Gathered in this chapter are recipes that are out of the pasta mainstream as well as out of the Monday-to-Friday genre. Some of the dishes you’ll find here are on the sweet side, but not so much so that they fit only in the dessert category. Other recipes appear here because of some unusual feature, because of an unexpected combination of ingredients, or because they just don’t fit anywhere else.
In addition you’ll discover in “Pasta Off-Center” quite a few Sunday startup recipes, which are too long to create during the week but are perfect for preparing on a weekend, when you have more time. These are the dishes that freeze well and become wonderful Monday-to-Friday time-savers during the workweek, when all you have to do is reheat them. I particularly recommend making the tomato sauce on page 245 because it is such a good starting point for so many pasta recipes.
PASTA: Stuffed pasta or tiny shapes
MAKES: 6 servings
TIME: 20 minutes preparation plus 25 minutes no-work cooking time
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This hearty, meaty soup is a perfect Sunday afternoon recipe. Its uncomplicated taste lends itself to experimenting—it meshes well with any sort of pasta and is terrific when supplemented with rice, barley, lentils, or additional vegetables.
The base (minus the pasta) is perfect for freezing. When you don’t have time to cook, pull some out of the freezer, bring it to a simmer, and add anything from meat ravioli to tiny tubettini. Voilà dinner!
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 carrots
2 ribs celery
¼ cup olive oil
8 cups beef broth
½ pound fresh mushrooms
1 pound boneless beef sirloin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
½ pound (2 cups) meat- or mushroom-stuffed pasta, or 1¼ cups orzo or tubettini
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Peel the onion, garlic, and carrots. Finely chop them along with the celery—all together in a food processor, if you like.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and stir to coat them with the oil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. If they start to stick to the bottom of the pan, add some of the beef broth.
3. While the vegetables are cooking, trim ¼ inch off the mushroom stems and cut the mushrooms into thin lengthwise slices. Remove all fat from the beef, and cut it into strips about ¼ inch wide, ½ inch thick, and 1 inch long.
4. Add the sliced mushrooms, beef strips, broth, oregano, and bay leaf to the saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the beef is tender, 20 minutes.
5. Add the pasta to the soup, and simmer for 4 to 12 minutes, depending upon the type of pasta. Stir every now and then to make sure the pasta does not sink and stick to the bottom of the pot. Remove the bay leaf, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Note: You can prepare the soup base up through step 4, then cool it to room temperature and store it in the freezer. When you are ready to serve it, just bring it back to a simmer and then add the pasta or other ingredients of your choice.
Right before serving, stir in ¼ cup minced fresh mint, dill, or parsley. Or stir in ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese.
PASTA: Tiny shapes
MAKES: 6 servings
TIME: 20 minutes preparation plus 25 minutes no-work cooking time
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This superbly flavored chowder is a delicious meal in itself as well as a wonderful base for soup. If you wish to make this as a soup base, omit the pasta and the fish. Store the base in the freezer to pull out on a rainy day and finish as you please.
The chowder takes just a bit longer to prepare than other recipes in this book, but it cooks mostly by itself and does not require lots of work. It is a fine main-course pasta soup to serve to guests.
½ pound fresh spinach
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup olive oil
4 carrots
4 cups fish stock, or 2 cups clam juice mixed with 2 cups water
¼ cup white wine
2 cans (14½ ounces each) stewed tomatoes
¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads or ground paprika
1 pound sea scallops or skinless cod or monkfish fillets
1¼ cups orzo or tubettini
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Stem the spinach and place the leaves in a bowl of cold water; set it aside. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and stir to coat them with the oil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. While the onions are cooking, peel and thinly slice the carrots. When the onions are tender, add the carrots to the saucepan along with the fish stock and white wine. Pour the stewed tomatoes into a strainer set over the saucepan, adding the juices to the stock. Chop the stewed tomatoes and add them to the saucepan. Stir in the saffron. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the carrots are completely tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, trim and discard the rubbery appendage from the scallops and cut the scallops in half or if they are large, into quarters. (If you are using fish fillets, remove any stray bones and cut the fish into 1-inch cubes.) Lift the spinach leaves from the water, shake off the remaining water, and cut them into shreds.
