Pairing meat with pasta is an excellent way to cut down on the amount of meat you consume, whether you are interested in cutting costs, in cutting fat, or in bringing your diet in line with the “food pyramid” guidelines.
If you have ever actually weighed 3 ounces of meat (the recommended size of one portion), you know how little it is and how forlorn such a small amount looks on a dinner plate. However, mixed in a sauce and served over pasta, 2 or 3 ounces of meat is plentiful.
Whether it’s beef, lamb, or pork, the best cuts to cook with pasta are those that cook the fastest. These fall into two groups: ground meats and cuts that are tender enough to be sliced into strips for stir-fries and sautés. And of course a pasta sauce is a superb way to use up leftover Sunday roast, also.
Beef: Choose the leanest, such as ground round or sirloin. Ground chuck might be good for hamburgers, where you need a higher fat content for a juicier burger, but it is not the best choice for a pasta sauce.
Just about everything blends well with beef; in fact, you can substitute ground beef for ground veal, lamb, or sausage in any of these recipes. I happen to enjoy beef, especially with Asian seasonings but also with quintessential American seasonings.
Veal: When buying ground veal, look for the palest pink-colored meat. Use it in the more subtle and delicate pasta sauces, such as those enriched with cream or mild cheeses. Veal marries well with the spring flavors of asparagus and peas and is also a great match for sauces with Italian, Hungarian, and French seasonings—olives and sage, paprika and dill, tarragon and chives.
Lamb: Although plain ground lamb isn’t easy to find in supermarkets, lamb patties are, especially during barbecuing season. These are nothing more than lightly seasoned ground lamb shaped into patties, sometimes topped with a sprig of parsley. These do just fine for sautés and pasta sauces.
When I combine pasta with ground lamb, I tend to add assertive flavors: sweet dried fruits, salty green olives, pickles, anchovies, and the more exotic spices and herbs of the Middle and Far East, such as cumin, coriander, curry, and mint. Also good with lamb are the familiar Western flavors of wild mushrooms, lentils, citrus, tarragon, thyme, and rosemary.
Pork: Supermarkets occasionally offer ground pork. But if you can’t find any when you want the flavor of pork in a pasta sauce, squeeze fresh sausage meat out of its casing and proceed as you would with ground meat. To rid the sauce of excess fat, sauté the sausage until it is well done, drain the rendered fat, return the drained meat to the skillet, and then proceed with the recipe.
Be sure the type of sausage you select is appropriate for the dish you intend to cook. Some sausages are meant to be eaten for dinner, whereas others are intended for breakfast. Some sausages are spicy and hot, others mild.
With pork I like sauerkraut and mustard, or red wine and oregano, as well as pickles and corn, allspice and anise, or caraway and rosemary. Pasta sauces made with sausage are a happy accompaniment to lentils, potatoes, chestnuts, and greens.
Beef: When you want strips or cubes of beef for sautés and stir-fries, choose tender steaks because they cook quickly. The most tender are sirloin steaks. Flank steak is a lot cheaper and just fine as long as you cook it very rare; otherwise it toughens.
Avoid the packaged “stir-fry” cuts. The various pieces might come from different parts of the animal, and if so they would probably cook at an uneven rate. Also pass by the boneless cubes of beef that are recommended for stewing; they take lots of cooking time (which you don’t have) to become tender.
Remember that in a pasta sauce you can always substitute leftover roast beef, cut into strips, for fresh steak. Cook the leftovers just enough to reheat them—no longer.
Veal: Loin or rib chops and veal scallops are perfect for stir-fries and quick sautés. Avoid buying veal shoulder; although boneless, it has too much fat and sinew to be of any use in quick-cooking methods.
Lamb: Lamb for stir-fries and sautés should come from the tender cuts, just as with beef and veal. The best comes from rib or loin chops. If it seems a shame to buy an expensive cut and then cut the meat off the bone to use in a sauté, think of it another way: You can get away with using the meat of one small lamb chop per person in a pasta dish. Imagine serving a single chop any other way!
Pork: If you want to create a quick pasta dish with strips or cubes of pork, buy pork chops cut from the loin or rib, also known as “center-cut” chops. These are sold bone-in or boneless, and they are cut thick or thin. Whatever you choose, they are ideal for sautéing and stir-frying because they cook quickly without drying out or turning tough.
