pasta

Penne Pasta With Tomato Tuna Sauce

September 29, 2021 by Marisa 32 Comments

Penne Pasta With Tomato Tuna Sauce is a simple yet delicious Italian tuna and pasta dish. It’s one I grew up with as a child and is still, very much a favourite to this day!

It’s made with just a few good quality, staple ingredients and packed full of wonderful flavours. This recipe is one you will turn to, again and again.

As is common in most cultures and at a time when food was scarce, families made do with the very few ingredients they had on hand.

With so little they created simple comfort foods we so crave and love. In Italy this philosophy is known as La Cucina Povera, or otherwise “the poor man’s kitchen”. And truly born out of necessity!

This concept is far easier to embrace during summertime when gardens are lush with fruits and vegetables. However in the Fall and wintertime we needn’t look any further then our own kitchen pantries.

The Star Ingredients For This Tuna Tomato Pasta Recipe Are:

Tuna, canned or jarred fillets (oil or water packed)
Passata, strained tomatoes
Pasta, of your choice

Canned tuna or even the tuna fillets sold in glass jars, are one of those staple items I always keep in my pantry. It’s ready at a moments notice for quick sandwiches as my son can attest…he just adored tuna sandwiches for his school lunches!

They’re also wonderfully delicious tossed with green leafy salads and legumes for an extra protein kick.

But it also makes a rather enticing tuna sauce simply begging to be tossed over freshly cooked pasta. You will so appreciate the simplicity of tuna in a tomato sauce.

A good quality oil packed canned tuna is much more flavourful than the water packed variety and will elevate this simple sauce.

Also, don’t be too concerned about the oil which you will be draining out anyhow. But if this is still an issue for you then by all means go for the water packed.

What Is Passata?

Tomato passata is a purée of uncooked strained ripe tomatoes with a thick, velvety smooth consistency.

My parents, as with most Italian households, would traditionally make their own in the late summer season when tomatoes are at their ripest!

The ripened tomatoes go through a straining process in order to remove all its seeds and skins.

It’s an Italian pantry must have, as Passata is an excellent base for tomato pasta sauces or stews. And at my house, it’s never far from reach when making a quick no-cook pizza sauce.

Nowadays, store bought passata is readily available on most grocery store shelves. Look for jarred or boxed passata with a short ingredient list consisting of tomatoes and salt.

So far I’m loving the Mutti and La San Marzano brands (not sponsored) but I’m looking forward to testing and trying others.

Now let’s get started in making an easy and delicious tuna sauce!

How To Make Tuna and Tomato Pasta Sauce

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a medium sized stock pot and add in the chopped onions, minced garlic and the chilli flakes.

Step 2: Sautée on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the onions take on a translucent appearance.

Stir often while taking care not to burn the garlic.

Step 3: Stir in the strained tomatoes.

Step 4: Fill the empty bottle of strained tomatoes with water, about 3 quarters full while giving the bottle a good swirl and add it to the pot along with the dried basil, crushed black pepper and salt.

Stir well.

Step 5: Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and cook your pasta of choice according to package directions

Step 6: While the pasta cooks, stir in the tuna, kalamata olives and fresh basil to the sauce.

Sauce and Serve Pasta

When it comes to serving pasta with a tomato sauce, I’ve always followed in mamma’s footsteps.

I first drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Stir in a few ladles of tomato sauce and give it a good stir to combine.
Plate the pasta and top with some more tomato sauce and a sprig of basil.

Voilà! A gorgeous and delicious plateful of pasta!

I happen to love penne rigate or the smaller pennette rigate with this tuna and tomato sauce. The crevices and hollow centres make the perfect vehicle to hold a chunkier sauce. But feel free to use any pasta of your choice!

Impress your family or friends and make Penne Pasta with Tomato Tuna Sauce tonight!

Or try another delicious pasta dish using canned sardines, Sardine Spaghetti with Chives.

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Buon Appetito!

