, such as penne.

Here’s the play by play: Gather your ingredients:

Decide if you want a rustic, chunky sauce or a smooth sauce. For the former, mince the garlic cloves (you won’t be blending). For the latter, smash the cloves or mince (you’ll be using an immersion blender).

Grab an enameled Dutch oven and set the heat to medium. Add the entire can of tomatoes, the red pepper flakes, butter (salted or unsalted are fine), and at least 2 anchovy fillets.

Bring to a simmer, adjusting the heat to prevent sputtering. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta.

When the water comes to a full boil, add a pinch of salt and the Bucatini (hollow spaghetti-like noodle) and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente.

Use a wood spoon to crush all of the tomatoes. This will be easy to do after about 20 minutes of cooking.

Continue cooking until you reach a thick consistency. Taste your sauce and adjust for salt, sweetness, fat, or heat using the red pepper flakes, black pepper, butter, or sugar to your liking.

Serve as-is or blend until smooth using an immersion blender.

To test your noodles, break them open and look inside. If chalky, continue cooking.

Strain the bucatini (no need to rinse the pasta).

Fold the noodles into the sauce and serve directly out of the Dutch oven.

Top with shaved parmesan. Crack more pepper over each dish, if you wish.

Bucatini with Garlic Anchovy Tomato Sauce

Here's a super simple, super flavorful homemade pasta sauce that can be prepared all year using pantry staples: canned whole, peeled roma tomatoes, anchovies, and your favorite pasta noodles. It's a classic combination, and it couldn't be more delicious!

Work in this order for a 30-minute meal: sauce, boil water, pasta, serve.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword pasta, tomato sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 429kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 28-ounce can whole peeled Roma tomatoes (San Marzano)
2 fillets anchovies packed in oil
8 garlic cloves minced (about 8 teaspoons)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces Bucatini or spaghetti noodles
Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

Make the sauce. In a medium Dutch oven, combine the butter, canned tomatoes (juice included), anchovy fillets, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a low simmer (lid off) and stir occasionally, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent sputtering. Simmer until you can easily crush each tomato with a wooden spoon and the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.
Cook the noodles. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a large pinch of salt and add the Bucatini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Strain.
Taste and serve. Taste the sauce and balance the acidity, if desired, with butter or sugar. For a rustic presentation, simply fold the noodles into the chunky sauce or use an immersion blender first. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and cracked black pepper.

Notes

Make Ahead: You can make and store the sauce inside the Dutch oven in the refrigerator with the lid on up to 3 days in advance. Be sure to avoid un-enameled cast iron with this acidic recipe.

Garlic: If using an immersion blender, feel free to crush the garlic instead of mincing. The results will be the same.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit’s Butter Roasted Tomato Sauce.

Nutrition

Photography Credit: Megan Johnson

One-Pan Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes and Torn Basil

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 20:09:56 +0000

This is quite possibly the easiest, fastest dinner because the spaghetti noodles and sauce all cook together in the same pan at the same time.

What you get is a light pasta dinner with minimal effort that needs little more than a glug of olive oil and parmesan cheese. Of course, don’t forget to tear in some fresh basil, too.

Since the flavor is light, I’m pretty generous with the cheese and red pepper flakes, and I particularly love the little pops of sweetness that come from the cherry tomatoes.

After sharing my homemade end-of-summer tomato sauce recipe, I decided to show you an even simpler method for using up handfuls of those ripe cherry tomatoes.

Let’s get cookin!

Top 3 Tips for Making an Easy Spaghetti (with Sauce) Dinner

Tip 1: Use a pan not a pot.

While you could use a pot, I actually prefer to use a large sauté pan for this recipe because you want the water to reduce down for flavor. More surface area means more evaporation.

Tip 2: Measure that water.

Rather than guess, it’s best if you use exactly 4 1/2 cups water, which is enough to boil the pasta but not so much that you can’t reduce it later.

Tip 3: Make it taste good.

With such a light sauce, it’s a good idea to work in extra torn basil, olive oil, and shaved parmesan cheese right at the very end. I’ve found that you can be very generous with these toppings.

