crushed canned tomatoes

There’s no need to order takeout from your neighborhood restaurant when this beloved, easy-to-assemble Italian-American classic gets dinner on the table in no time. Adding pancetta brings a salty smokiness, but if you leave it out, you’re still in for a quick and flavorful dish. If you’re feeling ambitious, the pasta is delightful with Caesar salad or garlic bread, but it’s also satisfying enough to take centerstage. Put on some Puccini, open up a bottle of red and you’re guaranteed a more relaxed dining experience than the one you might get at the local red-and-white checkered-tablecloth joint.

Pasta Alla Vodka

Kosher salt

rigatoni or penne pasta

olive oil

pancetta,

yellow onion, finely chopped

garlic cloves, finely chopped

red-pepper flakes

vodka

tomatoes

black pepper

heavy cream

grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese,

oregano

Italian parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water). Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet or pot over medium. Add the pancetta, if using, and fry until crispy, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, add the vodka and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and then fill the can halfway with water and swish it around to loosen up any leftover tomatoes; add a quarter to half of the water to the pan. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 10 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. If you prefer your sauce a little looser, go ahead and add the remaining water and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to low, add the cream and cook, stirring, until the sauce becomes an even pinkish-rust color, about 1 minute.

Stir in the cooked pasta and 1/4 cup cheese; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, top with additional cheese, if desired, and sprinkle with the oregano and parsley.

The cookbook author Cathy Barrow always finds creative ways to make use of ingredients. She created this recipe as a savory pie filling for her book “Pie Squared: Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies,” but it also makes a good vegetarian supper when served over rice, and a nice side dish too. (Make it vegan by omitting the yogurt to serve.) Pomegranate molasses can be found in Middle Eastern markets and health-food stores and adds bright, tangy sweetness to this hearty dish.

Sumac-Scented Eggplant and Chickpeas

Italian eggplant,

Kosher salt and black pepper

sumac

garlic cloves,

pomegranate molasses,

can chickpeas, drained

scallions,

mint

white rice,

Greek yogurt,

Toasted pita,

In a deep, wide skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add half the eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a large baking sheet to cool and repeat with the remaining olive oil and eggplant. Transfer to the baking sheet.

Add the tomatoes, sumac, garlic and 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over medium-low until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the eggplant, chickpeas, half the scallions, half the mint and 1/4 cup water. Let simmer until flavors meld, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more pomegranate molasses if you like. The eggplant mixture should be a little textural, chunky even, with an assertive, tangy finish.

Divide the rice and eggplant mixture among wide, shallow bowls. Dollop with yogurt, sprinkle with the remaining scallions and mint, and serve with pita, if using.

The pizza authority Anthony Falco, once czar of the oven at Roberta’s in Brooklyn and now (literally!) an international pizza consultant, grew up in Austin, Tex., eating his great-grandmother’s Sicilian grandma pies, which he liked a great deal, and personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut, which he loved unreservedly. This recipe, he told me in 2018, pays homage to that buttery, high-lofted pie, with a crisp bottom crust, a slightly sweet sauce and an enormous amount of cheese. Slices of pepperoni make a beautiful topping, cupping in the heat of the oven and drizzling crimson oil across the edges of the pie. <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019336-pizza-dough">The dough</a> takes a long time to proof and the recipe delivers a lot of it, so making the recipe is a great excuse for planning a pizza party. Cast-iron pans are best for the baking, but square or rectangular baking pans with high sides will do nicely in a pinch.

Pan Pizza

unbleached all-purpose flour, approximately 8 cups

kosher salt,

lukewarm water, approximately 2 3/4 cups

unsalted butter,

olive oil,

active dry yeast, approximately 1 3/4 teaspoons

garlic,

tomato paste

chile flakes,

honey,

Olive oil

mozzarella,

pepperoni,

Make the dough a day or two before you want to bake; the recipe makes enough for three pies. Combine the flour and salt in your largest mixing bowl. In another mixing bowl, combine the water, butter, olive oil and yeast. Mix well.

