Everyday Pasta Read online

  ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

  ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  3 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)

  1½ cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 5 ounces)

  Preheat the oven to 350°F.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain.

  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and the garlic to the pan and sauté until the shrimp are cooked, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and let cool. Coarsely chop the cooled shrimp and place in a large bowl with 2 cups of the ricotta cheese (one container and about one-third of the other), the Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the nutmeg. Stir to combine.

  In another bowl, combine the marinara sauce with the remaining 1 cup of ricotta cheese and stir to combine.

  To make the lasagna, cover the bottom of a 9 × 13 × 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of the marinara mixture. Lay four noodles flat on a dry work surface. Spread about ¼ cup of the shrimp mixture evenly over each noodle. Roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat twice more to make 12 lasagna rolls. Drizzle the rolls with the remaining marinara mixture and top with grated mozzarella. Bake until the lasagna rolls are heated through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

  4 to 6 servings, depending on how you plate it

  When orzo, rice-shaped pasta, is cooked like risotto, it becomes soft and creamy. It’s a wonderful foil for pork, as well as chicken or seafood, and you can change the seasonings to match the protein. A drizzle of herby vinaigrette over the pork and orzo gives an extra zing of flavor.

  Orzotto

  3½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

  3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  ¾ cup finely chopped onion (about 1 onion)

  1 pound orzo pasta

  ½ cup dry white wine

  ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  Herb Vinaigrette

  Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

  ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  Pinch of cayenne pepper

  Pork Chops

  3 tablespoons olive oil

  4 boneless pork loin chops, about 2 inches thick

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

  For the orzotto, in a medium saucepan, bring the 3½ cups of broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the broth and keep hot over low heat.

  Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the orzo and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add ½ cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the pasta, adding the broth ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total.

  Meanwhile, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a small jar or tight-sealing plastic container. Shake well and set aside.

  For the pork, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, carefully place the pork chops in the skillet. Sear the pork until a golden crust begins to form, turning once, about 8 minutes per side. Remove the pork from the pan and cover loosely with foil to rest. Pour off the excess oil from the pan and return it to medium heat. Pour the ½ cup of chicken broth into the skillet and, using a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat.

  To finish the orzotto, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the broth from the pork skillet, the Parmesan cheese, the remaining tablespoon of butter, and the salt and pepper.

  Spoon the orzotto onto a serving platter (or onto individual plates). Slice each chop into ½-inch-thick strips and arrange the meat on top of the orzotto. Drizzle with the herb vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

  Spaghetti with Pinot Grigio and Seafood

  4 to 6 servings

  If you love seafood stew, this is the dish for you. It’s bright and colorful from the greens and the tomatoes, with lots of great sauce to dip your bread in.

  1 pound spaghetti

  ¼ cup olive oil

  3 shallots, chopped

  3 garlic cloves, minced

  ¾ cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

  1½ cups Pinot Grigio (or other dry white wine)

  1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

  2 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  2 cups arugula, tough stems removed

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until tender but not brown. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute. Add the wine, shrimp, and clams and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer until the shrimp are pink and the clams have opened, about 7 minutes. Discard any clams that have not opened.

  Add the spaghetti to the skillet with the seafood mixture. Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine, then gently fold in the arugula. Mound the pasta on a serving platter and serve immediately.

  Butternut Squash Tortelloni with Cranberry Walnut Sauce

  4 to 6 servings

  This recipe has several steps, but give it a try; I think you’ll find that none of the steps is difficult, and you can prepare the recipe in stages if you like. Make the filling one day, fill and cook the tortelloni the next, or make and fill the pasta to freeze, and cook anytime you want!

  The autumn flavors of squash, nuts, and cranberries make this the perfect side dish for a big holiday meal, or a vegetarian alternative for the non-meat eaters at the table.

  Squash Tortelloni

  1 butternut squash, approximately 2 pounds, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)

  4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  1½ teaspoons herbes de Provence

  ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  2 large shallots, chopped (about ½ cup)

  2 garlic cloves, chopped

  1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

  4 small amaretti cookies, crushed (about ⅓ cup)

  ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  36 small square wonton wrappers

  Cranberry Walnut Sauce

  ¾ cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks)

  2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage

  ½ cup dried cranberries, or chopped dried cherries, or a mixture of both

  ½ cup toasted walnuts (see note in recipe for Rotelli with Walnut Sauce), chopped

  ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  To make the tortelloni, preheat the oven to 375°F. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss together the butternut squash, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Bake until soft and golden, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small sauté p
an over medium heat. Cook the shallots and garlic until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.

  In a food processor, combine the roasted squash, the shallot mixture, and the ricotta cheese and pulse a few times to blend. Add the crushed amaretti cookies and the nutmeg, and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pulse until smooth. The tortelloni filling can be made one day ahead.

  To make the tortelloni, lay out 6 wonton squares, keeping the remaining squares inside the package or under a very lightly dampened paper towel to prevent them from drying out. Place 1 tablespoon of squash mixture in the middle of the square. Using a small pastry brush, wet the edges of the square. Gently fold the square wrapper into a triangle, making sure the edges are securely closed and there are no air pockets inside. Dampen the corners of the longest side of the triangle and gently bring them together, pressing lightly to secure. Place the formed tortelloni on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Be careful to dry the work surface before laying out another 6 wonton squares; this will help keep the tortelloni from sticking to the baking sheet. Continue until all the squash mixture is used. There should be approximately 36 tortelloni. The tortelloni can be frozen on the baking sheet, transferred to a tightly sealed plastic bag or container, and stored for up to one month.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. As it heats, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sage and cook until the butter starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the cranberries, walnuts, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Place the tortelloni in the boiling water and gently stir. When they begin to float, they are done, about 3 minutes for fresh, 5 minutes if they’ve been frozen. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the tortelloni to a serving platter. Top with the cranberry walnut sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve.