Ham: I prefer ham over raw pork for many of my pasta dishes because I get more for my money. A little lean smoked ham goes a long way in flavoring a sauce. There are many types of ham to choose from: baked, smoked, and cured. Experiment with them, because each variety will infuse your dish with a different flavor.
If you are concerned about fat and cholesterol, look for hams that are 95% or more fat-free. These leaner hams release more water in the skillet than the fattier ones, but this is obscured in pasta sauces and does not affect chilled pasta dishes, where the ham is added uncooked.
Cured meats: Although it’s high in fat, bacon is perfection with pasta. A couple of strips of bacon, cooked until the fat is rendered, diced, and stirred into a sauce will add a tremendous amount of flavor at little cost and without too many calories.
Bacon-lovers on serious fat-restricted diets should substitute turkey bacon for the real stuff.
The rules of matching meat with pasta shapes are almost identical to those of matching poultry or seafood with pasta. The finer the meat is cut, the more it becomes part of the texture of the sauce, and the easier it is to eat it with strand or ribbon pasta. Ground meat sauces are also great with small short pasta, such as elbows or small shells.
If the meat is cut into chunks, it should be matched with medium to large short shapes, such as penne or fusilli. The larger the dice of meat, the larger the pasta shape.
All meat sauces harmonize with semolina pasta, but much can be made of the stronger-tasting whole-grain pastas if you pair them with a spicy or exotically seasoned sauce. A buckwheat noodle, for example, can stand up to a curried lamb sauce, whereas ordinary fettuccine might be lost under such strong seasonings.
What better way to use up a leftover roast than to slice or cut it up for a pasta dish? Simply remove all the fat and cut the meat into thin strips or small dice. Bring a pasta sauce, either homemade or store-bought, to a simmer and gently reheat the meat in it for a couple of minutes before tossing it over the cooked noodles.
Or you can stir-fry some fresh vegetables, add the diced leftover meat at the last minute to reheat it, and then stir this into the cooked pasta. Finally, you can always make a dressing and turn the mixture into a pasta salad.
There are many ways of combining pasta, leftover meat, and one or two pantry ingredients for a speedy and satisfying meal.
Beef: Leftover roast beef is marvelous combined with pasta and corn kernels, petite peas, crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, green or black olives, pickles, capers, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, hoisin sauce, or chili paste with garlic.
Veal: Leftover veal is wonderful over pasta. Season it with sun-dried tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, white wine, pesto, marinated artichoke hearts, black olive tapenade, chopped spinach, or dried porcini mushrooms.
Lamb: Try combining leftover lamb and pasta with tomatoes, hoisin sauce, chili paste with garlic, anchovies, prepared eggplant appetizer (caponata), thawed frozen lima beans, Indian chutney, or pickles.
Pork or ham: If you have leftover roasted pork or ham in the house, combine it with corn kernels, sauerkraut, mustard, dried fruit, nacho or jalapeño peppers, pimientos, or fried peppers with onions.
PASTA: Medium-size or large tubes
MAKES: 6 servings
TIME: 25 minutes
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This simple recipe lends itself to a world of variations—all of them flavorful. There is more sauce here than I ordinarily pair with pasta because the hollow pasta has a lot of surface area for trapping the sauce.
You can add steamed fresh or thawed frozen vegetables to the meat to round out the meal, or serve a side of carrots, corn, or anything else in season. Good cheeses to serve with this are aged Monterey Jack or crumbled sharp Cheddar.
Salt
1 pound ziti or rigatoni
1 onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 pound ground round
3 to 4 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 can (14½ ounces) crushed tomatoes
4 to 6 drops Tabasco sauce (optional)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the onion.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté just to coat them with oil, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium, add the Worcestershire sauce, and cover the skillet. Cook until the onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Uncover the skillet, add the beef, and cook, stirring to break up the lumps, just until it is no longer pink, about 1 minute. Add the barbecue sauce and crushed tomatoes. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and Tabasco sauce.
5. Drain the pasta and divide it among six shallow bowls. Spoon the sauce over each portion, and serve immediately.
• In step 4, when you add the crushed tomatoes, also add 2 cups of diced freshly steamed vegetables or 1 package of frozen corn, sliced carrots, or petite peas, thawed.
• Substitute 4 minced garlic cloves for the onions.
• Sauté ½ pound sliced mushrooms along with the onions.