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4.5 from 2 votes

Penne Pasta with Tomato Tuna Sauce

An easy and delicious penne pasta dish with tomato tuna sauce. It's made with canned tuna and kalamata olives for a quick fuss free dinner anytime of the week.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Penne Rigate with Tomato Tuna Sauce

Servings:

Calories: 513kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Tomato and Tuna Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed chilli pepper
660 ml jar Passata Italian strained tomatoes I used San Marzano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 x 85 grams canned oil packed tuna drained or 190 gram jar of tuna filets.
1/4 cup Kalamata olives pitted and slivered
2 sprigs of basil

Pasta

450 grams Penne Rigate or other pasta of your choice
salt for cooking water

Instructions

Tomato and Tuna Pasta Sauce

Heat the oil in a medium sized sauce pot over medium low heat.
Sauté the garlic, chopped onions and the crushed chilli pepper just until the onions are soft, while stirring often for about 5 minutes.
Add in the passata (Italian strained tomatoes), dried basil, salt and pepper and stir well.
Fill the bottle of passata three quarters full with water. Give it a good swirl and add this to the sauce. Stir well.
Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the sweet concentrated flavors of the tomatoes come through.
While the sauce is slowly simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Salt the water and cook the pasta according to package directions.
While the pasta cooks, add the drained tuna, slivered kalamata olives and fresh basil to the tomato sauce. Allow to simmer till the pasta is al dente.

Plating Pasta with Tuna Sauce

When ready, drain the pasta and toss with some of the tomato sauce.
Plate the pasta and top with more sauce and a sprinkle of basil.
Serve while still warm.

Nutrition

Sweet Crispy Pasta Nests

April 2, 2021 by Marisa 29 Comments

Are you wondering what is a good dessert with pasta? Well how about taking fresh egg pasta and turning it into irresistible Sweet Crispy Pasta Nests!

This sweet pasta dessert is deep fried till golden and then soaked in an orange infused honey syrup. As a finishing touch, you can top the honey soaked pasta with coloured sprinkles, crushed pistachios or candy coated chocolate eggs for an easy Easter dessert.

Pasta not only makes a comforting first course meal but fresh pasta can be transformed into a rather playful dessert.

Italians have been making various types of pasta desserts for centuries and this comes as no surprise considering the love we all share for the ever popular noodle.

You can actually give your children permission to play with their food by involving them in shaping the strands of pasta into adorable nests.

They’re incredibly easy to put together but you may want to keep the young ones away from the hot oil.

How To Make Sweet Crispy Pasta Nests

Oh…the pastabilities!

I used three types of fresh egg pasta. Fettuccine! Linguine! And capellini!

The photo above shows the deep fried Linguine and in the photo below it shows its’ fresh state.

But you can use any fresh long strand of egg pasta you wish. The thinner the pasta the crispier it will be!

It’s almost a non recipe as there’s no mixing, beating or kneading involved here. Just a few simple steps!

And they’re a perfect make ahead dessert!

Step One: Take 3 strands of the longest fresh pasta noodles and twirl it around both your index and middle fingers to shape the nests.

The longer noodles can actually be twirled twice around your finger. And the over hanging part can be looped under the nest and pushed back up through the middle.

This secures the nests while allowing less loosening of the twirled pasta in the hot oil.

Fresh twirled fettuccine on the left and capellini on the right.

Place the shaped pasta on a cookie sheet and allow to air dry for about 15 minutes before hitting the hot oil. Don’t skip this step as this also helps the nested dough from coming apart in the hot oil.

During this resting time, prep your toppings in separate bowls and heat the vegetable oil.

How To Deep Fry Pasta Dough For Dessert

Step Two: Heat some vegetable oil in a heavy bottom stock pot at 350 degrees F.

Deep fry the pasta nests till a deep golden colour, turning over once. About 15-20 seconds in the hot oil.

Transfer the nests onto a paper lined cookie sheet to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining pasta.

