I've been told that, as a little girl, I had quite a flare for the "dramatic". If I would begin to carry on about one thing or another, my mom would give me a little look and say, "Alright Sarah". Why "Sarah", you ask? After all, that's not my name. Well, she was referring to Sarah Bernhardt, who was considered the greatest French actress of the later 19th century and one of the best-known figures in the history of the stage. She had a reputation as a serious dramatic actress. Now, even as a child, I knew I wasn't being complimented. The real message was "Tone it down a little" or "You're being a little over dramatic".
Today, as an adult, I still enjoy drama, if done well and love things that have something special or unique about them. This recipe encompasses all of that. Although I've made and eaten a lot of pasta, in my day, I've never seen any pasta dish done this way before. Pasta is tossed with a basic tomato sauce, several cheeses, and fresh basil. Then it's covered with a layer of parchment paper and baked in the oven. When it comes out, the parchment is cut open and the pasta is served with dollops of fresh ricotta....YUM!