Which tomatoes are best for this sauce?

You really need a tomato that has a ton of concentrated flavor, so that’s why I like the cherry or grape varieties for this recipe.

More Pasta Inspiration To Explore:

SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

You won’t believe it until you try it, but you can combine boiling the pasta with making the sauce by cooking down tomatoes, onion, garlic, and fresh basil. The result is a light and fresh pasta dinner that gets finished with good olive oil and Parmigiano cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword basil, dinner, one pan, pasta, spaghetti, tomato, vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings people

Calories 458kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

12 ounces spaghetti
12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes halved
1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 sprigs basil plus torn leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for serving
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 ½ cups water
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

Instructions

Simmer. In a large sauté pan, combine the spaghetti, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the water; bring to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta, stirring frequently with tongs, until al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 11 minutes.
Serve your dish. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with torn basil. Serve with olive oil and cheese.

Nutrition

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Lemon Orzo Shrimp Salad

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Sun, 06 Sep 2020 16:51:39 +0000

It’s picnic time!

Which means, you need an epic pasta salad.

Of course, we like pasta salad for picnics or make-ahead meals because it can be served cold or at room temperature and stores well.

This pasta salad gets a little twist with rice-shaped orzo noodles and fresh seafood! Everything cooks in one pot, and then gets mixed in one bowl, making for an effortless meal. Seriously, this dinner, lunch, appetizer will be ready in just 30 minutes!

It’s loaded with fresh ingredients:

shrimp
fresh scallions and dill
lemon juice
cucumber, tomato, and red onion

Plus, there’s this creamy, salty factor from the feta that will make your mouth water and your eyes roll. I think the feta really makes the salad because there’s nothing too heavy going on, and it just benefits from a little richness.

Ingredient Tip: Instead of pre-crumbled feta, look for feta sold as a block sitting in brine water. Crumble it yourself.

Cooking the Orzo for the Pasta Salad

My number one tip with orzo is to really salt the water it cooks in. That way, your pasta salad will have more flavor, and you just have to make tiny adjustments at the end.

It’s a small noodle, so I like to strain it with a fine mesh strainer inside the sink (rather than a colander).

Orzo is rice-shaped pasta. It’s sold in the pasta section of your grocery store.

I had a little whole wheat orzo leftover from when I made the chicken orzo noodle soup, but I ultimately went with a white pasta noodle for this recipe.

If you want to use a whole wheat noodle, your pasta salad will have more of a nutty flavor and toothsome bite. However, if you’re looking for a more traditional pasta salad experience, I’d go with white noodles.

Super Quick Lemon Olive Oil Dressing

While the orzo noodles are still hot (right after boiling and straining), I like to add the lemon juice and olive oil directly. The reason for this is three-fold.

Tossing the noodles with the dressing while warm, prevents them from sticking.
Warm noodles take on seasoning better than cold noodles.
You don’t need to dirty a bowl because you aren’t trying to emulsify the lemon and olive oil. Just add directly to the salad.

Make sense?

What if an ingredient isn’t in season?

Admittedly, this is an excellent summer lunch, dinner, or appetizer because it’s loaded with peak tomatoes and cucumbers. Let’s say, you aren’t able to find fresh dill, though. You can absolutely leave them out or substitute fennel fronds, mint, or parsley.

You may alter the vegetables in this recipe easily for spring by adding fresh spinach, minced radishes, or peas. Winter is another story. I think you may find this pasta salad a tad on the light side, so I’d recommend making this colorful winter fruit salad, instead.

If you’re making this recipe out of season, be sure to tell us what seasonal vegetables you’re using that work for you!

