spaghetti with spinach and lemon

Spinach, that wonderful vegetable that disappeared, rightfully, from the markets for a while, is back, fresh and pure. We are into some wonderful pastas that are simple to prepare, combine ingredients perfectly, and are wonderful taste treats. Here is one of those: with fresh spinach, lemon and capers.

for the sauce:

• four tablespoons of olive oil
• five cloves of garlic, peeled and finely diced
• two tablespoons of capers
• one-half teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• four tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• two teaspoons of grated lemon rind
• four cups of chopped fresh spinach
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• one quarter cup freshly grated parmesan
  
  
  
  one pound spaghetti

In a saute pan, over medium heat, add the garlic. As soon as it starts to sizzle, add the capers and the red pepper flakes. Cook two minutes. Add the lemon juice and rind, one teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Stir and cook for another two minutes.

In five quarts of water at a raging boil, add two tablespoons of salt and the spaghetti. Cook until just short of al dente. Set aside one quarter cup of the pasta liquid. Drain.

Re-heat the sauce. Add in the spaghetti and stir. Add the chopped spinach and stir. Add the parmesan and stir. Check for salt. If too dry add some of the reserved pasta liquid. Cover and cook for one minute over medium high heat.

Serve immediately.

Amatrice

The new fall menu at Il Fornaio last night included a trofie all'amatriciana. It was perfectly done and reminded us how wonderful an intro into the fall season this classic pasta recipe is. The normal presentation is with bucatini, a thick, hollow spaghetti. But trofie, the twisty, spiral little pasta shapes, usually associated with Liguria, worked fine.

It is a boldly flavored, highly-spiced dish from the town of Amatrice, near Rome. It is both simple to prepare and infinitely rewarding in its perfect combination of flavors. Here is our favorite version:

bucatini alla amatriciana

for the sauce:

• three plus one tablespoons olive oil
• one medium red onion, finely chopped
• 8 ounces of pancetta, or slab bacon, about one-quarter inch thick, roughly chopped into squares 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size
• one teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
• 2 cups canned, imported Italian plum tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
• salt and lots of freshly ground pepper
• one-half cup freshly grated pecorino Romano (Parmigiano works, but pecorino is better)

for the pasta:

• one pound bucatini or spaghetti (or trofie)

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, for about eight minutes, until it is lightly browned and almost crisp. Use a slotted spoon and transfer the pancetta to a separate plate (or paper towel).

If there are more than two or three tablespoons of fat left in the pan, drain off the excess. Add the onion to the saucepan and saute for about 3 minutes, until soft. Add the red pepper flakes, salt and the freshly ground pepper, and saute for another thirty seconds.

Add the chopped tomatoes, simmer (uncovered) for about twenty minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot (4-5 quarts) of cold water to a heavy boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt, drop in the pasta, stir it around, and cook to al dente (tasting regularly to check for doneness).


One of the tests as you mix the sauce and pasta is to make sure the sauce is moist enough to coat the pasta beautifully. The sauce might be a little thick. Therefore, before draining the pasta, take one cup of the pasta liquid and reserve it. Drain the pasta. Turn up the heat on the sauce and add the pancetta and stir. Add the pasta, add the extra tablespoon of olive oil, and stir well. Heat for thirty seconds, covered.









Add the pecorino, stir and serve on hot plates.

For spaghetti all'arrabiata, another wonderful fall pasta dish with spicy overtones, go to: http://www.classicpasta.com/, click on pasta and then spaghetti.

zucchini with garlic, lemon and mint

This is one of three superb, simple zucchini preparations that we love, especially when wonderful, sweet small zucchini are available fresh in the various Farmer's Markets. Zucchini is such a wonderful "fall-back" vegetable for special dinners, as well as being a main-stay in stay-at-home and-love-it evenings.

ingredients:

• three tablespoons olive oil
• one and a half pounds of fresh zucchini
• two medium garlic cloves, peeled and diced
• one small onion, thinly sliced
• pinch or two of red pepper flakes
• one tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• one-quarter cup mint or basil, finely chopped

Wash the zucchini in cold water. Cut off the ends, and then dice into about one-quarter inch squares.

Heat one and a half tablespoons of the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, and then thirty seconds later add the onion. Cook until translucent, about two minutes.

Add the zucchini and the red pepper flakes, and cook until the zucchini squares are just tender, stirring reglarly with a wooden spoon. (This is a matter of taste; we like the zucchin still a little firm, but if you like them soft cook until slightly brown).

Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, a teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground pepper, and tthen the mint or basil. Stir a touch and serve.

For several other terrific and simple zucchini recipes, go to www.classicpasta.com, click on extra pantry" and then "verdure". Enjoy!

