pasta

love this awesome penne with tomatoes, sausage, olives and cheese.

August 1, 2024 by Becky Spoon

Wow, this Penne with Tomatoes, Italian Sausage, Olives and Two Cheeses is incredibly flavorful and mouthwatering! It’s the ultimate pasta dish for any occasion, whether you’re hosting a big gathering or just want to indulge yourself with a smaller portion.

This recipe, originally published in Bon Appetit in 1995, is quite well-known. However, I personally feel that the original ingredients lack sufficient juiciness, prompting me to make a few adjustments. Additionally, I’ve included Italian sausage which I believe greatly enhances the overall flavor.

what ingredients do you need to make this delicious recipe?

olive oil
Italian sausage links, casings removed or ground Italian sausage
chopped onion
minced garlic
Italian Plum tomatoes I use San Marzano
dried basil
dried crushed red pepper
canned low-salt chicken broth or homemade
penne, rigatoni or ziti I used ziti
grated Havarti Cheese
sliced pitted brine-cured olives like Kalamata
parmesan cheese
chopped fresh basil

which tomatoes are the best or this recipe?

I chose Cento San Marzano organic tomatoes, but there are other brands just as good. Cento is readily available at my local HEB. Regardless of the brand, I recommend using authentic San Marzano tomatoes from Italy. You might come across San Marzano tomatoes labeled Italian Style, which are also good, but I prefer the ones that are the Product of Italy. They are sweet, in a thick broth, and truly the best. Click this link for my preferred Italian tomato choice in this dish: https://amzn.to/3LMOMML

Here is another favorite:https://amzn.to/4c5G72t

Need another great recipe using these delicious tomatoes?

Try my Chicken Cacciatore. Here’s the link: http://chicken cacciatore. This is a delicious recipe. It is a perfect dish when you are craving comfort food.

Try this easy recipe that uses a San Marzano pureed tomatoes; Instant Pot Meat Sauce easy instant pot meat sauce with pasta…

I hope you try these delicious recipes! They are delicious!

the best – penne with tomatoes, italian sausage, olives and two cheeses.

Hope you like this recipe and try it soon! I think it will become a favorite!

Penne with Tomatoes, olives and Two Cheeses

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Servings: 8 servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

6 tbsp olive oil
3-4 Italian sausage links, casings removed
2 cups chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
4 28 oz cans Italian Plum tomatoes I use San Marzano
2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth or homemade
1 lb penne, rigatoni or ziti I used ziti
2 1/2 cups packed grated Havarti Cheese
1/2 cup sliced pitted brine-cured olives like Kalamata
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Method

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes dried basil and crushed red pepper. Crush tomatoes with a potato masher or with the back of your spoon to break into smaller pieces. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat then place a lid and simmer about an hour. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)
Preheat the oven to 375. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, but still firm. Drain well.
Return the pasta to the same pot. Toss with 3 tablespoons oil. Pour the sauce over and toss to blend. Mix in the Havarti Cheese. Transfer to a 13×9 baking dish. Sprinkle with the 1/2 cup of olives, then Parmesan.
Bake until pasta is heated through, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil.

love this creamy baked macaroni and cheese.

September 10, 2021 by Becky Spoon

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You also will love this creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese! Honestly, there are few that don’t love Macaroni and Cheese. It is a side dish so versatile that you can serve it along side so many main courses. For instance,

Meat Loaf The Best – Mom’s Meatloaf
Oven Fried Chicken Mom’s Super Oven Fried Chicken
Pork Chops perfect for a Sunday lunch or dinner – delicious southern smothered pork chops.

This is the perfect dish to have with just other vegetables. A pot of beans and cornbread. Mustard greens and mac n’ cheese are the perfect combination.

love this creamy baked macaroni and cheese.

I like to use the large elbow macaroni shells. I think they are the best for this dish. I know some like to use Penne but I really like the elbow shells. I bought these the other day and they were great: https://amzn.to/3BYSz2w. A nice brand and the shells were big.

Ronzoni Large Elbows Pasta No. 74 (3 Boxes)

Don’t let Macaroni and Cheese intermediate you if you haven’t made it before and please make it from scratch. There are just a few easy steps.

