Short Ribs & Penne Pasta

Short Ribs

• 6-8 short ribs (pending the number of people)
• 1 cup chicken stock

Directions:

Season short ribs with salt, pepper, seasoning salt of choice.  Place in slow cooker and add chicken stock.   Cook 6-8 hours on low (should be falling off the bone).   Take out and pull off the bone and shred with a fork.  Save liquid.

Sauce

(Makes about 1 1/2 cups)

•     1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
•     1.5 cup liquid from the slow cooked ribs
•     1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
•     10 black peppercorns
•     1 bay leaf
•     1 cup whipping cream
•     1/2 cup chicken stock
•     1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

Directions:

Place sun-dried tomatoes in food processor. Boil rib liquid, vinegar, black peppercorns and bay leaf in heavy small saucepan until liquid is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 8 minutes. Strain liquid into tomatoes in processor and puree until smooth. Return tomato mixture to same saucepan. Add whipping cream, chicken stock and thyme. Simmer until flavors blend, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt.   Add shredded short ribs meat and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.  

Pasta & Assemble

• 1 box of penne pasta (should feed 4-6)
• 1/2 cup of parmigiano-reggiano 

Prepare according to directions.  Cook & Drain.
 
In a large bowl combine sauce, pasta and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.

Mix well and season with pepper if needed.

Top with chopped Italian parsley and serve.

Southwest Tortellini Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 9 -10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini, can use any type
• 1 (4 ounce) cans diced green chilies
• 1 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat sour cream, can use regular
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 3/4 cup chopped green onion

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease/spray a 1 1/2 qt casserole dish.

In a bowl, toss together the black beans, tortellini, green chilies, diced tomatoes and cumin. Mix well and pour into the prepared casserole dish.

In another bowl, stir together the sour cream, lime juice and sugar; evenly spread this over mixture in the casserole dish.

Evenly sprinkle with cheese, then olives, then green onions, then the cilantro.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Uncover and continue baking an additional 20-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Three-Cheese Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

 

1 (16-ounce) package ziti
2 (10-ounce) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce 
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream 
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
 

Directions:

 

Prepare ziti according to package directions; drain and return to pot.

Stir together Alfredo sauce and sour cream; toss with ziti until evenly coated 

Spoon half of mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
 

Stir together ricotta cheese and next 3 ingredients; spread evenly over pasta mixture in baking dish. Spoon remaining pasta mixture evenly over ricotta cheese layer; sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.
 

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. 

Note: Ziti pasta is shaped in long, thin tubes; penne or rigatoni pasta may be substituted, if desired.

Lemon Butter Pasta

Ingredients:

1 pound Pasta (fettuccine, Linguine, Angel Hair)
8 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Lemon
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook the noodles according to package instructions. (If using angel hair, stop just short of the al dente stage.) Drain and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the cooked pasta and cook it around in the butter for a couple of minutes.

Zest the lemon. Squeeze in the juice, then add the zest of half the lemon.

Add salt and pepper to taste, then toss around and serve.

Tuna and Tomato Sauce with Pasta

Ingredients:

Olive oil
1/2 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 - 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 red chili, thinly sliced - de-seeded 

1 can of chopped tomatoes
Black sliced olives
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire sauce
Fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
1 can of tuna chunks oil, drained and flaked
Fresh parmesan, grated
Pasta cooked as per the directions


Directions:

Heat some olive oil in a pan on a medium heat. Chuck in the onion, garlic and chili and let that sizzle for a couple of minutes until the onion starts to soften up. Pour in the tomatoes and stir in some olives. Add a splash or two of Worcestershire sauce, some sugar and season to taste. Let this simmer for a couple of minutes. If using, stir in the tuna and the basil leaves and let them heat through.

Serve on pasta and if you're using it, grate some parmesan on top.

Baked Ravioli

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, or oregano
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 pounds store-bought ravioli
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 5 1/2 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water just until they float to the top (pasta will continue to cook in oven). Drain pasta; return to pot.

Toss sauce with pasta. Pour pasta into a large gratin dish or 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with cheeses. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Chili Con Queso Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

1 pound penne

1½ pounds ground beef

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon roasted ground coriander

1tablespoon chili powder

Coarse black pepper

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3-5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 jalepeño 2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk ¾ pound cheddar cheese (about 2½ cups)

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (a generous handful), chopped

½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (a few handfuls) chopped

1 14-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

Directions:

Preheat the broiler to high and position the rack 8 inches from the heat.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta until slightly undercooked—a little chewy at the center.

