Category: Entrees – Pastas/Sauces

Servings: —
Source: Martha Rose Shulman
recipeNotes: Advance preparation: The mushrooms can be cooked up to 4 days before the lasagna is assembled and baked. The béchamel can be made a day ahead. Whisk well and reheat gently before straining into the mushrooms and assembling the lasagna. The assembled lasagna can be tightly covered and refrigerated for a day before baking. Leftovers will keep for 3 or 4 days. Reheat in a low oven or in a microwave.
This lasagna tastes very rich, even though it really isn’t. It combines an olive oil béchamel with a simple mushroom ragout and Parmesan cheese. I prefer no-boil lasagna noodles because they’re lighter than regular lasagna noodles. But I still boil them because I think the results are better if they’re cooked until they’re flexible (a couple of minutes) first.

Ingredients
For the mushrooms:
1 oz (about 1 cup) dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots or 1 sm onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt
1/2 cup fruity red wine, such as a Côtes du Rhône or Syrah
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground pepper

For the béchamel:
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp minced shallot or onion
2 Tbsp sifted all-purpose flour
2 cup milk (may use low-fat milk)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the lasagna:
1/2 lb no-boil lasagna noodles
4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
A few leaves of fresh sage (optional)

Directions
1. Place the dried mushrooms in a glass measuring cup and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Let soak 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all the flavorful juices. If using shiitakes, cut away and discard the stems. Then rinse the mushrooms, away from the bowl with the soaking liquid, until they are free of sand. Squeeze dry and set aside. Chop coarsely. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, then add the fresh and reconstituted mushrooms and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms begin to soften and to sweat, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, 5 to 10 minutes. Add thyme and stir in the mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer, add salt, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the surrounding broth has reduced by a little more than half, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt.

3. Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw-flour taste. Season with salt and pepper. Strain while hot into the pan with the mushrooms.

4. Assemble the lasagna. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil or butter a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add 3 or 4 lasagna noodles, just the number you need for one layer. Cook only until flexible, and using tongs or a skimmer, remove from the pan and set on a kitchen towel to drain. Spoon a thin layer of béchamel and mushrooms over the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread a ladleful of the mushroom/béchamel mixture over the noodles and top with a layer of Parmesan. Cook the next layer of noodles and continue to repeat the layers (I get three layers in my pan), ending with a layer of the mushroom/béchamel mixture topped with Parmesan. Cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and if you want the edges of the noodles crispy and the top lightly browned, continue to bake uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Servings: 4
Source: Martha Rose Shulman
Perciatelli are hollow long noodles that also go by the name bucatini. Their texture is robust, supporting a robust sauce like this one. Because the noodles are hollow, they cook much more quickly than spaghetti, so keep your eye on them so they don’t get too soft.

Ingredients
1 sm cauliflower or 1/2 large
cauliflower, broken into florets (about 1 pound)
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes with juice, pulsed a few times in a food processor or mini processor
Pinch of sugar
2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
3/4 lb perciatelli (bucatini)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

4 anchovy filets
2 oz pecorino, grated (1/2 cup), or 1 oz each pecorino and Parmesan

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425F. Core the cauliflower and break it into florets. Toss with olive oil and roast on sheet pan until brown in spots and al dente.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add the garlic, anchovy filets, and chili flakes. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in the puréed tomatoes, a pinch of sugar, and salt to taste. Add the capers simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings.

3. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the perciatelli. Cook al dente, usually about 7 or 8 minutes. Add about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the pan with the cauliflower and stir. Drain the pasta and add to the pan, along with the roasted cauliflower, parsley and the pecorino. Stir together and serve.

Advance Preparation : You can make this through Step 2 up to a day ahead and reheat on top of the stove.

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 35 min
This is a wonderful, mild flavored pasta we’ve adapted from Marcella Hazan. I know it sounds like an odd combination of ingredients, but you should definitely try it. It’s unlike any pasta you have likely eaten before, and it is quite tasty. We will definitely make it again. Serve with the roasted broccoli below for a nice combination of flavors and a healthy meal.

