Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (76 page)
PREGRATE YOUR OWN PARMESAN?
We’ve never been tempted by the tasteless powdered Parmesan that comes in a green can—and in tests, we’ve found that the higher-quality grated cheese in the refrigerator section of the supermarket is uneven in quality. But what about pregrating or grinding your own Parmesan to always have at the ready? Do you sacrifice any flavor for convenience? To find out, we divided a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano in two, reducing one half to a powder in a food processor and leaving the other whole. We stored both the solid and grated cheese in the refrigerator for two weeks, then compared them side by side mixed into polenta, added to breading for chicken Milanese, and on their own. After two weeks of storage, tasters were hard-pressed to detect a difference between the cheeses, even in the side-by-side tasting. But after a full month of storage, tasters found a noticeable drop-off in flavor.
The bottom line: Pregrating is fine, as long as you don’t store the cheese longer than two to three weeks. To grind Parmesan, cut a block into 1-inch chunks. Place the chunks in a food processor (no more than 1 pound at a time) and process until ground into coarse particles, about 20 seconds. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
We discovered that fresh pasta was essential as a base for the best fettuccine Alfredo; dried noodles didn’t hold on to the sauce. Turning our attention to the sauce, we found that a light hand was called for when adding two of the richer ingredients; just ³⁄
4
cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and 2 tablespoons butter were sufficient to add distinctive flavor without being overwhelming. Our real challenge was managing the heavy cream, which is usually reduced by half, making the sauce unpalatably thick. We reduced only a cup of the called-for cream, saving ¹⁄
2
cup and adding it, uncooked, at the end.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Fresh pasta is the best choice for this dish. When boiling the pasta, undercook it slightly (even shy of al dente) because the pasta cooks an additional minute or two in the sauce. Note that this dish must be served immediately; it does not hold or reheat well.
1¹⁄ | cups heavy cream |
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
Salt | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1 | (9-ounce) package fresh fettuccine |
1¹⁄ | ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (³⁄ |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground nutmeg |
1.
Bring 1 cup heavy cream and butter to simmer in large saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until mixture measures ²⁄
3
cup, 12 to 15 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining ¹⁄
2
cup cream, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, and pepper.
2.
While cream reduces, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until just shy of al dente. Reserve ¹⁄
4
cup cooking water, then drain pasta.
3.
Meanwhile, return cream mixture to simmer. Reduce heat to low and add drained pasta, Parmesan, and nutmeg to cream mixture. Cook pasta over low heat, tossing to combine, until cheese is melted, sauce coats pasta, and pasta is just al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency; sauce may look thin but will gradually thicken as pasta is served. Serve immediately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Standard carbonara is often a lackluster spaghetti dish—either covered in a leaden sauce or riddled with dry bits of cheese. To add to the problems, if the dish gets to the table a few minutes too late, the sauce congeals and the pasta turns rubbery. We wanted a method for producing al dente spaghetti with a velvet sauce punctuated by bits of bacon and a trace of garlic. We determined that three whole eggs gave our carbonara superior texture and richness. Combining Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese gave us creaminess with a little bit of bite. Domestic bacon contributed the perfect crunch and smoky flavor. Combining the hot pasta with the sauce in a warm serving bowl produces a silky, not clumpy, sauce.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Although we call for spaghetti in this recipe, you can substitute linguine or fettuccine.
¹⁄ | cup extra-virgin olive oil |
8 | slices bacon, halved lengthwise and cut into ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup dry white wine |
3 | large eggs |
1¹⁄ | ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (³⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
1 | pound spaghetti |
Salt and pepper |
1.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof serving bowl on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees.
2.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add bacon and cook until crisp, about 8 minutes. Stir in wine, bring to simmer, and cook until alcohol aroma has cooked off and wine is slightly reduced, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Beat eggs, Parmesan, Pecorino, and garlic together with fork in bowl; set aside.
3.
Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ¹⁄
3
cup cooking water, then drain pasta and transfer it to warmed serving bowl. Immediately pour bacon and egg mixture over hot pasta and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
This summer dish combines ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fragrant basil with hot pasta. The problem is that the cheese clumps into an intractable softball-size wad in the bottom of the pasta bowl. We found the solution in the freezer. Dicing the cheese and placing it in the freezer for a few minutes before combining it with the hot pasta allowed the cheese to soften but kept it from fully melting (and turning chewy) during cooking. Basil and lemon juice, added just before serving, gave the pasta a fresh, bright finish.
SERVES 4
This dish will be very warm, not hot. The success of this recipe depends on high-quality ingredients, including ripe, in-season tomatoes and a fruity olive oil. Don’t skip the step of freezing the mozzarella, as freezing prevents it from turning chewy when it comes in contact with the hot pasta. If handmade buffalo- or cow’s-milk mozzarella is available (it’s commonly found in gourmet and cheese shops packed in water), we highly recommend using it, but do not freeze it.
¹⁄ | cup extra-virgin olive oil |
2 | teaspoons lemon juice, plus extra as needed |
1 | small shallot, minced |
1 | small garlic clove, minced |
Salt and pepper | |
1¹⁄ | pounds tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into ¹⁄ |
12 | ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | pound penne, fusilli, or other short, tubular pasta |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh basil |
Sugar |
1.
Whisk oil, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add tomatoes and gently toss to combine; set aside. Do not marinate tomatoes for longer than 45 minutes.
2.
While tomatoes are marinating, place mozzarella on plate and freeze until slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain pasta well
3.
Add pasta and mozzarella to tomato mixture and gently toss to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in basil, season with additional lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sugar to taste, and serve immediately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
An easy-to-make tomato sauce with few ingredients can still boast complex flavor. For our simple sauce, we chose canned tomatoes over fresh for consistent flavor year-round. After conducting a number of tests, we determined that garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, salt, and sugar are crucial ingredients to a well-balanced tomato sauce. We also found that cooking the garlic in oil until golden, but not brown, gave our sauce mellow, nutty garlic flavor throughout. The sauce can be easily varied with potent additions like anchovies, olives, and bacon.
SERVES 4
While we prefer spaghetti, any pasta shape will work well here.
3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
1 | (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes |
2 | tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil |
Salt | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
1 | pound spaghetti |
1.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until garlic turns golden but not brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, bring to simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil, 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons salt, and sugar.
2.
Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ¹⁄
2
cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and ¹⁄
4
cup reserved cooking water to pasta and cook over medium heat, tossing to combine, until heated through, about 1 minute. Add remaining cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve immediately.
Increase garlic to 3 cloves and cook 3 rinsed and minced anchovy fillets and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon red pepper flakes with oil and garlic. Substitute ¹⁄
4
cup minced fresh parsley for basil and add ¹⁄
4
cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced, and 2 tablespoons rinsed capers to sauce along with parsley.
Cook 4 slices bacon, cut into ¹⁄
2
-inch pieces, in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Cool skillet slightly, about 3 minutes. Omit olive oil from sauce and cook garlic and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon red pepper flakes in fat left in skillet. Substitute 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for basil and add crisp bacon to sauce along with parsley.
