Italian Pasta Classics - Aglio Olio e Peperoncino

Photo: NK 

Welcome to Part II of our Italian Pasta Classics series, where we share the very best in traditional pasta dishes for your viewing and eating pleasure.

Check out Part I HERE.

Today, we want you to know about Aglio Olio e Peperoncino - or pasta with Olive Oil, Garlic and Crushed Red Pepper. This rustic, peasant meal has been claimed by much of Southern Italy. A few sources believe it originated in Abruzzo, but the jury is still out. 

Let's just agree that this ever so simple dish belongs to the nation itself, and that in the pantheon of authentic pasta recipes, it is most certainly one of the greats.

Anchovy haters: be brave.
The anchovy fillets melt into the oil as you warm it and become virtually undetectable. If you use good quality imported anchovy fillets, ideally packed in oil, I can assure you that the finished dish will have absolutely no fishy taste. The anchovies themselves lend a complexity to the flavors that is, I believe, absolutely essential. Still, you are more than welcome to make this recipe without them, but I happen to think you'll be missing out! Some (questionable) recipes also call for grated parmigiana or pecorino, but I don't recommend it.

You could make this dish with regular spaghetti, linguine, or any other long pasta. We opted for Spaghetti alla Chitarra. Cut on an implement called the Chitarra (it is strung with wire much like the eponymous guitar), the resulting pasta takes the form of long, thin ribbons with square, rather than rounded edges. Why make Aglio Olio e Peperoncino? It is easy, fast, delicious and cheap! Feeding a family of four for well under dollars 10 is no problem with this recipe. 
Buon appetito!

 ~This meal was made in loving memory of Grandma Peg who will be dearly missed. 

Photo: NK 

Aglio Olio e Peperoncino
Serves 4 

Ingredients:
1 Lb Spaghetti or other long pasta (we used Spaghetti alla Chitarra)
6 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
7 Anchovy fillets packed in oil (imported) 
7 medium or large Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 -1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (less if you prefer mild spice)

2/3 Cup Italian Parsley, most of it finely chopped, a few sprigs reserved for garnish
Approximately 1/3 Cup Pasta Water
Salt
Black Pepper

Method:
1. Set a pot of salted pasta water to boil and then cook the pasta according to package instructions until it is almost al dente. Drain, reserving about a 1/2 cup of pasta water. 

2. In a very large skillet, warm the olive oil over a medium flame. Add the anchovy fillets and let them cook until they dissolve fully into the oil. You can use a wooden spoon to stir and help them along. 

3. Once anchovies have fully dissolved you can add the garlic. Lower the heat to low so that garlic does not burn. Add the crushed red pepper as well as the black pepper. Cook the garlic for a few minutes (about 3) taking care not to burn it. 

4. Add about a 1/3 cup pasta water to the pan. Add the cooked pasta, and toss on the parsley. Turn up the heat a bit and toss the pasta in the skillet for 1 or 2 minutes until everything is coated. Season with additional black pepper and taste for salt. Add more only if needed. Serve immediately with a sprig of parsley and enjoy!

When Life Gives You Lemon Oil - Lazy Girl's Beet Hummus & Lemony Market Veggie Pasta

Infused Oils and Vinegars to go, Photo: NK

Last weekend's travels brought us out to Long Island. During our brief trip, we made a point of passing though the cute little village of Southampton for a stroll. After a delightful pit stop at St. Ambroeus Gelateria (an Eric Ripert favorite) for some insanely good pistachio gelato, we happened upon another adorable shop - Vines & Branches. 

The place was a cook's dream - an entire store dedicated to creatively flavored oils and vinegars - all of which you could taste. 

I have notoriously little sales resistance, so in no time, the all too adept saleslady had rung me up to the tune of three infused vinegars and one bottle of lemon flavored olive oil. How did this happen? Every time I picked up a bottle of something seemingly odd (coffee infused balsamic!?) the clerk had a quick anecdote about making some amazing dish with it. "Oh, coffee balsamic, you can make the most delicious marinated steak with that.  You know, it's like a coffee rub. Once you taste it, it'll be game over!" 

Ok.             Sold. 

And so it continued.
I learned that my coconut infused white balsamic vinegar would be bonkers on lime-spiked shrimp, and that clearly, pumpkin spice vinegar would be natural after being reduced and drizzled on a pork chop. 
We shall see. 

