Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (87 page)
SERVES 4 TO 6
To ensure that the sauce and pasta are done at the same time, start cooking the cauliflower before the pasta goes into the boiling water. Make sure to rinse the herbs and seasonings from the sun-dried tomatoes.
1 | pound tagliatelle |
Salt | |
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
1 | tablespoon vegetable oil |
1 | head cauliflower (2 pounds), cored and cut into ³⁄ |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1 | small red onion, chopped fine |
³⁄ | cup dry white wine |
2 | cups heavy cream |
1 | cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh thyme |
1 | ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh parsley |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons balsamic vinegar |
¹⁄ | cup pine nuts, toasted |
1.
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.
2.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter and oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until butter is melted. Add cauliflower, ¹⁄
3
cup water, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt, and pepper, cover, and cook until cauliflower is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring often, until water has evaporated and cauliflower is golden, about 3 minutes longer; transfer to plate.
3.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until reduced and mixture measures ¹⁄
2
cup, about 4 minutes. Stir in cream, tomatoes, and thyme and bring to simmer. Off heat, remove any foam from surface with large spoon, then stir in cauliflower and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt.
4.
Add cauliflower mixture, Parmesan, parsley, and vinegar to pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately, sprinkling individual portions with nuts and passing Parmesan separately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Whole wheat pasta has a distinctive, rustic, and nutty flavor that sets it apart from traditional white pasta. As a result, it lacks a blank-slate quality and can be difficult to pair with sauce. We wanted a handful of sauces that would provide just the right complement to the hearty flavor and firm texture of whole wheat pasta. Acidic tomato sauces, pestos, and rich cream-based sauces are not ideal for whole wheat pastas, so we opted for aglio e olio, a bold sauce of garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil. With that as our inspiration, we began sautéing lots of chunky vegetables that would soak up flavor and provide a nice counterpoint to whole wheat pasta’s hearty texture. We chose asparagus, fennel, and zucchini because they didn’t need to be parcooked and neither competed with nor overpowered the earthy spaghetti. In each variation of this recipe, we worked in glutamate-rich ingredients that contributed savory flavor and enhanced the nuttiness of the spaghetti. Salty pancetta was a natural partner for the asparagus, anise-accented Italian sausage paired perfectly with the fennel, and the sweet, concentrated flavor of sun-dried tomatoes complemented the mild zucchini. A sprinkle of freshly grated Pecorino Romano (also packed with glutamates) over each serving provided a rich, salty tang that tasters preferred over Parmesan.
SERVES 4
Chop the basil at the last possible moment to prevent it from discoloring.
8 | ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed |
¹⁄ | cup extra-virgin olive oil |
6 | garlic cloves, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
Salt | |
1 | fennel bulb, stalks discarded, halved, cored, and sliced thin |
¹⁄ | cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped |
¹⁄ | cup coarsely chopped fresh basil |
2 | tablespoons lemon juice |
1 | pound whole wheat spaghetti |
1 | ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (¹⁄ |
1.
Brown sausage well in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up any large pieces with wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel–lined plate.
2.
Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt in bowl. Add fennel and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Clear center of skillet, add oil mixture, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir mixture into fennel and cook for 1 minute. Off heat, stir in browned sausage, nuts, basil, and lemon juice.
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 ³⁄
4
cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add sausage mixture and reserved cooking water to pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste. Serve, passing Pecorino separately.
Omit sausage. Substitute 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¹⁄
2
inch thick, for fennel; heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in skillet over medium heat until shimmering before adding zucchini. Substitute ¹⁄
2
cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry and chopped coarse, for lemon juice.
Omit sausage. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 4 ounces pancetta, cut into ¹⁄
4
-inch pieces, and cook until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to plate. Add 2 tablespoons rinsed and chopped capers to garlic mixture. Substitute 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on bias into 1-inch lengths, and ¹⁄
2
cup thinly sliced red onion for fennel. Substitute 2 coarsely chopped hard-cooked eggs for basil.
Omit sausage. Add 6 rinsed and minced anchovy fillets to garlic mixture. Substitute ¹⁄
2
head cauliflower, cored and cut into 1-inch florets, for fennel; heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering before adding cauliflower and cook until softened and well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Substitute 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley for basil and add ¹⁄
2
cup chopped golden raisins along with nuts, parsley, and lemon juice.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Pasta, hearty greens, and beans can be a sublime dish, but these humble ingredients traditionally take time to make the transition to a full-flavored entrée. We wanted to retain the complex flavor of this classic Italian dish but make it an easy, quick, and satisfying midweek meal. To start, we restricted our choice of greens to kale and collard greens, which only require a quick braise, allowing us to cook the greens in a single batch while adding the flavors of aromatic onions, garlic, spicy red pepper flakes, and chicken broth at the same time. The greens, beans, and sauce had to simmer with the pasta for just a few minutes to create a gutsy, harmonious flavor. To compensate for the mild flavor of the canned beans we used heavy-hitting flavors: hearty pancetta, acidic tomatoes, briny olives, and earthy fontina and Parmesan cheese.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Prosciutto can be substituted for the pancetta.
2 | slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters |
3 | tablespoons olive oil |
6 | garlic cloves, minced |
Salt and pepper | |
3 | ounces pancetta, cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | onion, chopped fine |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
1¹⁄ | pounds kale or collard greens, stemmed and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces |
1¹⁄ | cups low-sodium chicken broth |
1 | (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed |
1 | pound whole wheat spaghetti |
4 | ounces fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup) |
1.
Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in half of garlic and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt and continue to cook, stirring often, until garlic is fragrant and bread crumbs are dark golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer; transfer to bowl. Wipe pan clean with paper towels.
2.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add pancetta and cook until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pancetta with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel–lined plate.
3.
Add onion to fat left in pan and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add half of greens and cook, tossing occasionally, until starting to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add remaining greens, broth, and ³⁄
4
teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, cover (pan will be very full), and cook, tossing occasionally, until greens are tender, about 15 minutes (mixture will be somewhat soupy). Stir in beans and crisp pancetta.
4.
Meanwhile, 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⁄
2
cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add greens mixture to pasta and cook over medium heat, tossing to combine, until pasta absorbs most of liquid, about 2 minutes.
5.
Off heat, stir in fontina. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately, passing bread crumbs separately.
SERVES 4 TO 6
For a vegetarian dish, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
3 | tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling |
8 | garlic cloves, peeled, 5 cloves sliced thin lengthwise and 3 cloves minced |
Salt and pepper | |
1 | onion, chopped fine |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
1¹⁄ | pounds curly-leaf spinach, stemmed and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces |
³⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
1 | (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained |
1 | (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed |
³⁄ | cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse |
1 | pound whole wheat spaghetti |
2 | ounces Parmesan cheese, grated fine (1 cup), plus extra for serving |
1.
Heat oil and sliced garlic in 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until garlic turns golden but not brown, about 3 minutes. Remove garlic with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle garlic lightly with salt.
2.
Add onion to oil left in pan and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add half of spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until starting to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add remaining spinach, broth, tomatoes, and ³⁄
4
teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, cover (pan will be very full), and cook, tossing occasionally, until spinach is completely wilted, about 10 minutes (mixture will be somewhat soupy). Stir in beans and olives.
3.
Meanwhile, 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⁄
2
cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add greens mixture to pasta and cook over medium heat, tossing to combine, until pasta absorbs most of liquid, about 2 minutes.
4.
Off heat, stir in Parmesan. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately, drizzling individual portions with oil and passing garlic chips and Parmesan separately.
