Showing posts with label pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pasta. Show all posts
I'm almost embarrassed to share this "recipe" with you today, but it was so delicious I am going to anyways. It's a really simple make and goes together with just a few store cupboard ingredients.
I adapted this recipe for Meatball Tortellini Bake from one I found in the One Dish Meals Cookbook by Pillsbury.
What can I say I love one dish meals, and the easier the better. I have been known to get happily stuck into a pot of buttered cooked spaghetti noodles with nothing but salt, pepper and cheese on them. I am not stranger to simple delights!
This easy and quick recipe uses only four main ingredients. Frozen/refrigerated Tortellini, a jar of spaghetti sauce, some thawed frozen meatballs and grated mozzarella cheese. That's it. Simple.
I confess the original recipe used frozen/fresh ravioli. I didn't have any of them in the house, but in the spirit of making do with what I did have, I had some leftover tortellini that I had frozen from making Cheesy Baked Tortellini back in November.
Proof that I do try to use up all that I have in the house if possible!
There's really not a lot of difference between ravioli and tortellini, well, in my opinion anyways. Both are filled pastas. My tortellini was filled with cheese and bacon.
You could use any kind of stuffed pasta shapes I think. Just be sure to use one that will go well with the other ingredients, so I think a cheese one is best of all.
I also cut the recipe down to make only two to three servings, depending on how hungry you are.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MEATBALL TORTELLINI BAKE
If you want to double it, simply double the quantities. Four simple ingredients. That's all.
- 12 ounces (340g) frozen Tortellini
- 10 ounces (283g) frozen cooked meat balls thawed
- 1 (14 oz/400g) jar of good pasta sauce
- 3 ounces (3/4 cup/85g) grated mozzarella cheese
I used approximately 1/2 bag of the ready to cook cheese and bacon tortellini you can buy in the refrigerator section at the shops. I had use half the bag previously and froze the rest to use another time. This worked beautifully.
I had made extra turkey meat balls when I made these Honey Sriracha Meatballs last week, and frozen them. This is what I used for this recipe, but you can use any kind of meatball that you have.
Just make sure that the meatball you use is a nicely flavored one. This goes for every kind, and all of the ingredients in this dish. If you use the best that you can find, then you know your dish will be delicious.
Yes, I used pre-grated Mozzarella cheese. Normally I like to grate my own cheese, but this time for the sake of expediency, I did not.
HOW TO MAKE MEATBALL TORTELLINI BAKE
Seriously when I say nothing could be easier I mean it. This is simple. Simple. Simple.
Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Spray a 1 1/2 liter/quart baking dish with some nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Cook the Tortellini according the package directions. Drain well. Place into the baking dish. Top with the meatballs.
Pour the pasta sauce over top and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until thoroughly heated through and the cheese has melted. Serve hot.
To thaw the meatballs I threw them on a baking tray and shoved them into the oven while I was cooking the tortellini. It didn't take too long for them to thaw out.
I used a really good pasta sauce. It took about half the jar and that was plenty.
For all of its simplicity this was really, really good. I love simple meals like this. I think that if you use good quality ingredients to begin with, you can't go wrong.
It cooks simply and quickly. You will have enough time to throw together a nice tossed salad while it is baking and how simple is it to make some garlic bread? Just spread some leftover hot dog or burger buns, cut sides, with some garlic butter, sprinkle on some cheese and throw them into the oven for the last 10 minutes of bake time for the casserole.
Easy peasy lemon squeasy!
If, like me, you are a fan of the simple supper, you might also enjoy the following:
SKILLET BRATS AND SPUDS -This is a deliciously easy pan fry that includes spicy bratwurst, cabbage and potatoes. Cooked all in a skillet, there is a delicious touch of cream and cheese that tip these simple ingredients over the top into something very special indeed!
PROPER WELSH RAREBIT - This very popular supper dish is a lot easier to make than one would suppose! Its surprisingly hearty and quite delicious! You can make the rarebit mixture ahead of time, ready to spoon onto the bread and then grill for a quick and easy supper that works very well with a salad or chips on the side.
Yield: 3
Meatball Tortellini Bake
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
Quick, easy and delicious. Use quality ingredients for a quality dish.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340g) frozen Tortellini
- 10 ounces (283g) frozen cooked meat balls thawed
- 1 (14 oz/400g) jar of good pasta sauce
- 3 ounces (3/4 cup/85g) grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Spray a 1 1/2 liter/quart baking dish with some nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cook the Tortellini according the package directions. Drain well. Place into the baking dish. Top with the meatballs.
- Pour the pasta sauce over top and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until thoroughly heated through and the cheese has melted. Serve hot.
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I am a great lover of pasta. I am a great lover of broccoli. When I can combine those two loves into one quick, easy and delicious creamy pasta dish, then I am in heaven!
I adapted and downsized this recipe from a blog called Savory Nothings. It now feeds only two people which is much more manageable for myself. And they are very generous servings. I took half across to my friend Glenna and kept half for myself.