PASTA: Mung bean or rice noodles, or thin strands
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 to 45 minutes
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In this stir-fry of beef and vegetables, the glass, or cellophane, noodles make for a pleasant textural change from ordinary pasta.
If you don’t care for the texture of cellophane noodles, however, you can substitute cooked thin noodles. Chop them into short lengths so they’ll be easier to stir into the other ingredients.
This is delicious served hot, at room temperature, and even chilled, so it’s a good choice for one of those coming-and-going evenings.
An exotic fruit salad of pineapple and kiwi, or mango mixed with bananas and seedless grapes, sprinkled with coconut, would fit in with the Asian nature of this dish.
¼ pound cellophane noodles, or 2 to 3 cups cooked thin strands
2 cloves garlic
2 quarter-size slices fresh ginger
4 scallions (green onions)
½ to ¾ pound sirloin beef or leftover roast beef
½ pound fresh mushrooms
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 package (10 ounces) frozen petite peas, thawed
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the cellophane noodles in a large mixing bowl, add boiling water to cover them well, and let them soften, 20 to 30 minutes. When they are soft, cut them into 2-inch lengths. (If you are using other cooked noodles, cut them into 2-inch lengths.)
2. Meanwhile, peel and mince the garlic and ginger. Trim 2 inches off the scallion tops, then thinly slice the rest. Cut the beef into ½-inch cubes. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel, trim ¼ inch off the stems, and thinly slice them.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until you get a whiff of the garlic, about 10 seconds.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the mushrooms, peas, beef, scallions, soy sauce, and water. Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Add the plumped noodles and the sugar and season with salt and pepper, and cover. Simmer over low heat until the ingredients are hot, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately if you wish, or cover the dish loosely and serve at room temperature. After a couple of hours at room temperature, cover the dish and chill it.
SECOND TIME AROUND
This is delicious the next day, freshened with a little fresh lime or lemon juice, or with diced fresh tomatoes and minced fresh chile peppers added.
PASTA: Wide or medium-size egg noodles or ribbons
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 25 minutes
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This ground beef sauce has a Middle Eastern flavor. Although the seasonings might seem exotic, they appeal to children as long as you omit the fiery chile.
The spicy-sweet meat is delightful over the soft egg noodles, and the tartness of the yogurt or cheese, added at the end, provides a nice counterpoint. If you have the time, make a double batch of this and turn half into a Middle Eastern lasagne (see below). It’s wonderful for a buffet supper.
A good vegetable side dish to serve with this would be broccoli, string beans, or carrots. Frozen fruit ice or sherbet would be fine for dessert.
Salt
1 large onion
1 clove garlic
1 small fresh green chile, or ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
¾ pound wide or medium egg noodles or fettuccine
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons sugar
¾ to 1 pound ground round
¾ cup tomato purée or Michéle’c Tomato Sauce (page 245)
About ½ cup plain yogurt, sour cream, or crumbled feta or Asiago cheese (optional)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Seed and mince the fresh chile. In a small bowl, combine the allspice, cinnamon, cumin, and the red pepper flakes if you are not using the fresh chile. Set the bowl aside.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 6 to 10 minutes (depending upon the type of pasta).
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and sauté to coat them with the oil, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring now and then, until the onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. When the onions are cooked, stir in the mixture of spices, the fresh chile if you are using it, and the sugar. Using your fingers, crumble the meat into the onions. Sauté until the meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato purée and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt, and continue to cook over low heat until the noodles are done.
6. Drain the noodles and return them to the pot, off the heat. Add the sauce, toss well, and serve immediately. If you wish, top each portion with some yogurt, sour cream, or crumbled cheese.
Middle Eastern Lasagne: Make the sauce as directed in the main recipe, and cook the noodles. Toss the noodles with ¼ cup ricotta cheese (this will keep them from sticking). Spread half of the sauce in a 9-inch-square baking dish and top it with half of the noodles. Sprinkle the noodles with ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese. Repeat with the remaining sauce, noodles, and another ¼ cup feta cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and set aside in the refrigerator for a couple of days, or in the freezer for a couple of weeks. Thaw if needed, then bake in a 375°F oven until thoroughly hot, about 1 hour.
