Best Olive Garden Penne Pasta W Tomatoes And Ricotta Recipes

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES WITH HERBED RICOTTA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, scallions, dill, chives, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside for up to 30 minutes.
• With a small serrated knife, cut the larger tomatoes in wedges through the stem and the smaller tomatoes in half through the stem. Place them in a medium bowl with the garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside.
• When ready to serve, add the basil to the tomatoes and combine. Pile the ricotta in a large (12-inch) round shallow bowl or oval platter. Using a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes around the ricotta, discarding any liquid. Drizzle the tomatoes and ricotta with olive oil, sprinkle with the reserved basil and fleur de sel, and serve at room temperature.
• Set a fine-mesh sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 pieces of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with a double layer of the cheesecloth.
• Pour the milk and cream into a medium stainless-steel or enameled pot, such as Le Creuset, and stir in the salt. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and pour in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for one minute, until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 minutes (for soft ricotta) to 25 minutes (for firmer ricotta), occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining liquid. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep, refrigerated, for 4 to 5 days.

PENNE PASTA WITH DICED TOMATO AND FRESH RICOTTA CHEESE (OLIVE GARDEN) RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes CUT a shallow "X" on the bottom of each tomato. Place tomatoes into boiling water and blanch for 15 seconds. Immediately cool in ice water. REMOVE core, skin and seeds from tomatoes and dice. Place in a bowl and add 1/4 cup of olive oil, chopped basil and chopped garlic. BLEND ricotta cheese with chopped marjoram; season to taste with salt and pepper. TOSS tomato mixture in a hot skillet. When mixture is hot, stir in Ricotta cheese blend. ADD hot, drained pasta to tomato/cheese mixture. Stir to thoroughly blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with Romano cheese and chopped parsley.

TOMATO AND OLIVE PENNE

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until just golden, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring, until tomato juices run, about 3 minutes.
• Add penne, olives, parsley, and 1/4 cup Parmesan to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve with more cheese if desired.

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, making sure to keep it quite al dente.
• Put butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add drained pasta to the pan and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.
• Add tomato sauce gradually and stir to coat pasta, using only enough sauce for a light coating (you may not need the entire 2 1/2 cups).
• Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl and dot top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle lightly with pecorino and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.

OLIVE GARDEN PENNE PASTA W/ TOMATOES AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• CUT a shallow "X" on the bottom of each tomato. Place tomatoes into boiling water and blanch for 15 seconds. Immediately cool in ice water.
• Remove core, skin and seeds from tomatoes and dice. Place in a bowl and add 1/4 cup of olive oil, chopped basil and chopped garlic.
• BLEND ricotta cheese with chopped marjoram; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Toss tomato mixture in a hot skillet. When mixture is hot, stir in Ricotta cheese blend.
• ADD hot, drained pasta to tomato/cheese mixture. Stir to thoroughly blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with Romano cheese and chopped parsley.

SUMMER PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
• Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

PASTA WITH HERBED RICOTTA, TOMATOES AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Blanch the rinsed spinach leaves in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until limp, about 1 minute. Drain the spinach and cool completely under cold running water. Pat dry and chop.
• Put the ricotta cheese in a large bowl and beat with a fork until smooth. Stir in the spinach, scallions, basil, tomatoes, parsley and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook the penne until tender in well-salted boiling water. Drain, toss with the ricotta mixture, garnish with the pine nuts and serve immediately.

HEARTY TOMATO-OLIVE PENNE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute onions in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes, broth, basil, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 25-30 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened., Meanwhile, cook penne according to package directions; drain., Preheat oven to 375°. Stir Havarti cheese, olives and cooked penne into the sauce. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese., Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

PASTA WITH TOMATOES, GREENS AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes or serrano. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add tomatoes and thyme. Add salt to taste and a pinch of sugar. Cook tomatoes over medium heat, stirring often, until they have cooked down to a fragrant purée, about 10 minutes.
• Add chopped broccoli leaves or collards, which should still have some water on them from washing. Add salt to taste. Stir greens and tomatoes until greens have collapsed, then turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and simmer another 5 minutes. Add pepper, taste and adjust seasoning.
• Meanwhile, when pasta water comes to a boil, salt generously and add pasta. Cook until al dente, usually 10 to 11 minutes. Have ricotta in a small bowl near pasta pot.
• Stir 1/4 cup pasta water into ricotta and stir mixture into vegetables. Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and toss with vegetable and ricotta mixture; add reserved water if desired. Add parsley, toss again and serve.

PENNE WITH ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line bottom of casserole dish with cherry tomatoes in a single layer, halved side up. Pour oil on top, season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top. Bake until tomatoes have wilted, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with enough sea salt so that water tastes mildly of salt. When tomatoes are just about done, add penne to water and cook until al dente (it should be pliable, but still firm in center). Scoop out about a cup of pasta water and reserve. Drain pasta and add to casserole. Fold tomatoes and pasta together, adding another 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning. If it is dry, add a little reserved pasta water. Serve, passing more grated cheese at the table.