Leslie Sarna

Golden Tomato Sauce

I got a few pounds of these gorgeous golden tomatoes at Green String Farm and I knew immediately I wanted to make a golden tomato sauce.  It may look a little strange, but since these tomatoes are uber sweet the flavor was fantastic!  I served it over some fresh spinach linguini.  You could also make this recipe with red roma tomatoes.

Golden Tomato Sauce

Serves 6

What you'll need:

2 1/4 lb. golden roma tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

4-6 cloves of garlic, chopped

What you'll do:

In a large frying pan over medium heat, add in a few swirls of olive oil, the onions, and a big pinch of salt.  Saute the onions until they are soft.  Add in the garlic and the tomatoes.  Saute on medium-medium low until the tomatoes breakdown.  About 15 minutes.  Using an immersion blender or transferring to a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Serve over pasta.

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Super Easy Creamy Tomato Bowties

Tonight was one of those nights... There was nothing in the fridge... I stared at the ketchup and mustard for a few minutes trying to figure out if I could make anything with them.  When I'm in this position, there is only one thing that really helps me.  I go through the refrigerator and pantry and take out all the ingredients I think I could use and place them on the counter.  Then I mix and match them up to see what I can make.  Can you tell I'm a visual learner? :)  Well, with everything out there on the counter I decided on using the onion, tomato paste, garlic, leftover cream, and some pasta.  Honestly, I've never made a sauce like this before, but it turned out really, really delicious!  By the way, it comes together as fast as boiling and cooking the pasta!

Super Easy Creamy Tomato Bowties

Serves 2

What you'll need:

1/2 lb. bowtie pasta (you could also use penne or any other fun shape)

1/4 onion, sliced or diced (whatever you like)

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 oz. tomato paste (1/2 of those little cans)

4 tbsp. cream

4-5 basil leaves, thinly sliced

What you'll do:

In a medium size pot, boil some water and cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.  While you are waiting for that, place a large frying pan on the stove and turn on medium heat.  Add in a drizzle of olive oil and the onion.  Let it get happy for a minute and when they start to get shiny add in the garlic.  Turn the heat down a little and add in the tomato paste.  With the back of a spoon, break up the paste and mix with the onions and garlic.  Turn the heat to low and add in the cream.  Carefully stir together until the sauce is smooth.  

By now the pasta should be perfectly al dente.  When it's ready, turn the heat off the pot and use a slotted spoon to put the pasta right in the sauce.  Don't throw the the water out just yet!  Toss the pasta and sauce together and add in spoonfuls of the hot pasta water to thin to the right consistency.  Toss in some fresh basil and serve.

I hope you enjoy!

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Pasta with Broccoli and Lemon

When I was just in New York, I went out to Connecticut to see my Dad's best friend and his family.  "Mrs. B" always makes this incredible pasta!  It's so good I literally eat like 3 bowls every time she makes it.  It's soooo good!  This is one of those dishes that is filled with so many memories!  When I make it I do alter it just a little.  I add fresh parsley and basil and I usually end up making it with brocolini instead of broccoli.  But that doesn't matter because it's still dripping with butter and lemon!

Pasta with Broccoli and Lemon

Serves 6

What you'll need:

1 lb. pasta (I use bowties because that's what "Mrs. B" uses, but penne, rigatoni, or even linguini would be nice)

4-5 heads of broccoli (you can very this a lot by how much you like broccoli), cut up into bite size pieces

1 stick of butter (or earth balance it you are making it vegan)

4-5 tablespoons olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 lemon, zested

the juice of 1 lemon (ps use the one from above so all you need is 1 lemon)

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

about 5 leaves of fresh basil, sliced into thin strips

What you'll do:

Steam the broccoli in a large pasta pot until just fork tender (the broccoli will continue to cook, so don't over cook!).  Remove from heat.  Using a slotted spoon, remove all the broccoli and set aside in a bowl.  Now fill the pot with more water and cook the pasta in the broccoli water.  

In a smaller pot, melt butter and add olive oil and garlic.  Saute on medium low for a few seconds and add the lemon zest.  Turn the heat down to low and add the lemon juice. (it's going to bubble a lot)

When the pasta is al dente, strain it and return it to the big pot.  Add in the cooked broccoli and stir in the lemon/butter sauce.  Toss in the chopped herbs and pine nuts.  Serve immediately. 

I hope you enjoy as much as I always do!

