Tag: italian

Easy Italian Pasta Salad

Categories Recipes, Sides1 Comment on Easy Italian Pasta Salad

Summer is pasta salad season, and this Easy Italian Pasta Salad is a delicious contribution for your next barbecue or picnic!  It works as a side or a light vegetarian lunch or dinner.  It’s herby, lemony, and cheesy, as well as very customizable if needed.

The texture of the cooked pasta absolutely tastes the freshest the day of cooking, so while leftovers are still tasty, I definitely recommend serving it straight away if possible!

I love the shape of rigatoni, but any similarly-sized pasta, like penne, fusilli, or farfalle, would work great!

Main Supplies Needed:

  • A Large Pot
  • Knife & Cutting Board
  • A Cheese Grater (unless the cheese is pre-grated)
  • A Colander
  • 10 x 15 Glass Baking Dish (or similar for serving, see Directions)

Servings: 6 Bowls, Or 12 Small Sides

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Pasta Of Choice, rigatoni or equivalent size
  • 10 oz Cherry Tomatoes, halved
  • 1 Dry Pint Grape Tomatoes, halved 
  • 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Lemon Juice From 1 Large Lemon
  • 2 Tsp Dried Basil
  • 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Plus Extra For Serving, finely grated
  • Sea Salt And Black Pepper, to taste

LINKS TO INGREDIENT RECOMMENDATIONS:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Red Pepper Flakes | Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to package instructions in a large pot

While the pasta is cooking, halve the tomatoes and set aside

Grate the cheese if it is not pre-grated

Drain the pasta in the colander, then let it cool slightly for a couple of minutes

Transfer the pasta into a large baking dish or bowl that will be used for serving, and potentially storing in the fridge (such as a 10 x 15 glass baking dish)

Coat the pasta in the olive oil, stirring evenly

Stir in the halved tomatoes

Add in the lemon juice and mix in evenly

Mix in the basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder

Add the parmesan and evenly stir it all in

Sprinkle and stir in sea salt and black pepper to taste, taste testing until it reaches your preference

Serve immediately at room temperature, or store leftovers sealed in the refrigerator**

Include optional extra parmesan when serving

**Leftovers can be brought back to room temperature before serving

Enjoy!

Want more pasta salad?  Try my Easy Greek Pasta Salad!

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Categories Recipes3 Comments on Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan is one of my all-time favorite meals!  Like so many great dishes, there are endless unique ways to prepare it.  Every restaurant and individual has their own twist, and I personally appreciate the variety!  Sometimes you’ll find yourself with fried layers of paper thin eggplant, and other times thick breaded eggplant circles in a single layer.  (There is a local Italian restaurant in my neighborhood that serves theirs up as two large hunks of breaded eggplant with a thick layer of ricotta cheese between the two, all covered in marinara and mozzarella.)

This particular Eggplant Parm is a layered and baked variety that not only tastes amazing but can also easily be made without too much mess or hassle.  It’s perfect as either a weeknight meal, from which you could easily have leftovers, or as a guaranteed crowd pleaser for potlucks and gatherings.  This recipe makes about 6 – 8 medium servings. 

Ingredients:

2 Large Eggplants

4 Eggs

3 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Jars Marinara Sauce Of Choice

2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese – Torn From Slices (about 8 slices, more if you prefer)

1 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°

Place two large baking sheets in the oven

Shred the parmesan cheese

Tear the mozzarella slices into small pieces

Combine the two cheeses in a bowl and set aside

Cut the eggplants into circles roughly ½ an inch thick

Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly scramble them with a fork

Place the bread crumbs in either a bowl or on a plate (You can start with some instead of all if you wish, adding more as you run low)

In assembly line style, dip each eggplant circle into the eggs, then into the breadcrumbs

Remove the baking sheets from the oven

Evenly drizzle half of the olive oil onto the baking sheets (1 tbsp per sheet) then place the breaded eggplant circles on in a single layer

Bake for 15 minutes

Remove the sheets from the oven, drizzle the second half of the olive oil (the other 2 tbsps) on top of the eggplant, flip them all over, and then put back into the oven for another 10 minutes (or until they’re turning golden)

Once the eggplant has been removed from the oven, turn the oven temperature up to 475°

In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, layer the eggplant circles, marinara sauce, then cheeses.  Repeat these layers until the pan is full, ending on a cheese layer

Put the pan back into the oven and bake until the cheese melts and begins to turn golden brown (around 15 minutes)

Let cool slightly for a couple of minutes as it will be extremely hot

Enjoy!

[Leftovers can easily be stored in the refrigerator by simply covering up the cooking dish and storing it in there as is.]

Ingredient recommendations linked!

Ratatouille-Italiana

Ratatouille Italiana

Categories RecipesLeave a Comment on Ratatouille Italiana

An Italian twist on the French classic, this Ratatouille Italiana is extremely versatile.  It can be enjoyed on its own, over pasta, as a side, however you like!  Plus it’s vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

We personally loved it over pasta with sausage!

Ingredients:

Directions:

Dice the onion

Finally chop the garlic or use a garlic press

Peel and chop the eggplant into small cubes

Chop the zucchini into small cubes

Add the onion, garlic, and first 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a pan and sauté over medium heat until the onions are translucent

Next, add in the eggplant and the third tablespoon of olive oil, then continue cooking until the eggplant is soft

Add in the zucchini

Once the zucchini is thoroughly cooked as well, turn down your heat to low and stir in the marinara

Stir in the parsley as well as small dashes of cayenne pepper and black pepper, plus a pinch of sea salt to taste

Enjoy!

Want more meals with marinara? Try this Baked Eggplant Parmesan!