Pasta, Risotto, and Rice Read Free

to coat. Spread the fennel on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, until golden brown and soft. Return the cooked pasta to the pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the roasted fennel, and set the pan over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the chives. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
     
    Nutrients per serving:
    Calories: 340
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 52g
Protein: 9g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 183mg

Pasta Spirals with Red Peppers, Eggplant, and Honey
    Serves 4 ■ Prep time: 10 minutes ■ Cooking time: 15 minutes
    The sweetness of honey is the perfect partner for eggplant, roasted red peppers, and lemony scallions. This is a colorful dish that boasts loads of nutrients and flavor.
12 ounces spiral pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), diced
1 cup diced roasted red peppers, plus 2 tablespoons liquid from the jar
3 tablespoons honey
½ cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
    Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.
    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the cooked pasta, the roasted peppers with the liquid from the jar, and the honey and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
     
    Nutrients per serving:
    Calories: 432
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 85g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 6g
Sodium: 241mg

Penne Puttanesca
    Serves 4 ■ Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes ■ Cooking time: 10 minutes
    Puttanesca is a classic Italian sauce that blends a variety of incredibly flavorful ingredients, like olives, capers, fresh herbs, and tomatoes. For a spicy version, add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
12 ounces penne
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can petite-diced tomatoes
1 cup pitted oil-cured olives (such as Gaeta), chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers (packed in brine, not salt)
    Cook the penne according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.
    Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until soft. Add the tomatoes, olives, and capers and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Fold in the cooked pasta. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
     
    Nutrients per serving:
    Calories: 458
Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 73g
Protein: 14g
Fiber: 5g
Sodium: 963mg

Orzo Casserole with Seared Eggplant
    Serves 8 ■ Prep time: 15 minutes ■ Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes
    Think of this as eggplant Parmesan nestled into baked pasta. And I sear the eggplant first so that it gets golden brown and caramelized before it’s placed between layers of sauce, cheese, and orzo. The casserole may be assembled in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking.
12 ounces orzo
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 large or 2 medium eggplant, sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices
3½ cups (28 ounces) tomato sauce
15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
    Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
    Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.
    Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the eggplant slices with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the eggplant slices to the hot pan (work in batches to prevent crowding the pan) and cook for 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
    Pour ½ cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a shallow baking dish. (The dish should be large enough to hold all layers without overflowing, but doesn’t need to be as big as a lasagne dish.) Arrange half of the cooked orzo over the sauce.