Pasta Valjo

Pasta Valjo

serves 10

(America)

My wife loves my Zuppa Pomodoro  di Toscano (Tuscan Tomato Soup), but it serves 8 or more and we were only 2 so I developed this recipe to find an alternative use for the excess soup . . .  we soon found that our friends and family enjoyed the pasta sauce so much I began making it as a dish of its own.   This recipe makes sufficient for 10 to 12 approximately 1cup servings, for smaller groups reserve, prior to adding the vodka,  the number of cups needed for service and freeze the remainder in a lidded, freezer safe container for future use as either a sauce base or soup.

Ingredients

2 – 28 ounce cans of imported San Marzano Tomatoes, including juices

2 cups of chicken stock

1 ¼ cup good Vodka

2 large yellow onions, finely diced

1 ½ cups of heavy whipping cream

1 cup Pesto di Basilico (Basil Pesto, see recipe)

½ tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher or sea salt (to taste)

 freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

2½  pounds of pasta of your choice (about 1/4 pound per person)

Freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese 

Preparation

1.  Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over low heat.  Add the diced onions and sauté until softened and translucent (do not brown).

2.  Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes (if used) raise heat  and bring the tomatoes to a simmer.  When the tomatoes are at a simmer, add the chicken stock.

3.  Continue simmering for about 15 minutes giving the flavours time to combine.

4.  Add the whipping cream and pesto.  Remove from the stove and carefully pour the sauce base into the container of a blender or food processor and process (in batches if necessary) to the consistency you desire (we enjoy the sauce slightly chunky in the Italian fashion).

5.  Reserve 1 cup sauce base per serving, at this point any base not used can be placed in a lidded, freezer safe container and frozen for future use.  Pour the reserved sauce base into a large sauce pan and set aside.

6.  Prepare pasta (allowing about ¼ pound pasta per person) al dente according to package directions.  Drain,  reserving 1 cup pasta water, cooked pasta.

7.  Place the sauce pan containing sauce base over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of vodka per serving of sauce (1 ¼  cups for the entire recipe) to the sauce base and bring to a rapid simmer.  Correct seasoning to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

8.  Add the pasta and toss.   If the sauce appears too tight for your tastes add the reserved pasta cooking water, a little at a time, until the desired consistence is attained.  

9.  Divide the sauce pasta among serving dishes and serve immediately accompanied by plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Spaghetti Al Limone (Lemon Spaghetti)

Spaghetti Al Limone

(Lemon Spaghetti)

(Italy)

serves 4

This recipe marries the sweet flavour of Amalfi lemons with fresh basil  to transport  you back to the sunny hillsides of the Amalfi coast of Italy if you've been  there and will make you long for the warmth of the Southern Italian coast if you never have.   While it makes a light summertime pasta dish, you can also kick-up the recipe with the addition of the Prosciutto ham and the heat of the red pepper flakes.

Ingredients

1 pound  spaghetti

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

½  cup fresh lemon juice, about 3 lemons

1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

½  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped

¼ pound thinly sliced Prosciutto, cut into chiffonade (optional)

Preparation

1.   Bring a large quantity of heavily salted water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.  When the water comes to a boil add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, according to package directions until al-dente', about 8 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, if you are going to use red pepper flakes, heat the oil add red pepper flakes and sauté in a small sauté pan for 1 or 2 minutes to allow the oil to absorb the pepper's spiciness.  Allow the red pepper oil to cool.   If you are not using red pepper flakes skip to step 3.

3.  In a large bowl or measuring cup,  whisk together the olive oil (including the pepper flakes if used), Parmesan cheese and lemon juice.

4.  Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.  Place the drained pasta in a large, high sided sauté pan over medium heat.

5.  Add the lemon sauce and toss the pasta to distribute the sauce, if the pasta  is too "tight" add the reserved pasta cooking liquid, ¼ at a time, and continue tossing until sauce "loosens up" to your liking.

6.  Add chiffonade Prosciutto, if you chose to add it, and continue to toss to distribute.

7.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil and serve immediately.