Boil the pasta and drain.
Make the cheese sauce by combining the butter and flour and whisking in the cream/milk.
Cook the sauce until it has thickened
Add the shredded cheeses and combine until melted.
Combine cheese sauce with cooked pasta.
Transfer half of the mac and cheese to a baking dish, add some of the shredded cheese.
Top with the remaining macaroni and cheese and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Dot the finished mac and cheese with Velveeta cubes.

You can use your choice of cheeses. In this recipe I just used Medium Cheddar, Monterrey Jack Cheese and Velveeta. Other cheeses I like to use in Mac n Cheese are Muenster, Gouda, Gruyere, Fontina, Colby and American.

love this creamy baked macaroni and cheese.

Here you go with this great recipe! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think!

Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

You will love this creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese! Honestly, there are few that don't love Macaroni and Cheese. It is a side dish so versatile that you can serve it along side so many main courses.

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Servings: 4 servings

Course: easy side dish, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 cups large elbow macaroni
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch smoked paprika
1 cup mild to medium cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated
6-8 1 inch cubes Velveeta cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter your casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender. Drain the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan. Add the flour and cook, while whisking a couple of minutes until it starts to turn a little tan in color.
Add the heavy cream and milk and cook until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like lots of black pepper in my macaroni and cheese. Add the onion powder, garlic powder and a pinch of smoked paprika. Taste and add additional seasonings if desired.
Add the Cheddar cheese and the Monterrey Jack Cheese (or other cheeses you choose) reserving the Velveeta cubes. Whisk the cheese into the sauce until completely melted.
Add the cooked macaroni into the cream sauce and combine.
Add half of the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Add half of the cheese and the Velveeta cubes. Add the remaining macaroni mixture and top with the remaining grated cheese. If you need more milk add it at this time. I prefer a finished dish that is really creamy.
Place in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and golden. Enjoy!

love this shrimp scampi pasta.

August 17, 2021 by Becky Spoon

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This is a classic shrimp scampi pasta dish. It is a simple garlic, white wine and butter sauce. So, so delicious and satisfying.

Scampi are tiny, lobster-like crustaceans with pale pink shells (also called langoustines). Italian cooks in the United States swapped shrimp for scampi, but kept both names. Thus the dish was born, along with inevitable variations. Scampi makes a wonderful appetizer or a fabulous hearty meal if you add the pasta and delicious garlic bread.

love this shrimp scampi pasta.

I love shrimp cooked anyway or cooked in lime juice like ceviche! I made shrimp and grits the other day and I had this shrimp leftover. I’d been wanting scampi, so it worked out well. I usually buy head on-shell on shrimp because I like to use the heads and shells for basic shrimp stock, which is a must in Louisiana style cooking. These were Argentinian shrimp that I found at my local HEB and they were raw, but peeled and deveined. Filling a little lazy I guess, I purchased them, upon the recommendation of the fish monger and they were delicious. Such pretty colors.

You have to make the Shrimp and Grits too. Here’s the recipe for it: these amazing shrimp and grits.

I love to eat in large bowls. Not sure why, but something my late husband and I did for years. We both loved eating in a big bowl. Here’s some of my favorites: https://amzn.to/2UtVzE0. M other favorites are like the ones above in gray. I think I got them at Pier I.

love this shrimp scampi pasta.

If you aren’t serving this with pasta, you could half the sauce. Because I wanted to toss my pasta in the sauce I made more sauce. Who wants bland pasta with this delicious shrimp! Of course, serve with more lemons and delicious bread.

Here’s the recipe! Hope you try this and enjoy!

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

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Servings: 2 servings

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 tsp tsp salt
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Fresh ground pepper
1 lb large or extra large shrimp shelled
1/3 cup chopped parsley
fresh squeezed lemon juice
8 oz pasta of your choice
crusty bread or garlic bread

Method

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until desired doneness.
In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine or broth, salt, red pepper flakes and plenty of black pepper and bring to a simmer. Let wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Add shrimp and sauté until they just turn pink, 2 to 4 minutes depending upon their size. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice .
Remove the shrimp from the pan. Remove the pasta from the pan with tongs or similar and add to the sauce. If you get some pasta water, that's good because it will help you thicken the sauce for it to stick to your pasta.
Cook the pasta in the sauce for a couple of minutes. Add the pasta and sauce to individual serving dishes and top with the shrimp. Serve with crusty bread or like I did, garlic bread.
Bon Appetite!