5. When the carrots are tender, add the pasta to the soup, cover, and cook until it is soft, about 7 minutes. Stir every now and then to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
6. Add the scallops or fish to the soup and simmer, uncovered, until the scallops turn milky, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach and simmer until it has just wilted, about 10 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Note: The broth can be made up through step 3 and then frozen.
PASTA: Strands or ribbons
MAKES: About 2 quarts
TIME: 30 minutes preparation plus 1½ hours no-work cooking time
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For many a Monday-to-Friday pasta recipe I rely on a good store-bought tomato-based spaghetti sauce. However, none of them appeals to me as much as my own version, a purée of tomatoes seasoned with onions and carrots. It has less body than some commercial sauces but a lot more flavor.
Every now and again during the cold winter months, I’ll spend a lazy Sunday afternoon whipping up an extra batch of this tomato sauce so that later I can indulge in its mellow flavor on the spur of the moment. Other than a good dose of carrots to sweeten the sauce, there are few ingredients besides tomatoes. The flavor remains pure and simple, so I can add any number of other ingredients and seasonings for a particular recipe.
4 onions
1 pound carrots
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup water
3 cloves garlic
2 cans (28 ounces each) plum tomatoes in tomato purée
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Peel and chop the onions. Peel the carrots and cut them into ¼-inch-thick rounds.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots, and reduce the heat to low. Add ¼ cup of the water and the garlic cloves. Cover and cook gently until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes with the purée, using a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes by mashing them against the sides of the saucepan. Add the remaining ½ cup of water, cover the pan, and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring now and then.
4. Press the sauce through a sieve or a food mill and discard the solids. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and let cool to room temperature. Ladle the sauce into 1-cup freezer containers and freeze for up to a year (though it is too delicious to last that long).
• Omit the carrots for a tarter and even more plainly flavored tomato sauce.
• Season the sauce with 1 bay leaf, or 2 teaspoons dried thyme or oregano, or ½ cup (tightly packed) fresh basil leaves when you add the tomatoes.
• Substitute 4 ribs celery, sliced, for half of the carrots.
PASTA: Lasagne noodles
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 30 to 35 minutes preparation plus 1 hour no-work baking and standing time
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Once you understand the basics of creating lasagne, you can devise an infinite number of variations on the theme. I’ve named this one “Sunday’s best” because it is ideal for making on a Sunday, or sometime during a weekend when you have time. If you are eager to create a lasagne during the week, turn to Instant Lasagne or Pantry Lasagne (see Index for both), both of which make use of precooked lasagne squares.
Classic accompaniments to all sorts of lasagne dishes are green salad and Italian bread. A plainly steamed fresh vegetable fits the bill, too.
Salt
½ pound lasagne noodles (9 or 10 strips)
½ pound lean ground beef
4½ cups Michele’s Tomato Sauce (see page 245) or 2 jars (14 ounces each) spaghetti sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ pound mozzarella cheese
Vegetable oil, for the baking dish
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Fill a large bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes, and set it aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. Add the lasagne noodles, a couple at a time, to the boiling water. When they have softened, stir them vigorously with a wooden spoon. Boil until slightly underdone, about 8 minutes. Drain the noodles, rinse them under cold water, and place them in the bowl of ice water; set it aside.
3. Crumble the beef into a medium-size skillet and sauté it over medium heat, stirring constantly to break up the clumps, until there are no more traces of pink, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a mixing bowl.
4. Stir the tomato sauce into the beef, and season to taste with salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, and Parmesan together. Thinly slice the mozzarella.
5. Lightly oil a 9-inch square baking dish. Set a kitchen towel on a work surface. Lift the noodles out of the ice water and lay them in a single layer on the towel. Pat them dry. Cut them to fit the baking dish.
6. Spread a little meat sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles in the dish. Spread them with one third of the ricotta mixture, and top that with one third of the mozzarella. Cover with one fourth of the remaining sauce. Repeat the pasta, cheese, and sauce layers two more times, and end with a layer of noodles covered with the remaining sauce. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake until bubbling, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the lasagne from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes before cutting into it.
• Fold 2 to 3 tablespoons pesto (or any of the pesto variations, see Index) into the ricotta mixture.
• Fold 2 tablespoons black olive paste, or 1 jar (6 ounces) eggplant caponata, into the ricotta mixture.
• Fold ¼ cup minced fresh herbs, such as parsley or basil, into the ricotta mixture.
• Substitute 1 cup diced leftover roast pork, beef, turkey, or chicken for the ground beef.
