Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma is a classic Sicilian Pasta dish. It is made with tomatoes, eggplant, grated ricotta cheese and basil. Supposedly it is named after the opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini. It is a satisfying weeknight meal that the whole family will love.

Most recipes call for frying the eggplant, but Cooks Illustrated cooks the eggplant in the microwave first in order to draw moisture from it and prevent it from soaking up too much of the oil. Genius.

Pasta a la Norma
from Cooks Illustrated

SERVES 4
We call for both regular and extra-virgin olive oil in this recipe. The higher smoke point of regular olive oil makes it best for browning the eggplant; extra-virgin olive oil stirred into the sauce before serving lends fruity flavor. If you don’t have regular olive oil, use vegetable oil. We prefer kosher salt in step 1 because it clings best to the eggplant. If using table salt, reduce the amount to ½ teaspoon. Ricotta salata is traditional, but French feta, Pecorino Romano, and Cotija (a firm, crumbly Mexican cheese) are acceptable substitutes; see “Ricotta Salata’s Understudies,” below. Our preferred brands of crushed tomatoes are Tuttorosso and Muir Glen.

INGREDIENTS

1large eggplant (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Kosher salt (see note)
3tablespoons olive oil (see note)
4medium garlic cloves, mined or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
2 anchovy fillets, minced (about 1 generous teaspoon)
1/4-1/2teaspoon red pepper flakes
1(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (see note)
1pound ziti, rigatoni, or penne
6tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3ounces ricotta salata, shredded (about 1 cup) (we used Parmesan)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Line surface of large microwave-safe plate with double layer of coffee filters and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread eggplant in even layer over coffee filters; wipe out and reserve bowl. Microwave eggplant on high power, uncovered, until dry to touch and slightly shriveled, about 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure that eggplant cooks evenly. Let cool slightly.

2. Transfer eggplant to now-empty bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and toss gently to coat; discard coffee filters and reserve plate. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add eggplant and distribute in even layer. Cook, stirring or tossing every 1½ to 2 minutes (more frequent stirring may cause eggplant pieces to break apart), until well browned and fully tender, about 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer eggplant to now-empty plate and set aside.

3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, anchovies, and pepper flakes to now-empty but still-hot skillet and cook using residual heat so garlic doesn’t burn, stirring constantly, until fragrant and garlic becomes pale golden, about 1 minute (if skillet is too cool to cook mixture, set it over medium heat). Add tomatoes, return skillet to burner over medium-high heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add pasta and 2 tablespoons salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.

5. While pasta is cooking, return eggplant to skillet with tomatoes and gently stir to incorporate. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring gently occasionally, until eggplant is heated through and flavors are blended, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir basil and extra-virgin olive oil into sauce; season to taste with salt. Add sauce to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that sauce coats pasta. Serve immediately, sprinkled with ricotta salata.

Spaghetti Nizza

When I was looking for an easy and quick pasta sauce that didn't require too much preparation and that I hadn't made already a couple of times I stumbled upon this recipe from "On top of Spaghetti..."

Fresh tomatoes are combined with tuna, black olives, capers and herbs and the mixture is tossed with olive oil and lemon juice. The preparation was done in a couple of minutes and it tasted absolutely great. Just the right thing to cook on a day when you don't feel like preparing a complicated meal. 

Spaghetti Nizza

(serves 4)

2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to toss with pasta

1 1/2 cups best-quality canned tuna packed in olive oil, drained

1 t dried oregano, crushed between your fingers

2 t finely chopped fresh oregano

1 to 2 fresh hot peppers, seeded and chopped, or 1/8 to 1/4 t cayenne

1 t capers packed in salt, rinsed, dried, and finely chopped

16 black oil-cured olives, pitted and chopped

2 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 small cooked and peeled potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch dice (1 cup) (I left them out)

1 pound dried spaghetti

Lemon wedges (optional)

Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil together in a mixing bowl. Stir in the tuna, dried and fresh oregano, hot pepper, capers, olives and parsley. Add the potatoes and toss to combine. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Generously slat the water and drop in the pasta. Cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, reserving a scant cup of cooking water.