I am a huge fan of all-in-one pasta types of dishes. By that I mean pasta dishes where everything, including the pasta and the sauce, all cook in the one pan.
NO fuss, NO muss and very little to clean up. You can't go wrong!
I love, Love, LOVE broccoli. Its one of my favorite vegetables. When I saw this recipe, I just knew that I had to cook it for myself. It was right up my alley. Its rich and creamy sauce belies the simplicity of it. It only looks complicated! And you can be enjoying it in about half an hour's time! BONUS!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ONE POT CREAMY BROCCOLI PASTA
Very simple store cupboard ingredients, a few fresh bits and a small broccoli crown! That's it!
- 1/2 TBS avocado oil (can use canola oil)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine (or chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 4 ounces (1 cup, 115g) small pasta shapes (I used fusilli.)
- 2 cups chopped broccoli (1 head)
- 1/2 cup (90g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 TBS cream cheese
- 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
I've been using organic avocado oil lately. My sister says it is one of the healthiest oils. You can use any kind oil you wish. I don't recommend wasting extra virgin olive oil on it however!
My broccoli crown was about 6-inches across. I used all of it including just a bit of the stems. I chopped it all into bite sized pieces. They were al dente when done. If you want your broccoli softer, then cut the pieces a bit smaller.
Italian Seasoning is a pre-mixed herb seasoning that includes all of the popular Italian seasonings and herbs. Mine is McCormick brand.
You can easily make your own however. I like making my own seasonings and spice mixes most of the time. Its very easy. Here's how:
2 TBS dried basil
2 TBS dried oregano
1 TBS dried parsley flakes
1 TBS garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Simply combine all of the ingredients in bowl, mixing them well together. Transfer to an airtight container ad then store in a cool dark place for up to six months. Easy peasy.
HOW TO MAKE ONE POT CREAMY BROCCOLI PASTA
Nothing could be simpler. No fuss, no muss, all in one deliciousness!
Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until very fragrant. Add the white wine and lemon zest. Cook and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until reduced by half.
Add the chicken broth, milk, Italian seasoning, onion and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt. Bring to the boil and then add the pasta.
Reduce to a strong simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently so as to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the broccoli. Cover tightly and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes until the broccoli and pasta are nearly done.
Remove the lid and cook for a further one to two minutes.
Remove from the heat. Stir in both cheeses along with the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve immediately.
I was really pleased with the results of this. You do need to eat it right away as the sauce thickens quite a bit as it stands. It still tastes good, but is not as creamy.
There was a really nice mix of textures in this tasty dish. You had lovely, perfectly cooked pasta, crispy tender broccoli and the rich creamy sauce. I will make this again for sure!
Some other pasta dishes in The English Kitchen that you might enjoy are:
PASTA E PISELLI - Simple ingredients put together in a simple way. Pasta, peas, water and cheese. It doesn't get any simpler or easier than this. You wouldn't think that simple things like this could come together in such a delicious way, but like magic, they do! I love this.
MARTHA STEWARTS ONE PAN PASTA -One thing I love about this tasty pasta dish is that everything cooks in one pan, even the pasta (linguini) . . . you just add the dry pasta and other ingredients, including water, and it cooks all-together in the pan. No fuss, no muss, no faffing about with having to drain this or that . . . the water, tomatoes, etc. condense along with the starch from the cooking pasta to create a delicious sauce.
Yield: 2
One Pot Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This easy and delicious creamy pasta dish cooks all in one pan and is perfectly sized for two people.
Ingredients
- 1/2 TBS avocado oil (can use canola oil)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine (or chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 4 ounces (1 cup, 115g) small pasta shapes
- 2 cups chopped broccoli (1 head)
- 1/2 cup (90g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 TBS cream cheese
- 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until very fragrant. Add the white wine and lemon zest. Cook and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add the chicken broth, milk, Italian seasoning, onion and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt. Bring to the boil and then add the pasta.
- Reduce to a strong simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently so as to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the broccoli. Cover tightly and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes until the broccoli and pasta are nearly done.
- Remove the lid and cook for a further one to two minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in both cheeses along with the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
- Serve immediately.
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I had a quantity of Italian Sausage that I wanted to cook and so the other day I went searching online for some inspiration. I remembered being invited to a friend's home for supper back in the 1990's and she had made an Italian Sausage Rigatoni bake that was quite delicious.
I had hoped to find something similar. I didn't really but I did find this simple and delicious sounding recipe on a blog called Salt and Lavendar. While it was not exactly what I was looking for, I thought it looked fabulous!
.JPG "Easy Sausage Rigatoni")
Her recipe was for a simple sausage sauce that is tossed together with the cooked pasta and then served hot with some cheese on top. I was looking more for a baked dish.