• Sauté ½ pound sliced sweet or hot Italian sausage in 1 tablespoon oil for about 5 minutes, and substitute it for the ground beef.
• Substitute Italian Fontina for the mozzarella, or grated Asiago or Romano for the Parmesan cheese.
Vegetarian Lasagne: Omit the meat. Instead, stir 1 can (16 or 19 ounces) chick-peas, drained and chopped, into the spaghetti sauce. Stir 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, into the ricotta mixture.
Three-Vegetable Lasagne: Omit the meat, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Sauté ¼ pound sliced mushrooms, 1 thinly sliced red or green bell pepper, and 4 thinly sliced carrots in olive oil until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir these vegetables into the spaghetti sauce along with ½ cup raisins.
Seafood Lasagne: Omit the meat, ricotta, and egg. Increase the amount of mozzarella to 1 pound. Drain and flake 2 cans (7 ounces each) tuna, and add it to the spaghetti sauce. (Or sauté ¾ pound diced shrimp, scallops, or monkfish fillet in 1 tablespoon olive oil until just cooked, 2 to 3 minutes, and stir this into the spaghetti sauce.)
Four-Cheese Lasagne: Omit the meat. Substitute Italian Fontina for the mozzarella. Add ¼ pound Gorgonzola cheese, crumbling it over the layers after you add the ricotta and Parmesan.
PASTA: Medium-size tubes
MAKES: 2 dinners, 6 servings each
TIME: 1 hour preparation plus 1¼ hours no-work baking and standing time
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This classic Greek dish is so delicious, it is really worth making—and you’ll get two dinners out of a single effort. A hit with adults and kids, it is great for family meals as well as for entertaining. And if you have a pastitsio in the freezer, it is an ideal choice for a weeknight when family members will be eating at different times, because it tastes as great at room temperature as it does hot.
A good accompaniment, if you want to serve one, would be either a green salad mixed with bell peppers and pitted black Greek olives or a steamed vegetable such as broccoli or cauliflower.
Salt
1 pound ziti or mezzani
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1½ pounds lean ground beef
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 jars (14 ounces each) spaghetti sauce
3 eggs
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. 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 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the white sauce: Melt the butter in a large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. When it is bubbly, whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, whisking thoroughly so you gather all the flour into the butter. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly so the flour paste absorbs the milk without creating lumps. When all the milk has been added, bring the mixture to a boil (this could take as long as 10 minutes). Whisk occasionally as the milk is heating so it does not scorch. When it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, still whisking, until the sauce is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Let the sauce cool while you prepare the meat sauce.
4. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot, off the heat. Toss it with the vegetable oil (this will keep it from sticking together).
5. Prepare the meat sauce: Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic (chop them together in a food processor if you like). Heat the olive oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté until they are sizzling, about 1 minute. Cover, and cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Crumble the beef into the skillet and sauté, stirring constantly to break up the clumps, until there are no more traces of pink, about 5 minutes. Season with the oregano, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the meat sauce to a mixing bowl and add the spaghetti sauce to it.
6. Lightly beat the eggs with a whisk. Whisk the cooled white sauce to incorporate any skin that might have formed, and then add the eggs, whisking constantly so the remaining heat of the sauce does not curdle the eggs.
7. Set out two 9-inch square baking dishes. Spread 1 cup of the white sauce over the bottom of each dish. Then layer one fourth of the pasta, meat sauce, and cheese in each dish. Add some of the remaining white sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with about 1 cup of white sauce over the top of each. Bake the pastitsio for 1 hour; then remove it from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes before cutting into it. (If you want to freeze one pastitsio for another day, do not bake it. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, then with foil, and freeze it. When you are ready to serve it, thaw it first, then bake as directed.)
PASTA: Large shapes for stuffing
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 25 minutes preparation plus 35 minutes no-work cooking time
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No book on pasta is worth its salt without a recipe for stuffed manicotti. Stuffing the shells takes some effort, so consider making a double batch and freezing one for a later date.
Salt
½ pound low fat mozzarella cheese
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese (part-skim or whole-milk)
1 egg
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
14 manicotti shells (½ pound)
2 cups Michele’s Tomato Sauce (see page 245) or 1 jar (14 to 16 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, cut the mozzarella into fine dice. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, three fourths of the diced mozzarella, and 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Add the manicotti shells to the boiling water, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Set the shells on a towel and pat them dry.