LEMON ORZO SHRIMP SALAD

Fresh herbs, lemon, and feta really make this shrimp salad refreshing. As my husband says, anything with orzo is fun to eat; they let you appreciate the flavorful bits of cucumber, scallions, and tomato in each bite.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword one pot, orzo, pasta, salad, shrimp, summer

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 494kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

Sea salt
6 ounces orzo pasta rice-shaped pasta
1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 lemons juiced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 small red onion finely chopped
½ cup minced scallions white and green parts
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cucumber seeded, and chopped
1 Roma tomato seeded and chopped
4 ounces feta cheese

Instructions

Boil the pasta and cook the shrimp. Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until just shy of al dente. Add the shrimp to the pot with the orzo and continue to cook until the shrimp are opaque, about 1 to 2 minutes. Strain and transfer the shrimp-orzo mixture to a large bowl.
Dress and toss. Pour the olive oil over the hot pasta. Next add the lemon juice (just use your hands to catch the seeds, and squeeze directly over top). Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine.
Add the fresh ingredients and serve. Add the red onion, scallions, dill, cucumber, tomato, and feta. Stir gently and season to taste. As the pasta sits, the flavors will develop and you may need more salt. Serve at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

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Tomato Braised Pork Ragu with Egg Noodles

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 17:19:12 +0000

It’s always good to be a little saucy;)

This tender pork enveloped in red wine and tomato broth does not disappoint!

From the moment you begin searing marbled chunks of pork shoulder, you will be enticed by the savory aroma.

So, ragu. What is it? It’s basically a one-pot stew where the acidic flavors of red wine and tomatoes meld beautifully with the sweet, savory flavors of pork and vegetables.

Pork shoulder is a nice cut because it’s rich and breaks down slowly leaving mouth-watering juices in its wake. This dish needs little seasoning besides the usual suspects: fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and maybe some hard cheese.

Wet and juicy, it simply begs to be enjoyed over some starchy mashed potatoes or wide, slick egg-noodles.

In fact, I’m going to show you how to make my favorite egg noodles from scratch. They’re charmingly uneven in shape and are so easy, they practically make themselves. You just need 1 egg, some all-purpose flour, and salt.

You can roll out the noodles while the pork cooks, so let’s get that going first…

How to Braise Pork Shoulder for Ragu in the Dutch Oven

The name of the game with braising is salting and seasoning throughout; you don’t want to dump all your ingredients in at once.

Rather, you want to heat each ingredient, seasoning generously with salt, pepper, and herbs to encourage more complex flavors at each stage (see caramelized pork below).

A Dutch oven will help you achieve a saucy, flavorful ragu by distributing heat evenly and retaining moisture (this is key).

After you sweat the vegetables (pictured above), the acid from the tomatoes and red wine will help to release any fond stuck to the bottom of the pot. Speaking of acid, I especially like cooking acidic dishes, like this one, in an enameled Dutch oven (as opposed to a cast iron one).

I usually eyeball this next part: You want to simmer the wine until half of its volume is reduced to ensure that the alcohol cooks out. At this point, you can just transfer the whole pot into the oven for about 2 hours.

Best Dry Red Wines:

I gravitate towards Malbec for braising, but you could use any dry, red table wine for cooking, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir.

Easy Peasy Pappardelle (My Go-To Egg Noodles)

Pappardelle are very wide, flat pasta noodles, and they’re perfect for serving underneath this hearty ragu. Plus, it’s possible to make basic egg noodles with no equipment.

Start by placing 1 cup all-purpose flour on a clean counter-top. Use your fingers to make a well in the center.
Drop an egg in the flour and a large pinch of salt. Use your fingers to slowly swirl the flour into the egg to form a dough. It’s ok if you don’t use all the flour. Pinch off a piece to roll and keep the remaining dough covered to prevent it from drying out.

Kitchen Aid Pasta Attachment: If you have a pasta attachment for your kitchen aid, just be sure to start on the widest setting. Run the dough through each setting 2x (folding in half in between). I usually take my pasta noodles down to a setting of 5.

For those of you rolling the noodles with a rolling pin (or wine bottle), just dust the surface of the dough with a bit of flour and roll as thin as you can get it. Use a pizza cutter to cut into wide strips, about 1/4-inch wide.

Cooking with Fresh Pasta

Unlike dried, packaged pasta, fresh noodles only need a few minutes to cook through. Bring a pot of water to boil and salt like the sea (usually several large pinches of salt).