ESPECIALLY GOOD FOR CHILDREN
If you are convinced that your kids will not eat the Sweet and Spicy Beef with these seasonings, you can turn half of the recipe into a milder-flavored dish. Reduce by half the quantities of the spices, chile, and sugar, and don’t add those ingredients in step 5. Just crumble in the meat and add the tomato purée. Then transfer half of this mixture to a small saucepan and keep it warm. Stir the reduced quantities of the spices, chile, and sugar into the sauce remaining in the skillet, and heat through. Toss half the noodles with the kids’ sauce and half with yours.
PASTA: Medium-size tubes
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 30 to 35 minutes
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Here is a terrific way to get the flavor of beef stew without all the work: Cook carrots, onions, and mushrooms in wine and stock, add strips of beef, and toss over pasta. Voila—a hearty meat and pasta meal!
The only tricky part is selecting the right cut of meat. Choose a good-quality steak, which does not need a long cooking time; ordinary stewing beef requires long simmering to become tender.
Think of this as a model recipe that you can vary for any number of pasta-and-beef dishes.
Salt
1 medium-size onion
4 medium-size carrots
½ pound fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup dry red wine
½ cup beef broth
1 pound penne
¾ to 1 pound boneless rib eye or sirloin steaks
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, peel and finely chop the onion. Peel the carrots and cut them into thin rounds. Stem the mushrooms and cut the caps into thin slices. (You’ll save time if you cut these vegetables in a food processor fitted with the slicing disk.)
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, mushrooms, thyme, red wine, and beef broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the cover, and cook over high heat until almost all of the liquid has evaporated; about 5 minutes.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove any fat from the steaks and cut the meat into strips about 1 inch long, ½ inch wide, and ¼ inch thick.
6. When most of the liquid has evaporated from the skillet, add the steak strips and cook them over high heat, stirring constantly, until they turn gray, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep covered until the pasta is done.
7. Drain the pasta and divide it among four to six shallow bowls. Spoon some meat, vegetables, and sauce over each portion, and serve immediately.
Asian Steak with Penne: Substitute sesame oil for the vegetable oil, and instead of the thyme use 1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic. Replace the red wine with ¼ cup soy sauce and ¼ cup hoisin sauce.
Tex-Mex Steak with Penne: Instead of the thyme, season the vegetables with 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and ½ teaspoon dried oregano. In step 3, add one 4-ounce can chopped green chiles and 1 chopped jalapeño pepper to the onions. Top each serving with some sour cream, sliced scallions, and shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, if you wish.
Curried Steak with Penne: Instead of the thyme, season the dish with 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric or curry powder, and ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes. Omit the red wine and beef broth, and substitute 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes. Serve with plain yogurt, if you wish.
PASTA: Fresh ribbons
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 25 minutes
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This is an unbelievably speedy party dish for midweek entertaining. Apples love cream, as does tender veal, and both are well served by butter. The low-fat alternative (see the following page) is good but different, so every once in a while indulge in the real thing. McIntosh apples are the choice here because they are sweet and juicy and will almost dissolve into the sauce, whereas most other apple varieties keep their shape.
To complete the meal, precede this with fresh artichokes, or an asparagus or beet salad, and follow it with a chocolate or nut dessert.
Salt
1 shallot, or ½ small onion
2 McIntosh apples
¾ pound veal scallops
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup Madeira, hard cider, or dry white wine
1 pound fettuccine or linguine, preferably fresh
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup minced fresh chives or thinly sliced scallions (green onions)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, mince the shallot. Peel, core, and chop the apples into ½-inch dice. Cut the veal into strips about ¼ inch wide and 1½ inches long.
3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until they sizzle and begin to wilt, about another 30 seconds. Add the apples and sauté until they have absorbed the butter and are just beginning to turn tender, about 1 minute. Add the Madeira, cover, and simmer over low heat until the apples are tender, about 2 minutes.
4. At this point add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Uncover the skillet, turn the heat up to high, and add the veal strips. Cook, stirring continuously, until the strips are mostly gray, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream, and cook over high heat until the veal is cooked through and the cream has thickened somewhat, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the chives or scallions.
6. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, off the heat, and add the veal-apple cream sauce. Toss the ingredients together until thoroughly combined, and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately.
ESPECIALLY GOOD FOR DIETERS
Substitute 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for the butter, and cook the dish in a nonstick skillet. Omit the cream. When the sauce is cooked, add plain or low-fat yogurt (the nonfat variety is just too lean) and immediately remove the skillet from the heat so the yogurt does not curdle. Add the chives or scallions, toss with the fettuccine, and serve.