It was fun to purchase ready-flavored oils and vinegars. After all, I am all about convenience. Still, I want you to know that it is so easy to make them yourself, and probably much cheaper. Today, we'll start by showing how to make you a super basic Lemon Infused Olive Oil, just like the one I purchased. From there, we'll present you two dishes that go together famously with this brightly flavored oil (although the possibilities are endless so by all means, use your imagination).

HERE WE GO... 

Infused Oils and Vinegars from Vines & Branches, Photo: NK

Lemon Infused Olive Oil
From Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
The peels of of 2 Lemons (just the zest, not the white pith)

Method: 
To peel lemons, use a very sharp knife to remove just the yellow part, leaving behind the bitter white pith.
Combine lemon peel and olive oil and place them in a pan over low heat. Warm for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. *Can be stored in a tightly sealed jar at room temperature for a month. 

Now that we're done with the oil, let's try the super fast fresh pasta sauce we made with it:

Lemony Market Veggie Pasta

Our favorite farm stand, Photo: NK

Getting inspired by seasonal produce at the farm stand or farmer's or gourmet market is one of my favorite things to do - so much so, in fact, that I always end up with more veggies and fruits than two humans could possibly handle. 

When I have extra vegetables on hand, which is often, I almost always make them into a meatless pasta dish (check out last year's market veggie pasta here). This everything but the kitchen sink pasta is not only one of the easiest dinners you can make, but a great and healthy way to use up produce. 

Just grab whatever vegetables you have on hand and sauté them in a bit of oil after warming some garlic or shallot in the pan - toss the cooked pasta and maybe some pasta water in it, stir and enjoy! The creative process of choosing for yourself is half the fun, so while I hesitate to post a recipe, I want to show you how we used our brand new lemon infused olive oil to wake up this tasty and meatless dish. 

Farm fresh veggies, the best of the season, Photo: NK

Using great right now plum and yellow tomatoes, zucchini, and a little shallot, this quick fresh sauce pasta comes together deliciously. The lemon infused olive oil provides a great zing, and a little jalapeno gives it an ever-so-slight kick. You can omit that part if you are serving this to your little ones. Finally, feel free to adapt this veggie pasta to your taste, but at the very least, today's easy recipe will give you a good idea of the basic process. I was feeling whimsical so I prepared it with kid-friendly wagon wheel pasta (rotelle) which always takes me back to my youth! 

Market Veggie Wagon Wheel Pasta With Lemon Infused Oil
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1/2 pound Wagon Wheel Pasta (rotelle)
2 Tablespoons Lemon Oil + more for drizzling (see recipe above)
1 Shallot, chopped small
1 large Yellow Tomato
3 very ripe Plum Tomatoes (or your own fave combo of any tomatoes will work too)
1 whole medium Zucchini, sliced lengthwise and then again in 1/2 centimeter thick slices
1/2 a Jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Grated Parmigiana Reggiano Cheese (optional)

Method:
1. Bring a pot of well salted water to boil for the pasta. Add pasta to pot when it's ready and cook according to the box instructions (ours was 10 minutes for al dente). 

Mixing it all up, Photo: NK

2. Meanwhile, heat the lemon infused olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally, to 2 minutes. Add the rest of the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring from time to time, for another 5 minutes. 
*I like my zucchini a bit al dente so taste it after you are done and if it's too firm for you, cook a bit longer. When it is to your liking, turn off the heat and stir in the salt and pepper.

3. Your pasta should be close to done by now. When it is finished, drain, reserving some of the pasta water. 

4. Return drained pasta to pot and toss the contents of the vegetable pot into it. Toss for a minute or so, while adding about 2-3 tablespoons of pasta water to the mix. Check for seasoning and plate. 

5. To finish, add a drizzle of lemon infused olive oil to each dish and top with optional crushed red pepper and grated parmigiana cheese. Enjoy!

Market Veggie Wagon Wheel Pasta with Lemon Infused Oil, Photo: NK

Next up, 

Beet Hummus
If there is an easy way to do something, I will find it. My laziness (with regard to certain life and kitchen-related chores) knows no bounds. My husband marvels at my ability to jam pack a dishwasher in ways that defy proven geometric principles...just so I won't have to hand wash that last pot. I learned many of my favorite "shortcuts" from my dad, a guy who liked to cut a few corners when any heavy lifting was involved. He didn't call this being lazy, he called it being efficient. I would have to agree!

