Penne With Caramelized Onions And Fontina Recipes

BAKED PENNE WITH FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x12-inch baking dish with nonfat cooking spray. Set aside.
• Put on a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.
• Toast the pine nuts in a large skillet over medium heat. When pine nuts are golden brown, add olive oil, garlic, salt, and red chile pepper flakes. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes (break up with a spoon) and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until sauce thickens.
• While sauce is simmering, cook pasta to according to package directions for "firm". Drain and pour pasta into prepared baking dish. Stir in butter to coat. Add sauce and Parmesan cheese and stir well. Top with Fontina cheese and parsley and place in oven.
• Cook, uncovered, for 8 to 9 minutes or until cheese melts.

CREAMY BAKED PENNE WITH CHICKEN, SPINACH, AND FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of the tomatoes, the heavy cream and 3/4 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the penne in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to a large bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, spinach, rotisserie chicken, half of the fontina and pecorino and all of the basil to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining fontina and pecorino. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

PENNE WITH CARAMELIZED ONION-GORGONZOLA CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and garlic to coat with butter. Cook uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is light golden brown. Do not let onion or garlic burn. (Onions will shrink during cooking.)
• Meanwhile, fill large pot with 5 quarts water; heat to boiling over high heat. When water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt if desired. When water returns to boil, add pasta. Stir immediately to make sure it doesn't stick to itself or pan. Boil pasta 9 to 10 minutes or until cooked through but still slightly firm. Drain in colander. There is no need to shake off excess moisture.
• Add onion mixture to pot. Increase heat to medium and add 1 cup of the whipping cream and 1/4 cup butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter melts and cream simmers. Stir in cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add drained pasta and remaining 3/4 cup whipping cream. Cook and stir until pasta is coated and sauce is hot.

PANINI WITH CARAMELIZED ONION, PEAR AND FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat a large grill pan or griddle over medium to medium high heat. Preheat a small skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and butter to the small skillet. Add onion to the melted butter and oil. Saute the onion, stirring frequently, 10 to 12 minutes or until onions are caramel colored and soft. Build sandwiches: spread 1/4 of the onions on each of 4 slices of bread. Top onions with a thin layer of fontina and sprinkle with chopped sage. Add a thin layer of pears to each sandwich, then more fontina and the top slice of bread. Drizzle the sandwiches with extra-virgin olive oil. Place drizzled side down and arrange the sandwiches on hot grill or griddle. Drizzle opposite side of each sandwich with oil and weigh the sandwiches with foil wrapped bricks or with a heavy skillet, weighted with a sack of flour or canned goods. Press sandwiches 2 or 3 minutes on each side and serve immediately.