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Spaghetti with garlic and Oil)

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

(Spaghetti with garlic and Oil)

(Italy)

serves 4

The sauce, Aglio E Olio, for this dish becomes the “mother sauce” (the basis) for the Puttanesca sauce, it is also the first sauce my mother taught me.  It is deceptively simple; garlic and extra-virgin olive oil with just enough red pepper to wake up your taste buds.  If you try the options you'll find that the Alice (Ah-leach,  Italian for anchovy) completely dissolves during cooking leaving behind a nutty, salty (not fishy) taste and the inclusion of a beaten egg imbues the dish with a richness (many people leave the raw egg out for fear of salmonella but I've eaten Aglio E Olio this way all my life without any negative consequences) .  

Ingredients

1 pound Spaghetti, cooked al dente

1/2-cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 flat anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)

6-10 cloves garlic

1/2-teaspoon red pepper flake, or to taste (optional)

1/4 cup  flat leaved Italian parsley, chopped

3 large sweet Italian Basil leaves, chiffonade

1 egg, well beaten

Grated cheese (Parmesan or Romano)

Preparation

1.  About an hour before starting the Aglio e Olio sauce place the olive oil in a small  bowl, micro-plane 2 or 3 of the garlic cloves, and place the red pepper  flakes into it.  Set the bowl  aside on your counter and allow the oil to infuse with the flavour of the garlic and the heat of the red pepper flakes.

2.   After the oil has had time to infuse and in a small saucepan heat the infused oil, the micro-planed garlic,  the red pepper flakes,  and butter together over very low heat.

3.  Finely chop the remaining garlic.

4.  Add the infused oil and butter mixture to a large sauté pan (large enough to hold the volume of cooked spaghetti) over medium heat, add the chopped garlic and sauté it until it is soft and translucent (DO NOT allow the garlic to brown!)

.

5.  Meanwhile, bring a large volume of salted water to a rapid boil over high heat.

6.  Lower the heat under the sauté pan to medium-low, add the Alice (anchovies) and cook until the fish is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

7.  When the water comes to a rapid boil, toss in the spaghetti and cook until the spaghetti is cooked al dente.  

8.  Drain the spaghetti and toss the cooked pasta with the sauce in the sauté pan.   Sprinkle the Aglio e Olio with the parsley and toss to distribute the chopped parsley into the cooked pasta.

9.  Optional  step:  If you're going to add the beaten egg;  while it's still hot pour the spaghetti and sauce into a large spaghetti bowl (large enough to hold all  the past and sauce) and while pouring the beaten egg over the pasta with one hand toss the pasta, using  a pair of tongs in the other, to distribute the egg throughout it; the hot pasta and sauce should cook the egg.

10.  Serve immediately topped by grated cheese and the chiffonade basil accompanied by crusty Italian or French bread and extra grated cheese and red pepper  flakes.

Farfalle alla Caprese (Farfalle with Tomatoes and Basil)

Farfalle alla Caprese

(Farfalle with Tomatoes and Basil)

serves 4 to 6

(Italy)

Farfalle alla Caprese is a light summertime supper dish from the Southern Italian Island of Capri which  marries the bright flavours of sun-ripened Roma tomatoes with the bite of fresh garlic, the sweet taste of basil, and the mellow flavour of extra-virgin olive oil.

Ingredients

1 pound Farfalle

3 large firm Roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice

4 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 pound fresh mozzarella ball, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

20 small fresh basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon coarse Kosher or sea salt (or to taste)

Preparation

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  When the water comes to a rolling boil toss in the Farfalle and cook per package instructions until al dente, about 10 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile while the Farfalle is cooking, begin the sauce.  In a large bowl combine the olive oil, the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, the diced tomatoes and the diced mozzarella.

3.  When the pasta reaches the al dente stage reserve 1/2 cup of the hot, pasta water and drain the pasta.  Add it to the bowl with the other ingredients and toss to thoroughly combine.   Add 1/4 cup of the hot, reserved pasta cooking water and continue tossing.  The pasta should look rather "tight" and the mozzarella should begin to melt (if it hasn't add a little more of the reserved hot water but not too much, this pasta should be rather "tight").  Garnish by distributing the basil leaves over the pasta, adjust seasoning, and serve immediately.

Spaghetti e Salsa di Granchio

Spaghetti e Salsa di Granchio

(Spaghetti with Crab Sauce)

(Italy)

serves 4

This is a traditional  spicy Southern Italian seafood pasta dish and, while the traditional recipe calls for whole crabs, it works equally well with King or Snow  crab legs.  Hint: REAL Italians DO NOT use cheese as an accompaniment  with seafood pasta sauces.

