Shells with Ricotta, Basil and Lemon

Serves 6 in 30 minutes or fewer.

Toasted breadcrumbs give this dish an authentic touch.

1 lb. medium-size dried pasta shells or rigatoni
2 tsp. olive oil
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese (15 oz.)
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
16 fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons
1 lemon, cut in wedges

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown.

Combine ricotta, lemon juice and zest in warm serving bowl. Fold in basil; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss pasta with ricotta mixture until well coated. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary. Sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs, and garnish with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING: 394 CAL; 20G PROT; 6.5G TOTAL FAT (3G SAT. FAT); 65G CARB; 27MG CHOL; 437MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 5G SUGARS

Vegetariantimes: 30 Minutes - No-Cook Pasta Sauces

Olive Tapenade Bruschetta

Ingredients
2 tablespoons pitted and finely chopped green or black olives
1 teaspoon capers
3 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
12 French bread slices
2 cloves garlic

Cooking Instructions
1. Mash the olives, capers, 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and pepper together.

2. Toast the bread on both sides in a toaster oven, under the broiler or on the grill.

3. While the toasted slices are still warm, rub them with garlic and drizzle them with the remaining olive oil on one side.

4. Put a dab of the olive mixture on each slice of bruschetta.

This recipe makes: 12 pieces
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Olive Tapenade Bruschetta Recipe [Recipe Brought to you by FoodFit]

Pasta Primavera with Breadcrumb Topping

Hand-twisted noodles called pinci (also known as pici) are a Tuscan delicacy. Luckily for time-pressed cooks, curly pasta noodles work too.

8 oz. fusilli or rotini pasta
3 Tbs. olive oil
1⁄2 lb. green beans, trimmed
1⁄2 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1⁄2 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 medium-sized zucchini (about 1⁄2 lb.
total), trimmed and julienned
2 large red bell peppers, julienned
1⁄4 cup finely chopped basil
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, bring large pot of salted water to boil; add green beans and parboil 3 minutes. Transfer beans to colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking.

3. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in very large skillet over medium heat. Add green beans, onion, garlic and crushed red pepper, and cook, covered, 3 minutes. Add zucchini, peppers, basil and oregano, and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes, or until vegetables are just al dente; do not overcook. Season with salt to taste.

4. Warm remaining 1 Tbs. oil in second skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes.

5. Add drained pasta to vegetables and toss to blend; sprinkle with breadcrumbs, cheese and olive oil, and serve (Serves 6).

Pasta Primavera with Breadcrumb Topping

Vegetable Soup

ACQUACOTTA (Serves 6)

Acquacotta means “cooked water,” but that doesn’t begin to describe how delicious this soup is! It also freezes beautifully, so double the recipe if you like. Adding a Parmesan cheese rind to the soup while it’s cooking is a clever Italian method for deepening flavors.

1 lb. Swiss chard or kale 4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1⁄2 tsp. salt, or to taste
1⁄2 tsp. crushed red pepper, or more to taste
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 cup tomato purée
2-inch Parmesan rind
6 1-inch-thick slices Italian bread
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Rinse chard in several changes of water until completely free of grit. Drain, stack leaves on cutting board and finely chop.

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery, and cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes, or until softened. Stir in salt, crushed red pepper and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add 8 cups water, tomato purée, Parmesan rind and chopped greens. Cook, partially covered, 45 minutes, or until very thick, stirring occasionally; add more water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove rind.

To serve, place slice of bread in bottom of each bowl. Fill with soup, sprinkle with cheese, drizzle with oil and serve.
PER SERVING: 328 CAL; 7G PROT; 21G TOTAL FAT (3.5G SAT. FAT); 28G CARB; 4MG CHOL; 847MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 6G SUGARS

Recipe from the Mar. '06 issue of Vegetarian Times.

Tuscan Style Tomato and Bread Soup

Pappa al Pomodoro (Servings: 8)

Ingredients: Five ½ inch thick slices Italian bread with crusts removed, approximately 3 cups
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus another 3 tablespoons for drizzling
1 cup finely sliced summer onions
1/2 cup shredded carrots
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cubed
4 cups water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
10 basil leaves
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano.

Directions: Remove all crusts from the bread and soak the white part of the bread in a large bowl of water for approximately 5 minutes. Squeeze the bread with your hands until all of the water drains out.

In a 4-5 quart pot, heat the three tablespoons of olive oil over medium meat. Add the onions, carrots and garlic and cook together until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Then add the 4 cups of water and cook for approximately ½ hour. Then add the bread. Season lightly with salt and pepper, add the basil leaves and then adjust the level to heat so that the soup simmers. You should cook the soup for another ½ hour, whisking occasionally to break up the pieces of bread until the soup becomes dense.

Salt and pepper to taste, serve in warm bowls, drizzled with the remaining 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the Parmigiano Reggiano.