easy italian sausage puttanesca

July 3, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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This italian sausage puttanesca was the perfect dish for using tomatoes from the garden. If you don’t have fresh tomatoes just use a quality can of tomatoes like San Marzano. I love both of these brands. They are more expensive, but if you are going to go to all the trouble to make a spectacular Italian dish, splurge a little on these tomatoes. You will be happy you did. Here’s my favorites:https://amzn.to/2VGaubx

and these also:https://amzn.to/2C1pl9k.

easy italian sausage puttanesca

You do not have to put italian sausage in this recipe. I do because Allen thinks everything has to have meat. That’s ok. The italian sausage certainly is delicious in it. However, it is equally delicious without.

This dish is bursting with flavor! Garlic, anchovies, Kalamata olives, capers, oregano, basil, good extra virgin olive oil, how can you go wrong. This is also one of those sauces you can throw together in minutes, reduce your heat to simmer and go about your day because you can cook this up to two hours. You can lessen the time, but the intensity of flavors developed over time are worth the wait. Then all you have to do is cook your pasta and add it to the sauce with a little of the pasta water.

You may not need to add any salt because your anchovy and the capers are salty, so check before you add salt. I just served this with some garlic bread, but if you want a side, a nice salad would be good or garlicy sautéed spinach would be delicious. Here’s my garlicy sautéed spinach recipe: https://the2spoons.com/garlicky-sauteed-spinach-red-pepper-flakes/

Garlicky Sautéed Spinach with Red Pepper Flakrs

I love to serve pasta in individual bowls or any meal for that matter, I really love everything in a bowl. If you serve the spinach with this dish, just the spinach next to your pasta because they accompany each other very well, especially the fresh tomatoes. These bowls are similar to the ones I used for serving this dish:https://amzn.to/2BwBvay

I love white dishes!! They just make your food stand out!

easy italian sausage puttanesca

Before I add the recipe for this puttanesca, here is another recipe using fresh tomatoes on my blog: https://the2spoons.com/spaghetti-with-fresh-tomatoes/. This is delicious. I think these were the Sungold Cherry Tomatoes, which I just eat off the vines.

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes from the Garden

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Italian Sausage Puttanesca

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Servings: 2 servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2-3 Italian Sausage Links, or about 1/2 pound if loose
3 cloves garlic
anchovies in oil
10 Kalamata olives, pits removed if not already pitted
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup capers
2 tbsp dried oregano
2-3 cups fresh ripe tomatoes or good Italian tomatoes (see my post)
8 oz dry pasta

Method

Add garlic cloves, anchovies and black olives to a blender and pulse until slightly chunky.
Add the olive oil to a medium to large skillet and heat. Remove the casing from your Italian sausage and cook in the heated oil until all pink is gone, breaking up as you go.
Then,, add the olive oil and add the garlic-anchovy-olive paste, the capers and dried oregano. Cook until paste begins to dissolve in the oil slightly, about 1 minute, then add the tomatoes with 1 cup water. Lover the heat to a simmer and let the sauce simmer for 2 hours, adjust for seasoning, add the basil and reserve.
When serving, toss with your prepared pasta, a ladle of pasta water if needed and drizzle with olive oil!

easy lasagna roll ups.

April 6, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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These Lasagna Roll Ups are exactly what the title says “easy”. They are so easy because I used jarred tomato sauce. Exactly the kind of recipe we need right now. I had 6 lasagna strips in the pantry, perfect for 2 or 3 or even 6 if you are serving with a salad or a side and some yummy garlic bread.

I cooked three Italian sausage links that I added some of the jarred sauce to. I added the sausage mixture after I had added a layer of ricotta, then a little mozzarella cheese. I then rolled them up and finished with the jarred sauce and more mozzarella.

For the two of us we had a salad and garlic bread. I made my Italian Salad which is always a favorite of ours. Simple. Here’s the link for the salad: https://the2spoons.com/italian-salad-with-lemon-olive-oil-vinaigrette/.

Italian Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil Vinaigrette

easy lasagna roll ups.

You can use any jarred sauce that you have on hand. I used a jar of Bertoli Organic Olive Oil, Basil and Garlic which is perfect for the lasagna. Here’s a link for the sauce: https://goto.walmart.com/c/2049504/568835/9383?veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&prodsku=592671332&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FProduct-of-Bertolli-Organic-Olive-Oil-Basil-Fresh-Garlic-Sauce-3-ct-24-oz%2F592671332.

