Best Penne In A Courgette Sauce Recipes

FRESH TOMATO & COURGETTE PENNE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the courgettes for 4-5 mins until softened. You may need to do this in 2 batches, depending on the size of your pan. Remove and set aside.
• While the courgettes cook, boil the tomatoes for 15 secs in the water you will cook the pasta in, then plunge them into a bowl of cold water. Remove the skins and seeds, and chop the flesh. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook following pack instructions.
• Add the tomatoes and garlic to the courgette pan. Cook on a high heat until the tomatoes start to break down. Taste and season, adding the sugar if it needs it.
• Drain the pasta, reserving some of the water, and tip it back into the pan. Add the tomatoes and courgettes, crème fraîche and basil, adding a little of the pasta water if necessary to moisten.

ONE-POT PENNE WITH ZUCCHINI AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Shred zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. (You should have about 4 cups.) Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta directly over zucchini in colander set in sink. Transfer both to pot; toss with olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, and red-pepper flakes. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve, dressed with more oil and cheese.

PENNE GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Boil, but don't overcook, the spinach in lightly salted water. Press it dry, break open the leaves and tear apart roughly. In a bowl, mix together the torn spinach, garlic, egg, nutmeg and Parmesan. Add about half of the breadcrumbs, to balance the moisture of the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.Roll one ball and fry it, to test for consistency and taste. (If the mixture is too wet, the ball will fall apart during cooking, but too much bread content will lessen the spinach flavour.) Add some more breadcrumbs or seasoning if needed. Fry until golden. Set aside.
• In abundant salted water, boil the pasta until it's al dente, perhaps 10-15 minutes. Drain and keep warm.In a pan, melt the butter and heat the garlic and chillies. Add the grated courgettes and fry for a minute or two. Add the cooked pasta and toss in most of the grated cheese (leave some for serving). Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve in a deep plate or shallow bowl with a sprinkle of the spinach balls and the remaining Parmesan.

PENNE WITH EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 4 minutes; transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, adding another 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the garlic is just golden, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the pasta, eggplant and the reserved pasta cooking water to the skillet; cook, tossing, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the ricotta and basil. Drizzle with olive oil.

PENNE IN CREAM SAUCE WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Drain any excess drippings from skillet. Add wine to skillet and boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and simmer
• 3 minutes. Add cream and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl.
• Bring sauce to simmer. Pour sauce over pasta. Add 3/4 cup cheese and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley.

CREAMY SAUSAGE PENNE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the penne until al dente; drain well and do NOT rinse.
• After you put the water on to boil, remove sausage meat from the casings, crumble, and set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Add garlic and cayenne and saute for approximately 30 seconds, then add sausage meat to skillet.
• Cook until sausage meat is no longer pink (about 5 minutes or so).
• Add cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg to skillet and turn heat to high to bring mixture to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer, gently, until the cream reduces and the sauce thickens a bit; it takes about 10 minutes.
• Place cooked penne in a large serving bowl (it's nice if you warm it first) and pour sauce over; add butter and cheese to bowl and combine all well.
• Taste; add more salt and/or pepper if you wish.
• Sprinkle chopped herbs over top and serve.

PENNE WITH BUTTER, SAGE, AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it. Cook the pasta until it is tender but just short of the point at which you want to eat it.
• Meanwhile, place butter and olive oil in a saucepan large enough to hold the cooked pasta; turn the heat to medium and add the sage. Cook until the butter and oil begin to brown and the sage shrivels.Turn heat down to low.
• When pasta is almost done, scoop out a cupful of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta, immediately add it to the sage mixture, and raise the heat to medium.
• Add 1/2 cup of the reserved water, and stir. Cook about 30 seconds or until some of the water is absorbed and the pasta is perfectly done.
• Stir in the cheese until the sauce becomes creamy. Thin it with a little water if necessary.
• Season liberally with pepper, and salt to taste.