4 to 6 servings
Kale is what makes this pasta a standout. This leafy green is similar to chard and has an assertive flavor that really stands up to the spicy sausages. This was the only way I would eat kale when I was young.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 (28-ounce) can peeled tomatoes, with juice
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch of kale, stems removed, rinsed, and chopped (about 4 cups)
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 pound farfalle pasta
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for garnish
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
In a large, heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until golden brown, using a wooden spoon to break the sausage into bite-size pieces. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside. To the same pot, add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until the onion and mushrooms start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with juice. Use a wooden spoon to stir the brown bits off the bottom of the pot and break up the tomatoes. Add the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and the sausage.
Meanwhile, blanch the kale in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Use a skimmer to remove the kale from the boiling water and add it directly to the sausage mixture. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir to combine. Remove the mixture from the heat.
While the sauce is simmering, add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, add to the sauce, and toss to combine. Serve with the Pecorino Romano cheese sprinkled on top.
6 to 8 servings
You can eat this dish right when you make it or serve it an hour or two later at room temperature; the heat of the pasta will warm up the sweet balsamic vinegar and wilt the arugula. It transports quite well, making it a good choice for picnics or buffet spreads.
2 New York strip steaks, about 8 ounces each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound penne pasta
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cups chopped arugula
Season the steak with salt and pepper, herbes de Provence, and the minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the steaks for about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat to a cutting board and let it rest while you cook the pasta.
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 the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water.
In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, the basil, parsley, and ¾ cup olive oil. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Set aside.
Slice the steaks thin and add to the pasta with the arugula. Add more dressing, and season with salt and pepper as needed.
6 servings
Fifteen minutes is all it takes to get this dish on the table and you’ll find everything you need in the pantry or in the freezer—no need to shop! It has a very concentrated tomatoey flavor that I find appealing.
1 pound capellini or other thin spaghetti
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1½ cups frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
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 the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, carrot, salt, and pepper. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and ½ cup of the hot pasta water. Stir to melt the tomato paste and create a sauce. Stir in the oregano, thyme, parsley, and peas. Gently fold in the pasta and the cheeses, adding more reserved pasta water if necessary. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.
7:
pasta for special occasions
Even though this book is called
Everyday Pasta,
don’t think that you can’t serve pasta on your most important occasions. The recipes in this chapter are so rich and decadent—and so universally crowd-pleasing—that they make the perfect centerpiece for any type of get-together. The Spicy Baked Macaroni is my fallback dish for entertaining during awards season or for game nights, and Shrimp Lasagna Rolls with Creamy Marinara makes a beautiful plate for a dinner party. You don’t need a group to make most of these, though; some I’ve put in this section because they take a little more time than most of us can devote to a weeknight meal and are for those nights when you really want to make an effort. Others use fancy ingredients that will make a simple meal just
feel
a little more special, even if you haven’t expended any more time or energy to make it. Whichever you choose, rest assured that if your aim is to please and impress, these recipes will do the trick.
