Tagliolini Gratineed With Prosciutto And Parmesan Cheese

According to The Harry's Bar Cookbook (Bantam, 1991)—in which a version of this recipe appears—this dish is "one of the few combinations of French and Italian cuisines on our menu … The pasta and the ham are Italian; the sauce and the cooking method are French." The recipe may also be made with dried pasta, which takes longer to cook.

Serves 4-6


Ingredients:

7 tbsp. butter

1⁄4 cup flour

2 cups hot milk

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

2 oz. 1⁄4"-thick sliced prosciutto, diced

3⁄4 lb. fresh spinach or egg tagliolini or linguine

1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano


Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, make a béchamel sauce by melting 4 tbsp. of the butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and gradually whisk in milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper, return pan to medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thick and smooth, 5–7 minutes. Remove pan from heat, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of sauce (to keep a skin from forming), and set aside.

2. Preheat broiler and set rack about 4" from the heat. Melt 1 tbsp. of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and crispy, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking very slowly while pasta cooks.

3. Season boiling water generously with salt, add pasta, and cook, stirring, until just tender, 1 1⁄2–2 minutes. Drain pasta, then add to skillet containing prosciutto. Add 1 tbsp. of the butter and 1⁄4 cup of the parmigiano-reggiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to mix well.

4. Spoon pasta into a 2-quart baking dish and tamp it down lightly with the back of a spoon so that its surface is even. Spoon béchamel over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1⁄4 cup parmigiano-reggiano. Cut remaining 1 tbsp. butter into small pieces and scatter over top. Place dish in oven and broil until golden and bubbling, 2–3 minutes. Serve with additional parmigiano-reggiano at the table, if you like.


Photo Christopher Hirscheimer, Saveur

Lemon Couscous With Chickpeas, Red Peppers And Toasted Almonds

Couscous, often mistakenly called a grain, is actually a pasta made up of tiny pearls of wheat dough. To save time, purchase instant couscous, which has been presteamed and is ready in only a few minutes once combined with hot liquid.

Thanks to my daughter, I have finally grown to adore couscous!


Ingredients:

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 3/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 1/2 cups instant couscous

3/4 cup slivered almonds

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3/4 cup brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped

Juice from 1 lemon

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Prepare the couscous

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the broth, the 1/2 tsp. salt and several grinds of pepper and bring to a boil. Place the couscous in a large stainless-steel bowl and pour the hot liquid over it. Blend well with a fork, cover with a plate and let stand for 5 minutes.

Toast the almonds

Meanwhile, in a large fry pan over medium heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the almonds and toast, stirring, until crisp and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Assemble the salad

Fluff the couscous with a fork. Add the almonds, chickpeas, bell pepper, olives, lemon juice, parsley and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to the couscous. Toss gently to combine. Taste, adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, and serve immediately. Serves 4.



Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Salad, by Brigit L. Binns (Oxmoor House, 2007).

Leftovers...Lasagna Rolls Stuffed with Mushrooms, Scallions And Prosciutto

Several years ago I saw the recipe below on the Food Channel and it looked so good I got in the car and went to the store for the ingredients I was missing.  I don't think I made it more than once or twice after that until today.

Now, I'm not one to throw away anything so I already had  plans for some beatiful reconstituted French mushrooms that were left over from last night's stuffed tomatoes. I also found some leftover prosciutto in the freezer from another meal and 3 scallions in the vegetable compartment of my refrigerator.  That, my friends, was going to be dinner tonight.

For some reason these rolls came to mind except I did not have regular lasagna noodles in my pantry but I did have the no bake lasagna I sometimes use in a pinch. So here's what I did:

I placed 6 strips of lasagna noodles (Barilla) in hot water for about 15 minutes to soften.  Rinse and dry in paper towels.

Finely chop the mushrooms ( about 1/2 Cup) the prosciutto (1/4 cup) the 3 scallions and 3 cloves garlic.   Melt 2 TB butter in a skillet and add first the garlic and then the rest of the ingredients.  If you have parsley, be my guest.  Sauteed for 5 mins. and set aside to cool.  In another pan I make a cup of bechamel (you can follow the procedure below) and add 2 TB to cooled mushrooms mixture to bind.

Place about 1 TB mushroom mix in lasagna strip and roll up.  Make 6 of these.

In 2 gratin dishes, spread about 1 TB of the bechamel and then lay 3 lasagna rolls on each.   Cover with the rest of the bechamel and sprinkled Parmesan cheese (a lot!).

Set oven to 375 degrees,  cook them covered in tinfoil for about 20 minutes, uncover and cook until the cheese is bubbly and they are golden on top.