4. Spread about one third of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 13-x-9-inch baking dish. Using a knife, push the ricotta mixture into each of the shells. Place the stuffed shells in a single layer in the baking dish, and spoon the rest of the sauce over them. Scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
5. Seal the baking dish with foil, and bake for 25 minutes. Then uncover the dish and bake for 10 minutes longer. Remove it from the oven and serve immediately.
• Different cheeses: For half of the ricotta, substitute fresh chèvre cheese.
Substitute smoked mozzarella or Fontina for the mozzarella.
Herbed-Stuffed Manicotti: Add ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves to the riccota mixture.
Pesto-Stuffed Manicotti: Add 1 tablespoon prepared pesto, sun-dried tomato tapenade, or black olive paste to the ricotta mixture.
Luxurious Manicotti: Use whole-milk ricotta and mozzarella instead of part-skim. Blend 2 egg yolks into the ricotta mixture.
Stuffed Manicotti with Vegetables: Add 2 cups finely diced or sliced steamed vegetables, such as carrots, fennel, mushrooms, celery root, or zucchini to the spaghetti sauce.
ESPECIALLY GOOD FOR COMPANY
Make this in advance and freeze it. You don’t even have to thaw the dish before it goes into the oven. Just bake it, covered, at 350°F for 1 hour; then uncover it and bake for another 30 minutes.
PASTA: Small or medium-size tubes
MAKES: 6 to 8 servings
TIME: 35 minutes preparation plus 30 minutes no-work baking time
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This super-rich macaroni and cheese isn’t designed for delicate eaters, nor for dieters. It’s made the old-fashioned way, with a white sauce enriched with heavy cream and sharp Cheddar cheese. The sauce coats the tender macaroni and bakes under a topping of bread crumbs and butter.
You can make this with a whole pound of macaroni to feed more people, but the noodles will be dryer. You won’t need more than a green salad served before or a fruit salad served afterward, to make the meal complete. For a version of macaroni and cheese you can make during the week, see New-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese, page 80.
Salt
½ pound sharp Cheddar cheese
¾ pound elbow macaroni, elbow twists, or penne
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
Cayenne pepper
⅓ cup bread crumbs
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. While the water is heating, grate the cheese with a rotary grater and set it aside.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is barely tender, about 7 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.
4. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a non-reactive medium-size saucepan over medium heat. When it is bubbly, whisk in the flour and cook for a few seconds, just until it is combined. Whisk thoroughly so you gather all the flour into the butter. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly so the flour paste absorbs the milk without creating lumps. When about half the milk has been added, you can add the rest at a faster rate, but continue to whisk constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly but not frantically. When it reaches the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, still whisking occasionally, until the sauce is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the grated cheese; whisk vigorously until the cheese has melted. Then whisk in the heavy cream, and season to taste with salt and cayenne.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sauce with the drained macaroni. Transfer the mixture to a 13-x-9-inch baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top, and dot with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Bake until it is hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Ham, Macaroni, and Cheese: Fold in ¼ pound diced smoked ham, or 2 ounces finely chopped prosciutto, when you combine the macaroni with the cheese sauce in step 5.
Sun-Dried Tomato Macaroni and Cheese: Fold in ¼ cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes when you combine the macaroni with the cheese sauce in step 5.
Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese: Fold in 1 cup diced cooked vegetables, such as carrots, when you combine the macaroni with the cheese sauce in step 5.
Macaroni and Multi-cheeses: Instead of the plain Cheddar, use a combination of cheeses: Cheddar and Parmesan; Asiago, Cheddar, and smoked mozzarella; Cheddar, Fontina, chèvre, and Parmesan; or another outrageously rich mixture.
SECOND TIME AROUND
This tends to dry out when reheated the following day, so it is best to reheat it, covered, in a microwave.
PASTA: Medium-size shapes or tubes
MAKES: 2 meals, 4 servings each
TIME: 1 hour
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I adore smoked eggplant, and here the smoky taste is echoed in the smoked mozzarella. Although this recipe requires too much work for a weeknight, it is worth the time over a weekend because you get two full dinners from a single effort.
The work is not difficult. Just boil a double batch of pasta, char the eggplant, and cook the sauce. Half of the recipe is then ready to be served for Sunday dinner. The other half is layered with cheese and frozen for another time.
