Make-ahead baked pasta delights.PASTA While the only basic difference between these names is the shape of the pasta, each pasta is typically matched with a particular sauce based on cooking time, consistency, ability to hold sauce, ease of eating, etc. WAS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN invented by the Chinese Chinese, subfamily of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages (see Sino-Tibetan languages), which is also sometimes grouped with the Tai, or Thai, languages in a Sinitic subfamily of the Sino-Tibetan language stock. and taken to Italy Italy (ĭt`əlē), Ital. Italia, officially Italian Republic, republic (2005 est. pop. 58,103,000), 116,303 sq mi (301,225 sq km), S Europe. by Marco Polo Marco Polo: see Polo, Marco. in the 13th century, but history indicates that strips of dried pasta were first carried to Italy on ships manned by Arabs Arabs, name originally applied to the Semitic peoples of the Arabian Peninsula. It now refers to those persons whose primary language is Arabic. They constitute most of the population of Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, before 1000 A.D. That means the Italians The Italians are a Southern European ethnic group found primarily in Italy and in a wide-ranging diaspora throughout Western Europe, the Americas and Australia. Their native language is Italian, and historically Italian dialects and languages. were probably savoring lasagna long before Marco Polo was even born! The Italian climate was perfect for growing durum wheat durum wheat: see wheat. , the variety of wheat wheat, cereal plant of the genus Triticum of the family Gramineae (grass family), a major food and an important commodity on the world grain market. Wheat Varieties and Their Uses that is ground into semolina flour flour, finely ground, usually sifted, meal of grain, such as wheat, rye, corn, rice, or buckwheat. Flour is also made from potatoes, peas, beans, peanuts, etc. Usually it refers to the finely ground and bolted (i.e. to make pasta. Although pasta is often considered the original convenience food, in ancient times people kneaded pasta dough with their hands and feet in an all-day all-day adj. Continuing all through the day: an all-day examination. process. This dough was cut into ribbons ribbons in harness horse terminology, reins. and dried. With these wide pasta ribbons, the first baked Baked can refer to a wide variety of things. Cooking:
not generally available; can be used only by selected persons or substances. privileged information information about a client's animals or business to which the veterinarian has access because of his/her professional . Early lasagna contained such ingredients as raisins and spices brought by Arab invaders Generically speaking, invaders are those who participate in an invasion, often in a militaristic context. Other uses of the word include:
Naples, Ital. Napoli, city (1991 pop. 1,067,365), capital of Campania and of Naples prov., S central Italy, on the Bay of Naples, an arm of the Tyrrhenian Sea. , where ordinary people ate it with their fingers. In 1862, tomato sauce transformed pasta, creating dishes with a more contemporary look and taste. Today, pasta has evolved into just about any shape you can imagine. Though there is a name for every pasta variety, only a small number of these traditional names are used outside of Italy. Long pasta includes spaghetti spaghetti: see pasta. , linguini, and angel hair. Some ribbons are tagliatelle ta·gli·a·tel·le n. See fettuccine. [Italian, pl. of tagliatella, diminutive of tagliata, from feminine past participle of tagliare, to cut, from Late Latin , fettuccine fet·tuc·ci·ne n. In both senses also called tagliatelle. 1. Pasta in narrow flat strips. 2. A dish made with such strips of pasta. [Italian, pl. , and tagliolini. Tubes include penne, garganeli, and cavatappi Cavatappi is an "S" shaped macaroni noodle. Cavatappi means "corkscrews" in Italian. See also
n. Pasta in the shape of bow ties. [Italian, pl. of farfalla, butterfly, of imitative origin.] Noun 1. (bow ties), fusilli fu·sil·li n. Pasta in short spirals or corkscrews. [Italian, from pl. diminutive of fuso, spindle, from Latin f  sus.] (spirals), conchiglie Conchiglie is a type of pasta.Commonly known as "seashells", the name derives from the Italian word for seashell. It is usually sold in the plain durum wheat variety, and also in colored varieties which utilize natural pigments, such as tomato extract, squid ink or spinach (shells), gemelli Gemelli is Italian for twins.