Certainly, some kitchen and food preparation work is absolutely worth doing  - if you have the time. But this blog is often about simplifying without sacrificing taste or quality. 

To give you a for instance, I've been meaning to try making beet hummus for the past year, ever since I first ate it last year at a charity reception that featured an all-vegetarian dinner (read about it HERE). What's been holding me back, you ask? Well, the thought of cooking and peeling beets (often a very messy affair) just seemed too daunting. So - since "necessity is the mother of invention", I give you today's easy shortcut for wonderful beet hummus. Canned beets cut the prep time down to minutes and the result is delicious. You can surely make this with fresh beets if you have the time (45 min or so) and inclination, as it's not all that big of a deal. Also, feel free to try some of the ready-prepared fresh beet products out there. Love Beets is one of our favorites.   

The easiest Beet Hummus you'll ever make, Photo: NK

Lazy Girl's Beet Hummus With Lemon Infused Olive Oil
Adapted from a fantastic blog - Dishing Up The Dirt
Serves 8

Ingredients: 
15 Ounce Can Sliced Beets, drained
15 Ounce Can Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
2 heaping Tablespoons Tahini
2.5 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Lemon Infused Oil* Recipe Above (or plain Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
3 large Cloves Garlic
1 scant Tablespoon Ground Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Method:
Blend all the ingredients in good blender or food processor until smooth. Taste for seasoning. If you prefer a silkier consistency you can certainly add a bit more tahini or oil. 

Enjoy! 

Not So Bitter Greens - Orecchiette & Broccoli Rabe + Fried Capers

Broccoli rabe and pasta are a natural match often spotted together on Italian menus in a popular dish that includes sausage. A'int nothing wrong with that. But today is meatless Monday, and although my husband may complain bitterly, we are having an all-veggie meal.  As an added wrinkle, he thinks he really doesn't like broccoli rabe. He's part Italian, mind you, so such a declaration just will not stand in this house.  

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Fried Capers, Photo: NK

Also - I like a good challenge!

Plus, whenever fall rolls around, my vegetable cravings turn towards the dark, leafy greens, and broccoli rabe is among my all time favorites - with or without pasta. 

Broccoli Rabe, Photo: NK

Broccoli Rabe gets a bad rap because of its complex and slightly bitter flavor, but in today's recipe, we'll soak it to take a way some of that bitterness. Though this veggie may be an acquired taste, it's hard not to love when tossed with orecchiette pasta, so named because its resemblance to "little ears," and tangy parmigiana reggiano cheese. A simple sauce composed of of garlic, olive oil, and crushed red pepper flakes ties the recipe together, and crispy, piquant fried capers add major appeal while rounding out any bitterness from the greens.

This dish is adapted from a gorgeous cookbook that my sister-in-law gave me last year - Savoring the Hamptons by Silvia Lehrer. For more recipes adapted from this wonderful book (and for the reasons I find Long Island's East End to be an inspiring culinary destination), click HERE. 

Another reason why I love Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Fried Capers is because it's really a genius recipe; the broccoli rabe cooks right in the pasta water and the timing works perfectly together. 

Also- you can use this fried caper method on any dish you like to add a crunchy, tangy note to your next pasta, vegetable or protein. Happy Cooking! 

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Fried Capers
Adapted from Savoring the Hamptons by Silvia Lehrer
Serves 4 as an entree, 6 as an appetizer

Ingredients:  1 Lb Orecchiette Pasta
1 Large Bunch Broccoli Rabe
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 heaping Tablespoons Capers, rinsed, drained and patted very dry
2 Large Cloves of Garlic finely chopped
Crushed Red Pepper
1/4 Cup Coarsely Grated Parmigiana Cheese
Salt
Black Pepper

1/2 Cup chopped Italian Parsley (optional)

Method:
1. Prepare the broccoli rabe: 
Cut several inches of the woody stems off the broccoli rabe and discard.
Next, pull off the broccoli-like florets and remove them to a small bowl. 
Now, cut the broccoli rabe leaves off their ribs and place the leaves in another small bowl. Tear then if they are on the large side. Cover both bowls with cold water and allow them to sit for 20 minutes before draining away the water. 