To get that fantastic smoky flavor, either roast the eggplant directly in the flame of a gas range or set it on an iron grill placed over the flame. (Keep the windows wide open because the procedure could set off your smoke alarm!) In the summer you could grill the eggplant outside on a charcoal grill.
2 medium-size eggplants (about 1 pound each)
Salt
1 can (14½ ounces) stewed tomatoes
½ pound smoked mozzarella cheese
¼ pound sheep’s-milk cheese, such as Pecorino Romano, or a dry chèvre
6 cloves garlic
1 jar (8 to 12 ounces) roasted red peppers
1½ pounds gnocchi, medium-size shells, or penne
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, or 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1. Using a fork, pierce the eggplants in a few places. Set the eggplants either directly in the flame of a gas burner or on an iron grill over a high flame. Watch them carefully. Turn the eggplants as each side becomes charred and blistered. It should take about 15 minutes for the skin to char all over and the flesh to soften.
2. When the eggplants are fully charred, remove them from the flame and let them cool until you can handle them without burning your fingers, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. While the eggplants are cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Take out two large mixing bowls. Drain and chop the stewed tomatoes, and add them to one of the bowls. Set both bowls aside.
4. Finely dice or shred the mozzarella, grate the Pecorino Romano, and peel and mince the garlic. Drain the roasted peppers and cut them into matchstick strips.
5. When the eggplants are cool, scrape off the blistered skin with a sharp knife and trim off the tops. Coarsely chop the flesh.
6. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until you get a whiff of its aroma, about 10 seconds. Then add the pepper strips and the chopped eggplant. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is very hot, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper or red pepper flakes.
7. Drain the pasta and divide it between the two large mixing bowls, one of which contains the tomatoes. Toss the pasta with the tomatoes, and set that bowl aside for the second recipe (you can deal with it after dinner). To the other bowl of pasta add half of the eggplant mixture and half of the mozzarella. Toss until thoroughly combined, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
To assemble the second dish, scatter half of the remaining eggplant mixture on the bottom of a 9-inch-square baking dish. Add half of the reserved pasta-tomato mixture, and sprinkle with half of the grated Pecorino Romano and half of the remaining mozzarella. Top with the remaining eggplant, pasta, and cheeses. Cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil; refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze.
When you know which day you’ll be serving the dish, leave time for it to thaw, if it is frozen. Preheat the oven to 375°F Unwrap the baking dish and remove the plastic wrap. Replace the foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then uncover the dish and bake until it is heated through, about 15 minutes.
PASTA: Tiny shapes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 20 to 25 minutes
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Here’s a way to turn plain pasta into a tasty side dish for veal, poultry, or a plate of steamed vegetables.
Salt
½ pound (1¼ cups) orzo, stelline, or annelini, or 2 cups cooked pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ medium-size onion
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, finely chop the onion and measure out the remaining ingredients.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 7 to 8 minutes (1 minute for leftover pasta).
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat until they are tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the caraway and poppy seeds and cook just to release their aroma, about 30 seconds. Add the pepper and remove the skillet from the heat.
5. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the onion mixture and toss thoroughly to combine. Serve immediately.
• Add ¼ cup minced fresh mint, dill, or parsley to the spices.
• Just before serving, toss in ¼ cup crumbled feta, grated sharp Cheddar, or grated Parmesan cheese.
SECOND TIME AROUND
Add 1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed, some chicken broth, and a dash of minced pimientos. Simmer in a small saucepan until heated through.
PASTA: Medium or wide ribbons and small tubes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 20 minutes
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A plateful of egg noodles tossed with pot cheese, sour cream, and a bit of sugar was a favorite dish my grandmother used to serve me. I found it soothing then and I still do now, as does my daughter. In this recipe I have added to the original some berries and a touch of cinnamon.
If this tastes too much like dessert to serve for dinner, precede it with something savory, such as a steamed vegetable, a salad, or a summer soup like chilled cucumber.
Salt
¾ pound broad egg noodles or fettuccine, or 2 cups elbow macaroni
½ pound (1 cup) farmer’s, pot, or cottage cheese
¼ cup skim or low fat milk
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 pint strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries
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, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the cheese, milk, sugar, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl, and stir to thoroughly mix. Rinse the berries and pat them dry. Stem the berries; then quarter them and set them aside.