I decided to go with her inspiration for the sauce and then pour the pasta and sauce into a baking dish, layering it with cheese and baking it briefly to melt the cheese.
.JPG "Easy Sausage Rigatoni")
The sauce is a really simple basic tomato sauce, using two kinds of tinned tomatoes. Chopped and crushed. There is also onion and plenty of garlic in the sauce. Some cream is added at the end to enrich it and to take away from the acidity of the tomatoes.
I added some chili flakes and dried basil to amp up the flavors. If you are using spicy Italian sausage you may want to leave out the chili flakes!
I also cut the recipe in half to make only two generously delicious servings.
.JPG "Easy Sausage Rigatoni")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY SAUSAGE RIGATONI
Very simple ingredients. Don't be tempted to substitute the types of tomatoes for other kinds. The thickness of your sauce depends on the type of tomatoes used.
- 4 ounces (1 cup, 115g) of uncooked rigatoni
- 8 ounces (1/2 pound/226g) uncooked Italian sausage meat (spicy or mild)
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup (160g) tinned chopped tomatoes in juice
- 1 cup (240g) tinned crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy/whipping cream
- pinch of crushed dried chilies (optional)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated cheese to taste (I used a mix of Parmesan and Mozzarella)
.JPG "Easy Sausage Rigatoni")
The spiciness of your sauce depends on the type of Italian sausage meat used. I used mild and chose to add some chilies to my own taste. You will need to remove the meat from the sausage casings if you have bought link sausage. My sausage came in bulk.
It is important to use the exact kinds of tomatoes as specified in the recipe to get the best results. Likewise, the type of cream specified. Any other kind of cream or milk may cause the sauce to split.
.JPG "Easy Sausage Rigatoni")
HOW TO MAKE EASY SAUSAGE RIGATONI
You can choose to serve this simply as a sauced pasta or as a pasta bake. It's really up to you. It is delicious either way.
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. If you plan on baking this in the oven, preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4 and butter a medium sized casserole dish.
Crumble the sausage meat into a skillet. Add the onion and herbs. Cook and stir over medium high heat until brown. (8 to 10 minutes.) Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Stir in both kinds of the tomatoes and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, while you cook the pasta.
.JPG "Easy Sausage Rigatoni")
Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain well.
Stir the cream into the sauce and season as required to taste. Simmer for a further couple of minutes and then toss together with the cooked and drained pasta. Top with cheese to serve.
If you are wanting to bake this (Optionally) then layer the sauced pasta in a baking dish with the cheese (however much you want. I used a handful of mozzarella and a couple TBS of Parmesan). Make two layers of pasta and cheese, finishing with cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes to melt the cheese.
.JPG "Easy Sausage Rigatoni")
This was really delicious served just as a sauce with the pasta or baked in the casserole. It is down to individual taste as to how you wish to serve it.
I served this simply with some buttered crusty bread (so as to mop up all that sauce) and a tasty salad of leafy greens, chopped tomato and cucumber on the side. It made for a hearty and simple meal that I quite enjoyed!
.JPG "Easy Sausage Rigatoni")
Some other pasta recipes in The English Kitchen which you may enjoy are:
SAUCY PASTA HOOPS - Did you enjoy Spaghetti-o's when you were a child? If so, you are sure to enjoy this very adult version of the same. Delicious simple!
CHICKEN & PASTA IN A GARLIC & CREAM SAUCE-This is a fabulous one pot dinner of chicken and pasta in the most delicious sun-dried tomato and garlic cheese sauce. This is such a simple recipe.
Yield: 2
Easy Sausage Rigatoni
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This recipe for an easy Italian sausage rigatoni is very simple to make. It is also sized perfectly to make just two deliciously generous servings. You can serve this as is or layer it into a casserole dish with cheese and bake for a short time. Recipe timings do not reflect the time required to bake it.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (1 cup, 115g) of uncooked rigatoni
- 8 ounces (1/2 pound/226g) uncooked Italian sausage meat (spicy or mild)
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup (160g) tinned chopped tomatoes in juice
- 1 cup (240g) tinned crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy/whipping cream
- pinch of crushed dried chilies (optional)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated cheese to taste (I used a mix of Parmesan and Mozzarella)
Instructions
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. If you plan on baking this in the oven, preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4 and butter a medium sized casserole dish.
- Crumble the sausage meat into a skillet. Add the onion and herbs. Cook and stir over medium high heat until brown. (8 to 10 minutes.) Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Stir in both kinds of the tomatoes and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, while you cook the pasta.
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain well.
- Stir the cream into the sauce and season as required to taste. Simmer for a further couple of minutes and then toss together with the cooked and drained pasta. Top with cheese to serve.
- If you are wanting to bake this (Optionally) then layer the sauced pasta in a baking dish with the cheese (however much you want. I used a handful of mozzarella and a couple TBS of Parmesan). Make two layers of pasta and cheese, finishing with cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes to melt the cheese.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!!
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