Toss the pasta in a large, warmed bowl with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add enough water, a tablespoon at a time, to moisten and coat the spaghetti. Add to potato-tuna mixture and toss well. Serve right away in warmed bowls. Pass lemon wedges at the table to spritz more juice over the spaghetti if you like

Pasta and fried Zucchini Salad

Are you bored with your usual pasta salad recipes or looking for a fresh new idea? Try this pasta salad from Yotam Ottolenghi.
It is a light salad, perfect for the spring and summer. The pasta is combined with Zucchini, Edamame and an unusual combination of herbs.
Tossed with only a little olive oil and garnished with fresh and juicy Mozzarella this salad makes a great addition to a barbecue or a light lunch.

Pasta and Fried Zucchini Salad

 from Yotam Ottolenghi

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil (I used  less )
• 3 medium zucchini, cut in 1/4 inch slices
• 1 1/2 T. red wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup frozen edamame
• 2 cups basil, coarsely shredded
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 9 oz. strozzapreti or penne pasta
• grated zest of one lemon
• 1 1/2 T. small capers
• 7 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks

Cooking Directions:

1. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Fry the zucchini in batches in the vegetable oil over medium heat until brown on each side (about 3 minutes per side). Remove to a paper towel to drain and then mix with the vinegar.
3. Blanch the edamame for 3 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse with cold water.  
4. Combine half the basil, all of the parsley and the olive oil in a food processor, adding salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth. Make sure it is salty enough.
5. Combine the pasta, zucchini with vinegar, edamame, basil sauce, lemon zest, capers and mozzarella. Stir in the remaining basil and serve.

Spagetthi Vodka arrabiata a la Jamie Oliver

This is a very spicy and aromatic dish from Jamie Oliver. I love pasta dishes where the sauce is made in the time when the pasta cooks. This is one of them. If you are not into spicy - you  might replace the chiles with roasted red peppers or even stay away from this recipe. The Parsley adds a wonderful freshness to the dish, even the stalks are used in this recipe, don't skip on it. 

NYC Vodka Arrabbiata

from Jamie’s America by Jamie Oliver

Ingredients:

4 fresh red chillies

6 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped

4 anchovy fillets

400g tin chopped tomatoes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 shots vodka

500g spaghetti

1 lemon

optional: extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Prick the chillies 6 to 8 times with a small sharp knife. Put a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the olive oil and chillies and let them cook slowly for 5 minutes. 

Turn the heat up to high and add the garlic, parsley stalks and anchovies. Keep moving everything around the pan, and when the garlic starts to take on some color, add the tinned tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bring this mixture to the boil, add the vodka, and turn the heat down so the sauce simmers. Gently bash up you chillies with a wooden spoon to release more of their flavor into the sauce.

Add your pasta to a pan of boiling salted water and cook according to the packet instructions. Drain in a colander, then toss the pasta in the sauce. Divide between bowls or serve on a big platter. Roughly chop the reserved parsley leaves and sprinkle them over your pasta. Finely grate the lemon zest over the top, then squeeze in the juice, making sure you catch any seeds in your hands. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to finish it off, and serve immediately.

Spaghetti with Egg and Pangritata

When I was little and we had leftover pasta in the fridge,  my mom would always fry it in a pan with lots of butter. She would crack some eggs over it heated everything in the pan and served it with lots of ketchup. We loved the leftover so much that my siblings and I would always fight over them. This dish is every similar but more sophisticated, with herbs, Parmesan and toasted breadcrumbs. And I don't miss the ketchup at all...

Spaghetti with Egg and Pangritata

(adapted from circle-b-kitchen)

serves 4

• For the Pangritata::
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 ⅓ cups coarse breadcrumbs
• 1 ½ tablespoons of minced fresh rosemary
• zest of two lemons
• Spaghetti and Eggs:
• 1 lb. spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6-8 large eggs
• ⅓ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

1.For the pangrita: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and sauté until golden and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the rosemary, and immediately remove from heat and allow to cool. Mix in lemon zest and set aside.

2.Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to directions on box. (I usually undercook the pasta by about a minute.)

3.Wipe out the skillet from the pangritata, add the olive oil and butter and melt together over medium heat.

4.Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and immediately break the eggs into the skillet.

5.If need be, lower the heat a bit. You want the garlic to cook without burning and the egg whites to set, but the yolks to remain runny.

6.Drain the pasta well, reserving 1 c of the cooking liquid.

7.Add pasta back to the pot, pour over the eggs and all the fat from the skillet, add the parsley and toss well, breaking up the eggs as you do. If you prefer a wetter dish, you can add in some of the reserved cooking liquid.

