Thursday, March 24, 2011

Pasta Timballo with Ricotta

While I'm slowly getting through my pile of magazines, there are still plenty of cookbooks to go through, because I read them like novels. Post-it notes mark the pages where I see recipes that I must try one of these days. I finally got to The Heart of an Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys by David Tanis, and I loved it. There are quite a few more recipes bookmarked, and I hope to get to them. This one was very easy, very simple and so good.








This reminded me a little of baked ziti, but no mozzarella. The ricotta made the sauce very creamy. The recipe said fresh ricotta, which I don't know how to make. Yet. I have to look into it, but I used a good store bought ricotta cheese and the dish was delicious. Next time I'd add a little more crushed red pepper. The fresh basil was perfect. and I used plenty of Pecorino. I also used a jarred sauce this time. But would definitely make the tomato sauce next time, once the good tomatoes are in season again! 

The recipe called for Annelli, but I ran out, it's a fun shaped pasta. Rings! Like pasta Cheerio's! You can see them here. Instead this time I used a different mini pasta, a bag of pennette. Definitely making this again!




Pasta Timballo with Ricotta
Source: The Heart of an Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys by David Tanis
You can find the full recipe here!
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

1 pound anelli pasta (a dried ring-shaped pasta) - I used pennette, small penne shaped pasta
olive oil
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
4 cups tomato sauce (recipe follows) - I used a good jarred sauce
1 pound fresh ricotta, at room temperature
grated pecorino
a handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped

Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Boil the pasta according to directions on package; it should be firmly al dente. Drain the pasta and put it in a large bowl. Drizzle with a little fruity olive oil, and season to taste with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce. Have a large, deep ovenproof dish ready.

Spoon about half the sauce into the dish and stir half of the ricotta into the sauce, leaving it somewhat lumpy. Spoon the pasta on top of the sauce, and pour the rest of the sauce on top of the pasta. Top with dollops of the remaining ricotta and sprinkle with grated pecorino. Put the dish in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, to heat through completely.

Sprinkle with the basil, and serve more pecorino on the side.
 

22 comments:

  1. That does look delicious! I know my local grocery store does not carry anelli - sheesh, I'm lucky if I can find mostaccioli. Couldn't you just spend hours and hours going through your recipes? It's a lot of fun! Have a good week and happy cooking.

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  2. Like you, I read cookbooks like novels and they are filled with sticky notes. My kids keep giving me new ones for diff occasions; I often wonder if I will ever go through them all.
    This sound like my kind of recipe; thanks for sahring.
    Rita

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  3. This sounds really good with all that great ricotta! I also read cookbooks like novels and have post-its and notes all over. Now all I have to do is cook them which will take forever.

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  4. I could really dig into this dish! I love the creamy ricotta in Italian dishes! ♥

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  5. This looks so good - just the thing my family would enjoy!

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  6. I almost didn't look cause I thought there were going to be artichokes. Would've been my loss! Adding to the list!

    Ina made ricotta recently for bruschetta. Looked easy. It's probably in one of her books.

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  7. That looks delicious! We have excellent ricotta available here in NY., no need to make it! So glad you used the "good" kind! :)

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  8. I love reading cooking books and sometimes I also read them as other books. This pasta looks delicious and I am sure you all enjoyed it!

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  9. What a GREAT cooking blog! Love looking for new recipes to try and I will definitely be back to visit you often! I spotted you on the Lavender Dreams blog. Have a wonderful day and thanks for sharing all these fabulous recipes! xoxo Kim

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  10. I've tried a couple of David Tanis' recipes from A Platter of Figs and they were great! I almost picked up this one too. This sounds delicious. Your description of what you used and substituted and forget always makes me smile :)

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  11. I love comforting pasta dishes like that! We were at a loss of what to make for dinner tonight, but I'm pretty sure I've got all the ingredients for this! =)

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  12. Beautiful recipe. I always love Ricotta Cheese.

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  13. Carol, I love pasta and this dish looks like it would be something my whole family would love! I am so behind in reading all my food magazines and cookbooks. Gotta catch up!

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  14. I always end up taking my magazines along when we travel in the car. Great time to catch up on my reading! This looks delicious, a great comforting pasta dish!

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  15. Mmmmm..all Italian food is so good! I haven't had a pasta dish I didnt like :) Your close up photo made me drool!

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  16. Looks like a quick, delicious recipe. So good!

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  17. I love nothing more than curling up with a good cookbook and a pile of sticky notes and marking away. Homemade ricotta is very easy: http://cheapbeets.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/food-drunk-at-beyond-bubbes-kitchen/

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  18. Oh yum, my DH would LOVE this! Anything with cheese... Adding you to my Google Reader!

    e-Mom @ Susannah's {Kitchen}

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  19. This looks heavenly...my idea of comfort food. I have never made ricotta either...curious to try making it though. Thank you for sharing this lovely dish.

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  20. This looks and sounds delicious. I'd love to have a portion of it. I read cookbooks like novels, so I share your affliction. Have a great weekend. Blessings...Mary

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  21. Love everything in this dish. I just recently had home made ricotta cheese from an Italian deli. It was out of this world.

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  22. This looks like something I could get even the pickiest of my 12 kids to eat! Thanks for the yummy recipe.
    Sandy
    www.twelvemakesadozen.blogspot.com

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