Pretty simple and straight forward right?

And now for the final step!

How To Make Orange Infused Honey

Step Three: Pore one cup of honey in a small stock pot and add in one tablespoon of brandy and the zest of an orange. You can omit the brandy to make it strictly kid friendly.

Heat the honey mixture over low heat till barely a simmer. We just want it warm enough to dip our pasta into.

Turn off the heat and dip a few nests into the warmed honey while turning to coat all over.

Transfer the honey coated nests onto a wire rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch any drippings.

Once you’ve finished coating the pasta with the warmed honey, you can decorate the nests with your choice of toppings.

And really anything goes here. Be as creative as you like!

What Happens If You Deep Fry Noodles?

As with deep frying anything you don’t want a too low heat because it’ll just absorb too much oil. The opposite is true if you’re using heat that’s too high. The end result is an over-browned, dry and brittle nest.

Thin noodles such as fettuccine, linguine or capellini fry well at 350 degrees F. And they’re ready in under a minute so pay close attention. Don’t walk away from the hot oil.

The end result are golden hued nests with crispy and crunchy sweet bites. Almost pretzel-like in texture, except sweeter. Perfect little nibbles to munch on!

These deep fried pasta treats are the base for different toppings!

I topped the fettuccine with crushed pistachios which makes a lovely contrast to the honey-soaked nests.

And I did the same with the linguine but also added some candy coated chocolate eggs for this Easter celebration.

As for the capellini, in the photo above, I topped the fried pasta shapes with Easter coloured sprinkles. These tiny pearl shaped sprinkles are a great match to the thinner noodle.

My family thoroughly enjoyed these sweet crispy pasta nests and devoured them in no time at all. They will most certainly be making a reappearance for Easter Sunday.

Other Traditional Easter Desserts You’ll Love

Pastiera Napoletana Recipe is a traditional Italian citrus scented, wheat berry and ricotta pie. A must have during the Easter holiday!
Italian Rice and Ricotta Pie is an elegant lemon flavoured rice pie, encased in a flaky phyllo dough crust. It’s easier to make than it looks!
Chocolate Orange Ricotta Tart A simple yet elegant tart made with a pasta frolla dough. This orange scented tart is made with both ricotta and mascarpone cheese and of course chocolate. It is pure heaven!

Happy Baking!

This recipe was originally posted April 7th 2017 and republished April 2nd 2021 with updated photos and content.

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Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests

Turn fresh egg pasta into irresistible Sweet Crispy Pasta Nests. They're deep fried, golden hued treats dipped in honey and then topped with candy coated chocolate Easter eggs, pistachios and sprinkles.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Sweet Crispy Pasta Nests

Servings:

Calories: 78kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

450 grams fresh egg fettuccine, linguine or capellini or 150 grams of each for variety
canola or vegetable oil for deep frying

Orange Infused Honey

1 cup honey
orange zest from 1 orange
1 tablespoon brandy

Choice Of Toppings

Mini candy coated chocolate Easter eggs
pistachios crushed
coloured sprinkles

Instructions

Forming The Pasta Nests

Have 2 baking sheets nearby.
Using 2 or 3 strands of pasta at a time, twirl between your index and middle fingers shaping into a nest.
The amount of times you twirl the pasta around your fingers will depend on the length of the pasta strands. Just make sure you have a slight overhang to loop the extra length under the nest and back up through the middle.
Carefully place the pasta nest onto the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining fresh pasta.
Allow to rest and dry out slightly so they don't come apart in the hot oil.

Deep Frying The Nested Pasta

In a heavy bottom stock pot or dutch oven, heat about 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees. (use a thermometer for accuracy)
Carefully drop in the pasta nests, frying 3 at a time until they're golden in colour. It took me about 20 seconds to fry 3 at a time.
Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a tray lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
Continue frying the remaining pasta nests.