Drop the fresh pasta in and swirl a bit to prevent sticking. Remove within 4 minutes and toss with a bit of olive oil until ready to serve. Preferably, use the noodles as soon as the pork ragu is cooked so you can just directly sauce them with the ragu.

Storing Leftovers in the Dutch Oven

My instructions for storing anything hot in the Dutch oven are as follows:

Allow a screaming hot Dutch oven to cool for at least 20 minutes (lid off) before transferring the whole pot into the refrigerator.
When reheating, remove the portion from the pot and reheat individually. I don’t recommend reheating the Dutch oven and re-refrigerating, so only reheat in the Dutch oven if you plan on finishing everything.
Ragu will keep very well for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

If you like all my Dutch oven tidbits, then stick around because I have plenty of Dutch oven recipes. You might also like my new cookbook: Easy Dutch Oven Cooking.

More Dutch Oven Recipes

Tomato Braised Pork Ragu with Egg Noodles

This pork ragu tastes even better when allowed to sit overnight.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword braised pork, dairy free, egg noodles, gluten free, pappardelle, pasta, pork, pork shoulder

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2 20

Total Time 2 30

Servings people

Calories 587kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

2 ½ tablespoons olive oil divided
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder fat trimmed
Salt for seasoning
Pepper for seasoning
½ medium yellow onion diced
2 carrots peeled and diced
2 celery stalks trimmed and diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon minced thyme leaves
2 teaspoons minced sage leaves
1 teaspoon minced rosemary
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
16 ounces dry pappardelle egg noodles*
Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (optional) for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325˚F. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cut the pork shoulder into four equal pieces and season all over with salt and pepper. Use tongs to lower the pork into the hot oil; sear until brown all over, about 3 minutes per side. Remove pork and set aside in a bowl, reserving any juices.
Add remaining 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté until the onions begin to sweat and become slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper. Stir together.
Add herbs and continue to sauté for 1 minute until herby and aromatic.
Add tomato paste and stir together. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Deglaze with wine, making sure to scrape with a wooden spoon along the bottom to release any browned bits. Simmer until ½ of the wine has evaporated, then add the whole tomatoes, including juices, and stir together.
Once mixture is simmering again, return the pork and the juices back into the pot and bring to a boil. Cover pot and transfer to the oven to braise until fork tender, about 2 hours.
Remove pot from the oven and finely shred the pork with two forks. Adjust seasonings if needed. Cover until ready to use.
Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat to bring to a boil. Season generously with a handful of salt. Add the pasta, stirring occasionally, and cook until al dente. Drain.
Divide pasta into individual bowls and top with a large ladle of ragu. Top with freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano and serve.

Notes

Gluten Free: This ragu contains no gluten if you leave out the egg noodles. Feel free to substitute your favorite gluten-free pasta or serve with mashed potatoes.

Egg Noodles: I encourage you to see the instructions in this post about making fresh egg noodles. They are divine. That said, you can find dried egg noodles in the pasta aisle.

Nutrition

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Lemony Good Chicken Orzo Soup

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 18:39:52 +0000

Ah, the way homemade chicken broth melds with freshly squeezed lemon. And, oh, how it’s got me tilting my bowl in the privacy of my office for one last slurp.

This is not your average chicken noodle soup. No-sirree. It’s more… uplifting. Perhaps because it’s loaded with whole wheat orzo and baby spinach?

Or maybe it’s just the simple pleasure of a good soup finished with citrus.

If you’re new to orzo, I encourage you to seek it out next time you’re in the pasta aisle. It’s cute and rice-shaped and fits on a soup spoon. You can also find it online.

Homemade Chicken Stock is Better

I probably grew up on boxed chicken stock and was none the wiser. Until I met Myra. Cookbook author, Myra Kornfeld, convinced me years ago that no self-respecting chef opts for boxed stock.

I acknowledge, boxed stock is a time-saver. But, let’s face it. It doesn’t hold a flame to freshly simmered chicken and vegetables seasoned generously with salt.

