The Painted Apron

Take-out Tuesday, Zucchini Boats on an Orzo Sea with Pesto Spirals

Posted by the Painted Apron on August 6, 2013 · 5 Comments 

This is basically spaghetti and meat sauce…Shhhh…. when you change it up just a tad and give it a fancy name, you turn a cow’s ear into a silk purse~is that how the saying goes?   Something like that!   Whipping up the Pesto Spirals takes about, umm, 30 seconds!

I only had one zucchini which wasn’t quite enough for 4 so instead of individual stuffed zucchini boats, I decided to make  zucchini “row boats”…haha

and put them on a bed of pasta to catch the overflow of sauce

Cut the washed zucchini in half and then cut the halves again to make 4 little boats

and toss them into the microwave, wrapped in a paper towel, and try not to judge me for having crumbs in my microwave.  I cleaned it right after I took this photo,  I promise!

Cook them for 2 minutes or until fairly soft, and scoop out zucchini pulp with a melon baller or spoon

Sprinkle with salt and let drain upside down on a paper towel

This is so important to prevent a soggy casserole later

Saute some Italian sausage until brown. Remove from skillet and drain.

Add mushrooms to the sausage drippings, throw some diced onion and garlic into the skillet too if you want.  When mushrooms are done, return sausage to the skillet

Throw in the zucchini pulp, season with salt & pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder {if you didn’t use fresh garlic} and give it a stir~

Sometimes simple is just hard to beat~

I didn’t have much in the pantry to choose from, but I had a little orzo and a little ditalini, both small pastas.  After cooking, I mixed them with a little ok, a lot, of Parmesan,  to make the “orzo sea”

Top the pasta with the zucchini boats

and load them up with meat sauce

Top with more Parmesan and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until heated through and bubbly.  You can also assemble and refrigerate for later baking if desired.

The rolls are just refrigerated bread stick dough

Spread with pesto

and cut into spirals

and baked according to package directions

Pesto Spirals

fast and delicious baked rolls

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 8 rolls

Ingredients

  

• 1 can breadstick dough or crescent roll dough sheet
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto
• Parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• Unroll dough onto a piece of parchment paper
• Spread dough with an even layer of pesto and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
• Starting at long end, roll dough into a log, using parchment paper if desired. Place log seam side down on paper. Wrap paper around dough and refrigerate for 1 hour if time permits, to make slicing easier.
• Slice into 8- 12 slices and place slices cut side up on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake according to package directions for dough, or until dough is golden and cooked through.
• Garnish with additional Parmesan if desired.

Dinner’s ready!

Here’s the recipe:

ZUCCHINI BOATS ON AN ORZO SEA

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 2 Italian sausage links
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 onion chopped
• Italian seasoning
• garlic powder or 1 garlic clove minced
• 1-2 zucchini
• 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
• Orzo or any small past

Instructions

 

• Wash zucchini, trim ends and cut in half. Scoop out pulp with a melon baller and dice pulp. Salt zucchini and turn upside down on paper towels to drain while you make sauce.
• Brown sausage in skillet, remove and drain well. Add mushrooms, zucchini pulp and onion to skillet and cook until mushrooms are golden and onions are soft. Return sausage to skillet and season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic powder or garlic. Add Marinara and simmer for 15 minutes. Cook pasta, drain. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Place pasta in the bottom of and oil sprayed casserole dish and top with zucchini boats. Fill zucchini boats generously with sauce and top with more Parmesan. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or bake at 350 until hot and bubbly, 30-45 minutes. Serves 4.

Keyword do ahead, Italian casserole, orzo, stuffed zucchini, zucchini, zucchini marinara

Thanks for your visit,  just change up your pasta shape and give it a fancy title and people will think you’ve spent all day in the kitchen!

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I’ll be sharing at:

Love Bakes Good Cakes

Worthing Court

Posed Perfection

Stone Gable

Easy Life