8.Plate the pasta and eggs, season well with freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle with the grated cheese and then top with the pangritata.

Hong Kong Soy Sauce Fried Noodles

This is a classic and famous noodle dish from Hong Kong. Egg noodles are fried with bean sprouts, chives and premium soy sauces. It is a simple noodle dish that can be prepared in minutes but is still very satisfiying. Try to use high quality soy sauce and a Chinese wok if you own one.



Hong Kong Soya Sauce Fried Noodles
(adapted from kokken69.blogsppot.com)

• Dried Egg Noodle 200g (blanched quickly in hot water to soften. Drain and set aside)
• Premium light soya sauce 2 tbsp 
  •  (if you can't find light soya sauce, use dark soya sauce instead)
• Premium dark soya sauce 1 tbsp
• Oyster sauce 1/2 tbsp
• Sugar 1/8 tsp
• Pepper Generous dash
• Bean sprouts 1 loose cup
• Chives 1/2 loose cup 
• Toasted Seseame seeds Generous sprinkle.

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a heated wok.

2. Add bean sprouts and fry for 1 minute over medium heat. Add softened noodles and fry for 1/2 minute over high heat.

3. Add all seasoning and continue to fry noodles over high heat for about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add in Chinese chives and fry for another 1/2 minute. Sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds and dish out. Serve with chilli sauce.

Fideua - Toasted Spaghetti with Seafood

We love to spend our summer vacation in Spain and do it almost every year. I love the weather, the people, and especially the food in Spain. Last year I stumbled over the cookbook "The New Spanish Table" from Anya from Bremzen and was happy to learn that it contains recipes of all my favorite Spanish food. But it gets better. It is written for people who don't have access to Spanish ingredients and replaces it with ingredients easily found in local supermarkets.
One of the recipes I adore is Fideua. Fideua is a dish similar to a Paella but cooked with Pasta instead. The Pasta is toasted first and then finishs cooking in a flavorful broth on the stovetop.

Fideua

(The New Spanish table, Anya von Bremzen)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

About 1 pound fideo noodles or thin spaghetti, broken into 2-inch length (it is easier to put them in a ziploc bag to brake them into pieces)

4 cups bottled clam juice diluted with 2 cups water (or 6 cups fish stock, or shrimp shell stock)

1 medium size pinch of saffron, pulverized in a mortar

2 tablespoons finely minced garlic

1 pound small shrimp, shelled

2 teaspoons sweet (not smoked) paprika

Sofregit (recipe follows)

3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

12 to 16 jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

Lemon wedges, or serving

Optional: Allioli for serving

Quick Sofregit 

Make a quick sofregit by cooking 1 chopped medium-size onion and 4 cloves of crushed garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil in the paella pan for 7 to 8 minutes. Add 1 large grated tomato and cook the sofregit until it is darkened and reduced, about 5 minutes

Fideua

1. Toast the noodles: Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 15- or 16-inc paella pan or a very large skillet over medium heat. Add half the noodles and cook, stirring, until nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Watch the noodles closely, as they tend to burn in not time. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the noodles to a large bowl, making sure none remain in the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan and toast the remaining noodles in the same fashion, transferring them to the bowl when browned. Wipe the paella pan clean. (The noodles can also be toasted in a 425 F / 225 C oven without oil: Just spread them on tow large-rimmed baking sheets and toast them until nicely browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes.)

2. Place the shrimp stock in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the saffron and keep at a simmer until ready to use.

3. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the paella pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the small shrimp and stir until they turn opaque, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the paprika and stir for a few seconds. Add the sofregit and cook until it is warmed through. Add the toasted noodles and stir to coat with the pan mixture. Pour in 3 cups of the simmering stock, keeping the remaining stock simmering. Set the paella pan over two burners and stir in the parsley. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the noodles begin to soften,  about 5 minutes. Periodically move and rotate the pan so that the liquid boils evenly. Add another 2 cups of the stock and continue cooking in the same fashion until most of the liquid is absorbed and the noodles are cooks but a little al dente, another 5 to 6 minutes. If the liquid is absorbed too fast and the noodles are still hard, add some or all of the remaining 1 cup of stock. Transfer the paella pan to the oven and bake until the noodles are soft and the liquid in the pan is syrupy, 7 to 8 minutes.

5. While the noodles are baking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Stir-fry the jumbo shrimp, a few at a time, adding some of the remaining garlic to each batch, until bright pink and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and keep warm.

6. When the noodles are done, change the oven setting to broil. Pass the noodles under the broiler until the noodles on top are lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Let the noodles stand for 5 minutes. Arrange the jumbo shrimp decoratively over the noodles. Serve the dish straight from the pan, accompanied by lemon wedges and Allioli.

Serves 8 as a first course, 6 as a main course

Basic Allioli

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup peanut or canola oil

4 large garlic cloves, minced

2 large very fresh, organic, egg yolks

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

coarse sea salt

Stir together both oils in a measuring cup with a spout. Place the garlic, egg yolks, and lemon juice in a blender and pulse until a coarse paste forms. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow, thin, steady stream. The mixture will be the consistency of a thick mayonnaise. Scrape the allioli into a bowl, and season with salt to taste, and more lemon juice, if desired. Let stand at least 1 hour before serving, or cover and refrigerate if keeping longer. If the allioli seems to thick, thin it out with a little water before using. 

Makes just over 1 cup

Spaghetti Trapanese

You know how difficult is to make a dish that everyone in the family loves. These dishes are very rare and once you find one you keep it like a treasure. One of those dishes for my family is Spaghetti Trapanese, a summer dish that is best when tomatoes are in full season. It is a pesto-like cold sauce and has only a couple of main ingredients. Those should be of the best quality that you can afford.

Spaghetti Trapanese
(Jamie Oliver)
serves 4

• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 1/2oz / 150 g  almonds, skins on or off
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 large handfuls fresh basil, leaves picked
• 5 1/2 oz / 150g  freshly grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, halved
• 
  

Warm the almonds a little in a dry pan, then smash them up in a pestle and mortar or whiz them in a food processor until you have a coarse powder consistency. Put them into a bowl. Bash the garlic and the basil separately in the mortar and mix with the almonds, adding the pecorino or Parmesan, a good glug of olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and really scrunch them with your hands into the almond mixture until they have completely broken up. Loosen with a little extra olive oil and toss with your hot drained pasta. Check the seasoning, divide onto 4 plates, and spoon any sauce that remains in the pan over the top.

Pasta with Shaved Asparagus

Green asparagus is known and eaten worldwide. Once a delicacy and only available in spring it is now accessible throughout the whole year. It is typically served as an appetizer or vegetable side dish, steamed, grilled or stir fried. Recently it became popular to serve it also raw and when  I stumbled over a shaved asparagus salad recipe on smittenkitchen I knew immediately that it would be good with Pasta too. So I cooked some spaghetti and added the shaved asparagus on top. With or without pasta this is a very refreshing, light summery dish.

Pasta with Shaved Asparagus

(inspired by the Union Square Cafe and Smittenkitchen)

There are no exact measurements in this recipe. Everything is to taste, so taste as you go along to make sure you’re getting all the Parmesan, nutty, and lemony flavors you want.

1/4 cup pine nuts or sliced almonds, toasted* and cooled
1 pound asparagus, rinsed
1 lemon, halved
Olive oil
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 ounces Parmesan cheese

No need to snap off the tough ends of your asparagus. Lay a single stalk on its side on a cutting board. Holding onto the tough end, use a vegetable peeler (a Y-shaped peeler is easiest, but I’ve used a standard one successfully) to shave off thin asparagus ribbons from stalk to tip, peeling away from the tough end in your hand. [Updated] Discard the tough ends once you’re done peeling. Gently pile your ribbons on a medium-sized serving platter. Squeeze some lemon juice over the asparagus, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Toss gently and then use your peeler to shave curls of Parmesan right off the block, over the asparagus. Sprinkle with some toasted nuts. Repeat with remaining asparagus, a third of the remaining bundle at a time. Eat immediately.

* I toast mine in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350 for 5 to 10 minutes. It’s really important, especially with pine nuts, that you stay close and toss them frequently because they love to burn, but if you move them around a bit, you can get a wonderful, even coffee coffee color on them and an intensely nutty flavor. It makes even unfancy nuts taste amazing.

Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce

Sometimes it is really hard to get my son to eat enough vegetables, so I tried to trick him the other day by using soy instead of meat. I told him we were going to have Pasta with Bolognese Sauce for dinner, which is one of his favorite dishes. When he tasted the sauce he told me that something tasted slightly different but he didn't know what it was. I pretended not to know what he was talking about and said it tasted the same to me. Later on when I wasn't paying attention, he went through the trash and found the package of "meat" I used for the sauce. "Found it" -  he told me smiling. He made me promise  not to try and trick him any more. Anyway,  I think the sauce didn't really taste different - maybe a bit sweeter than usual and the texture was a little less crunchy than the regular meat sauce. But a great alternative if you want to eat less meat and live healthier. A great addition is lots of shaved parmesan, which even got my son to eat it and stop complaining.

Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese

serves 4

100 g / 3 oz celery stalks finely diced

1 small carrot, finely diced

4 T olive oil

200 g / 6oz soy crumble (I used "Smart Ground")

1 medium onion, finely diced

3 T tomato paste

1 clove of garlic, minced

100 ml red wine

400 g crushed tomatoes and their juice

400 ml vegetable broth

1/2 t brown sugar

1 pinch of black pepper

1 pinch of salt

2 T mixed herbs (fresh or dried)

1 lb pasta

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan until shimmering. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic  and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 5 - 8 minutes. Scrape the vegetable mixture into a large bowl.
2. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the saucepan and heat until just shimmering. Add the soy crumbles and cook over moderately high heat until brown, about 5 minutes. Return the vegetable mixture to the saucepan. Add the tomato paste and cook over high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost evaporated, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, the broth and herbs. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover partially and cook over moderately low heat for 15 - 30 minutes
3. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well, return to the pot and toss with the sauce. Serve the pasta in deep bowls and pass the Parmesan at the table.

Tomato Pesto

During this time of the season you often need a dish that only takes a couple of minutes to prepare but is nevertheless tasty. This Pesto is very easy to make, tastes a little bit spicy (depending to the amount of cayenne pepper that you add) and keeps for a couple of days in the fridge. For my Pasta loving son this is the perfect comfort food whenever I have no time to make anything else at all. A little amount is adequate per person so don't worry that you won't have enough when you are preparing it.

Tomato Pesto

(serves 4)

from: On Top of Spaghetti

3/4 cup (one 6oz can) tomato paste,

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (210 ml)  extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon pine nuts

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons tomato juice

2 plump garlic cloves, trimmed, peeled, and roughly chopped

1 lb (500 g) dried mostaccioli, penne, or rigatoni

freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2. Combine the tomato paste, olive, oil, pine nuts, salt, cayenne, tomato juice, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Run the motor until you have as smooth puree. Set aside at room temperature while you cook the pasta. 

3. Generously salt the boiling water and drop in the pasta. Cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the pasta to a heated serving bowl. Add enough of the pesto to coat the noodles generously. Add a little pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, if it seems too thick. Sprinkle with cheese and pass more Pecorino Romano and any remaining pesto at the table.

Pici con ragu

When I asked my son what he wanted for dinner tonight, he picked "Pici con Ragu" from Jamie's Italy cookbook. I agreed, but honestly, I had no idea what I had  gotten myself into.
I had made pasta before, so I figured it wouldn't be too difficult.  Boy, was I wrong....

At least it was an easy start: the sauce rather classic, cooked by itself almost the whole afternoon and came out deliciously. The dough was prepared in a couple of minutes. I stored it in the fridge as recommended and decided to have an afternoon rest. My inner voice told me, though, that I should give myself enough time to practice rolling out of the Pici. So I started relatively early in the afternoon to roll out my first Pici, and I was so right!
The dough was easy to handle, but the skewer stuck to the dough and I couldn't get it out when I rolled them as thin as I wanted them to be . So I floured the stick, but then the dough didn't wrap around the pasta anymore...
Long story short, I rolled out the little pieces, divided them in half, rolled them almost to the length of the stick and then pressed the skewer into them to flatten them out a little.
It worked o.k. I know now why pasta comes in packages.
Still, the dish was scrumptious - empty plates across the table... Would I do it again? Only when I have plenty of time, really a lot....