adj. chunk·i·er, chunk·i·est 1. Short and thick; stocky. 2. Containing small thick pieces: chunky peanut butter; chunky soup. pasta with ridges, resembling a radiator radiator, device used to heat an area surrounding it or to cool a fluid circulating within it. The familiar radiators of steam and hot water heating systems in buildings are misnamed, as they operate principally by convection, in which heat is transferred by air ). Pasta for soups might include alfabetini (alphabets), tubetti (small tubes), farfarellini (small bow ties), or orzo or·zo n. A pasta shaped like grains of rice, frequently used in soups. [Italian, barley, orzo, from Latin hordeum.] Noun 1. (rice-shaped). Stuffed pastas, such as ravioli, tortellini, cannelloni can·nel·lo·ni n. 1. Pasta in large-sized tubes. 2. A dish consisting of such tubes stuffed with meat, vegetables, or cheese and baked in a tomato or cream sauce. [Italian, pl. , manicotti man·i·cot·ti n. 1. Pasta in large-sized tubes. 2. A dish consisting of such tubes stuffed with meat or cheese, usually served hot with a tomato sauce. [Italian, pl. , and lasagna, are favored by many pasta lovers. A versatile food, pasta is enhanced by sauce, herbs and spices, oils, and vegetables. Baked dishes use dried, precooked pre·cook tr.v. pre·cooked, pre·cook·ing, pre·cooks To cook in advance or partially. Adj. 1. precooked - cooked partially or completely beforehand; "frozen precooked meals from the supermarket" pasta, along with a sauce and vegetables to make a complete meal that is ready to eat when you are. When creating these dishes, it is helpful to use a pasta with a shape, such as bow ties, penne, or spirals, instead of flat noodles noo·dle 1 n. A narrow, ribbonlike strip of dried dough, usually made of flour, eggs, and water. [German Nudel. like linguini since some of the sauce is absorbed Absorbed 1. In a general business sense, when a cost is treated as an expense instead of being passed on to the customer in the form of higher prices. 2. In underwriting, when an issue has been completely sold to the public. 3. . You can put these bake-ahead dishes together, then eat them at your convenience. Lasagna and manicotti noodles are exceptions. With enough sauce, these can be cooked as dry noodles in the baked dish. When you use precooked pasta, it should be al dente al den·te adj. Cooked enough to be firm but not soft: pasta al dente. [Italian : al, to the + dente, tooth. , cooked just enough to retain a firm texture (graphics) texture - A measure of the variation of the intensity of a surface, quantifying properties such as smoothness, coarseness and regularity. It's often used as a region descriptor in image analysis and computer vision. . COOKING PERFECT PASTA For most dishes, pasta should be cooked in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water. The noodles need plenty of room to move around when they cook. If you are on a low-sodium diet Noun 1. low-sodium diet - a diet that limits the intake of salt (sodium chloride); often used in treating hypertension or edema or certain other disorders low-salt diet, salt-free diet diet - a prescribed selection of foods , you need only add a teaspoon tea·spoon n. Abbr. tsp., tsp A measure of about 1 fluid dram or 5 milliliters. teaspoon a household unit of volume or capacity approximately equal to 5 milliliters. of salt. If you are serving the pasta with a sauce that contains salt, omit o·mit tr.v. o·mit·ted, o·mit·ting, o·mits 1. To fail to include or mention; leave out: omit a word. 2. a. To pass over; neglect. b. the salt. It is only added to bring out flavor. Some people believe oil should be added to the water to prevent the noodles from sticking together, but this is a waste of oil. When you add the pasta to the boiling water, the noodles have a tendency to sink to the bottom and stick. Give the noodles a stir, keep the water boiling, and make sure the noodles continue moving around in the water to cook evenly. The best way to determine when the pasta is done is by sampling the texture, not by throwing it against a wall to see if it sticks, as some insist. Read the package instructions. If the directions say "Cook for 10 minutes," begin tasting at 7 or 8 minutes. When you are making a baked pasta dish, it is important that the pasta is slightly undercooked. Rinse the pasta to stop the cooking process; otherwise, it will continue to cook after you drain One side of a field effect transistor. When the gate is pulsed, current flows from the source to the drain, or vice versa depending on the design. See collector. (jargon) drain it. This is not necessary when eating pasta immediately, but when you intend to make a dish and serve it later, rinse the pasta so it doesn't does·n't Contraction of does not. overcook overcook Verb to spoil food by cooking it for too long Verb 1. overcook - cook too long; "The vegetables were completely overcooked" . SMOKY PENNE BAKED WITH EGGPLANT AND POKTOBELLO MUSHROOMS IN FIREROASTED TOMATO SAUCE (Serves 6) You can find Lightlife's Fakin' Bacon (smoked tempeh strips) at natural foods stores. Oil brings out the flavor of the tempeh bacon and helps carry it throughout this dish. You can find crushed red peppers in the spice section of most grocery stores, and fire-roasted tomatoes are available at natural foods stores. Because Fakin' Bacon contains a good amount of salt, there is no need to salt the boiling water used for pasta. 