email this pageMy family and I tore into that lasagna, which would have been delicious in the best of circumstances but was especially nourishing in the worst. That meal reminded us that our friends and neighbors would help us get through a tough time, and that warmth and comfort would return.
Since then, I often bring food to friends and neighbors who might need a hand. Rather than just asking, "What can I do?" I drop off a meal, snack or little treat. Whether it's to celebrate the birth of the baby or to lend help to a grieving friend, offering the gift of a meal is a simple, intuitive way to say "I care."
Story and recipes by Amy Sgarro, a food writer in Montclair, N.J.
Easy Baked Ziti
Mark Boughton Photography; styling by Teresa Blackburn
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Ingredients
Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Coarsely ground black pepper
Pasta
Cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds ziti or other short pasta (medium shells or rigatoni work well, too)
2 (15-ounce) containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella or Provolone cheese
Instructions
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Coarsely ground black pepper
Pasta
Cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds ziti or other short pasta (medium shells or rigatoni work well, too)
2 (15-ounce) containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella or Provolone cheese
1. To prepare sauce, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add salt, sugar and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
3. Cook ziti about 3 minutes less than the package directions indicate. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup of cooking water.
4. Place pasta, ricotta, salt, garlic powder, basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper and half the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix, diluting with a few spoons of pasta cooking water until creamy. Add tomato sauce and mix. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle top with mozzarella and remaining Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover with foil and bake 30 to 45 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Remove foil during last 10 minutes of cooking time to brown. Serves 10.
Recipe by Amy Sgarro, "Care Packages," Feb. 2010
Nutritional Information
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
3. Cook ziti about 3 minutes less than the package directions indicate. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup of cooking water.
4. Place pasta, ricotta, salt, garlic powder, basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper and half the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix, diluting with a few spoons of pasta cooking water until creamy. Add tomato sauce and mix. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle top with mozzarella and remaining Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover with foil and bake 30 to 45 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Remove foil during last 10 minutes of cooking time to brown. Serves 10.
Recipe by Amy Sgarro, "Care Packages," Feb. 2010
Per serving: 570 calories, 23g fat, 60mg chol., 29g prot., 65g carbs., 4g fiber, 890mg sodium.
Wine Picks: This recipe was designed as a “care package”—a nourishing dish to offer a friend who, for whatever reason, needs a hand getting food to the table. The wine you offer alongside need not be an attention-grabbing wine-geek-worthy wine, but rather an easygoing crowd-pleasing pick. My vote is a plush and comforting Carmenère from Chile, such as the inexpensive Casillero del Diablo Carmenère ($10)—I’ve never met any wine drinker who doesn’t appreciate this red.—Wini Moranville
Wine Picks: This recipe was designed as a “care package”—a nourishing dish to offer a friend who, for whatever reason, needs a hand getting food to the table. The wine you offer alongside need not be an attention-grabbing wine-geek-worthy wine, but rather an easygoing crowd-pleasing pick. My vote is a plush and comforting Carmenère from Chile, such as the inexpensive Casillero del Diablo Carmenère ($10)—I’ve never met any wine drinker who doesn’t appreciate this red.—Wini Moranville
Creamy Tomato Soup
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A container or two of this comforting soup, a loaf of bread, and bag of salad—bingo, it’s dinner. This recipe makes 10 cups—enough for a friend and some left over for you. The soup is on the sweet side, so you may want to decrease the sugar.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, minced
2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch of ground cloves
3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup half-and-half
Instructions
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, minced
2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch of ground cloves
3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup half-and-half
1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion, carrot and bay leaf; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and cloves. Stir until vegetables are well coated.
2. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat. Remove bay leaf and discard. Purée soup with an immersion blender or in a blender (working in batches) until smooth.
4. Add salt and pepper. Slowly pour in half-and-half, stirring constantly. Refrigerate until serving time.
5. When reheating soup, do not to bring to a boil, or cream will curdle. If you plan to freeze soup, do so before adding half-and-half. Makes 10 cups. Serves 6.
Recipe by Amy Sgarro, "Care Packages," Feb. 2010
Nutritional Information
2. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat. Remove bay leaf and discard. Purée soup with an immersion blender or in a blender (working in batches) until smooth.
4. Add salt and pepper. Slowly pour in half-and-half, stirring constantly. Refrigerate until serving time.
5. When reheating soup, do not to bring to a boil, or cream will curdle. If you plan to freeze soup, do so before adding half-and-half. Makes 10 cups. Serves 6.
Recipe by Amy Sgarro, "Care Packages," Feb. 2010
Per (1 2⁄3-cup) serving: 200 calories, 8g fat, 5mg chol., 5g prot., 31g carbs., 6g fiber, 630mg sodium.
Wine Picks: Tart, acidic tomatoes can wreak havoc on a wine, and that little kiss of sweetness in this soup can make a too-dry choice almost puckery. The solution: A light-on-the-tannins, fruity red. Pass the Beaujolais, please. Or hand over bottle of brightly fruity New World Pinot Noir, such the Cono Sur 2008 “Vision” Pinot Noir ($15).—Wini Moranville
Wine Picks: Tart, acidic tomatoes can wreak havoc on a wine, and that little kiss of sweetness in this soup can make a too-dry choice almost puckery. The solution: A light-on-the-tannins, fruity red. Pass the Beaujolais, please. Or hand over bottle of brightly fruity New World Pinot Noir, such the Cono Sur 2008 “Vision” Pinot Noir ($15).—Wini Moranville
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