spaghetti

Easy Zucchini Glazed Spaghetti

July 9, 2018 by Marisa 14 Comments

Easy Zucchini Glazed Spaghetti, a truly brilliant medley utilizing one of summer’s favourite squashes. A simple combo of zucchini and spaghetti, partially cooked in zucchini water delivering a wonderfully lustrous, easy and utterly delicious meal!

This is one beautiful pasta and vegetable dish that truly delights!

It’s both pleasing to the eye with shreds of vibrant green flecks of the delicate zucchini squash. This pasta dish screams summer in the sun!

Not much of the zucchini goes to waste when preparing this meal and its virtually fuss free! Which means less time in the kitchen. Aren’t you loving it already?

Actually the most effort required when preparing this meal is in grating the zucchini. You may want to be careful with your box grater though…just saying!

After grating the zucchini, its placed in a colander with a few flavourful add ins and set aside for an hour. This allows the zucchini to release all its delicious juices. But we’re not throwing out the green juice. The juice is then used to finish cooking the pasta which yields a lovely glossy sauce.

The raw shreds of zucchini are then tossed with the pasta to complete the dish. Then, all that’s needed is a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Oh…and some cracked black pepper and red chilli flakes which certainly elevates the pasta to brilliant status!

You can fry some of the grated zucchini with a little olive oil and use it as a garnish if you’re so inclined. Its totally optional but does add a little contrast in texture.

It’s fuss free and with a few simple ingredients you’ll find your palate is never overwhelmed.

Buon Appetito!

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

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Easy Zucchini Glazed Spaghetti

A brilliant medley of freshly grated zucchini, zucchini water and spaghetti is transformed into a luscious pasta dish that is simply perfect for any day of the week.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Easy Zucchini Glazed Spaghetti

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

6 large zucchini
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
454 grams spaghetti
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions

Start off by lining a colander with a cheese cloth and then place it in a large bowl.
If you don't have a cheese cloth, a very fine meshed colander will work just as well.
Finely grate the zucchini on the smallest or second smallest holes of a cheese grater.
Toss the grated zucchini with the garlic, salt, freshly ground pepper and chili flakes.
Place the zucchini mixture in the lined colander and set aside for 1 hour at room temperature.
As the zucchini sits in the colander it will slowly release its juices.
Squeeze out the zucchini to release its remaining juices and set both the liquids and the squeezed zucchini aside while you cook the pasta.
Cook the spaghetti in salted water for half the time indicated on the package.
Drain the pasta and set aside.
Use the empty pasta pot to bring the zucchini juices to a boil.
Add in the spaghetti while stirring occasionally just until the spaghetti is al dente.
The pasta will absorb the juices as it finishes cooking while absorbing all its wonderful flavors.
When ready toss the pasta with the grated zucchini, a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the Parmesan cheese.
Plate, serve and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe was adapted from Francine Segan's "Pasta Modern" cookbook with a few switch ups.

I've increased the amount of garlic for personal taste and spiced up the dish with some hot chili flakes and freshly cracked peppercorns.

As with most simple dishes with few ingredients, do use a good quality extra virgin olive oil to top the pasta!

Spaghetti With Sun Dried Tomatoes

February 16, 2018 by Marisa 54 Comments

A simple yet delicious dish, Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes comes together in under 30 minutes making it an ideal meal that’s perfect for busy week nights but also elegant enough for those special occasions.

I always start any pasta dish with a base of some good quality extra-virgin olive oil! To this spaghetti sauce I added some minced garlic, dried chili peppers, chopped sun dried tomatoes and tossed in the cooked pasta. All that’s left to do is a generous sprinkle of Parmesan love and garnish with parsley.

You’ll find it super easy to put together and packs a load of flavor!

Its so simple and yet so elegant that you can present it like a gourmet meal!

I turn to this recipe over and over again to satisfy a quick carbohydrate fix and with just a couple of pantry items it can be transformed into a last minute supper that you can prepare in less time than it takes to cook the spaghetti.

Paired with a salad, you’ll have a complete meal in just under 30 minutes making it ideal for those hectic weeknights when your juggling chores and the kids homework.

Sun dried tomatoes are one of my all time favorite pantry condiment because of their sweet concentrated flavors and I always keep a jar around to enjoy all year round.

Top them over crostini, focaccia or just layering them in your panini. There are endless possibilities! 🙂

Of course it goes without saying and I probably am starting to sound like a broken record but with so few ingredients in this pasta dish, a good quality extra-virgin olive oil is always essential!

Go ahead and make some Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes tonight, I’m sure you’ll love it!

Buon Appetito !

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

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Spaghetti With Sun Dried Tomatoes

A simple yet delicious dish, Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes comes together in under 30 minutes making it an ideal meal that is perfect for busy week nights but also elegant enough for special occasions.

