Florentine Veggie Sauce With Pasta Recipes

VEGETARIAN PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute the onions and peppers in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, eggplant and mushrooms; cook and stir for 5 minutes., Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until sauce is thickened.

CREAMY CHICKEN FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Place a large skillet over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil together. Cook chicken for 5 minutes per side until golden brown and no longer pink.
• Remove chicken from pan, transfer to a plate, and cover to keep warm.
• To the same pan, add mushrooms and a pinch of salt and saute until tender. Remove from pan. Wipe out the pan.
• Return skillet to heat. Melt remaining butter and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
• Add wine to the skillet to deglaze and simmer for 3 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
• Add milk and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens. Add Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until cheese is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add spinach to the sauce and cook until wilted Add mushrooms back in and stir into sauce.
• Return chicken to pan. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve warm.

VEGAN PASTA FLORENTINE

Steps:

• If making the tofu, once you have pressed it, preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F).
• Cut your block of tofu into triangles and set aside.
• Using 3 medium sized mixing bowls, add the non-dairy milk and lemon juice to the first bowl, whisk to combine. In the second bowl, add the flour and the salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Add the panko to the third bowl.
• Now, take a triangle of tofu and put it in the non-dairy milk mixture, then into the flour mixture, coat completely. Then back in the milk, back in the flour, back in the milk and then into the panko. Making sure it is completely coated.
• Place on a sheet pan sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with a silicone mat. Repeat with all the tofu.
• Then spray the tops of the tofu with non-stick spray to help the tofu brown. Sprinkle with a bit of salt.
• Bake for 15 minutes, flip, spray again with non-stick spray and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• While the tofu bakes, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain when the pasta is al dente.
• Make the sauce while the pasta and tofu cook. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high.
• Add the garlic and onions. Sauté, reducing heat as needed until the onion is translucent. About 3-4 minutes.
• Add the wine and simmer until most of it has absorbed, another 3-4 minutes.
• Now, add the non-dairy milk and vegetable broth. Stir to combine and then bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low.
• Add the vegan cream cheese and the vegan parmesan and whisk until they are fully melted. This may take a few minutes. Just keep whisking.
• Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Add the spinach and stir it in to the sauce. Heat for just another minute so that the spinach doesn't over cook but is wilted.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Once the pasta is done and drained, add it to the skillet with the sauce and toss to combine. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve the pasta with some crispy tofu and a squeeze of lemon juice on top of the tofu.

VEGGIE LASAGNA FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of lightly salted, boiling water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Rinse with cool water, drain, and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chopped onions, mushrooms, garlic, and zucchini in the oil until soft. Stir in both cans of crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, brown sugar, and salt to taste. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, microwave frozen spinach until cooked. Cool, and then squeeze out excess water. Drain cottage cheese. Using a mixer, blend spinach, cottage cheese, eggs, and 2 tablespoons basil until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread 1 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 cottage cheese/spinach mixture, 1/3 of remaining sauce, and 1/3 cheese mixture. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients. Sprinkle top with remaining 1 tablespoon of dried basil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE PASTA

Steps:

• To cook pasta, bring pot of water to rolling boil. Season with salt. Cook pasta for 10-12 minutes or until just al-dente. Once cooked, drained. Set aside.
• Heat a large deep saute pan on medium heat. Add 2 teaspoon oil, and fresh spinach with generous pinch of salt. Work in 1-2 batches to saute fresh spinach until it is wilted. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Set aside.
• To cook chicken, wipe the skillet clean. Add 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of sun-dried tomato oil. Heat on medium heat. Season chicken thighs with generous sprinkle of salt and good coat of black pepper. Place in hot skillet. Cook each side until nice crust develops and chicken is cooked through. Take out in a plate and set aside. (See Note 2)
• To make florentine sauce, add remaining oil to pan. (No need to clean pan again) Add chopped onion. Saute until onions are soft (2 minutes) Add garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes with dried oregano. Saute for 1 minute. Don't let garlic burn. Add half-half (milk-cream) and chicken stock. Bring to boil, and simmer until sauce thickens. (3-4 minutes) Mix shredded cheese and chopped drained spinach. Stir to distribute quickly.
• To assemble and serve, taste and season the sauce with salt and black pepper. Add drained pasta. Coat in the sauce. Mix in chicken or serve on the side. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve and enjoy.

PASTA FLORENTINE (VEGETARIAN)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside. Lightly grease a baking dish.
• Heat butter in a Dutch oven (or other heavy based pan) over medium-high heat; saute onion 5 minutes or until just brown. Add garlic, and cook about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and add spinach; cover and cook 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.
• Sprinkle spinach mixture with flour. Cook uncovered, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring well. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat; stir in cooked pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, sugar, salt and pepper, and red pepper. Place into prepared dish and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese melts
• Devour.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package instructions then drain and set aside (while pasta cooks, continue on).
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large, deep pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chicken and sauté the first side until golden brown (5 min), flip, cover and sauté another 5 min or until cooked through. Remove from pan and rest 10 min before slicing against the grain.
• In the same pan, add 1 Tbsp oil if needed along with sliced mushrooms and green onion. Sauté until soft and golden (5 min). Remove from pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add 2 Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp flour and pressed garlic then whisk 2 min. Slowly whisk in 1 cup chicken broth then 1 cup milk. Bring to a simmer and whisk until smooth and creamy (2 min). Add spinach and stir until wilted (1 min). Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper or season to taste.
• Add sliced chicken, sautéed mushrooms and drained pasta and toss to combine. Season to taste if needed and serve with parmesan cheese.

FIORENTINA BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Boil the pasta for 10 mins, drain, then tip back into the pan. Meanwhile, heat grill to medium. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the mushrooms, then cook over a high heat for 5 mins until lightly golden. Reduce the heat, add the garlic, then fry for another min until softened. Season and spoon into a large, shallow baking dish.
• Tip the spinach sauce and half the cheese into the pasta, then put back on the heat for a few mins until heated through. Season to taste, then spoon the pasta over the mushrooms in an even layer. Scatter the remaining cheese over the top and grill for about 5 mins until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling.

FLORENTINE VEGGIE SAUCE WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Fill a medium saucepot with water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and season with salt. Drop the carrots into the boiling salted water and cook until tender. Drain them and place into a blender or food processor. Add the stock and purée. While the carrots are cooking, fill a large pasta pot with water and place over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add some salt and drop the penne. Cook to al dente according to package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet over medium-high heat sauté the onion and garlic with some EVOO until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Stir in the puréed carrots along with the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Wilt the spinach into the skillet with the carrot mixture then stir in the heavy cream. Season with some grated nutmeg. Let the veggie mixture reduce over medium-low heat until thick. It should have a sauce-like consistency. Add the cooked penne to the skillet and mix until combined. Served topped with some shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.