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
6 flat anchovies, chopped very fine (canned is fine)
1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes or to taste (we substituted 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper to suit our kids)
1/2 tsp kosher salt or more to taste
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 to 1 1/2 pounds penne pasta (we use Barilla plus)

Directions
Strip the cauliflower of all its leaves except for the tender inner ones. Rinse and cut in two.
Bring 4-5 quarts of water to boil, put in the cauliflower, and cook it till tender, about 25-30 minutes. Prod it with a fork to test for doneness. Remove from the water and set aside. When cooled, chop the cauliflower into pieces not bigger than a small nut.
(Or alternatively, roast the cauliflower for 25 minutes at 400 degrees – 2 Tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt)
Return the water to the stove, bring to boil, and add the pasta and cook until done.
While the pasta is cooking, put the oil and garlic in a medium saute pan, turn the heat to medium, and cook until the garlic becomes colored a light, golden brown. Then add the chopped anchovies and cook for a few minutes while stirring an mashing the anchovies against the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon until they are close to the consistency of a paste.
Add the cauliflower pieces and turn them until thoroughly coated with the oil, mashing some with the back of the spoon.
Add the chili pepper flakes or black pepper and kosher salt. Turn up the heat and cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently. (This can be prepared a few hours ahead of time, but don’t refrigerate it.)
Toss the sauce with the cooked and drained pasta. Add the chopped parsley, toss, check and adjust seasoning, then serve immediately

Servings: 3
Preheat: 400°
The raisins add a touch of sweetness to an otherwise savory pasta dish. I think that people who don’t care for cauliflower will enjoy this pasta. I like to use orecchiette as the raisins, nuts, and little bits of cauliflower seem to nestle inside the little ear shaped pasta. I served this dish with sautéed cherry tomatoes to give both color and as a nod to those cooks who put tomatoes in their recipe. I hope you will prepare and enjoy this dish.

Ingredients
1/2 lb orecchiette pasta (be sure to separate the noodles before boiling)
1/2 head cauliflower, broken and cut into small florets
1/4 cup raisins, soaked and drained
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/2 sm onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 inch squirt of anchovy paste from a tube or 3 anchovy filets, mashed
1/4 (or less) cup olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 handful of pecorino grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Place cauliflower florets on a baking pan, drizzle with a little oil. Salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place in hot oven and roast until lightly caramelized and tender. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook to al dente. Save a cup of the pasta water.

While pasta is cooking, sauté the onion and garlic until soft but not brown. Add the anchovy paste and wine, stir to mix. Add the raisins, pepper flakes and taste for seasoning. Add cooked pasta, simmer for one minute. Add just enough pasta water to keep mixture moist but not soupy. Add the roasted cauliflower, pine nuts, and a handful of cheese and gently toss. Add chopped parsley and plate. Serve with additional cheese on the side.

Servings: 4
Source: Cook Something, Mitchell Davis, Macmillan
Another classic combination, this dish makes people think you went to a lot of trouble. Actually it’s quite simple. It’s an adaptation of a dish my friends Ed and Katie brought to my prebook party. Any shape of pasta works, but I prefer a small noodle such as shells or bowties. Despite what an Italian might otherwise recommend, I like to serve this dish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 sm onion, chopped
1/4 lb smoked salmon, chopped
1 cup heavy cream (a.k.a. whipping cream)
3 Tbsp capers, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lb pasta, cooked al dente, drained (reserving about
1/4 cup of the cooking water), and tossed with olive oil
Freshly grated imported Parmesan cheese

Directions
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, but not browned. Add the smoked salmon and continue cooking just until the salmon turns opaque, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the cream and add the capers. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Be careful how much salt you add because the smoked salmon and capers are both salty. Add the pasta and toss to coat. If there doesn’t appear to be enough sauce, add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to thin it down. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Servings: 4
Source: The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan
Carretti were hand-or mule-driven carts in which wine and produce were brought into Rome from the surrounding hills. The carrettieri, the cart drivers, were notoriously underpaid and had to improvise inexpensive but satisfying meals that could be quickly prepared in the intervals between treks to and from the city.

There are many versions of spaghettini alla carrettiera. This li’s evidently a spring and summer version, because it calls for a large quantity of fresh basil. It has a very fresh, unlabored taste. Don’t be put off by the amount of garlic required. It simmers in the sauce without browning so that its flavor comes through very gently. In Rome, one would use very ripe, small sauce tomatoes called casalini, which thicken quickly in cooking. For our purposes, a good-quafity canned Italian plum tomato is best.

Ingredients
1 large bunch fresh basil, preferably with the smallest possible leaves
2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, seeded, drained, and coarsely chopped
5 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1/3 cup olive oil, more if desired
Salt
Freshly ground pepper, about 6 twists of the mffl
1 pound spaghettini

Directions
Pull off all the basil leaves from the stalks, rinse them briefly in cold water, and roughly chop them. The yield should be about 1½ to 2 cups.

Put the chopped basil, tomatoes, garlic, the 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in an uncovered saucepan and cook over medium-bigh heat for 15 minutes. Taste and correct for salt.

Drop the spaghettini in 4 quarts of boiling salted water. Since thin spaghetti cook very rapidly, begin testing them early for doneness. They should be truly al dente, very firm to the bite.