3. Drain the pasta and add it to the cheese mixture. Toss well, and ladle out each portion. Top each portion with berries, and serve. (This is fine served warm or at room temperature, but I don’t like it chilled.)
• For a different cheese, try ricotta or mascarpone.
• Instead of blending the cheese with milk, blend it with ¼ cup sour cream, plain yogurt, crème fraîche, or heavy cream.
• Instead of topping the mixture with berries, top it with 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
PASTA: Tiny shapes
MAKES: 2 servings
TIME: 15 to 20 minutes
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This pudding is rich, creamy, and terrific enough to be a dessert during the week (the sour cream version) or a hearty breakfast (the yogurt version).
If you are going to serve this for dessert, serve it after a dinner that is especially easy to prepare—perhaps a “second time around” version of a recipe or a main-course salad. This dish is not hard to prepare, but it does take 20 minutes.
1 ripe pear
I McIntosh apple
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, mace, or cinnamon
1 cup apple juice
½ cup pastina (tiny pasta), 1 cup chopped cooked pasta, or 1 cup couscous
½ cup sour cream or plain or vanilla yogurt (optional)
1. Peel and core the pear and apple, and cut them into ¼-inch dice.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced fruits and sauté to soften them slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar, nutmeg, and apple juice.
3. Bring to a boil, add the pastina, and cook, covered, over low heat until the mixture is tender and creamy, about 5 minutes. (If you are using cooked pasta, cook for 1 minute to reheat it.) Stir every now and then—the mixture tends to sink and can scorch. (If you are using couscous, add it to the boiling fruit mixture, remove the saucepan from the heat, and let it stand until the couscous has absorbed the liquid and softened, about 10 minutes.) Serve immediately, with the sour cream or yogurt if you like.
PASTA: Tiny shapes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 10 minutes plus 15 minutes no-work soaking time
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My agent, Susan Ginsburg, is such a loyal friend and devoted fan that she tried virtually every dish in the first Monday-to-Friday Cookbook. As she doesn’t adapt recipes to suit her children’s tastes, one recipe prompted Susan’s eldest daughter to say, “You know, Mom, the problem with Michèle is that she’s a little too ... creative.” And so I dedicate this delicious dessert to those who, unlike Susan’s daughter, appreciate recipes that are “creative.”
You may notice that I use less water than normal to plump the couscous here. This is because I want it dry and fluffy. What is so effective in this dish is the contrast between the heat of the sweet fluffy couscous and the chill of the fresh fruit. Pears would also contrast nicely with the couscous, but you would have to cut them up right before serving them to discourage browning.
This is quite filling, so precede this dessert with a light main course such as a substantial salad or soup.
1 cup couscous
1 cup hot tap water
½ cup dried currants or raisins
1 tablespoon Madeira or port wine, or (for the kids) apple or orange juice
2 ripe plums
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup sliced, slivered, or chopped blanched almonds, or chopped unsalted shelled peanuts, pecans, or walnuts
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Place the couscous in a small bowl and cover it with the hot water; let it stand until the grains have swelled and are softened, about 15 minutes. In another small bowl, combine the currants and Madeira. Pit the plums, and cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes or thin slices.
2. Using your fingers, break up any clumps of couscous. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the almonds and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and cinnamon, and sauté until the sugar dissolves and becomes syrupy, about 1 more minute.
3. Stir in the couscous and sauté until the ingredients are hot and well combined, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, fold in the chopped fresh fruit and the currants and Madeira. Serve immediately.
PASTA: Thin egg noodles or strands
MAKES: 8 servings
TIME: 15 minutes preparation plus 50 minutes no-work cooking and cooling time
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This rich pasta dish is best on cold days—as a dessert, or if you have time to make it in advance, as a part of a fancy breakfast or brunch.
If you serve this as dessert, precede it with a very light meal, such as a salad or soup. Chilled sour cream or a dollop of vanilla ice cream goes very well with the spices and dried fruit.
½ pound (2 cups) dried apricots
1 cup raisins
½ cup port wine or Madeira
½ pound very fine egg noodles or capellini or vermicelli
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
4 eggs
½ cup sliced almonds
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, cut the apricots in half. Combine them with the raisins and the port in a small mixing bowl, and set aside.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is just tender, 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, stir the sugar and spices together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the eggs.