Pici con Ragu
(Jamie's Italy)
serves 4

For the pici

455 g/1lb finely ground semolina flour
approx. 200ml /7floz water

for the ragu sauce

olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
3 bay leaves
a sprig of fresh rosemary
500 g/1lb 2oz minced beef or veal
4 x 400 g tins of good quality plum tomaoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a bloc of Parmesan cheese for grating

Place the flour in a bowl and, a little at a time, add just enough cold water to make a stiff dough. The drier the dough, the easier it will be when rolling it out later. Dust a clean work surface with flour and knead the pasta dough for 10 minutes or so until smooth and velvety. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it.

Pull of a orange sized piece of dough and roll it with your hands into a long thin sausage shape on a very lightly four-dusted work surface. When it's about 2cm/ 1 inch thick, divide it into 3cm / 11/4 inch pieces so you end up with lots of little nuggets of dough.

Make sure the table or board is dry and free of flour, otherwise rolling will be difficult, and have a damp cloth nearby to moisten your hands. Take a 1mm thick 15cm/6 inch long wooden skewer, hold it at both ends and press it down lengthways into a piece of dough as if trying to cut it in half down the middle. When you've pushed the skewer in half-way, roll the dough gently round the stick using your fingertips.

You should end up with a very thin, sausage-shaped piece of pasta with the stick through the middle. When the pasta is rolled just thinner than a cigarette, stop rolling and gently pull it off, making sure you pull on the stick rather than the dough. Giving the stick a twist will also help. You should end up with a long thin hollow noodle. Repeat with the rest of the dough and lay all your pici on a tray, dusted with semolina flour, to dry out slightly before using.

When you have laid all the pieces out on a tray and dusted them with semolina flour, you can start to make the ragu sauce. Heat a saucepan  big enough to hold all the sauce ingredients, add a splash of olive oil and the chopped onion and garlic, and cook slowly for about 10 minutes until soft and lightly coloured. Add the bay leaves, the whole sprig of rosemary, the minced beef or veal and the tomatoes. Stir will and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer gently for 2hours with a lid on the pan.

If the sauce starts to stick at any point, add a splash of hot water and stir well. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using a pair of tongs, fish out the bay leaves and rosemary sprig and discard them.

Cook the pici in a pan of boiling salted water for around 10 - 15 minutes until cooked through but still al dente. Drain and then stir them into the hot ragu sauce.Ad a good spash of olive oil, then taste and season again if necessary. Serve with lots of freshly grated Parmesan.

Whole Wheat Fettucini with Pumpkin Sauce

I had some leftover pumpkin and didn't want to make another bread or cake, so I came up with this easy sauce. Smooth and silky, it tasted great with whole wheat fettucini.

Pumpkin Sauce
(serves 4)


1 lb / 500 g pumpkin (I used Butternut Squash), diced
1/3 cup / 80 ml heavy cream
1/4 cup/ 125 ml chicken broth
2 oz / 50 g freshly grated parmesan
Pinch of salt
Pinch of sage
1/4 teaspoon dried chili or to taste
1/2 cup toasted walnuts to serve
1 lb / 500 g whole wheat fettucini


Cook the fettucini according to the package instruction.
Cook the pumpkin in a little water until soft.  Let it cool a little, than puree in a blender. Put back in the pot.
Add the rest of the ingredients and heat slowly. Stir until the parmesan has melted.
Serve the pasta with the sauce and scatter the walnuts and some parmesan over the dish.

Mediterranean Pasta

This recipe is so easy, you don't even need to write it down. It is prepared in minutes and combines mediterranean flavor with wonderfully fresh and healthy ingredients

Mediterranean Pasta

For 4 people

1 lb Spagetti

450 g / 16 oz Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

2 small or medium Zucchinis, cut in 1/2 inch dices

400 g / 14 oz Feta, crumbled or diced

1 bag of Arugula

3 T good Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzle over the dish

Salt, Pepper

Cook the Pasta according to the package instructions in salted water.

In the meantime take out some nice big plates. Scatter a hand full of the Arugula over the plates.

4 Minutes before the Pasta is done, heat the olive oil in a pan and add the Zucchini. Cook them for about 2 - 3 Minutes, you don't want them too soft, they should still be a little crunchy. 

Right before you drain the Pasta, add the halved Tomatoes and let them melt, not longer than a minute. 

Season the vegetables with Salt and Pepper and then add the drained Pasta to the Pan.

Mix everything carefully and put it over the Arugula, then scatter the Feta over the Pasta. Drizzle with some extra Olive Oil and serve.