Photo: NK

*You can do the above steps in advance if you prefer - just be sure to drain the greens after 20 minutes.  If you don't have time to soak the broccoli rabe, it ill still be good, just give it a good rinse. 


2. When ready to cook your meal, set a large pot of well-salted water to boil.

Photo: NK

3. Meanwhile, warm oil over medium high heat in a small saucepan. Add the capers. The oil may spit so be careful. 
Fry them for 1-2 minutes until capers crack open and start to become golden but not burnt. When the right color is achieved, turn off the heat and remove capers using a slotted spoon to a paper towel for draining. They should be somewhat crispy once dry. Set capers aside for use later but leave the oil behind in the pan.



4. By this time, your pasta water should be close to boiling. When it has started, add the orecchiette and the broccoli rabe Leaves. Boil for 2 minutes. Then add the broccoli rabe florets and cook another 7 minutes for al dente pasta (check the cook time on the box as it could vary). Another 8 minutes for less firm pasta.  (Hint: al dente is always the way to go)

5. While the pasta and greens boil, turn the flame back on medium-low under the caper oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute 1-2 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden. Add  a 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, a few small pinches of salt and a generous pinch of black pepper. Stir and turn off the flame.  

Plating the Pasta, Photo: NK

6. When pasta is finished, drain it along with the greens from the pot using a colander set over a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Stir pasta water into the oil, garlic and pepper mixture on the stove.

7. To serve:
Place pasta and greens into your serving bowl, drizzle oil and garlic sauce over the pasta and toss. Sprinkle with fried capers and finish with grated parmigiana and optional chopped parsley. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Buon appetito! 

Enjoy - and P.S. the husband gobbled this right up. 

Your family will too! 

The Ultimate in Easy Starters - Pan con Tomate

Labor Day is almost here and even though we have a big bash planned, we are, as always, keeping things simple.  For our holiday weekend barbecue, we'll be serving up a traditional Spanish tapa to kick off our meal - Pan con Tomate. Pan con Tomate means bread with tomato, and that's really almost all there is to it. Extremely ripe tomatoes are grated into a pulp and put atop crusty slices of a toasted bread that have been liberally rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil. 

Grating the Tomatoes, Photo: NK

Basic though it may be, Pan con Tomate also happens to be insanely delicious - so much so that you really can't fathom just how good it it is until you try it for yourself. The tips below will help you to put this under-five-ingredient and absolutely to die for appetizer together with ease. 

TIPS:

To make a stellar Pan con Tomate, be sure to get yourself some really fantastic bread. I think that a large, round peasant loaf sliced about a 1/2 inch thick is the best bet because it toasts up very light and easy to bite while the crust maintains its crispiness. We like to use Eli's brand. 

Finally, the recipe hinges on having very ripe beefsteak tomatoes. Really any type of larger tomato will do, but beefsteaks have been especially flavorful this summer. A nice drizzle of good quality, fruity extra virgin olive oil is also important, as is a dusting of kosher salt. 

Pan con Tomate, Photo: NK

Serve up these toasty slices of garlic and tomato-ey goodness and watch as your guests gobble them up. It's hard to say just what makes these so good, but the fact that they are incredibly easy to makes them all the more wonderful. I hope you enjoy this dish as well as all the compliments it's sure to get you! 

Pan Con Tomate

Serves 4 

Recipe Courtesy of Saveur

Ingredients: 
1-2 very ripe tomatoes sliced in half (ideally beefsteak variety)

About 8 Slices of bread sliced 1/2 inch thick (ideally a round peasant loaf) 

Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

2 Cloves Garlic, each sliced in half

Kosher Salt 

Method:

Over a box or handheld grater set over a bowl, rub tomato halves until all the pulp is grated and only the skin remains. 

Lightly toast the slices of bread until crispy and slightly golden.

Rub the tops of each slice with a half clove of garlic. Press hard to be sure the garlic is transferred onto the entire surface of each slice (the crispiness of the bread will aid in the transfer). 

Next, drizzle slices with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Liberally spoon tomato pulp over toasts and sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve immediately and enjoy!