Arugula Ravioli
Once upon a time, I made a lot of Italian food. I cooked in several Italian restaurants in my youth and know my way around the regional differences pretty well. From Milan to Syracuse, the foods are varied and wonderful and can range from three ingredients to twenty-three ingredients, all blending together perfectly. It's a culinary wonderland.
And then I married an EyeTalian.
Well... why would one cook Italian food when one has an Italian at home to cook Italian food for one?!? I mean... Mrs Dineen did not raise a stupid child!
Over the years I have happily given the Italian cooking reins to Victor. Of course, that doesn't mean that I don't cook Italian, it just means I don't cook it as often as I once did.
Tonight was one of those nights I decided to go for it!
Arugula and Cheese ravioli were the inspiration! I am a huge fan of cooked arugula. I think more people probably use it as a salad green, but it is better than spinach as a side vegetable.
Tonight, I made a pretty simple meat sauce of mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and a carrot all minced together in the food processor. I sauteed it and then added a splash of marsala (no red wine in the house?!?) and then some ground beef. When it was all cooked, I added a can of crushed tomatoes and a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and let it all cook down.
I sauteed a bunch of fresh arugula in a splash of olive oil and added a bit of garlic and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
That went on the plate first, then the ragu, then the ravioli, then a bit more ragu and a bit of freshly-shredded parmesan stravecchio.
It's like riding a bike...
And, since I had the dough in the 'fridge already, I baked off a loaf of bread.
The presentation was a lot of fun and the bread properly crispy on the outside and firm but light on the inside.
Yeah... like riding a bike.
And now for baseball!
Linguine con Asparagi
I know I keep saying this every week, but OMG! This was fantastic! It's hard to believe that week-after-week-after-week, the meals just keep getting better.
This has been one of the most wonderful culinary adventures I have ever had the pleasure to partake of. Pastas of every imaginable style in every imaginable sauce. This is gastronomic heaven on earth.
Tonight's feast was another simply-prepared with simple ingredients found in most any home. Nothing exotic. Nothing hard to find.
The beauty of most of these recipes has been just that - locally-available ingredients. Granted, guanciale is not going to be something one finds easily, but pancetta can be used as a substitute - and that can be found almost anywhere.
The goal of this endeavor has been to recreate the recipes exactly as written. That has not been easy, as both of us are instinctive cooks - adding a bit of this or a bit of that and making a recipe our own along the way. It's actually difficult at times to read a recipe and know that a certain ingredient would compliment the dish - and not use it. But...
Victor chose linguine tonight, but any pasta would work - especially a broad noodle such as papardelle or tagliatelle.
Linguine con Asperagi
Ingredients
- Fine sea salt
- 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 14 ounces linguine
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut 1½ inches of asparagus tips from stalks. Steam tips for 3 minutes, then cut in half lengthwise. Cut stalks crosswise into ¼-inch rounds.
In a medium saucepan, combine asparagus rounds, shallot and butter; cook over medium heat until butter is melted, then add 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
Add cream, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Transfer pan contents to a blender and purée until smooth.
Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (about 3 minutes for fresh pasta). Reserving ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
Pour purée into a skillet; bring to a boil. Add asparagus tips, cheese and parsley; return to a boil, then add to bowl with pasta and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning and moisten with a little pasta cooking liquid, if desired.
Serve immediately.
I tasted every ingredient. The asparagus added a fresh flavor with just the right crunch. The cream and cheese added a richness that worked perfectly. The linguine held the sauce perfectly.
Victor has now made 14 of the 20 pasta recipes in the magazine. I need a plan for when he hits recipe 20.
This can't end.
Penne al Forno
Today was Victor's first day back at work. I took pity and decided to continue his Pasta Monday for him.
All I can say, is it's not easy following a recipe!
It's funny. I knew that I didn't really follow recipes, but I really didn't realize that I really don't follow recipes! Every fiber of my being was rebelling at measuring and using exactly what was on the printed page - nothing more and nothing less. It's not easy.
But the end result was wonderful!
For all intents and purposes, this is Italian Macaroni and Cheese. And what a macaroni and cheese it is! It has a thick, crunchy-crusty cheese topping that is out of this world. And it's only cheese! The pasta, pancetta , and peas worked perfectly together. The two egg yolks added creamy richness.
It was great.
It made a goodly amount, so Victor will have at least one lunch and we may have a side dish for dinner tomorrow!