5. Drain the pasta, rinse it under cold water until it is thoroughly cooled, and drain it again.
6. Stir the apricots, raisins, and port into the egg mixture. Then stir in the cooled pasta. Spoon the mixture into a 10-inch pie plate and top with the sliced almonds. Bake until the eggs have set, about 30 minutes. Let the custard stand for 20 minutes before serving.
PASTA: “Instant” lasagne sheets, or lasagne noodles, shells, or cannelloni
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 35 minutes
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The idea for this dish was inspired by the Hungarian dessert called palacsinta, which is a crepe filled with either apricot jam or a sweetened walnut paste. Instead of making the crepes, here you use the “instant lasagne” sheets now available in supermarkets and specialty gourmet food stores.
Serve this curious but delicious pasta dessert after a speedy first course such as a light soup or a salad.
4 sheets “instant” lasagne squares, 4 regular lasagne noodles, or 8 cannelloni, manicotti, or jumbo shells
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ pound (1 cup) shelled walnuts
½ cup raisins or dried currants
1 lemon, or 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons sugar, preferably “superfine”
½ cup heavy cream
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Soften the instant lasagne sheets in a bowl of hot tap water. (If you are using dry pasta, cook it in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and pat dry.)
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat. Finely grind the walnuts in a food processor. If you are using raisins, chop them. In a mixing bowl, combine the walnuts, raisins, grated lemon zest, sugar, and melted butter.
3. Pour ¼ cup of the heavy cream into a 9-inch square baking dish. Remove the softened lasagne sheets from the water and pat them dry. Cut each one in half. Spoon some filling onto one end of each pasta rectangle and roll it up tightly. (Or spoon some filling in the cooked shells, manicotti, or cannelloni.) Place each rolled-up “cannelloni” seam side down in the baking dish. Pour the remaining ¼ cup cream over the top, cover, and bake until the pasta rolls are soft and the filling is hot, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Substitute orange zest or 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder for the grated lemon zest.
• Spread some apricot or raspberry jelly on the pasta sheet before you roll it around the filling; this will make the dessert sweeter.
• Instead of the heavy cream, mix ¼ cup melted butter with ¼ cup bourbon, Cognac, dark rum, or port.
PASTA: Medium or wide egg noodles
MAKES: 6 to 8 servings
TIME: 30 minutes preparation plus 30 minutes no-work baking time
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This is terrific as a dessert after a light supper of soup or salad. You’ll find that some slices of a tart—sweet juicy fruit, such as fresh plums or pineapple, served alongside the warm pudding provide a lovely contrast to its creaminess.
This works equally well whether it’s served hot, warm, or chilled. It is so rich-tasting that you’ll have plenty of leftovers for a terrific breakfast the next morning. (Reheat it by the portion for about 30 seconds, in a microwave oven.)
Fussy eaters and very small children often love this noodle dish. If you toss the noodles with cottage cheese instead of sour cream, you can serve it as a nutritious main course.
Salt
½ pound wide egg noodles, or 4 cups cooked ribbon noodles
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup (¼ pound) shelled pecans or walnuts
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup sugar, preferably brown
1 cup sour cream
1 cup raisins, preferably golden
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until they are tender but still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water until the noodles are thoroughly cool, about 1 minute. Drain again and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat. When it has melted, pour enough of it into a 9-inch-square baking pan to grease it lightly. Finely chop the nuts.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla together. Add the sugar and sour cream; then whisk in the remaining melted butter and the raisins. Fold in the cooled cooked noodles (or leftover noodles), and turn the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake until the eggs have set, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Pecan and Cheese Noodle Pudding: Instead of the sour cream, use 1 cup cottage or part-skim ricotta cheese. For an outrageously luxurious effect, substitute 1 cup marscapone cheese for the sour cream.
Low-Cholesterol Noodle Pudding: Omit the pecans and butter. Be sure to use a low-fat sour cream or cottage cheese. Instead of 3 eggs, toss the mix with 4 beaten egg whites. Bake until set, 30 to 40 minutes.
Savory Pecan Noodle Pudding: Turn this into a main course by omitting the sugar, vanilla, and raisins. Make the pudding with either sour cream or ricotta cheese. In step 3, toss the noodles with the beaten eggs and add 1 to 2 cups of chopped cooked vegetables, such as carrots or cabbage, along with 2 teaspoons caraway seeds or 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Be sure to season with salt and pepper.