Drain the spaghettini in a large colander, giving the colander two or three vigorous upward jerks to make all the water run off, and transfer quickly to a large hot bowl. Add the sauce, mixing it thoroughly into the spaghettini. You may, if you wish, add a few drops of raw olive oil. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4
Source: Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
This is one of the easiest, quickest, and tastiest pasta dishes you can prepare. Its humble origins are in the shanty towns of Rome, but it is now a universal favorite, especially among Rome’s chic insomniacs, who depend upon a wee hours’ spaghettata to see them through the night until their early-morning bedtime.

In most versions, crushed garlic cloves are sautéed in olive oil until they are nearly black. They are then discarded and the spaghetti is seasoned with the flavored oil. In this recipe the garlic is chopped, sautéed lightly, and left in the oil to be added to the spaghetti. The result is a fuller yet milder taste of garlic, with no trace of bitterness.

Ingredients
½ cup plus I tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons very finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoon salt
1 pound spaghetti or spaghettini
Freshly ground pepper, 6 to 8 twists of the mill
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
hot pepper flakes (optional)
8 oz jumbo shrimp (optional)

Directions
The sauce can be prepared in the time it takes to bring the water for the spaghetti to a boil. When you’ve turned on the heat under the water, put the 1/2 cup oil, the garlic, and salt in a very small saucepan. Sauté the garlic over very low heat, stirring frequently, until it slowly becomes a rich, golden color.

Drop the spaghetti into the boiling salted water and cook until tender but al dente, very firm to the bite. Drain immediately, transfer to a warm bowl, and add the oil and garlic sauce. Toss rapidly, coating all the strands, adding pepper and parsley and hot pepper flakes to taste. Mix the remaining tablespoon of olive oil into the spaghetti and serve. Serve with shrimp if desired.

Servings: 2
Source: Fine Cooking May 2008, pp. 57
If you’d like to make this pasta for four people, double the recipe, but transfer the pasta back into the pot used for cooking it and then toss it with the eggs and cheese.

Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz. fatty pancetta or guanciale, sliced ¼ inch thick and cut into 1 ½ x ½-inch rectangles
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup diced red onion
2 large eggs, chilled
½ lb. imported dried spaghetti (
½ cup lightly packed, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta or guanciale and ½ tsp. pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes. (If the meat is browning too quickly, reduce the heat to medium low.) Add the onion and continue to cook until it’s soft and golden and the meat is crisp, about 5 minutes more.

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully spoon off all but about 2 Tbs. of the fat. Add 1 Tbs. water to the pan and scrape any brown bits from the bottom.

Beat the eggs in a small bowl until smooth and set aside.

Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water4ecording to package directions until it’s just shy of al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water and drain the spaghetti. Transfer the spaghetti to the skillet, set it over medium heat, and toss with tongs to coat the spaghetti with the fat and finish cooking to al dente, about 1 minute. If the pasta is too dry or starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, add 1 or 2 tsp. of the pasta water. You want the bottom of the pan to be just barely wet. If the pan is too dry, the eggs will scramble when you add them.

Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the eggs over the pasta, tossing quickly and continuously until the eggs thicken and turn to the consistency of a thin custard, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (Tossing constantly is important, as it prevents the eggs from scrambling.)

The sauce should be smooth and creamy, and it should cling to the pasta. Add a little more pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce. Stir in the Parmigiano and season to taste with salt and pepper (you may not need additional salt, as both guanciale and pancetta can be very salty). Serve immediately.

Servings: 4
Arugula is a peppery green that is stirred into this risotto at the last minute to add extra color and texture. Use a variety of wild or cultivated wild mushrooms, such as porcini or cipes, oyster mushrooms, and shiitake.

Ingredients

Ingredients

2 cups Vegetable Stock (page 45)
Pinch of saffron, strands
4 tablespoons of butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (6 ounces) fresh wild mushrooms
1 cup (4 ounces) tightly packed arugula
I/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Heat the stock in a small saucepan, add the saffron, and let infuse for 10 minutes.

Heat the butter in a medium skillet and saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the rice and stir over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until rice is opaque. Pour in the wine and simmer rapidly until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add a third of the stock, stir once, and sinnner gently over a low heat until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this twice with the remaining stock, until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes.

Just before the rice is cooked, heat the oil in a small skillet and stir-fry the mushrooms over high heat until golden. Reduce the heat, add the arugula, and stir-fry for a few seconds, until just wilted.

Stir the mushrooms and arugula into the rice, along with the Parmesan, salt, and plenty of pepper.

Serve immediately.