**Side note: I cook the pasta in the vegetable water because my Grandmother always does.  She says that the vegetables lose most of their nutrients when you steam them, but if you boil your pasta in the same water, the pasta with re absorb the nutrients.   This may or may not be true, but I always hear her voice in my head when I'm cooking : )

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Finishing and Plating Pasta

Every pasta recipe tells you how to make it and then at the end just says "serve". . . There are actually a few tricks to finishing and plating pasta that I've learned from my family and thought I'd share.

1. A frying pan is your best friend for making sauce.  (Today I'm using vegetable bolognese leftover from this recipe)  If you are making for two, I make the entire sauce in the pan, but if it's a lot, go ahead and use a big pot and transfer some to a pan for finishing.  Ok, so you've got your sauce in a large frying pan on low heat (sauce and pasta are already cooked, we're just tossing them together to make them happy):

2. When your pasta is done cooking, strain it and place it right in your frying pan:

3. Toss the pasta and sauce together:

By doing this, you are giving each piece a nice coating of sauce and letting it get absorbed a little bit.

Ok, next step, plating.

4. Using tongs, grab a big chunk of pasta and place it right in the middle of your plate.  Don't worry if you don't get any of the sauce, we'll get to that in a minute:

5.  With the tongs perpendicular to the plate, slowly spin.

6.  You're starting to look like a pro already!  When you get a nice circle-ish shape on the plate.  Use the tongs to grab some of that sauce and place it right on top:

7.  Now top with some freshly chopped basil:

Now you are ready to serve!  All your guest will be super impressed : )

xoxo

Vegetarian Bolognese

A staple in most Italian homes, bolognese sauce is hardly ever vegetarian, but it's so easy to take out the meat and make it that way.  I was recently asked if I had a recipe for vegetarian bolognese and I realized I've never posted it!  So here is my recipe adapted from my tomato sauce recipe, which is adapted from my Grandmother and Mothers.  You may notice that there is no celery in this recipe.  You are welcome to add it, I just don't love cooked celery.  That's the great thing about a recipe like this, you can tailor it to whatever vegetables you like or dislike.  I hope you enjoy!

PS this dish is vegan, but it's so filling, it's perfect to serve to anyone!

Vegetarian Bolognese

Serves 6-8 or 4 very hungry people : )

What you'll need:

1 onion, diced

56oz. (2 large cans) of whole tomatoes (I prefer san marzano if you can find them) If you have a garden full of tomatoes, definitely use fresh!  You'll need about 3.5 pounds.  Stew them before you add them in the recipe.

6oz (1 can) of tomato paste

a pinch of sugar

a dash of wine (optional)

1 carrot, sliced

15 mushrooms (1 package), sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium zucchini sliced and halved

1 pint of small grape tomatoes, halved

a large handful or two of spinach (or any green), sliced

6-8 cloves of garlic, sliced

a tiny dusting of cayenne pepper (optional)

fresh basil leaves, sliced

What you'll do:

First you have to make the base sauce.  In a large pot pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil in to cover the bottom.  Heat on medium and add in the onions and a big pinch of salt.  Saute for about 2 minutes.  Add in the canned tomatoes, paste, sugar, half of the garlic and wine (opt.).  Stir and cover on medium low to low heat (you want a gentle simmer) for about 30 minutes.  Stirring occasionally.  NOTE: if your sauce becomes too thick at any point, add in a little water.

Now to add the vegetables.  You are going to add in the order that takes longest to cook to shortest.  So first in the sauce is the carrot.  Let cook as you chop the other vegetables.  NOTE: the key to a good bolognese sauce is not to overcook the vegetables! Mushy vegetables never taste good!  You'll want to add in the vegetables about 20-30 minutes before you serve it.  Next add in the mushrooms and bell pepper.  Then the zucchini.  And about 5 minutes to service, add in the fresh tomatoes, rest of the garlic, spinach, a dusting of cayenne and stir.  Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.  

Serve over linguini or whatever pasta you like.  Gluten free?  It's just as good served over quinoa. 

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Tools I Used:

My favorite Le Crueset Pot

the Wusthof knife (best knife in the world for cutting anything!)

San Marzano Tomatoes

Making Homemade Mac n' Cheese Video

Here's a little "how to" video for making homemade mac n' cheese!  A special thanks to my friends Ellie and Henry for helping out!

 

I hope you enjoy!

For the complete written recipe, check out this post: Mac n' Cheese

Yummy Pasta Goodness!