Orange Infused Honey

Place the honey, orange zest and brandy in a small stock pot and heat till barley a simmer while stirring occasionally.
Turn off the heat and dip the pasta nests into the honey mixture, turning to coat all over.
Transfer the honey nests onto a cooling rack. Make sure to place a cookie sheet under the rack to catch any drips.
Top with candy coated chocolate Easter eggs, crushed pistachios or sprinkles.
Keep the pasta nests covered in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake

October 8, 2020 by Marisa 30 Comments

This elegant Butternut Squash and Paccheri Pasta Bake will take centre stage at your next family gathering or celebratory meal. A comforting and eye pleasing pasta dish made with oven roasted butternut squash, baby arugula and a creamy cheese sauce with a hint of rosemary.

This was a special request from hubby after returning home one evening with the latest “Bon Appétit” magazine.

It featured a baked pasta dish made with peas and mint which greatly resembled a cake.

I’ve made a few changes to the recipe. Mainly I replaced the peas with some seasonal, sweet oven roasted butternut squash which I then tossed with the cooked pasta. I also substituted the mint with some chopped rosemary however sage would work wonderfully as well.

Since I couldn’t come across Fontina cheese, I replaced it with freshly grated Asiago cheese. It’s a wonderful cow’s milk cheese and it melted beautifully in the silky smooth sauce. The aromas in this oven baked pasta dish are simply wonderful!

This deep dish pasta is fairly easy to put together but does require a few simple steps. They’re quite easily achievable, I might add.

And, will have your guests thinking you’ve laboured all day but you and I know differently!

How to Roast Butternut Squash for Paccheri Pasta Bake

First peel, chop and prep the butternut squash.

Chop the butternut squash into half inch cubes.
Place the chopped squash on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Toss together with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to your taste.
Spread out in one single layer and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes or till fork tender.

While the butternut squash bakes you can start on the creamy cheese sauce.

How to Make an Italian Creamy Cheese Sauce

Melt a 1/4 cup of butter in a large sauce pot and over medium heat.
Add in the all purpose flour and cook while whisking for 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Reduce the heat slightly and let the sauce simmer til thickened, for about 20 minutes. Whisk often so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
Remove the sauce pot from the heat and whisk in the Asiago cheese and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
Whisk in the lightly beaten egg and season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Cover the sauce pot to keep warm and set aside while you cook the pasta.

PREP YOUR SPRINGFORM PAN BEFORE BAKING

While I was tempted at first to line my springform pan with parchment paper for easier release of this pasta dish recipe, I’m glad I didn’t.

This simple technique of first buttering the pan, and then sprinkling it all around with Parmesan cheese will give you that beautiful crusty exterior we all love so much. In every single slice!

There won’t be any fighting for the crusty end pieces with this dish for sure!

Cook and drain the pasta.
In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the roasted butternut squash, arugula, parsley and rosemary.
Stir in the cheese sauce until well combined.
Transfer half of the pasta mixture into the prepared springform pan.

How to assemble the Paccheri pasta with ricotta

Mix together the ricotta and lemon zest in a small bowl.
Spoon half of the ricotta lemon mixture over the pasta.
You can either spread the ricotta mixture over the pasta or leave it dotted, as in the photo below.

Top with the remaining pasta mixture while spreading it out evenly.
Spoon the remaining ricotta mixture over the second layer of pasta.
Sprinkle the top with 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Place the springform pan over a baking sheet (this will avoid any mess from the juices leaking out of the bottom of the springform pan).
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F, for about 45 minutes.
Or, until the top is golden brown and crispy.

Let the baked pasta dish cool for about a half hour before releasing from the pan.
Then run an off set spatula or butter knife around the inside edges of the springform pan to remove any sticky areas and carefully release the pasta from the pan.
Cut into wedges and serve while still warm.

This deep dish pasta recipe will serve 6 to 8 people depending on the size of each serving.

So, if you have a birthday coming up soon and you love a meatless pasta dish once in a while, then this vegetarian paccheri pasta recipe is definitely for you!