Use a rubber spatula to create a well in the center on the flour mixture, and add to it the liquid from the other bowl, stirring with the spatula and scraping down the sides of the bowl to bring everything together. Mix it all together until it is a large, shaggy ball of wet dough, cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Uncover the dough and, with floured hands, knead it until it is uniformly smooth and sticky, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Move the dough ball into a clean mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 3 to 5 hours at room temperature, then refrigerate, at least 6 hours and up to 24.

The morning you want to make the pizzas, remove the dough from the refrigerator, divide into 3 chunks of equal size (about 600 grams each) and shape them into oblong balls. Use olive oil to grease three 10-inch cast-iron skillets, 8-inch-by-10-inch baking pans with high sides, 7-inch-by-11-inch glass baking dishes or some combination thereof, and place the balls into them. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature, 3 to 5 hours.

Make the sauce. Place a saucepan over medium-low heat, and add to it 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until it is golden and aromatic, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and a pinch of chile flakes, and raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is glossy and just beginning to caramelize.

Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, then lower heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take sauce off the heat, and stir in the honey and salt, to taste, then blend in an immersion blender or allow to cool and use a regular blender. (The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer. It makes enough for 6 or so pies.)

After 3 hours or so the dough will have almost doubled in size. Stretch the dough very gently to the sides of the pans, dimpling it softly with your fingers. The dough can then be left to rest for another 2 to 8 hours, covered with wrap.

Make the pizzas. Heat oven to 450. Gently pull the dough to the edges of the pans if it hasn’t risen to the edges already. Use a spoon or ladle to put 4 to 5 tablespoons of sauce onto the dough, gently covering it entirely. Sprinkle the low-moisture mozzarella onto the pies, then dot them with the fresh mozzarella and the pepperoni to taste. Sprinkle with the oregano and lash with a little olive oil.

Place the pizzas onto the middle rack of the oven on a large baking sheet or sheets to capture spills, then cook for 15 minutes or so. Use an offset spatula to lift the pizza and check the bottoms. The pizza is done when the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and starting to brown on top, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Birria, the regional stew from Mexico saw a meteoric rise in popularity recently, as a soupy style made with beef, popularized by birria vendors in Tijuana, took off in the United States. The chef Josef Centeno, who grew up eating beef and goat birria in Texas, makes a delicious, thickly sauced version based on his grandma Alice’s recipe, mixing up the proteins by using oxtail, lamb on the bone and even tofu (you can, too). Preparing the adobo takes time, as does browning the meat, but it’s worth it for the deep flavors in the final dish. The best way to serve birria is immediately and simply, in a bowl, with some warm corn tortillas. But make sure to put any leftovers to work: Extra meat, pulled from the bones, can be shredded for crisp <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021859-quesabirria-tacos">quesabirria tacos</a>, fried in the birria fat for cheesy, lacy edges. And the leftover broth is ideal for a comforting bowl of <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021860-birria-ramen">birria ramen</a>, with an egg and some fresh herbs on top.

Birria de Res

poblano chiles

guajillo chiles, seeded,

beef

fine sea salt

neutral oil,

white onion, finely chopped

white vinegar

ginger

dried Mexican oregano

toasted white sesame seeds

cumin

cloves

cinnamon

bay leaves

cilantro

limes, quartered

Corn tortillas, warmed

Prepare the chiles: Use tongs to place the poblano chiles directly over the open flame of a gas burner set to high. Cook the poblanos until totally charred all over, turning as needed, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap so the poblanos can steam. After 10 minutes, use your fingers to pull the blackened skins away from the poblanos, then remove the stems and seeds. Roughly chop the poblanos and set aside.

While the poblano chiles steam, place a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches to cook the guajillo chiles evenly in one layer, flatten the chile halves on the hot skillet and toast them for about 15 seconds, turning once. Put the chiles in a bowl and add 2 cups hot water to help soften them. Set aside.

Prepare the meat: Season the meat all over with the salt. Heat the oil in a large, oven-proof pot over medium-high. Working in batches, sear the meat on all sides until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side, transferring the browned meat to a large bowl as you work.

After you’ve seared all the meat, add the onion to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Return all the meat to the pot.

Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oregano, sesame seeds, cumin, cloves and a few grinds of black pepper to a blender, along with the chopped poblanos, toasted guajillos and the chile soaking liquid. Purée until smooth, scraping down the edges of the blender as needed.

Pour the blended mixture into the pot with the meat. Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, along with about 4 to 6 cups of water, enough to amply cover the meat.

Cover and cook in the oven until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours.

Divide among bowls and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing on top, and a side of warm tortillas.

The chef Paul Prudhomme's unassailably authentic seafood jambalaya requires two hours of cooking time, apart from the preparation. This version stands up reasonably well, and cuts down the preparation and cooking time to just under 60 minutes.

Shrimp Jambalaya

shrimp

flour

onion

onions

green pepper

celery

garlic

thyme

Salt

pepper

shrimp broth

green onion

Peel and devein the shrimp. The shells may be used to make a broth (<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10445-shrimp-broth" target="_blank">see recipe</a>).

Heat the oil in a kettle or large saucepan with a heavy bottom over medium heat. Add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Do not burn.

Add the onion, green onions, green pepper, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Add ham and stir. Add the tomatoes, thyme and oregano, and bring to a boil. Stir in the uncooked rice, if desired. Add salt, pepper and shrimp broth. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, about 25 minutes; add the shrimp and stir. Cook about 10 minutes longer or until it has thickened, but is still slightly soupy. Serve in bowls with chopped green onions on the side as an optional garnish.

A simple sauce made mostly with pantry staples, this spicy, tomatoey take on a ragù, which is traditionally long-cooked, is unapologetically lamb-forward. If you prefer, you could use pork, beef or a mix of all three. Whatever you do, try not to skip the anchovies — they add a depth of flavor typically achieved by a long simmer, and anchovy-haters won't even know they are there.

Quick Lamb Ragù

red-pepper flakes (optional)

anchovy

lamb

noodles

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have become translucent and have totally softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add a pinch of red-pepper flakes and anchovies, if using, and cook for a minute or two, just to toast the spices and melt the anchovies.

Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring occasionally so it has a chance to stick to the bottom of the pot and caramelize a bit, 2 or 3 minutes.

Add lamb and season with salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon or a spatula, stir lamb until the fat starts to soften and the meat begins to break down. Continue to cook, stirring rather frequently until the lamb begins to brown and sizzle in its own fat, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pot. Fill the tomato can halfway with water and swirl around to get all the remaining tomato, then add to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until sauce is thickened and insanely flavorful, 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve sauce mixed into and over pasta with plenty of cheese for grating over the top, scattered with a small handful of marjoram, oregano or thyme leaves if you like.

Matthew Hyland, a chef and an owner of the Emily and Emmy Squared restaurants in New York and Nashville, is known for making exemplary pizza and hamburgers. But his sandwich game is strong as well. This one recalls the flavors that he first experienced as a college student in Bristol, R.I., which has supported a sizable Portuguese community since at least the late 19th century. It is a sloppy Joe of sorts, built on a base of crumbled Mexican-style chorizo, which Hyland uses in place of chourico, a Portuguese sausage also spiced with paprika and garlic. He uses chorizo because he can’t regularly find chourico in his neighborhood stores. I can, sometimes. Other times, not, and I can’t find Mexican chorizo either. Then I use Guatemalan chorizo instead. It’s a great sandwich whichever member of the chorizo family you use. Do not stint on the olives, banana peppers or celery seeds. The celery seeds especially, a nod to one of the toppings scattered on a Rhode Island “New York System” hot dog, are a perfect touch.

Chorizo Sloppy Joes With Kale and Provolone

Mexican

whole cumin seeds

green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

hot pepper sauce,

Portuguese-style rolls hero rolls

Provolone

baby kale or spinach leaves

banana peppers

celery seeds

Make the chorizo filling for the sandwich. Set a large, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil into the pan, and when it shimmers and is about to smoke, add the chorizo, breaking up the meat with a spoon. Cook the chorizo, stirring occasionally and continuing to break down its bulk, until the meat has rendered some of its fat and started to brown, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.

