Everyday Pasta (20 page)

4 servings

The whole idea behind this dish is that it is made from leftovers you find in the refrigerator. This happens to be one of my favorite combinations, but use whatever kind of cheese you find in the bin, and substitute any veggies you have on hand for the asparagus. It’s so good that I often make it for a quick dinner when I haven’t had a chance to get to the market.

½ cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

10 large eggs

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, coarsely chopped

½ cup chopped onion

8 thin asparagus stalks, trimmed, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain the orzo.

Whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese and basil. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sauté until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and sauté until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the orzo and stir to coat. Add the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until the eggs are softly set, about 4 minutes.

Transfer the egg mixture to a serving bowl and serve.

6 to 8 servings

Kids go crazy for this dish. It’s creamy, colorful, and, best of all, they can eat it with a spoon!

1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1¼ cups heavy cream

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large, heavy saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan cheese to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to create a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

4 to 6 servings

Anchovy is the secret ingredient that makes this dish so delicious. If you have anchovy haters in your family, don’t worry; the anchovies melt into the butter-and-olive oil mixture, so no one will even know they are there.

1 pound farfalle (bow-tie pasta)

2 heads of broccoli, trimmed to florets (about 4 cups)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, chopped

5 anchovy fillets, chopped

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes add the broccoli florets to the pasta, stir, and cook for another 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, pasta, salt, and pepper and toss. Add some of the reserved pasta water, if necessary, to make a light sauce. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

4 to 6 servings

Who says pesto has to contain basil—or pine nuts, for that matter? This pesto is luxurious and a pretty, pale green; it makes an unbelievably sophisticated meal in just a matter of minutes. I would also serve this as an elegant first course for a spring meal of lamb or salmon.

1 pound rotelle (wagon wheel pasta)

1 (8-ounce) package of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, lightly packed

½ cup chopped toasted walnuts (see note in recipe for
Rotelli with Walnut Sauce
)

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 garlic clove

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan 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 ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a food processor combine the artichokes, parsley, walnuts, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Chop the ingredients fine, stopping the machine a few times to scrape down the sides. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Transfer the artichoke pesto to a large serving bowl and stir in the cheese. Add the warm pasta and toss to combine. If needed, add the reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time to moisten the pasta and create a saucelike consistency. Serve.

You may have noticed a rainbow of pastas on the supermarket shelves recently, as flavored pastas and pastas made from different kinds of flour have become more widely available. Flavored pastas are generally made with the same semolina flour as plain pasta, with the addition of pureed herbs, vegetables, or other ingredients. You’ll find green pasta made with spinach or basil, red pasta made with tomatoes or beets, golden pasta flavored with carrot or saffron—even black squid-ink pasta. I love flavored pastas not only because the added ingredients bring another dimension of flavor to a dish, but also because the colors can make a pasta dish so much more fun and festive-looking. Some pastas even combine two or more flavored doughs for a striped effect. This looks especially beautiful when used for stuffed pasta, but you may also find multicolored farfalle or other shapes. Just be sure to check the ingredients to make sure that the pasta is tinted with natural ingredients, not food coloring.