Penne al Forno
Ingredients
- Fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for baking dish
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 3 ounces pancetta, roughly chopped (1/2 cup packed)
- 1 1/4 cups frozen peas, thawed
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 3/4 pound penne
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/3 cups whole milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
Heat oven to 450º. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
In a small saucepan, combine shallot and pancetta; cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Add peas and 2 tablespoons water; bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat butter and flour over medium heat, stirring, until butter is melted and mixture is combined.Add milk and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, whisking frequently, until béchamel comes to a boil, then cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and cream. Add béchamel and whisk to combine. Return to heat and bring just to a boil, then remove from heat.When pasta is al dente, drain pasta and return to pot. Add pea mixture, béchamel and 1/2 cup cheese; stir to combine. Mix well, then transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake until top is browned, about 15 minutes.
And pasta deserves fresh-baked bread!
I followed the egg white version of the no-knead bread but used
- 4 cups white flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup unprocessed wheat bran
for the 6 1/2 cups flour.
It worked really well. I'm lovin' this no-knead bread!
And I'm lovin' this Monday Pasta.
Fusilli con Carciofi in Rosso
Another Monday, another fabulous pasta. It's amazing how some things just never change.
Maybe not change, per se, but we're both learning just how difficult it is to follow a recipe! Every fiber of our being wants to add something or change something or tweak something. Of course, the whole concept of this is for Victor to cook his way through the magazine, following the recipes. And it's been wonderful and fabulous eating. Biut that doesn't mean it's been easy.
Case in point... Tonight, as I was eating the fabulous pasta, I mentioned that kept expecting to get a little hit of peperoncini. Victor laughed and said he came :::thiiiiiiiis::: close to adding some - but it wasn't in the recipe. The dish was wonderful. I would have added a sprinkling of crushed red peppers if I had been creating it.
But peppers or not, the dish was easy to prepare and tasted fabulous. Warm homemade bread on the side and it was a meal fit for kings!
Fusilli con Carciofi in Rosso
- ½ Lemon
- 4 Globe Artichokes (about 3 lbs)
- 5 tbls extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ounces flat pancetta or thick cut bacon cut crosswise into 1/8 inch strips
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 3 (14 oz) can whole tomatoes in juice
- Fine sea salt
- 1 lb Fusilli
Approximately 4 – 6 servings.
Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a bowl of cold water, then drop the lemon into the water.
Cut off artichoke stems and discard. Cut off top inch of 1 artichoke with a serrated knife. Bend outer leaves backward until they snap off close to the base, then discard several more layers of leaves in the same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves with pale green tips. Cut off green tips. Trim dark green fibrous parts from the base and sides of artichoke with a small sharp knife, cut in half lengthwise and cut out purple leaves and fuzzy choke, then thinly slice. Drop slices artichoke into the acidulated water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet or wide pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes more, then drain artichokes, add to pan and stir to combine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and juices and 1 cup of water to artichoke mixture. Cook at a gently simmer stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until artichokes are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 35 minutes.
About 15 minutes before sauce is ready, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt into sauce, then immediately add to pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
We've both made dishes similar to this in the past - it's a really quick and easy pasta style. But next time, it will have peperoncini.
And I know Lidia would approve.
Risotto
My friend Vanessa had given me a big ol' zucchini she had grown in her garden. My plan was to stuff it today with a risotto-ish filling. Sadly, when I cut into it to hollow it out a bit, it was just too fibrous for eating.
But having a risotto-ish dish on my mind, I decided to just make ::drum roll, please:: Risotto!
I know... What a concept. But since we're going to be gone next week gettin' married, and all, it actually makes sense to use up the stuff in the house.
Risotto can be made with anything (and around our house, it usually is.) This is a recipe based on ingredients we had on hand.
It starts off with Vialone Nano rice. Here in the USofA, arborio is the most widely-used risotto rice, but in northern Italy the rices of choice are Vialone Nano or Carnaroli.
Vialone Nano is the regional rice of Veneto. It is a round, short-grain rice (nano means “dwarf”) perfectly suited to risotto. The round shape of its grains enables it to absorb twice its weight in liquid, making for incredibly flavorful and rich dishes. This was my first time using it. It won't be my last.
Pork and Sausage Risotto
- 1 small pork tenderloin
- 2 hot Italian sausages
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup Vialone Nano rice (or arborio, or carnaroli)
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 cups hot stock (I used the turkey stock I made the other day)
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp Greek oregano
- 2 oz grana padano (or parmesan, romano...)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Begin by sauteing onion in a bit of olive oil. Add garlic. Chop tenderloin into small pieces. Remove sausage from casing.and then add pork and sausage to pan. Brown well. Add 1 cup rice and stir well, coating the rice with the oil.
Add spices. Add wine and stirring constantly, scrape everything up and stir until wine is absorbed.