PASTA: Ribbons or medium-size tubes or fancy shapes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 minutes
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Veal accommodates itself to any number of flavors. In this dish, the green olives add a bright accent.
To turn this into a more complete meal, add a cup or so of cooked carrots or stir in some peas. A lemony dessert would be in keeping with the style of this pasta dish.
You’ll have an easier time cutting the veal into strips if the cutlets have not already been pounded into thin scallops.
Salt
½ pound medium-wide egg noodles, or penne, or rotini
¾ pound veal cutlets
½ medium-size onion
½ pound fresh mushrooms
½ cup (2½-ounce jar) pitted green olives (“martini olives”)
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
¼ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken broth
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut the veal into strips about 2 inches long, ½ inch wide, and ¼ inch thick. Peel and finely chop the onion. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel, remove the stems (reserve them to chop into soups or stews), and thinly slice the caps. Drain the olives and chop them fine.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring continuously, until they sizzle and begin to wilt, about 1 minute. Add the white wine, cover, and simmer over low heat until the mushrooms have softened, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove the lid from the skillet, turn the heat up to high again, and evaporate any remaining liquid. When the onions and mushrooms are sizzling again, add the veal and cook, stirring continuously, until the meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Stir in the olives and chicken broth, and cook just long enough to bring the liquid to a full simmer (don’t overdo this or you will boil the veal). Remove the skillet from the heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper. If the pasta is not done, keep the veal warm in the skillet, covered and off the heat.
5. When the pasta is done, drain it. If you are using short pasta, return it to the pot, off the heat, and toss it with the veal and sauce. If you are serving this over ribbon noodles, divide them among four shallow bowls and then top the noodles with veal and sauce. Serve immediately.
• This is a wonderful way to reheat strips of leftover Thanksgiving turkey, roasted pork, and even beef. Just substitute 2 cups of leftover meat or poultry for the veal, and add it in step 4 along with the olives and broth. Simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• To turn this into a more substantial dish, add 1 package (10 ounces) frozen petite peas, thawed, when you add the green olives in step 4. Cook for a minute or so just to heat the peas.
PASTA: Medium-size fancy shapes or tubes
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 25 to 30 minutes
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Here’s a recipe for pasta tossed with ground veal seasoned in a Hungarian style.
When serving this in the fall, precede it with a light broth, such as chicken with herbs. When serving it in the spring, an asparagus salad would be a fine beginning. A light fruit dessert completes the meal perfectly any time of the year.
Salt
1 small onion
1 green bell pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ pound ground veal
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 can (14½ ounces) stewed tomatoes
2 cups fusilli, radiatore, or penne
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup sour cream (optional)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, finely chop the onion. Core, seed, and finely chop the bell pepper.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the veal and cook until the meat has turned a white-gray color and is well crumbled, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the paprika, caraway, and stewed tomatoes. Using a wooden spoon, mash the tomatoes against the sides of the skillet to break them up. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Adjust the seasoning.
6. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the sauce and mix until thoroughly combined. Serve immediately.
ESPECIALLY GOOD FOR DIETERS
Use just 1 tablespoon of oil and a nonstick skillet. For the veal substitute 2 cups cooked black beans (or one 19-ounce can, drained).
SECOND TIME AROUND
If you have about 2 cups of leftover sauce and pasta, you can create another meal: Slice 4 to 6 medium-size carrots, and sauté them until tender. Add the leftovers and ½ cup chicken broth, and simmer until hot. This will loosen the pasta, and add some flavor and texture, without turning the dish into a soup.
PASTA: Medium-size fresh ribbons
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 minutes
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This nest of tagliatelle and strips of veal is seasoned with rounds of scallions, flecks of hot pepper, and a touch of hoisin sauce. It is a surprising way to serve veal, but it works well—and it works with strips of lamb or beef too.
Salt
¾ pound veal cutlets or 4 veal chops
2 bunches scallions (green onions)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
¼ cup beef or chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh tagliatelle or Chinese egg noodles
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, cut the veal into strips about 2 inches long, ½ inch wide, and ¼ inch thick. (If you are using veal chops, remove the meat from the bone, trim off the fat, and cut the meat into strips.) Trim 3 inches off the tops of the scallions, and slice the rest into thin rounds.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the veal strips and sauté until they turn gray, about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, hoisin, and broth, and bring to a simmer. Add the scallions and red pepper flakes, and simmer until the veal is just cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat, season to taste with salt, and keep warm.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. When the pasta is done, drain it. Place a portion of noodles in each plate, top them with the veal and sauce, and serve immediately.
