Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

For the sauce

• 1 24 oz. jar Monte Bene Vodka pasta sauce
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. fresh oregano
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• Parmesan cheese, sliced or shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta

• 2 cups all purpose flour 
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 large eggs

      For the filling

• 1 to 2 chicken breasts, cooked thoroughly
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 tsp. fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cut chicken breasts into small cubes. In a large bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients. Filling will be lumpy. To prepare the pasta, combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Create a well or hole in the center of the dough and crack the eggs into it. Whisk together the eggs with a fork. Gradually begin pulling flour into the eggs, allowing a moist dough to begin to form. Place the dough and any excess flour onto a floured surface. Fold dough onto itself, flatten, and repeat, allowing the dough to become gradually firmer. Begin kneading the dough, adding extra flour as needed to prevent sticking. Continue kneading until the dough forms a smooth, elastic ball and no air bubbles appear when it is sliced into. Roll dough into a ball and place in a clean bowl and cover for 30 minutes, allowing dough to rest. Divide the dough into four equal balls and place on a well-floured baking sheet. Cover dough with a clean towel to prevent it from drying out. One at a time, take each ball of dough and press it with your hands to flatten it. Feed it through the thickest setting on a pasta machine. Fold the dough again, turn it, and feed it through the pasta machine several more times. Gradually decrease the thickness on the pasta machine, feeding the dough through each setting at least once. Once you have created a long, thin sheet, cut the dough into evenly shaped squares. Place 1 tsp. of filling in the center of the square. Fold the square over so that the corners meet, forming a triangle. Fold opposite corners of the triangle together and press firmly. Toss with flour and repeat with remaining dough. 

Cook tortellinis al dente in a large pot of bowling water. Pour Monte Bene Vodka pasta sauce into a large saute pan and bring to a simmer. Add oregano, red pepper flakes, and rosemary. Drain pasta and plate. Top with sauce mixture, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and extra red pepper flakes as desired. Garnish with greens and fresh mozzarella. 

This is a fun recipe to make on a weekend with the whole family! 

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Our easy Fried Ravioli recipe can be an appetizer or main dish. Dip your tasty creation into our Spicy Marinara sauce for a flavorful explosion!

 

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Traditional spaghetti? Look closer. For those who love a more creative take on the classic Italian dish, try using vegetables in place of your pasta! Monte Bene Garlic Marinara pasta sauce sits atop a bed of spaghetti squash with chicken in this mouth-watering, flavorful meal sure to satisfy every member of the family at the dinner table.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (1½ lb) squash
• 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 jar of Monte Bene Garlic Marinara
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion (from 1 large onion)
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• Optional: ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Optional: ¼ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• Optional: ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds. Place squash, cut side down, on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until tender when pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
2. Scrape and scoop out strands with a fork, leaving a ½-inch border on sides and bottom. Place squash strands in a large bowl and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450° F.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just caramelized, about 2 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in Monte Bene Garlic Marinara sauce and crushed red pepper.
4. Add chicken mixture to bowl with squash and toss to combine. Spoon mixture evenly into squash shells. If desired, top with Mozzarella and Parmesan.

Buon Appetito!

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Thank you, Sara's Organic Eats for the wonderful post featuring our Tomato Basil pasta sauce!

Roasted garlic is a staple in Italian cooking. The aroma and flavor of roasted garlic send your taste buds on a trip to Italy. This roasted garlic ricotta penne recipe is an easy dish to make for a weeknight dinner. It is filled with a magnitude of flavor from each of the ingredients. Your family will love it!

Ingredients

• 1 jar Monte Bene Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
• 16 oz (1 pound) penne, cooked
• 10 cloves (about 1 bulb) of garlic, peeled
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• Fresh basil leaf (optional)

Preparation

• Heat Monte Bene Tomato Basil sauce in a small saucepan on low for about 10-15 minutes.
• Boil about 4 cups of water in a pot on high heat.
• Once the water is rapidly boiling add in 16 ounces of penne.
• Cook penne according to package or until desired consistency.
• In another pan, add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add 10 peeled garlic cloves.
• Sauté garlic for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring the garlic so that it doesn’t burn. Set aside.
• Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water and add it back to the pot.
• Add the sauce to the penne and mix until combined.
• Add in the roasted garlic and the remaining olive oil from the pan to the penne mixture.
• Mix until combined.
• Once combined, serve in a bowl.
• Top with 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese (per each serving), 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and a fresh basil leaf.
• Enjoy!