But why wait for your birthday! Make it this weekend, take a photo and tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Happy cooking!

This post was originally published Oct 27, 2017 and republished October Oct 8, 2020 with new photos and content.

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5 from 2 votes

Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake

This elegant Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake will take center stage at your next family gathering celebrations. Its creamy, cheesy and so easy to make.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time45 mins

Resting time30 mins

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Baked pasta, Butternut Squash Pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 535kcal

Author: Marisa

Equipment

9 inch springform pan for easy release or any other deep dish baking pan.

Ingredients

FOR ROASTING THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH

4 cups diced butternut squash
olive oil for drizzling over butternut squash

FOR THE CREAMY CHEESE SAUCE

1/4 cup unsalted butter plus more for greasing the pan
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 litre milk I used 3.5 % full fat milk
1 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 large egg lightly beaten
fine sea salt or kosher salt to your taste
freshly ground pepper to your taste

TO ASSEMBLE THE PASTA

500 grams paccheri pasta or rigatoni
4 cups baby arugula roughly chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Instructions

ROASTING THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the chopped butternut squash on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender.
Set the cooked butternut squash aside while continuing with the rest of the recipe.

CREAMY CHEESE SAUCE

In a large saucepan, melt 1/4 cup of the butter over medium heat.
Add the all purpose flour to the melted butter and cook while whisking for 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Reduce the heat slightly and let he sauce simmer while whisking often, until the sauce has thickened, for about 20 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the Asiago cheese and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
Whisk in the lightly beaten egg and season with salt and pepper.
Cover the saucepan to keep warm and set aside while you cook the pasta and prep the springform pan.

PREPPING THE PAN

Butter a 9 inch springform pan with softened butter.
Sprinkle the pan all over with 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and set aside.

COOK THE PASTA

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta just until al dente or firm to the bite.
Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.

ASSEMBLING THE DEEP DISH PASTA

Add the cooked butternut squash, arugula, parsley and rosemary to the pasta bowl.
Stir in the cheese sauce until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Transfer half of the pasta mixture to the prepared springform pan.
In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and lemon zest then spoon half of this mixture over the pasta.
Transfer the remaining pasta into the pan and spoon the remaining ricotta mixture over the pasta.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crispy.
Let the baked pasta rest for about 1/2 hour then run a knife alongside the inside of the pan before releasing the pasta from the pan.
Cut into wedges and serve.

Nutrition

Homemade Cavatelli with Broccoli

August 22, 2020 by Marisa 8 Comments

Easy to make Homemade Cavatelli with Broccoli is a simple yet classic Italian recipe dish. You’ll be happy to know that these fresh handmade pasta noodles can be frozen for later use to have on hand at a moments notice.

Cavatelli are bite-sized pasta shells with an indentation in the noodle that traps and holds the flavours of the pasta sauce.

There’re a specialty of southern Italy and the name of the pasta comes from cavato, which means to carve out.

This type of pasta noodle was definitely not a variety that I grew up with. I was first introduced to these delicate handmade pasta morsels by my mother-in-law who was from the Molise region of Italy.

At first glance they looked similar in appearance to potato gnocchi, my absolute favourite childhood dish!

Although both have humble beginnings, with very few ingredients needed, they do differ somewhat in texture.

Potato gnocchi are slightly plumper and light in taste considering that there’s potato in the dough.

However, I find that cavatelli tend to have a firmer shape and more of an al dente bite to the cooked noodles.

This pasta recipe pairs well with just about any sauce. From a simple tomato sauce, to a quick sauté of some extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves and a sprinkle of chilli flakes.

And for meat lovers you can add some hot or mild Italian sausage to your olive oil and garlic sauté.

It’s simple Italian style cooking that screams comfort food.

CAVATELLI PASTA INGREDIENTS:

There are a few simple ingredients that go into making this homemade pasta recipe.

