Everyday Pasta Page 8
Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomato sauce, and toss to coat. Season the pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the shrimp-and-clam mixture. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and the lemon zest, and serve.
A note on serving cheese with seafood pastas: my grandfather would say you should never put cheese on seafood, but I sometimes add a bit of Parmesan to baked seafood pastas, or on a red sauce with seafood, to accent the briny flavors. It’s not traditional, but it’s delicious. The bottom line? Make your own rules!
4 to 6 servings
This is a mildly flavored dish; the peppers virtually melt into the sauce during the long, slow cooking. In my family this is served as a side dish for pork or lamb.
3 large red bell peppers
3 large yellow bell peppers
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large shallots, thinly sliced (about ¾ to 1 cup)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pound spaghetti
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the broiler. Cover a heavy baking sheet with foil. Arrange the bell peppers on the baking sheet and broil until the skins brown and blister, turning the peppers occasionally, about 20 minutes. Enclose the peppers in a resealable plastic bag and set aside until cooled to room temperature. Peel and seed the cooled peppers and cut them into strips.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the pepper strips, salt, and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the wine and chicken broth and continue cooking over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the peppers are very soft.
Meanwhile, 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.
Add the pasta, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to the pepper sauce; stir to combine and coat the pasta. Serve.
Swordfish and Spaghetti with Citrus Pesto
4 servings
You’ll find many recipes for swordfish in Sicily, where it is plentiful, often combined with citrus to give the meaty fish a bit of pizzazz. Here the citrus flavors come from the pesto; it’s great over grilled chicken or a steak, too.
1 pound spaghetti
Citrus Pesto
1 bunch of fresh basil, stemmed (about 3 cups)
½ cup toasted pine nuts (see note in recipe for Rotelli with Walnut Sauce)
1 garlic clove
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Swordfish
4 6-ounce swordfish steaks
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and 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 ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
Make the pesto: Blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Toss with the warm spaghetti and the reserved pasta water.
Meanwhile, place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush both sides of the swordfish steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the swordfish for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for a 1-inch-thick steak.
Transfer the pasta to a serving platter, top with the grilled swordfish, and serve.
Conghilie with Clams, Mussels, and Broccoli
4 to 6 servings
You don’t often see recipes for seafood pastas that incorporate vegetables other than the occasional chopped tomato, but broccoli adds a lot of body, color, and substance to this pasta dish. I love broccoli, but if you don’t, feel free to substitute your favorite green vegetable. It’s a great quick, elegant meal.
1 pound conghilie (small shells) pasta
1 pound broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups)
¼ cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound small littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound mussels, debearded
1 cup white wine
⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broccoli to the pasta water and continue cooking until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, and the broccoli is blanched, about 4 minutes more. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the clams, mussels, and wine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, making sure all the shells have opened. (Discard any shells that remain closed.) Sprinkle with the parsley.
In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, broccoli, and shellfish. Add the reserved pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, to moisten, and toss to combine. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.
Rotini with Salmon and Roasted Garlic
4 to 6 servings
This may seem like a lot of garlic, but because it’s roasted it only contributes a mellow, nutty flavor that goes beautifully with the salmon. Capers and lemon zest add some brightness to the dish, which is a perfect light spring meal.
2 whole heads of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound rotini or fusilli (corkscrew-shaped pasta)
½ cup Marsala or white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 pound salmon, cut into 1-inch cubes
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons drained capers
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut the heads of garlic in half crosswise and place on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil up and around the garlic, making sure it stays flat, and fold the edges to seal into a tight packet. Roast until soft, about 60 minutes. Let the garlic cool slightly, then squeeze the cloves out of the skin. Mash half of the roasted garlic cloves into a paste with the back of a fork. Set aside.
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, combine the Marsala and chicken broth in a large, heavy skillet and bring to a simmer. Add the mashed roasted garlic and stir to dissolve. Simmer uncovered for 4 minutes, then add the salmon, cover, and simmer for 4 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and add the remaining whole roasted garlic cloves, the lemon zest and juice, rosemary, and the cooked pasta. Stir to combine; add the extra-virgin olive oil, capers, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and stir once more. Serve immediately.
4 to 6 servings
The secret ingredient in this dish is the garlicky croutons. I buy good-quality prepackaged garlic croutons from a local bakery and keep them in my pantry for emergencies (I also have been known to snack on them from time to time). You can certainly make them from scratch, but in this dish, it’s fine to substitute store-bought if you have a good source. I love the almondy and
garlicky flavor the crumbs give the pasta.
1 pound rigatoni (large, ridged tubular pasta)
3 cups purchased garlic-flavored croutons (about 5 ounces)
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted (see note in recipe for Rotelli with Walnut Sauce)
1 cup julienned roasted red bell peppers
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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 and transfer to a large bowl.
Place the croutons and the almonds in a food processor. Pulse until they are finely chopped, with the texture of bread crumbs. Add the crouton-and-almond mixture to the hot pasta along with the peppers and the olive oil. Toss to combine. Serve.
4 to 6 servings
I love the intensely sweet, chewy flavor of sun-dried tomatoes, and mixed with tomato paste they create a sauce with a very concentrated flavor that doesn’t require the long cooking of a traditional tomato sauce. Softened with a bit of goat cheese, this is a creamy sauce that just barely coats the pasta without weighing it down.
1 (10-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (oil reserved)
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 pound angel hair pasta
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3-4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta and parsley to the tomato mixture and toss to coat, adding some of the reserved pasta water to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Mound the pasta in bowls, sprinkle with the goat cheese, and serve.
6:
quick and easy weeknight pastas
If you’re like me (and most people) this is the chapter you will rely on the most. No matter how busy we become, we all want to serve meals every night that are fast and easy but still nutritious and pleasing to the eyes and palate. From Little Stars with Butter and Parmesan, a meal so simple the kids can make it for you, to Farfalle with Broccoli, which is full of flavor and packs a healthy dose of greens, these are all family-tested favorites that will become part of your weekly repertoire in short order. The key to weeknight pastas is a well-stocked pantry (see the introduction for my recommendations on what you should keep on hand). If you’ve got a variety of pasta shapes and sizes on hand, plus some canned tomatoes, olive oil, nuts, anchovies, fresh cheese, and herbs, you’re never very far away from a well-balanced and completely satisfying meal. If you have a little more time on the weekend, you can make a big pot of marinara or an extra batch of turkey meatballs or pesto to freeze and make weeknight cooking even easier; otherwise, go ahead and use a good-quality jarred marinara or prepared pesto and take pride in the fact that what you are putting on the table is fresh, healthful, and (mostly) homemade.
Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne
Little Stars with Butter and Parmesan
Breakfast Scramble with Orzo, Pancetta, and Asparagus
Creamy Orzo
Farfalle with Broccoli
Wagon Wheels with Artichoke Pesto
Spinach Fettuccine with a Quick Sugo or Salsa
Spicy Angel Hair Pasta
Rotelli with Walnut Sauce
Cheesy Baked Tortellini
Cinnamon Pancetta Carbonara
Rigatoni with Sausage, Artichokes, and Asparagus
Linguine with Turkey Meatballs and Quick Sauce
Ditalini with Mushrooms and Artichokes
Mini Penne with Parmesan Chicken
Farfalle with Spicy Sausage and Kale
Penne with Beef and Arugula
Capellini with Tomato and Peas
4 to 6 servings
Both the presentation and flavor of this subtle dish are quite elegant, so while it’s easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, you can certainly serve it to company.
1 pound penne pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
Pinch of salt, plus ½ teaspoon
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, plus ¼ teaspoon
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
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 oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken breast with the herbes de Provence and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off any excess oil from the pan. Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, lemon zest, and cayenne. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the pasta, chicken, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce and serve.
4 (½-cup) servings
When I was very young, this was my staple dinner; it’s an Italian child’s comfort food, our version of mac and cheese. It’s really easy to make and the ingredients are very simple, which is part of its charm. Serve it to the child in your life, or as a side dish with any kind of roast meat or poultry.
1 cup (6 ounces) stelline (star-shaped pasta) or other small pasta shapes such as alphabets or riso
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Salt
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 8 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, toss the freshly cooked hot pasta with 2 tablespoons of the cheese until the cheese coats the pasta completely. Add the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese. Toss again to coat. Season to taste with salt. Spoon the pasta into small serving bowls and serve immediately.
Breakfast Scramble with Orzo, Pancetta, and Asparagus
4 servings
The whole idea behind this dish is that it is made from leftovers you find in the refrigerator. This happens to be one of my favorite combinations, but use whatever kind of cheese you find in the bin, and substitute any veggies you have on hand for the asparagus. It’s so good that I often make it for a quick dinner when I haven’t had a chance to get to the market.
½ cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
10 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 ounces pancetta or bacon, coarsely chopped
½ cup chopped onion
8 thin asparagus stalks, trimmed, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
Bring a large saucepan of salted wa
ter to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain the orzo.
Whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese and basil. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sauté until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and sauté until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the orzo and stir to coat. Add the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until the eggs are softly set, about 4 minutes.
Transfer the egg mixture to a serving bowl and serve.
6 to 8 servings
Kids go crazy for this dish. It’s creamy, colorful, and, best of all, they can eat it with a spoon!
1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1¼ cups heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large, heavy saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan cheese to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to create a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper and serve.