Tuscan Style Tomato and Bread Soup -- Recipe by Fortunato Nicotra, Executive Chef of Felidia Ristorante, NYC

Tomato and Bread Soup

Pappa al Pomodoro (Servings: 8)

For this dish, the ripeness and flavor of the tomatoes is imperative. Therefore, make the soup when the tomatoes are abundant and ripe and at their best-in late summer. This "zuppa" is delicious warm or served at room temperature on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:
Five 1/2 inch slices Italian bread, crusts removed
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/2 cup finely diced onions
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 lbs. ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and juice reserved or one 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, seeded and cut into ½ inch dice, juices reserved
4 cups chicken stock
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
10 fresh basil leaves

Directions: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In a deep, heavy 4- to 5-quart pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook , stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 6 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the toasted bread and stock and return to a boil. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then add the basil leaves and adjust the level of heat to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, whisking occasionally to break up the pieces of bread, until the mixture is dense and silky, about 40 minutes.

If desired, remove the garlic cloves and basil leaves. Pass the soup through a fine sieve, forcing the solids through with a ladle. (If necessary, first pass the soup through a food mill fitted with the fine disc). Correct the seasoning. Serve in warm bowls, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

Tomato and Bread Soup

Zucchini and Country Bread Lasagna

Ingredients: For the Zucchini
2 pounds firm, unblemished zucchini (6 small or 4 medium)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For Assembling the Lasagna
2 tablespoons soft butter, for the baking pan
12 or so day-old slices of country bread (from a 1-1/2 pound loaf)
6 cups Tomato Sauce
2 cups grated Grana Padano

Directions: Rinse and dry the zucchini, slice off the stem and trim the blossom end. With a sharp long bladed knife (or a mandolin if you have one) cut very thin lengthwise slices, about an 1/8-inch thick. Put them in large bowl, sprinkle over the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the 2 tablespoons of oil and toss to coat the slices with the seasonings. Assembling the Lasagna
Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400. Cut the crusts off the bread slices. If they are soft and fresh, you can dry them briefly in the oven but don’t let them get crisp or brown.

Butter the bottom and sides of the baking pan generously. Spread a cup of the tomato sauce in a thin layer in the bottom of the pan. Cover the bottom with a single layer of bread slices. Trim the slices and cut them in pieces so they fit close together and lie flat (but you don’t have to fill every small crack or hole). Spoon about 2 cups of sauce onto the bread and spread it evenly.

Make a layer of zucchini (or sautéed eggplant), using half the slices. You can lay them crosswise or lengthwise in the pan, whichever way fits best. Overlap the slices as necessary to make an even layer that completely covers the sauce. Press down gently to condense the lasagna and make more room in the pan, then sprinkle 1 cup of grated cheese evenly over the top.

Now repeat the layering: Arrange another layer of bread slices and trimmed pieces. Cover the bread with 2 more cups of sauce, spread evenly. Lay out the rest of the zucchini slices in an overlapping layer. Sprinkle another cup of cheese (or more!) in a generous layer over the top of the lasagna.

Cut a sheet of aluminum foil about 2 feet long-preferably from a wide roll of heavy-duty foil. Press the foil so it hugs the sides of the pan and bend it to make a "tent" over the lasagna that doesn't touch the surface anywhere.

Bake the lasagna covered for about 45 minutes, giving the zucchini plenty of time to cook. Remove the pan from the oven; carefully unfold the foil from the sides of the pan and lift it off completely. Don't get burned by the pan or the steam that is released and more importantly don't let the foil mess up the cheesy topping!

Return the lasagna to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is deep golden-brown. Let the casserole settle for a few minutes before serving (it will stay hot for some time). Cut in squares or rectangles of whatever size you like, and lift out individual pieces with an angled spatula.

Zucchini and Country Bread Lasagna

Chickpeas and Balsamic Vinegar Bruschetta

1/2 baguette
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Thinly slice half a baguette. Place the rounds on a baking sheet and broil them until they're golden brown (about 1 1/2 minutes per side).

In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, parsley leaves, garlic, oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture on the rounds.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Chickpeas and Balsamic Vinegar Bruschetta : RealSimple.com

Smashed Peas with Mint Bruschetta

1/2 baguette
1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
1 chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Thinly slice half a baguette. Place the rounds on a baking sheet and broil them until they're golden brown (about 1 1/2 minutes per side).

Process the peas in a food processor until roughly chopped. Stir in the mint, oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture on the rounds. Garnish the bruschetta with fresh mint leaves, if desired.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Smashed Peas with Mint Bruschetta : RealSimple.com

Tomato Bruschetta

Chef: Scott Simons -- Whole Foods Market

Ingredients:
1 pound plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
1 small red onion, minced
1/8 cup minced parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Half baguette (French bread), sliced 1/4 inch thick

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400F.

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, onion, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegars in a large mixing bowl to make the bruschetta. Place the baguette slices on a baking pan in a single layer. Bake the slices until just golden, remove them from the oven, flip them, and return to the oven until golden. Serve the warm baguette slice topped with the bruschetta.

Combine the vegetables with the olive oil, tomato puree, tomato juice, and salt and pepper in a large container. Blend in the balsamic vinegar. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

Good Morning America: Aug 2003