Trofie pasta with pesto

We had the good fortune to discover a small food, cheese and wine shop in the Portrero Hill section of San Francisco recently, where we were able to buy authentic trofie pasta from Italy. There are certainly other shops in the U.S. where trofie can be found (as well as on-line) but we had been carrying ours back in our suitcases, buying it at Carlucci's in Covent Garden in London.

The trofie we purchased in San Francisco is Saporia di Liguri, from La Bella Angiolini, made in a facility near to the original location of the oldest pastificio in Italy (so they claim) in Savona in the heart of the Ligurian Riviera.

Trofie, or trofiette, are thin strings of pasta, about one to two inches long, twisted into a corkscrew shape. They are generally made with durum wheat flour, but they can also be made from all-purpose flour. Trofie are frequently called Ligurian gnocchi.

This being the heart of wonderful fresh basil season, it was a perfect time to have the trofie and pesto, a marriage made in Ligurian heaven. Here is the recipe for a simple trofie and pesto dish, which takes almost no time to make.

Some recipes have made the making of pesto time consuming and difficult, by over-working the chopping of the fresh basil. No need. A blender, which is what most Italy uses now, works perfectly. Nothing lost in taste.

for the pesto sauce:

• two cups fresh basil leaves


• one-half cup olive oil


• three cloves garlic, peeled and roughly diced


• two tablespoons pine nuts


• salt (a teaspoon or to taste)


• one-half cup freshly grated parmesan cheese


• two tablespoons freshly grated pecorino, Romano or Tuscano (or whatever)


• two tablespoons butter

for the pasta

• one pound trofie, durum wheat preferred but go with what you can get

Using a blender (pesto was traditionally made in a mortar and pestle, hence the name), put in the basil and garlic and mix for a few seconds. Add the pine nuts and olive oil and salt, and blend at a high speed until the sauce approaches creamy (not too creamy, however, as a little roughness in the texture is wonderful).

When the blending is completed, transfer the sauce into a mixing bowl and stir in the two cheeses. Presto, done!

Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water (4-5 quarts), until it is al dente. Stir regularly while cooking.

Reserve a cup of the pasta liquid. Drain and toss with the pesto sauce. Add the butter and a tablespoon or two from the reserved liquid to assist in the tossing and mixing.

Serve!

chicken marsala

Last night we did one of our favorite, easy, wonderful treats: chicken marsala. We evolved this recipe from our original forays with the always fabulous veal scallopine, either marsala, or piccata. Evolved because veal was a lot more expensive than chicken!

We want to share our version of this oft-used recipe. But before we do, we have to confess that we googled "chicken marsala" and discovered a torrent of entries. Amazing. One site is just "chickenmarsala.com". Italian Chef, All recipes, and of course the Food Network all have versions. One site "cooks.com" yielded hundreds (I think, I quit counting) recipes all for chicken marsala.

Undaunted, here is ours:

• four chicken breasts. About a pound. (See note).


• three tablespoons butter (to start)


• three tablespoons vegetable oil


• about a half cup of flour


• salt and pepper

This gets us started. Spread the flour on some waxed paper. Add salt and pepper. Put the oil and butter in a saute pan (equipped with a lid to use eventually). Medium high heat. When oil is hot, roll the chicken breasts in the flour, shake off excess flour, and put in the saute pan (which should be large enough to hold the chicken breasts without overlapping). Brown the chicken breasts, usually about three minutes a side, and then cover and turn the heat to medium. This is because we find the chicken breasts cook more evenly by cooking under cover rather than getting the breasts done just by continually sauteeing.

Watch the chicken breasts closely. Ideal is to take them off just before they are completely done -- a tiny touch of pink. Worst case is to overdo the chicken: tough and tasteless. When done remove the chicken breasts to a plate and keep warm in the oven.

Note: we do not pound the chicken breasts. We like them in their full glory. And let's face it, we always seem to get different sizes and shapes, depending. Sometimes this requires cutting the chicken breasts in half. Sometimes we just remove the "extra" pieces on the side. Whatever works. Ideally we get free-range, organic chicken breasts, skinned, deboned and halved, quite thick, and then we go from there.

Now the sauce:

• four tablespoons butter


• one-quarter cup white wine


• one-half cup marsala


• one-quarter cup chicken stock


• couple tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped


• one teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (optional)


• one-half cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)

First: drain the saute pan of the fat accumulated. This is key. It is not necessary to drain all the fat and certainly not the wonderful brown bits and stickings from the sauteeeing. But get rid of most of the fat. Otherwise you get a fatty sauce!

Turn the heat to high. When hot add the butter. As soon as it starts to melt, add the white wine which should steam and immediately de-glaze. Add the marsala. Add a half teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Add a tablespoon chopped parsely. Stir. You don't want the sauce to get too thick, but you don't want soup either. Probably add the chicken broth to create enough broth.

