Everyday Pasta Read online

  Linguine with Butter, Pecorino, Arugula, and Black Pepper

  Saffron Orzo with Shrimp

  Penne with Spicy Tomato Sauce

  Spaghetti with Sautéed Onions and Marjoram

  Eggplant Mezzaluna Ravioli

  Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

  Capellini Piedmontese

  Spaghetti alla Pirata

  Spaghetti with Red and Yellow Peppers

  Swordfish and Spaghetti with Citrus Pesto

  Conghilie with Clams, Mussels, and Broccoli

  Rotini with Salmon and Roasted Garlic

  Rigatoni with Red Pepper, Almonds, and Bread Crumbs

  Angel Hair Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

  6 servings

  Simple, simple, simple, but so good—this is truly one of the fastest dishes you can make, and one of the best.

  1 pound linguine

  ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  1¼ cups very finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

  1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

  1 cup coarsely chopped arugula

  Salt, to taste

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook until it is al dente, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1½ cups of the pasta water.

  Immediately toss the hot pasta in a large bowl with the butter to coat. While tossing the linguine, gradually sprinkle the cheese, pepper, and enough of the reserved pasta water evenly over the linguine to moisten. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Season the pasta with salt. Divide the pasta among 6 plates and serve.

  No-Cook Pasta Sauces

  When it’s hot outside, the idea of turning on the stove to do more than boil water for pasta is just not appealing. On days like those I like to toss cooked pasta with a fresh sauce that requires no cooking at all! You can use raw or leftover cooked or roasted vegetables, herbs, cheese, even bits of cooked meat; just make sure there is enough liquid to moisten the pasta, whether it’s oil, juice, broth, or a splash of the pasta cooking water. Here are some of my favorite “raw” sauces:

  • Toss the ingredients of a caprese salad (fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, a little chopped garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper) with cooked pasta in any shape or size, and voilà! Dinner is ready.

  • Whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, grated Parmesan, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper in a serving bowl. Add freshly cooked capellini and toss.

  • Combine chopped kalamata olives, capers, chopped arugula, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss well with cooked pasta and sprinkle with grated Pecorino cheese.

  • I love the convenience of rotisserie chickens. I like to shred the meat and toss it with cooked pasta, some chicken broth, and a bit of pasta water, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, some toasted pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese for a quick weeknight meal. Add spinach or arugula leaves for color.

  • For the simplest, quickest pasta meal, combine small bits of butter, grated Parmesan, and chopped herbs like parsley or basil in a bowl with hot cooked pasta; it is comforting and super easy.

  Saffron Orzo with Shrimp

  6 servings

  What began as a simple side dish with a citrusy dressing became a light but appealing entrée with the addition of quickly sautéed shrimp. This can be served warm, but it’s also nice at room temperature, making it a good option for picnics or buffet spreads.

  4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

  1 teaspoon saffron threads

  1 pound orzo (small, rice-shaped pasta)

  7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  Juice of 1 lemon

  3 teaspoons salt

  2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

  1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

  In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, bringing the broth to a simmer. Add the saffron, stir, and simmer until the saffron has “bloomed,” about 5 minutes. Return the heat to medium and bring the stock to a boil, then add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the orzo and transfer to a large bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil, the parsley, half the lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and combine thoroughly.

  In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the remaining lemon juice. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until the shrimp are just turning pink, about 2 minutes per side. Add the shrimp to the bowl with the orzo. Toss to combine and serve.

  4 to 6 servings

  Somewhat reminiscent of a puttanesca sauce, but with the addition of olives and lots of vegetables, this is a homey dish that you would find in many Roman kitchens. Long, slow simmering is what makes the sauce so delicious, so if you like, make a double batch and freeze some to use next time you bake fish or chicken, or make a baked pasta dish.

  ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  1 small onion, finely chopped

  1 garlic clove, finely chopped

  1 celery stalk, finely chopped

  1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

  ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, with juice

  1 dried bay leaf

  8 anchovy fillets packed in olive oil, minced

  ¾ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

  2 tablespoons drained capers

  1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  1 pound penne pasta

  3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  In a large casserole or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes longer. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Add 1 cup of water if the sauce gets too thick. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

  Place the minced anchovies and some of their oil in a medium, heavy skillet. Stir over medium heat until the anchovies melt, about 2 minutes. Add the olives, capers, remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the olives are heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir the olive mixture into the sauce and simmer over medium heat until the flavors blend, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Season with more salt to taste.

  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Add the penne to the sauce and toss to coat, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to moisten. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

  4 to 6 servings

  Meyer lemons are sweeter than regular lemons and, unfortunately, are in season for only a short time each year. Since they are hard to find, I’ve fallen in love with Meyer lemon olive oil, which captures their flavor very well and adds both citrus tang and a hint of sweetness to all kinds of recipes. Because this is such a simple dish—the sauce is just onions, the oil, and fresh marjoram—do try to get your hands on some Meyer lemon olive oil; I use the one made by DaVero. If you can’t find it, though, you can use Citrus Olive Oil.

  1 pound spaghetti

  ¼ cup Meyer lemon olive oil or Citrus Olive Oil

  2 large red onions, cut into ¼-inch-thick rings

  2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram

  8 ounces feta cheese, cubed

  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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

  Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in the marjoram and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cooked pasta and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and toss with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water at a time until moistened. Add the feta cheese and toss again, then season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowls and serve.