I did not put any marinara sauce over the bechamel (even though I had some also frozen), because I really just wanted a white sauce on mine; but you can certainly do so if you want.

Serves 2

Here's the original recipe:

LASAGNA ROLLS
Giada de Laurentiis courtesy of Food Network

Ingredients

Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour (I used 2 TB for my recipe)
1 1/4 cups whole milk (I used 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Here’s How:

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle.

Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture.

Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Enjoy!


Photocredit top photo
 Olive Latestrecipe.net

Fettucine With Sausage And Fried Sage Leaves

An old New York Times recipe that I use when there is plenty of sage in the garden.  Now that we get fresh sage all year round, there is no reason we can't enjoy in the middle of winter.  It is also an economical meal for those watching their budget, and who isnt?!


Ingredients

1 pound fettuccine

4 hot Italian sausages

About 24 sage leaves

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

About 1 cup heavy cream

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan

Preparation

1.Bring four quarts of water to a boil for the fettuccine. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, simmer the sausages in water to cover for 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan and allow them to cool.

2.Fry the sage leaves in the olive oil in a skillet until they are crisp. Drain them on paper towels, leaving the oil in the skillet.

3.Chop the sausages in chunks and saute them in the oil until the pieces are browned, adding the garlic toward the end so that it gets golden but not burned. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. Meanwhile, cook fettuccine until al dente.

4.Pour off the fat from the skillet and add the cream. Bring it to a boil, scrape up cooking juices and return the sausage to heat through. Correct seasoning.

5.Drain the pasta and put it in a heated serving bowl. Pour the sauce on top. Toss and sprinkle with sage leaves. Serve with Parmesan passed separately at the table.

YIELD 4 servings .

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

The best breakfast after a hangover...or...the best late snack to avoid a hangover!

Spahetti alla carbonara is one of those quintessential Roman dishes.  If you have a well stocked pantry with pancetta or bacon in the freezer you can pull this quick meal in a jiffy.  Use Pecorino Romano in this recipe. It is saltier and more robust than Parmaggiano Reggiano. Or at least use half and half.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 oz (115 gr) pancetta, diced (or substitute with un-smoked bacon)

2 eggs

salt

1 lb (450 gr) spaghetti

2 oz (60 gr) pecorino romano cheese, freshly grated

Directions

In a large stockpot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, pour the olive oil in a frying pan, and add the bacon. Fry until the bacon is light brown, but still soft. In a pasta bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. When the water comes to a boil, add salt and cook the pasta following manufacturer’s instructions, testing for readiness from time to time, until al dente (firm but not too soft or overcooked). Drain the pasta and drop it immediately into the bowl over the beaten eggs. Mix vigorously. The heat of the boiling pasta will cook the eggs, making them resemble a light cream. Add the bacon with its frying fat, the grated cheese, and abundant black pepper. Toss thoroughly. Serve at once.

Tomato Sauce With Onions And Butter

This recipe blew the mind of some of blogdom's top food bloggers last year.  This simple recipe! You can make it with ingredients most of you will probably have in your pantry, although you must use San Marzano tomatoes.  Don't skimp, most grocery stores have them.  You will find it doesn't even need Parmesan Cheese,  Try it without, then if you must add some, and don't be tempted to add anything else. The flavor of the sauce is so delicate, fresh and sweet that it needs nothing at all.

Serves 4 as a main course; makes enough sauce to lightly coat most of a pound of spaghetti

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

28 ounces (800 grams) whole peeled tomatoes from a can (San Marzano, if you can find them)*

5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter

1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved

Salt to taste

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan (it fit just right in a 3-quart) over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste (you might find, as I did, that your tomatoes came salted and that you didn’t need to add more) and keep warm while you prepare your pasta.

Serve with spaghetti, with or without grated parmesan cheese to pass.

Adapted from Marcela Hazan’s Essentials of Italian Cooking
Via Smitten Kitchen (Photos)

Sunday Dinners...Tagliatelle With Ragu Bolognese II

When my brother and his family came down for the Labor Day weekend, I was surprised that he requested a Ragu Bolognese for Sunday dinner.  I was all ready for beans and ribs or something else on the grill, but no, this is what he wanted.  I had my Marcella Hazan cookbook on hand and decided to make her sauce, rather than the one I usually make which is posted on Lindaraxa's Garden.  After the accolades I received, I may just have to switch recipes.

In order to be successful with this reipe, you must follow the guidelines below and it is essential that the sauce simmer very lightly for at least 3 hours.  By very lightly I mean, a bubble here a bubble there, usually on simmer or below.  Otherwise the sauce will be too dry at the end. 

