All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
As promised, another recipe made up from several other recipes posted this week. This one uses leftover fettuccine from my Cilantro-Serrano Pasta post and leftover Tomato Bisque and some of my Homemade American Cheese. You can use freshly cooked pasta or leftover, if you have it. The soup can be replaced with ANY pasta sauce you prefer from a simple arrabiata to a marinara to an alfredo. The cheese can also be substituted with goat or Parmesan or whatever you have handy. I used English peas because I had them & I love them.
This particular effort isn’t that pretty because green noodles & a pink sauce make for an odd combination but let me tell you – it is friggin’ DELICIOUS. I made it & just meant to taste one & stood there & inhaled an entire serving. Really, really good! I had intended to make little wonton baskets for each of these but forgot to – so a version using wontons is likely in my future. At any rate – if you use a white pasta & a red sauce – or some other more compatible color combination – your effort should come out prettier.
I cooked 6 of these ramekins in a larger pan with water that came up about half way on the ramekins – and one just out there on its own in the oven. In the future – I will blow off the whole water business because it achieved nothing that I could appreciate except maybe slowing the heating process a tad – and there is no practical purpose for that in this recipe. So – you will see images of the larger pan & water but I am not recommending you do it that way. The only thing it adds is a VERY real danger that you will scald yourself with the hot water as you remove these from the oven.
Baked Leftover Pasta with Heirloom Tomato Bisque, English Peas & Three Cheeses in Ramekins
INGREDIENTS
4 cups cooked pasta
1 1/2 cups leftover bisque or other pasta sauce
1 cup fresh English peas (optional)
2 large balls fresh mozzarella – sliced
1 2″ cube homemade American cheese or other cheese of your choice
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Fresh basil and/or chopped fresh tomato – as garnish
Extra bisque or pasta sauce – as garnish
Fresh Parmesan to shave – as garnish
DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat the oven to 350.
Blend the pasta, sauce and whatever cheese(s) you are using (NOT the mozzarella) in a bowl. Add the peas – if using.
Spray 7 ramekins (sorry – it just worked out to 7) with cooking spray. Divide the pasta mix among them. Try not to over-fill them or they will get messy in the oven. Top with a little extra bisque/sauce & put a slice of fresh mozzarella on each. Grind some pepper on them.
Place on a cookie sheet & cover each with a sheet of foil that has been greased with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove foil & bake another ten minutes.
Remove from the oven & let cool a minute or two. These can be served in the ramekins or flipped over & served on a plate. Either way, garnish each with chopped tomato and/r fresh chopped basil and/or some freshly shaved Parmesan.
Devour & be proud of yourself for using up your leftovers! Maybe even serve with some leftover Artisan bread!!!
Delightful-Delicious-Delovely 