Basically all you’ll need are:

all purpose flour
salt
water
extra virgin olive oil

How to make homemade cavatelli pasta dough

Just recently I’ve started to make these homemade noodles in my stand mixer and oh…my…goodness it’s so much easier on my hands. Say’s the blogger with the arthritic right hand…lol!

You start by placing the flour and salt in your mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Then pour about 3/4 cup of water and the olive oil in the hollow centre.

Using the stand mixer or hand-held mixer with the dough hook attachment, mix until a very soft ball forms. (The photo above shows how the dough looked after 1 minute of kneading.)

As it kneads, it will completely pull away from the sides of the bowl while picking up all the remaining bits of dough.

Continue kneading the dough for about 8 to 9 minutes more, until the dough is fairly smooth and not sticky. If it’s still a little sticky, sprinkle in a little more flour, about a teaspoon at a time. Continue kneading until combined.

Cover with plastic cling wrap and let the pasta dough rest for 1 hour. This allows the gluten to relax and makes it easier to roll and shape the noodles.

Mind you, you can take a short nap as well if you like while the dough rests. No judgements here!

When ready to roll and shape the pasta, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.

Work with one piece at a time while keeping the remaining dough covered with a clean kitchen cloth.

There’s no need to flour your work surface. This actually impedes the process.

Roll the piece of dough out into a pencil thin rope. Cut the rope into 1 inch to an inch and a half pieces, and dust with flour.

Use a gnocchi board to make the little caves or indentations in the dough by sliding each piece over the board with your fingers.

I actually used a chopstick to press the dough down over the ridged board to twirl the noodles.

But if you don’t have a gnocchi board, no worries! You can use the back of a fork or simply your fingers.

Transfer the shaped pasta on a baking tray dusted with either all purpose flour or semolina flour. Repeat the whole process with the remaining dough.

My favourite way of serving homemade cavatelli and broccoli is with a very simple sauté of extra virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes and smashed garlic cloves.

Homemade Cavatelli and Broccoli Recipe

To put this cavatelli recipe together, you’ll need approximately 4 cups of cut and rinsed broccoli florets.

Some red pepper flakes and cloves of garlic. The more the better…we love our garlic!

Start by cooking the broccoli in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the fresh pasta to the broccoli water and cook the pasta for about 8 minutes or till it’s tender to the bite.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a sauté pan and add the red chilli flakes with the smashed garlic. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir to brown the garlic all over.

And this can be ready in as little time as it takes to cook the noodles.

Then drain the pasta add to the sauté pan along with the broccoli.

Toss well.

Then plate and serve with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.

You may want to pass around some extra chilli flakes for those who love a whole lot of heat. And don’t forget that generous topping of Parmesan cheese.

Can You Freeze Cavatelli

Yes! You can absolutely freeze these fresh pasta noodles after they’ve been shaped.

You’ll need a large baking sheet dusted with semolina flour. Simply transfer the noodles to the prepared baking sheet and spread them out into one single layer.

Place the baking sheet in the freezer and allow the fresh pasta shapes to freeze until firm. For about 30 minutes or so.

Once firm, transfer them to a plastic freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months.

You won’t need to thaw them before cooking but they will need a couple of minutes longer to cook.

Happy cooking!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Recipe was first published March 15, 2019 and republished with new photos and content August 22, 2020.

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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Cavatelli with Broccoli

Easy to make homemade cavatelli with broccoli is a simple yet classic Italian recipe dish. These fresh handmade pasta noodles can be frozen for later use to have on hand at a moments notice.