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Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil 
4 oz. Pancetta, cut into small dice 
¾ cup Asiago cheese, freshly grated, plus more for the top 
¾ cup Cheddar cheese, freshly grated, plus more for the top 
¾ cup Fontina cheese, freshly grated, plus more for the top 
¾ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated, plus more for the top 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
1 pound penne
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 Jar Monte Bene Vodka Pasta Sauce 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Boil water in large pot and salt. Cook penne until almost al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Warm Vodka Sauce in saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the cheese until completely melted, season with salt and pepper.

Place the cooked penne in a large bowl, add the cheese sauce, reserved pancetta and parsley and stir until combined. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.

Combine additional fontina, cheddar, asiago, and parmesan in a bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the penne.

Bake in the oven until heated through and the top is lightly golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

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Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tbsp unsalted butter        
1 tbsp flour   
1 cup & 1 tbsp milk
½ lb cheddar cheese
½ lb Gouda cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 large egg
1½ cups bread crumbs
Oil, for frying
1 jar Monte Bene Garlic Marinara pasta sauce

Preparation:

Cook the elbow macaroni al dente. Rinse and drain with cold water, and set aside in a shallow pan.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Use a whisk to add 1 cup milk, removing any lumps. Continue cooking until sauce thickens, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheeses, stirring until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold cheese mixture into cooled macaroni and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

Use an ice-cream scoop to shape cold mac and cheese into meatball-sized balls. Place on a wax-paper lined tray, cover with plastic, and freeze 4 hours.
Combine egg and tablespoon of milk in a bowl. Dip frozen mac and cheese balls in egg wash, then flour, then breadcrumbs. Place back on tray and in the freezer until ready to fry.

Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer or small saucepan to 350 degrees F. Fry mac and cheese balls until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve with Monte Bene Garlic Marinara pasta sauce.

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 jar Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce
• 6 oz. bacon
• 1 lb. spaghetti 
• 1 small onion, peeled and minced
• 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 large pinch red pepper flakes
• Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• Fresh basil to garnish

Preparation:

Chop bacon into evenly sized chunks. Add olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium heat. Add the bacon and saute about 4 minutes, until rendering fat and sizzling. Stir in the pepper flakes and black pepper. Add the onion and minced garlic and stir until the onions become soft and the bacon is golden, about 10 minutes (some of the onions should begin to caramelize). Reduce heat to low and add Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente, then drain. Take about 1 cup of the bacon sauce and stir it into the pasta to prevent it from sticking. Plate the pasta and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese and garnish with basil.

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 jar Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce
• 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 lb. linguine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
• 12 ounces cleaned squid
• 1 ¼ cups white wine
• 2 lbs. small little-necked clams, rubbed clean
• 1 10-ounce lobster tail, shelled
• 8 ounces uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 ounces bay scallops
• 3 tbsp. parsley

Preparation:

Slice squid bodies into ½ -inch rings (leave tentacles whole). Slice lobster tail meat into 1-inch cubes. Heat 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan and add garlic and crushed red pepper.  Add squid and saute until just opaque (about 3 minutes). Add white wine and simmer until reduced by half (about 20 minutes). Stir in Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes.  

In another large skillet, bring 1/4 of water to a boil. Add clams and mussels, cover, and simmer on medium heat for about 6 minutes (until shells open). Throw out any clams and mussels that don’t open. Drain shellfish into a colander set over a medium sized bowl to catch the juices from the skillet. Strain those juices into the tomato sauce, using a fine sieve. Allow tomato sauce to thicken by simmering, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

Add squid, scallops, shrimp, and lobster and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add clams and mussels and simmer for another minute. Stir in remaining olive oil and parsley and add salt and pepper to taste.

As sauce simmers, cook linguine al dente, drain and return to pot. Add about one cup of shellfish sauce to the pasta and toss. This will prevent the pasta from sticking. Plate pasta and top with remaining sauce. Top with fresh basil or extra parsley.

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Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 jar Monte Bene Vodka pasta sauce
• 2 cups leftover turkey, chopped up or shredded
• 1 lb. spaghetti, cooked al dente
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 cups cheddar or mozzarella, shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Preparation:

NOTE: For a little extra fun, you can make this in individual ramekins, but it is not necessary if you only have large casserole dishes.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the cream cheese into the spaghetti. Place in a greased casserole dish. Add your jar of Monte Bene Vodka pasta sauce and your leftover turkey. Mix well. Pour mozzarella cheese across the top of the spaghetti, distributing evenly. Add salt and pepper and then cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and then remove from oven. Take off foil and then place dish back in the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbly. 

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