Recipe Weekend : Pasta in a Pinch by Francesca Montillo

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook from via Calisto Publishing free of charge, for review purposes on this blog. No compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it, all opinions are my own

Pasta in a pinch cover

Synopsis

 Classic and creative dishes to expand your pasta repertoire with ease

Pasta In A Pinch can help you master dozens of fast and easy pasta favorites, with delicious recipes that will get a meal the whole family loves on the table in no time. All you need is store-bought pasta and a handful of staple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

From creamy Pasta with Béchamel Sauce to baked Ziti with White Turkey Bolognese, these authentic and tasty meals are quick enough for any busy weeknight, with enough options to keep you from falling into a pasta rut. You’ll even find a helpful infographic for putting together your own pasta creations, and some recipes for pasta pairings like garlic bread, veggie sides, and cocktails.

Pasta In A Pinch offers:

  • Cooking success―Learn the proper way to cook, season, sauce, and serve perfect “al dente” pasta, and boost your skills and confidence in the kitchen.
  • Pasta and pantry basics―Explore the most effective ways to stock your pantry with pasta-making staples, and how to choose the best pastas, including whole wheat, gluten-free, and more.
  • Improvise and adapt―Many of the recipes include options for easy variations, so you can adapt your dish to use whatever you have on hand.

Expand your pasta repertoire, gain confidence behind the stove, and master 85 delicious pasta dishes.

Review

Looking for a great way to use leftovers? Here's your answer. This book generally makes use of leftovers, or ingredients in the you have in your pantry, for simple and quick weeknight dinners. She also takes on traditional Italian recipes from American Italian restaurants, and shows where they've gone wrong for the American palate, and brings back the original recipe. It's a fresh take on pasta, and you'll love the revised recipes for shrimp scampi, lemon pasta, baked ziti and the different variations 'red sauce' (aka bolognese to those not from Louisiana, LOL). It's a good book to give to coeds moving into their first apartment, newlyweds or just to add to your own cookbook collection!  Add some pasta implements or great bowl, or a pasta machine, and you've got a great Christmas gift as well!


Recipe:

Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli

This is a great way to use up leftover chicken, and it's very different than what you would get in a restaurant! 
Makes 4-6 serrvings, depending on serving size

Ingredients:
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 to 1.5 lbs of boneless chicken breast, cut into dices
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic gloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
salt to taste
1 lb of broccoli florets
5-6 oz of ziti

Directions: 
1. Clean your broccoli and remove any visible stems. Cut into florets, wash them and set them aside.
2. In a large skilled add the oil, diced chicken, sliced onion and garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and start cooking over medium heat.
3. While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add your ziti. About two minutes after the zit has been cooking, add the broccoli florets and boil together. (The broccoli takes a few less minutes than the pasta.) Alternatively, you can cook them in separate pots. Total cooking time is about 9-10 minutes.
4. Continue cooking the chicken and onions until the onion is translucent and the chicken is cooked. About 10-12 minutes. 
5. Drain the ziti and broccoli and add them to the chicken, cook them together for another few minutes until the flavors are well blended. Add additional olive oil and salt, if needed.
6. Remove from stove and enjoy hot or warm.



About the Author: 


Fracesca Montillo was born in Italy and currently divides her time between her native land and Boston, MA. In 2016, Francesca combined her passions for Italian food and Italian travel, and started Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures, where she works as a culinary instructor and leads food and wine tours to Italy. She is also a freelance food and travel writer. Learn more at TheLazyItalian.com


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