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time1 hr 5 mins

Course: supper

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: homemde, cavatelli, classic Italian recipe, pasta dough, broccoli

Servings:

Calories: 467kcal

Author: Marisa

Equipment

Stand mixer or hand held mixer with hook attachment

Ingredients

Cavatelli Dough

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup water room temperature

Pasta Sauce

4 cups broccoli florets
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling over the finished dish
4 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
fine sea salt to your taste
freshly crushed black pepper to your taste
1 tablespoon semolina flour for dusting a rimmed cookie sheet
grated Parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

Cavatelli Pasta

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the water and olive oil.
Using the stand mixer with the hook attachment, knead until a soft ball forms. About 8 to 10 minutes.
The dough should be fairly smooth and not sticky. (if still sticky just knead in a little more flour, a teaspoon at a time.)
The dough is ready when it's smooth and springs back when poked.
When you're finished kneading, cover the dough with cling wrap and let it rest for 60 minutes at room temperature.
The resting time relaxes the gluten in the dough and makes it easier to roll and shape.
Sprinkle a rimmed baking sheet with some semolina flour and set aside.
Cut the dough into 8 pieces.
Working with one piece at a time, while keeping the remaining dough covered, roll the piece out into a pencil thin rope.
Cut the rope into 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch pieces.
Use a gnocchi board if you have, to make the little caves or indentations in the dough.
If you don't have a gnocchi board, use your index and middle fingers to press down into the dough and swiping towards you. This will create the distinctive crevice.
Transfer the cavatell to your prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Pasta Sauce

Bring a large pot of water to boil.
Salt the water and add in the broccoli.
Cook the broccoli till fork tender, about 4 minutes.
Once the broccoli is cooked, remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon but DO NOT throw out the water. Save to cook the cavatelli.
Transfer the broccoli to a large skimming bowl and run under cold water. Set aside.
Bring the water back to boil if needed and add in the cavatelli.
Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or till al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium low heat.
Add in the crushed garlic, pepper flakes and a dash of salt and pepper to your taste.
Stir to brown the garlic all over. This will take 2 minutes or so.
Drain the cavatelli while reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water.
Add the cooked cavatelli and the broccoli to the skillet with the browned garlic sauce.
Toss to mix well and add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed.
Plate and serve with a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of chilli flakes and freshly grated cheese if desired.

Nutrition

Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Basil Sauce

May 7, 2020 by Marisa 42 Comments

In this dish, Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, the humble potato is transformed into a melt-in-your mouth delicacy. Just about any sauce will compliment potato gnocchi.

What are Gnocchi?

Gnocchi are simply the Italian version of potato dumplings and can be prepared in limitless ways.

Today, there is such an extensive variety of gnocchi! Some are made with ricotta or squash while others are flavoured with beets.

There are also gnocchi where different flours are utilized, such as chestnut, buckwheat and also wholewheat flour.

Another version is made with semolina flour, milk, cheese and known as Gnocchi alla Romana.

These Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, however, is the type of dish I grew up with.

They were my number one request each time mamma would ask me what I wanted to eat for my birthday celebration. She never failed to remind me of the countless times I would help her twirl the gnocchi with my chubby little fingers!

How To Make Potato Gnocchi From Scratch

Start with a starchy potato such as the russet potato and you can either boil them or bake them in the oven.

Just make sure not to pierce or cut through the potato when boiling them, otherwise they will absorb too much water.

You can easily mash the potatoes with a fork but a potato ricer really does an excellent job of mashing the potatoes and it’s a good investment for one who often makes gnocchi.

Mix the mashed potatoes with the beaten egg, salt and work in some flour with your hands.

Knead the dough for a few minutes while working in a little more flour if sticking too much on your hands and work surface. It should be soft and pliable.

How To Shape Gnocchi

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the gnocchi dough into a 1/2 rope then cut into 1 inch pieces.

To shape the gnocchi, you can use a handy wooden gnocchi board but if you don’t have one, no worries!

I was taught to twirl the gnocchi using my index finger and middle finger by pressing both down into the gnocchi and rolling quickly towards me.

Alternately you can use the back of a fork to make the pretty indentations. The little ridges that form are a perfect entrapment for all that delicious sauce.