Here’s the recipe for this easy lasagna dish! Bon Appetite!

Lasagna Roll Ups

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Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1-2 24 oz Jarred pasta sauce of your choice (I used Bertolli Organic Olive Oil, Basil and Garlic) I always have 2 on hand just in case I need more and for serving.
6 lasagna strips or sheets
12 tbsp whole milk ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons per roll up
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (Use dried if you don't have fresh)
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
grated mozzarella cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the lasagna and cook according to package directions. When done, remove and rinse under cold water. Drain on a dish towel or paper towels, separating so they don't stick together. Allow to cool a little so you can handle.
Brown the sausage in a skillet until there is no trace of pink. Add enough of the jarred sauce so that the meat is coated. Set aside.
In a bowl add the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Add a little salt and pepper and taste, add more salt if needed. Your Parmesan cheese is salty so that is why it is by taste and I always check the seasoning before I add the egg. When you are good with your seasoning, add the egg and combine.
To assemble, take one lasagna strip or sheet and add about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta cheese spreading to cover the entire strip. Then add a little of the Italian sausage mixture, distributing a little over the entire strip or sheet. Lastly, add a little grated Mozzarella cheese to each roll.
Pour a little of the sauce to cover the bottom of a casserole dish large enough to hold the rolls. Starting with the end closest to you, roll each strip and place in the casserole dish, seam side down. Continue until all of the strips or sheets have been rolled.
Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta making sure it's covered from side to side. As I said in the ingredients list, I always have an extra jar on hand just in case I need a little extra.
Cover the casserole with saran wrap, then with foil. Place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the foil and saran wrap. Add grated mozzarella cheese over the rolls. Allow to sit until the cheese has melted. Serve with additional sauce on the side. Enjoy!

easy fresh tomato pasta – my #1 go to in a pinch

March 28, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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This fresh tomato pasta is another perfect recipe for cooking things you have on hand and a great use for those ripe tomatoes that we need to use up. I’m looking daily in my refrigerator and at my non perishable items trying to make sure I don’t let anything go to waste!

Other that the olive oil and salt and pepper, this recipe has 4 ingredients! I used very ripe Roma tomatoes, a few leftover sweet cherry tomatoes I had on hand, fresh garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil or Italian parsley, whichever you have on hand. In a pinch you could use dried basil if you don’t have fresh.

fresh tomato pasta.

I used spaghetti, however any pasta would work. I tubed pasta or fusilli or other spiral shaped pasta would work well. This recipe is not one to just make with fresh tomatoes when you need to! I’ve been making this recipe for years and I have used a canned diced tomato before. I would use a really good tomato like Mutti or a San Marzano brand. Here’s a link for the Mutti: https://amzn.to/2Jhwseb

Need another pasta receip? https://the2spoons.com/best-pasta-and-clams/. This pasta with clams is also a great recipe for cooking from your pantry. While at the grocery store the other day they had canned clams which work well in the pasta with clams dish.

Here’s the easy recipe for the fresh tomato pasta! Bon Appetit!

Fresh Tomato Pasta

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Servings: 2 servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

12 oz pasta of your choice, I used spaghetti
8-10 Roma tomatoes, diced or good quality Italian diced canned tomatoes like Mutti or San Marzano.
handful of cherry tomatoes (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
fresh basil, several leaves torn, or 1/4 cup fresh Italian Parsley chopped (If you only have dried, add about 1/2 teaspoon of basil, parsley, or a combination of both)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling while plating
salt and pepper to taste and salt for the pasta water
1 cup reserved pasta water or more if needed
Parmesan cheese for serving

Method

Bring a salted pot of water to a boil and add your pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil to medium in a large skillet. Add the red pepper flakes, cook about a minute, then add the garlic. Stirring constantly add the garlic and do not allow the garlic to brown. Reduce the heat if you need to. After about a minute, add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are broken up and a sauce has formed. Salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the pasta from pot with tongs or a spider and add to the sauce in the skillet, tossing with tongs and adding a little pasta water at a time as needed to make a nice sauce.
Check for salt and add your fresh herbs. Toss then serve in bowls or on plates drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and grated or shaved Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!