While the water is coming to a boil, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the hamburger. When the hamburger is almost finished, but still a little pink, throw in the garlic, jalepeño, and onions and finish cooking until the burger is browned and the onion is translucent. Drain the grease from the skillet and mix in the cumin, coriander and chili powder. Take off the heat or turn heat down low.

In a medium sauce pot (and you can do this while you’re browning the hamburger), melt the butter and add the flour to it. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat and then whisk in the milk. When the milk comes to a bubble, stir in the cheese, cilantro and parsley with a wooden spoon. When the cheese has melted, stir in the tomatoes.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it back into the large pot. Add the contents of the hamburger and all of the Cheddar sauce, and stir to combine. Transfer to a baking dish, sprinkle with a bit more cheese if you wish, and place under the broiler to lightly brown.

It says it makes 4 servings, but with a salad, can easily feed 6! It was another hit in our house! I also think it would do well in a crockpot to take to a potluck. Just add a bit more milk to the cheese mixture so it doesn’t get too dried out.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef (could be substituted for Italian sausage)
1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
1 (15 oz) container of ricotta cheese (can use skim ricotta)
1 pkg. Kraft Italian Cheese (approx. 2 cups)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons parsley
6 regular lasagna noodles, uncooked

Directions:

Brown meat in large skillet; drain.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and water.  Mix ricotta, 1-1/2 cups Kraft Italian cheese, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, egg and parsley.

Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with 3 lasagna noodles, broken to fit; and half of cheese mixture.  Cover with 2 cups meat sauce.  Top with remaining noodles, broken to fit; cheese mixture and meat sauce.  Cover with lid.

Cook on low 4-6 hours or until liquid is absorbed.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese; let stand, covered, 10 min. or until melted.

Cobb Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

8 ounces twist or penne pasta
3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 lb. deli turkey and/or ham, cut up
1 medium avocado, peeled and chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
Suggested Fixin's* (optional)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool.

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients except pasta in large bowl. Add pasta and toss to coat. Season, if desired, with salt and ground black pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

*Use crumbled cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, shredded cheddar cheese and/or hard-cooked eggs.

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

1 pound linguine, cooked

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pinch red chili pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Directions:  

Start cooking the pasta as directed on package. 

Heat the oil and melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. 

Add the red chili pepper flakes and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Add the shrimp and saute until cooked, about 1-3 minutes per side. 

Remove the shrimp from the pan. 

Add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. 

Simmer the liquid until reduced by about half, about 3-5 minutes. 

Add the butter, wait for it to melt and turn off the heat. 

Add the shrimp, pasta and parsley and toss to coat.

Deep-Fried Ravioli

Ingredients:

1 quart vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup plain bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
2 Tablespoons dried basil
1 Tablespoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
12 store-bought ravioli (or 20 tortellini)

Directions:

Preheat vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat.

Place flour in one shallow dish and eggs in another. In a third, mix bread crumbs, ¼ cup Parmesan, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
In two batches, toss ravioli (or tortellini) in flour, gently shaking off excess. Dip in egg and then in bread crumb mixture. Thread 3 breaded ravioli (or 5 tortellini) onto each skewer.

Once oil reaches 350ºF, carefully place skewers in pot, two at a time, and fry about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan. Serve warm, with marinara sauce or basil pesto on the side.

Baked Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb of noodles
2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef, turkey or sausage
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
30 oz whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
10 fresh basil leaves, stacked, rolled and thinly sliced into ribbons
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 roll Pillsbury French Bread Loaf (substitute thawed pizza dough)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions drain and set aside.

Heat oil in large skilled over medium heat. Saute onions for 5 minutes, then your meat of choice, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Cook until no longer pink. Reduce heat to low then stir in chopped canned tomatoes. Add back par-cooked pasta and add basil. Cook until pasta has absorbed much of the liquid. Turn off heat until dough is ready.

While pasta is cooking, take half of your dough of choice and press into the bottom of a well greased springform pan (mine is nonstick) and pressing up the sides just slightly. Bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven.

