Pasta Provencale Recipes

HERBY PROVENCAL BAKED PASTA WITH SOPRESSATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly, add the basil sprigs and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the basil sprigs and stir in the chopped basil and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the rigatoni in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, artichokes, red peppers, sopressata, olives, half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta stand about 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.

PASTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Plunge fresh tomatoes into boiling water for a few seconds and remove skins. Chop pulp coarsely if using fresh tomatoes.
• Heat oil in heavy pot; add onions and cook until transparent. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Break up tomatoes as they cook.
• Remove parsley, bay leaf and orange peel. Freeze. To serve, reheat, correct seasonings and serve over spaghetti or spaghetti squash. Allow 2 to 3 ounces dried spaghetti per person.

ROYAL PASTA PRIMAVERA PROVENCALE

Steps:

• Prepare pasta according to its package directions, omitting salt and fat.
• Meanwhile, heat a large and deep skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the chili pepper; cook, turning occasionally until fragrant and toasted, about 2 minutes.
• When cool enough to handle chili pepper, discard its stem and set the seeds aside for a garnish.
• Chop chili pepper.
• Add eggplant to hot skillet; cook until browned, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add oil, then chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add tomatoes and chopped chili pepper.
• Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and sauce thickens.
• Remove from heat; stir in salad greens and thyme.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.
• Drain pasta; transfer to two serving plates and top with sauce.

JULIA CHILD'S PROVENçALE TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt and cook slowly for about 10 minutes, until tender but not browned. Sprinkle on the flour and cook slowly for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally; do not brown.
• Meanwhile, fit a food processor with the coarse grating blade. Working in batches to avoid overfilling the machine, push the tomatoes through the feed tube to make a coarse purée.
• Stir the tomatoes, sugar, garlic, herb bouquet, fennel, basil, saffron, coriander, orange peel and 1 teaspoon salt into the pot. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, so the tomatoes will render more of their juice. Then uncover and simmer for about an hour, until thick. The sauce is done when it tastes thoroughly cooked and is thick enough to form a mass in the spoon. Remove herb bouquet and taste. Season with salt, pepper, sugar and tomato paste, and simmer two minutes more. The sauce may be used immediately, refrigerated or frozen for up to 6 months.

PASTA WITH ROASTED PROVENCAL VEGETABLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange eggplant and onion on large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Stir zucchini and garlic into vegetables; continue to roast until all vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes longer. Stir crushed tomatoes into vegetables on baking sheet; roast until heated through, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Ladle 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid into small bowl; reserve. Drain pasta. Return pasta to same pot. Add roasted vegetable sauce and all herbs to pasta and toss to blend. Gradually add enough reserved pasta cooking liquid to moisten as desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to bowl and serve.