It's time to celebrate pasta! October is National Pasta Month (National Pasta Day is October 17th)!
So, whether you’re trying a new pasta shape or having the perfect bite of linguine, check out these recipes from Barilla to make your National Pasta Month even more delicious.
Mnazeleh with Barilla Chickpea Rotini
Recipe courtesy Chef Matt Harding
Ingredients
3 lbs Barilla Chickpea Rotini
2 qrts chopped eggplant, salted, rinsed, drained, patted dry
1 ½ cups dry white wine
9 ea. medium tomatoes, seeded, chopped
To taste: kosher salt & ground black pepper
⅓ cup sugar
3 T Harissa spice mix
¾ cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 ea. large white onions, thinly sliced
6 ea. garlic cloves, minced
24 oz canned chickpeas, rinsed
1 ½ cups chopped Italian parsley
1 ½ tsp dried mint
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ cup red wine vinegar
Method
- Bring salted water to a boil in steam-jacketed kettle or large stockpot on stove top. Cook pasta as directed on package; drain.
- Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup oil in large rondeaux on medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook eggplant; 3-5 min. until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove eggplant from pan with slotted spoon; transfer to clean bowl. Add remaining oil to pot on medium-low heat. Add onions and 3 cups water; simmer 15-20 min. or until onions begin to caramelize and most liquid is evaporated.
- Deglaze pan with wine. Add garlic, tomatoes and chickpeas; simmer covered 20-25 min. or until slightly reduced.
- Return eggplant to pot; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup parsley, sugar and spices. Simmer mixture 30 min. or until eggplant is soft and sauce is thickened. Add pasta; toss to coat.
- Garnish with remaining parsley, cilantro, and vinegar before serving.
Chef Notes: Prepare this sauce without the garnishes up to 2 days ahead. Store covered tightly in the refrigerator.
Barilla Orzo “Panamenian Arroz con Pollo”
Recipe ccourtesy Chef Leonardo Maurelli III
Ingredients
8 ea. large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into medium sized chunks
1 ee. large sweet onion, small diced
1 ea large green pepper, small diced
6 ea. garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup fresh cilantro, leaves only, minced
2 cups peas and carrots
¼ cup green olives w/pimento
¼ cup capers
2 T tomato paste
1 cup sun-dried tomato
5 ea. saffron threads
2 cups white wine
10 cups chicken broth
3 ea. boxes orzo
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 T butter
To taste: salt and pepper
2 T homemade Adobo (recipe below)
Method
- In a small pot over medium low heat, add 2 cups of wine and 5 saffron threads, bring to a simmer and turn off. Allow the saffron to bloom and steep the white wine for 15 minutes. Reserve.
- Trim all fat from chicken thighs and cut into medium sized chunks. Place chicken in a mixing bowl and add 2 tbs of olive oil along with 2 tbs of adobo seasoning. Mix well and allow to marinate for about 15 minutes. In a dutch oven preheat 2 tbs of olive oil and toss in chicken, saute chicken until browned. Remove and reserve. In the same dutch oven add butter and remaining olive oil, add onions, garlic, green peppers. Saute until onions are lightly browned, add tomato paste and mix well. Cook for another 2 minutes ensuring tomato paste does not burn into bottom of pot. Deglaze the pot with saffron infused white wine, add sun dried tomatoes and reduce the wine by ½. Add the uncooked orzo and mix well, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes and then add chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and add chicken, capers, green olives and peas and carrots. Cover and cook over medium low heat until broth is evaporated, about 20-25 minutes. To serve garnish with cilantro and serve.
Ingredients for Adobo
1 T kosher salt
1T cracked pepper
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 T dried oregano
1 T ried thyme
Method
- In a dry mixing bowl, mix all ingredients and blend well.
- Reserve for seasoning.
Beef Birria Lasagna
Ingredients
8 sheets Barilla Lasagna
Ingredients for Béchamel
8 cups milk
8 T butter
8 T flour
Ingredients for Beef Birria
8 lbs beef chuck, large dice
½ cup vegetable oil
3 ea. oions, large dice
6 ea. Guajillo peppers (Dry), seeded and toasted in a dry skillet
1 T cumin
1 T oregano
1 T chili powder
5 bay leaves
1 head garlic
1 gal beef broth
6 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese
Ingredients for Radish Slaw
3 cups thinly sliced radish
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Method
- Pre-heat an oven to 375°F
- In a large rondo heat the vegetable oil.
- Season the meat with salt and pepper then brown well on all sides
- Add vegetables and all seasonings and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
- Cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 hours or until tender and falling apart.
- Remove the meat and place into a container to cool
- Meanwhile, blend the sauce with all the vegetables then strain well. Set aside.
- In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter and add the flour, stir with a whisk and cook gently for one minute.
- Add the milk and gently bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until thickened.
- In a 2 inch deep full hotel pan add 2 ladles of béchamel sauce and spread to coat the bottom.
- Top with 2 lasagna sheets, another 2 ladles of béchamel, 1.5 cups Oaxaca cheese, and 2 cups of shredded meat.
- Repeat for 2 more layers
- For the top layer add the remaining sauce and spread evenly
- Top with remaining cheese and cover with plastic and foil
- Bake for 50 minutes covered then remove the plastic and foil. Continue to bake until golden brown on top, approximately 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow lasagna to rest for at least 30-45 minutes before slicing.