Take shredded cheeses (save about handful) and mix through the pasta and transfer it onto your prebaked dough in the springform pan. Pack down your pasta and sprinkle with your remaining handful of cheese. Roll out your other half of dough and press on top of pasta pie. Brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt.

Bake for 25 minutes or until dough is cooked or slightly brown. Let cool for 10 minutes for the cheese inside to 'set' before slicing.

Baked Penne and Chicken

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound penne rigate
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each), halved horizontally
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups whole milk
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan (4 ounces)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.
 

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Off heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes; sprinkle each with cup Parmesan.

Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Pesto Mac & Cheese

Pesto Ingredients:

2-3 cloves garlic depending on your taste
2 cups, packed fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
½ cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
½ to 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

 
In a food processor, pulse the garlic, basil, pinch salt, pine nuts and cheeses into a paste. Gradually stream in olive oil until the sauce becomes a smooth creamy texture. Transfer to a tightly sealed container and store in the refrigerator. 

Béchamel Sauce Ingredients:

5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden color, about 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Mac-n-Cheese Ingredients:

1 16oz. box of mezzi rigatoni cooked two minutes under the recommended time.

2 cups grated parmigiano-reggiano

2 cups grated mild white cheddar

Completion Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take a glass 9×13 casserole dish and butter all sides and dump your pasta in. Then take your pesto sauce and stir into the béchamel sauce and add to the casserole dish with your cheese minus a handful for sprinkling on the top. Gently stir everything together and sprinkle the remaining cheese over they top. Bake for about 20 minutes until the dish is bubbling and golden brown on top.

Timpano (from the movie BIG NIGHT)

Ingredients:

FOR THE DOUGH:

4 cups all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup water

TO PREPARE THE PAN:

Butter Olive oil

FOR THE FILLING:

2 cups 1/4 x 1/2-inch Genoa salami pieces
2 cups 1/4 x 1/2-inch sharp provolone cheese cubes
12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, cut in 1/4's lengthwise, then cut in 1/2 to create chunks
2 cups little meatballs
8 cups Ragu Tucci (Meat-Based Tomato Sauce Tucci-Style) recipe follows
3 pounds ziti, cooked very al dente (about half the time recommended on the package) and drained (18 cups cooked)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
4 large eggs, beaten

Directions:

To make the dough, place the flour, eggs, salt, and olive oil in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. (A large capacity food processor may also be used.) Add 3 tablespoons of the water and process. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together and forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead to make sure it is well mixed. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes. (To knead the dough by hand, mix the flour and salt together on a clean, dry work surface or pastry board. Form these dry ingredients into a mound and then make a well in the center. Break the eggs into the center of the well and lightly beat them with a fork. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the water. Use the fork to gradually incorporate some of the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Continue mixing the dry ingredients into the eggs, adding the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead the dough with your hands to make a well-mixed, smooth, dry dough. If the dough becomes too sticky, add more flour. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.)

Flatten the dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour and roll it out, dusting with flour and flipping the dough over from time to time, until it is about 1/16 inch thick and is the desired diameter. Generously grease the timpano baking pan with butter and olive oil. Fold the dough in half and then in half again, to form a triangle, and place it in the pan. Open the dough and arrange it in the pan, gently pressing it against the bottom and the sides, draping the extra dough over the sides. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To prepare the filling, have the salami, provolone, hard-boiled eggs, meatballs, and ragu at room temperature. Toss the drained pasta with the olive oil and 2 cups of the ragu. Distribute 6 generous cups of the pasta on the bottom of the timpano. Top with 1 cup of the salami, 1 cup of the provolone, 6 of the hard-boiled eggs, 1 cup of the meatballs, and 1/3 cup of the Romano cheese. Pour 2 cups of the ragu over these ingredients. Top with 6 cups of the remaining pasta. Top that with the remaining 1 cup salami, 1 cup provolone, 6 hard-boiled eggs, 1 cup meatballs, and 1/3 cup Romano cheese. Pour 2 cups of the ragu of over these ingredients. top with the remaining 2 cups ragu over the pasta. Pour the beaten eggs over the filling. Fold the pasta dough over the filling to seal completely. Trim away and discard any double layers of dough.

