Italian Ziti Medley Recipes

ITALIAN ZITI MEDLEY

Steps:

• In a 4 quart saucepan, brown sausage, remove and drain.
• Melt butter and cook mushrooms, peppers and onion until tender, but not brown. Blend flour into vegetable mix; gradually stir in mil. Cook stirring constantly over medium low heat until mixture boils. Boil and stir one minute.
• Blend in 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and pepper until cheeses are melted and mix is smooth.
• Cook Ziti and drain.
• Stir hot cooked ziti and sausage into vegetable cheese mixture. Pour into a butter 2 quart casserole. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.
• Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

SICILIAN MEDLEY

Steps:

• Cook ziti according to package directions drain, return to pot, cover and keep warm if necessary.Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, sauté sausage for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned drain well to remove excess fat. Increase heat to medium-high.Add tomatoes, green pepper, parsley and tomato paste. Cook and stir for 8 to 10 minutes or until green pepper is crisp-tender and juices are thickened.Stir in drained ziti and olives. Transfer to a warm platter or serving dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

ZITI WITH ROASTED PEPPERS, GREEN OLIVES, AND SPICY SALAMI

Steps:

• Char bell peppers directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose peppers in paper bag and cool completely. Peel, stem, and seed peppers. Cut peppers lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
• With machine running, drop garlic and shallot through processor feed tube and chop coarsely. Add olives, parsley, olive oil, and oregano and chop finely. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Peppers and olive mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate separately. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well. Return pasta to pot; stir in peppers and olive mixture. Add salami and cheese; toss to combine. Serve warm or let stand at room temperature up to 2 hours.
• Buyer's guide:
• Look for brined green olives (not canned) in bins or jars in the supermarket's deli section. Spicy salami is widely available at Italian delis and at some supermarkets. The test kitchen used Piller's Caliente Salamil call 323-588-2100 or go to pillers.com to find a store in your area.