WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren OhioStir it Up with Glenn & Regina 2/25/11

Two Pastas with Very Different Flavors

Italian Gorgonzola Pasta

1 pound shell pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small sweet onion, sliced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

 ½ cup heavy cream or half and half

1/3 cup creamy Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped

½ teaspoon salt

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and sprinkle with a little olive oil. 

 Toss oiled pasta and keep warm. 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add onion, pepper flakes and black pepper and cook until onion is caramelized.  Add tomato paste and garlic and cook an additional minute.  Stir in diced tomatoes with juice and vinegar and bring to a boil. 

Continue to cook about 5 minutes.  A

dd cream, cheese, basil, salt and cooked pasta.  Stir and cook until pasta is heated through and serve immediately.

Asian Pasta

8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti pasta

6 tablespoons light soy sauce

4 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons grated lime peel

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 small onion, thinly sliced

6 ounces fresh snow peas

½ cup toasted slivered almonds.

3 cups cooked chicken breast, thinly sliced

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and sprinkle with a little olive oil, keep warm. 

Combine soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, lime peel and crushed red pepper in a bowl.  Heat a large skillet and add 2 teaspoon of the olive oil. 

Brown cooked chicken quickly.  Remove from the skillet.  Add the addition teaspoons of olive oil and cook onion and bell pepper until crisp tender, about 2 minutes. 

Add snow pea and cook an additional minute, stirring constantly.  Add the pasta and the chicken to the pan with a little of the soy sauce mixture, toss.   Cook just until heated through. 

Remove from the heat and add the remaining soy sauce mixture, toss and top with toasted slivered almond. 

Almond are easily toasted by placing on a baking sheet in a 375 degree preheated oven for about 5 minutes, watching closely so that they do not burn. 

This recipe works better is you break the pasta in half before you cook it.