Add hot broth, one ladle at a time, continually stirring until broth is absorbed. Total cooking time for rice will be about 15 minutes if using Vialone Nano and 20 minutes using arborio.
Stir in cheese and check for seasoning.
Enjoy.
Risotto has a certain mystique about it. Don't tell anybody, but it really is one of the easiest dishes one can make. And you really can make it with anything.
Give it a try.
Cheese Gnocchi
Sunday Dinner.
A tradition in many cultures. Lots of family, lots of food, lots of fun. We had two out of three, today. Lots of food, lots of fun - but just a little family. Victor's mom, brother and sister-in-law.
We decided we'd do the Monday Pasta today. Sunday Dinner... Italians... It seemed the right thing to do.
Tonight's dish was Ricotta Gnocchi. Lighter than their potato cousins, they're also more flavorful. They work equally well with a red sauce, a cream sauce, or a simple butter sauce.
Ricotta Gnocchi
- 1 lb ricotta cheese
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
- Stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until evenly combined. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough.
- Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces, and roll into 1/2-inch-thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, then drain.
- Place gnocchi into a serving bowl, and spoon sauce over top.
They are actually pretty easy to make. I've made them many times in the past rolling the little gnocchi off the tines of a fork. The gnocchi board really makes it easier, although the fork tines are not difficult by any means.
You definitely want a soft dough to begin with. Work it just enough to get everything mixed together, and although the recipe doesn't call for it, wrapping it and letting it rest for about 20 minutes or so will help bring it together and allow the flour to absorb the liquids.
And then it just becomes the rolling, cutting, and forming process.
[flowplayer src='https://tjrecipes.com/media/gnocchi.mp4']
The recipe makes a goodly amount. We got two sheet pans - one went into the freezer!
I made another loaf of bread, and Marie brought over some great blondie-brownies. And we had some of the Bananas Foster Bread from last night.
We ate really well.
A good time was had by all, the Giants beat the Padres, and life is good!
Pansotti with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Several weeks ago, Victor made Pansotti con salsa di noci for his Monday Pasta. The recipe made quite a bit of the pasta, so into the freezer it went - until tonight.
Victor had made tomato sauce a couple of days ago from the horde of tomatoes we've harvested and I was in the mood for EyeTalian. A dinner was born.
I had about a half-pound of mushrooms and about the same amount of filet tips, so I sauteed them off in a bit of olive oil and garlic, added a couple of cups of the fresh tomato sauce, a couple of ounces of grated grana padano, and a pinch of fresh herbs. I cooked off the frozen pansotti, tossed everything together and sliced up some of yesterday's bread.
It was a treat not to really have to cook, but have a fresh-made dinner.
So to celebrate not really having to do anything, I made a Bananas Foster Bread from Cooking Light Magazine.
Strozzapreti e Capesante al Limone
We had friends arrive from Rochester last night for a layover on their way to Paris. Weather delayed them by several hours, so we finally arrived at the ol' homestead about 9pm. Just in time for a late dinner.
Victor planned a variation of the Linguine al Limone he made last month because it was something that could be tossed together rather quickly. We know all too well the joy of air travel. We planned for them not being on time. And we were right.
The pasta was just perfect. It has a bright lemon flavor that is not at all overwhelming for being as pronounced as it is. It's one of those recipes that just works.
Victor chose small bay scallops for the dish. They blended in perfectly.
I also baked a loaf of the egg white bread. It totally rocks.
Strozzapreti e Capesante al Limone
- 1 pound strozzapreti or other pasta
- 1 1/2 pounds bay scallops
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp whole milk
- 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
Quickly saute scallops in a drizzle of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. When barely heated through, drain excess liquid from pan.
Meanwhile, place egg yolks in a large bowl. Grate the zest of 1 lemon into the bowl. Add cheese and pepper; whisk to combine, then whisk in cream, milk, parsley, chives, and generous pinch of salt.
When pasta is al dente, drain and add to scallops. Immediately add egg mixture and toss together to combine well, then divide among serving bowls. Grate fresh lemon zest (from the remaining lemon) and cheese over the top. Serve immediately.
This is one of those recipes that is so simple to prepare and so incredibly wonderful to eat, it's going to be a staple in our home from now until forever.
And as I type this, Ann and Julie are jetting across the pond to Gay Paree.
I hate them.
Roasted Butternut Squash with 6-Cheese Tortellini
After playing tourist in Philadelphia all day, we needed sustenance when we got home.
We had seen this recipe concept in the latest Wegmans magazine. It was a throw-together using packaged soup and pre-cut squash. We liked the idea, but not of using pre-made ingredients.
We started from scratch!