  4 to 6 servings

  This might be the Italian answer to Seafood Newberg: chunks of crab and clams in a rich cream sauce tossed with wide noodles. If you really like clams, it’s worth checking to see if you can buy fresh chopped cooked clams at your fish market; the pieces tend to be a little bigger and meatier, with a more subtle, briny flavor than those in cans. The cream sauce is tinted a pretty pink from the tomatoes.

  1 pound pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta)

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  2 large shallots, chopped

  ½ cup dry white wine

  1½ cups heavy cream

  ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  8 ounces lump crabmeat (about 1½ cups), picked over for bits of shell and cartilage

  1 (6.5-ounce) can chopped clams, drained

  2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)

  ¼ cup chopped fresh chives (about ½ bunch)

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until the shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the cream, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. The sauce should begin to thicken.

  Add the crab, clams, and tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss. If necessary, add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water at a time to create a more luscious sauce. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates and sprinkle with the chopped chives.

  2 servings

  If you’re cooking for someone special, you won’t find many dishes more romantic than this one. It looks sophisticated, tastes rich, and makes a real statement. It’s one of my standbys when I want to make a cozy dinner for me and my husband.

  4 thin slices prosciutto

  3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

  12 asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  1 shallot, finely chopped

  ¾ cup Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice

  ¾ cup champagne

  ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the prosciutto slices on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until the prosciutto slices are almost completely crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. The slices will crisp up even more as they cool. Set aside.

  In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the broth. Blanch the asparagus in the chicken broth for 2 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon. Set the asparagus aside and keep the chicken broth at a low simmer.

  In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more. Add the champagne and simmer until the champagne has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add ½ cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed by the rice, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Remove from the heat.

  Gently stir in the asparagus, the remaining tablespoon of butter, the Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the risotto.

  Reimagining Risotto

  Though not a pasta, risotto is similar in how and when it is cooked and served. It is one of those dishes that just about everyone loves, and because it is rather labor intensive, it shows you’ve gone to some effort. (For that reason, it’s not the best choice for a large gathering; save it for an intimate dinner with someone special or a small group.)

  The creamy, comforting texture of Arborio and other short-grain rices presents the perfect neutral canvas for showcasing luxurious ingredients like lobster or truffles, and it’s also a dish that welcomes improvisation and creativity. The only true given in a risotto recipe is the rice; you can vary the liquid and flavors almost infinitely. Chicken stock is the liquid most typically used in risotto, but beef, fish, or vegetable stocks all work perfectly as well. Beyond stocks, you can make your risotto with red or white wine or fruit juices, such as pomegranate, orange, or lemon, or tomato juice, all depending on what other ingredients you will be adding. The technique is the same no matter what liquid or flavorings you add; just watch the risotto carefully to prevent scorching or sticking if you are using ingredients that contain sugar (including dairy products). Here are a few fun combinations to get your imagination flowing:

  Red Wine Risotto with Peas: The rice takes on the wine’s deep red color.

  Chocolate Risotto: Cook the rice with milk, stirring in sugar, chopped hazelnuts, chocolate chips, raisins, and brandy for the last five minutes of cooking.

  Cinnamon Peach Risotto: Replace the stock with heavy cream, and flavor with ground cinnamon, sliced peaches, and brandy.

  Lemon Pomegranate Risotto: Use pomegranate juice as your liquid, and flavor with lemon zest at the end.

  Risotto with Gorgonzola: Use a combination of heavy cream and stock, and stir in crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and cranberries before serving.

  Surf and Turf Risotto: Prepare the rice with seafood or fish stock; just before serving, add sliced smoked sausage, ham, cooked shrimp, and sautéed mushrooms to warm through.

  Strawberry Risotto: Replace the stock with orange juice, and garnish with sliced strawberries and chopped mint.

  4 servings

  This is a decadent dish that is very popular with my family at Christm
astime, when pasta with seafood is a holiday tradition for Italians. For others, though, it’s a reminder of summers on the Cape or in the Hamptons. Whatever memories it may conjure for you, we can all probably agree that it is a rich, sophisticated dish that puts a smile on the face of anyone who tastes it.

  1 pound linguine

  3 tablespoons olive oil

  1 medium onion, finely chopped

  3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

  ½ cup Cognac

  1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

  Tail and claw meat from 2 cooked 1½-pound lobsters, tail meat cubed

  3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

  4 fresh basil sprigs, for garnish

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta.

  Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the Cognac, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, lobster, parsley, and chopped basil. Cook until the lobster meat and tomatoes are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

  Add the linguine to the pot and stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Transfer into individual pasta bowls, reserving one claw for each bowl. Place the claw on top of the pasta and place a basil sprig next to it. Serve immediately.

  Corn Agnolotti with Tarragon Butter

  4 to 6 servings (about 40 agnolotti)

  Creamed corn has never been so sophisticated! This delicate, creamy filling deserves the equally subtle flavor of good, fresh pasta, so make this some-time when you are inspired to make your own pasta, or if you find a source for really fresh, homemade pasta sheets.