Stir in the cumin, then add the bell pepper, onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables wilt, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 cup water and the hot sauce, and bring to a simmer, using the spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom and sides of the skillet. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the vegetables are very tender, approximately 20 minutes. Keep warm or let cool, then refrigerate and reheat when ready to use.

To assemble the sandwiches, split and toast the rolls, then place 1 to 2 slices of Provolone on the bottom part of each, and divide the warm chorizo filling on top. Place equal portions of the kale on top of the filling, along with equal portions of banana peppers and olives. Sprinkle each sandwich aggressively with celery seeds, put the top part of the bread on and serve.

This Moroccan-inspired take on vegetable chili is not so much spicy as it is spiced, using ingredients you’re likely to have stocked in your pantry. In place of the same old kidney beans, this recipe uses butternut squash, cauliflower and chickpeas, making it a lighter, fresher update on the classic dish. Like any good pot of chili, this is even better reheated the next day.

Vegetarian Chili With Butternut Squash and Moroccan Spices

yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

chili powder

ground sweet or hot paprika

garlic (about 3 cloves)

chickpeas,

vegetable broth

brown sugar

cauliflower,

yogurt

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onions, chili powder, paprika, cumin and cinnamon, and cook until tender, stirring often and lowering the heat as necessary to keep the spices from burning, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. (Be careful not to let the garlic burn.)

Add the squash, chickpeas, broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the cauliflower into bite-size florets, trimming and discarding any long stems.

Add the cauliflower to the pot and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thick and the vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Season to taste with salt, and serve hot, with yogurt and scallions, if desired.

Whether it’s called red sauce, sugo or gravy, you’ll find a big pot of the rich tomato sauce simmering all Sunday long in many Italian-American households. Every family has their own version, but this recipe includes shreddy pork shoulder, sausage and meatballs. This slow-cooker version lets you simmer it overnight or while you’re not home, and without splatters and stirring (though you can also <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022972-sunday-sauce">make it on a stovetop</a>). Once the sauce is done, coat pasta in the sauce, spoon the meats on top and serve it with a green salad, crusty bread and red wine. Sauce can be kept refrigerated for up to one week and frozen for up to three months.

Slow-Cooker Sunday Sauce

basil

pork shoulder,

extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

yellow onion, coarsely chopped

red wine

Parmesan

In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, add the crushed tomatoes and basil sprigs. Season the pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, cook the pork until browned on two sides, 8 to 10 minutes total, adding more oil if the pan looks dry. Transfer pieces to the slow cooker as they finish. Add the sausages to the pot and cook until browned, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker. 

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, if needed, and the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the red wine, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Scrape the onion-wine mixture into the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the meatballs on top. (It’s OK if they’re sticking out of the sauce.) Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the pork shoulder falls apart when shredded with a fork. 

When you’re ready to eat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. While the pasta boils, slice the sausage and shred the pork shoulder on a cutting board, and leave it there. When the pasta is al dente, reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot. Over medium heat, toss the pasta with enough sauce to coat (about 4 cups), adding pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to the pasta. (Some meatballs might end up in the pasta pot; that’s OK.) Return the sausage and pork shoulder to the remaining sauce in the slow cooker.

Divide pasta between bowls, then top with a bit of each meat. Pass the Parmesan and extra meat and sauce at the table.

Top 9 crushed canned tomatoes recipes from across the web

The most viewed crushed canned tomatoes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Pasta Alla Vodka

Sumac-Scented Eggplant and Chickpea...

Pan Pizza

Birria de Res

Shrimp Jambalaya

Quick Lamb Ragù

Chorizo Sloppy Joes With Kale and P...

Vegetarian Chili With Butternut Squ...

Slow-Cooker Sunday Sauce

Top 9 crushed canned tomatoes recipes from across the web

The most viewed crushed canned tomatoes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Pasta Alla Vodka

Sumac-Scented Eggplant and Chickpea...

Pan Pizza

Birria de Res

Shrimp Jambalaya

Quick Lamb Ragù

Chorizo Sloppy Joes With Kale and P...

Vegetarian Chili With Butternut Squ...

Slow-Cooker Sunday Sauce

The most viewed crushed canned tomatoes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine