Category Archives: Pasta

Pasta

Romanesco Cauliflower & Bacon Reginette

The first time I saw Romanesco cauliflower, I was not in Rome. I was at a farmer’s market in New York City, and the subtle green vegetable made me stop in my tracks: it looked like an alien from a science fiction film, or something out of an Arcimboldo painting. It had a striking shape, with conical florets spiraling towards a pointed top.

When I asked the vendor about it, she said it was Roman broccoli (another name for it).  Needless to say, that day I bought and cooked my first Romanesco cauliflower;  and every time I have spotted any at the farmers’ markets, I never passed up a chance to pick one up. The flavor of Romanesco is a bit nuttier, sweeter, and more subtle than that of regular cauliflower, so I tend to like it best in simple preparations that don’t mask its nuanced flavor or its unusual shape.

The recipe below can certainly be made with regular cauliflower if Romanesco is not available.

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Serves 2 as a main course, 3 to 4 as an appetizer depending on what else you are serving following the pasta

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 12 sage leaves, thinly sliced
  • 2 thick slices bacon, fat removed, minced
  • 1/2 pound Romanesco cauliflower florets, trimmed and cut as needed (they should be about 2 inches long at most)
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • water as needed
  • 1/2 pound reginette or other long, fresh pasta
  • 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Make the sauce: Place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the shallot, garlic, sage, and bacon  in a skillet large enough to accommodate the pasta later. Set the skillet over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, or until the shallots are fragrant and the bacon has lost its raw smell.

Add the cauliflower florets, season with 1/2 teaspoon of  the salt, and cook, stirring often, until the cauliflower is limp and lightly browned in spots, about 10 minutes, adding a bit of water by the 1/4 cup as needed to prevent the cauliflower from burning or drying out.

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. When the sauce is ready, add the pasta and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, about 1 minute. Drain, reserving 1 and 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

Transfer the pasta to the skillet and saute over high heat to combine the flavors.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water,  the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the Parmigiano, and the pepper. Adjust the salt if necessary, and add a little more of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve hot.

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Pasta

Reginette with Turkey Stock, Caramelized Onions & Rosemary

If you’re wondering what to do with those rich juices from your roasted turkey, and you’re tired of soup or risotto, here’s my favorite recipe: an easy to make yet memorable pasta. The savory depth of the meat juices combined with the nutty flavor of the grated Parmigiano results in something far more than the sum of its simple parts.

After roasting your turkey, add a few cups of water to that roasting pan, scrape well to deglaze the clinging bits, and cook the juices until rich, then save them for the recipe below. You can even freeze the rich juices in ice cube trays for later use. This is one dish where homemade stock (or the reserved juices from roasted meats) really makes a difference; the store-bought stuff just won’t give you the depth of flavor needed to elevate a simple dish to extraordinary status.

And remember: when caramelizing the onions, take it low and slow… no need for sugar, just patience and a low heat and a bit of water to prevent scorching.

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 large red onions, thinly sliced (2 cups)
  • 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves only, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • cool water as needed
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups rich turkey stock

For the pasta and to serve:

  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 pound reginette or other fresh, wide pasta noodles
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Make the sauce: Melt the butter over a medium-low flame in a deep, wide saucepan large enough to accommodate the pasta later. Add the onions and rosemary, season with the salt and pepper, and cook until the onions are soft and lightly golden, about 30 minutes, stirring often and adding  a bit of water if the onions start to stick; the trick to caramelizing onions is to cook them slowly and to add a bit of moisture as needed. Watch the flame so the onions don’t burn.

Pour in the wine and cook 2 minutes, scraping the pan to release any caramelized bits into the liquid. Pour in the turkey stock, stir well, and cook over medium-low heat until there is about ¾ cup of liquid in the pan. It will take about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. The sauce should be very flavorful and intense. (The sauce can be made up to this point 2 days in advance; refrigerate until needed, then warm gently before proceeding.)

Make the pasta: Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente, then drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

Transfer the drained pasta to the saucepan and sauté 1 minute over high heat. Add some of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to thin out the sauce; it should coat the pasta nicely. Stir in the Parmigiano. Drizzle with the olive oil, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve hot.

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Pasta

Spaghetti al Cartoccio with Arugula, Tomatoes, & Garlic

Cooking ‘al cartoccio’ in Italian usually refers to baking in parchment or foil packets, but grilling al cartoccio is a great technique, as long as you use foil and not parchment. It opens up so many possibilities for outdoor cooking, including pasta on the grill.

Grilling pasta in aluminum foil packets allows you to forgo last-minute boiling and saucing of pasta; this is a great advantage when entertaining, since you can boil and sauce the pasta, and prepare the packets up to 3 hours ahead, then just pop them onto a hot grill (or in the cooler months, into a hot oven) a few minutes before you are ready to serve. It’s also a fabulous way to enjoy outdoor cooking when the craving for pasta strikes.

Since the pasta will cook further once it is on the grill, remember to cook it slightly under al dente so it is not overcooked by the time you pull the packets off the grill. And be sure to allow guests to open their own steaming packets at the table: the aroma exuded upon opening the packets will enthrall even the most jaded guest.

Serves 4

For the sauce:

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 2 pints grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 bunches arugula, leaves only, washed, dried, and cut into fine, thin strips
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Pecorino Romano

For the pasta:

  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 pound spaghetti

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Make the sauce: Place the olive oil, garlic, and chili in a large pan. Set over medium heat and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, season with the salt and pepper, and cook 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down and release their juices. Stir in the arugula until wilted and transfer to a large bowl; stir in the Pecorino and set aside.

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Make the pasta: Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the salt and the spaghetti, and cook until the spaghetti are almost, but not quite, al dente, about 7 minutes (if using fresh spaghetti, cook less long, just until barely tender). Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.

Toss the spaghetti with the sauce in the bowl and adjust the seasoning if needed. Stir in the 1/2 cup of reserved pasta cooking water; the spaghetti will dry quite a bit as it cooks later.

Cut heavy-duty aluminum foil into four large squares. Place the aluminum foil on the counter, shiny side up. Mound the spaghetti, along with its sauce and any liquid that has collected in the bowl, on one side of each piece of aluminum foil (if you don’t include the liquid in the packets, the spaghetti will come out dry after cooking).

Fold the short sides of the aluminum foil over first, then seal the long side of the aluminum foil tightly as well, rolling the foil over itself a few times so that the cooking juices cannot run out once the packets are placed on the grill. (The recipe can be made up to this point 3 hours ahead; do not refrigerate or the spaghetti will become tough in the refrigerator.)

Heat a grill on high for 10 minutes (or preheat the oven to 400 degrees).

Arrange the packages seam side up on the grill and grill for 5 minutes (or if baking, place the packets on a baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes), or until the spaghetti inside feels hot to the touch.

Place each aluminum foil packet on a dinner plate and serve immediately, letting guests open the packets at the table.

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