Fresh parsley brightens a steaming pot of Chicken Orzo Soup

This is exactly why, when a soup relies solely on its broth, it’s worth it to simmer some raw chicken with celery, carrot, and onion rather than save time on boxed stock and a rotisseries bird.

Chicken Thighs Strike Again

If you’re a regular reader, you know that I have a soft spot for chicken thighs. Bony chicken wings are great for stock-making, but with a recipe like this, we need something meatier.

You want to buy bone-in thighs to score those extra flavor points.

How to Make Chicken Orzo Soup with Lemon – Step by Step

Start by making the stock. I like to fill a pot 3/4 full with water and add thyme, chicken thighs, onion, and some of the celery and carrot. After about 50 minutes, let the chicken thighs cool and strain the vegetables.

A spider strainer is great for this because you don’t even have to lift the pot.

Technique Tip: Remove any skin from the chicken thighs before simmering so you don’t have to skim excess fat from the broth later.

At this point, all the vegetable flavor went into the water, so I just discard them. You can boil the orzo in the chicken stock now and layer back in the shredded chicken and fresh carrot and celery.

Within a few minutes, the vegetables will be tender and that’s when it’s best to add the greens (parsley and spinach) and season to taste with lemon juice.

If your soup tastes bland at this point, you need to add more salt. Taste again, and if it’s still too bland, consider adding fresh thyme or a dash of cayenne.

Serving Suggestions

I think a light soup like this is great for lunch with some warm and crusty garlic bread on the side. I might also serve it with a side of finely chopped kale with Parmesan and the essential lemon sauce.

More Soups and Stews

So, tell me. Are you new to orzo or homemade chicken stock? What do you think?

Lemony Good Chicken Orzo Soup

Fresh lemon adds a bright fresh flavor to this chicken noodle soup made with orzo.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken, healthy, lemon, noodle, orzo, soup

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 5

Servings bowls

Calories 293kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

1.5 pounds bone-in chicken thighs skin removed
1 medium white onion quartered
4 medium carrots peeled and chopped, divided
4 large celery ribs chopped, divided
8 whole peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
8 ounces whole wheat orzo
2 teaspoons sea salt
Pepper
1 lemon juiced
3 cups baby spinach
¼ cup parsley finely chopped

Instructions

Stock: Fill a Dutch oven or large pot ¾ full with water. Place the pot over medium heat. Drop the thighs into the water with the onion, 1 handful of the carrot and 2 handfuls of the celery. Add the peppercorns and thyme sprigs and bring to a low simmer for 50-minutes. Note: Once bubbling, lower the heat to medium-low.
Shred: Use a pair of tongs to pluck the chicken out of the pot. Allow to cool on a cutting board then shred or cut into small pieces. Use a strainer or skimmer to remove the vegetables, thyme, and peppercorns. Discard these and return the chicken to the stock.
Cook Orzo: Raise the heat to high and when the stock is boiling, add the orzo and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the remaining carrot and celery and season with salt and pepper. When the vegetables are tender, turn off the heat and layer in the lemon juice, to taste, with the spinach and parsley. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Video

Nutrition

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Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 19:21:44 +0000

Once the butternut squash is roasted, this creamy pasta comes together in a mere 5 minutes.

So, why butternut squash pasta?

Besides the fact that I had 6 pumpkins on my counter for over a week, I’ve been wanting to capture the flavors and textures of butternut squash ravioli but in a way that’s practical for weeknight dinner.

Roasting coaxes the natural sweet flavor of butternut squash. It’s truly delicious and works well with pantry staples (pasta, chicken/vegetable stock, cream, fresh herbs, and nuts).

And, since I’m not a fan of peeling and chopping butternut squash, there’s none of that, just spoon-tender flesh that’s easy to work with.

One of my long-standing healthy desserts is roasted squash with a pat of butter and pumpkin pie seasoning. It’s pretty intuitive to think of fun ways to enjoy pumpkin via desserts; I once won a contest with a butternut squash cupcake with sage cream cheese frosting…but it’s more rewarding (and challenging) to go savory with it.

So, in pursuit of the savory version of butternut squash, this recipe combines shallot, garlic, sage (or thyme) and some Wisconsin cheese called Romano (a cow’s milk version of Pecorino Romano).

