I love pasta. So much so that if a few days go by without eating it, I go into pasta withdrawl. It's been like this my whole life. I could eat pasta every day. And sometimes when Mr. Lear is out of town on business, I do.
As a kid, the Italian food I was exposed to was fairly "southern Italy." We ate a lot of red sauce, partly because we had easy access to a garden of fresh tomatoes many months out of the year. I learned to can tomatoes too. Every summer I put up three, or four, bushels of roma tomatoes. Most of it becomes "sauce."
My "go to" comfort food is a plate of spaghetti with meatballs, or sausage, or maybe braciole. But, there are so many other ways to enjoy pasta. So, I want you to come on a pasta journey with me and try some other recipes. Some will include tomatoes, but all of them will have a twist. In fact, when I sat down to pencil out some notes about what recipes I wanted to share at What’s for Dinner, I found myself with a list far too long for one diary.
I ended up picking four for tonight's café menu, all of which are easy to make and cook up very quickly. Give these dishes a try and I promise that your pasta horizons will reach new heights. Let's begin with a dish that just sings the simplicity of spring.
Spaghetti with Lemon
Ingredients:
1 pound dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
6 sprigs fresh basil for garnish
Method:
1) Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. When the water returns to a boil stir in the spaghetti and cook until al dente – about 9 to 10 minutes. Drain.
2) As the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large sauté pan. Add zest, juice, pepper and remaining salt. Heat gently for one minute. Toss with spaghetti.
3) Add basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss until spaghetti is evenly coated.
4) Serve in pasta bowls and add a basil leaf for garnish to each. Sprinkle with more Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.
Serves 6
This next recipe is the most untraditional of our offerings tonight. It comes from Dean & DeLuca, an incredible food store in the SoHo district of New York City. I found tomato and ginger and unlikely combination – until I tried it.
Tomato and Ginger Sauce
Ingredients:
¾ cup minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups diced peeled fresh ripe tomatoes (or an equivalent amount of canned tomatoes)
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Method:
1) Cook the shallots, ginger and garlic in the butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat for 4 minutes, stirring.
2) Stir in the tomatoes and the sugar, and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
3) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Put the sauce through a food mill or puree in a food processor or blender until smooth.
4) Toss with hot pasta and parsley leaves.
5) Serve with spaghetti, or any long, thin, dried pasta.
Makes enough sauce for 1 pound pasta.
Olive oil and garlic might just be the most basic ingredients a foodie craves. This dish is so simple, it seems unfair to call it a recipe – almost. Serve it with a salad and some fresh bread.
Linguine with Garlic and Oil Sauce
Ingredients:
1/3 cup very thinly sliced garlic (about a medium head)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons fruity olive oil
¼ cup hot water
salt to taste
¼ cup very finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound linguine
salt for the cooking water
Method:
1) Place the garlic and olive oil in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat. Bring the oil to a slow, steady bubble, then cook for 15 minutes. Using a small whisk, vigorously beat in the water until a smooth sauce is formed. Season with salt. Keep warm.
2) Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and add the pasta when it returns to a boil. When the pasta is ready to serve, drain it in a colander, and moisten it with a little bit of the sauce. Place the pasta back in the cooking pot over low heat and toss well with the rest of the sauce and the parsley.
Serves 5-6.
I first ate this next dish in Montreal many, many years ago. I no longer remember exactly where the bistro was located. My only recollection beyond how much I enjoyed the food was that we brought in our own wine.
Apportez votre vin read the sign in the window.
There's something luxurious about adding cream to anything, and tomatoes are no exception. Don’t bother with fancy vodka, use well quality. Your palate will be a happy camper with the combinations here.
Penne with Pink Vodka Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pound penne
2 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium shallots, minced (or ½ small onion, minced)
½ teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes (more if you enjoy hot peppers)
6 tablespoons vodka
1 ½ cups canned Italian plum tomatoes with their juices, chopped (or 1 1/3 cup high quality red sauce)
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
Method:
1) Put the water in the large pot and heat. When the sauce is almost finished, cook the pasta in boiling water with 2 tablespoons of salt.
2) Melt the butter in a 12-to-14-inch sauté pan, and gently cook the shallots, seasoned with salt and red pepper, until they are tender but not brown.
3) Take the pan of the flame and carefully add the vodka and return it to the heat. Simmer until the vodka is reduced by half, and then stir in the tomatoes or red sauce. Season and continue simmering until the sauce has reduced by about a third, and then, stir in the cream and reduce again by about a third.
4) Drain the pasta, and toss it into the pan with the sauce. Serve immediately.
Serves 4-5
Thanks for stopping by the What's for Dinner Café, a place to share recipes and culinary traditions and discuss good food with cyber friends. Before you enter your politics need to be checked at the proverbial door.
I'm excited to announce that next week tvb will be our host. Long time What's for Dinner followers will recognize her as the original host and series founder. Please make sure that you give her return to WFD a very warm welcome.
And with that, go pour yourself a beverage, put your feet up and stick around a while. Please tell us what you're having for dinner tonight.