This is a wonderful way to cook strips of steak or lamb, or to reheat strips of leftover cooked meat.
PASTA: Medium-size fancy shapes
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 30 to 35 minutes
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Lamb is sturdy enough to stand up to the heat of ginger and the piquancy of garlic. And combined with spaghetti twists and shards of green beans, it provides a satisfying meal any night of the week.
In urban produce markets it has become increasingly easy to find French haricots verts, which I prefer to American green beans because they are reed-thin, never woody, and sweet-tasting. This dish will work fine with regular green beans if you cut them into 1-inch lengths (the short length obscures any stringiness).
Pineapple is especially pleasing after this pasta dish.
Salt
¾ pound boneless loin of lamb
½ pound green beans, preferably haricots verts
4 cloves garlic
Piece of fresh ginger, about 1 inch long and 1 inch in diameter
1 medium-size onion
¾ pound fusilli, spaghetti twists (gemelli), or rotelle (wagon wheels)
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup beef or chicken broth
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, cut the lamb into strips about 1 inch long, ½ inch wide, and ¼ inch thick. (If you are using lamb chops, remove the meat from the bone, cut off the fat, and cut the meat into strips.) Trim off the stem ends and cut the green beans (regular and haricots verts) into ¾- to 1-inch lengths. Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and mince the ginger. Peel and finely chop the onion. (You may, if you wish, chop the garlic, ginger, and onion in the food processor.)
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and onions. Stir-fry over high heat, stirring continuously, until the onions begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the lamb and sauté until the meat is no longer pink, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and cook until it has almost evaporated, about 30 seconds. Then add the green beans and beef broth. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat, and simmer until the beans are tender and the lamb is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. When the pasta is done, drain it and portion it out. Top each portion with lamb, green beans, and sauce. Serve immediately.
• With tomatoes: For the beef stock substitute 1 can (14½ ounces) stewed tomatoes, drained and chopped, or crushed tomatoes.
• With Middle Eastern spices: In step 4, after you stir-fry the onions, ginger, and garlic, stir in 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin and ground coriander. Then add the lamb and proceed with the recipe.
• With Asian seasonings: Substitute sesame oil for the olive oil, rice or white wine vinegar for the white wine, and ¼ cup soy sauce mixed with ¼ cup hoisin sauce for ½ cup of the beef stock (keep the other ½ cup beef stock).
PASTA: Small tubes and fancy shapes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 25 to 30 minutes
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This recipe showcases a robust Middle Eastern blend of lamb, onions, tomatoes, cumin, mint, and yogurt. A side dish of steamed green beans would round out the meal nicely, as would a first course of green bean and shallot salad.
If you can’t find plain ground lamb, substitute lamb patties (the same thing only shaped into ovals, lightly seasoned, and dotted with parsley). You could also substitute ground beef or even sausage meat for the lamb.
Salt
1 medium-size onion
½ cup (firmly packed) fresh cilantro, mint, or parsley leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground lamb
¾ pound elbow macaroni, pipe rigati, or spaghetti twists (gemelli)
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried mint or oregano
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ cup tomato purée or crushed tomatoes
⅓ cup plain yogurt (preferably nonfat)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, peel and finely chop the onion. Rinse, pat dry, and mince the cilantro.
3. Heat the oil in a medium to large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble the lamb into the oil and cook, stirring continuously to break up the meat, until it has lost all traces of pink, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a sieve placed over a bowl (to catch the juices).
4. Add the onions to the skillet, cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 5 minutes.
5. While the onions are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 10 minutes.
6. When the onions are tender, stir in the cumin. Rub the mint between your fingers, and add it to the skillet along with the cayenne pepper. Return the lamb to the skillet (leaving any juices in the bowl), and add the tomato purée. Cover, and simmer over medium-low heat until all the ingredients are heated through, about 5 minutes. Keep the lamb covered, off the heat, until the pasta is ready. Right before the pasta is done, add the yogurt and cilantro to the lamb, and season to taste with salt.