I tasted the sauce before and after adding the cream. Without the cream, it reminded me of butternut squash soup. So, I think just a dash of cream is needed for richness, almost like a fettuccine alfredo.

This is a mildly flavored dish that really benefits from the nutty, umami quality of the cheese. So, if you need a dairy-free alternative that still tastes flavorful, I’d highly recommend substituting some shiitake bacon (thinly sliced and roasted shiitake mushrooms).

Which noodles go best with butternut squash sauce?

Spaghetti will mop up the light sauce quite well. For a good gluten-free alternative, use your favorite wheat free pasta or try using spiraled butternut squash, itself, in place of the noodles.

Butternut Squash Noodles Tip: You can find pre-spiralized squash noodles in the refrigerated section of many health oriented grocery stores. Since they are raw, I like to microwave them on high for 1 minute, until steamy, and use in place of regular noodles.

You can diy the butternut squash noodles. A cheap counter-top spiralizer is great for soft vegetables, but I’ve found that a Kitchenaid attachment is easier to work with for firmer vegetables.

Serving Ideas

This butternut squash pasta would be wonderful with a green salad with a champagne vinegar-shallot vinaigrette. I’d also recommend including a variety of vegetables, roasted nuts, or proteins:

Roasted and crispy Brussels sprouts or mushrooms
White fish, steak, or chicken
Roasted and chopped hazelnuts or walnuts
Freshly grated nutmeg
Red chile flakes
Fresh herbs: basil, thyme, sage, or parsley

With some of these ideas, you could include the sides on the same roasting tray as the butternut squash, killing two birds with one stone.

Top Tips for a Flavorful and Creamy Sauce

For maximizing the potential of the butternut squash, I recommend seasoning with salt and pepper throughout the cooking process. That way, you only need to make slight adjustments at the end.

While I like olive oil, I think butter would be equally (if not more) compelling in this recipe.

If adding sage, I suggest stirring it around a bit in the hot pan with the shallots to really bring out its essence.

Whether using an immersion blender or regular blender, your sauce will have the best mouthfeel right after you add the cream and bring it to a brief simmer.

To prevent an overly thick sauce, start by adding only 3/4 of the cooked noodles. While you can thin the sauce by adding pasta water, do this sparingly as it can cause the flavor to be, well, watered down.

Storing Leftovers

If planning for leftovers, it’s a good idea to consider how much the sauce will thicken in the fridge. Store the noodles and sauce separately or consider cooking only 12 oz of noodles so they have plenty of sauce to sit in.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta

This nutrient rich, warm, and comforting pasta is excellent for dinner any time of year. Just roast the squash, scoop it into a skillet sizzling with shallots, garlic, and fresh herbs, and blitz with an immersion blender. Thirty-five minutes later? Bliss.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword butternut squash, gluten free, noodles, pasta, roasted, sauce, spaghetti

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 487kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

immersion blender or regular blender

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash stem removed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
Salt for seasoning
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
2 medium shallots (or 1 large) thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
4 leaves fresh sage finely minced
1 ½ cups chicken stock vegetable stock works, too
⅓ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup Romano cheese finely grated, for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the butternut squash face down on a baking sheet (line with parchment paper for easy clean-up). Roast until tender and somewhat caramelized, about 27 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Remove ½ cup pasta water then strain and set aside. Return the pot to the stove; Over medium heat, warm the olive oil then saute the shallots and garlic until somewhat tender, about 4 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and minced sage; Stir to combine. Using a spoon, scoop the flesh of the roasted squash into the pot; add the chicken stock.
Use an immersion blender to puree the squash into a thick sauce. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer just to warm. Add the pasta directly to the warm sauce and thin only if necessary with the pasta water. Toss to coat then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with nutmeg and Romano cheese.

Notes

If your sauce is bland, try adding a lot of finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, taste, then see if it needs more salt or freshly ground pepper.

