The best leftover creations are those that become recipes of their own, worthy of making solely on their own merit. I typically make huge batches of Bolognese (meat sauce for us normal folk… here is my recipe), I always tuck some away in the freezer. So, this isn’t really a next night leftover meal for us, but a “hey, I can pull this plus some peas out of the freezer and have a yummy dinner in about 15 minutes without going to the store” type of dinner. We all need one of those to fall back on.
Leftover Bolognese with rigatoni, cream & peas
1 lb. of rigatoni (or penne) pasta
sea salt
2 cups of bolognese sauce
*mushrooms – if I had had some on hand!
1/3 cup of cream
1 cup of frozen peas
1/4 cup of parmesan
Cook pasta in large pot of salted boiling water. Meanwhile, reheat bolognese in a large saute pan. Once bubbly, add cream and simmer for about 3 minutes. Drain pasta and add to bolognese, tossing to coat. Add peas and fold in. Finish with parmesan.
This was inspired by a local Italian bistro that we love (Bella Napoli, for locals). Restaurants have to be great at utilizing leftovers to survive. I’m always looking for inspiration from restaurant menus. Next up is a classic minestrone from this same Italian spot. They stop offering their soups during the warmer months, so I had to figure it out for myself. It sounds especially good on this rainy day : )