2 cups uncooked penne 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided 6-8 strips of Ughtfife's Fakin' Bacon or smoky tempeh strips 1 large yellow onion, chopped 1 medium eggplant, cot into bite-sized chunks (approximately 2 cops) 1 portebello mushroom including stem, sliced 1 Tablespoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red peppers One 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed or pureed tomatoes 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions. Remove from heat and drain. Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a non-stick skillet and saute the Fakin' Bacon until crisp. Remove from heat and let cool. Heat another skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining oil and onions. Stir and cover, cooking until onions are soft. Mix in eggplant and mushrooms. Cover again and cook until all vegetables are soft. Stir in herbs and peppers. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and simmer uncovered for approximately 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble tempeh bacon and combine with pasta and sauce. Place in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish, cover, and bake for 15 minutes, or cover, refrigerate, and bake later for 25 minutes. Sprinkle parsley over the top before serving. Total calories per serving: 260 Fat: 9 grams Carbohydrates: 40 grams Protein: 8 grams Sodium: 267 milligrams Fiber: 7 grams FARFALLE BAKE WITH SQUASH, ARTICHOKE HEARTS, AND EDAMAME (Serves 4) Delicata squash is a cylindrical yellow winter squash with green stripes. Cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and slice into thin rings for this dish. If you can't find delicata, you can cut an acorn squash into thin slices. Neither squash needs to be peeled. Purchase edamame or green soybeans in the frozen vegetable section of a natural foods store or an Asian market. 1/2 Tablespoon salt 1 1/2 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie) pasta 1 Tablespoon oil 1 onion, chopped 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/2-1 Tablespoon chopped pickled hot peppers 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 cops sliced delicota squash 1/2 cup water 1 cup vegan cream of corn soup (available in natural foods stores) One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained 1 cup edamame, thawed 1/4 cup pecen halves Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions and drain. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add oil and onions. Stir and saute until onions are soft, approximately 10 minutes. Add basil, peppers, garlic powder, and squash. Cook for a few minutes, then stir in water and soup. Cover and cook until squash is soft. Remove from heat and stir in artichoke hearts and edamame. Place in an oiled 11/2-quart casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly toast pecans for 9 minutes. Crush and set aside. Raise oven to 350 degrees. Bake casserole for 40 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Sprinkle pecans on the top before serving. Total calories per serving: 350 Fat: 12 grams Carbohydrates: 51 grams Protein: 14 grams Sodium: 695 milligrams Fiber: 10 grams LEMON-BAKED FUSILLI WITH TEMPEH, SUNDRIED TOMATOES, AND BEET GREENS (Serves 4) Fusilli is pasta in a twisted or spiral shape. You can also use farfalle (bow tie) or penne pasta in this dish. Look for sun-dried tomatoes in your grocery store on the aisle with salad dressings and olives. Both agave nectar and Sucanat (a vegan granulated sweetener) can be found in natural foods stores. If you can't find beet greens, use spinach or Swiss chard. 2 cups uncooked fusilli 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, finely diced 8 ounces tempeh, cut into thin strips 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomotoes Juice and zest of 1 lemon (approximately 1/4 cup juice and 1 Tablespoon zest) 1/2 Tablespoon agave nector or Sucanat 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce 1 or 2 doves garlic, pressed 1 cup water 1 1/2 Tablespoons arrowroot (available in natural foods stores and Asian markets) 2 cups chopped beet greens Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. While pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil and onions. Stir, cover, and sweat the onions for approximately 5 minutes. Add tempeh strips and cook for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle tomatoes over tempeh and stir in. While tempeh cooks, combine lemon juice and zest, agave nectar, hot sauce, garlic, water, and arrowroot. Mix well, making sure that arrowroot is blended in. Stir liquid into the onion-tempeh mixture and cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer half the sauce and half the beet greens into a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Pour the fusilli on top. Cover with remaining beet greens and top with lemon sauce mixture. Cover and bake for 15 minutes, or cover, refrigerate, and bake later for 25 minutes. Total calories per serving: 326 Fat: 13 grams Carbohydrates: 39 grams Protein: 16 grams Sodium: 191 milligrams Fiber: 6 grams ORZO WITH RED PEPPERS, MUSHROOMS, AND TOASTED PINE NUTS (Serves 4) You can find French onion soup in 32-ounce cartons at natural foods stores. The soup contains enough sodium that you don't need to salt the boiling water for pasta. Look for roasted red peppers in jars on the salad dressing aisle in grocery stores. 1/2 cup pine nuts 1 Tablespoon oil 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1 1/2 cups water 1 cup French onion soup or vegetable broth 1 1/2 cups orzo (rice-shaped) pasta 1-2 Tablespoons salsa 1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro 1 cup sliced roosted red peppers If you'd like to toast the pine nuts in the oven, preheat to 325 degrees and toast on a baking sheet for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. You can also toast the pine nuts on the stovetop in a medium skillet until lightly browned, approximately 8 minutes. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add oil and mushrooms and saute until soft. Stir in garlic powder, water, and soup. Bring to a boil. Add orzo and salsa. Continue to stir until pasta is done, approximately 15 minutes. Stir in parsley. Place half of the pasta in a lightly oiled 11/2-quart casserole dish. Layer peppers over pasta and top with remaining pasta. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover and bake for 35 minutes, or cover, refrigerate, and bake later for 45 minutes. Total calories per serving: 329 Fat: 13 grams Carbohydrates: 44 grams Protein: 11 grams Sodium: 327 milligrams Fiber: 3 grams PEANUT CURRY PASTA BAKE (Serves 4) Curry paste can be found on the international aisle of the grocery store, or look for it in natural foods stores. You can use red paste instead of green, if you'd like. Make sure neither variety of curry paste contains fish sauce. A hand blender or blender works well to combine the sauce ingredients. Freeze the remaining ginger to use another day. Cook extra pasta so you will have enough left over to make this dish another night. If you can't find toasted peanuts in your local grocery simply toast plain ones in a 325-degree oven for 9-12 minutes. 1/4 cup peanut buffer 1 teaspoon vegan green curry paste 2-3 doves fresh garlic, pressed, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon grated flesh ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons frozen apple juice concentrate 1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar 1 cup water 8 ounces cooked spaghetti, cut into 3-inch strands 2 cups frozen, thawed peas and carrots 1/4 cap lightly toasted peanuts (optional) In a blender, combine peanut butter, curry paste, garlic, ginger, apple juice concentrate, rice vinegar, and water. Blend until smooth. Pour half of the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Mix the spaghetti with peas and carrots and add to the casserole dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover and bake for 25 minutes or until sauce is bubbling, or cover, refrigerate, and bake later for 35 minutes. Sprinkle peanuts over the top when done, if desired. Total calories per serving: 231 Fat: 8 grams Carbohydrates: 30 grams Protein: 11 grams Sodium: 159 milligrams Fiber: 5 grams SOUTHWESTERN BLACK BEAN LASAGNA (Serves 6) Canned beans should always be drained and rinsed to reduce sodium. Chipotle chile powder is available at natural foods and specialty markets. If you can't find it, use 1/2-1 teaspoon chopped canned smoked jalapeno chiles in adobo sauce. These chiles are available on the international aisle of most grocery stores. You can freeze the remaining chiles for later use by laying them flat on waxed paper and then placing them in a plastic bag after they are frozen. 1 Tablespoon oil 1 green pepper, diced 2 medium zucchini, sliced 3 doves garlic, pressed, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 Tablespoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder 1 cup frozen, thawed, or canned corn One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon salt Two 15-ounce cans block beans, drained and rinsed, divided 1/2 cup salsa 1 cup chopped cilantro 1 cup grated vegan cheddar or Monterey Jack-type cheese (optional) 6-8 uncooked lasagna noodles Vegan Parmesan cheese (optional) Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add oil and green peppers. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Mix in zucchini, garlic, and chili powders. Stir before blending in corn, tomatoes, and salt. Cook for approximately 10 minutes. While the tomato sauce cooks, mash three-quarters of the black beans with the salsa until smooth. Add the cilantro and blend in. Ladle one-third of the sauce onto the bottom of a 7" x 9" baking dish. Layer 3 or 4 lasagna noodles over sauce, then spread half the pureed black beans over the noodles. Repeat layers, ending with the sauce. Top with grated cheese and remaining beans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover and bake for 40 minutes, or cover, refrigerate, and bake later for 50 minutes. Sprinkle vegan Parmesan cheese before serving, if desired. Total calories per serving: 277 Fat: 4 grams Carbohydrates: 51 grams Protein: 13 grams Sodium: 838 milligrams Fiber: 10 grams MUSHROOM, SPINACH, AND TOFU-STUFFED MANICOTTI (Serves 6) Purchase dried mushrooms in natural foods stores stores. Porcinis have a deep, rich flavor. If you can't find porcinis, use dried shiitakes or chanterelles. If there are no dried mushrooms available, saute 1/2 pound of button mushrooms in a little oil until soft and use them in this recipe. 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms 1 cup boiling water One 14- to 16-ounce package extra firm tofu 1/3 cup chopped olives 3 cloves garlic, pressed 1 Tablespoon white miso 1 teaspoon agave nectar or rice syrup 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 cups chopped fresh spinach One 32-ounca jar pasta sauce, divided 12 uncooked manicotti noodles Place mushrooms in a measuring cup and pour the boiling water over them. Let mushrooms sit for approximately 20 minutes before using. Press tofu between two plates until excess water is squeezed out. Crumble tofu into a large mixing bowl and blend in olives, garlic, miso, agave nectar, lemon juice, and pepper. Stir until mixture is fairly uniform. When mushrooms are soft, drain them, reserving liquid. Chop the mushrooms, blend them into the tofu mixture, and add the spinach. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour half of the pasta sauce into a 9" x 13" baking dish. Firmly pack each manicotti noodle with tofu filling, lay noodles in a pan, and pour remaining pasta sauce over all. Cover and bake for 35 minutes or until noodles are soft and sauce is bubbling. Or cover, refrigerate, and bake later for approximately 45 minutes. Total calories per serving: 285 Fat: 8 grams Carbohydrates: 43 grams Protein: 13 grams Sodium: 828 milligrams Fiber: 5 grams CASHEW RICE SPIRALS WITH LIME AND CILANTRO (Serves 6) For this dish, prepare the pasta, tofu, and vegetables first. Just before baking, blend in the lime and cilantro dressing so all the lime does not soak into the pasta and make it soggy. Though rice spirals are not pasta in the traditional sense, they are great for those who are allergic to wheat or are gluten-intolerant. They have a good pasta-like texture and taste. Look for these brown rice spirals on the pasta aisle at natural foods stores. You can also substitute these rice spirals in other pasta recipes with great success. If you can't find rice spirals, use regular wheat-based pasta in this recipe. One 12-ounce package rice pasta spirals 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes One 7- to 8-ouncu jar of button or cremini mushrooms, drained 2 cups lightly steamed pea pods, or one 10-ounce package frozen, thawed, pea pods 1/4 cup lightly toasted or raw cashews 2 cloves garlic, pressed 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced Juice of 1 lime 1 Tablespoon frozen apple juice concentrate 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped cilantro Cook rice spirals in a pot of salted boiling water according to package directions and rinse with cool water. Toss pasta with 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat and pour in remaining olive oil. Add tofu cubes and cook until lightly browned. Flip cubes and cook on remaining side for a few minutes, then remove from heat. Combine tofu, pasta, mushrooms, and pea pods in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Reserve until ready to bake. If using raw cashews, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Toast cashews for 9-10 minutes and set aside. Set oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together garlic, jalapenos, lime juice, apple juice concentrate, and salt. Add cilantro and stir into pasta mixture. Cover and bake for 35 minutes, or cover, refrigerate, and bake later for 45 minutes. Top with cashews before serving. Total calories per serving: 348 Fat: 12 grams Carbohydrates: 50 grams Protein: 13 grams Sodium: 435 milligrams Fiber: 6 grams Debra Daniels-Zeller is a frequent Journal contributor and recently authored Local Vegetarian vegetarian /veg·e·tar·i·an/ (vej?e-tar´e-an) 1. one who practices vegetarianism. 2. pertaining to vegetarianism. veg·e·tar·i·an n. One who practices vegetarianism. Cooking: Inspired Recipes Celebrating Northwest For names and places containing the slightly longer word 'northwestern' (or variants), see . Northwest or north west is the ordinal direction halfway between north and west on a compass. It is the opposite of southeast. Farms. |
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