Butternut Squash Soup
- 1 butternut squash, roasted
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4-6 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
- 1 tsp sage
- salt and pepper, to taste
Saute onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil. Add roasted squash and mash into pot. Add about 4 cups of broth and sage and, with an immersion blender, puree everything to a smooth soup. Add more broth as needed to come to your desired consistency. Taste for salt and pepper and add, as desired.
Roasted Butternut Squash with 6-Cheese Tortellini
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 3-4 cups butternut squash soup
- 1 tsp sage
- tortellini or pasta of your choice
- salt and pepper, to taste
Heat soup. Add roasted squash, and sage. Check fopr seasoning and add S&P, as desired.
Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Drain, mix with sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and enjoy!
This is one of those dishes that is simplicity to make - but dayum, is it good!
It can easily be made vegetarian, and, depending on the type of pasta used, can be a vegan entree, as well.
The final part of the meal was homemade rolls.
Y'all have heard me wax poetically about the no-knead artisan bread. I make variations of it all the time.
The latest variation is to add three egg whites to the water - still making it three cups of liquid - to the 6 1/2 cups of flour. Follow the basic instructions. forming the dough into rolls. Let rise, brush with egg white, slice top, and bake at 450° for 25 minutes.
These are really good - perhaps my favorite, yet. The egg white makes for a slightly lighter interior, and a really crunchy crust.
They were so much of a hit, I just made a couple more for tonight!
Pizza
There haven't been many posts the last few days, but it's not because we haven't been cooking. It's because we've been cooking a lot for friends visiting from Seattle - and I'd rather cook and talk with friends around the table for hours than get up and make a blog post.
Selfish, I know, but... it's all about me, right?!?
The pizza dough is pretty much the recipe I used to make when I worked at Pirro's 40+ years ago, except I use olive oil. It's hard to believe I was hand-spinning pizza back in 1968. Time certainly flies when you're having fun.
Pizza Dough
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (100º to 105º)
- 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 4 cups “00” flour or unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- olive oil for bowl
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in bowl of mixer fitted with dough hook. Let proof about 5 minutes.
Mix together flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture. Mix on low speed about 4 minutes or until dough forms a coarse ball. Stop mixer and cover bowl with a towel. Let dough rest about 5 minutes, then remove towel and continue mixing another 2 minutes or so.
Lightly oil a large bowl. Form dough into a ball, transfer to bowl and turn to lightly coat with oil. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.
Punch down dough, re-roll, and return to bowl. Tightly cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
Divide dough into 2 pieces; shape pieces into balls and place on a lightly floured work surface. Loosely cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise at warm room temperature until doubled, about 2 hours.
I actually made two pizzas. One with pepperoni, above, and another with sundried tomato pesto that Victor made a while back, and assorted veggies; green and yellow zucchini, red bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms... and both of them were made with fresh buffalo mozzarella and some pecorino romano sprinkled on top.
Homemade pizza and good friends.
It doesn't get much better.
Tagliatelle con Broccolo Romanesco
It is actually becoming difficult to describe how wonderful and delicious our Monday Pasta is... Me. The guy who can talk all day - is having trouble coming up with words to describe light-as-a-feather hand-made pasta with a couple of simple ingredients.
But I tell ya, I'm gonna have fun trying!
What started out as a bit of a lark has turned into a real learning experience for both of us. We both grew up on the heavy southern Italian red sauce - with lots of beef and pork, meatballs and sausages. I absolutely love it. But all of a sudden, there are a bazillion ways to dress pasta - with just a couple of ingredients. Now, restraint has never been a word I would say, see, or hear in a kitchen, but these dishes are all about restraint. They're about a couple of ingredients standing on their own.
Tonight's pasta was a prime example. Cauliflower, anchovies, dried chiles, a garlic clove, and a can of tomatoes. I could taste every flavor, yet not one overpowered another. The balance was unbelievable and another perfect learning experience for the king of culinary excess.
And Victor has the pasta-making down to a science. It's uncanny what he is able to do with a couple of eggs and a cup of flour. Unbelievable.
So here's another fantastic Monday Night Pasta Dish... With more to come!
Tagliatelle con Broccolo Romanesco
Tagliatelle with Romanesco Cauliflower and spicy tomato sauce
- 2 ½ lbs cauliflower (preferably Romanesco)
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 flat anchovy fillets
- ½ tsp dried red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes in juice
- 1 lb Tagliatelle or other long pasta
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley finely chopped
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut cauliflower into 1 inch wide florets. Cook florets in the boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Reserve water, transfer cauliflower to a colander to drain, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
In a large, high sided skillet with a lid, combine garlic, oil, anchovies and pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes and juices (I break up the tomatoes), bring to a simmer then add cauliflower. Gently simmer sauce, covered, stirring once or twice for about 20 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken a bit. Meanwhile return the water to a boil.
