Pasta Modern (9 page)

{
Corzetti al battuto di pinoli
}

SERVES
4
|
REGION:
Liguria and parts of Piedmont

Corzetti
, round pasta discs from Liguria, are wonderfully toothsome, with pretty indentations embossed on both sides. They are terrific with virtually any sauce, which gets deliciously trapped by the pasta’s rough surface, but are most traditionally served with this aromatic mix of fresh marjoram and pine nuts.

⅓ cup (45 g) toasted pine nuts

4 tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

Salt

Olive oil

Grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound (455 g)
corzetti
or any pasta

In a mortar and pestle, a small food processor, or a clean coffee grinder, grind the pine nuts with the marjoram leaves and a pinch of salt until smooth. Drizzle in about 3 tablespoons oil, very slowly, so that the pesto is very creamy. Stir in ⅓ cup (40 g) of cheese, taste, and add more marjoram or oil, if needed.

Boil the pasta in salted water until it is al dente. Drain the pasta and put it onto serving plates. Top with dollops of the pesto, a drizzle of oil, and sprigs of marjoram.

BEHIND THE SHAPE

Corzetti
are made by pressing a disc of dough between two round wooden etched molds, producing a round of pasta that’s embossed with a different design on each side. They date to the fourteenth century and are a specialty of Liguria and the Novi province of Piedmont. In the past, the noble families of those regions would have their coat of arms carved into the stamps to create their own personalized pasta. Today in Italy, there still are a few artisans who custom-carve
corzetti
stamps, with designs that may include leaves, fruit, geometric patterns, and even initials, which are an especially popular wedding gift.

{
Spaghetti con le castagne alla Palermitana
}

SERVES
2
*
|
REGION:
Sicily, especially the province of Palermo

Just two ingredients! Only the Italians could create a gourmet feast using only chestnuts and pasta. The trick: The spaghetti is cooked in water right along with the chestnuts, risotto style. It’s a classic “poor” recipe from Palermo that’s so creamy, sweet, and luscious it’s not even topped with cheese, just a drizzle of olive oil and freshly ground black pepper to finish.

8 ounces (225 g) fresh chestnuts

Salt

8 ounces (225 g) spaghetti or other thin pasta

Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

*
If you’d like to serve four, double the ingredients and use two pans, because the sauce becomes velvety only when cooked in small batches
.

Boil the chestnuts in their shells for about 30 minutes. Then, while still hot, cut them in half and scoop out the meat; discard the shells.

Put the chestnut meat, 1 quart (960 ml) fresh water, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Cook until the chestnuts are extremely soft, about 20 minutes, mashing them every once in a while with a fork so the pieces are tiny.

Break the spaghetti in half, add it to the saucepan with the chestnuts and water, raise the heat to medium-high, and boil until the spaghetti is al dente. If the water is fully absorbed before the pasta is al dente, add a bit more boiling water. The idea is to balance the amount of liquid with the cooking time so you have a nice creamy “sauce” and, as with risotto, you won’t need to drain the pasta. Serve it topped with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of pepper.

{
Pasta al pistacchio
}

SERVES
4
|
REGION:
Sicily

Pistachio and mint make an especially rich pesto with a lovely freshness. As an added benefit, pistachios—according to the Italians—may even be an aphrodisiac! “Wonderful in reawakening venereal appetites,” a Bolognese physician wrote of pistachios in 1612. An eighteenth-century Venetian herbalist claimed they “excite the fervors of Venus.” While I’m not positive about the aphrodisiac claims, I am sure this dish will get your taste buds tingling!

1 pound
casarecce
or any pasta

Salt

⅓ cup (40 g) shelled unsalted pistachios

About 40 fresh mint leaves

About 25 fresh basil leaves

Grated aged caciocavallo or pecorino cheese

1 garlic clove

Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Boil the pasta in salted water until it is al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a small food processor, mortar and pestle, or clean coffee grinder, finely grind the pistachios. Next, grind in most of the mint and basil, then ¼ cup (25 g) of cheese and the garlic. Slowly stream in about ¼ cup (60 ml) oil until the pesto is creamy. Taste and grind in more mint or basil, if needed, or reserve the remaining leaves as garnish.

Toss the pasta with the pesto. Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with more cheese, if you like, and the reserved basil and mint leaves.

SICILIAN PISTACHIOS

Sicily is the only region in Italy that cultivates pistachios, with the most prized coming from Bronte in the province of Catania. Each year, the town holds a pistachio festival from late September through the beginning of October, where visitors are treated to tastings of all sorts of dishes made with pistachios, including sausages, liqueurs, pasta dishes, and many desserts.

{
La pasta al risparmio
}

SERVES
4
|
REGION:
Campania, especially Naples

I love this recipe because there’s hardly any chopping or fussing. A handful of nuts, a few raisins for sweetness, capers and black olives for tang, with a hint of garlic and tomatoes—a feast in five minutes.

Poor families in Naples who couldn’t afford fish for Christmas Eve dinner would instead make this dish, using dried and canned pantry leftovers. In the area around Naples, this dish has quite a few names, none of them very appetizing, like “Garbage Pail” or “Cheapskate Pasta.”

Even though the hard times are over, Italians still make this delicious dish. It’s also available in some restaurants around Naples during the winter, but renamed as the cheerier sounding “Christmas Pasta.”

1 pound (455 g)
fusilloni
or any pasta

Salt

Olive oil

1 garlic clove, sliced

½ cup (55 g) chopped toasted assorted nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds

2 heaping tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed

1 (14-ounce/400-g) can diced tomatoes

10 to 12 pitted oil-cured black olives, halved

1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano

¾ cup (67 g) minced fresh parsley

Boil the pasta in salted water until it is al dente.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat 5 tablespoons oil and the garlic until golden, then add the nuts, raisins, and capers and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, then add the olives, oregano, and most of the parsley and cook for 1 minute.

Drain the pasta and toss it in the sauce along with a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid to amalgamate the flavors. Serve topped with more parsley.

BEHIND THE SHAPE

Depending on the region, fusilli can vary widely in both width and length. The longer version is called
fusilli lunghi
, while the short, wide version is called
fusilloni
. Their name comes from the spindle tool called a
fuso
, which was used in the past to make them.

{
Pasta al pesto alla Trapanese
}

SERVES
4
|
REGION:
Sicily, province of Trappani

This is the perfect way to show off summer’s ripe tomatoes at their best! Almonds impart a creamy sweetness that goes well with the acidic tang of fresh tomatoes.

Unlike most pesto, this one does not contain cheese, but is topped instead with crunchy breadcrumbs.

Traditionally, pesto Trapanese is served with a homemade fresh pasta specialty of Sicily called
busiati
, made by rolling thin sections of pasta dough around a knitting needle, which gives the pasta its name. This charming pasta shape is also found dried, available in gourmet shops or online.

½ cup (80 g) blanched toasted almonds

2 garlic cloves

Olive oil

About 30 fresh basil leaves

3 large ripe tomatoes

1 pound (455 g)
busati
or any pasta

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Homemade breadcrumbs, toasted

In a mortar and pestle, small food processor, or clean coffee grinder, finely grind the almonds and garlic, then stream in ¼ cup (60 ml) oil. Last, grind in most of the basil leaves. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more basil, garlic, or oil. Put the pesto into a serving bowl.

Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for 1 minute, then into cold water. Remove the skin, deseed, and dice. Stir the tomatoes into the pesto, reserving a bit for garnish.

Boil the pasta in salted water until it is al dente. Drain and toss with the pesto. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and top with the breadcrumbs and reserved tomatoes.