Yes, yes I'll admit it, I do have a slight obsession with pasta. . . Being Italian I grew up eating it all the time.  No matter what, I always indulge myself with having pasta at least once a week.  I do believe in eating healthy, but I don't believe in depriving yourself of foods you love.  I believe almost everything is fine in moderation : )  This is a pasta I came up with the last bits of food I had left in my refrigerator before I leave for my trip to North Carolina to see my little sister graduate from college!  So excited!  But it makes a perfect Sunday night pasta!

Linguini with Cheesy Eggplant and Kale
Serves 2

What you'll need:

1/2 lb. linguini pasta

1/2 onion, halved and sliced

4 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 eggplant, cubed

1 bunch kale (about 8 leaves) chopped

about 1 cup ricotta cheese

a big handful of parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

some fresh basil chopped to garnish

What you'll do:

After you dice the eggplant, place it in a strainer and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.  Let sit.  Chop the kale and place it in a bowl.  Massage about a teaspoon of salt into it.  Let sit.  Cook the pasta according to the box instructions.  While you're waiting for the water to boil, in a large pan, drizzle some olive oil and add the onions.  After about a minute, add the eggplant and cook on medium low for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.  Add in the kale, stir, then add in the ricotta cheese and a few tablespoons of the pasta water.  Mix well.  When the pasta is al dente, drain and add right into the pan.  Toss well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  And maybe a drizzle more of olive oil.  Serve in a bowl topped with some parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Enjoy!

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Lemony Linguini with Tomatoes and Arugula

With Spring comes warm weather and bright, bold flavors!  This pasta is a perfect punch of lemon and arugula.  It's light and healthy, perfect for this time of year.

Lemony Linguini with Tomatoes and Arugula

Serves 4

What you'll need:

1 lb. of linguini

1 lemon

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

6 roma tomatoes, diced

a couple handfuls of arugula

4 tbsp. butter, real or vegan

4 tbsp. olive oil

What you'll do:

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.  While it's cooking place the olive oil and butter in a pot and turn the heat on to medium low.  As soon as the butter is melted, add in the garlic and the juice of the lemon.  When the pasta is al dente, add the tomatoes and arugula to the garlic lemon pot and add the strained pasta on top.  Toss together.  Serve immediately.

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Creamy Fall Pasta

Mmmmm!  (need I say more?)

Creamy Fall Pasta

Serves 4

What you'll need:

1 lb. pasta

1 butternut squash, peeled, diced and roasted

a few handfuls of arugula (or spinach or greens)

2 tbsp. butter (homemade is always best)

3-5 oz. creme fraiche

a few handfuls of shredded parmesan cheese

salt, to taste

What you'll do:

After you roast the butternut squash, cook the pasta to the directions on the package.  While it's cooking, place the butter, creme fraiche and a handful of cheese in a large pasta bowl.  Drain the pasta and place in the bowl and toss.  Then toss in the butternut squash, arugula and some more cheese.  

Serve warm!

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Tools I used:

Le Creuset Pot

Slotted Spoon

Peeler

Pasta Fork

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Garlic Greens

Yum. Yum. Yum!  You know how sometimes you just crave super creamy comfort food?  That was the situation today.  I decided to make some creamy tomato sauce and toss it with pappardelle pasta and top it off with some wilted swiss chard.  So comforting!  Makes me want to do nothing but eat and watch the rain come down!

If you've never had swiss chard, don't stress.  Your local market probably carries it and it's delish!  It's a little hardier than spinach, but not as hardy as kale.  It comes in a few different varieties.  I used red here, but any will do.  I highly suggest you give it a try!

Now if you are not a vegetarian, my husband loves this with some grilled chicken tossed in with the sauce and pasta.

Doesn't this look fabulous!?

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Garlic Greens

Serves 2

What you'll need:

1/2 lb. pasta

1 medium onion, halved and sliced

3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes, blended in a blender till smooth (I encourage you to stew fresh tomatoes if you can)

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

1/2 cup of cream

For the greens:

1 lb. greens, I used a combo or red swiss chard and spinach (you can use anything really)

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

What you'll do:

In a medium pot on medium low, drizzle about a 1/4 cup of olive oil and add the onion and garlic.  Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt.  When the onion is soft, add the blended tomatoes and the paste.  Let simmer on low.

In a large pan on medium, drizzle some olive oil and add in the garlic and onions.  After a minute, toss in the greens and sprinkle with a big pinch of salt.  Toss until wilted.

While your doing the greens, cook the pasta according to the directions.

When the pasta is al dente, toss it with some sauce, plate and top with a pile of greens.

Enjoy!

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Tools I used:

Pasta Fork

Pasta Pot