Five minutes before sauce is ready, cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta and transfer to a large service bowl. Immediately add sauce and parsley, toss to combine. Serve immediately with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
The pasta is a total key-player in these dishes. If you can make it, all the better. if you can't, at least get the best fresh pasta you can find. And if you can't get fresh, the best packaged. And if the best packaged is a store-brand, well... go for it, anyway!
Tagliatelle
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- Coarse sea salt
Special equipment: parchment or waxed paper
Instructions
On a clean work surface, mound flour and form a well in the center. Add eggs and egg yolks to the well. Using a fork, gently break up yolks and slowly incorporate flour from inside rim of well. Continue until liquid is absorbed, then knead for 10 minutes. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 3 pieces. Cover 2 pieces with plastic wrap. Flatten remaining dough piece so that it will fit through the rollers of a pasta machine.
Set rollers of pasta machine at the widest setting, then feed pasta through rollers 3 or 4 times, folding and turning pasta until it is smooth and the width of the machine.
Roll pasta through machine, decreasing the setting, one notch at a time (do not fold or turn pasta), until pasta sheet is scant 1/16 inch thick.
Cut sheet in half widthwise; dust both sides of sheets with flour. Layer sheets between floured pieces of parchment or wax paper. Cover with paper and repeat with remaining dough.
With the short end of 1 pasta sheet facing you, loosely fold up sheet, folding sheet over two or three times from short ends toward the center. With a large chefs knife, cut folded sheet into ribbons, a scant 1/4 inch wide. Unroll strips and lightly dust with flour; spread on a lightly floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets.
To cook the tagliatelle, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta, transfer to a large serving bowl and toss with sauce. (If serving with Ragu all Bolognese, use 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of the sauce.)
It's worth buying a pasta roller. Really.
Oh... and just as an aside... I actually went out and purchased 2 cans of San Marzano canned tomatoes. DOP Italy, the whole bit. I'm going to play heretic here, but neither of us saw them as worth three times more than our normal canned store-brand plums. Yes, they're good, but our fresh-from-the-garden plums are better.
Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa
Pasta Monday. I have died and gone to Gastronomic Heaven. How can so few ingredients pack such a wallop of flavor? It truly boggles the mind.
First off, I love broccoli rabe. It's a slightly bitter green with an earthy flavor that just works with anything. Sauteed with a bit of garlic and drizzled with balsamic vinegar, it makes a great side dish. Or - as in tonight's dinner - simply mixed with a couple of key ingredients and it really shows off.
Tonight's plate is one of those dishes where the picture just isn't going to do it justice. Visually, it's gorgeous - the most beautiful greens imaginable. Even the orecchiette takes on a slightly shimmering green tone. Contrasted with the white white of the ricotta salada and it's visual perfection.
And then you take that first bite...
The flavors and textures all work with one another perfectly. The bread crumbs add a really great contrast to the pasta and broccoli rabe. Perfect.
This is one of those instances where it's much better that Victor is in the kitchen. I tend to look at a recipe and then start adding things... I could easily see mushrooms and onions and garlic and peppers and lord knows what else being thrown into the pot. But the beauty of this dish is the simplicity. It's the lack of ingredients that makes it so good. And let's face it - restraint is not a word I know well.
I highly recommend it.
Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa – Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe
- 1 ¼ lbs broccoli rabe, trimmed
- Salt
- 3 oz guanciale or pancetta cut into ¼ inch cubes
- 6 tbls extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup coarse, plain breadcrumbs
- 1 lb Orecchiette
- 1 cup coarsely grated ricotta salata cheese (3 oz)
Cook broccoli rabe in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes.
Reserving the water, transfer broccoli rabe to a colander, rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Squeeze out excess water and roughly chop.
In a large skillet, combine guanciale or pancetta and 4 tbls oil, heat over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally until it begins to crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Add broccoli rabe and continue cooking, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes more. Transfer mixture to a large serving bowl (big enough to toss the pasta)
Return skillet to medium heat, add 2 tbls oil and breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until breadcrumbs are golden, about 5 minutes then remove from heat.
Return pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and add to bowl with broccoli rabe. Add breadcrumb mixture and ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Toss to combine. Moisten with extra pasta cooking liquid, if desired. Serve immediately, sprinkled with cheese.
This is one that will be made over and over. And who knows... maybe I will play with it a bit. I think this would be good no matter what.