Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (81 page)
IMPROVING CHEAP VODKA FOR COOKING
When cooking with vodka (such as in our Penne alla Vodka), we’ve always recommended buying a premium bottle. Vodka is made by fermenting and then distilling starch (usually potatoes). It is then passed through a charcoal filtration system to remove impurities before being diluted with water. Generally, the better the vodka, the more highly filtered it is and the more neutral its flavor. If the key to good vodka’s clean flavor is charcoal filtration, we wondered: Could we improve cheap vodka by passing it through a home water filtration system? To find out, we held a blind tasting of three bottles of vodka: Grey Goose, Ruble (the cheapest vodka we could find), and “doctored” Ruble passed four times through a Brita water filter. We still preferred Grey Goose straight up, but in mixed drinks and penne alla vodka, Grey Goose and filtered Ruble both had supporters. So while straight-vodka connoisseurs may prefer to spring for a premium bottle, home-filtered cheap vodka is fine for cooking and cocktails.
SERVES 4 TO 6
So that the sauce and pasta finish cooking at the same time, drop the pasta into boiling water just after adding the vodka to the sauce. Use the smaller amount of red pepper flakes for a milder sauce.
1 | (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained with juice reserved |
2 | tablespoons olive oil |
¹⁄ | cup finely chopped onion |
1 | tablespoon tomato paste |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
Salt | |
¹⁄ | cup vodka |
¹⁄ | cup heavy cream |
1 | pound penne |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh basil |
Grated Parmesan cheese |
1.
Pulse half of tomatoes in food processor until smooth, about 12 pulses. Cut remaining tomatoes into ¹⁄
2
-inch pieces, discarding cores. Combine pureed and diced tomatoes in liquid measuring cup (you should have about 1²⁄
3
cups). Add reserved juice to equal 2 cups; discard remaining juice.
2.
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3.
Stir in tomato mixture and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt. Remove saucepan from heat and add vodka. Return saucepan to medium-high heat and simmer briskly, stirring often, until alcohol flavor is cooked off, 8 to 10 minutes, reducing heat if simmering becomes too vigorous. Stir in cream and cook until hot, about 1 minute.
4.
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⁄
4
cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add sauce to pasta and cook over medium heat, tossing to combine, until pasta absorbs some of sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Stir in basil and season with salt to taste. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, cut into ¹⁄
2
-inch pieces, and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove pancetta with slotted spoon and transfer to bowl. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from saucepan. Omit olive oil and cook onion and tomato paste in fat left in saucepan. Reduce salt to pinch in step 3 and add crisp pancetta to pasta with basil.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Like most Roman cooking, pasta alla Amatriciana is bold and brash. We wanted to create a recipe that would do this classic sauce justice, using ingredients found locally. To start, we used pancetta, if available (and substituted bacon if not). Diced tomatoes, onion, and red pepper flakes gave our sauce lively flavor. And adding the cooked pancetta at the end kept it crisp.
SERVES 4
This dish is traditionally made with bucatini, also called perciatelli, which appear to be thick, round strands but are actually thin, extra-long tubes. Linguine works fine, too. When buying pancetta, ask the butcher to slice it ¹⁄
4
inch thick; if using bacon, buy slab bacon and cut it into ¹⁄
4
-inch-thick slices yourself. If the pancetta that you’re using is very lean, it’s unlikely that you will need to drain off any fat before adding the onion.
2 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
6 | ounces pancetta or bacon, sliced ¹⁄ |
1 | onion, chopped fine |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste |
1 | (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes |
1 | pound bucatini, perciatelli, or linguine |
Salt | |
1¹⁄ | ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (³⁄ |
1.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pancetta with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet, add onion, and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, bring to simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
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.
3.
Stir crisp pancetta into sauce and season with salt to taste. Add sauce and Pecorino to pasta and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
For a wintertime fresh tomato sauce recipe with summertime flavor, we started with cherry tomatoes and then added more flavor by tossing them with a little sugar as well as salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and slivered garlic. We then roasted them in a single layer, which cooked off excess liquid and produced sweet and concentrated results in just 35 minutes. With our final touches of basil and cheese, we had produced a fresh tomato sauce recipe in late winter that we wouldn’t mind eating during the summer.
SERVES 4
Grape tomatoes can be substituted, but because they tend to be sweeter, you will want to reduce or even omit the sugar. Do likewise if your cherry tomatoes are very sweet, but this is less likely when using winter cherry tomatoes.
1 | shallot, sliced thin |
¹⁄ | cup olive oil |
2 | pounds cherry tomatoes, halved |
3 | large garlic cloves, sliced thin |
1 | tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons sugar, or to taste |
Salt | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1 | pound farfalle |
4 | ounces baby arugula (4 cups) |
4 | ounces goat cheese, crumbled (1 cup) |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss shallot with 1 teaspoon oil in bowl. In separate bowl, gently toss tomatoes with remaining oil, garlic, vinegar, sugar, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, pepper flakes, and pepper. Spread tomato mixture in even layer on rimmed baking sheet, scatter shallot over tomatoes, and roast until edges of shallot begin to brown and tomato skins are slightly shriveled, 35 to 40 minutes. (Do not stir tomatoes during roasting.) Cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
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 arugula to pasta and toss until wilted. Using rubber spatula, scrape tomato mixture into pot on top of pasta and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve immediately, passing goat cheese separately.
SERVES 4
Grape tomatoes can be substituted, but because they tend to be sweeter, you will want to reduce or even omit the sugar. Do likewise if your cherry tomatoes are very sweet, but this is less likely when using winter cherry tomatoes.
1 | shallot, sliced thin |
¹⁄ | cup olive oil |
2 | pounds cherry tomatoes, halved |
3 | large garlic cloves, sliced thin |
1 | tablespoon balsamic vinegar |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons sugar, or to taste |
Salt | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1 | pound penne |
¹⁄ | cup coarsely chopped fresh basil |
2 | ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup) |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss shallot with 1 teaspoon oil in bowl. In separate bowl, gently toss tomatoes with remaining oil, garlic, vinegar, sugar, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, pepper flakes, and pepper. Spread tomato mixture in even layer on rimmed baking sheet, scatter shallot over tomatoes, and roast until edges of shallot begin to brown and tomato skins are slightly shriveled, 35 to 40 minutes. (Do not stir tomatoes during roasting.) Cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
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. Using rubber spatula, scrape tomato mixture into pot on top of pasta. Add basil and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.
SERVES 4
Grape tomatoes can be substituted, but because they tend to be sweeter, you will want to reduce or even omit the sugar. Do likewise if your cherry tomatoes are very sweet, but this is less likely when using winter cherry tomatoes.
2 | pounds cherry tomatoes, halved |
¹⁄ | cup olive oil |
¹⁄ | cup capers, rinsed |
3 | large garlic cloves, sliced thin |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons sugar, or to taste |
Salt | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1 | pound spaghetti |
¹⁄ | cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped |
3 | tablespoons chopped fresh oregano |
¹⁄ | cup pine nuts, toasted |
2 | ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (1 cup) |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Gently toss tomatoes with oil, capers, garlic, sugar, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, pepper flakes, and pepper in bowl. Spread tomato mixture in even layer on rimmed baking sheet and roast until tomato skins are slightly shriveled, 35 to 40 minutes. (Do not stir tomatoes during roasting.) Cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
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. Using rubber spatula, scrape tomato mixture into pot on top of pasta. Add olives and oregano and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve immediately, sprinkling nuts over individual bowls and passing Pecorino separately.