                Ingredients

1 pound dry spaghetti or linguini

4 large blue crabs or 1 pound of thawed frozen king 

   crab legs, cut into 3" pieces (2 pounds if  you can find lump crab meat)

1 pound lump crabmeat

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

2 tablespoons softened butter

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)

2 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes preferred), drained, and hand crushed

1 cup red wine

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, plus additional for garnish

1/2 teaspoon coarse Kosher or sea salt (to taste)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1/2 cup chiffonade fresh basil  leaves for garnish

Preparation

1.  In a large pot over medium-high heat bring the olive oil to the ripple stage and add the butter. When the butter melts add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, do not allow it to brown, about 2 minutes.  Add the pepper flakes, the salt, the ground  black pepper, the basil, the parsley, the crushed tomatoes and their juices.  Stir to combine the ingredients and allow to come to a simmer.

2.  Increase the heat to high, add the crabs and bring to a boil.  As the sauce comes to a boil lower the heat until you achieve a gentle simmer,  stir in the tomato paste and cook the sauce and crabs for about 30 minutes.

3.  After the 30 minutes remove the crabs to a serving bowl and keep warm in an oven set to about 150° F.

4.  If there are large chunks of tomato still in the sauce and it's not to your liking, crush them using a potato masher to achieve the consistency you prefer, unlike Americans Italians prefer their tomato sauce to be slightly chunky.  Add the lump crab meat stirring to distribute and allow the sauce to continue simmering for an additional 15 minutes until the crab meat is cooked through.

5.  Lower the heat under the sauce to low to keep it warm.

6. Bring a large spaghetti pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat.  When the water is rapidly boiling add the spaghetti and cook it until it is al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), 10 to 12 minutes. Drain reserving 1 cup of the cooking  water. 

7.  Meanwhile, correct the seasoning of the sauce with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.  If  the sauce is too tight, loosen it using a little of the reserved spaghetti cooking liquid (not too much, Italian sauces are meant to be a  little tight).

8.  Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to combine evenly and to reheat the pasta.  

9.  For service either divide the sauced pasta among warmed service bowls, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and  garnished with additional chiffonade basil or, for a family style service, plate the sauced pasta on a large service platter drizzled with a little extra-virgin olive oil and  garnished with the additional chiffonade basil and serve with the crabs on a separate platter  accompanied by plenty of crusty Italian or French bread and extra red pepper flakes for the real Italians.

Pasta con Pomodori Arrosto

Pasta con Pomodori Arrosto

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

Serves 4

(America)

We've all tasted spaghetti sauce but sauce made with roasted tomatoes is a "horse of a different colour", roasting adds an extra sweet, caramelized dimension  to the sauce

Ingredients

2 pounds medium plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped

1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt

1 pound of your favourite pasta

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation

1.  Preheat oven to 400° F.

2.  Spray a cookie sheet with no stick cooking spray. 

3.  In a small mixing bowl combine the 1/2 cup of olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and the seasonings and pour the mixture into a large, re-sealable plastic bag (1 gallon size); put in the halved tomatoes, seal the bag and shake to thoroughly coat the tomatoes.  Refrigerate the mixture for ½  to 1 hour to allow the tomatoes to marinate.

4.  Remove the tomatoes from the bag and place the tomato halves, cut side up, on the prepared cookie sheet.

5.  Place the cookie sheet on a rack in the middle of the oven and roast for 45 to 60 minutes until the tomatoes soften and are browned on the top.

6.  After the tomatoes have been cooking about ½ hour, place a large pot of salted water over a high flame and heat to a rapid boil.

7.  Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente; reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.  Drain the pasta.

8.  In the bowl of a food processor place ½ the roasted tomatoes and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and lightly process.  Pour the processed tomatoes into a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, the remaining (unprocessed) roasted tomatoes, and 1/4 cup of the chopped fresh basil and toss to mix well.  If the pasta seems too tight (dry) for your tastes, loosen it by adding a little of the reserved pasta water and re-tossing (don’t add too much water as this pasta should be rather tight).  Discard any unused pasta cooking water.

9.  Either transfer the pasta to a large, flat pasta platter and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan  cheese  and additional red pepper flakes (to serve family style) or evenly divide the pasta among  6 plates and top each with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes (to serve individuals).

10.  Serve accompanied by crusty Italian bread and additional Parmesan cheese, the remaining chopped basil, and red pepper flakes on the side.

