Everyday Pasta Read online

  ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped and well rinsed

  4 garlic cloves, minced

  6 small zucchini, thinly sliced, about 4 cups

  2 (13¾-ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts packed in water, drained

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  10 cups vegetable broth

  5 ounces fresh fettuccine, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)

  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

  Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add half the minced garlic, the zucchini, artichokes, salt, and pepper, and sauté until the zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Bring the soup back up to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, add the pasta, and cook for 1 minute more (if you are using dried pasta or a different shape, adjust the cooking time accordingly to cook the pasta just to al dente).

  Meanwhile, combine the remaining garlic, the Parmesan, softened butter, and thyme in a small bowl and stir with a fork until well blended.

  Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with a dollop of the Parmesan mixture and serve.

  4 to 6 servings

  I love the velvety texture of this soup. Although it has four cloves of garlic, it’s not garlicky because they are poached.

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  1 tablespoon olive oil

  2 shallots, chopped

  1 fresh sage leaf

  2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

  4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

  4 garlic cloves, halved

  ½ cup heavy cream

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  6 slices ciabatta bread

  Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

  Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans and stir to combine. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle one-third to one-half of the soup into a blender and purée until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly, as hot liquids expand when they are blended. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pot. Purée the remaining soup. Once all the soup is blended and back in the soup pot, add the cream and the pepper. Cover and keep warm over very low heat.

  Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the ciabatta slices with extra-virgin olive oil. Grill the bread until golden grill marks appear and the bread is warm, about 3 minutes per side. Serve the soup in bowls with the grilled bread alongside.

  Ribollita

  4 to 6 servings

  Broken strands of spaghetti are the starch in my family’s version of ribollita, a thick Tuscan soup that is usually made with cubes of stale bread. We always had odds and ends of long pasta on the pantry shelves when I was a child and serving it this way made a hearty meal out of a little bit of pasta.

  ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  1 onion, chopped

  1 carrot, peeled and chopped

  4 ounces pancetta, chopped

  2 garlic cloves, minced

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1 tablespoon tomato paste

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

  1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

  1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

  2 teaspoons herbes de Provence

  6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

  1 bay leaf

  3-inch piece of Parmesan rind

  1 cup spaghetti broken into 1-inch pieces

  Grated Parmesan, for serving

  Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden brown and the pancetta is crisp, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Add the tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the spinach, beans, herbes de Provence, broth, bay leaf, and the Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, then add the spaghetti, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.

  Discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaf, and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

  6 servings

  Salade Niçoise meets all-American pasta salad in this all-in-one dish that’s perfect for a picnic or dinner on a hot summer night. The trick is to use the Italian canned tuna; the flavor of water-packed albacore tuna is just not comparable.

  1½ pounds slender green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise

  2 large red potatoes, diced

  ½ pound orzo pasta

  ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

  2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  1 teaspoon dried oregano

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

  ½ cup chopped fresh basil

  ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  1 (9-ounce) can Italian oil-packed tuna, drained

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Using a mesh strainer, transfer the green beans to a large bowl of ice water to cool completely. Drain the green beans and pat dry with a towel. Return the water to a simmer, add the potatoes, and cook until they are just tender but still hold their shape, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to the ice water to cool completely. Drain the potatoes and pat dry with a towel. Bring the water back to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.

  In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Place the tomatoes, basil, and parsley in a large serving bowl. Add the tuna and toss gently to combine. Add the green beans, potatoes, and pasta. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again to coat the salad with the dressing.

  4 to 6 servings

  Among the many virtues of this salad is that it can be made ahead very successfully and it also looks so attractive.

  1 pound fusilli pasta

  1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined (24 shrimp)

  5 teaspoons olive oil

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  ½ cup low-fat sour cream

  ½ cup low-fat yogurt

  ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  ¼ cup chopped fresh chives

  2 tablespoons drained capers

  1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

  1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  2 heads of Belgian endive, trimmed and leaves separated

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the pasta and cool.

  Toss the shrimp with 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large bowl to coat. Heat the remaining 3 teaspoons of oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté the shrimp until they are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and cool completely.

  In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream, yogurt, parsley, chives, capers, lime juice, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Add the pasta and shrimp and toss to coat.

  Arrange the endive leaves around the perimeter of a serving platter, tips out. Spoon th
e pasta salad into the center of the serving platter. The endive should be peeking out from under the pasta salad. Serve cool or at room temperature.

  Neapolitan Calamari and Shrimp Salad

  4 to 6 servings

  Men sometimes complain that pasta salads aren’t a “real” meal because they’re so light. This one will make a believer out of anyone who has turned his nose up at pasta salad in the past. Meaty eggplant chunks, cannellini beans, plus lots of grilled seafood make this as filling and robust as it is attractive on the plate.

  4 cups chicken broth

  ½ pound orzo pasta (about 1 cup)

  ½ pound calamari, bodies and tentacles

  ½ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

  2 zucchini, cut lengthwise in 3 slices

  1 Japanese eggplant, cut lengthwise in 3 slices

  2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

  Olive oil, for drizzling

  Salt

  Freshly ground black pepper

  1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

  3 ounces arugula (about 3 cups)

  ¾ cup chopped fresh basil

  ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  Juice of 2 lemons

  ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the pasta and place it in a large bowl.

  Meanwhile, place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the seafood, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the calamari and shrimp until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Grill the zucchini and eggplant until tender, about 4 minutes per side. Grill the tomatoes cut side down just until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes.

