Everyday Pasta (14 page)

4 to 6 servings

Gnudi
translates literally as “nude,” a reference to the fact that these little dumplings are basically “naked” raviolis—the fillings without their pasta wrappers. Served in a savory broth, this is a comforting winter meal.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the broth has reduced to 4 cups, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the gnudi. Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer over high heat. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, egg white, prosciutto, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. When the water is simmering and ready, stir the flour into the ricotta mixture. (It is important not to add the flour too soon; otherwise they will become dense and gummy, not light.) Shape the gnudi using two large soup spoons: scoop up a large spoonful of ricotta mixture into one spoon, then scoop the mixture onto the other spoon and back again, forming a three-sided oval. Drop the gnudi into the dredging flour. Form another 8 or 9 gnudi at a time, dredge in flour on all sides, and tap off the excess.

Slide the formed gnudi into the simmering water, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the gnudi using a slotted spoon after they have floated to the top and have cooked for about 4 minutes total. While the gnudi cook, create another batch of gnudi and dredge them in flour. Continue cooking and forming gnudi, transferring the cooked gnudi to a platter in a single layer, until you have used all the ricotta mixture.

Divide the gnudi among the serving bowls. Pour the reduced broth over the gnudi. Sprinkle with a pinch of the pepper and a spoonful of grated Parmesan and serve.

4 to 6 servings

Although this dish takes almost three hours to make, I promise you it’s
so
worth it. The short ribs become incredibly tender and moist, they fall off the bone. It’s the kind of meal you will dream about on a snowy night. The twist here is the shaved bittersweet chocolate, which gives the dish a sweet and savory yet extremely subtle component. You can leave it out, but trust me when I tell you that it’s the element everyone will be talking about when they taste this.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Cook the pancetta until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, season the short ribs with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and set it aside. Add the short ribs to the pan and cook until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes total. Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, parsley, garlic, tomatoes, and tomato paste in a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Once the short ribs are browned, add the minced vegetables to the pot along with the pancetta and stir. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef broth, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the short ribs and let cool briefly on a plate. Shred the meat and return it to the pot, discarding the bones. Discard the bay leaf. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper.

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, 8 to 10 minutes for dried pasta or 2 to 3 minutes for fresh. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pot with the short rib ragù and stir to combine. If needed, add the reserved pasta liquid ¼ cup at a time to moisten the pasta. Transfer to serving bowls, top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of chocolate shavings, and serve immediately.

4 to 6 servings

Many Sicilian dishes feature swordfish, since it is very plentiful in the waters surrounding the island. Eggplant is also found in many dishes from this area, but I prefer the texture and taste of Japanese eggplants over the larger ones because their seeds are so tiny; there is also no need to salt the cubed eggplant because they aren’t as bitter as the fully mature ones can be.

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, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, place a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ⅓ cup olive oil, the garlic, red pepper flakes, and the ¼ cup parsley. Stir and cook until fragrant, 1 or 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggplant from the pan and set aside. Season the swordfish cubes with salt and pepper.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same pan, and cook the swordfish over medium-high heat until opaque, about 5 minutes, turning with a rubber spatula once or twice. Add the white wine and cook until almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the tomatoes, eggplant, drained pasta, and the remaining ⅓ cup of parsley and stir. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with more salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and serve.