Pasta Pasta Pasta!

This week's recipe is from one of my favorite Italian chefs, Lidia Bastianich! I have cooked so many of her recipes through the years and of course, I wanted to blog about my experience with one of her pasta recipes. 

This tomato-based rigatoni dish is perfection. With its deep blend of flavors from the sausage, the basil, and cheese, the zucchini and peperoncino flakes complete its magic in the pasta, giving it texture and an extra kick.

Rigatoni with Sausage-Tomato Sauce

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
1 cup white wine, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing the sauce
2 cups onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot
1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste
1 cup zucchini, diced
6 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
1 branch fresh basil, with lots of leaves
1 pound rigatoni
1 cup Grana Padano, freshly grated, plus more for passing
 

Preparation

Remove the sausage casings, and crumble the meat into a large bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of the wine over the meat and mix this in with your fingers, breaking up any big meat clumps, so the sausage is evenly moistened.

Pour the olive oil into the big skillet and set it over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Scatter the sliced garlic in the pan and season with the salt and peperoncino. When everything is sizzling, crumble in the sausage and stir with the onions. Pour in the remaining 1/2 cup wine, raise the heat a bit and cook, stirring, as the wine cooks away and the sausage becomes all browned, about 10 minutes. Add in the diced zucchini and stir to incorporate. Pour in the tomatoes and a cup of water (which you’ve used to slosh and rinse the tomato cans and bowl). Submerge the basil branch in the liquid, cover the skillet and bring to a boil. Set the cover ajar, adjust the heat to keep the sauce bubbling steadily and cook for an hour or more, until the sauce has developed good flavor and reduced to the consistency you like for dressing pasta. Remove and discard basil branch. You can use some of the sauce right away—you’ll need half of it to dress the rigatoni—or let it cool, then refrigerate or freeze for later use.

For cooking and dressing the pasta, bring a large pot of well-salted water (at least 7 quarts water with 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt) to a rolling boil. Heat half the sausage-tomato sauce, about 4 cups, to a bare simmer in a wide skillet or sauté pan (if you’ve just made the sauce, use the same pan). If the sauce has cooled and thickened, loosen it with some of the pasta water. Add the rigatoni to the boiling water, and cook until just al dente.

Lift out the pasta in big bunches with a spider, let drain for a moment, then spill them into the simmering sauce. Over low heat, toss the rigatoni and sauce together for a minute or two, until all are coated and perfectly al dente. (Thin the sauce, if necessary, with hot pasta water or thicken it quickly over higher heat.) Turn off the heat, and sprinkle the grated cheese over the rigatoni and toss well. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, toss again and heap the pasta in warm bowls. Serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.

I love this recipe because it's quick and easy, and it's the ideal comfort food. Trust me when I say this, this pasta is really super delicious! I was salivating while shooting the photos- I couldn't stand to wait and eat it! Don't forget the wine and bread! I know some of you will think I'm bonkers for having bread with pasta, but I grew up eating like this and I love it. So extra yummy when you dip it in the sauce! ;P

Lastly, for a really adorable, entertaining video of Lidia, Rachel Ray and Nate Berkus working in the kitchen on this recipe, click here for lots of laughs and more! Seriously, Nate... you and the sausage! OMG! HA HA HA!

Until next time, have a great weekend everybody!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Let's connect!

Taco Tuesday Recipe

Hi, my name is Suz and I'm a taco junkie. What's even better? It's Taco Tuesday! Welcome to Tacos Anonymous. ;)

Today I made one of my all-time favorite recipes to share with you: Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos. This isn't time-consuming and it's such a great twist on dinner or a small get-together. You can even make it ahead of time by freezing it to use later! Oh, who am I kidding, I ate these right after making them. Oops! :X

It has a cilantro and lime base, which in my opinion, is always such a tasty combination. And how can you NOT like cilantro? Seriously! The pesto sauce on the chicken is so savory. Trust me, your taste buds will be very thankful!

Now let's talk necessities. The garnishes required on my taco are: onion, peppers, avocado (ALWAYS), shredded cheese and sour cream. If I'm feeling extra spicy I whip out the Tabasco sauce! You can garnish however you like, but I love making my tacos bright and colorful. I'm about the presentation! Can you say, 'no' to a pretty taco? Nom.

I want to hear about your favorite kind of tacos! Comment below, let's share our addiction and become taco buddies :)

Recipe is below. Go check it out --->

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

cooking spray for sauteing
2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cilantro lime pesto (recipe follows)
flour or corn tortillas
preferred taco garnishes (avocado, salsa, sour cream, cheese, etc)


Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute chicken over medium high heat and cooked through. Toss cooked, seasoned chicken with the pesto. Fill tortillas with chicken and top with preferred garnishes.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Cook chicken as directed as above and cool. Place chicken in freezer bag. Prepare cilantro lime pesto as directed below. Place a 1/2 cup of pesto in a small storage bag then place inside the freezer bag with the chicken. Freeze. When ready to prepare, defrost and heat chicken. Toss chicken with defrosted pesto. If desired, heat chicken and pesto together before filling tacos.

Cilantro Lime Pesto

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (do not include stems)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds
3 tablespoons chopped, fresh garlic
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup shredded asiago (Parmesan or Romano can be substituted too)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chicken broth


Using a blender, mix together the cilantro, olive oil, almonds, garlic, lime juice, asiago, salt and chicken broth on low speed for 2 minutes.