Next Week's Posting:  Beef Tips with Mushrooms and Sherry

Linguine con Vongole Piccante Salsa (Linguini with Spicy Clam Sauce)

Linguine con Vongole Piccante Salsa

(Linguini with Spicy Clam Sauce)

(Italy)

serves 4

This is a spicy version of linguini with clam sauce, 1/2 a teaspoon of red pepper flakes will provide a mildly spicy dish but the temperature can be turned up by adding additional red pepper flakes during the cooking or you can serve with the recommended amount of red pepper flakes and serve it accompanied by additional red pepper flakes on the side so diners can control the spiciness themselves.

Ingredients

1 pound dry spaghetti or linguini

3 -  6 1/2-ounce cans minced or whole clams

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons softened butter

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes preferred), drained, and hand crushed

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, plus additional for garnish

Kosher or sea salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Preparation

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente stage.  Drain the pasta. and set aside.

2.  Drain the clams reserving 1/2 cup of the clam juice.

3.  In a large sauté pan over medium heat bring the olive oil to the ripple stage and add the butter. When the butter melts add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, do not allow it to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and cook, stirring,  for 30 seconds more.

4.  Add the reserved clam juice and the crushed tomatoes.  Increase the heat and bring to a boil.

5.  When the clam juice/tomatoes come to a boil lower the heat to accomplish a gentle simmer, stir in the tomato paste, cover and cook the sauce at a simmer for 15 minutes.

6.  If there are large chunks of tomato still in the sauce and it's not to your liking, crush them using a potato masher to achieve the consistency you prefer.

7.  Stir the clams, basil, and parsley into the sauce. Bring back to a simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste.

8.  Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to combine evenly and to reheat the pasta.  

9.  For service either divide the sauced pasta among warmed service bowls garnished with additional chopped parsley or, for a family style service, plate the sauced pasta on a large service platter garnish with additional chopped parsley and serve.

Next Week's Posting: Risotto alla Milanese

Pasta e Fagoli Basilicata (Pasta and Beans Basilicata)

Pasta e Fagoli Basilicata

(Pasta and Beans Basilicata)

serves 4

(Italy)

“Pasta and beans, you can’t do that . . . it's two starches!” that’s what my new bride (Jo) said when I first told her about this Italian specialty . . . today she looks forward to it.  She enjoyed it so much that she would ask my mom (Susie) to make it all the time, including in the summer time, to which my mom would tell her “We can’t, Pasta e Fagoli is a winter dish!” . . . sorry mom we enjoy it year round.  This is our family version, no tomatoes, just a yummy sauce made of extra-virgin olive oil and the “juice” from the Cannellini beans.  It's a cross between a pasta dish and a soup.

Ingredients

1/4-cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 carrot, finely diced, about 1/4-inch

1 onion, finely diced, about 1/4-inch

1 rib celery, finely diced, about 1/4-inch

3 cloves garlic, micro-planed

2-tablespoons parsley leaves, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

Salt and black pepper to taste

2 - 15 1/2 ounce cans of cannellini beans, liquid reserved

1-pound Maccheroncelli or Ditalini pasta (small tube shaped macaroni)

Preparation

1.  In a large pasta pot bring a large volume of salted water to a rapid boil over high heat.  When the water comes to a roiling boil toss in the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid before draining the pasta through a colander.

2.  While the pasta is cooking and in a separate 3 quart pot (large enough to accommodate both the pasta and the beans and sauce you are preparing), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced carrot, diced onion, diced celery, the garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, and cook over medium heat until the vegetables become tender.

3.  While the vegetables are sautéing, fill the empty cans with water and stir the water around so it can absorb any of the thick cannellini liquid clinging to the inside of the cans.  Set the liquid filled cans aside.

4.  Add the reserved cannellini liquid, the water from the cans, and the bay leaf.  Reduce the heat to medium-low.

5.  Add the beans and the al dente pasta while gently stirring to evenly distribute both. Lower the heat to simmer and simmer the Pasta e Fagoli for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid if the sauce is too "tight".

6.  Adjust seasoning with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.   Serve immediately either "family style" in one pasta bowl OR divided evenly among warmed, individual pasta bowls and accompanied by additional extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle, red pepper flakes, and crusty Italian or French bread to "mop up" the fagoli "juice".

Next Week's Posting: Conchiglie con Piselli, Panna, e Menta (Shells with Peas, Cream, and Mint)