Nutrition

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Cream Cheese Pasta with Bacon, Chives, and Corn

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 02:19:21 +0000

I’ve been wanting to experiment with cream cheese sauce with pasta for a while, and I’m so pleased with how it turned out. It’s basically like the short-cut, more adult version of macaroni and cheese.

This creamy, dreamy pasta is pure soul food — the very kind that makes you want to sway to the tune of your own humming as you mmm-mmm-mmm your way through.

Pretty much everything in this pasta is good on its own, so I can hardly take credit here. There’s bacon, corn, chives, and loads of Parmesan, so it’s pretty much taken care of in the flavor department.

Just when I thought this dish couldn’t get any better, it hit me. Smoked paprika. It’s a gift from the spice Gods and it totally transports the ingredients into this smoky, savory dimension.

What is smoked paprika?

If you’ve never experienced smoked paprika, it’s one of those special spices that can transform an already good thing into something extraordinary. It’s available in the spice aisle and includes a dried blend of red peppers that are mild, not spicy. If you like it, you’ll also like this Chicken Fusilli in Smokey Cream Sauce.

Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce Variations:

If you aren’t using bacon as a flavor base in this dish, you will need to start the sauce with some olive oil and maybe a clove of minced garlic instead. You just need to stir the garlic for 30 seconds before proceeding with the cream cheese and pasta water. Here are some ideas:

cream cheese, smoked salmon, dill, and capers
cream cheese, shredded barbecue chicken, cheddar, and cherry tomatoes
cream cheese, broccoli florets, parsley, and Parmesan

*If I’ve missed something that you’ve tried, feel free to leave your favorite combo in the comments below!

Storing and Reheating Pasta

Pasta water is how we achieve the consistency of this sauce, so I like to add a few tablespoons of water to the bowl when reheating the pasta. Once the water is hot, it’s easy to stir and get a similar saucy texture. Leftover pasta can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Gluten-Free Variation

Since everything is already gluten-free, you can just use your favorite gluten-free pasta. Really, I think this would be equally fantastic with rice, too. For rice, I would recommend cooking about 2 cups dry so that you end up with a good amount to go with all the sauce.

More Recipes You Might Like:

Cream Cheese Pasta with Bacon, Chives, and Corn

The BEST quick and easy weeknight dinner! Cook your favorite pasta noodles and toss them with this creamy sauce made with cream cheese, smoked paprika, and Parmesan.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bacon, corn, cream cheese, gluten free, paprika, parmesan, pasta

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 554kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

salt
16 oz pasta uncooked*
3 slices bacon
1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
8 oz cream cheese
2 ears corn about 1 cup
5 oz Parmesan cheese shredded
1/2 oz chives sliced finely

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Generously salt the pasta water and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente (*reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water). Strain in a colander set in the sink.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy on both sides, about 3 minutes. Use tongs to pluck the bacon out of the grease and set aside. Reserve the bacon grease and add the smoked paprika and cream cheese. Immediately add the reserved pasta water and simmer until the cream cheese is very soft; lumps are ok at this stage.
Chop the bacon and add to the cream cheese sauce along with the corn and pasta. Fold to distribute the sauce, then add the Parmesan and fold again. Taste and add more salt or paprika if it needs it. Serve right away with chives for garnish, if desired. If the pasta gets too sticky, you can add more boiling water to reconstitute the sauce.

Video

Notes

Pasta: This recipe can accommodate between 15 ounces to 1 pound dry pasta. You can use gluten free or wheat noodles. Any type of noodles works in this recipe. If you don’t have pasta, you could substitute steamed rice.

Paprika: I highly recommend the “smoked paprika” for this dish because it has a smokier, more savory flavor than regular paprika that really compliments the sweetness of the corn.

Corn: I used 2 ears for this recipe, but you could easily add more or less. If you want to substitute canned or frozen corn, you’ll need about 1 cup.

Bacon: Since I used a wide bacon, I only needed 3 slices. If you want to increase to 4 or 5 slices, that’s totally fine.

Chives: Personally, I think the chives take this dish to a whole new level, but if you can’t use them, I would try green onions instead, which have a similar flavor profile.

Nutrition

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