Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

 

Since we owe the existence of sun-dried tomatoes to the Italians, let's start off with a traditional Italian recipe. This hearty dish is the perfect entrée for a cool winter's eve, with lots of rich cheese and creamy sauce. This particular recipe is enough for two baking dishes' worth, one to serve now and one to freeze for later. But, if you just want to make enough for the present, halve the recipe ingredients and go for it.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing the baking dishes

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 pound penne rigate

1 teaspoon oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut horizontally

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

4 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups whole milk

10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups shredded provolone

1 cup finely grated Parmesan

 

 

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two shallow, 2-quart baking dishes with butter. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until 3 minutes short of al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Using medium-high heat, warm the oil in a large skillet. Season the chicken halves with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Cook until the chicken is opaque throughout (about 3 to 5 minutes on each side). Cut each piece in half lengthwise, and then slice thinly crosswise.

Using a heavy pot (or a Dutch oven, if you've got one), melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour and garlic to the melted butter. Whisk the mixture as it cooks, gradually adding milk, for about a minute. Bring it to a simmer while continuing to whisk. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook for another minute. Remove the pot from the burner and gradually stir in the provolone and half cup of Parmesan.

Add the chicken and pasta to the pot, and then divide the mixture between the two baking dishes. Sprinkle the tops with the rest of the Parmesan. Bake the dishes, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbling (about 25 minutes). Let the dish stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serve one dish and freeze the other -- it'll keep for up to three months.

Sun-dried Tomato Soup with Cheese Panini

 

Grilled cheese and tomato soup is a classic American pairing. This particular recipe is a nice twist on the original, using sun-dried tomatoes in addition to fresh ones, and ciabatta panini in place of a plain grilled cheese sandwich. The result is a simple meal whose flavor is anything but.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, sliced

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

1 tomato, diced

3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 sprigs thyme

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

4 ciabatta rolls

1/2 pound Italian Fontina cheese slices

 

Directions:

In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, stirring over medium-high heat until softened (about 4 minutes). Add the fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, stock and thyme, and then bring it to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Take out the sprigs of thyme.

Transfer the soup to a blender. Add the cream and puree until the mixture is smooth. Be sure to hold the top of the blender in place using a dish towel; blending hot liquids can literally blow the lid off your blender if left unattended.

Once you're finished blending, pour the soup back into the saucepan and season it with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the burner to medium so your soup is still nice and hot when your sandwich finishes cooking.

Add the sliced cheese to the ciabatta rolls. If you have a panini press, you're good to go; press until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted. Otherwise, cook them on the stovetop as you would an ordinary grilled cheese sandwich.

Sun-dried Tomato Risotto

 

Risotto is a traditional Italian rice dish. There are innumerable variations to be found in cookbooks and online, pairing the creamy rice with everything from scallops to beets. Risotto can be a little time-consuming, owing to the chef having to constantly stir the rice until it's fully cooked, but gourmands the world over agree that it's worth the effort. This recipe includes our star ingredient, as well as a few staples of traditional Italian cooking.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil, about 10)

1 cup water

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup Arborio rice

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (if desired)

 

Directions:

Simmer the tomatoes and water in a small saucepan for about a minute. Drain the tomatoes (but keep the liquid!) and chop them. Combine the leftover liquid with the broth in a saucepan, and bring the mixture to a slight simmer.

In a larger saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil over low heat; stir until they're softened. Add the rice, stirring until all the grains are coated, and then add the tomatoes.

Add a half cup of the simmering liquid to this mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until all the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the liquid a half cup at a time, allowing each portion to be absorbed by the rice before adding the next. Continue this process until the rice is tender but still al dente. This should take about 17 minutes.

Stir in the Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste, and add the fresh parsley for a garnish.