  Cut the calamari bodies into 1-inch rings. Add the calamari rings and tentacles and the shrimp to the bowl with the orzo. Cut the zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes into 1-inch pieces and add them to the bowl with the orzo and seafood. Toss to combine. Add the cannellini beans, arugula, basil, parsley, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1½ teaspoons pepper and toss again. Gently spoon the salad into a serving bowl and serve.

  Tips for a Perfect Pasta Salad

  Cooking pasta for a pasta salad differs in a couple of important ways from cooking pasta that is meant to be served hot. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Because chilling tends to mute flavors, be sure to salt the water in which you cook the pasta especially generously to really flavor the pasta.

  • This is the one time you can cook pasta a bit past al dente; the pasta should be cooked all the way through and soft (but not mushy!), as any uncooked core will be hard and taste starchy.

  • Rinse the pasta briefly after draining it to get rid of excess starch, which will make your salad sticky. Again, this is an exception to the general rule!

  • Don’t dress the salad until right before serving, especially if the dressing contains an acid like vinegar or citrus juice, as it will start to break down the pasta and make it mushy.

  4 to 6 servings

  Couscous is technically a pasta made from semolina, though many people consider it a grain. In southern Italy it is used often, a lasting memento of the Arabs that invaded Sicily in the ninth century. I particularly appreciate the way it cooks so quickly. This is a perfect side dish for large-scale entertaining because it doubles or even triples beautifully.

  ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  2 garlic cloves, minced

  1-pound box Israeli couscous (or any small pasta)

  3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

  Juice of 2 lemons

  Zest of 1 lemon

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

  ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

  ¼ cup dried cranberries

  ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted (see note in recipe for Rotelli with Walnut Sauce)

  In a medium saucepan, warm the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the couscous and cook until toasted and lightly browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Carefully add the broth and the juice of 1 lemon and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the couscous is tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the couscous.

  In a large bowl, toss the cooked couscous with the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil, the remaining lemon juice, the zest, salt, and pepper and let cool.

  Once the couscous has cooled to room temperature, add the fresh herbs, dried cranberries, and almonds. Toss to combine.

  Antipasto Salad

  4 to 6 servings

  When we’re hosting game night and have lots of my husband’s friends coming over, I make this salad. It’s hearty and colorful, and because it holds very well at room temperature, I can make it ahead of time so I can take part in game night, too!

  Vinaigrette

  1 bunch of fresh basil, stemmed and chopped (about 2 cups)

  ¼ cup red wine vinegar

  1 garlic clove, halved

  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  Antipasto Salad

  1 pound fusilli pasta

  ½ cup hard salami cut into strips (about 3 ounces)

  ½ cup smoked turkey cut into strips (about 3 ounces)

  ¼ cup Provolone cheese cut into strips

  ¼ cup grated Asiago cheese

  2 tablespoons pitted and halved green olives

  2 tablespoons roasted red peppers cut into strips

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  In a blender, combine the basil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Blend until the basil and garlic are finely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until it’s tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.

  In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat.

  Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

  4 to 6 servings

  I rely on this dish whenever I’m hosting a ladies’ lunch or wedding shower, or when I just want something tasty and healthy in the refrigerator to snack on. The trick here is using a purchased, roasted whole chicken. It’s important to use a whole chicken because it stays moister and more tender than precooked breasts.

  ½ cup slivered almonds

  1 pound farfalle pasta

  4 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (from about 1½ purchased roasted whole chickens)

  ½ cup diced roasted red bell pepper (about 1 pepper)

  ½ cup diced roasted yellow bell pepper (about 1 pepper)

  ½ red onion, thinly sliced

  ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  ¼ cup drained capers

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1¼ cups Red Wine Vinaigrette

  12 butter lettuce leaves (from about 2 heads)

  2-ounce chunk of Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the almonds on a small baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl to cool.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.

  In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the chicken, bell peppers, onion, parsley, almonds, capers, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with 1 cup of the vinaigrette and toss gently.

  Arrange 1 large lettuce leaf and 1 small le
ttuce leaf on each plate, overlapping slightly. Spoon the chicken salad into the lettuce “cups.” Drizzle the remaining ¼ cup of vinaigrette over the salads. Garnish with shavings of the Parmesan cheese and serve.

  4:

  hearty pastas

  When I’m having a hard day, or it’s cold and dreary outside, all I crave is a comforting bowl of pasta. There’s nothing like a mouthful of creamy, cheesy Venetian “Mac and Cheese” to make me smile and set me up to face a new day. The recipes in this chapter are those I reach for when I need to be warmed from the inside with something that really sticks to the ribs and sustains me. For a lazy winter Sunday I like nothing better than to unwind and make a hearty Sunday dinner; then it’s all about a rich, long-cooked ragù and wide, toothsome noodles; the Tagliatelle with Short Rib Ragù cooks for three hours, but the rich, succulent meat is so tender that it falls off the bone, and the wonderful aroma fills your kitchen. You don’t need to cook for hours, though, to make this kind of comforting meal; Baked Gnocchi takes almost no time to put together, and the biggest appetites will be satisfied by Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions, or oversized shells stuffed with a mixture of turkey and artichokes. Add a green salad and you’ve got a perfect winter meal.

  Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

  Venetian “Mac and Cheese”

  Crab and Ricotta Manicotti

  Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

  Roman-Style Fettuccine with Chicken

  Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Gorgonzola Sauce

  Pappardelle with Lamb Stew

  Cinnamon-Scented Ricotta Ravioli with Beef Ragù

  Prosciutto Ravioli