Marcella Hazan
Bolognese Meat Sauce

Printable Recipe

Yield 2 heaping cups, for about 6 servings and 1 1/2 pounds pasta

Time At least 4 hours


Summary

-The meat should not be from too lean a cut; the more marbled it is, the sweeter the ragu will be. The most desirable cut of beef is the neck portion of the chuck.

-Add salt immediately when sauteeing the meat to extract its juices for the subsequent benefit of the sauce.

-Cook the meat in milk before adding wine and tomatoes to protect from the acidic bite of the latter.

-Do not use demiglace or other concentrates that tip the balance of flavors toward harshness

-Use a pot that retains heat. Earthenware is preferred in Bologna and by most cooks in Emilia Romagna, but enameled cast-iron pans or a pot whose heavy bottom is composed of layers of steel alloys are fully satisfactory.

-Cook, uncovered, at the merest simmer for a long, long time; no less than three hours is necessary, more is better.


Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

3 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon for tossing the pasta

1/2 cup chopped onion

2/3 cup chopped celery

2/3 cup chopped carrot

3/4 pound ground beef chuck (or you can use 1 part pork to 2 parts beef)

Salt

Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill

1 cup whole milk

Whole nutmeg

1 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds pasta,  preferably tagliattele

Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese at the table


Method

1. Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat them well.

2. Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble the meat with a fork, stir well and cook until the beef has lost its raw, red color.

3. Add milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. (this will take awhile) Add a tiny grating -- about 1/8 teaspoon -- of nutmeg, and stir.

4. Add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn the heat down so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through to the surface. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While the sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it begins to dry out and the fat separates from the meat. To keep it from sticking, add 1/2 cup of water whenever necessary. At the end, however, no water at all must be left and the fat must separate from the sauce. Taste and correct for salt.

5. Toss with cooked drained pasta, adding the tablespoon of butter, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.

Cooks Note:  I doubled the recipe but kept the milk at one cup as well as the wine.  I also added the entire can of Cento San Marzano which i think is 28 ozs.

Source: "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking" (Knopf)

Dinner Cruise Fare, Part I...Pasta Pesto And Shrimp

Ever since we got our boat, we have been going out every night for a dinner cruise.  The kitchen has been closed for almost a week and now all I can think about is portable meals.  With a bounty of home grown tomatoes and zucchini and plenty of herbs, planning these meals is a no brainer, except I am running out of ideas while the zucchinis are coming in fast and furious.  Last night I took a breather and decided to make pesto instead and at the last minute decided to add shrimp and some of the cherry tomatoes from our yard.

A baguette and some Camembert and cherries downed happily with a chilled dry rose from Provence finished the meal.

Make sure you pack a Westie for great fun and entertainment!... and stay tuned for Parts II & III, you don't want to miss the fun!


Pasta Pesto And Shrimp
Printable Recipe

1/2 lbs of linguini
1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
2 cloves garlic
2 TB olive oil
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

Pesto Sauce (follows)

Directions

Cook linguini as per package directions.  In the meantime sautee the shrimp in olive oil and garlic.  Add the shrimp to the linguini, mix in 1/2 cup of pesto sauce and add tomatoes.  That's it, less than 15 minutes!


Pesto

1 cup firmly packed basil leaves

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Put everything in blender and pulse until combined.

Summer Picnics ...Shrimp & Noodle Salad With Ginger Dressing

Summer picnics are here and I'm sure we will have plenty of those at the lake this summer.  Pasta salads of all kinds, particularly those with an Asian flavor, are a delight to bring along with a chilled bottle of white wine and a baguette with cheese and fruit for dessert.  Perhaps, just perhaps cookies might be found at the bottom of the hamper...

In this salad, instead of spending time shredding cabbage and carrots, Grace Parisi of Food & Wine uses prepackaged coleslaw mix. She tosses it with noodles and shrimp, then adds a spicy, gingery dressing prepared with other easy-to-find supermarket ingredients, like bottled teriyaki sauce and chile-garlic sauce.


Ingredients

 7 ounce(s) dried udon noodles or fettuccine, broken in half

12 ounce(s) shredded coleslaw mix

2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 cup(s) cilantro leaves

3/4 pound(s) cooked medium shrimp, halved lengthwise

1/4 cup(s) teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoon(s) finely grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon(s) Chinese chile-garlic sauce

1/4 cup(s) plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt

Lime wedges, for serving


Directions

1.Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry and transfer to a large bowl. Add the coleslaw mix, scallions, cilantro, and shrimp.

