Some extra pasta recipes to keep up your sleeve

Your family won’t even notice you’re not serving meat.

By GOURMETKOSHERCOOKING.COM
eggplant bell pepper pasta 311 (photo credit: GOURMETKOSHERCOOKING.COM)
eggplant bell pepper pasta 311
(photo credit: GOURMETKOSHERCOOKING.COM)
Everybody loves pasta.  And during the nine days, it’s good to have some extra – and different – recipes up your sleeve.  Try these three options.  Your family won’t even notice you’re not serving meat.
Pasta with Eggplant, and Bell Pepper
1 1/4-pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces2 teaspoons salt2 cups olive oil4 large shallots, peeled, quartered1 large red bell pepper1/2 cup chopped pitted brine-cured black olives (such as Kalamata)2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped8 ounces rigatoni or other tubular pasta
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt in large bowl. Turn eggplant out onto paper towels and let drain 30 minutes. Pat eggplant dry.
Heat oil in heavy medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add eggplant to oil; cook until golden, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer to clean paper towels. Reserve 5 tablespoons eggplant frying oil. Toss shallots and whole bell pepper with 3 tablespoons reserved oil on large baking sheet. Roast until shallots are tender, turning occasionally, about 25 minutes. Place shallots and eggplant in large bowl.
Continue roasting bell pepper until skin blackens, about 10 minutes. Wrap in plastic bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel, core and seed pepper. Cut into thin strips lengthwise, then cut strips crosswise in half. Add bell pepper strips, olives and garlic to eggplant and shallots.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return pasta to pot. Add all vegetables and remaining 2 tablespoons reserved eggplant frying oil and toss over medium heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among plates and serve.
Lasagna Rolls
Lasagna rolls.
Lasagna rolls.
Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine4 teaspoons all-purpose flour1 1/4 cups milk1/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon ground black pepperPinch ground nutmeg
Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan1 large egg, beaten to blend3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil12 uncooked lasagna noodles2 cups marinara sauce1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
Directions:
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the béchamel sauce.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Add a tablespoon or two of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.
Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the béchamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface; then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the béchamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles - about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.
Pasta with Feta Cheese and Spinach
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh spinach
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 roasted red pepper, cut into strips (optional)
2 (16 ounce) packages pasta of your choice (better with something like shells than something like spaghetti)
In a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat, sauté the garlic in the oil. Add the spinach and continue sautéing until moisture has evaporated. In the meantime cook and drain the pasta. Toss immediately with the spinach, feta cheese and roasted red peppers, if using.
This article was provided www.gourmetkoshercooking.com