Flashback Friday Pasta!

Friday means Flashback. I missed a couple flashbacks with Suzy over at Kitchen Bouquet, so I'll add an extra one today. Nothing wrong with a good rerun or two. Today I'm thinking pasta. One is a really nice and not too heavy pasta dish. Different than the red sauce kind. The recipe calls for orecchiette, but I used farfalle. Use whatever pasta shape you like. If you want to have a good flashback, join in at Suzy's blog and sign up! Or just go to check out all the other blogger's that are participating! Flashback with flowers from your garden, a recipe you remember, a story, anything goes! Check it out!


I found this recipe online at NY Times.com awhile back. Marcella Hazan has similar recipe where you add some butter to the cheese sauce. I didn't. Cook's Country magazine also had a similar recipe using the butter and adding some lemon. I didn't do that either. This is a nice, simple, delicious recipe. Quick to put together for an easy meal. Even the kids liked it.





Orecchiette With Ricotta, Bacon and Peas
NY Times online
Printable Recipe

1 cup shelled fresh or frozen peas
3 ounces pancetta or bacon (4 strips) cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup ricotta cheese (about 1/2 pound)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound orecchiette, small shells, or fusilli (save some of the cooking water)

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot for the pasta. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a small pot for the peas. Add the peas and cook until tender, about 4 minutes for fresh, about 1 minute for frozen. Drain, and set the peas aside.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until lightly browned but not yet crisp, about 6 minutes. Use a fork to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings.

Add the onion to the skillet, and saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas, and cook for 30 seconds to coat them with some of the bacon drippings.

Scrape the onion and peas into a bowl large enough to hold the cooked pasta. Stir in the cheeses and bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the desired salt to the boiling water; then, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the cheese sauce, adding as much cooking water as needed to moisten the pasta. Serve the pasta in individual bowls immediately. 4 servings.



The other recipe is from the Pampered Chef. Don't groan, the recipes are really good. This one is especially good. I use Ranch dressing. Pampered Chef calls it the Colossal Chopped Salad. It is pretty Colossal! It'll feed at least 12 normal appetites. Unless it's for my 19 year old son and his friends, then it serves 4 or 5 tops!

Chopped Pasta Salad
from the Pampered Chef
Printable Recipe

1 1-lb box uncooked Rotini or Rotelle pasta, or whatever you like
1 head romaine lettuce
1 large carrot (I use shredded)
1/2 medium red onion
1 small head broccoli
2 plum tomatoes, or whatever tomatoes you like
1/2 cup sliced pitted black olives
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 cup Ranch salad dressing
** You can also add red, yellow or orange bell peppers, some shredded red cabbage. Use whatever vegetables you like.

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold running water. Spoon pasta onto large serving platter.

Thinly slice lettuce, carrot and red onion. Coarsely chop broccoli. Slice tomatoes into thin wedges.

Top pasta with lettuce, broccoli, carrot, onion, tomatoes and olives. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over vegetables. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

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