2.In a blender, combine the teriyaki sauce with the ginger and chile-garlic sauce and puree until smooth. With the machine on, slowly add the vegetable oil in a thin stream and puree until the dressing is emulsified. Season lightly with salt. Add the dressing to the bowl with the udon noodles and toss well. Serve the noodle salad with lime wedges on the side.
 
Food &Wine

Nick And Toni's Penne alla Vecchia Bettola

Nick and Toni's is a well known restaurant in the Hamptons with a sister site on NYC's Upper West Side.  I saw this recipe today on the Barefoot Contessa and thought it would be a nice addition to the blog, especially for Friday night dinner.  It is pretty close to my Penne alla Vodka except this one spends some time in the oven.  

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup good olive oil

1/2 large Spanish onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1/4 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoons dried oregano

3/4 cup vodka

1 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes (use Cento San Marzano)

Kosher salt

3/4 pound penne pasta

1 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes, dried oregano and vodka, and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve, crush them with your hands, and place them in a 5 quart ovenproof pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions to the tomatoes and cover with a tight lid. Place the pot in the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pot from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Set aside.

Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency, and return to the pot.

Reheat the tomato sauce and add the heavy cream, fresh oregano and salt, to taste, and simmer for 5 minutes. Toss the sauce with the pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, to taste. Serve

Baked Orzo With Fontina And Peas

Great with a ribeye steak!

Serves 6-8


Ingredients


4 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.


Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentis

Grown Up Mac And Cheese

If you are spending this weekend at the lake, here is a suggestion for Friday night's dinner.

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon

Vegetable oil

Kosher salt

2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated

2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Recipe courtesy Barefoot Contessa

Pasta With Marinara Sauce

This is my go to meal when I haven't planned ahead and need something quick. It's all made from the staples I keep around in my pantry. What makes it special is the Marinara Sauce, which is quick, authentic and delicious...what you get in Italy and in only 20 minutes. The recipe is adapted from Lidia Bastianich, co-owner of three New York restaurants, several cookbooks and the celebrated PBS show, Lidia's Italy. I used to stay up until 1:00 a.m. to catch her show on PBS. Use what you need and freeze the rest for a million other things like Bruschetta, Eggplant Parmeggiana or another quick meal of pasta. It is also a good base for Penne alla Vodka. That's why I keep a bottle handy in the freezer! Use the best and freshest ingredients, after all that's what makes this simple sauce great.

This recipe was originally posted in my main recipe blog, Lindaraxa's Garden in March 2009. I use it in so many of my Italian recipes that I decided to post it again in this blog. Keep it handy, you will need it!

Marinara Sauce

1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic peeled
1 box Pomi Crushed tomatoes(or one 35 oz San Marzano tomatoes seeded and lightly crushed, with their liquid
Salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
Crushed hot red pepper (go easy!unless you like it hot)
10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Black Olives for garnish (optional)

Heat the oil in a 2 to 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Whack the garlic with the flat side of a knife, add it to the oil, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Carefully slide the tomatoes and their liquid into the oil. Bring to a boil and season lightly with the salt, sugar and red pepper. Lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer and cook, breaking the tomatoes with a whisk or a spoon (if you got the can of whole tomatoes) until the sauce is chunky and thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in the basil* about 5 minutes before the sauce is finished. Taste the sauce and season with salt and red pepper, if necessary. Set aside.

You can bring to a boil and cook the spaghetti while the sauce is cooking if you are pressed for time. I prefer to cook my sauce first and let it settle. It will get thick but I thin it with water from the spaghetti just before I pour it off the saucepan.

*Do use fresh basil and do not chop until right before you add it. Herbs release their best aroma when they are just cut and you want this released into the sauce, not the counter.

Spaghetti

Boil the spaghetti for about 10 minutes in a big pot with lots of water and a dash of salt. Don't skimp on the water! This prevents it from sticking in the pot. When the spaghetti is almost done and before you drain, take one or two laddlefulls of water and add it to marinara sauce to thin. If you want to eat it like a real Italian add the spaghetti to the sauce, not the other way around, and cook it in the saucepan for a couple of minutes. This and the water helps the sauce stick to the pasta. Add freshly grated Parmeggiano-Regianno and enjoy. I serve mine with a baguette and a tossed salad.

Wine suggestions: Peppoli from Antinori, if you can afford it, or Santa Cristina, the least expensive of the Antinori wines. Monte Anticho, found sometimes in the supermarket and fairly inexpensive, is also good. But stick with Italian wines, preferrably from Toscana-- remember terroir! P.S. You can find Peppoli sometimes at Costco, at great savings. It is one of my daughter's favorites.