Thimbles with Mushrooms and Artichokes

Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 1 pound mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 3/4 teaspoon
* 1 cup dry Marsala wine
* 1 pound thimble pasta
* 1/2 pound frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
* 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
* 1/2 cup cream
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon
of the salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has
evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. Add
the Marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has
evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir
in remaining salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm
to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta
and add it into the mushrooms, Marsala and onions Add the artichoke
hearts, Parmesan and cream and cook until the artichokes are heated
through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper. Transfer to
a serving bowl and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com

Pasta with Tomato and Peas

Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

* 1 pound linguine
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 shallots, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 carrot, diced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 5 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley
* 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
* 1/4 cup grated Romano

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the
pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring
occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups
of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium
heat. Add the shallots, garlic, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cook until
tender, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and 1/2 cup of the hot
pasta water. Stir to melt the tomato paste and create a sauce, adding
more pasta water if necessary. Stir in the oregano, thyme, and
parsley. Gently fold in the cooked pasta, peas, and the cheeses,
adding more reserved pasta water if necessary. Transfer to a platter
and serve immediately.

From: foodnetwork.com

Conghilie with Clams and Mussels

Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

* 1 pound conghilie (small shells) pasta
* 1 pound broccoli, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound small littleneck clams, scrubbed
* 1 pound mussels, debearded
* 1 cup white wine
* 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the
pasta and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broccoli
into the pasta water and continue cooking until the pasta is tender
but still firm to the bite, and the broccoli is blanched, about 2 to 3
minutes. Drain pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the cooking
liquid.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet heat the olive oil over medium
heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and saute for
3 minutes. Add the clams, mussels, and wine. Cook for 5 minutes,
making sure all the shells have opened. Discard any shells that remain
closed. Sprinkle with the parsley.

In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, broccoli, and shellfish. Add
the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten. Toss to
combine. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately