3-24-20 Gemelli with Zucchini and Ricotta cheese

What a delightful surprise

 

What to do for dinner? After a week of sheltering at home the cupboards were a little bare. Poking around in the fridge I found a zźucchini, carrots and celeryyÿ, along with a tub of ricotta that had to be used.

While waiting for the pasta water to boil I cooked some chopped onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil. When the onions softened I added 2 cloves of slice garlic and the zucchini, along with1/3 cup of chicken stock and the dried tarragon. Several minutes later I added some white wine, and still later fresh lemon juice. All of this was done on a whim, so there is nothing fixed regarding the timing. I kept the lid off the pan after the zucchini was cooked to allow some of liquid to cook off.

I mixed in about a cup of ricotta a few minutes before the pasta was ready, tossed the pasta in the pan with the sauce, and sat down to eat with high hopes.

The result was a delightful new way (if there ever is a new way) to enjoy pasta. The  sauce was light, almost sweet, and thanks to the tarragon had a wonderfully unique flavor. I see more of this in our future.

Spaghetti with cucumbers, smoked salmon, and kalamata olives crudo

Pasta with diced raw cucumbers, kalamata olives, and smoke salmon with olive oil, dill, and garlic. This is a new dish for us, inspired by the abundant harvest of cucumbers from Patience's garden. It is an unusual pairing, pasta and cucumbers, but it works. The olives and dill give it a unique flavor, and the salmon is optional. A few halved cherry tomatoes provide a little color.

5-15-18 Ravioli w mushroom-sundried tomato-cream sauce

I wanted to use the ½ pint of white mushrooms in the fridge to make a sauce for the spinach cheese ravioli in the freezer. I also wanted to keep in rather simple and open to last minute “inspirations”.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Ravioli

2.     Mushrooms coarsely chopped

3.     Sundried tomatoes in oil coarsely chopped

4.     Tomato paste – 1-2 teaspoons

5.     Fresh basil leaves

6.     Olive oil

7.     Onion and garlic

8.     Sweet Vermouth

9.     Heavy whipping cream

10. Chicken broth

11. Grating cheese

PROCESS:

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook over med-high heat, stirring frequently until they begin to brown. Add the sundried tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, and a splash of sweet vermouth, lower the heat and continue cooking. Add the broth if the sauce becomes too thick. About 5 minutes before adding the ravioli stir in the cream – as much or as little as desired. There is no fixed amount for any of these ingredients, so there is no right way or wrong way to prepare this.

COMMENTS:

Patience and I both gave this a 10. It was fun to prepare, and offers a lot of options to explore any number of variations.

4-7- 18 ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND CHOPPED CLAMS

Tonight’s dinner affirmed what I have always suspected. The emotional involvement of the cook is the most important ingredient in the preparation of any meal.

Recently I have been approaching the dinner hour with little enthusiasm, going through the motions of doing what has to be done at the last minute without any forethought. Fortunately most of the time the results have been ok, and occasionally better than ok.

I began thinking about tonight’s dinner early in the day, deciding what I wanted to do, imagining the preparation and how the dish would look and taste. I knew exactly what I wanted, and how I would do it. And because I had everything worked out in my mind, I was free to act intuitively and make additions or subtractions during the preparation. But the real key was my emotional involvement. I was passionate about what I was doing.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Angel hair pasta

2.     Chopped clams

3.     Asparagus

4.     Olive oil

5.     Shallots

6.     Celery

7.     Garlic

8.     Lemon juice

9.     Grape tomatoes – halved

10. White wine

11. Dried dill or fresh if available

12. Butter – 1-2 pads

PROCESS:

Cook the shallots and celery in the olive oil until they begin to soften, add the garlic and a pinch of salt and cook uncovered over low-medium heat for several minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Next add the clams and its juice, the asparagus, and dill, and continue cooking. Several minutes later (sorry, but there is no rigid time schedule here.) add the tomatoes, lemon juice, and bless the pan with some white wine. Allow it to simmer to reduce the liquid while waiting for the pasta. Turn off the heat about 4-5 minutes before the pasta is ready and add the butter. Then add the pasta and a bit of the pasta water and dinner is ready.

COMMENTS:

This unpretentious pasta dish was everything I wanted it to be: light, delicious, and the perfect accompaniment to Patience’s freshly baked bread.

3-29-18 Cavatappi w crab-corn cream sauce

I wanted to try something different tonight.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Cavatappi pasta

2.     Frozen corn

3.     Lump crab meat

4.     Whipping cream

5.     Olive oil

6.     Shallots

7.     Celery

8.     Garlic

9.     Sundried tomatoes in oil

10. Dried dill, basil, and tarragon

11. Old Bay seasoning

12. White wine

13. Chicken broth

PROCESS: I did this on the fly, so nothing is carved in stone.

Saute the shallots, celery, and garlic in olive oil. Add a bit of broth and about a cup of corn, along with the herbs and 3 or 4 finely chopped sundried tomatoes. If it gets too dry add more broth, or some wine. Then add the crab and let it simmer. I add the cream at the same time I put the pasta in the boiling water. Stir frequently, and when the pasta is ready add it to the sauce.

COMMENTS:

Patience, the inhouse food critic gave this a 22.

1-17-18   POET’S PASTA

Our delightful dinner guest tonight was poet/writer Ahron Taub from Washington DC, and current artist in residence at AIR studio in Lowertown.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Gemelli pasta

2.     White mushrooms

3.     Artichoke hearts

4.     Sundried tomatoes- coarsely chopped

5.     Leeks

6.     Garlic

7.     Olive oil

8.     Aurgula

9.     Dried basil

10. Sweet Vermouth

PROCESS:

Cook the Leek and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms start to brown. Lower the heat, add the wine, basil, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts and continue cooking over low-moderate heat. When the pasta is done, add it to the pan and mix well, then add the arugula and allow it to wilt from the heat before serving.  Top with your favorite grating cheese.

12-9-17 Gemelli w artichoke hearts & bottoms

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I had dinner all figured out. It was going to be my precious Patience’s favorite ingredients – artichoke hearts and peas.  Alas, not long into the preparations I discovered there were no peas in the freezer. What could I do? What goes with artichoke hearts... artichoke bottoms, which we happened to have in the freezer, and dinner was saved.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Gemelli

2.     Frozen artichoke bottoms

3.     Artichoke hearts in water

4.     Leeks

5.     Garlic

6.     Celery

7.     Olive oil

8.     Fresh dill and dried tarragon

9.     Lemon juice

10. White wine

11. Butter

12. Pancetta diced

13. Red pepper flakes

14. Chicken broth – about 1/3 cup

PROCESS:

Note – I’m describing the steps I took as I worked my way through this dish. The key is the ingredients, and how you use them is up to you.

Cook the pancetta, remove and set aside, and remove the grease from the pan.

Add olive oil to the pan and cook the leeks and celery until soft, and them add the garlic and continue cooking over low heat.  Add the chicken broth, artichoke bottoms and hearts, and red pepper flakes, plus a splash of wine, and cook covered  until the artichoke is totally defrosted and soft.  Add the herbs and about 1 tbsp of butter and cook uncovered to thicken the sauce.  Before the pasta is done, add the lemon juice and pancetta .

Add the pasta with some pasta water to the pan and mix well.

COMMENTS:

We both gave this a 10, easily.

12-8-17 Aglio Olio

The pasta gods have been good to me, granting me another night in pasta heaven.  Working on the outline for a Pasta Journal, I realized that for years I’ve been making Aglio Olio Crudo (oil and garlic uncooked) and not the traditional Aglio Olio. Tonight I decided to change that.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Spaghetti

2.     Olive oil

3.     Garlic – 1large clove thinly sliced

4.     Butter –about 1 tbsp

5.     Red pepper flakes

6.     Parsley

7.     Salt and pepper

8.     Grating cheese

PROCESS:

Cook the garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil until golden. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the butter, parsley, and the pasta and mix well. I added about a ¼ cup of pasta water and a few drizzles of olive oil.  Serve with a parsley garnish.

COMMENTS:

Of all the pasta dishes I prepare this is the most personal. It triggers immediate treasured memories of my parents and our extended family. If I were to be granted oneå last meal, it would be this, and I would depart with a smile on my face.

12-7-17 Spaghetti with anchovies and Ciabatta crutons

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If you like anchovies you will love this dish.

I was cooking for myself tonight, so I decided to try something that I know would not be a favorite of Patience.  She appreciates “anchovies light” and I’ve been anxious to try a little “anchovies heavy”.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Spaghetti – linguine or angel hair could easily be substituted

2.     Olive oil

3.     Garlic – 1 large clove pressed

4.     Anchovies – 4 fillets finely chopped

5.     White wine – about 2-3 tablespoons

6.     Red Pepper flakes

7.     Fresh oregano and tarragon

8.     Salt and black pepper

9.     Ciabatta bread cut into bite sized cubes

PROCESS:

Coat the bread in olive oil and toast on the stove top (or oven if you prefer). Set aside.

In a small bowl mix the anchovies, garlic and wine and cook in olive oil with the herbs and red pepper flakes until the achovies break down, in a skillet large enough to eventually accommodate the pasta.

Add the pasta to the skillet along with some pasta water and black pepper. and mix thoroughly. Serve with fresh herb garnish and the croutons.

COMMENTS:

If you love anchovies you will love this dish. All I can say is I loved it and can’t wait to do it again – the next time I’m alone.

With a sprinkling of salt, the croutons are a great snack with a glass of wine.

Gemelli with buttenut squash sauce

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I could not remember what I had in mind when I purchased this package of pre-cut butternut squash from Midtown Market earlier this week, but decided it was time to put it to work tonight...with pasta, of course. Most of the recipes online call for roasting the squash, but I had little interest in doing that tonight.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Gemelli pasta

2.     Butternut squash cut into ¾ “ pieces

3.     Onion and Garlic

4.     Bacon – coarsely chopped

5.     Olive oil

6.     Chicken broth

7.     Sweet vermouth

8.     Sundried tomatoes coarsely chopped

9.     Fresh sage finely chopped

10. Heavy whipping cream

11. Parmigiano cheese

PROCESS:

I sort of made this up as I went along, deciding at the last minute to add the wine and the sundried tomatoes.

Cook the bacon until crisp, remove and drain, and pour the remaining fat from the skillet. Add a small amount of olive oil and prepare the onion and garlic.  Finely chop the squash in a food processor and add to the pan, along with a cup of chicken broth. Also add some finely chopped sage – about 2-3 leaves, a sprinkle of bacon bits, the sundried tomatoes, and a splash of sweet vermouth. Cover and simmer until the squash is soft.

Several minutes before the pasta is ready add the cream and about ¼ cup of cheese and stir well. Add the pasta and some pasta water and mix well. Serve with bacon garnish.

COMMENTS:

I had my doubts about this during the preparation, but they were immediately put to rest with the first taste. Patience, who has no problem telling me what she thinks about the dinner I serve her, loved it. We both agree it would be a good dish for company.

The next time I do this I will not be so lazy and will roast the squash. This dish will definitely be in the Pasta Journal.

11-29-17 Farfalle with green tomato sauce

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A new pasta experience tonight

 

This was inspired by a recipe in the Italian food magazine called Gambero Rosso. The English edition has been discontinued but Italian edition is still in print. The truth is – the tomatoes are to be roasted, which I did, to the point of burning them. Patience saw the dejection on my face and suggested that I sauté them instead. Since we have an ample supply of green tomatoes I started over.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Green tomatoes coarsely chopped (3)

2.     Olive oil

3.     Garlic & onion

4.     Fresh basil leaves – I used frozen basil leaves from last years crop)

5.     Farfalle pasta

6.     Red pepper flakes

7.     Romano Pecorino cheese

8.     Dry Vermouth

9.     Butter

PROCESS:

Prepare the onion and garlic in olive oil. Add the tomatoes, ¼ cup of dry vermouth, basil, salt and pepper, and cover and cook over med-high heat for about 30 minutes until the tomatoes break down. With large fork mash the tomatoes to a creamy sauce, cover, and keep warm. Just before the pasta is ready I added a tablespoon of butter to the sauce while Patience was not looking, along with some of the pasta water.  Add the pasta and about ¼ cup of the grated cheese and mix well.

COMMENTS:

Without any garnish this is not an attractive looking dish. But looks are deceiving, and this was very good. The sauce was sweet, but not overpowering. We agreed there were a number of ingredients that could add to its appeal: bacon or pancetta, mushrooms, and kalamata olives, to name just a few. I was pleased to have a new ingredient at my disposal…the green tomato. I have looked at hundreds of pasta recipes and this was the first one I found for a sauce using  green tomatoes.

11-22-17 Angel Hair pasta with a creamy tomato-lobster sauce

So simple, but oh so good.

The inspiration for this dinner began when Patience pointed out that there was a healthy crop of Dill still in the porch garden.  Knowing it would be several days before we would run out of Thanksgiving leftovers I decided we needed pasta tonight.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Angel hair pasta

2.     Onion and garlic

3.     Olive oil

4.     Del Monte diced tomatoes with basil and oregano

5.     Heavy whipping cream

6.     Basil and fresh dill

7.     Lobster meat (lump crab meat will also work.)

PROCESS:

Prepare the onion and garlic in olive oil, cooking until soft, then add the diced tomatoes and the basil. After 5-10 minutes blend the sauce in a food processor or use a hand held processor, then add the lobster and some fresh dill and continue cooking over low heat. Several minutes before the pasta is ready stir in the cream.

Mix the sauce with the pasta and garnish with fresh dill.

COMMENTS:

Patience and I both gave this a ten-plus plus-plus. The sauce was light, with a gentle sweetness that comes with the Del Monte tomatoes. Fortunately there was enough sauce left over so we will be enjoying this again in the not so distant future.