Bake until lightly browned, about 1 hour. Then cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until the timpano is cooked through and the dough is golden brown (and reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F), about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30 or more minutes. The baked timpano should not adhere to the pan. If any part is still attached, carefully detach with a knife. Grasp the baking pan firmly and invert the timpano onto a serving platter. Remove the pan and allow the timpano to cool for 20 minutes. Using a long, sharp knife, cut a circle about 3 inches in diameter in the center of the timpano, making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom. Then slice the timpano as you would a pie into individual portions, leaving the center circle as a support for the remaining pieces.

Ragu Tucci

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound stewing beef, trimmed of fat, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into pieces
1 pound country-style spareribs, trimmed of fat, cut in half, rinsed, and patted dry
1 cup roughly chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups warm water
8 cups canned whole plum tomatoes (about two 35-ounce cans), passed through a food mill or pureed in the blender
3 fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

Directions:

Warm the olive oil in a stew pot set over medium-high heat, sear the stewing beef until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside in a bowl. Add the spareribs to the pot and sear until they are brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside in the bowl with the stewing beef. (If your pot is big enough to hold all of the meat in a single layer, it may be cooked at the same time.)

Stir the onions and garlic into the pot. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the onions begin to soften and lose their shape, about 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pot clean. Add the tomato paste. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm water into the can to loosen any residual paste and then pour the water into the pot. Cook to warm the paste through, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes along with the remaining 1 cup warm water. Stir in the basil and oregano. Cover with the lid slightly askew and simmer to sweeten the tomatoes, about 30 minutes. Return the meat to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl. Cover with the lid slightly askew and simmer, stirring frequently, until the meat is very tender and the tomatoes are cooked, about 2 hours. Warm water may be added to the sauce, in 1/2-cup portions, if the sauce becomes too thick. (If you have made meatballs, they may be added during the last half hour of cooking. The meatballs will soften and absorb some of the sauce.)

NOTE: When preparing ragu for timpano only the sauce is used and the meat is served as a separate course. The sauce for timpano should be thin, so measure out 7 1/2 cups of prepared sauce and stir in 1/2 cup water before proceeding with the timpano recipe.

VARIATION: Sweet Italian sausage may be added to this sauce. Sauté it after the spareribs and then proceed with the recipe as written

Beef Stroganoff

Baked Mac & Cheese Cupcakes

 

Ingredients:

Vegetable cooking spray 2 cups dried breadcrumbs 8 ounces small pasta such as pennette, shells, or elbows 8 ounces ground turkey or chicken, preferably dark meat 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese 1 ½ cups grated white cheddar cheese 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered 2 cups chopped broccoli, blanched, see Cook's Note 1 pound asparagus, cut into ¾-inch pieces, blanched

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 2 12-cup muffin or cupcake pans with vegetable cooking spray. Using 1 cup of breadcrumbs, coat the inside of each muffin cup with breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, or chicken, if using, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until cooked through. Set aside and cover to keep warm. 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, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add the cooked turkey and the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the prepared pasta mixture into the cupcake molds, filling evenly to about 2/3 full. Place a few pieces of tomato, broccoli and asparagus in each cup. Top with a thin layer of the remaining breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let cool for a few minutes and carefully un-mold with a spoon.

Lasagna Norther-Italian Style

Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients:   6 ounces Spaghetti noodles 1 tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil 4 sliced bacon cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 shallot very finely chopped 1 garlic clove very finely chopped 1 cup  heavy cream 2 tablespoons  freshly grated parmigiano cheese 4  large egg yolks Salt 2 tablespoons  coarsely chopped parsley Freshly ground pepper

Directions: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking water. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the pancetta and cook over moderate heat until most of the fat has been rendered, 7 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute. Add the cream and simmer over moderate heat until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Add the hot pasta to the skillet and stir to coat, 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water, the 2 tablespoons of grated cheese and the egg yolks. Season with salt. Divide the pasta into bowls and sprinkle with parsley and pepper. Serve, passing more cheese at the table.

Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs

 

Ingredients:

Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 pound spaghetti
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons slivered Kalamata olives
2 cans (6 ounces each) chunk light tuna in water, drained

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse bread and 1 teaspoon oil until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, tossing occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, olives, and 1 tablespoon oil; toss, adding enough pasta water to coat. Add tuna; toss gently. Serve sprinkled with breadcrumbs.