INGREDIENTS:

2 (16 oz.) pkg. Green Giant frozen pasta accents primauere
1/4 c. chopped red onion
1 1/4 c. salad dressing
1 tbsp. sugar
4 c. finely chopped lettuce
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (2 c.)
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare pasta accents as directed on package until vegetables are crisp-tender. Spoon evenly over bottom of ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking dish or 3 quart bowl; sprinkle with onion. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour. In small bowl, combine salad dressing and sugar, blend well and spread over chilled salad and lettuce. Sprinkle cheese and bacon on top. Refrigerate 6 hours. Serves 4. May cut in half and use 8 inch square baking dish. Serves 7.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb. vermicelli
1/3 c. finely chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
1 c. grated fresh Romano cheese
3 eggs
1 (15 or 16 oz.) container Ricotta cheese
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & well drained
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (26 oz.) jar pasta sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break vermicelli into thirds; cook according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook onion and garlic in oil until tender, remove from heat, add vermicelli, 1/2 cup Romano cheese and 1 egg; mix well. Press into well-greased 9 inch springform pan. Combine 2 egg yolks, Ricotta, spinach, salt and remaining 1/2 cup of Romano cheese. Spread over pasta layer.

In small mixing bowl, beat 2 egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce. Pour over spinach mixture. Bake 50-60 minutes or until set; let stand 10 minutes. Heat remaining pasta sauce, serve with pie.

INGREDIENTS:

Egg pasta
1/4 c. olive oil
1 lg. onion, diced
2 slices of bacon, diced
1 chicken, cut in 8 pieces
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
4 whole cloves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tsp. tomato paste
1 c. dry white wine
2 1/2 c. chicken stock or canned broth
3 bay leaves
2 c. sliced mixed mushrooms
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Salsa
1 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (6 oz.)
1 1/2 c. shredded Italian Fontina cheese (about 1/2 pound)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut the egg pasta dough in half and roll out each piece to the next to the last setting on a manual pasta machine. Cut the dough crosswise into 3 1/2 inch wide strips. Let rest for at least 30 minutes.

2. In a large nonreactive casserole, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and bacon and saute’ over high heat until golden. Add the chicken, rosemary and cloves, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is lightly browned all over, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the chicken. Stir in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan, then add the stock and bay leaves and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes.

3. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the sauce and skim off the fat. Return the sauce to the casserole and cook over high heat until it has reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 12 minutes. Shread the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Return the meat to the sauce.

4. In a medium skillet, saute’ the mushrooms in the butter over moderately high heat for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add to the chicken sauce. Cook the sauce gently for 5 minutes, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Drop 4 strips of the pasta into the boiling water, stir and let return to a boil; boil for 6 seconds. Transfer the cooked pasta to the bowl of cold water and separate the strips with your hands. Spread the strips out on a damp towel. Repeat with remaining pasta strips.

6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a well-buttered 9×13 inch ceramic or glass baking dish with 7 strips of pasta, allowing the ends to hang 2 inches over the edge. Set aside 1 cup of the Salsa, 3 tablespoons of the chicken sauce and 2 tablespoons each of the Parmigiano and Fontina cheeses.

7. Spread 1/4 of the remaining Salsa evenly over the pasta and sprinkle with 1/3 of the Fontina. Cover with 4 pasta strips. Sprinkle 1/3 of the Parmigiano on top and cover with 1/3 of the chicken sauce. Top with 5 pasta strips. Repeat this layering 2 more times, ending with a layer of Salsa. Cover with any remaining pasta strips and fold in the over-hanging ends to seal. Top with the reserved Salsa, chicken sauce and cheeses and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

Lots of work but worth it.