7. Drain the pasta and divide it among four shallow bowls. Ladle a portion of lamb and sauce over each pasta portion, and serve.
Middle Eastern Red Kidney Beans over Twists: Omit the lamb (and most of step 3). In step 6, substitute 2 cups cooked or 1 can (16 to 19 ounces) red kidney beans, drained, for the cooked lamb.
PASTA: Large or medium-size tubes
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 30 to 35 minutes
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This hearty combination of pork, beans, cabbage, and pasta is a perfect and extremely satisfying winter dish. Keep it in mind when the weather turns snowy, and comfort food is the only answer.
The brief, gentle cooking coaxes out the sweetness of the cabbage yet preserves its firm texture. The flavors of the pork and cabbage are highlighted by the assertive garlic and the subdued pasta.
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¾ pound boneless pork loin, or 4 medium-size pork chops
¼ head of cabbage
4 cloves garlic
1 pound rigatoni or ziti
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 can (14½ ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 can (16 ounces) red kidney beans, drained
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, cut the pork into strips about 1 inch long, ¼ inch wide, and ¼ inch thick. (If you are using pork chops, remove the meat from the bone, cut off the fat, and cut the meat into strips.) Core the cabbage and cut it into thin shreds. Peel and mince the garlic.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and the pork strips, and cook, stirring continuously, until the meat turns white, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the white wine and tomatoes. Break up the tomatoes by pressing them against the sides of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add the beans and cabbage, and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Cover the skillet and simmer over medium-high heat until the cabbage begins to wilt, about 5 minutes. Stir, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, over low heat until the cabbage is almost tender, another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and the red pepper flakes. Remove the skillet from the heat and keep warm, covered, until the pasta is ready.
6. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot, off the heat. Stir in the pork, beans, cabbage, and all of the sauce, and mix until thoroughly combined. Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately.
This dish provides leftovers that are perfect to turn into soup. Simply add enough chicken broth or water to reach the desired consistency, and bring the soup to a simmer. Stir in some grated Parmesan or diced mozzarella, and cook over low heat until the cheese has barely melted, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Another way to recycle the leftovers is to place them in a greased baking dish, top the dish with diced mozzarella, cover, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven just until the cheese has melted and the pasta is hot, about 20 minutes.
PASTA: Small tubes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 25 minutes
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A bowl of macaroni tossed with mushrooms, ham, and caraway seeds is simplicity itself—but oh, so good. Steamed asparagus would make a good side dish, as would green beans and shallots.
Although not really designed as a dish to serve to guests, this is something to keep in mind for those nights when you will be entertaining, because you can make it in advance: Assemble the finished pasta and sauce in an ovenproof dish the day before, and bake it the following night under a thin blanket of bread crumbs, as described in the “Second Time Around” that follows.
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¾ pound elbow macaroni
½ pound fresh mushrooms
½ pound smoked ham (Black Forest would be a good choice) in a single slice
2 tablespoons butter, margarine, or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup sour cream
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, remove the mushroom stems (reserve them for another use), wipe the caps clean with a damp paper towel, and cut the caps into thin slices. Dice the ham.
3. Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté them until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the caraway seeds and ham, and continue to sauté until the ham is warmed through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the sour cream and the mushroom-ham mixture, and toss until thoroughly mixed. Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately.
• Leaner version: Substitute smoked turkey for the ham and either nonfat yogurt or part-skim ricotta cheese for the sour cream. In step 3, cook the mushrooms in ¼ cup chicken broth instead of the butter.
SECOND TIME AROUND
Place the leftovers in a lightly greased baking dish. Top with ¼ cup bread crumbs mixed with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter and bake at 350°F until thoroughly hot, about 20 minutes.
PASTA: Medium-size flat shapes or ribbons
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 25 to 30 minutes
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Orecchiette blend beautifully with the diced ham and zucchini here, but I love this sauce over thin ribbon pasta as well.
Salt
¾ pound orecchiette, bow-ties (farfalle), tagliatelle or linguine
2 ounces prosciutto
4 to 6 fresh sage or basil leaves
2 medium-size tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
¾ pound smoked ham (preferably Black Forest) in a single slice
2 medium-size zucchini
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice the prosciutto into fine shreds or cut it into fine dice, and set it in a large mixing bowl. Cut the sage leaves into fine shreds and add them to the mixing bowl. Halve the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the tomatoes into small cubes and add them to the bowl.