Tips for Making Potato Gnocchi From Scratch

Always start with less amount of flour than the recipe calls for. The moisture of your potatoes and the amount of eggs used will determine how much flour is needed.

Do not knead more than a few minutes as this would result in too much flour adsorption which yields heavier gnocchi.

It goes without saying to always use a big sauce pot when cooking any form of pasta. Drop a few at a time into the boiling water to avoid the gnocchi from sticking together.

Ideally you will want to make and cook the gnocchi within a few hours. Simply transfer the gnocchi in a single layer on a lightly dusted cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel till ready to use.

Gnocchi can also be frozen. Transfer them on a cookie sheet in a single layer and place the tray in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag.

These exquisite potato gnocchi are very filling and therefore often served in moderate portions as a first course meal.

You’ll want to savour every bite! Enjoy the melt-in-your mouth sensation and never rush a good thing.

Above all, have fun and enjoy the process. After all practice makes perfect!

This recipe was originally published Sept. 14 2016 and updated May 7, 2020 with new photos and content.

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3 from 3 votes

Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Basil Sauce

In this dish, Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, the humble potato is transformed into a melt-in-your mouth delicacy sure to dazzle family and friends.

Course: Main Meal

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Gnocchi Dough

4 large russet potatoes about 2 pounds
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon beaten egg
2 cups all purpose flour approximately

Tomato Basil Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
pinch of crushed chili pepper
24 ounce jar Passata Italian strained tomatoes I used San Marzano
2 sprigs of basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup diced mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

How To make Gnocchi

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Wash the potatoes under cold running water and pat dry.
Use a large knife and make a deep incision length-wise into each potato.
Place the potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake until they are tender, for about 1 hour.
Let potatoes cool a little but do peel them while they are still a bit warm.
Put them through a potato ricer. Alternately you can use a potato masher or a fork.
Place the mashed potatoes in a large bowl.
Add in the salt, 1 tablespoon of beaten egg and 1 and 1/2 cups of flour.
Using your hands, mix well just until the flour and potatoes stick together forming a rough looking dough.
Transfer the dough to a wooden board or work surface.
Knead the dough lightly, gradually adding a little bit of the remaining flour if the dough is sticking too heavily on your work surface. (I did not need all of the remaining 1/2 cup more of flour)
Knead for 2 to 3 minutes.
The dough should be smooth, pliable and just a little bit sticky.
Cut off a section of dough at a time.
Roll the piece of dough with a back and forth motion until you get the thickness of your index finger.
Cut the roll into 1 inch pieces.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
To shape the gnocchi, I used my little wooden gnocchi board with ridges.
Alternately, you can use the back of a fork .
Hold the fork at 45 degree angle, with the tines down on the work surface with its' inside curve towards you.
Take a gnocchi role and press it with your index finger against the tip end of the fork while quickly sliding it up along the length of the fork tins.
Or simply use your index and middle fingers by pressing both fingers down into the gnocchi and rolling quickly towards you. The gnocchi will flip over and have a pretty indentation.
Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
Transfer the gnocchi on a lightly floured cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel.
Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

Tomato Basil Sauce

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pot over medium low heat and sauté the garlic with the crushed chilli pepper just until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. (should take less then a minute).
Add in the passata (Italian strained tomatoes), basil, salt and pepper and stir well.
Fill the bottle of passata three quarters full with water. Give it a good swirl and add this to the sauce.
Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the sweet concentrated flavors of the tomatoes come through.
While the sauce simmers, fill a large sauce pot with water and bring to a rapid boil.
Add salt to the boiling water and then the gnocchi.
Once the gnocchi come to surface they are pretty much ready. Leave them floating for about 10 seconds. (If they stay in the water too long, they will become mushy).
Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and place them on a serving platter.
Pour a little of the sauce over the gnocchi, stir to combine then mix in the diced mozzarella.
The heat of the tomato sauce will slowly melt the mozzarella.
Divide the gnocchi onto four plates. Top with more sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Serve while still hot.