Pasta Modern (28 page)

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Generously oil a 12-inch (30.5-cm) round nonstick deep cake pan.

Boil the pasta in salted water for half the time the package directs. Drain, toss it with a little oil to keep it from sticking, and set aside.

In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, cook the beef until it no longer red, but not fully cooked. Season it with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a bowl, using a whisk or electric hand-held mixer, beat the eggs with the cinnamon and saffron until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble:
Set aside ½ cup (120 ml) of the pasta and ½ cup (120 ml) of the egg mixture for the final layer. Pour one third of the remaining egg mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, top with one third of the parcooked pasta, and sprinkle with grated cheese and parsley to taste. Scatter on one third of the cooked meat and top with one third of the cheese slices. Repeat for two more layers.

Top with the reserved pasta and egg mixture. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of grated cheese. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, for 1 hour, then remove the foil and bake for an additional hour, or until the pie is set and the top is darkly golden.

Let it rest until it comes to room temperature before slicing.

{
Crostata di tagliolini
}

SERVES
6
to
8
|
REGION:
Southern and parts of central Italy

Homey and comforting, this lovely pie comes together without much fuss. Thin egg noodles are layered with ham, cheese, and mushrooms; tiny peas scattered between the layers add a green burst of flavor. The dish is baked until beautifully golden, sliced like pie, and eaten at room temperature. This is traditionally baked on the day before Easter, to be eaten as part of the family picnics enjoyed on Angel’s Monday, Italy’s national holiday the day after Easter.

Olive oil

1 small onion, minced

2 ounces (60 g) pancetta or prosciutto, minced

8 ounces (225 g) baby peas

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces (340 g) fresh mushrooms, any type, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

About ¼ cup (28 g) homemade breadcrumbs, toasted

7 tablespoons (100 g) butter

¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose or “0” flour

2 cups (480 ml) milk, warmed

1 pound (455 g)
tagliolini
, or other fresh thin egg noodles

½ cup (120 ml) chicken or beef stock

About ½ cup (60 g) grated Parmesan cheese

12 ounces (340 g)
burrata
or mozzarella cheese, diced

8 ounces (225 g) thinly sliced ham, cut into strips

In a small sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and pancetta until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and a few tablespoons of water, and cook until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside in a bowl.

In the same pan, heat 2 more tablespoons oil over high heat. Cook the mushrooms and garlic for a minute or two, until tender. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter an 8-to 9-inch (20-to 23-cm) nonstick springform pan and dust it with breadcrumbs.

In another small pot, make a béchamel: Melt 4 tablespoons (60 g) of the butter over medium heat, stir in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until smooth. Add the milk and bring it to a boil, stirring until thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Boil the pasta in salted water for 3 minutes less than the package directs. Drain and toss with the stock.

Layer the bottom of the prepared baking pan with one third of the pasta. Dot with one third of the béchamel, sprinkle it with 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons Parmesan, scatter on all of the pea mixture, then scatter on one third of the diced cheese. Spread out a second level layer of pasta, dot with one third of the béchamel, sprinkle with 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons Parmesan, and scatter on all the mushrooms, ham, and remaining diced cheese. Top with the remaining pasta and any unabsorbed remaining stock, pressing down to compact the layers. Dot the top with the remaining béchamel, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and remaining butter, very thinly sliced.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until the pie is set and golden. Let it rest until it comes to room temperature before slicing.

{
Tagliatelle Mimosa
}

SERVES
4
|
REGION:
northern Italy

In Italy, March 8th is
La Festa della Donna
, International Women’s Day. Here in the States, it’s not such a big deal, but over there best female friends really do it up—exchanging cards and getting together for lunch or dinner. Because the mimosa blooms in March in Italy, it is the holiday’s honorary flower. All day long, everywhere you look, you can spot women carrying little bouquets of mimosas, which are sold or given away on practically every corner.

In celebration of the holiday, chefs and home cooks have created special dishes mimicking the flower’s unique color and shape. This recipe is an example: tiny, delicious, saffron-scented fish meatballs served over spinach pasta, meant to resemble a pretty bouquet of mimosas.

8 ounces (225 g) fresh codfish

3 garlic cloves

2 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces

Grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

1 tablespoon saffron powder or a few strands saffron

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

⅓ cup (75 ml) brandy, or more to taste

½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

1 pound (455 g) spinach tagliatelle or other long spinach pasta

In a food processor, grind the codfish and 1 garlic clove until smooth. Pulse in the bread, ½ cup (60 g) of Parmesan, egg, saffron, and salt and pepper to taste. Form the mixture into marble-sized balls.

In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil and the butter with the two remaining garlic cloves until the garlic is golden and fragrant. Discard the garlic, add the fish balls, and cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to rotate the balls. Add the brandy and cook for a few seconds to burn off the alcohol, then stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more brandy, if you like. Simmer for a few minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water until it is al dente. Drain and serve topped with the sauce and fish balls in a pretty cluster to resemble a bouquet of mimosa flowers.

Pasta for Dessert

“THE MACARONI HAD BEEN COOKED IN ALMOND MILK
AND SUGAR, AND PERFUMED WITH AMBERGRIS, THE FINEST GROUND CINNAMON, GENUINE CORINTH CURRANTS, PISTACHIOS FROM THE LEVANT, LEMON ZEST, THE MOST DELICATE LITTLE SALAMI, AND GARNISHED WITH MARZAPANE …”

Description of a “macaroni pie” that Pere Labata, a French travel writer,
ate in Sicily in the early 1700s
.

Italy has a long tradition of serving sweetened pasta like the macaroni pie described above. Back in the Renaissance, pasta was a luxury food, reserved for special occasions and paired with other luxury foods like sugar and cinnamon.

Pictured here are
confetti
—sugar-coated spices, including lavender, cinnamon, and rosemary—which date to the Renaissance but are still served as after-dinner treats in Italy today. Today, throughout Italy, you’ll find traditional pasta desserts like
Sweet Pistachio Couscous
, as well as many modern creations, including
Chocolate-Stuffed Shells
and
Pasta Truffles
.