  Eggplant Mezzaluna Ravioli

  4 to 6 servings

  Ravioli are a slam dunk with most people, and making them in the half-moon, or mezzaluna, shape makes a classic preparation a little more elegant. Between the oregano, the fontina cheese, and the meaty eggplant, the filling is quite hearty so I dress these simply with a little extra-virgin olive oil and fresh herbs.

  ⅓ cup olive oil

  ½ large onion, diced

  1 large eggplant (about 1½ to 2 pounds), diced

  2 garlic cloves, minced

  ½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano, plus 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, for garnish

  ½ cup grated fontina cheese (about 2 ounces)

  ½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

  ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling

  1 package square wonton wrappers (about 50 to 60 wrappers)

  ¼ to ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish

  Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the eggplant, garlic, and chopped oregano, and continue to cook until the eggplant is soft and starting to fall apart, about 12 minutes. Transfer the eggplant mixture to a medium bowl and let cool.

  Once the eggplant mixture is cool, add the cheeses, salt, and pepper. Place 6 wonton squares on a dry work surface. Place 1 teaspoon of the eggplant mixture on each square. Dip a pastry brush in water and wet around the edges of the square. Fold the square in half to form a rectangle. Using a 3-inch-diameter scalloped-edged cookie cutter, press around the filling to make a half-moon shape. Place the finished ravioli on a dry baking sheet. Continue with the remaining filling. You should be able to make about 60 ravioli.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli (you may want to cook them in two batches) and cook until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Drain the ravioli. Drizzle a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil on individual plates or on a large serving platter and top with the ravioli. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with fresh oregano leaves and a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

  Stuffed Pastas

  Despite their many colorful names, all stuffed pastas are essentially made from the same dough, with the shape, size, and the amount of filling varying with the season and region of Italy. Every city and town has its own characteristic forms and stuffings. Agnolotti is from Piedmont, tortellini from Emilia-Romagna, ravioli from Liguria.

  What I think is so fun about stuffed pastas is they make you look and feel like an expert chef. And if you use prepared wonton wrappers, they are incredibly easy to make. You can fill them with whatever combination of flavors you like, whether it is a simple mixture of ricotta and herbs, vegetable purées, or finely chopped and seasoned meat or seafood bound with a bit of tomato sauce or béchamel. You can also play around with different shapes and sizes, making mini ravioli to drop into a broth or extra-big ones to serve with a simple brown butter sauce for an elegant starter.

  Whichever shape you choose, though, be careful not to overstuff your pasta, or the filling will expand too much and split the pasta when it cooks. Uncooked, stuffed pastas freeze very well, so make a big batch and freeze the extra on baking sheets until completely firm, then transfer to freezer bags to keep for up to three months.

  4 servings

  Next time you feel like pasta and a salad for lunch, why not combine the two? I love the way the heat of the pasta warms the greens. I often make this when I’m cooking for one; just adjust all the ingredient quantities accordingly, and start with 6 ounces (about 1 cup) of dried pasta.

  1 pound orecchiette (small, disk-shaped pasta)

  8 ounces Mediterranean-style mixed salad greens

  ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil)

  3 ounces (about ⅓ cup) crumbled fresh goat cheese

  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  ¾ teaspoon salt

  ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  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 water.

  Place the salad greens in a large serving bowl and top with the warm pasta and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine and wilt the greens. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, cheeses, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine, adding the remaining ½ cup of pasta water if necessary. Serve.

  4 to 6 servings

  Walnut pesto is very popular in Piedmont, where I first tasted this dish. It’s really great on its own, simply tossed with a long-cut pasta, but I think the peppers give it a bit more body and also make the dish more beautiful on the plate.

  Walnut Pesto

  2 cups (lightly packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley

  ¾ cup toasted walnuts (see note in recipe for Rotelli with Walnut Sauce)

  1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

  3 garlic cloves

  ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

  1 orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

  1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

  2 leeks, thinly sliced crosswise and well rinsed

  2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  1 pound capellini or angel hair pasta

  8 ounces fontina cheese, cut into small cubes

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  For the pesto, combine the parsley, walnuts, thyme, and garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor; blend until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the ½ cup of oil, processing until well blended. Season the pesto with the salt and pepper.

  Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers, leeks, and the finely chopped garlic. Sauté until the bell peppers are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the capellini and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

  In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the pesto, bell pepper mixture, and cheese, adding enough reserved pasta water to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

  4 to 6 servings

  Alla pirata usually refers to a dish containing seafood, and because pirates were known to be hot-tempered men, the dish is usually spicy as well. You could substitute other seafood you like, such as mussels, squid, or scallops, for either the shrimp or the clams.

  1 (12-ounce) bag cherry tomatoes, halved

  3 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped

  3 garlic cloves

  1-ounce chunk of Parmesan cheese, coarsely chopped

  8 fresh basil leaves, plus ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

  3 tablespoons olive oil

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1 pound spaghetti

  ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  1 pound lar
ge shrimp, peeled and deveined

  2 pounds small clams, scrubbed

  3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

  Combine the cherry tomatoes, scallions, garlic, Parmesan, whole basil leaves, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not purée). Transfer the sauce to a large bowl. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 8 minutes.

  Meanwhile, whisk the extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to the hot skillet and sauté just until cooked through and golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Add the remaining oil mixture, the clams, and the lemon juice to the same skillet. Cover and cook until the clams open, shaking the pan occasionally, about 8 minutes (discard any that do not open). If the sauce is too liquid, remove the clams and cook over high heat until the sauce is reduced by half.