Course: supper

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Ingredients:
454 grams of spaghetti
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 tsp chili flakes
salt and pepper to your taste
1 and 1/2 cups oil packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Fill a large sauce pan with cold water, bring to a boil and then add in the salt and spaghetti.
Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions or until al dente.
A few minutes before the spaghetti is ready, add the oil in a large pan and heat on low.
Add the minced garlic, the chili flakes, salt and pepper to your taste and cook on low heat for about 3 minutes while stirring frequently taking care not to burn the garlic.
Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes just until heated through and then remove from the heat.
Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sun-dried tomatoes.
Toss the pasta to coat all over with the sauce.
Add the parsley and then transfer to a serving platter.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve while still warm.

Sardine Spaghetti with Chives

May 6, 2017 by Marisa 20 Comments

Sardine Spaghetti with Chives, a quick and tasty dish utilizing a few pantry staples such as canned sardines and dried pasta. Fresh bread crumbs are toasted til golden brown and then tossed with some snipped chives lending a delicate and subtle onion taste which doesn’t overpower but rather enhances this simple pasta dish.

Pasta con le sardine or rather Pasta with sardines is a classic Sicilian pasta dish. Most notably made with wild fennel, raisins and also anchovies. Sometimes pine nuts are also thrown in the mix.

My version here is a little spin-off from the more traditional one and inspired from Food Bloggers of Canada recipe round up featuring chives.

I put this rather delicate herb to work by snipping off a few strands and tossing it with my homemade toasted breadcrumbs which I then used in my Sardine Spaghetti with Chives recipe. It imparted such freshness and flavor to this simple pasta dish and was devoured in no time at all!

Being a convenient source of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and vitamin D are really great reasons to include canned sardines in our diet and also not to mention how fairly inexpensive the canned variety really is and so versatile!

Although they aren’t extremely bony, you may want to remove the fish bones if your squeamish about them. Parting the underside of the sardines to open them up and gently removing the fish bones with a small fork or knife will quickly do the trick.

Coupled with the fact that they’re so nutritious, canned sardines are readily available year round making mealtime a breeze.

First of all, you’ll want to start with a large stock pot filled with cold water. While the water comes to a roaring boil prep your ingredients both for the bread crumbs and quick sauce with sardines.

With this in mind you should basically have your meal ready in the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta.

Then simply plate and serve with a light drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil, topped with the reserved bread crumbs and garnished with fresh chives.

Sardine Spaghetti with Chives…an exceptionally easy dish with minimum preparation!

If you love this recipe you may also enjoy my Penne Rigate With Tomato Tuna Sauce featuring canned tuna.

Buon Appetito!

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Sardine Spaghetti with Chives

Sardine Spaghetti with Chives, a quick and tasty dish utilizing a few pantry staples such as canned sardines and dried pasta.

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: to 6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

FRESH BREAD CRUMBS
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
PASTA
454 grams spaghetti
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
2 generous pinches of red chili flakes
3 cans of sardines packed in oil 120 grams each I cut the under side to open them and removed the fish bones
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil,
Salt the water and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.
Meanwhile prepare the bread crumbs by heating 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet, over medium heat.
Add in the bread crumbs, salt and pepper and toast the crumbs, while stirring often, til they have browned.
Once browned, remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh chives.
Transfer the toasted bread crumbs to a plate and set aside.
Using the same skillet (wiped clean), heat the 1/3 cup of oil over medium low heat.
Add in the minced garlic with the chili flakes, salt and pepper and heat till fragrant for 1 minute.
Stir in the sardines and sautè for 2 minutes, taking care not to break up the sardines over much.
Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
Add the cooked pasta to the sardine mixture with a little of the pasta water and toss well.
If pasta seems a little dry, go ahead and add a little more pasta water.
Toss with 1 cup of the toasted bread crumb and chive mixture.
Plate the pasta and garnish with remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumb and chive mixture.

Spaghettoni with Shrimp & Peppers

June 10, 2016 by Marisa 30 Comments

Spaghettoni with Shrimp & Peppers is an easy and elegant pasta dish suitable for any day of the week.

A couple of months ago I posted my Lemon Spaghetti with Shrimp recipe and I must say it turned out to be quite popular.

Might it have been because of the jumbo shrimp? Maybe it is the ease with which the recipe comes together! Or is it the pretty spaghetti twirl? Whatever the reason may be, it turned out to be my most pinned recipe and shared on Pinterest over 1K+ times!! So thanks for spreading the love!

Which now brings me to this dish…Spagattoni with Shrimp & Peppers. This pasta dish is adapted from my very first cookbook, La Cucina di Pasquale, featuring Italian gourmet meals.

Pasquale was one of the first celebrity chefs in Canada and an operatic singer known as the singing chef. He would often engage his audience when cooking, with his tenor arias.

Red and white wines are staple ingredients in his recipes, as are brandy and vodka. This spaghettoni with shrimp & peppers, features both white wine and brandy but not to worry as alcohol evaporates while cooking. What remains is a wonderful concentration of flavor as the wine and brandy simmer along in the sauce while keeping the shrimp moist.

