Pasta with Grilled Sausage, Peppers and Eggplant

This dish turns the satisfying Italian American sandwich filling–sausage and peppers–into a hearty pasta dish.

Photo by Tara Donne

Pasta al Pomodoro

Once you've learned how to make a perfect pasta sauce, your life ambitions have been met.  Seriously, once you learn how to make this sauce, your cooking days are made easier.  You can put this sauce on anything.  The key to making this pasta dish perfect though is the pasta water and the butter.  Don't skip either step.  You'll ruin the dish.

Photo by Romulo Yanes

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28 oz. can peeled tomatoes, puréed in a food processor
• Kosher salt
• 3 large fresh basil sprigs
• 12 oz. bucatini or spaghetti
• 2 Tbsp. cubed unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino

• Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2-4 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute more. Increase heat to medium, add puréed tomatoes and season lightly with kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in basil sprigs, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season with salt; add spaghetti or bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
• Discard basil and heat skillet over high heat. Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce; bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; add butter and cheese; toss until cheese melts. Transfer to warm bowls; serve with more cheese, if desired.
  
  

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

One serving contains:

• Calories (kcal) 560.4
• %Calories from Fat 34.5
• Fat (g) 21.5
• Saturated Fat (g) 5.8
• Cholesterol (mg) 15.0
• Carbohydrates (g) 76.2
• Dietary Fiber (g) 6.2
• Total Sugars (g) 8.3
• Net Carbs (g) 70.0
• Protein (g) 14.1
• Sodium (mg) 426.8

Classic Ragù Bolognese

This is a very classic ragu and so very very delicious.  Don't skip the veal.  It adds a nice depth to this meat sauce.  Besides, that's the classic way to make it. Serves 4-6

Photo by Marcus Nilsson

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 6 oz. ground beef (85% lean)
• 6 oz. ground veal
• 3 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 3 cups (about) beef stock or chicken stock, divided
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 lb. tagliatelle or fettuccine (preferably fresh egg)
• Finely grated Parmesan (for serving)

• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté until soft, 8-10 minutes. Add beef, veal, and pancetta; sauté, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 15 minutes. Add wine; boil 1 minute, stirring often and scraping up browned bits. Add 2 1/2 cups stock and tomato paste; stir to blend. Reduce heat to very low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan; gradually add to sauce. Cover sauce with lid slightly ajar and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until milk is absorbed, about 45 minutes, adding more stock by 1/4-cupfuls to thin if needed. DO AHEAD Ragù can be made 2 days ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute before al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Transfer ragù to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pasta and toss to coat. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water by tablespoonfuls if sauce seems dry. Divide pasta among warm plates. Serve with Parmesan.
  
  

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

4 main-course servings, 1 serving contains:

• Calories (kcal) 695.2
• %Calories from Fat 31.6
• Fat (g) 24.4
• Saturated Fat (g) 6.8
• Cholesterol (mg) 145.9
• Carbohydrates (g) 83.6
• Dietary Fiber (g) 5.7
• Total Sugars (g) 9.3
• Net Carbs (g) 77.9
• Protein (g) 33.5
• Sodium (mg) 735.6

Bucatini All' Amatriciana

I love the Italian pasta bucatini.  It is thicker than a spaghetti or angel hair and adds additional "bite" to the dish.  That is IF you cook it al dente. Don't make it limp. This is a very simple dish.  Simply add a great salad, your favorite bread and, of course, your favorite red wine.  Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 oz. thinly sliced guanciale, pancetta, or chopped unsmoked bacon
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28-oz. can peeled tomatoes with juices, crushed by hand t
• Kosher salt
• 12 oz. dried bucatini or spaghetti
• 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino (about 1 oz.)

• Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add guanciale and sauté until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes. Add pepper flakes and black pepper; stir for 10 seconds. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt; add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until 2 minutes before al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
• Add drained pasta to sauce in skillet and toss vigorously with tongs to coat. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. (Add a little pasta water if sauce is too dry.) Stir in cheese and transfer pasta to warmed bowls.
  
  
  

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

One serving contains:

• Calories (Kcal) 524.6
• %Calories From Fat 25.2
• Fat (G) 14.7
• Saturated Fat (G) 4.0
• Cholesterol (Mg) 14.7
• Carbohydrates (G) 75.9
• Dietary Fiber (G) 6.0
• Total Sugars (G) 7.4
• Net Carbs (G) 69.9
• Protein (G) 19.4
• Sodium (Mg) 757.8

Goat's Milk Robiola/Creamy Tomato and Basil Sauce with Speck

This should be a first course but can also be a main course served with a salad and great bread.  I made this pasta dish for a dinner party I just had.  The sauce...you want to wallow in it.  I made these as raviolis but you can make them anyway you want.  I'm also not going to give you a recipe and instructions on making pasta.  Mario Batali's cookbooks and well as most good I-talian cookbooks have great instructions and recipes. I have used, in the past, wonton wrappers instead of making pasta.  Not quite as good but they'll do in a pinch.  Put down one wrapper, add a tsp or so of filling, egg wash the edges, place another wrapper on top and seal the edges.  Drop into boiling salted water and cook until they float to the top and cook one additional minute. Drain and add to sauce.  Here, I'm going to give you an adapted version of the pasta stuffing (goat's milk robiola is a very creamy cheese you can get at Whole Foods)  with the sauce from the restaurant Spiaggia in Chicago.  Serves 4

Goat's Milk Robiola/Creamy Tomato and Basil Sauce with Speck (speck is an I-talian meat you can find at upscale deli counters)

Filling
12 oz goat's milk robiola or fresh white goat cheese at room temp (because of the cost of the robiola, I used 6oz of each)
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce
4 tbls butter
20 fresh basil leaves, plus 4 for garnish
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced (dunk whole tomatoes in 1 quart boiling water for 2 minutes.  Put in ice bath and the skin should peel right off)
1 cup heavy cream
32 thin strips speck or bacon, chopped (try to find the speck. It makes a BIG difference)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbls tomato paste
salt to taste.

In a med sized bowl, mix together the robiola and the goat cheese until well blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside or chill until you are ready to fill the pasta.   You'll use about a tsp for each ravioli.  Use more if you want.

In a med. saucepan, over med. heat, melt the butter with the 20 basil leaves.  When the leaves are wilted, add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.  Stir in the cream, speck, tomato paste, parmesan and salt to taste.  Mix well.  Drop in the ravioli and coat.  Serve with an additional basil leaf on each plate.