Saturday, August 19, 2006

Pasta - Penne, Penne, Penne

Penne alla Checca - Serves 6

1 pound (heirloom) tomatoes
1 pound mozzarella
6 T evoo
5 basil leaves
sea salt
1 pound penne

Cut tomatoes and mozzarella into bite size pieces, abt. 1". Place in large bowl. Tear basil and add to bowl. Cook penne as directed. Drain and immed toss with tomatoes. Sprinkle with s & evoo; serve with black pepper.

Penne with escarole and wild mushrooms - Serves 6
1/3 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces domestic or wild mushrooms, wiped clean, stemmed, sliced
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 med head escarole, well washed and dried, chopped into 1" pieces
1 pound penne
Chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan

Bring water to boil for penne. In large saute pan, heat oo over med-hi heat. When shimmers, add garlic and pepper flakes; Take pan off heat and cook garlic in hot oil, stirring or swirling to prevent burning until garlic gragrant and has started to take on some color. Return pan to heat, add mushrooms, season with ample salt and pepper and cook. Stir until mushrooms release most of their liquid, about 4 mins. Add chopped escarold and cook, stirring, until wilted. Keep warm. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain pasta. Add pasta and 1/4 cup of cooking water to escarold and mushrooms, return the heat to med-hi and toss everything tog well. Taste and add additional s & p, keeping in mind that the escarold can use a good amount of salt to bring out its flavor. If sauce is dry, add liquid. Sprinkle with parsley and cheese.

Penne with Sausage, spinach, and goat cheese - Serves 6

2 T oo
1 med onion, halved and thinly sliced
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
3/4 pound penne
Salt
4 oz spinach, well washed and dried and coarsely chopped (abt 2 cups)
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 T Parmesan
2 T fresh goat cheese
1 T chopped parsley

Bring pot of water to boil. Heat oil in large saute pan over med-low heat. Add onion and saute until tender and begins to color, 10 mins. Crumble sausage into pan, increase heat to med-hi, fully cook meat. Cook pasta until almost al dente. Save 1 cup cooking water, drain pasta. Add spinach and tomatoes and some of cooking liquid to sausage and cook, tossing, until spinach has wilted. Add pasta, half of reserved liquid, and cheeses. Toss well and lightly smash tomatoes. Add a bit more of liquid if needed. Sprinkle with parsley.

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