3. Peel and mince the garlic. Trim any fat from the ham; then cut it into ½-inch cubes. Trim the zucchini and cut it into small dice.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds, until you get a good whiff of its aroma. Add the diced ham and zucchini. Then add the wine and cover the skillet. Simmer over low heat until the zucchini is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste for seasoning, and stir in the tomato mixture. Keep warm, off the heat.
5. Drain the pasta and divide it among four shallow bowls. Top each portion with some of the ham and vegetables, and serve immediately.
SECOND TIME AROUND
These leftovers are best when served as a salad. Toss them with an olive oil and lemon juice vinaigrette or a dressing of mayonnaise and lemon juice. If you wish, add diced red bell peppers or watercress leaves.
PASTA: Medium-size fancy shapes or ribbons
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 to 35 minutes
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This dish is perfect as it stands. Don’t bother with it if you have to cut down on fat because it doesn’t adapt well to alterations. It is rich, so reserve it for special occasions when you’re having company over during the week or when you’re having a mini family celebration.
If I have room for dessert, I follow this with a plateful of sliced fresh pineapple splashed with port wine or dotted with fresh mint.
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½ to ¾ pound chorizo or hot Italian sausage
1 onion
2 red bell peppers
½ pound fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound rotelle (wagon wheels) or radiatore, or spinach fettuccine
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons water
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup sour cream
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, thinly slice the chorizo. Peel and finely chop the onion. Core and seed the peppers, and cut them into thin strips. (Or finely chop the onion and peppers together in a food processor.) Stem the mushrooms (reserve the stems for another use), wipe the caps clean with a damp paper towel, and cut them into very thin slices.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chorizo and sauté until both sides are slightly brown and crisp around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a bowl and set it aside.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. While the pasta is cooking, add the onions, mushrooms, and peppers to the remaining fat in the skillet and cook, stirring continuously, until the onions and peppers are somewhat tender, about 3 minutes. Add the caraway seeds, water, and the cooked chorizo. Cover, and simmer over low heat until all the vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir the mixture occasionally so it doesn’t scorch. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the chorizo mixture and the sour cream, and toss the ingredients together. Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately.
PASTA: Ribbons or medium-size fancy shapes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 to 35 minutes
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Ribbon pasta is not the best choice with this coarse-textured sauce, but I love the whole-wheat taste with the spicy sausage and sweet currants, and whole-wheat short shapes can be hard to find. If you have a source for whole-wheat short shapes, by all means use them. They’re ideal.
If you don’t care for whole-wheat pasta, serve this with semolina fusilli or rotelle—more appropriate shapes for this type of sauce anyway.
If you want to round out the meal or add more visual appeal, just include the spinach. This is such a hearty dish that you won’t need dessert, but if you do want it, fresh fruit finishes the meal perfectly.
Salt
½ pound fresh mushrooms
½ pound fresh spinach, or 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed (optional)
¾ pound whole-wheat linguine or plain or whole-wheat fusilli, rotelle (wagon wheels), or radiatore
¾ pound hot Italian sausages
⅓ cup dry white wine
¼ cup currants, or ½ cup raisins
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup ricotta cheese or sour cream (optional)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, stem the mushrooms (reserve the stems for another use), wipe the caps clean with a damp paper towel, and thinly slice them. If you are going to use fresh spinach, stem, rinse, and coarsely chop it. If you are using frozen spinach, squeeze it with your hands to remove as much water as possible.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, empty the sausages from their casings, squeezing the meat into a large skillet. Sauté the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon until the meat is crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, cover, and simmer over low heat until the mushrooms are soft and the sausage is cooked, about 5 minutes. Then add the white wine and currants, (and spinach if you are using it), and cook until the wine has evaporated somewhat, about 1 minute (or until the spinach has just wilted and is hot, about 2 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover, and set aside, off the heat, until the pasta is done.
5. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the sausage mixture and toss the ingredients well. Serve immediately, topping each portion with a tablespoon of ricotta cheese or sour cream if you wish.
ESPECIALLY GOOD FOR CHILDREN
Omit the mushrooms and spinach. Substitute sweet Italian sausage for the hot sausage, and tomato sauce or chicken broth for the white wine. Be sure to stir in the ricotta cheese or sour cream to finish.