Linguine With Sweet Red Pepper Sauce


1 tablespoon olive oil
4 red peppers, seeded & cut in julienne strips
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 cups crushed tomatoes (packed in tomato puree)
1 ripe pear, peeled & thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound linguine

Garnish: chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese
In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the peppers and carrots and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened slightly.


Add the tomatoes, pear, basil, and garlic. Stir, then add salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat and allow mixture to simmer for about 45 minutes, or until very tender.


Cook the linguine according to directions & drain well.


Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve hot. Garnish with the parsley and cheese.

Parmesan Noodles
(couldn't be easier)

Boil noodles; drain; return to pan with a bit of olive oil and butter; add garlic salt or fresh minced garlic and salt; add pepper and as much fresh grated Parmesan as you want. Stir until cheese melts - serve.

Ravioli in Sage and Brown Butter Sauce


2 9-ounce packages ravioli or tortellini - I only use homemade
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons), or
1 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish: fresh sage leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook butter over medium heat, gently shaking the pan occasionally so it cooks evenly. Lower heat if butter starts to pop and splatter. Cook until the butter foams and turns nut-brown, about 3 minutes. Add sage and red pepper flakes, then cook 30 seconds longer, or until sage is crisp. Remove pan from heat.

Add cooked pasta to skillet, then toss with butter sauce to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh sage leaves. Serve immediately.

Creamy Seafood Lasagna


1 (12-ounce) package frozen fish fillets
1 (8-ounce) package frozen, peeled, deveined shrimp
1 1/2 cups dry white wine or water
6 packaged dry lasagna noodles
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups ricotta cheese or cream-style cottage cheese, drained
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese - divided use
4 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 green onions, sliced
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 1/3 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (8-ounce) package sliced mozzarella cheese

Rinse frozen fish and shrimp. In a large skillet bring wine or water to boiling. Add frozen fish; cook for 4 minutes. Add frozen shrimp; cook for 2 to 4 minutes more or until fish flakes easily with a fork and shrimp turn pink. Drain, discarding cooking liquid. cut fish into bit-size pieces. Coarsely chop shrimp. Set aside.
Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain again.
For filling, in a small mixing bowl combine egg, ricotta or cottage cheese, half of the Parmesan cheese and the basil. Set filling aside.
For sauce, in a medium saucepan cook mushrooms and green onions in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the sour cream; return all of the sour cream mixture to the saucepan. Stir fish and shrimp into the sauce.
To assemble, layer half of the cooked noodles in a 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish. Spread with half of the filling. Top with half of the sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Pasta in Oil

16 ounces dried linguine or capellini
1/2 cup olive oil
3 to 4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 hot chili pepper pod
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain and place on a large, hot serving platter. Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the garlic and pepper. Just as soon as the garlic takes on a little color, pour the sauce over the pasta, add the parsley, and toss quickly. Serve at once.