Pasta Primavera Recipe from the Gourmet Cookbook Published By
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
14825_05_p202-249_r14rc.qxd 6/29/04 3:44 PM Page 211 H cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus 1 additional for sprinkling 2 O cup heavy cream 3 G teaspoon salt 4 G teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5 6 Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling 7 salted water (1 tablespoon salt per every 4 quarts 8 water) until al dente. Reserve G cup cooking water 9 and drain pasta. 10 Meanwhile, thinly slice 3 tablespoons butter; set 11 aside. 12 cut the pasta into fettuccine: If When pasta is cooked, melt remaining I stick (6 13 necessary, attach fettuccine blades (to cut G-inch- tablespoons) butter in a 2- to 3-quart flameproof 14 wide strips) to pasta machine. Feed one end of driest gratin dish (see Cook’s Note) over low heat. Add 15 pasta sheet (the first one you rolled out) into cutters, pasta and toss to coat, lifting strands. Add cheese, re- 16 holding other end straight up, then catch strips from served cooking water, cream, reserved butter, salt, 17 underneath machine before sheet goes completely and pepper and toss to combine well. Sprinkle with 18 through rollers and gently lay across floured baking additional cheese and serve immediately. 19 sheets. (Alternatively, lightly flour strips and hang 20 over backs of straight-backed chairs.) Repeat with re- cook’s notes 21 maining sheets of pasta. Let pasta dry for at least 5 ■ You can use a large deep skillet to sauce the pasta. 22 minutes before cooking. Serve the pasta on plates and sprinkle with additional 23 cheese. 24 cook’s note ■ De Cecco’s dried egg fettuccine, sold in coils in boxes, 25 ■ The fettuccine can be dried until leathery but still is an excellent brand. 26 pliable, about 30 minutes, then transferred to plastic 27 bags and refrigerated for up to 12 hours. 28 29 6 30 Pasta Primavera 31 32 6 SERVES 10 AS A FIRST COURSE, 6 AS A MAIN COURSE 33 ACTIVE TIME: 1 HOUR ■ START TO FINISH: 1H HOURS Fettuccine Alfredo 34 ■ First introduced at the starry Le Cirque in New York 35 SERVES 6 AS A FIRST COURSE, 4 AS A MAIN COURSE City in the 1970s, pasta primavera rapidly became one 36 ACTIVE TIME: 35 MINUTES ■ START TO FINISH: 40 MINUTES of the most popular pasta dishes in America. Don’t let 37 ■ We can’t claim this is the definitive version of the the long list of ingredients faze you; once you’ve done 38 creamy classic, but it is unbeatable. We call for dried the prep work, it’s easy to throw together. One of the 39 pasta to make it work for a quick meal, but don’t let us nice things about this version is that it calls for dried 40 stop you from making fresh fettuccine if so inclined—it morels, frozen peas (more consistently sweet and ten- 41 was meant for this kind of sauce. ■ der than “fresh” peas), and asparagus (for better or 42 worse, practically seasonless these days), so you don’t 43 I pound good dried egg fettuccine or Fresh Fettuccine have to wait until spring to make it. ■ 44 (opposite page) 45 1 stick (8 tablespoons) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted 46 butter R 47 L 48 pasta, noodles, and dumplings 211 www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com 1 of 2 Copyright © 2004 Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5th Pass Pages 14825_05_p202-249_r14rc.qxd 6/29/04 3:44 PM Page 212 1 1 ounce dried morel mushrooms to taste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Transfer to 2 1H cups warm water a bowl; set skillet aside. 3 H pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cook the tomatoes: Cut half of tomatoes 4 pieces into quarters and halve remainder lengthwise, keeping 5 G pound green beans, preferably haricots verts, cut quarters and halves separate. Heat remaining 2 table- 6 into 1-inch pieces spoons oil in same skillet over moderately low heat. Add 7 I cup frozen baby peas, thawed remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and remaining rounded 8 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil G teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, just 9 2 teaspoons minced garlic until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add quartered 10 Rounded H teaspoon red pepper flakes tomatoes, with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer, 11 Salt and freshly ground black pepper stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened, about 12 1H pints grape tomatoes 3 minutes. Add halved tomatoes, vinegar, and water 13 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick- 14 3 tablespoons water ened and halved tomatoes are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. 15 1 pound spaghettini Remove from heat and keep warm, covered. 16 H stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter cook the spaghettini: Return pot of 17 O cup heavy cream water to a boil and cook spaghettini until al dente; 18 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest drain in a colander. 19 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about Immediately add butter, cream, zest, and morels 20 2 ounces) to (empty) pasta pot, bring to a simmer, and simmer 21 G cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley gently, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Stir in cheese, then 22 G cup finely chopped fresh basil add pasta, tossing to coat and adding as much of re- 23 N cup (1H ounces) pine nuts, lightly toasted (see Tips, served morel soaking liquid as necessary (H to O 24 page 938) cup) to keep pasta well coated. Add green vegetables, 25 optional garnish: Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings parsley, basil, pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste 26 and toss gently to combine. 27 prepare the vegetables: Soak morels Serve pasta topped with tomatoes and, if desired, 28 in warm water in a small bowl for 30 minutes. Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings. 29 Lift mushrooms out of water and squeeze excess 30 liquid back into bowl. Pour soaking liquid through a 31 sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into a small 6 32 bowl; reserve. Rinse morels thoroughly to remove grit, 33 then squeeze dry. Cut off and discard any tough stems. Sicilian Pasta with Eggplant 34 Halve small morels lengthwise and quarter large ones. Pasta alla Norma 35 Add asparagus and beans to a 6- to 8-quart pot of 36 boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt per every 4 SERVES 8 AS A FIRST COURSE, 4 TO 6 AS A MAIN COURSE ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES ■ START TO FINISH: 45 MINUTES 37 quarts water) and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. 38 Add peas and cook until beans and asparagus are just ■ Pasta alla norma, one of Sicily’s most beloved dishes, 39 tender, 1 to 2 minutes more. Immediately transfer is widely believed to have been named after the heroine 40 vegetables with a large slotted spoon to a bowl of ice of the opera of the same name by Vincenzo Bellini, a 41 and cold water to stop the cooking; reserve pot of native Sicilian. But some insist that it derives from the 42 water for cooking pasta. Drain cooled vegetables. Italian word normale, a reference to the fact that the 43 Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10- to 12-inch heavy dish has long been a staple of the islanders’ daily diet. 44 skillet over moderately low heat. Add 1 teaspoon gar- Whoever or whatever norma may have been, the per- 45 lic and rounded G teaspoon red pepper flakes and fectly calibrated mix of eggplant, ricotta salata, toma- 46 cook, stirring, just until garlic is fragrant, about 1 toes, and pasta provides a great introduction to Sicily’s 47 R minute. Add drained vegetables and salt and pepper vibrant cuisine. ■ 48 L 212 The Gourmet Cookbook www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com 2 of 2 Copyright © 2004 Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5th Pass Pages.