When the sauce is just about the right consistency, bring back the chicken breasts, and add them, and their juices, to the saute pan. Turn them over a couple of times to get them well coated.

If the sauce is too runny, thicken by adding a little more butter.

Serve, putting the chicken breasts on the plate, spoon the sauce over, add a touch of parsley for garnish.

On the oregano option, just add it after you add the marsala.

On mushrooms: we ordinarily do not add mushrooms to the dish, but they can be delightful. As soon as you add the marsala, add the sliced mushrooms. They should be done just right as the sauce thickens. (some recipes call for a cup or two or three of mushrooms, which we think is overkill, and takes away from the great taste of the marsala.)

Remember: watch the chicken carefully (checking by cutting into it with a sharp knife). Do not overcook. And get rid of all the fats in the saute pan before starting the sauce.

pasta with sausage

We received some outstanding sweet Italian sausage recently (more on this on a later blog), and indulged ourselves with two back-to-back incredibly delicious pastas. Which we want to share!

Rather than repreating these two excellent recipes on the blog, we would like you to go to www.classicpasta.com/pasta.htm for the details, as usual presented in clear and complete, easy-to-use, form.

Under the heading "penne and other short tubular pasta", you will find garganelli or penne with sausage. Try this one first.

Under "tagliatelle" you will find tagliatelle with sausage, lemon and nutmeg. This more delicate sauce is a wonderful follow-up.

Let us know if you find these pasta and sausage recipes -- which we think define the wonderful combining delights of pasta and sausage, combinations made in an Italian heaven -- perfectly.

the best lamb ragu ever

This is the sauce we made for our imported (by us) pinci from Montalcino at a dinner we prepared last weekend. Naturally the sauce transports easily to other pasta: pappardelle, penne and tagliolini for example.

For the sauce:

• three tablespoons of olive oil
• eight ounces of ground lamb
• eight ounces of mild Italian sausage (casings removed)
• two cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• one medium onion, finely chopped
• one stalk celery, finely chopped
• one medium carrot, finely chopped
• one-half cup red wine
• one tablespoon tomato paste
• one bay leaf
• two sprigs oregano
• two sprigs thyme
• one sprig rosemary
• two cups beef broth
• two cups imported peeled Italian plum tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped (see note)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• one half cup freshly grated parmesan

for the pasta:

• one pound of pinci, pappardelle, fettucine, or penne

Note: if you are lucky enough to have truly ripe and tasty plum tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes, dice them and use two cups of them rather than the imported variety.

Put two tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and lamb. Add a half teaspoon salt and some freshly ground pepper. Brown the meat -- cooking it until it is brown all over. Throughout the browning, constantly work the chopped meat with a wooden spoon to break it up as much as possible (in fact make sure it is truly all broken up).

Remove the meat and set it aside. Drain the fat, most of it anyway (leaving all the good brown bits) from the pan.

Add the third tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and cook until golden, about four minutes. Add the garlic, and then a minute later add the celery and the carrots. Cook another three minutes; the carrots should start to get soft. (add more olive oil if you need it).

Have the heat high, and add the wine, to deglaze the pan. Cook for about two minutes until the alcohol is dissipated and the wine reduced by about half.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the browned meat. Add the bay leaf, oregano, thyme and rosemary. Stir. Add the tomatoes and then add the beef broth. Stir, bring to a boil and then cover and lower the heat to a simmer.

Note: you can reduce the time involved in making this sauce by reducing the amount of beef broth added to one cup. By cutting the beef broth amount, you will get a sauce of the right consistency in about thirty or forty minutes.

We love the long simmer, since it isn't any work anyway and the kitchen smells wonderfully for a long time. We put the cover slightly askew, and simmer away, maybe several hours, to get a sauce with a great consistency: moist with just enough liquid to meld with the pasta.

When the sauce is done, remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf and sprigs. Add several grinds of pepper and a half tespoon of salt. Stir, taste, adjust.

Meanwhile bring 4-5 quarts of water to a boil. Add two tablespoons of salt. Drop in the pasta and stir. Continue cooking until al dente. If using pinci, they seem to take about twenty minutes. Reserve a cup of the pasta water and drain.

Re-heat the sauce, add the pasta, and stir (or mix). If not moist enough add the reserved pasta water as needed. We find that by covering the pan with the pasta with its sauce, and turning the heat up to high for about two minutes, we can guarantee a truly hot and steaming presentation, with the pasta staying hot longer.

Serve with ample parmesan (and more on the side) plus some chopped parsley. The best lamb ragu ever, right?

For a version with lamb cubes, see www.classicpasta.com, under sauces.