My hubby loves this dish! The very first time I made it for him, he inquired as to what I had added to the sauce. Sitting up straight in my chair I innocently replied, “your Remy Martin cognac.”

Well…his head shot up, eyebrows rose up to his forehead and he stammered out, “which Remy Martin”?

Tongue in cheek I answered back, “well, you know the one that says V.S.O.P on the bottle and stands for very special other person!”

With a smile on his face, he led me by the hand and showed me a less expensive bottle of brandy to cook with. Guess which bottle I still use today…!

Seriously though, you can use any type of brandy you like!

A favorite quote of Pasquale’s which really resonates with me is “The pasta should not wait for the sauce, the sauce can wait for the pasta.” This makes all the difference in cooking pasta al dente, which is firm to the bite or having mushy overcooked pasta.

Spaghettoni are wider and thicker in diameter then spaghetti. They hold up wonderfully and are perfect for this more robust, shrimp and pepper sauce. However any type of spaghetti is just fine as well.

Over the years I have made some slight adjustments to the recipe but only to compensate for the extra pasta noodles. I have also made this recipe many times over the years without the shrimp and it turned out just as delicious! Something to keep in mind for those who are not fans of shrimp.

Which ever way you make it, enjoy!!

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Spaghettoni with Shrimp & Peppers

Spaghettoni with Shrimp & Peppers is an easy and elegant pasta dish suitable for any day of the week.

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup sliced red onion
1 green bell pepper sliced
1 red bell pepper sliced
2 cups cooked shrimp
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
pinch of chili pepper
salt and pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup brandy
2 tablespoons butter
454 grams spaghettoni or spaghetti
grated Parmesan cheese to taste
chopped parsley to taste

Instructions

Bring a large sauce pot filled with cold water, to boil.
Meanwhile:
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté together the garlic, red onion, green and red peppers for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the shrimp, tomatoes, basil, chili pepper, salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes.
Add in the white wine, brandy and the butter. Stir the sauce and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
At this point your water should be at a roaring boil. Add in salt to the water and pasta. Stir well and cook according to package instructions.
Drain the spaghettoni and place the pasta on a serving platter.
Pour the shrimp sauce over the pasta.
Sprinkle with the grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Lemon Spaghetti with shrimp

April 6, 2016 by Marisa 30 Comments

This bright and bold Lemon Spaghetti with Shrimp is always a winner at my house! It features succulent jumbo shrimps which have been marinated in a few simple ingredients. We’ve got some full-bodied extra virgin olive oil, lemon rind, minced garlic and lots of parsley.

You’ll love it for it’s simplicity and for how quickly it can be put together on a busy weeknight or for those very special weekend suppers.

How impressive is it with the spaghetti twirled high on a serving dish and mounted with the lemon garlic shrimp! I believe it merits an orgasmic sigh!

The amount of time to cook the shrimp will depend on their size. Mine were the 16/20 count per pound and required about a minute or so on each side.

For my lemon spaghetti recipe, I used quick peel black tiger shrimps which were already deveined. I removed the outer shell and kept the tail on. You can however use your favourite shrimp. You can also prepare this step ahead of time and keep the shrimp in the fridge until you are ready to marinate them. Once marinated, set them aside for 15-20 minutes. This allows the time to bring a large pot of water to a roaring boil.

Once the pasta is placed in the salted water, heat a large skillet to cook the shrimps. By the time the pasta is ready so are the shrimps. Just proceed with the rest of the recipe and you can have supper ready in less than 30 minutes.

When a recipe requires just a few simple ingredients, I believe the best and freshest are essential!

Twirling the spaghetti as in the photo will easily yield 6 portions. I find this more than enough especially when serving a multiple coarse meal. However, when serving as a main dish with a salad on the side, you will have 4 generous portions.

Make it tonight and impress friends and family with this relatively easy to make, Lemon Spaghetti with Shrimp recipe.

Buon Appetito!

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Lemon Spaghetti with shrimp

A bright and bold lemon spaghetti dish with jumbo garlic, lemon shrimps.

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Shrimp Marinade
1 1/4 lb large shrimp shelled and deveined
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
lemon zest from 2 lemons
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4 cloves of garlic minced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Pasta Lemon Sauce
454 grams spaghetti
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley
lemon zest from one lemon
salt to taste I used fine sea salt
pepper to taste

Instructions

In a bowl toss together the shrimp, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, chopped parsley and minced garlic.
Set aside to marinate at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
When water reaches a rapid boil, toss in the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions.
While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook in a single layer, for about 2 minutes turning them over once.
Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to cook the shrimps in 2 batches.
Once shrimps are cooked transfer to a plate.
Whisk together the 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil and 1/3 cup lemon juice and Parmesan cheese.
Drain the spaghetti reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.
Add the spaghetti to your skillet with the lemon sauce and a little bit of the pasta water. Toss well.
Add in the parsley and lemon zest and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Add in a little more pasta water to moisten if needed.
Once plated, sprinkle more Parmesan cheese and add a small drizzle of EVOO if desired.